I was asleep at the wheel and forgot to start a thread about the team that's responsible for part my name.

3-1 start. Color me surprised. I thought for sure they would have went 1-2 against the Angels and 1-3 against the A's. Their pitching in spring training was horrendous. It seemed like they were giving up an average of at least 10 runs/game. They still could go 1-3 against the A's but they played probably their best game of the young season last night even with Gil Meche being a little shaky.

The starting pitching is doing it's job by going deep into games. They need to continue to do this because I'm not convinced that the bullpen is 100% solid. In 2 of the 3 wins against the Angels, the bullpen allowed the Angels back into the game.

And so far, I like what I see in Kenji Johjima.

Tonight, 19y/o phenom Felix Hernandez is scheduled goes to the mound for the M's.

Tomorrow's match up of Moyer vs. Zito should be a good one, although Zito got rocked in the season opener.

And then there's Ichiro! Ichiro! Ichiro...

And interesting note. This is the first time that the M's have been alone in first place since April of LAST YEAR. I just want them to be competitive this year.

I'm sure you'll be forgiven by fellow Marlins fans. You have a good reason, you've been writing hysterically funny Idol recaps!!!!!

YAY for SOMEone else being a Mariners fan!
This is the first year since 1996 that I haven't cared about opening day. This season, after failing to care the second half of last season, just was full of too many insecurities about this team. I didn't care.
But then I watched parts of the last two games against Anaheim. Interesting.
And now, of course, I'm becoming a fan again (but don't label me as fairweather cuz I hate that!). Well, not-so-much a "fan," but more of a "curious observer."

I think the most important factor for this team to succeed is the young hitters hitting. We know that Jeremy Reed can hit (and he hasn't even BEGUN to scrape his potential), as can Betancourt, but now it's up to Lopez and Morse (who I don't even think made the team but he'll be called up; yum!) and the other kittens to step up. And so far they have.

Then it's time for the starting pitching to resurface and capitalize on their potential. Meche and Pineiro MUST prove themselves or they may very-well be gone by the trading deadline. I feel the bullpen should be okay; I've always liked Soriano and Guardado. Putz and Mateo make me a bit shifty when they pitch, but if new pitching coach Chavez can pull in the reigns on them, this bullpen should, overall, be solid.

And then, of course, is the anemic hitting. Johjima is a GREAT addition (not only for hitting but for calling games), although I'm a bit shifty on Everett. But the players say there's a different air in the clubhouse and this year is going to be different...

Let's keep watching.

P.S. Did the last guy intend to type "Marlins" to make fun of the "Mariners"? Hey, it's an easy mistake to make!

I AM MARINERS FAN BEEN ONE FOR 25 YRS I REMEBER THE KINGDOME AND THE TRIDENT SYMBOL
BACK TO THE PRESENT I WAS LISTENING TO THE GAME ON KOMO 1000- AM AND LISTEN TO JOE BLANTON FORMER RIVERCAT MOW DOWN THE THE M'S AND OUR YOUNG PHENOM
FELIX WAS SHAKEY THROUGH HIS 5 INNINGS OF WORK
AND AGAIN OUR BULLPEN NEEDS BE LOOKED AT AGAIN
4 GIVING UP BY MATEO ALONE.
TONITE THEY HONORING LONGTIME MARINER DAN WILSON
I REMEBER WHEN HE WAS ROOKIE THEY WEREN'T VERY GOOD BACK THEN BUT THEY OUR MARINERS GOOD BAD
STICK WITH TEAM AND HOPING FOR BETTER SEASON THIS
YEAR.
GO SEATTLE MARINERS

Yeah, it was pretty disheartening to have Zito, Blanton, and Harden today tossing aside the M's hitters who hit pretty well in the Angels series.

Neihaus mentioned, however, that Felix is going to take a game or two to get into a groove cuz he hadn't pitched in 2 weeks before that start a couple nights ago.

I'm not too worried about the bullpen, though. I AM, however, worried about the hitting. For how many years now have the M's hitters been vacating the depths of the AL cellar in terms of hitting? With big bucks invested in Sexson, Beltre, Ichiro, and now Johjima, I, as a fan, would expect MUCH more production and stats than what we've been getting.

