Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Come Watch These "Kids" Play!!!
Wow, what a game! The Mariners beat the Tigers 4-1 to start the post-trade-deadline era at 1-0. And the game was just full of energy.
First, Jorge Campillo gets his major league debut, and promptly goes out and "tweaks" his elbow. He is now going to return to Seattle for medical tests and the early word is that Clint Nageotte is going to get called up in his place.
However, I would guess that Nageotte gets the call as a reliever, because 30 year old journeyman Jeff Harris was rock solid in his major league debut, shutting the Tigers down easily for four innings. Harris looks like Ryan Franklin without the contract or the steroids. He probably is best suited, just like Franklin, to be a swingman providing long relief out of the bullpen, or getting an occasional spot start, but the M's may reward him with his first major league start for this performance.
Adrian Beltre does what we paid him for, providing the M's an early run with a home run.
Of course, he also has a defensive lapse as a ball caroms off his chest for an apparent error.
That is, until Yuniesky Betancourt comes over, picks the ricochet out of the air and guns out the baserunner by two steps in a play that is now running on the MLB website (8/2 clips at about 1:54 mark).
And this after Yubet knocked in the winning run with an RBI double as part of a 3-run 7th.
The inning was sparked by something I've rarely seen. Our DH, Dave Hansen, was sacrifice bunting with Jeremy Reed on first, and laid a nice bunt down the third base line. Jeremy didn't hesitate at all at 2nd and just kept on chugging, and barely beat the throw back to third base where catcher Pudge Rodriguez was covering. It was a pure hustle play, and the kind that can spark not only wins, but winning streaks.
I think this team is going to be a blast to watch for the next two months, as youthful energy (and probably youthful mistakes) take over and all veterans know they better put up quick or be sent down.
And, of course, El Cartelua makes his major league debut for the Mariners on Thursday. I can't wait!
First, Jorge Campillo gets his major league debut, and promptly goes out and "tweaks" his elbow. He is now going to return to Seattle for medical tests and the early word is that Clint Nageotte is going to get called up in his place.
However, I would guess that Nageotte gets the call as a reliever, because 30 year old journeyman Jeff Harris was rock solid in his major league debut, shutting the Tigers down easily for four innings. Harris looks like Ryan Franklin without the contract or the steroids. He probably is best suited, just like Franklin, to be a swingman providing long relief out of the bullpen, or getting an occasional spot start, but the M's may reward him with his first major league start for this performance.
Adrian Beltre does what we paid him for, providing the M's an early run with a home run.
Of course, he also has a defensive lapse as a ball caroms off his chest for an apparent error.
That is, until Yuniesky Betancourt comes over, picks the ricochet out of the air and guns out the baserunner by two steps in a play that is now running on the MLB website (8/2 clips at about 1:54 mark).
And this after Yubet knocked in the winning run with an RBI double as part of a 3-run 7th.
The inning was sparked by something I've rarely seen. Our DH, Dave Hansen, was sacrifice bunting with Jeremy Reed on first, and laid a nice bunt down the third base line. Jeremy didn't hesitate at all at 2nd and just kept on chugging, and barely beat the throw back to third base where catcher Pudge Rodriguez was covering. It was a pure hustle play, and the kind that can spark not only wins, but winning streaks.
I think this team is going to be a blast to watch for the next two months, as youthful energy (and probably youthful mistakes) take over and all veterans know they better put up quick or be sent down.
And, of course, El Cartelua makes his major league debut for the Mariners on Thursday. I can't wait!
