Cleveland (38-58) @ Seattle (51-44)

[Bulltalk]

Fri July 24th Rowland -Smith (0-0---0.00 ERA) vs. Laffey (3-2---4.27 ERA)
Sat July 25th Bedard (5-2---2.70 ERA) vs. Sowers (2-7---5.77 ERA)
Sun July 26th (TBA) vs. Lee (6-9---3.17 ERA)

Well we can't seem to make up any ground on the Angels in spite of going 5-2 on this last road trip. We're now 51-44 and still have a -13 run differential.

If there was a series we should/could sweep, it's this one. We even have Felix, as it now stands, going up against probably their most formidable starting pitcher. Let's hope we can cut into the Angels lead, get to, say, 3 1/2, or even 2 1/2 games back by the end of the weekend. Would be nice.

I'm kind of curious as to what kind of attendance the M's will draw this weekend series? The M's are getting hot, in the race, and the weather is supposed to be gorgeous.

Go M's!

[Sweezo]

Yeah, but there's a Sounders game and the Capitol Hill block party on Saturday.

[nuke the whales]

RRS got called up. MLB.com has him Friday and Bedard Saturday.

[Bulltalk]

Yeah, I changed the starters for the series. I wonder if Felix starts Sunday? I hope so. Lee is starting on Sunday for Cleveland, and he beat us last time out. Waku is readjusting the order, moving back to a 5 man rotation it seems. Is Vargas going to be back as the 5th starter this rotational cycle? Is Olson done for the year as a starter?

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

Well, I was a little surprised when I saw you had Felix in there for Sunday. That would have meant he goes on only 4 days rest, which I dont see happening. It'll probably be Vargas or Olson, which sucks, but oh well.

I'm going to HOPE for 2/3. No way we sweep.

[Bulltalk]

Well, I was a little surprised when I saw you had Felix in there for Sunday. That would have meant he goes on only 4 days rest, which I dont see happening. It'll probably be Vargas or Olson, which sucks, but oh well.

I'm going to HOPE for 2/3. No way we sweep.

What's wrong with going on 4 days rest? He's 22 years old, and pitching hot now. When I was growing up, it was routine for starters to go on 4 days rest. And a lot of these starters pitched into their late 30's.

[Bulltalk]

To follow up my own post, why not go with a 4 man rotation from here, at least until we're out of it? Bedard and Washburn are on the last years of their contracts, and Felix is young. Why throw out the obligatory 5th starter who just costs us a game with our weak bats? We've got a strong bullpen to take these starters out earlier if need be. You could use Vargas or RR Smith or Morrow as another long relief guy. Why not improvise here? An inquiring mind wants to know?

[TTown]

It's an interesting idea, and it seems like at least one team every year seriously considers it. I think the Blue Jays actually did it a few seasons back?

My only concern is that our starting pitching is the only reason we aren't 20 games below .500 right now. Meddling with it is a scary proposition. Felix has put it all together for a whole season for the first time, I still feel like we're playing with borrowed time in regards to Washburn, Bedard is a walking injury on five days rest, let alone four...

[Bulltalk]

It's an interesting idea, and it seems like at least one team every year seriously considers it. I think the Blue Jays actually did it a few seasons back?

My only concern is that our starting pitching is the only reason we aren't 20 games below .500 right now. Meddling with it is a scary proposition. Felix has put it all together for a whole season for the first time, I still feel like we're playing with borrowed time in regards to Washburn, Bedard is a walking injury on five days rest, let alone four...

My thought is that being 5 1/2 games back in spite of playing well of late, and being that we are on August's doorstep, we have almost no margin for error at this moment. It's almost as if every game is a playoff game for the M's now. Reasonably speaking, there is no tomorrow for the M's. IMO, if they drop a few more games back in the next week or two, it's hasta la vista, baby. In other words, go with 4 man rotation, and if you don't cut into the lead, make a significant move towards first place by mid August, then you simply go back to a 5 man rotation.

I don't know. Makes sense to me.

[Bulltalk]

Welcome back to the Mariners Ryan Rowland-Smith. You've just pitched 6 innings of 2 hit, 1 run ball, and you're losing 1-0.

