GAME: Mariners (7-13, 4th, AL West, -6.0 GB) at Astros (5-13, 5th, AL West, -7.0 GB). GAME #: 21. SERIES: 1st of 3 games. MEETING: 4th (Astros lead 2-1). WHEN: Monday, 5:10 p.m., Minute Maid Park. STREAKS: Mariners L 3; Astros L 2. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network
When the Mariners finished spring training with a Cactus League franchise-record 58 home runs, they fooled a lot of people into thinking they could contend for a playoff spot, perhaps even a division title. But the last week, if not the month of April to date, has demonstrated that the only race the Mariners are in is to see whether they, with an $83 million payroll, or the Houston Astros, with a $25 million outlay, are the American League’s worst team.
After Sunday’s 11-3 thump job by the Texas Rangers, the Mariners are 7-13. The Astros are 5-13. Widely predicted to lose more than 100 for the third consecutive season, the Astros also have an edge in the season series with Seattle, having taken two of three April 8-10 at Safeco Field.
That series loss, dashing a lot of false Cactus League optimism, became the first major embarrassment of the Mariners’ season, but many have followed in the last three weeks, including several in the past five days.
In that time, the Mariners have quietly slipped to the bottom of the league rankings in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging — meaning, so far, the Mariners have had no offensive improvement from a year ago despite the additions of Kendrys Morales, Michael Morse and Raul Ibanez. In fact, the offense, thanks in part to injuries, has regressed, as statistics bear out.
Since Tuesday, the Mariners are 1-4. Since Wednesday, they have scored five runs, at one point going 19 consecutive innings without scoring. Also since Wednesday, the Mariners have struck out 72 times (five games, including 11 more Sunday), placing them well ahead of their 2011 franchise-record strikeout pace, and have gone 3-for-35 (.086 BA) — 3-for-35! — with runners in scoring position.
Under normal circumstances, no three-game series in mid-April would be classified as “defining.” But since the $83 million Mariners are facing the $25 million Astros in their next series, which begins Monday night, this one might be.
A poor performance over the next three days will ruin April for the Mariners, if it hasn’t already been ruined. A bad April, as the Mariners have demonstrated repeatedly over the years, means a bad season. You can look it up.
Seattle’s only supposed edge as it heads to Minute Maid Park is that it will throw its three best pitchers against the Astros, starting with Felix Hernandez Monday night opposite Brad Peacock.
Taking the edge off that edge is that the Mariners batters couldn’t make a winner out of Hernandez in his last start, when he fanned 12 and walked none, and Peacock has already defeated Seattle this year.
Hernandez will be making his fourth attempt at career victory No. 100, a milestone that has eluded him so far largely because those 58 spring training home runs, and what they appeared to promise, were a mirage. A closer look at Monday’s starters:
MONDAY’S PROBABLES
MARINERS: RHP Felix Hernandez (1-2, 2.20 ERA, 0.97 WHIP)
The 27-year-old Hernandez, in his ninth major league season, all with the Mariners, will make his fifth start and first against the Astros. Hernandez has had two outstanding starts, April 1 against Oakland (7.2 IP, 0 ER, 8 K) and April 17 against Detroit (8.0 IP, 0 ER, 12 K), sandwiched around two relatively mediocre ones when he absorbed both of his losses. Hernandez will enter the game as the American League leader in innings pitched (28.2) and wild pitches (3).
- LAST START: April 17 vs. Detroit at Safeco Field, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 2-1, 14-inning loss; 0 earned runs, 4 hits in 8.0 innings; 12 strikeouts, 0 walks, 106 pitches, 76 for strikes.
- LAST VS. ASTROS: June 15, 2007, lost 5-1; 4 earned runs on 12 hits in 6.0 innings; 6 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1 home run, 99 pitches, 74 for strikes.
- CAREER VS. ASTROS: 0-1, 6.00 ERA in 1 start covering 6.0 innings; 6 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1 home run, 2.16 WHIP.
- AT MINUTE MAID PARK: Same as career vs. Astros.
- LOVES/HATES TO FACE: Hernandez has faced only two Astros, Chris Carter and Carlos Pena. Carter is 0-for-3 and Pena 2-for-17, .118
- CURRENT ASTROS VS. HERNANDEZ: 2-for-20, .100 BA, 6 strikeouts, 2 walks, 0 home runs, .182 on-base percentage.
RANGERS: Brad Peacock (1-1, 5.27 ERA, 1.31 WHIP)
The 25-year-old Peacock, a Florida native in his second major league season and first with the Astros, will make his fourth start and second against the Mariners. Peacock, who began his career with the Washington Nationals in 2012, has defeated the Mariners and lost to the Athletics. He also has a no-decision against Oakland. Peacock has yet to work past 5.0 innings in any of his starts.
