The Bobcat Nation

They are sitting at 24-25 right now after some dominant pitching against SD, LAA and Minny. Now they are coming up on a tougher stretch of games against the AL east. Will getting Guti back, coupled with the new faces called up from the minors be enough to keep this team in contention in the AL West at the All-Star Break? At this point, I'd say the Mariners have the second best rotation in all of the MLB, right behind the Phillies. If it weren't for 3 blown saves earlier this month by League (who's filling in at closer for Aardsma), they would be LEADING the AL West right now...

I know there are a number of M's fans out there (GinWa for one...). What say you? Does this team have a shot to keep pace?

I'm a Cardinals fan, but watch the Mariners quite a bit since they are on locally on whatever it is Fox Sports NW is now called. It seems hard to believe that the pitching will hold up for the entire season, especially with guys like Fister and Vargas who don't exactly have a dominant track record. Pineda is flat out fun to watch and Bedard is a very good pitcher when healthy, so those two + Felix alone could keep the M's in it. The bullpen is a bit of a concern as I don't think League is a great closer.

They will need to continue to improve offensively to hang around with Texas, who I think will go on a run now that they have Hamilton & Cruz back in the lineup. The Mariners could be very good if Figgins would ever do something in the #2 spot in the lineup.

Pineda looks like a young cc sabathia...hes a horse

500 baby!!! FT-Yankees!

While I'm enjoying the run the M's are on, I just don't see it lasting well into the summer (assuming summer ever arrives). Getting Guiti back will help, but it's still a rather pathetic offense. The pitching will stay strong, but it's hard to imagine it being this dominant all year. And I'm concerned about over-use of the top 3 or 4 guys in the pen. Still, you'd have to say the M's are ahead of pace on rebuilding.

you guys are lucky. the M's are doing everything i hoped the twins would do! got off to a slow start....then just rattle off like ten straight wins. loved watching them take down the yanks.

still can't believe the twins are the worst team in baseball. oh well......it's the only life i've ever known being a fan of minnesota professional teams.....

Hmm, so far 3-1 with a series win against the Stankees. Dunno how long they can keep pitching this good and just scraping together enough runs to win, but I'll take it! Go M's!

wbtfg wrote:Pineda looks like a young cc sabathia...hes a horse

Minus the extra 100 lbs. or so...

3-4 from the Rays. On to Chi-town! Go M's!

Just got swept by the Nats...frick!

wbtfg wrote:Just got swept by the Nats...frick!

Three one-run games, too. The offense is deplorable.

wbtfg wrote:Just got swept by the Nats...frick!

Nats are on a tear right now. Hottest team in baseball, winning 11 of their last 12. And then I see Riggelman steps down as skipper of the Nats; how odd is that?

M's Should have won last night and the night before that, but League got knocked out of the game by a liner and Pauley was not ready to pitch.

Then Bedard and Pineda both pitch GEMs but neither get a win. Offense is tough to come by right now. Glad they have finally decided to sit Figgins for a stretch. They need to dump him and call someone up to take his spot. I'm glad they are finally doing it the right way, though. I sure hope they don't trade any of their young talent for a quick fix to try to make a P-off push this season (unless it's for Jack Cust, Figgins, Ryan Langerhans, Micheal Saunders and Luis Rodriguez ).

sure hope they don't trade any of their young talent for a quick fix to try to make a P-off push this season (unless it's for Jack Cust, Figgins, Ryan Langerhans, Micheal Saunders and Luis Rodriguez

GrizinWashington wrote:

sure hope they don't trade any of their young talent for a quick fix to try to make a P-off push this season (unless it's for Jack Cust, Figgins, Ryan Langerhans, Micheal Saunders and Luis Rodriguez

Excerpt from today's seattle times M's blog...

It needs a Ryan Ludwick, or a Casey Blake, or a Luke Scott or a Hunter Pence or a Vlad Guerrero, or anything better than the .600-range OPS numbers we've seen from far-too-many hitters already. The M's need somebody who can make this team better in left field, at third base and at DH.

wbtfg wrote:

GrizinWashington wrote:

sure hope they don't trade any of their young talent for a quick fix to try to make a P-off push this season (unless it's for Jack Cust, Figgins, Ryan Langerhans, Micheal Saunders and Luis Rodriguez

Excerpt from today's seattle times M's blog...

It needs a Ryan Ludwick, or a Casey Blake, or a Luke Scott or a Hunter Pence or a Vlad Guerrero, or anything better than the .600-range OPS numbers we've seen from far-too-many hitters already. The M's need somebody who can make this team better in left field, at third base and at DH.

I'd say definitely left field and DH, but do they risk trading Peguero and see him be the next (insert any number of prospects the M's have traded in the last decade here)? Carp and Cust have not impressed me at all at DH. However, I do think Adam Kennedy is doing a commendable job at 3B right now, despite his age. He is hitting right about his career average of .275 which puts him at the top of the M's BA chart as of right now (sad, right?), and he's tied for 2nd on the list for HR's with 5. I think you have to reward the guy and give him as much PT as possible at 3B, rotating Figgins (cringe) in on rare occasion to give him a rest every now and then.

I read today that over the past 6 games the M's have the same scoring output as the Seattle Sounders...11 runs/goals.

Pretty pathetic when you can't outscore the local soccer team.

wbtfg wrote:I read today that over the past 6 games the M's have the same scoring output as the Seattle Sounders...11 runs/goals.

Pretty pathetic when you can't outscore the local soccer team.

sadly that is still 3 more runs than my twins have mustered in our last 6 games. outscored 43-8 over this stretch. all losses....

Back to .500 again.

I think .540 (between 88-90 wins) wins the West. Hell, anything's possible with the M's pitching.

GrizinWashington wrote:Back to .500 again.

I think .540 (between 88-90 wins) wins the West. Hell, anything's possible with the M's pitching.

You're probably right. If only they could get just a tad bit better on offense... It's really disheartening to click on their ESPN clubhouse and see that they are LAST in the league in Runs, Batting Average, On Base Percentage and Slugging Percentage. UGH.

14 game losing streak? Wow. Is it football season yet?

M's just traded Pineda to the Yanks for Jesus Montero. Hope it works out....