2017 Seattle Mariners regular season thread

[Bobblehead]

Absolutely awesome. I sure hope Zunino has found his footing for the rest of his career. What an ending!!!!

I think this is the MikeZ that we all thought he was going to be.. well, kinda like this anyway.

 

[Crizilla]

21-29 to 30-30

 

[West TX Hawk]

21-29 to 30-30

Beautiful thing ain't it!

 

[GeekHawk]

First step, .500. Next step, compete for the wild card. Next step, "Screw the wild card, we want the division!" Just like in '95...

 

[Bobblehead]

First step, .500. Next step, compete for the wild card. Next step, "Screw the wild card, we want the division!" Just like in '95...

Good logo.. Just like 95

 

[sutz]

I'm not too worried about Gallardo. He is, after all, our #4/5 starter. He's only as important as he is now because we still have 3 of our best out on IR. He seems to always have that 1 bad inning per start. That probably won't change. Get Felix/Kuma/Smyly back, and with Pax and one or two of the new kids they called up Gallardo will be in the bullpen doing spot duty.

The current offensive surge won't last forever. Frankly, our 'best' hitters have been taking this week off mostly. Most of the best production has come from our 7/8/9 hitters. Go figure.

Baseball is a game of streaks. The M's have survived some really bad streaks of injuries, middling pitching, and cold bats and are still at .500 with 102 games to play. Everybody would love to be the 'Stros right now, but it is what it is. Still firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot and with things looking up.

Great to see a come from behind walkoff from Z. All the struggles look like they have created some real team character and grit. That's a good thing.

Oh, and for all those hating on Servais, I must admit I had to scratch my head when I saw Ruiz as the DH. I guess Servais knew what he was doing.

 

[Hawkscanner]

How about Mike Zu-ni-no?!? Surely he had a conversion experience on the road to Tacoma, as it is clear the baseball Lord has changed him! Like Saul became Paul after his conversion ... perhaps Zunino should have a new name bestowed upon him as well. Mike Zeus-ino perhaps?

 

[sutz]

How about Mike Zu-ni-no?!? Surely he had a conversion experience on the road to Tacoma, as it is clear the baseball Lord has changed him! Like Saul became Paul after his conversion ... perhaps Zunino should have a new name bestowed upon him as well. Mike Zeus-ino perhaps?

Loving the new Z, but the real test will come when he experiences his next cold streak. It's a streaky game, and it's bound to happen. If he can weather a down spot and come out of it well, I'll believe he's the next coming. He's got great strength, so when he connects the ball will go a long way. Lately, he's been showing great plate discipline. We all want it to continue. Certainly nice to see his BA rise above the Mendoza line.

Pretty soon, teams will scout him out and pitchers will change their approach. Can Z adapt to that when it happens? I certainly hope so. Nice to see such good production from your backstop.

 

[Hawkscanner]

How about Mike Zu-ni-no?!? Surely he had a conversion experience on the road to Tacoma, as it is clear the baseball Lord has changed him! Like Saul became Paul after his conversion ... perhaps Zunino should have a new name bestowed upon him as well. Mike Zeus-ino perhaps?

Loving the new Z, but the real test will come when he experiences his next cold streak. It's a streaky game, and it's bound to happen. If he can weather a down spot and come out of it well, I'll believe he's the next coming. He's got great strength, so when he connects the ball will go a long way. Lately, he's been showing great plate discipline. We all want it to continue. Certainly nice to see his BA rise above the Mendoza line.

Pretty soon, teams will scout him out and pitchers will change their approach. Can Z adapt to that when it happens? I certainly hope so. Nice to see such good production from your backstop.

I'm joking of course, but you are absolutely correct. In fact, it's like you stole the words right out of my mouth. The scouting report on him when he came out in the draft ... was that he had fantastic power and that many saw him as a very good All Star quality hitting catcher. We MAY be finally starting to see that Mike Zunino finally beginning to emerge ... BUT, we WILL see what happens when teams and pitchers start scouting the new Zunino and make their adjustments. Baseball is a game of adjustments and counter-adjustments. The good news ... is that Seattle has one of the very best adjustment hitters in the history of the game in hitting coach Edgar Martinez. I have little to no doubt that a good deal of the offensive success of a lot of players on this team ... can be attributed to the advice and keen eyes of #11 (my favorite Mariner of all time).

