M's 6 Game Homestand vs. Twins & Tigers

[Bulltalk]

I think we've got to get 4 wins out of these 6 games to right the ship now, get us back to at least a 15-18 record. Minnesota is worse than we are, so that's a start. Hopefully we can do something about it.

[Sweezo]

Most important of all, Figgins has been banished to a utility infielder role while Ackley moves up to the leadoff spot. The Twins are a truly terrible team and a sweep at home in Seattle shouldn't be out of the question.

[TTown]

i thought so too, but as we were getting worked by a mediocre carl pavano i remembered we were the mariners and...........

vargas was pretty good.

i must not be paying attention, because wilhelmsen's overall numbers are okay, but every time i see him he's just vomiting up runs for the other side.

[TTown]

through 7 felix has given up exactly 1 hit, and best of all, we're scoring runs for him! 5-0 m's, bottom 7.

[Bulltalk]

Felix is awesome. He could easily be 5-0. And he now has a 1.89 ERA. If he gets any run support this year, definite Cy Young contender.

I still think Ackley, Ichiro, Montero, and Seager are our solid 4.

Why not just call Seager our 3rd baseman for the rest of the year?

Got to win tomorrow.

[Slats]

Man how good was Felix? Looking like another lost start for him through the first 5 innings with how poor the offense look and then bang! The offense exploded. Lets hope it continues in game 3

[TTown]

Felix is awesome. He could easily be 5-0. And he now has a 1.89 ERA. If he gets any run support this year, definite Cy Young contender.

I still think Ackley, Ichiro, Montero, and Seager are our solid 4.

Why not just call Seager our 3rd baseman for the rest of the year?

Got to win tomorrow.

see, i like seager a lot, too. i thought he showed enough last year to be our everyday 3B going into 2012; he flat hits the ball, and he hasn't disappointed. it seems like some (not necessarily on this forum, but elsewhere on the interwebs) don't want to root for him because he wasn't supposed to be "part of the plan".... but we're the mariners, and we really can't push aside good hitting prospects just because they're out-performing a scout's projections from two years ago. the dude just hits.

i like liddi, too. which brings up, again, what to do with smoak. he's shown he can hit very well for stretches at a time, but when he's in a slump he really slumps............ and he's sure off to a doozy this season. i really don't want to give up on him, but what happens if he can't shake it, liddi keeps hitting, and carp starts hitting like 2011? smoak's going to run out of options. i want to give him a legitimate shot, i mean after all we gave up cliff lee for him... but he's a big, black hole right now.

[Sweezo]

see, i like seager a lot, too. i thought he showed enough last year to be our everyday 3B going into 2012; he flat hits the ball, and he hasn't disappointed. it seems like some (not necessarily on this forum, but elsewhere on the interwebs) don't want to root for him because he wasn't supposed to be "part of the plan".... but we're the mariners, and we really can't push aside good hitting prospects just because they're out-performing a scout's projections from two years ago. the dude just hits.

At the beginning of the season I thought Seager may not be the long term solution at 3B but rather a utility guy. Reason being we have a backlog of 3B prospects [Liddi, Catricala, Martinez, Triunfel] and Seager's presumed lack of power. There's not a lot of places you can stick a power bat but 3B is one of them.

But Seager's shown a decent amount of power this season. If he's got enough to be a 20 HR guy then I have no complaints.

i like liddi, too. which brings up, again, what to do with smoak. he's shown he can hit very well for stretches at a time, but when he's in a slump he really slumps............ and he's sure off to a doozy this season. i really don't want to give up on him, but what happens if he can't shake it, liddi keeps hitting, and carp starts hitting like 2011? smoak's going to run out of options. i want to give him a legitimate shot, i mean after all we gave up cliff lee for him... but he's a big, black hole right now.

As much as I am frustrated and feel the urge to give up on Smoak, I also look at the success Chris Davis is having right for the Orioles. Smoak and Davis were coming up through the TEX organization at the same time and both seemed to have the same potential. Davis struggled over the course of several years, Texas cut him loose, and now Davis is putting it all together for Orioles.

It's not uncommon in situations like this for people to suggest putting a struggling player in AAA, which is often a bad idea because you can't actually do it. But I wonder if Smoak could be sent to Tacoma. If his timing and ability to recognize a breaking ball is an issue, is there any value in putting him in an environment where there's less pressure to produce?

[Sweezo]

I like today's line-up quite a bit. That cluster of Ichiro/Montero/Seager/Jaso in the middle looks pretty decent, and it's paid off today with 3 runs batted in so far.

And then the inning ends on a Smoak pop-up.

[Slats]

Offense finally coming alive! Just need Smoak to get going.

[Slats]

Today’s lineup:
1: Ackley (2B)
2: Ryan (SS)
3: Ichiro (RF)
4: Montero (C)
5: Seager (3B)
6: Jaso (DH)
7: Smoak (1B)
8: Carp (LF)
9: Saunders (CF)
SP: Beavan

[Sweezo]

Wow! What a thoroughly deflating game...until a 3 run comeback victory in the bottom of the 9th! Jaso comes through again!

[BayAreaMadSkill]

I really like Ichiro/Montero/Seager/Jaso in the middle of the lineup.

[TTown]

nothing like 8 innings of mind-numbing terribleness followed by one wild 9th inning.

[Sweezo]

I'll take that one wild 9th inning from last night over what they're putting up tonight. Smoak shows off his almost warning track power right as I type. I'm tired of rooting for him...

[BayAreaMadSkill]

I love Jaso!!!

[TTown]

vargas was very effective, too. he's quietly been pretty fantastic this year.