[Bulltalk]

Waku left him in 1 inning too long. 2 HR's and it's now 4-0. Ouch!

[TTown]

Quite the implosion there late. Ah well. Recent history dictates we win the next two.

[slaterbug]

Very ugly loss but we should bounce back and take the series.

[jumanji]

Ugly loss. Shows that there is no margin for error with the pitching because runs are so scarce to come by.

It feels like this run is going to fall short so it will be interesting to see if they trade a Bedard next week or maybe someone out of the bullpen.

On a sidenote i'd bring up Clement and let him DH and would give Saunders some time in left although Langerhans has done well. The Griffey in the every day lineup situation would change but fans are in love with him.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

**** Bedard.

Alright; I'm tired of this garbage. We aren't making the playoffs so can we please just trade Bedard for a young solid bat?

This offense is pathetic.

[Bulltalk]

Our run differential went from a -13 to a -29 in two games. I wonder if we sealed-the-deal on having a negative run differential for the year here?

Well M's fans, I think this was it for us. I personally no longer see us as contenders for the division anymore, as improbable as that idea may have been to begin with. There's something about falling 6-7 games back where I simply don't think the M's have it in them to make up such ground. They'll be 7 1/2 games back after today.

I give them major credit, however, for this moment came a whole lot later than I ever imagined it would for me. I just wanted the M's to still be alive on the 1st of June going into this year. That they carried my hopes to the threshold of the Seahawks' training camp was really a bonus.

Sure, I hope someone will pull this post up and wag it in my face a month or more from now. I'd love to eat such crow. I just think it's now entered the realm of being a real long shot.

By the way, the two most disappointing series this year for me were the home series against the Orioles just before the All Star break, and now this one against Cleveland. Letting these weaker teams get the best of us at home when our margin for error was so slim was quite frustrating.

[jumanji]

Let's hope the Phillies come up short on the Halladay sweepstakes and are willing to give up something for Bedard. Personally i wouldnt want him but there is always some fish out there.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

Philadelphia wont trade for Halladay. Toronto is wanting WAAAYYY to much for Halladay, and I don't blame the Phillies for saying "Screw you". Halladay is a hell of a talent, but not when its in exchange for three of your TOP young players.

I also give props to the M's for staying in the race so long, but I think we all secretly knew deep down that our chances of making the postseason or competing late into September for the division were slim to none. I mean, we have TWO good hitters on our team; Ichiro and Gutierrez. And those are also the only untradeable offensive players on the team. We need to improve our bats, and Bedard or Wash are the guys to get rid of.

[Sweezo]

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Getting clobbered the last two days and seeing Saunders called up seems like a pretty clear indication we'll be selling pieces off in a very quick fashion.

I hate Bedard. I really do. I hope he gets traded, and I don't care for what, because watching him constantly fail to go deep in ball games and wondering if he's ever going to be fully healthy is a constant reminder of how big a failure that trade was. He's not going to be on this team after this season so how about we expedite the process? Put him on some other team where I don't have to care whether he's finally going to put it together.

[jumanji]

Philadelphia wont trade for Halladay. Toronto is wanting WAAAYYY to much for Halladay, and I don't blame the Phillies for saying "Screw you". Halladay is a hell of a talent, but not when its in exchange for three of your TOP young players.

I also give props to the M's for staying in the race so long, but I think we all secretly knew deep down that our chances of making the postseason or competing late into September for the division were slim to none. I mean, we have TWO good hitters on our team; Ichiro and Gutierrez. And those are also the only untradeable offensive players on the team. We need to improve our bats, and Bedard or Wash are the guys to get rid of.

The thing with the Phillies is they are a perrenial contenders now and can afford to give up prospects while they are title favorites . They have about 5 top minor leaguers the Jays can pick from and still keep a couple of their top prospects.

As for Bedard and Washburn moving either would signal they are giving up on this year but i'd move either if it could get something decent in return. They're way beyond trying to save face on the Adam Jones/George Sherril.....fiasco. My hope is Halladay goes somewhere else besides Philly and we can get a Jason Donald for either of the two veteran pitchers we have.