But, here's to another season of hope (wow, that sounds reminiscent of the Seahawks sentiments up until recently) !

Well, my jinx continues. After posting about their fast start, the M's blow games 2, 3 & 4. What is it about the Oakland A's? The M's just can't seem to beat this team no matter who's playing for them. It was a concern that the M's couldn't score any runs in games 2 & 3 and most of game 4.

The bullpen is still my main concern. Let's hope they play at least .500 ball on the upcoming road trip.

A's Rock! That's what it is. Their pitching doesn't hurt either.

So. Tired. Of. Incompetent. Guardado.

TWICE against the White Sox this year he has given up TWO-OUT HOME RUNS TO SUB-.200 HITTERS IN THE NINTH INNING!

And don't give me this "well they're the World Champion White Sox!" shit. He is just plain AWFUL. Why not put in Putz, who throws upwards of 97 mph, to close? Or Soriano (who, likewise, has great stuff)?

Guardado can work on setting up for the new closer until he has proven himself. I was against Hargrove when he took over this team (what did he do for Baltimore the four years he was there?), and now I'm against him for sticking with his veteran. Give the kids a chance.

And if this M's team wants to contend, and they insist the attitude is more "energetic" in the clubhouse this year, then they need not be hesitant in making changes (whether it be line-up changes or pitching alterations). It's about taking CHANCES!

M's make a move & trade for Cleveland's Ben Broussard which means the Carl Everett experiment is over! At least while he was here, Everett didn't cause any waves in the clubhouse.

I'm not too up on how good Broussard is, though I have heard his name mentioned in relation to Cleveland. Is he any good? And how is he going to fit into the team when he's listed as a 1B, but overpaid Sexson holds that position?

And good riddance for Carl Everett's departure; I swear, if the front office blows ridiculous wads of money on ANY more mediocre OLD "talent" (read: Spiezio, Everett, Slocumb, Benitez, and that idiot who plays for the Reds now who came from the Giants), I will be utterly convinced that they're as useless as the Sonics management.

I did realize the other day, however, that despite the Mariners being completely inconsistent this season, I don't see them losing 90+ games as they have the past two seasons. I love watching the kids play and the bullpen has been the second best (behind, *gasp*, Texas) in the AL since the beg. of June.

I still greatly dislike Hargrove, but as long as the team improves, I'll keep quiet...ish.

M's now one game under, 3.5 back. What a weird year. While the M's remained relatively silent on the trade front, I am very pleased that they didn't foolishly trade their young players for older players. I am surprised that Pineiro is still with the team. Of all the M's players, I was certain that he was the one that was going to be traded. I read that Houston wanted Ichiro for Oswalt. Don't touch Ichiro.

It would be nice if the M's make up a game or two on Oakland before the A's come to town this weekend based on the lack of success they have had against them (something like 1-9?)so far this season.

Aye yai yai, Ichiro for OSWALT? No. Thanks. This is weird to say, but I feel the starting pitching isn't THAT bad; I feel much better about it than I did at the beginning of the season. Although Piniero is the weakest link (I, too, am surprised he's still with the team), I feel the rest of the starters are at the WORST, mediocre. I feel sorry for Washburn because of the flack he's been receiving on sports radio here in Seattle. Yeah his ERA is well about 4, but the team has scored 2 or fewer runs in TEN of his starts this season.

And then there's the offense. The team has been shut out TWELVE times this year, by far the most in the major leagues. I have more confidence in the younger players (Betancourt and Lopez have been surprises, I feel) as opposed to the older ones (Broussard is a welcome addition over Everett). However, I feel the team still needs to make a move or two to bring in offensive weapons that DON'T hit for power, but instead utilize the expansive Safeco Field. Sexson and Beltre are expensive underachievers. I'd love to see another player like Ichiro (I'm thinking IDEALLY, not REAListically) who hits to get his butt on base.

Anyway, I am pulling for the M's to at least win the series with the A's. Did'ja know that without their 1-9 record against the A's, the M's and A's would be flip-flopped in the standings as of right now?