Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Sabathia Falters and Yanks' Streak Slips Away

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July 4

New York Times

"Sabathia was more deliberate than usual against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night. He took more time to get signs, took longer to throw pitches and had problems plowing past hitters. Sabathia looked uncomfortable, a pitcher who kept trying to be his effective self and kept failing. Without a precise and powerful Sabathia, the surging Yankees looked like just another ordinary team, losing to the Mariners, 8-4, at Yankee Stadium. Since Sabathia wobbled into the sixth inning as a surprisingly wayward pitcher, the Yankees saw their seven-game winning streak disintegrate. Watching Sabathia was like waiting for a traffic light to turn from red to green. He tugged on the sleeve of his ..."

Jorge Posada out of New York Yankees lineup again

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July 3

Newark Star-Ledger

"With the swelling still persistent on Jorge Posada's injured thumb, the Yankees catcher will sit for the second straight game on Friday as the Blue Jays visit Yankee Stadium to start a four-game series. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he felt like Posada needed another day for the left thumb to heal. His biggest worry was the thumb being struck again and causing even further pain. Girardi said there is still some swelling in the joint. He doesn't believe the injury will keep Posada out much longer. The plan is to see how he feels on Saturday and if the swelling has decreased, he could be back behind the plate. * * * Alex Rodriguez will likely get one day off in the four-game set against ..."

Mariners could be adding international talent as signing period begins

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July 2

Seattle Times

"For scouting aficianados, today is a very important day -- the first day that teams are allowed to sign international players not subject to the draft. We're talking primarily about players from Latin American (dominated annually by the Dominican Republic and Venezuela), but Japanese amateurs have been signed in recent years, as well. This is the route by which the Mariners landed Felix Hernandez , Jose Lopez , and Carlos Triunfel, among others; there will no doubt be some future superstars signed by teams during this international signing period. Bob Engle, their international scouting director, is regarded as one of the best in the business."

Simulated game Bedard's next step

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July 2

MLB.com

"It appears that injured left-hander Erik Bedard will pitch at Fenway Park -- against the Mariners. Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu unveiled an updated work schedule for the lefty during his pregame media session on Wednesday, saying that Bedard would pitch a simulated game on Friday in Boston and -- if all goes well -- start against the Orioles next Tuesday night at Safeco Field, as well as the following Sunday -- July 12 -- against the Rangers. Bedard, sidelined since June 7 with discomfort in his left shoulder, threw a bullpen session at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. "He threw 40-some pitches and said he felt great," Wakamatsu said. "He is feeling better than he has in a long time. It was a ..."

Ken Griffey Jr. still thorn vs. Yankees

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July 2

New York Daily News

"He still has one of the sweetest swings in baseball. With two outs in the sixth Wednesday night, Ken Griffey Jr. extended his arms and turned on Andy Pettitte's first pitch, a 90-mph fastball, and deposited the ball over the right field wall for his 10th home run of the season. Flashbulbs popped throughout the Stadium, and a mild applause ushered him around the bases, even though the solo shot had just erased the Yankees' lead. Instead of stinging the Bombers, who bounced back from the blast to beat the Mariners, 4-2, Griffey's longball was full of sentimental value. It was the 621st of his career, and it marked the 44th different stadium he had homered in - the most among active players ..."

Bedard pushed back, next start at Safeco

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July 2

Tacoma News Tribune

"If you had the Boston series in the office pool as to when Erik Bedard would make his next start, you lose. Bedard, a left-hander sidelined by shoulder inflammation since June 8, was once tentatively scheduled to start in New York, but that proved too optimistic. After throwing a full bullpen session Tuesday - 44 pitches - Bedard felt "great." That left the Mariners with options. They could start Bedard against the Red Sox and keep him on a pitch limit of, say, 65 pitches. That would likely get him four innings or less. "We've decided to give him a full-blown simulated game Friday in Boston, get him up to 60 pitches or so," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "Then, Erik will start Tuesday and ..."

Home runs help Yankees blow by Mariners, 4-2

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July 2

Seattle Times

"The final hope Jarrod Washburn and the Mariners had on Wednesday night was a fleet-footed center fielder with a knack for climbing walls. That's what it was going to take to keep the Mariners in what became a 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees at a new ballpark known for wind tunnels and long balls. And true to form, center fielder Franklin Gutierrez did indeed scale the fence and stretch his suction-like glove about as far as humanly possible. Problem is, the ball hit by Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez soared about 20 feet over his head. "He's done it before, but I can't ask him to work miracles," Washburn quipped after the two-run, tiebreaking blast by Rodriguez in the sixth inning proved ..."

