After the first inning went 1-2-3 Tuesday night at T-ball Park, Spencer Turnbull recalled his Detroit Tigers teammates saying, hey, you should throw a no-hitter tonight.
Said Turnbull, peering out post-game from the remnants of a shaving-cream pie facial, said, “I was like, all right.”
Since the opponent was the Seattle Mariners, it wasn’t as if his teammates were demanding nuclear fission out of him. Just throw strikes and let nature take its course.
For the second time in two weeks, it happened.
The Mariners were the unbearable lightness of baseball. No hits, no runs, no good explanations. A unanimity of futility. Again.
This time, it was worse.
Turnbull now has a career record of 10-25. In 2019, his record was 3-17. At least on May 5, John Means was the ace of the Baltimore Orioles staff when he no-hit the Mariners. Turnbull, 28, was about a week away from putting on his red Home Depot apron and helping me choose a light fixture I don’t like after I see it up on the back bar in the basement.
But on this cool spring night in a 5-0 victory (box), he was Nolan Ryan.
Or the Mariners were the Bad News Bears.
“Quite frankly, we have to be better than that,” said manager Scott Servais. “There’s no other way to put it.”
True, there is no other way to put it. But he’ll have to keep putting it that way. Because there’s no reason to think they’re done.
The Mariners are the 19th team in MLB history to have been no-hit twice in a single season. And it’s only May 19. They have another 4½ months to stay clear of the distinction of being the first team to be no-hit three times.
With a team batting average of .199 — they had three hits Monday night in a 4-1 loss to the 16-26 Tigers — history is easily within their feeble grasp.
The tension already is palpable.
“I know we have a young team and some of this is growing pains,” Servais said. “But you know, there’s a competitiveness that has to take over in ballgames like that, and make adjustments.
“We’re just not getting it done.”
The only baserunners were two walks, to Jarred Kelenic and Jose Marmolejos. There was only one ball struck hard, a sixth-inning one-hopper at 108 mph from Mitch Haniger that Tigers 3B Jeimar Candelario backhanded brilliantly and scrambled to his feet for the throw to first.
Turnbull delivered 24 first-pitch strikes to the 29 Mariners he faced, striking out nine, with a career-high 117 pitches after never having gone more than seven innings in 49 career starts.
Yes, the Mariners are part of a national trend of offensive collapse. The five no-hitters through May 18 match the 1917 season for the most in baseball history by that date. The single-season record is seven, done several times.
Bu the Mariners are the first team since the 2015 Dodgers to get zeroed out twice in a month.
Haniger said it’s no help that the Mariners are trendsetters.
Pitching dominance “is a common trend that’s been occurring over the last couple years, maybe even last 10 years,” he said. “But I feel like the way these teams are scouting and drafting guys and grooming them, they’re gonna sacrifice a little bit on command.
“They’re OK with walks, or they want strikeouts. You kind of create that type of game. But hitters are good too. We need to make adjustments and and start getting better.”
Mariners hitters adjusted well three games ago when they beat reigning Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber in taking three of four from a good Cleveland Indians team. But consistency in the major leagues is the game’s most difficult aspect.
“It’s not a good feeling to be no-hit, ever,” Haniger said. “Hopefully this is the last time we feel it this season. It happens, but obviously, nobody’s OK with it. Nobody’s in here laughing. It doesn’t feel good.”
Speaking of not feeling good, that’s how Turnbull described himself pre-game. But by the ninth, he felt like Superman, blowing three strikes by Haniger to finish the game and commence the hug-fest, a budding opponent tradition at T-ball.
“Once I got to (the ninth), I was like, ‘All right, I’m going to be nervous,'” he said. “‘This is crazy, but I’m gonna go out there and keep doing the same thing.’
“The whole night I was like, ‘I’m not going to be afraid to make any pitches. I’m not going to second guess or doubt or have any fear about anything.'”
It’s the Mariners’ turn to do the second guessing.