- LAST START: April 16 at Oakland, took a no-decision in Houston’s 4-3 loss; 3 earned runs on 4 hits over 4.1 innings; 7 strikeouts, 3 walks, 0 home runs, 92 pitches, 52 for strikes.
- LAST VS. MARINERS: April 10 at Safeco Field, won 8-3; 3 earned runs on 4 hits over 5.0 innings; 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 home runs, 95 pitches, 59 for strikes.
- CAREER VS. MARINERS: 1-0, 5.40 ERA in 1 start covering 5.0 innings; 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 home runs, 1.00 WHIP.
- AT MINUTE MAID PARK: 0-1, 4.15 ERA in 1 start covering 4.1 innings; 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, 0 home runs, 1.38 WHIP.
- LOVES TO FACE: Jason Bay (0-for-4, .000), Kendrys Morales (0-for-2, .000), Kyle Seager (0-for-2, .000).
- HATES TO FACE: Kelly Shoppach (2-for-2, 1.000, 2 RBIs, 1 home run). No other Mariner has more than one hit against Peacock.
- CURRENT MARINERS VS. PEACOCK: 4-for-21, .190 BA, 3 strikeouts, 2 walks, 2 home runs, .292 on-base percentage.
MARINERS STATS / NOTES
- CURRENT ROAD TRIP: Three at Texas, three at Houston (Monday-Wednesday). The Mariners will return to Safeco Field Thursday to face the L.A. Angels in a four-game series. The Mariners will then play outside their division for the first time with three against the Baltimore Orioles.
- The Mariners have lost three in a row and five of six to fall to 7-13. After 20 games last year, the Mariners were 10-10.
- In the Texas series, the Mariners went 1-for-24 with runners in scoring position.
- Kyle Seager enters the Houston series with a career-best 10-game hitting streak after collecting three hits Sunday, including his first home run of the season.
- The Mariners play in Houston for the first time since 2007.
- Manager Eric Wedge held CF Franklin Gutierrez out of the lineup again Sunday to rest Gutierrez’s sore legs, which have bothered him since spring training. Wedge admitted that Gutierrez may be headed toward another stint on the disabled list.
- In the Mariners’ seven victories, they are batting .351 (20-for-57) with runners in scoring position. In 13 losses, the Mariners are batting .108 (9-for-83) with RISP. The Mariners have no hits with RISP eight times in 20 games.
- The Mariners are in the midst of 16 games in 16 days. They will not have their next day off until May 2.
UPCOMING PROBABLES
| Date | Day | Opp. | Probable Pitchers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/22 | Mon | at Hou | RHP Felix Hernandez (1-2) vs. RHP Brad Peacock (1-1) |
| 4/23 | Tue | at Hou | RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (2-0) vs. RHP Bud Norris (2-2) |
| 4/24 | Wed | at Hou | LHP Joe Saunders (1-2) vs. RHP Lucas Harrell (0-2) |
3 Comments
How thoroughly refreshing to hear it told sans varnish. Can’t help but recall the announcer in Bull Durham when he finally has to tell it like it is, folks.
Ms response will be:
1. Fire hitting coach.
2. Support manager, reiterate that the rebuilding plan is on track
3. Fire first base coach ( or third base coach, or bench coach)
4. Support manager, reiterate plan is on track
5. Fire manager who did a great job but the club is going in a new direction.
Just guessing.
The Mariners in their minds put out a lot of money on free agents like Sexson, Beltre, Aurilla, Cirillo and others and it didn’t work out. They probably are looking at the Billy Beane model at rebuilding. The A’s had a losing record since 2007 (with a .500 record in 2010) until their 94 win season last year. So I can see management giving Jack Z. and Wedge some leeway though it’s been too long since the M’s have been in the postseason.
It’s time to not just be agressive in building the club, it’s doing it smartly. You have a pitchers park. Build on your pitching. Get doubles and contact hitters with high OBP. That’s the A’s formula and it works. I keep hearing how the M’s are following Sabermetrics formulas but I’m not sure I’m seeing it.
They tried the contact hitters/go fast NL style approach. They tried the big bopper approach. Neither worked under the current model for corporate rather than baseball management. They mostly invested poorly in personnel because there aren’t baseball people at the top. The culture drives the franchise, and the leadership drives the culture: they aren’t pennant chasers. L&O never have been, never will be, and the culture reflects that.They work to preserve equity appreciation and follow directives or wishes from the totally non-baseball majority owner in Japan, who has NEVER seen a game. It’s a make-do and build a giant scoreboard business model– nobody that’s really an elite player will play here, and those veteran players who give it a try under the post Gillick/post Pinella era, find they, too, stumble only to excel elsewhere (eg., Beltre) if they aren’t over the hill already (eg., Figgins).