Makeshift Mariners fall short Tuesday in new Yankee Stadium

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July 2

Seattle Times

"Some words of advice were given to relief pitcher Chris Jakubauskas as he took the mound with the bases loaded and two out in a tie game. They came courtesy of manager Don Wakamatsu and summed up perfectly the atmosphere felt throughout this eventual 8-5 loss to the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. With the hyped-up crowd in a brand-new Yankee Stadium roaring with intimidating presence and two contenders going toe-to-toe with every pitch, the Mariners hung in until the final at-bats taken by the home side. Later, in a clubhouse that seemed defeated but definitely not beaten, Jakubauskas let folks in on Wakamatsu's words of wisdom. "Wak told me on the mound, 'It doesn't get any better ..."

Erik Bedard to start Tuesday at Safeco Field

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July 2

Seattle Times

"Erik Bedard will start Tuesday against Baltimore at Safeco Field instead of Saturday in Boston, as the Mariners had initially planned. The left-hander, on the disabled list with shoulder trouble, will throw a simulated game Friday in an effort to build arm strength. "We'll try to get him to about 60 pitches in the sim game," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "Tuesday will probably be a pitch count of around 75 to 80 pitches." Bedard, 5-2 with a 2.47 earned-run average, has not pitched since June 7. His return to the rotation is likely to rekindle talk of a trade of the 30-year-old."

Charity begins at home plate

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July 2

Boston Globe

columnist Dan Shaughnessy

"Going to Fenway Park for Red Sox-Mariners Saturday? Bring a box of tissue. Bring your checkbook, too. Boston's ancient baseball theater will be one of 15 major league parks honoring the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's farewell speech ("I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth'') and raising funds to support ALS research. It's called "4ALS Awareness'' Nice going, MLB. In 1939, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis took Gehrig off the field after 2,130 consecutive games and now baseball is joining the fight against the deadly disease. "We're involved with a whole series of charities,'' explained commissioner Bud Selig. "We get asked a lot. But I've had inquiries about ALS from a ..."

Ken Griffey Jr. still thorn vs. Yankees

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July 2

New York Daily News

"He still has one of the sweetest swings in baseball. With two outs in the sixth Wednesday night, Ken Griffey Jr. extended his arms and turned on Andy Pettitte's first pitch, a 90-mph fastball, and deposited the ball over the right field wall for his 10th home run of the season. Flashbulbs popped throughout the Stadium, and a mild applause ushered him around the bases, even though the solo shot had just erased the Yankees' lead. Instead of stinging the Bombers, who bounced back from the blast to beat the Mariners, 4-2, Griffey's longball was full of sentimental value. It was the 621st of his career, and it marked the 44th different stadium he had homered in - the most among active players ..."

Pettitte Finds Comfort Zone as Yanks Roll

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July 2

New York Post

"It took almost three months, but Andy Pettitte figured out how to pitch effectively in Yankee Stadium. The difference in Pettitte's home and away splits were so vast it was easy to see the veteran lefty and the Homer Heaven weren't a good marriage. Until last night, that is. In his ninth home start, Pettitte allowed two runs in seven innings and pitched the Yankees to a 4-2 win over the Mariners in front of 45,285. The Yankees' seventh straight victory kept them 21⁄2 games behind the AL East-leading Red Sox. "You don't want to pitch bad here," said Pettitte, who gave up six hits and no walks. He is 8-3 and leads the team in wins. "You want to pitch well in your ballpark." Mariano ..."

Rodriguez Blast Secures Yanks' 7th Straight Win

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July 2

New York Times

"Alex Rodriguez always strives for more, a character trait that makes him a high achiever and feeds his demons. When he came back from hip surgery in less than two months this season, his doctor told him to reduce his work before games. Naturally, perhaps, Rodriguez ignored the advice and wore down in six weeks. He did too much, too soon, to nobody's surprise. "I've always taken a million swings," Rodriguez said. "Probably too many." Now he is swinging less, about 25 percent of what he normally would do, and the lighter pregame load has helped him do more when it counts. Rodriguez's latest blast made the difference in the Yankees' 4-2 victory against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night ..."

