Seattle (2-1) @ Texas (3-0)

[TTown]

This series always scares me. You don't mess with that line-up, and now Texas pitches, too. Arlington is home to Felix's highest career ERA of any ballpark where he's got more than one start. Actually, he's got a slightly higher ERA at the old Yankee Stadium, but that's obviously irrelevant now.

Erik Bedard vs. Derek Holland
Michael Pineda vs. Alexi Ogando
Felix Hernandez (1-0, 2.00) vs. CJ Wilson (0-0, 3.18)

First career starts for Pineda and Ogando on Tuesday.

This rotation trio will probably tend to get fans a bit more excited than one that features Vargas and Fister, though to be fair Vargas was outstanding yesterday. I'm as pumped for an April game as I've been in some time in regards to Pineda's start. I'm cautiously optimistic for Bedard, too. When he's healthy, he pitches well for us... though Arlington has been a house of horrors for him traditionally, if we can take anything from Bedard's former self as fact.

Smoak had a hit in every game in Oakland, 2 doubles, and 3 walks (1 intentional).

[bennith13]

I am excited to see Bedard and Pineda pitch, but I am not expecting much in the wins department.

[TTown]

3-2 Texas, top 4

Smoak smoked (ha) a double to left center, his 3rd in 4 games. Olivo got Cust in from third one batter later with a groundout.

Bedard's thrown 57 picthes through 3. Gave up a HR to Andrus in the 1st, allowed two unearned runs in the 2nd on a triple a batter or two after Ichiro badly misplayed a ball in right. Obviously, you can't give Texas extra outs. He got through the 3rd easy peazy.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

I thought Bedard actually looked pretty good. He had good stuff, he just fell behind hitters. And you can't do that with Texas. The Ichiro error hurt us a ton. We really didnt have much of a chance after that, especially with our offense choking in key situations.

Cant wait to see Pineda pitch today!

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

God. Our offense is historically pathetic. It's that bad.

And thanks, Saunders, for not knowing how to read a flyball. Cost Pineda his first major league run.

[TTown]

6 innings in and I'm developing a man crush on Pineda.

Our odd habit of flying out harmlessly on an otherwise good 2-0 count seems to have carried into this season.

[Sweezo]

This is my first time watching Pineda pitch. I don't care if he wins or loses tonight, he looks fantastic. A couple bad choices but he isn't getting hit that hard, and I'm guessing that's a slider he's throwing that cuts down hard but that is a hell of a pitch. A mid-90's fastball and that pitch will take him a long way.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

I thought Pineda pitched really well. He REALLY only gave up 2 runs, and it came late in the 6th inning. He has filthy stuff. That 90 mph changeup is going to be his bread and butter. 96 mph fastball, the change, and then slider? Good times ahead.

It'd be nice if Ichiro and Figgins could do better than 0-8 too.

[TTown]

In the woulda/coulda/shoulda department, Guti catches that triple off the wall in the 2nd. Saunders was kind of embarrassing trying to track that.

I agree, I thought Bedard and Pineda both did well. Against that line-up, in that ballpark, expecting anything more (especially from Pineda) is probably unrealistic. Assuming the rotation stays the same with the day off tomorrow, Bedard should go against the Tribe Sunday and Pineda's got the Jays, both at Safeco.

[TTown]

3-3, top 6

Felix = good, two Jack Wilson errors in the 2nd led to 3 Texas runs. Because we're the Mariners we've blown plenty of opportunities to score, but we have battled back to tie the game.

[TTown]

Another afternoon of anti-clutch Chone Figgins, sadly. Ichiro has walked twice now with men on base, bringing up Figs, and I find myself wanting Ichiro to just hack at ball 4 because it's much more likely he'll drive in the run than Figgins.

[Sweezo]

Another afternoon of anti-clutch Chone Figgins, sadly. Ichiro has walked twice now with men on base, bringing up Figs, and I find myself wanting Ichiro to just hack at ball 4 because it's much more likely he'll drive in the run than Figgins.

Figgins looked good the first two games but is back to being a hacktastic master of the pop fly.

Our bullpen has once again disappointed us. Great.

[TTown]

Disappointing end to this one. I really thought they battled the first two games, but this one didn't end well.

Gotta beat the Tribe.

[Bulltalk]

I'm already becoming apathetic about the M's. Our hitting still sucks donkey balls. It's just too frustrating watching a team that you have so little confidence in their ability to score runs, especialy when they need them.

I was watching them the other night, Tuesday. Bases loaded, down 3-2, 1 out, their 2nd and 3rd hitters due up...I would have bet a $100.00 dollars that we weren't going to take the lead that inning if someone had took the other side of the bet as Figgens stepped up to the plate. I wouldn't have hesitated. I have no faith in the M's ability for timely hitting on anything resembling even a mediocre basis.

Which is sad because I actually think our starting pitching staff and defense are playoff caliber.

Can someone assure me of ONE THING? Is Smoak going to amount to something more than Mariner mediocrity? Can this guy PLEASE emerge as a consistently dangerous hitter at some point?

And more...is Dustin Ackley going to live up to the hype?

Ugh.

PS> We better get that 3rd baseman from Rice in the draft this June with the 2nd pick.

[bennith13]

What is the over/under for mariner home runs this year? 25, 30? Either way, I am taking the under.

[TTown]

We hit 101 last year, dead last in the AL, but even that seems like too many upon reflection.