Said Servais: “I certainly did not expect to see that again.”
Now, after a 1-2-3 first inning by an opponent pitcher, we know the first thought of Mariners hitters.
59 Comments
As I watched the game last night and once again witnessed absolute hitting futility with this team, it dawned on me that I was rooting for Turnbull to cram another no hitter down their throats. Be careful for what you wish for was spot on.
This is truly not news, the M’s have flirted a few times with no hitters this season and the season is still young. Get back to us in September when the possibility of other great non-hitting performances are laid before the fans to gaze upon. The, “we’ve got to get better” speech by Servais is reminiscent of his boss, Stanton. Remember his earth shattering comment about getting better after the Mather debacle. How’s dat working out?
The excuses will continue to flow like cold beer on a warm summer day from Dipoto and Servais. What other choice do they have? You know the go to catch phrases like, we’re rebuilding, we’re in a step back mode. they’re young, they need to develop, things like this are going to occur. “Really” like being totally embarrassed at home twice in two weeks. And the finale of, we’re gonna stay the course thru 2021 and hit the ground running in 202?. And we’re definitely “Not” going to attempt to find a veteran catcher that can hit above his IQ.
Truth. Stand up and testify. How Dipoto and Servais still have jobs is mystifying. This has become a take the TV money and run operation.
They are still around .500. That’s manager of the year stuff.
They have lost their #1 starter, their #2 starter (for the season) and one of their few hitters (France). They are 3.5 games out of first place. Servais deserves a medal.
It’s true. a dozen guys on the IL is not the fault of the manager.
Oh come on Art, you must be goofing with the .500 being considered an achievement. Remember when the M’s first achieved making it to 500 as a team? It was like they had won the WS. In 42 years the M’s have overall played under .500 as a franchise. The typical Mariner fan has become so numb to bad baseball that yeah I guess .500 is pretty good. I hope you were kidding.
Servais does not build the roster. He has to play the hand he is dealt.
Well that’s certainly different than a lot of competitive teams. If Servais or any manager has zero say in the development of the team then that speaks volumes to the total control that Dipoto or GM’s have over the teams roster. Do you honestly believe that Lou Pinella had no input over what his team would be? Come on buddy. I’ll grant you that Servais possibly has little input due to the control that Dipoto has over him. But that ain’t the norm.
Sarcasm font needed. But straight up, it is impressive to be close to .500 with this offense. But it’s not going to last. Bullpen is already falling apart.
I do have a basic understanding of where .500 is. I wrote an entire book about the Mariners.
Trade solutions are minimal when offenses everywhere are in decline. But if they rush call-ups for a meaningless season, that creates long-term damage. Firing managers/coaches is silly when the team, despite all, is around .500. They are stuck for 2021.
I never mentioned firing Dipoto and Servais. 1. They’re trying to do something that the M’s haven’t fully attempted in the past. 2. As tough as it is, patience is warranted. 3.Ownership wouldn’t pull the trigger.
I’m just afraid that this training wheels season will carry over into next year and the franchise will say that 2021 was a building block season and 2022 will be a season of defining our future, like polishing the gems that we have developed. And it will be 2023 or maybe 2024 before we realize the full potential of our labors.
I meant the comment for the fans, not you, who think firing the bosses is always the solution.
Yes, there is always the danger of the endless loop. After 43 years, it’s hard to view it another way.
As Art points out, The Mariners still have the bulk of the season to establish a new MLB season record for being no-hit. Owning that record would look nice in their trophy case alongside having the longest playoff drought in major North American sports as well as being the only MLB team to have never gone to the WS.
We looked good against the Indians last weekend but so far have been outclassed by a supposedly bad Detroit team. How does this happen?
As I wrote, consistency is the hardest thing about major league baseball. That’s why 2001 was one of the greatest feats in sports history.