Yankees' Win Begins and Ends With Rivera

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July 2

New York Times

"Jorge Posada moved a few feet in front of the plate, as if the man delivering the ceremonial first pitch was a regional marketing director who had not thrown a baseball in decades. Actually, it was Mariano Rivera, fresh off his 500th save, who did the honors on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Posada was teasing him, and Rivera responded in kind, moving a few feet off the mound and lobbing a strike. His teammates had fun with the spectacle. "Well, in order for Mo to get ready, he's got to get a massage for a half an hour, a heat pack and all that other stuff," Derek Jeter said. More than three hours after his unofficial first pitch, Rivera threw the game's final pitch, a third strike to Franklin ..."

So far, Mariners are the most improved team in MLB

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July 1

Seattle Times

columnist Larry Stone

"The chic question to ask in spring training this year was this: Who's going to be the next Tampa Bay Rays? In other words, which team was going to emerge from the depths of despair and mount a playoff run. Tampa Bay last year won 97 games and the American League pennant one season after losing 96 (and two seasons after losing 101, and three seasons after losing 95, and four seasons after losing 91, and five seasons after losing 99...well, you get the picture; the Rays had never come close to a winning season in their franchise history, a fact that greatly aided their turnaround by virtue of all those high draft picks finally coalescing). Predictions came from all fronts, from here and ..."

Don Wakamatsu's approach is already working magic with Mariners

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July 1

Seattle Times

columnist Steve Kelley

"David Aardsma says there are three types of managers. There are the in-your-face managers, the screamers who believe in tough, team discipline. There are the managers who say nothing, who write out the lineup card, make the in-game decisions and leave the players alone. And then there are the - well, let's call them Socratic skippers - the managers who ask questions, and more questions, looking for specific answers, testing the knowledge of the players they are quizzing. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu is from the Socratic school. "With Wak, the first question is a yes-or-no question," Aardsma said Tuesday, "and the second question, the difficult question, is the why question. A lot of ..."

Buhner 'still bleeds Mariners blue'

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July 1

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"When Jay Buhner learned in 1988 he was being traded to the Seattle Mariners, his first thought was, "Oh, crap!" It was a reasonable reaction. Buhner was a New York Yankee, and while the Yankees were wandering baseball's desert at the time, Buhner knew pinstripe tradition would eventually lift them out of the sand. The Mariners, on the other hand, were in their 12th season of municipal embarrassment, never having won more games than they lost, never having finished higher than fourth in a seven-team division. "They had a losing tradition," Buhner said. "They were always getting their butts kicked. Teams would come in here expecting to win at least two." A power hitter and a good outfielder, ..."

Unlike home run king Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr.'s career lacks juicy details

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July 1

New York Daily News

columnist Tim Smith

"Ken Griffey Jr. says there are some similarities between himself and Barry Bonds. "We're both the sons of very good players who turned out to be pretty good baseball players," Griffey said. They are both sluggers who mounted an assault on Hank Aaron's home run record. And that is where the comparisons end. Griffey, who is fifth on the all-time home run list (he entered Tuesday night with 620), has been stymied by injuries during his 20-year career. Bonds actually surpassed Aaron's record, hitting 762 home runs. But Bonds is a pariah in the sport, haunted by the specter of steroids, while Griffey, who has returned to Seattle to end his career where it started, has escaped the scourge of ..."

Betancourt could return as second baseman

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July 1

Tacoma News Tribune

"The Seattle Mariners are on the brink of getting key players healthy - players like Erik Bedard, Shawn Kelley and Yuniesky Betancourt - but not all of them are promised the job they had when they were injured. Betancourt, for instance, could return from a hamstring injury next week - as a second baseman. The Seattle infield is a patchwork quilt without Adrian Beltre, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday, and with shortstop Betancourt missing time. In their absence, Ronny Cedeño has played shortstop well, and Tuesday was the first game without Beltre. The Mariners have considered moving second baseman Jose Lopez to third base, keeping Cedeño at short and having Betancourt ..."

Cool solution for hot corner - Greg Dobbs

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July 1

Tacoma News Tribune

columnist John McGrath

"Before I suggest a low-maintenance replacement for the high-stress position usually occupied by Adrian Beltre, please meet Charles "Piano Legs" Hickman. OK, you can't meet Hickman, as he has been dead for 75 years. But his struggles should be a warning of the hazards that await any novice attempting to follow in his footsteps. In 1900, with the New York Giants, Hickman committed 86 errors. Actually, Piano Legs committed 87 - one in the outfield, and the other 86 at third base. It remains the single-season record for defensive ineptitude and explains why putting any old player at third base (or any young player, for that matter) might not be such a good idea. The ball will find you at ..."

