http://ussmariner.blogspot.com/
"Seriously.. ugh. Two bottom-tier teams punching each other repeatedly for meaningless wins." Derek Zumsteg has a post on the U.S.S Mariner previewing the series (COMN). He is entirely in the wrong about the Jays' logo.

Colourful lineups for tonight's game:

Blue Jays	Mariners
LF Johnson 2B Menechino CF Wells 1B Phelps C Estalella 3B Hinske RF Rios DH Pond SS Gomez	RF Ichiro CF Winn DH Martinez LF Ibanez 2B Boone 3B Spiezio 1B Olerud SS Aurilia C Wilson

Is there a reason why Zaun's sitting twice in a row?

I'm looking forward to this week of games in Seattle and Oakland. For the most part they will likely be low scoring games given the pop gun offenses - though Oakland has been smoking lately. I think the Toronto pitchers might enjoy playing in the expansive Safco Field. This will be a great chance to see the giddy-up of the new look Toronto outfield. Likewise Oakland's overly generous foul territory.

Toronto will see some very good pitching from each of Seattle and Oakland. Moyer and Pineiro will be tough but Tuedays match-up of Meche v. Halladay could be a blow out. Don't put to much stock in Pineiro's high era on Wednesday. He has been pitching very well of late.

I look for Toronto to win tonite and Tuesday. Wednesday, Seattle will make sure there is no sweep. Hentgen should benefit from Safeco tonite if he pitches like he did in his last start againt the Angels.

If the Jays can find some gaps and with some smart base running this could be an ineresting series.

Its going to be nice coming home from work and getting my supper and not having to miss the first three innnings.

I suspect our friends in the UK are going to miss this series and coffee sales at Tim Horton will be up in eastern Canada.

Is there any chance the the Jays and Delgado go all Ponson-y, agreeing to a trade with a possibility of him re-upping with the Jays in the off-season? He'd get a crack at contention and then come back to a place that he likes with some shiny new kids in the system. Of course that's assuming the Jays ever had a shot at re-signing Delgado even if they held on to him...

Maybe they want to find out if Estalella can contribute. But more likely Zaun has had an extremely heavy workload since Cash went down. Zaun a switch hitter has been hitting lefties and righties equally well so the decision doesn't look to be made on account of the lefty Moyer.

I suspect we will see Greg Zaun much of the week.

Buckle up boys...your in for a long night OF BALL. Don't fall asleep around 12:30.

Hehe. When living in BC has its advantages...

Too bad I couldn't go down to Seattle to see the game though. Maybe I'll get down to Safeco when they come back in July.

Hentgen gives up a bloop fluke to shallow left that drops between three Jays. Then Pat strike out the side.

Faulds just mentioned that Dave Berg was scheduled to start at first tonite but has a niggly knee so Phelps grabs a glove. Go figure.

Why not bat Hinske second, bump up Rios and Pond, and leave Menechino & Gomez at the bottom of the lineup? One possibility:

Johnson
Hinske
Wells
Phelps
Estallela
Rios
Pond
Menechino
Gomez

Just a thought.

Does Pat Gillick not have the incredible knack of getting off the ship at a sunny port right before it heads into turbulent, stormy waters? His sense of timing has been incredible. Each time he has left a team when both the farm and major league teams were on the cusp of mediocrity.

I don't think people who were following the Mariner's off-season objectively could be surprised at all by what has happened. They moved laterally (at best) on offence and downgraded on defence. They got older still in their position players while still relying on young pitchers. Some of whom were somewhat lucky to have done as well as they did last season. And in the process they managed to lock themselves into three year contracts with two mediocore position players and give up their first round draft pick for this June to sign one of them.

Brett Boone has struggled as badly as Delgado but there are eight other batters in the lineup who aren't performing well.

Has anyone noticed that Reed is hitting .310?

Damn You Rogers!!! For some inexplicable reason, the Jays game isn't on Sportsnet West. Instead I get a Monday showing of Friday Night Fights followed by two hours of Sportsnet News. Unfrigginbelievable.

Woooo Wells! Solo shot.

Is it just me or does Faulds sound a bit subdued tonight?

Cristian: Two Sundays ago sportnet pacific blocked the a game. Sunday bloody Sunday.

I went to their website and complained vociferously but politely as they ask on their feedback page. I did not get a reply. So this time I got the PR dept address from their contacys page. Wrote again citing their neglect in coustomer relations. more than a week went by when finally some came back and said they would investigate and report back. So far I haven't heard any explanation and at this point I am not expecting any reply.

So I have been promoting TSN to my pals and colleagues. I only tune in sportsnet when there is a game on.

I hope you take the time to write as well. In the meantime enjoy your Friday Night Fights on Monday night. :(

I just don't understand calling a pitchout to put your pitcher in a fastball count. With Aurilia at first?