As bad as it was to be no-hit once again for the whole team, the catching defense by Torrens was abysmal. There were several times during the game where he had a brain fart, letting balls carom off his glove for wild pitches/passed balls instead of using his chest protector. Not being able to make the hard-but-not-nearly-impossible tag of the runner who went through his coach’s stop sign. Looking generally lost out there. Gosh, if only there were someone who played catcher somewhere on the coaching staff. Oh wait, right. Bring up Raleigh, unless he has the same issues.
And to think, they kept Murphy and Torrens and let Mike Z walk. Yes Mike Z was a liability at the plate, but his catching skills are lights out compared to what we have now. It makes perfect sense doesn’t it?
As I said above, rushing Raleigh risks trouble. Evan White was rushed, and I think Kelenic will come around, but he’s trying to hard to be a savior.
Letting Mike Z walk was a good thing.
Mike Z was certainly not Jason Varitek, remember him, he was once a Mariner. But you’re saying that Murphy hitting .137 and a marginal catcher at best, and Torrens hitting.178 and shouldn’t be catching in a softball game is considered an upgrade over Mike Z? I would politely disagree with that view point.
I didn’t say Murphy and Torrens are upgrades over Zunino. All three are weak major leaguers.
The killer part is that for Zunino, Guillermo Heredia and a minor league lefty pitcher, the Mariners received Mallex Smith and Jake Fraley. One of Dipoto’s worst trades.
It is hard to believe Torrens is a major league catcher. The inability to catch Haniger’s throw, much less pivot to a tag on the runner, was inexcusable.
But rushing Raleigh to save a training-wheels season is way too Zunino. I’m posting a column later today on my idea.
I hope the words “sign the newly DFA’d Jeff Mathis” are part of the column. He’s like having a coach on the field for the year until Cal Raleigh becomes ready.
He’s also 38, and the column, as you may have read, advocated for a pitcher.
The best part was listening to Rizzs try his best to jinx it by saying “no-hitter” as much as possible during the last 2 innings of the broadcast.
Missed that. Very unhappy totals for Mr. Sunshine.
Get Kelenic out of the lead-off spot, Haggerty has the speed to bunt for a hit, have him try it. What’s the worst that can happen? He goes hitless, again? I get the step-back and getting young guys experience and believe in it. However, I also believe money should have been spent at 2B at a minimum in the off-season.
I heard Robbie Cano could be had for a bargain price. I’m a believer in the new kids on the block program. But yeah the ownership should have ponied up some coin for not only 2nd base, but catcher, that position is a glaring weakness. Having a solid veteran catcher, not Murphy or Torrens would go a long way with helping the new pitchers out.
Catching is the weakest link. If Murphy hit as in did in 2019, matters are tolerable. Torrens is a failure.
Cano’s price is $3.75 million– the amount the M’s are paying the Mets as part of his salary through 2023. The M’s are paying Giles and Paxton $12 million and they can’t play, and Dee Strange-Gordon’s $1 million buyout.
All that dead money, just to get to no runs/no hits.
Sorry, I needed to be more specific on my kidding around about Cano. But hats off to your in depth research.
Speaking of hats, Logan Gilbert is a Hatter! I wonder how Robinson Cano has explained to his loved ones that his stupidity has cost his family over $25 million? It’s probably similar to Matt Lauer coming home early one day from NBC and saying, “Honey, I just lost my $20+ million a year job, because I………”
Ya lost me.
Cano has made enough that $25M is one weekend in Macau.
Dylan Moore has been good on defense and is starting to hit. Try again.
Batting Kelenic leadoff gives him an extra at bat in many games. It’s a good idea. He’s had less than 30 at bats. See where he’s at after 200.
I agree. Let’s wait a few games before throwing things away.
