U.S.S. Mariner

Padilla vs Baek, 7:05 pm.
Finally back at Safeco Field and facing a pretty lousy Rangers team.
Standard line-up applies.

It’s the first of the month, and the major league team is frustrating to talk about, so that means it’s time for another Future Forty update, where we can focus on the future of the franchise rather than the present. Escapism at its finest.
May was quite a different month on the farm [...]

WOOO HOO!
WEAVER MANIA!!
If you weren’t down after today’s game, well check this out!
From the PI:

Tuesday, manager Mike Hargrove said he wanted Weaver to face some live batters in game competition. But when Weaver declined to go to the minor leagues for a rehab start, the issue became pitch count.
Weaver, who threw a simulated game [...]

Felix vs Weaver, 7:05 pm.
Happy Felix Day. The M’s couldn’t ask for a better day to have their ace on the mound than the series finale with the team they are chasing for first place and the Mariners teetering on the verge of contention. Win tonight, cut the lead to 3 1/2 games, [...]

Felix starts tonight in the third game of the series against the Angels… and, by wild coincidence, I have a book event *at almost the exact same time* at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. The last time I was scheduled to do an author appearance there, I ended up in the ER in [...]

I posted a brief review of my feelings on Ryan Feierabend’s performance in the game thread last night, but I figured I should put up something with a little more detail today, for those who didn’t catch his season debut.
The fastball was consistently 86-90, all of the four seam variety, and usually up in the [...]

7:05, FSNW.
Feierabend v Santana.
I predict Mr. Feierabend will have trouble getting his name spelled right. (Wow, Aaron Hill just stole home on Pettitte to take a 2-1 lead. Awesome play.)
M’s lineup is the same as last night, the Angels (per Baker) throw out something significantly different:
LF-B Willits
SS-R Cabrera
RF-R Guerrero
CF-B Matthews Jr.
3B-R Quinlan
C-R Napoli
2B-R Kendrick
DH-R Hillenbrand
1B-L [...]

I missed the weekend while shooting a friend’s wedding in Kentucky, so it’s a stream of consciousness post as I play catchup on what I missed.
1. Adrian Beltre is obviously on fire. 11 for 21 with 7 extra base hits in his last 5 games, giving him a .275/.321/.495 line for the season. [...]

Batista v Colon. 6:05, FSN. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn.
I’d like to declare, as today’s game thread benevolent dictator, just as an experiment, this thread a funk-free zone. Thanks for your understanding.
CF-L Ichiro
DH-B Vidro
RF-R Guillen
LF-L Ibanez
1B-R Sexson
C-R Johjima
3B-R Beltre
SS-R Betancourt
2B-R Lopez
v
LF-B Willits
SS-R Cabrera
RF-R Guerrero
CF-B Matthews
1B-L Kotchman
2B-R Kendrick
C-R Napoli
DH-R Hillenbrand
3B-B Figgins
Hmm.

From ESPN.com’s Enrique Rojas.
*Disclaimer: He defines greatness as Jose Reyes and Derek Jeter. Not that I’m bagging on either one of those guys. If Betancourt turns into either one we should all do backflips down Edgar Martinez Drive.