4-1 Seattle at the end of four. Hentgen has pitched much better than his line indicates. The Mariners are hitting where they ain't. Only about 3 balls have been hit hard.

Maybe they intercepted a sign

Did Faulds just say Johnny O has 7 more years left? Really now.

I think that's just awful Rogers doesn't put the Jays on nationally every time. What possible reason could there be for not doing so? Back in April when I was staying in Calgary I was choked as the baseball telecasts hyped "Sunday Night Baseball" all week, I planned my evening, timed my dinner, purchased beer and snacks and... womens soccer! I notice with their advertising now they're encouraging people to pay to get all four feeds of RSN. It must be that HDTV is not bringing the money they hoped.

Man. Hinske and Rios both just missed homers.

Does anyone keep track of a "hit to the warning track" stat?

Agreed Ryan. The Jays have really stung the ball tonight. 2 diving plays by Spiezio in the 2nd, liner by Pond, Hinske's would have been out any other ball park (most anyway), Rios spanked it to the wall. Moyer's falling behind everyone and not being hurt for it. He's not the guy who can get away with that. Hentgen's been up in the zone too much too. I'm a little surprised he's got 6 K's so far.

Man. Hinske and Rios both just missed homers

You've just witnessed the real reason Griffey and A-Rod were so quick to leave town.

Hmmm, the Mariner's announcer just called Hentgen's TJ surgery "rotor cuff." He's clearly not very well versed in anatomy...or the Jays media guide.

But the Calgary womens soccer team is pretty good, they drew 2-2 with the Whitecaps women last Friday at Swangard.

Maybe you could do us a favour Keith and send in a belated complaint. Heck maybe we could get the Cheer Club to take up our westcoast cause! Then rogers would be dealing with a movement.

Meant western, obviously Cristian is at least east of Cranbrook.

Oh, dammit. I just realized that the Jays' series with Seatlle in early July is actually in TO and not in Seattle like I originally thought.

I was all set to order tickets and everything. :(

I actually did a double take when I read "Menechino homers (1)" on gameday.

I started a MEN-E-CHINO chant in my house in honour of the Cheer Club.

I have written sportsnet west and very politely asked what gives.

Hey, remember the 80s on the west coast? CTV would broadcast the games (Tony, Chevy, Fergy) tape delayed on Wednesday nights. They would start the game right after the News. And you know what's last on nightly news, right? Sports! So, Jo Blow local sports caster would tell you the score in the 8th inning, minutes before the game would start. It took incredible skill to turn to the right channel in time for the game to start and deflect the news of the game.

Is there any particular reason Estallela is batting so high? I mean other than the fact that Zaun would bat in the same spot when he plays catcher? Is he supposed to be that good a hitter?

That is a question im asking myself right now as well R Billie... Damn that looked promising.

Gizzi and I have been chatting online. We both agree that Estelella should never be thrown a fastball, ever.

Only good hitter on the Jays team right now: Vernon Wells.

Reed's a good hitter.

It's very tough to win in this league with a starting staff of 5-inning pitchers.

Id say sparky is doing pretty well right now Shrike.

In other new The Hulk replaces The Hentgen. Dont get him angry, you wouldn't like Vinny when he's angry....

Menechino's stats with the Jays:

PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	BB	K
47	.324	.489	.622	1	10	8

Pretty nice start. And I remember not being able to understand why JP picked him up.

Hey Shrike, next time your talking to Gizzi tell him to drop around sometime. The Oakland series should be a blast.;)

Did anyone else see Chulk hit 96 on the gun? Or was that just me...

Did anyone else see Chulk hit 96 on the gun? Or was that just me...

HULK WAS..... ANGRY!!!

argh... a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th against a tired old pitcher. Not what we needed there.

It's very tough to win in this league with a starting staff of 5-inning pitchers.

Yes Mike, it is. But I wonder who you are talking about. The Jays are currently 6th in the AL in innings pitched per start by starting pitchers.

Jo Blow local sports caster would tell you the score in the 8th inning, minutes before the game would start. It took incredible skill to turn to the right channel in time for the game to start and deflect the news of the game.

That would have Bernie Pascal and before remote control. :)

Come on Josh, show us some thunder!

Hentgen against Seattle? I'll take a 2 run game in the 8th (with two on) . Shiggy will be tough, though.

Phelps ... sigh

Anybody know where the Jays rank in hitting when RISP?

oh..... fiddlesticks.

Phelps gets the K with two aboard to end the inning.

A stat I heard on the Fan at a game a few nights ago said the Jays were first in either advancing runners or getting runners into scoring position, but last in the leauge on scoring the runners. Dont know if that stat held up as it was a few days ago I heard it.

What is wrong with Josh?