Sean White can't hold the fort as Mariners lose 8-5

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July 1

Seattle Times

"The Mariners walked a tightrope all game long, yet kept on overcoming every obstacle put in their path. Unfortunately, when Sean White gives up four straight hits -- two of them doubles -- and three runs to open the bottom of the eighth, you know your goose is cooked. Especially with Mariano Rivera coming in to pitch the ninth. So, an 8-5 loss for a Mariners team that gave the Yankees all they could handle in this game. I'll tell you what, the M's went toe-to-toe with these guys before the middle relievers finally buckled. But this was a real heavyweight fight tonight in the Big Apple. The Mariners have nothing to be ashamed of. But what they can't do is let this snowball into something ..."

Yankees' Win Begins and Ends With Rivera

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July 1

New York Times

"Jorge Posada moved a few feet in front of the plate, as if the man delivering the ceremonial first pitch was a regional marketing director who had not thrown a baseball in decades. Skip to next paragraph RelatedIn Hinske, Yanks Add Versatility (July 1, 2009) Keep up with the latest news on The Times's baseball blog. More on: Mets | YankeesGo to the Bats Blog » M.L.B.Scoreboard Schedules: A.L. | N.L. Standings: A.L. | N.L. Stats: A.L. | N.L. Team Reports Yankees2009 Schedule Individual Stats | Team History Times Topics: The Yankees Mets2009 Schedule Individual Stats | Team History Times Topics: The Mets Actually, it was Mariano Rivera, fresh off his 500th save, who did the honors on Tuesday ..."

Cool solution for hot corner: Greg Dobbs

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June 30

Tacoma News Tribune

"Before I suggest a low-maintenance replacement for the high-stress position usually occupied by Adrian Beltre, please meet Charles "Piano Legs" Hickman. OK, you can't meet Hickman, as he has been dead for 75 years. But his struggles should be a warning of the hazards that await any novice attempting to follow in his footsteps. In 1900, with the New York Giants, Hickman committed 86 errors. Actually, Piano Legs committed 87 - one in the outfield, and the other 86 at third base. It remains the single-season record for defensive ineptitude and explains why putting any old player at third base (or any young player, for that matter) might not be such a good idea. The ball will find you at ..."

Mariners ready for first taste of new Yankee Stadium

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June 30

Seattle Times

"John Wetteland will, of course, never forget throwing the final pitch of the 1996 World Series at Yankee Stadium. He induced a foul pop-up from Atlanta's Mark Lemke that Yankees third baseman Charlie Hayes snared to give Joe Torre, Derek Jeter and company their first of four championships in five years. But Wetteland, now the Mariners' bullpen coach, also remembers just as vividly the first time he pulled on pinstripes and strode onto the hallowed grounds in the Bronx for a workout before opening day in 1995. "Walking down the hallway leading onto the field, it all runs through your mind," Wetteland said. "This is the same hallway everyone else walked down. "I remember I got to the steps, ..."

For Mariners, filling Adrian Beltre's shoes will take some feat

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June 30

Seattle Times

columnist Larry Stone

"Onto the list of Mariners who have to step up during the lengthy absence of Adrian Beltre, Miguel Batista added one intriguing name: Don Wakamatsu. "Honestly, it's going to show how good this manager is," Batista said. "He's going to have to manage his brains out. There's going to be a lot of small moves to try to compensate." So far this year, Wakamatsu has not only pushed most of the right buttons, he has shown a keen understanding of when to pat backs and when to kick butts. Just witness the soaring heights achieved by Felix Hernandez since Wakamatsu called him out a month ago. If there was a Manager of the Half-Year award for the American League, Wakamatsu would be fighting it out with ..."

Going-away present: Adrian Beltre helps Mariners top Dodgers

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June 29

Seattle Times

"As Adrian Beltre went around the clubhouse Sunday hugging his teammates, he had the same message for each one: "Stay healthy." Beltre's mission now, of course, is to get healthy. He has reluctantly opted to leave the Mariners in midseason to repair an increasingly painful left shoulder. Beltre will undergo surgery Tuesday to remove bone spurs and is expected to be out six to eight weeks. Before leaving, he opted to play one last game, and in the Mariners' 4-2 victory over the Dodgers, he gave a glimpse of the huge hole they'll have to fill in his absence. He made several fine defensive plays, including one sprawling stop to rob Russell Martin of a hit. Beltre also drove in a run with a ..."

