Tonight the Seattle Mariners will begin their most critical series since September of 2003 when the M’s trailed Oakland by three games with eight to go and went into the final game of a three-game set with the A’s with a chance to sweep and get within two.
But Gil Meche was shredded by the A’s and the Mariners were clobbered 12-0. They went on to lose the first game of the ensuing series versus the Anaheim Angels, too, when Tim Salmon took Shigetoshi Hasegawa deep in the 11th inning of a 2-1 loss.
Instead of keeping the season alive with two wins, the M’s allowed Oakland to clinch the division, deeming the two clubs’ season-ending series as moot as it gets.
Two straight years the Mariners blew their chance at the playoffs by struggling in the second half and giving way to a division rival. Once Oakland, once the Angels.
But that was then, and only Ichiro, J.J. Putz and Willie Bloomquist remain from the 2003 club, and Putz tossed a mere 3 2/3 innings. Out are the aging Edgar Martinez, Bret Boone, John Olerud, Dan Wilson, closer Kaz Sasaki, lefty specialist Arthur Rhodes, slider-man Jeff Nelson and the worst good five-man rotation in recent memory.
In is the youth and revamped offense that includes three Joses, two good, one not so good, a red hot Raul Ibanez and a ho-hum season for Ichiro, now the club’s center fielder.
But we aren’t here to talk about the differences between the two Mariners ballclubs. There are much more pressing issues.
The Mariners absolutely have to win at least two of the three games in this series, and though the season wouldn’t be over if they didn’t, the west might be won or lost this week and battling the Yankees for the wildcard isn’t even something fans nor the team itself even want to think about.
Beating John Lackey in game one isn’t going to be easy, but there are a few M’s bats that have a clue against the right-hander.
Lackey went the distance in a shutout win over Seattle on July 31 to extend his scoreless streak versus the M’s to 17 2/3 innings.
M’s versus Lackey -
Ibanez: 14-41, 2-2B, 5BB, 4K
Lopez: 8-25, 2-2B
Sexson: 9-28, 2 HR
Ichiro: 21-67, 2-2B, HR
Guillen: 1-6
Vidro: 4-10
Broussard: 6-21, 2 HR
Johjima: 7-20, HR
Betancourt: 5-21, 3B, HR
Beltre: 7-36, 2B, HR
Total: .298, 8 HR
Angels versus Batista -
Guerrero: 12-23, 3-2B, HR
Cabrera: 9-28, 2-2B, HR
Figgins: 2-10, 2B, 3B
Izturis: 1-11, 2B
Matthews: 3-18, 3B
Willits: 4-5
Anderson: 3-12, 2B
Kendrick: 0-3
Mathis: 1-2
Morales: 2-3, HR
Total: .322, 3 HR
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this series is make or break if they can take 2 out of 3 then they can take the lead in the division if they win the next game on the next home stand GO MARINERS kick the angels butts
Yup. Do or die! Go M’s!!!!!!!!
I don’t think do or die is what it’s about but as a fan it’s going to pretty much point to which race we should be following.
Anaheim wins two or three, and we start watching New York and Detroit very closely.
M’s win two or three and we can start buying parkas for the home game(s) at the Safe in October.
Who needs a parka, multilayered flannel is IT
Obviously you weren’t sitting at Safeco during the Yankees-M’s in ‘01 when Clemens was eating the Mariners alive in the 33-degree, semi-wet conditions with a wind-chill factor resembling that of the arctic.
Nope, I got to watch that one in the 100 degree heat of PHX, but I was still wearing flannel.
Circle this datr september 10th .We will no weathere we are going to the playoffs are we arent by this date.Sounds a little early huhn i dont think so 2 with Angels,1 with Clevland, 3 with Blue Jays,3 with NY Yankees,and 3 with the Tigers.If that aint make are break time nothing is.If we can survive this tough stretch i like are chances we have the Athletics for 3 then Tampa for 4 so put your seatbelt on and lets see where this ride takes us.
Anybody care to translate?
Sure.
Circle this date - September 10. We will know whether or not Goose is gay or not by this date. Sounds a little girly, eh? I don’t think so.
Need I go on?
flannel is for… Goose.
Sorry goose i pushed the wrong button been a long day.If that makes you feel good ripping a typing mistake go kick your dog that will make you feel better.Thanks jason for taking a swipe at him didnt MLK say cant we all just get along!
LOOOOOOOL
Flannel doesn’t look good on me. It clashes with my fabulous jean shorts and my wonderful black dress shoes!
#9
That was funny Jason.
#7 Cujo is that you that is doing the typing or is it your dog named Cujo doing the typing.
The space bar is your friend. To separate two things it’s “OR” not “ARE”. You know what your saying, it’s just your typing that is coming across very hard.
My poor father had to attend the final two games of that ugly series— the finale on his birthday. It’s a good thing he doesn’t get as depressed as I do about this stuff.
I see two possibilities at this point:
1) God hates Seattle fans
2) God hates me and Seattle will have to suffer too