Pallbearer

So, like i said on my Twitter account. What would we do without Russell Branyan. Amazing stroke, as one USS Mariner commenter said... that swing is worth more than one win!

Anyways... interesting note on Jason A Churchill's twitter account. A rival scout believes the mariners to make not just one more but two in the next week and change. one surrounding our line up and one with out rotation, with bedard expected to stick around.

One would assume that it would lead to Washburn being traded but im not entirely sold on that idea just yet. i think the clock for Morrow is ticking and while he has shown some ability. He may not be as untouchable as he once was. Espcially with the emergence of Jason Vargas.


Also of course with the Olson melt down and RRS headed to the fourth spot there is discussion about weather Vargas, Morrow or CJ will get the nod for the 5 spot on sunday. My inclination is Jak will get it. Giving Vargas some time to rest his arm until August so that we have him to make the last push of the season.


I really feel that jakubauskas is a solid choice for us. while he isnt going to be any type of genius you will get from him what you expect. and thats a mini of 5 solid innings.


back to the trading deadline ... do you think there is a fourth option for the starting 5? Jack Z like to surprise and while i dont expect to add someone to the starting rotation through a trade. I really wouldnt be surprised as he has a habit for pulling a rabit out of his hat.


Washburn going tommorrow in the rubber match... GO MARINERS GO!

Paperthing Hymm

Well ... another day another move by the Seattle Mariners. Giving up a mid level prospect for a solid defensive third basemen. Here is what is being said about it....



- USS Mariner

- Lookout Landing

- NWProball

- Shannon Drayer

- Seattle Times

- Tacoma News Tribune



.... got to love these moves ... he's a solid upgrade over Woodward ... it also in my mind rules out the possibility of a play for Garrett Atkins ... Jon Shields over at NW Proball wrote about why we shouldnt be aquiring atkins i whole heartly agree, and i think now with the left handed Hannahan that its mote point at the moment...





In other news Brandon Morrow is sent down to AAA ... alot of all though of it between Jason Vargas and Garrett Olson with Olson shifting the bull pen and vargas going down but i guess that Vargas has shown alot of redemable qualities and the defense has sure made him look like the Vargas of when he was a prospect with the Marlins. Dont let him or me fool you. He's only a back end starter. but for what he's being asked to do he's doing a great job...






But back to Morrow ...hopefully and let me reitereate my as i type this ... HOPEFULLY ... this will signal the end of the back and forth ...will he or wont he Brandon Morrow saga .. Dont get me wrong i love sagas... LOVE THEM... Star Wars.. the best all time .. Indiana Jones ... well is that really a saga ... anyways ... the point being is this has been continued to be mis handled and i love how its been pointed out that Brandon's curve is not big league ready and its not a good pitch.

Mr. Brightside .. or maybe not

Well, im not sure if the plan was to make sure the Rockies won every game no matter what. But if that was the case someone tottally forgot to tell Jose Lopez and now he made Mark Lowe look bad. Besides the two complete defensive colapses we havnt played bad ball. but, it does sting abit after working back to .500 only to give away two games in a row.

As it stands we really need a redemption game tommorrow afternoon. I must say maybe i am being a bit pisamistic, however i dont really expect anything great out of Vargas. Hes been pretty good so far this year. Really nothing like what he was last year for the Mets and has started looking like what the Marlins expected from him three years ago and currently he is posting an ERA of 2.35 a WHIP of 1.20.

You probley ask.. Harrison, why in the world are you worried about the pitching, it hasnt been the problem this year. Its the lack of runs that is killing us. Yes, true enough we have had alot of issues with runs, and even tonight only three different players (Ichiro, Beltre and Lopez) combined for our 8 hits. But our offense seems like its starting to streak in the right direction, and thats the way they work. Sometimes against you sometimes for you. This wave is taking us the way we want to go.

No, im worried about the pitching simply because Jason Vargas has averaged over 50% of hits put into play are fly balls for the past three years. (actually he has brought that down to 45% this year) He dosnt strike many hitters out and hitters make contact 83% of the time. He has given up 6 home runs in 6 starts and 8 games total that he's pitched.

So what does this mean? Flyball pitcher in coors field equates to death to that pitcher. yes Jarrod Washburn had a good outing despite the fielding errors. But he has been on a hot strike and he has a higher swinging strike percentage. I dont think Vargas will be that bad, and im so glad its him and not silva. But lets face it, any fly ball pitcher in coors is down right scary

How to save a life...

Jason Vargas needs to sit down with Felix Hernandez and show him how to mix his pitches up. Vargas strikes out 7 through 7 and it's largely due to his changing of speeds and mixing of pitches. he looked very impressive for his second start in a row. the last thing i need is to become excited by a medicore pitcher, who makes me believe he's something greater than what he really his. let's wait this out and see how well he is performing come july.

Move Along

So yes, it has been 5 days since my last post.


No, i havn't been hiding in a shell until the mariners broke their horrible losing streak. I actually didn't get to see about half the games and couldn't really commit about most of what was going on besides the fact they couldn't hit a lick!

Jason Vargas going against the rangers and as dave cameron from USS Mariner said "If Vargas can get through six innings and allow four runs or less, he should be congratulated." I'll go a step further and say that he should probley have a party thrown for him. He's a god a huge step ahead of him with Josh Hamilton possibly being back in the line-up.

Dustin Ackley is back in CF for UNC showing his range and athletiscim. As was said on othersites this just further goes to push him to the #2 spot. I am getting excited to hear that.

With Silva, RR-S out ..if another pitcher goes down i suppose that leaves Garret Olson a rotation spot, but i'm really not excited about our future rotation at this point. I realize the organization is in transition but at this point there arn't alot of great SP prospects in the system outside of A-Ball. could be a upcoming blog,

speaking of upcoming blogs i do have one about star trek and baseball incoming. just alittle background for what has made me obsessed about it as much as i am.

So uh with both Celtics-Magic and Lakers-Rockets sitting all tied up i gotta make a quick snippet about this. I think that the Celtics are deep enough to take magic 7 and POSSIBLY win, but i don't see them beating the cav's. Not with the injuries they have had. Magic have the team to beat cleveland we'll see what happens. OH, and speaking of Cleveland. How about that trade last year where Sonics traded Delonte West to the Cavs. Delonte West is showing to be such a great solid player. I'm really amazed by his over all speed and quickness. AMAZING. On the west coast. I think the Rockets can tottally take the Lakers down. I would never could out Ron-Ron and Shane Battier. Such a great deffensive team.


Outside of that not alot going on... i won my Fantasy Game last week. moving me to tied for #1 spot in my division at 3-2 and i'm taking on Hayden this week. Time for some payback....