I made the mistake recently of looking at Nelson Cruz’s stats since joining the Twins. He has been an incredibly reliable hitter for many years. But he was too old to be paid by the current M’s boss. What a mistake. You ALWAYS need quality vets for their stature, their character, their core traits. But if you’d like some REALLY bad news the M’s will not play the weakest American league teams during the second half of their schedule (July 19 on). No games against Baltimore or Detroit – though those were the two teams that no-hit them!!. I believe, after 7/19, they only play TWO games against a team that does not now have a winning percentage of .425 or greater. Those two are versus Colorado. As always, there are a lot of divisional games and those are going to be very competitive. The time to make hay is now and this chance is being squandered.
Understandably, you want the M’s to win in ’21. But it isn’t in the plan, except by getting lucky. And with all their injuries, they’ve had no luck. So the rest of the schedule is secondary.
Actually, the rest of the schedule is interesting. Nearly being no-hit THREE times within TWO weeks is fascinating! The Mariners rarely fail to be interesting in terms of how their public persona misaligns with the recorded history. The Mariners succeed at keeping me glued. WHAT…is going to happen next! What scintillating meltdown? But then again…I have my G-Men, my Giants. And things are looking very good on that club.
We’ll keep a set warm on the bandwagon for you in ’22.
I kind of find this whole thing hilarious. I want them to be no-no’d every two weeks. Aside, baseball needs to do something about shifts and a lot of the more recent effective defensive philosophies. The other professional sports have rules to make the sport actually watchable. The NBA doesn’t let defenders camp in the lane. The NFL doesn’t let defenders play defense etc. Also, the analytics on at bats and prizing walks are just killing the game. I realize on base percentage is very important, but people aren’t swinging until they’re down 0-2. It seems the entire league’s offensive strategy is two walks and a home run.
I’m getting into the MLS. There’s more scoring and I know I’ll be in and out in a couple hours.
Now there’s an indictment — losing a baseball fan to soccer because of weak offense.
haha – that’s exactly why I can’t do soccer – Watching no scoring is so boring, just a bunch of players watching the one with the ball and taking a breather
Art, I trust you remember our informal ‘bet’ – if the M’s finish the season below .200, it’s torch and pitchfork time! As you know, they’re at .199 at the quarter pole . . .
I recommend reminding me. Don’t get too smug yet.
There are 119 games to go. Judge them in September, not May, when they are 3.5 games out of first place. By September, Torrens, Seager and others will be gone, and others will arrive (JRod? Raleigh? Bruce Bochte back at 1B?). I predicted 76-86. I’ll stay with it. Then, it will be about next year…..again. It’s ALWAYS about next year.
You’re sounding, dare I say it, sage.
Let’s not go overboard…..
3 no-hitters in 1 season is a new record? Hey, at least they have SOMETHING to shoot for!
For this dregs of a franchise, any record is better than no record.
From 116 wins to 3 no hitters – there possibly will never be a team in MLB history that will match such extremes. Hey M’s, GO FOR IT!
A lot of teams offensively are barely better. Extremes relative to 10 years go are becoming common.
All that matters is wins and losses. Keep your eye on the prize, Mariners.
But when?
Remember when pithes in the 90’s were headline news? When Nolan Ryan was the talk of the town, throwing his high heat?
Today if a pitcher is NOT in the mid to high 90’s, well, fuggedaboutit.
After a disastrous 1968, MLB reduced the mound height 5″, from 15″ to 10″.
Clearly it is time to lower the mound again, to whatever height makes the game bearable for the fans to watch.
This is not to excuse the sad M’s, yet again a sorry excuse for a team, rather an observation about the MLB-wide low batting averages.
I suggest you lead this effort Art, as you are a respected sports writer and have the juice to take this to your fellow writers nationally. Look at it as a way to save the sport, literally.
The would-be reformers are way ahead of you, and me. They’re experimenting in an independent league with moving the mound back a foot. Everyone in MLB and the media that covers it is understands the product is in disarray on multiple levels.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/03/17/baseball-preview-pace-of-play-crisis
Just read the article – Wow, he didn’t pull any punches!
There were quite a few suggested changes, but surprisingly lowering the mound was not included.
Don’t they learn from history? The change in 1969 saw 2 decades of good baseball.