Series Thread: Mariners vs A's in Japan

[Cloud]

Nice play by Chapman... thought Dee would be able to get on with that bunt

 

[blstoker]

Hopefully, MLB learns from this game - thus far all three pitchers look like they aren't ready from the season to start.

 

[blstoker]

BB
BB
SH
SF

6-4

a little small ball doesn't hurt.

 

[blstoker]

Well, I gotta be up in a few hours. I'll leave you gents to finish the game - hopefully, the M's hold on and know the feeling for 1st place for a day

 

[Podunkparte]

Remember when pitching was always ahead of hitting to start the season though? That's a long time trope. I think offense will be our strength this year.

 

[Cloud]

Great stuff to see for Ichiro.

With that, I’m gonna call it. I’ll catch the rest of the game on highlights.

Night fellas.

 

[Podunkparte]

Nice job by Marco finding his cutter and changeup to work around a lead off double and walk for a scoreless inning.

 

[Podunkparte]

Tim Beckham with the bat flip!

 

[Tapey]

Offense is looking good so far

 

[Podunkparte]

Through 6 Marco has retired 9 straight and thrown under 70 pitches. Really settled in.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Caught the 2nd half of the game. Seems like Servais is still going to drive me crazy with his pitching decisions. If Marco was on a strict pitch count, thats fine. Even though he was breezing the last 3 innings. However it clear within a few pitches that Rumblow didnt have it, and was left in 2 batters too long. Made that game closer then it should have been.

Oh well 1-0, go M's

 

[PolarVortex]

Anyone else think it's absolutely bonkers that the Mariners and A's start their seasons before their spring training schedule is finished?

I think it is bonkers that the NFL and MLB insist on playing games off of the North American continent. They need to bag this idea until they have commercial flights that can travel much faster. The Mariners and A's lost four spring training games just so they could adjust to the travel and time difference. Ridiculous.

But on a brighter note, Domingo Santana is really tearing it up so far.

 

[Duders]

The first time the M's have been holding the solo first place in all of major league baseball. LOL World Series here we come.

 

[wazzu31]

Just finished it on the DVR. I think this game just reaffirmed what a lot of us were talking about. I think Jerry slightly upgraded the offense with his re whatever he is calling it. The pitching is still going to the issue with the club.

 

[Cloud]

Just finished it on the DVR. I think this game just reaffirmed what a lot of us were talking about. I think Jerry slightly upgraded the offense with his re whatever he is calling it. The pitching is still going to the issue with the club.

So.... no rebuild then?
It sure doesn't feel like it now.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I understand it needs to be played at a decent hour in Japan, but it's a huge pain in the ass that this game is at a time when I can't watch it.

I also don't have the patience to re-watch it.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I think it is bonkers that the NFL and MLB insist on playing games off of the North American continent. They need to bag this idea until they have commercial flights that can travel much faster. The Mariners and A's lost four spring training games just so they could adjust to the travel and time difference. Ridiculous.

But on a brighter note, Domingo Santana is really tearing it up so far.

The NFL will never catch on in Europe and I agree with the absurdity of those games. Not sure what the attendance numbers are for those games, but those who attend are probably Americans in the city or the few locals who actually keep up with the NFL. When I was in Rome, the only places that showed the playoffs were the American bar and an Irish bar. Only people in those bars were Americans.

I can understand the MLB doing a couple of games in Japan though. There is actually a legitimate market for professional baseball there, and these events might have the effect of increasing interest in MLB.

 

[seahawksfan234]

So.... no rebuild then?
It sure doesn't feel like it now.

It's still a re-build in the sense that the Mariners have and are still trying to shed salaries and vets in exchange for prospects.

Additionally, I think the decline in the bullpen/starting pitching significantly outweighs the improvements on offense.

That being said, despite the Mariners winning 89 games last year, they played more like an 80 or so win team. If I had to guess, I'd assume the Mariners win around 73 or so games, give or take 2 or 3. I think Vegas has us at 70.5 or something like that. Probably a decent bet to assume we win more than that though.

Still a rebuild, but not one that'll likely net us a top 5 pick, which is unfortunate.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Well, I gotta be up in a few hours. I'll leave you gents to finish the game - hopefully, the M's hold on and know the feeling for 1st place for a day

Props to you for staying up or waking up to catch the game.

I'm so into my routine that I'd completely mess up my entire next day if I tried to watch it.

 

[seattlefan75]

Yeah I think this is a rebuild year but not a tear down we will probably win the 70s range I think we have a few pieces on the team that will be here for the next 4-5 years like Haniger and Santana then slowly start building the prospects to add to the lineup. I think our GM wanted to make it known that this was going to be a year where we aren't looking to make the playoffs so when we win 75 games there wont be a mob with pitch forks coming after him when he said that was the expectation.

I still would like the goal this year for 1 or 2 prospects to come up and put together a nice run in the major league whether its Justise Sheffield or Justin Dunn or Kyle Lewis or Evan white maybe Shed Long