 

[sutz]

How about Mike Zu-ni-no?!? Surely he had a conversion experience on the road to Tacoma, as it is clear the baseball Lord has changed him! Like Saul became Paul after his conversion ... perhaps Zunino should have a new name bestowed upon him as well. Mike Zeus-ino perhaps?

Loving the new Z, but the real test will come when he experiences his next cold streak. It's a streaky game, and it's bound to happen. If he can weather a down spot and come out of it well, I'll believe he's the next coming. He's got great strength, so when he connects the ball will go a long way. Lately, he's been showing great plate discipline. We all want it to continue. Certainly nice to see his BA rise above the Mendoza line.

Pretty soon, teams will scout him out and pitchers will change their approach. Can Z adapt to that when it happens? I certainly hope so. Nice to see such good production from your backstop.

I'm joking of course, but you are absolutely correct. In fact, it's like you stole the words right out of my mouth. The scouting report on him when he came out in the draft ... was that he had fantastic power and that many saw him as a very good All Star quality hitting catcher. We MAY be finally starting to see that Mike Zunino finally beginning to emerge ... BUT, we WILL see what happens when teams and pitchers start scouting the new Zunino and make their adjustments. Baseball is a game of adjustments and counter-adjustments. The good news ... is that Seattle has one of the very best adjustment hitters in the history of the game in hitting coach Edgar Martinez. I have little to no doubt that a good deal of the offensive success of a lot of players on this team ... can be attributed to the advice and keen eyes of #11 (my favorite Mariner of all time).

No doubt. In fact, IIRC our current offensive production started to rise markedly last season when Edgar was called up from coaching in the minors. Just nice to see Z respond to the coaching. He's got great mentors in the lineup in Cruz, Canò, Seager, et al. Like you said, great power. I'm just thankful that he's not swinging wildly at pitches bouncing in the far batters box any more.

Edgar Martinez is the forever Mariner. He deserves to be the first DH to make the hall. :2thumbs:

 

[sutz]

Oh, and a quick note on Felix's rehab start Tuesday.
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...-throws-two-innings-in-his-first-rehab-start/

The competitor in Felix Hernandez was irritated by the results, frustrated with his command and confused as to why his mechanics felt awkward and out of sync. But the realist in Hernandez understood that the most important aspect of his first rehab outing on Tuesday with Class AAA Tacoma at Cheney Stadium was simple — health.

And despite a shorter than expected outing with too many runs and hits allowed, Hernandez didn’t feel any discomfort in his right shoulder in his first rehab start since going on the disabled list on April 26 with bursitis.


“I only got two,” he said of the innings. “I felt good, but it just felt weird. My timing was off and I couldn’t get my rhythm. But I was pain free and it was the most important thing.”

He threw 49 pitches, had some command problems, but was pain free. Right now, they're saying he could be back up to start on Jun 17th. :2thumbs:

Oh and Haniger played DH, went 1-4.

The Mariners also had another key player beginning a rehab stint with Tacoma on Tuesday. Mitch Haniger (strained oblique) got the start at designated hitter and made four trips to the plate, going 1-for-4 with a soft single to right and a run scored. Haniger went on the DL the same day as Hernandez after injuring himself on a swing in Detroit.

Haniger showed no hesitation at the plate, swinging hard at pitches and not worrying about the oblique.

“The last couple of days hitting, I really turned a corner and I stopped thinking about it,” he said. “I was just really trying to make sure I stay loose and stay warm in between innings. But it felt good.”

The plan is for Haniger to play six innings in right field in the Rainiers’ day game on Wednesday. He will play nine innings at DH on Thursday and then nine innings in right field on Friday. The Mariners will then reassess where Haniger is at in his return and determine if they should activate him from the disabled list or if he needs more games.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Oh, and a quick note on Felix's rehab start Tuesday.
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...-throws-two-innings-in-his-first-rehab-start/

The competitor in Felix Hernandez was irritated by the results, frustrated with his command and confused as to why his mechanics felt awkward and out of sync. But the realist in Hernandez understood that the most important aspect of his first rehab outing on Tuesday with Class AAA Tacoma at Cheney Stadium was simple — health.

And despite a shorter than expected outing with too many runs and hits allowed, Hernandez didn’t feel any discomfort in his right shoulder in his first rehab start since going on the disabled list on April 26 with bursitis.


“I only got two,” he said of the innings. “I felt good, but it just felt weird. My timing was off and I couldn’t get my rhythm. But I was pain free and it was the most important thing.”

