M’s bullpen destructs: Mariner relievers had thrown 16.2 scoreless IP, but they more than made up for lost time in the 8th inning of yesterday’s game, turning a 3-2 lead into an 8-3 laugher. Chris Ray was the primary villain, but Josh Lueke added his own flames to the conflagration. Justin Smoak homered, which is encouraging. Mariners 4-8, 4th place, 5 GB. Next game tonight @ Kansas City.
Another Pac-12 elite declares for draft: Arizona star Derrick Williams is headed to the NBA draft, where he may be the first pick. UCLA lost underclassmen Malcolm Lee (a junior) and Tyler Honeycutt (a sophomore), USC lost junior Nicola Vucevic. Add in Isaiah Thomas and that’s half the All-Pac-10 first team headed to the NBA. Still undecided: Wazzu’s Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto, and Colorado sophomore Alex Burks. So Thomas is a big loss, but the rest of the league is weaker as well.
Top 5 possible Mariner promotions for next homestand (by David Swidler of Seattle comedy group The Habit)
1) The first fan to talk Chone Figgins into retiring wins a hat.
2) To give kids the feeling of what its like to be a Mariner, Run Around the Bases night has been replaced with Walk Back to the Dugout night.
3) Poop on the Field Night (the team has been doing it for years).
4) Put a child on a stool in CF and if solves a rubix cube before the Mariners get a runner to 2B, free peanuts.
5) Bring in Bill Bavasi dead or alive you get a statue.
In other news…
Will the Sounders soon be playing on real grass?
The Huskies gave out team hoops awards last night.
M’s outfielder Franklin Gutierrez will play in Tacoma this weekend on a rehab assignment, and so could be back in the lineup next week.
Jay-Z’s web site pays tribute to Ichiro.
Tonight’s target: Bruce Chen
Panamanian lefty Chen has been bouncing around the majors since the Clinton administration, playing for 10 teams in 13 years. Now, at age 33, he’s ended up on the Royals, probably his last stop before turning his baseball earnings into a beach cabana in <a href=”http://www.mayatour.com/newsletter_panama_sanblas.php”>Comarca de Kuna Yala. With a fastball in the high 80s, Chen relies on secondary pitches. once known for his slow, 12-to-6 curve, but he seems to be throwing more changeups now. SEND HIM BACK TO PANAMA, MARINERS!
Seven days closer to a championship…
Thursday, April 14
Mariners @ Kansas City, 5:10 p.m. (ROOT)
Friday, April 15
Mariners @ Kansas City, 5:10 p.m. (ROOT)
Saturday, April 16
Mariners @ Kansas City, 10:10 a.m. Felix Day! (ROOT)
Sounders @ Philadelphia Union, 1 p.m. (KONG)
Sunday, April 17
Mariners @ Kansas City, 11:10 a.m. Pineda Day! (ROOT)
Monday, April 18
Mariners vs. Detroit @ Safeco, 7:10 p.m. (ROOT)
Tuesday, April 19
Mariners vs. Detroit @ Safeco, 7:10 p.m. (ROOT)
Wednesday, April 20
Mariners vs. Detroit @ Safeco, 12:40 p.m (ROOT)