I've noticed Faulds sounds very lethargic today. Even when Wells hit his homer he said a very weak WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT

Granted it's been a very boring game with a dead crowd, but still.....

Lefty, I also wrote Sportsnet asking for an explanation as to why that Sunday game (Doc vs. Pedro) wasn't showing in the Pacific region (damn rugby repeats!). They replied a few weeks later saying that there was a conflict with the Memorial Cup game starting 2 hours after the Blue Jays' game started and that it's their policy to show live events in their entirety.

Nice catch by Wells

Well, you don't strike out Edgar that many times without his getting a knock.

Is anybody else feeling the emotion called "frustration"?

Justin: Interesting, the Jays game was broadcast throughout the rest of the country as was the Memorial Cup. I looked at their TV schedule that day and am certain they got the Memorial Cup in Halifax, Hull, Medicine Hat and Hedley.

I sure hope they don't come back to me with that one. Otherwise, pants on fire.
Thanks

The whole season has been "frustration". I just checked and 20 of the last 70 games are vs. the Yanks.

I'm hoping I see more of the kids this summer. I want to get a look at Adams, Quiroz, and Bush and see how they handle the bigs. The AAA team ain't going anywhere and the Jays aren't going anywhere so there's nothing to lose by calling them up just like what JP did with Rios.

I've written Sportsnet to ask what the hell was going on. Unfortunately this meant going to their website and finding that the Thursday game will also be pre-empted. I have a nagging suspicion that Sportsnet West believes they will get better ratings in Alberta showing the Flames/Bolts postgame press conferences. Sadly, they are probably right. This just gives this Edmontonian another reason to hate the Flames.

GO BOLTS!!!

I wish those italics would just go away...

Oh well, game's over and the italics won't go away. Abandon thread!! Women and children first.

Also i liked what I seen from Chulk. Two pretty good innings and a couple of K's.

I think Tosca should have a look at the Seattle defensive positioning. I might be wrong but I don't think the Jays did a good job in the bigger park tonight.

Did Seattle really outplay the Jays? Well, they won, right? Ah well, the lumber will show up tommorrow.

Chulk should've been the 5th man in the rotation. Signing Hentgen was a bad move.

Chulk should've been the 5th man in the rotation. Signing Hentgen was a bad move.


Chulk wasn't throwing in the mid-90's as a starter, that's for sure.

I think he's cutting loose, now that he knows he doesn't have to last 6-7 innings. Call it the "Gagne Effect".

Chulk also has a pretty nice slider (and froze Edgar with it for a strikeout).

Signing Hentgen was a great move. Look how effective he was in the second half of last season, and he did it against teams with great offense (the Blue Jays, the Rangers, etc.) http://sports.espn.go.com/mlbhist/players/gamelog?statsId=4744&year=2003
Hindsight is 20/20, but really, all the moves with pitchers in the offseason were the right moves.
Unrelated Fun Facts: Doug Creek has an era over 7 for the Memphis RedBirds. Doug Linton is an Omaha Royal. Dan Reichert is with the Indianapolis Indians.
Also, Shane Andrews is playing for the Tuneros in the Mexican League.

All I have to say is.....GOOD THING THE DOC IS ON THE MOUND TOMORROW.

It's going to be a SLEEPLESS night in Seattle for the MARINERS.

Booooooooo Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Did you expect to win with Hentgen going against Moyer in Safeco? I sure didn't.

The highlight for me (besides the two homers) was Rios working Moyer to 3 and 1 before hitting a bolt to leftfield where Ibanez caught up with it 4 feet short of the fence. That's likely off the top of the wall in Skydome.

No power hitter should ever consider signing with the M's. Your numbers will go down (of course the exception is Boonies monster year 3 years ago)

What's puzzling is that the M's have the right mix to compete and their team is suited for their ballpark. Have high OBP guys and play small ball. Build around a good pitching staff. The core of the team is the same as last year minus Cammy but their record has done a 180. BTW Cammy ain't doing great with the Mets. Still can't hit for avg and swinging at everything.

I didn't see Rios' almost HR, but I was tremendously impressed with his patience and discipline vs. Guardado in the ninth taking the BB. After swinging at the breaking ball in the dirt to go 1-2 (if I recall correctly), he took three straight balls to extend the game if not only temporarily. Hopefully he continues to be patient and continues receiving regular ABs. I'd hate to see this turn into a Justin Morneau-type situation.

I just never understood why Estalella was batting 5th... and no zaun till the end... I'm not likin this 4th string catcher guy of ours getting all this playing time one bit... not one bit... but its that 20/20 frickin' hindsight thing lurking behind my words of course...

new casting update for 'AL EAST: THE MOVIE':

Frankie Menechino will be played by Robert De Niro

without question...

by the way... does anyone remember ploids??? Ya know... they were kinda like pepsi points except they were... ploids???