He threw 49 pitches, had some command problems, but was pain free. Right now, they're saying he could be back up to start on Jun 17th. :2thumbs:

Oh and Haniger played DH, went 1-4.

The Mariners also had another key player beginning a rehab stint with Tacoma on Tuesday. Mitch Haniger (strained oblique) got the start at designated hitter and made four trips to the plate, going 1-for-4 with a soft single to right and a run scored. Haniger went on the DL the same day as Hernandez after injuring himself on a swing in Detroit.

Haniger showed no hesitation at the plate, swinging hard at pitches and not worrying about the oblique.

“The last couple of days hitting, I really turned a corner and I stopped thinking about it,” he said. “I was just really trying to make sure I stay loose and stay warm in between innings. But it felt good.”

The plan is for Haniger to play six innings in right field in the Rainiers’ day game on Wednesday. He will play nine innings at DH on Thursday and then nine innings in right field on Friday. The Mariners will then reassess where Haniger is at in his return and determine if they should activate him from the disabled list or if he needs more games.

Very promising, thanks for the update!

 

[Hawk-Lock]

I'm really happy for Mike Zunino, I just hope this isn't a short term streak that he is on. Earlier this year he would have tried to pull that ball, instead he took it to RCF. I went to a Q&A with the M's writer for the Seattle Times, Ryan Divish, and he said that when Zunino got sent down to the minors, they really wanted to work on his approach at the plate. He said that due to him being a catcher, he was overthinking things at the plate. Trying to determine pitch type. Fastball, curveball, change, etc. Rather than trying to determine the type of pitch, just try to determine where the ball is going to go. Whatever he did in Tacoma, it is working.

That ump wasn't very good last night either, constantly making bad calls. I had a feeling Valencia was going to get thrown out when they went to the half inning.

This is probably the most excited I have been about the Mariners in a long time. Can't wait for the Toronto series, should be a lot of excitement with all the Canadians coming down for the weekend.

 

[Bobblehead]

I'm really happy for Mike Zunino, I just hope this isn't a short term streak that he is on. Earlier this year he would have tried to pull that ball, instead he took it to RCF. I went to a Q&A with the M's writer for the Seattle Times, Ryan Divish, and he said that when Zunino got sent down to the minors, they really wanted to work on his approach at the plate. He said that due to him being a catcher, he was overthinking things at the plate. Trying to determine pitch type. Fastball, curveball, change, etc. Rather than trying to determine the type of pitch, just try to determine where the ball is going to go. Whatever he did in Tacoma, it is working.

That ump wasn't very good last night either, constantly making bad calls. I had a feeling Valencia was going to get thrown out when they went to the half inning.

This is probably the most excited I have been about the Mariners in a long time. Can't wait for the Toronto series, should be a lot of excitement with all the Canadians coming down for the weekend.

The radio guys were discussing MikeZ's hitting and the first comment several days ago was.. Evan Langoria.. Just very relaxed with no motions and the 2nd one was, he's changed his stance to more upright and ..well the results are in. But, yes, I don't expect this honeymoon to last forever, but maybe, just maybe some good consistency would be lasting.

 

[Bobblehead]

Offense looks so different without Cruz and Segura in it. Strange having MikeZ as your #6.

 

[Seahaaaawks]

Back to Canada with you! Woohoo go M's

 

[Maulbert]

The Mariners are the Jeff Fisher of the MLB.

 

[Thepeelsessions]

Sounds like Haniger will definitely be back today or tomorrow and per Servais, he'll go back to being the full time right fielder. What happens with the rest? I hope it's Gamel, Heredia, Haniger with Dyson being the 4th. But who knows what's up Servais' sleeve. Anyway, I'm excited to see Haniger back!

 

[sutz]

Pretty good game overall. Gaviglio had some struggles, but pulled it together enough to go 6 and only gave up 2 runs. I think that qualifies as a quality start, right? Once again, the bullpen blanks them for three innings. Nice to see what they can do when the starters give them some rest.

Good to see the bats wake up late in the game. They didn't tax Biagini much until late, but they came around. Gamel is starting to look like a clutch hitter.

Good solid team win. :2thumbs:

 

[Ruminator]

Friday was one of the quickest I've seen a closer do his job. Was it three Ks, and did Diaz do it in just 9 pitches? And that 101.6 mph fastball was insane! Hope to see more of that.