This week's Advance Scout brings the Mariners, a chance to gain ground on the competition, and the start of a long but winnable road trip.
Unfortunately, with Mike D unavailable for tonight, I am deputizing for him but don't have access to the same video archive that Mike does. As a result, my notes will be much briefer and less detailed than Mike's usually are, as I haven't actually seen the Mariners this season. Some scout, I know.
GENERAL : The Mariners are just 2-10 versus lefties this year, which bodes well for Ted Lilly in tonight's matchup... Seattle is 8-17 in May so far... Mariners took two out of three from Tampa Bay on the weekend, winning 10-9 on Sunday... Mariners bullpen is pitching the lights out this year, so jumping on their starters is paramount... Believe it or not, Jamie Moyer _leads_ Mariner starters in K/9, at 5.20.
* PAT BORDERS : The much-beloved World Series MVP from 1992 is starting twice a week for the Mariners... hit the game-winning home run yesterday... there is lots of talk of making Borders the fulltime starter due to Miguel Olivo's struggles, in which case he'd be one of the oldest regular catchers ever...
* RAUL IBANEZ : Is on fire, hitting .421/.542/.579 this past week... struggling against lefthanders, hitting .180...
* BRET BOONE : $9,000,000 for this... how the mighty have fallen - Boone has an OBP under .300... hit his 250th career home run on the weekend...
* WILLIE BLOOMQUIST : Appears to have won the shortstop job from Wilson Valdez, who's been struggling under the Mendoza line... Recently activated from the DL...
* SCOTT SPIEZIO : The infielder is still recovering from an oblique injury and won't appear in this series...
* ADRIAN BELTRE : An NL MVP candidate last year, Beltre's been struggling at the plate and dealing with numerous niggling injuries... has an OPS of just 573 at home... increased patience he showed last year has completely deserted him...
* RICHIE SEXSON : The Mariners' best player so far... like the rest of his teammates, can't hit at home (.298 OBP)...
* JEREMY REED : Is this a broken record? Reed isn't hitting at Safeco, with a 608 OPS...
* MATT THORNTON : Rookie reliever has a 6.20 ERA but 25 strikeouts in 20.1 innings...
Unfortunately, with Mike D unavailable for tonight, I am deputizing for him but don't have access to the same video archive that Mike does. As a result, my notes will be much briefer and less detailed than Mike's usually are, as I haven't actually seen the Mariners this season. Some scout, I know.
GENERAL : The Mariners are just 2-10 versus lefties this year, which bodes well for Ted Lilly in tonight's matchup... Seattle is 8-17 in May so far... Mariners took two out of three from Tampa Bay on the weekend, winning 10-9 on Sunday... Mariners bullpen is pitching the lights out this year, so jumping on their starters is paramount... Believe it or not, Jamie Moyer _leads_ Mariner starters in K/9, at 5.20.
* PAT BORDERS : The much-beloved World Series MVP from 1992 is starting twice a week for the Mariners... hit the game-winning home run yesterday... there is lots of talk of making Borders the fulltime starter due to Miguel Olivo's struggles, in which case he'd be one of the oldest regular catchers ever...
* RAUL IBANEZ : Is on fire, hitting .421/.542/.579 this past week... struggling against lefthanders, hitting .180...
* BRET BOONE : $9,000,000 for this... how the mighty have fallen - Boone has an OBP under .300... hit his 250th career home run on the weekend...
* WILLIE BLOOMQUIST : Appears to have won the shortstop job from Wilson Valdez, who's been struggling under the Mendoza line... Recently activated from the DL...
* SCOTT SPIEZIO : The infielder is still recovering from an oblique injury and won't appear in this series...
* ADRIAN BELTRE : An NL MVP candidate last year, Beltre's been struggling at the plate and dealing with numerous niggling injuries... has an OPS of just 573 at home... increased patience he showed last year has completely deserted him...
* RICHIE SEXSON : The Mariners' best player so far... like the rest of his teammates, can't hit at home (.298 OBP)...
* JEREMY REED : Is this a broken record? Reed isn't hitting at Safeco, with a 608 OPS...
* MATT THORNTON : Rookie reliever has a 6.20 ERA but 25 strikeouts in 20.1 innings...