Mariners have long-term decision to make on Adrian Beltre

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June 29

Seattle Times

columnist Steve Kelley

"When free agent Adrian Beltre signed a five-year, $64 million deal with Seattle in December 2004, it signaled a radical change in the Mariners' philosophy. The team and then-general manager Bill Bavasi were giving a signal to Seattle that they were going to be players in the marketplace. The Mariners spent another $50 million on Richie Sexson that winter, telling fans they understood they no longer could merely open the gates at Safeco Field and expect 35,000 grateful patrons to pour through the turnstiles. They had lost 99 games in 2004. Lou Piniella was gone. His successor, Bob Melvin, had been fired. GM Pat Gillick was history. A new approach was needed. The Mariners expected Beltre to ..."

Ryan Langerhans acquired in trade from Washington Nationals

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June 29

Seattle Times

"The Mariners on Sunday acquired outfielder Ryan Langerhans from the Washington Nationals in a trade for Mike Morse. Langerhans, a left-handed hitter, plays all three outfield positions as well as first base, and all indications are that he will be joining the M's Tuesday in New York. "This gives us a degree of flexibility," general manager Jack Zduriencik said. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Langerhans was hitting .278 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 64 games for Class AAA Syracuse. Morse was hitting .312 for AAA Tacoma with 10 homers and 52 RBI in 66 games. Acquired in the Freddy Garcia trade in 2004, he hit .300 in 107 games for Seattle, but he faded out of their plans last year after ..."

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June 29

Seattle Times

"In the course of talking to Jackie Z about the Langerhans trade, I asked him if he was going to pursue a third baseman now that Adrian Beltre is headed for the DL. Here's his answer: "I think you leave all your options open. Obviously, there have been a lot of talks over the last month on a lot of different scenarios. Nothing is imminent. At this moment, I don't anticipate anything, That's not to say, as you move forward, the next day creates something that wasn't there today. I think everyone is aware of everyone else's situation. When they see what's happened here recently, or we look at other clubs...but at this time, we are where we are, and we'll try to do the best we can with where ..."

A very impressive series win for the Mariners

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June 29

Seattle Times

"Once again, I have a Sunday night flight to catch, so I'm racing. The Mariners deserve full credit for pulling out the final two wins here, and getting this tough road trip started on a positive note. Not to sound corny, but this was one of those instances where you have to credit their character. They've been facing a lot of adversity, yet they've won nine of 12 since getting swept by the Rockies in Denver. Sure, some of those games were against the weak sisters of the NL West, but the Dodgers don't fall in that category. They have the best record in the majors, and a quality lineup even without Manny. The Mariners were up to the challenge. At 39-36, they moved three games over .500 for ..."

Nats, Mariners Swap Minor Leaguers

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June 29

Washington Post

"The Nats have just pulled off a trade. Just a little one -- a swap of minor league position players. The Nationals acquired versatile IN/OF Mike Morse from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Ryan Langerhans. The move doesn't affect the 40-man roster. Morse will report to Class AAA Syracuse. Morse, 27, has played seen only sparing playing time in the big leagues in the last few years, appearing in 35 big league games since 2006. At the time of the trade, Morse was hitting .312 (81-for-260) with 10 homers for Class AAA Tacoma. Morse's only significant run of time in the big leagues came in 2005, when he appeared in 72 games with Seattle and hit .278. Though he has a lifetime ..."

Dodgers drop another to Mariners

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June 29

Orange County Register

"After inspired play in many of the 47 games without suspended star Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers finally appear to be running on fumes. Their 4-2 defeat on Sunday to the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium gave the Dodgers back-to-back series defeats to a pair of mediocre American League clubs that are gasping for breath above the .500 mark. Losing two out of three to the White Sox at Chicago was one thing, but over the weekend, the club with the best home record in the National League let two of three get away to the Mariners. Despite having the best record in baseball at 48-28, the Dodgers have lost four of their past five and will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the ..."

Offensive surge carries Mariners past Dodgers

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June 29

Los Angeles Times

"The Seattle Mariners used a three-run third inning against Hiroki Kuroda to outlast the Dodgers, 4-2, on a 90-degree Sunday at Dodger Stadium. The win gave Seattle a 2-1 edge in the teams' three-game series on the final day of interleague play in the regular season. The Dodgers overall split their 18 games with American League clubs. The Dodgers have now lost four of their last five games and two of their last three series, despite remaining comfortably atop the National League West. Kuroda, the Dodgers starting pitcher, finally had his first showdown with fellow Japanese player Ichiro Suzuki, the major leagues' best hitter at .372, and Ichiro got the upper hand in front of 49,355. With ..."

Nationals acquire Morse from Mariners

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June 28

MLB.com

"The Nationals made a minor trade on Sunday afternoon, sending outfielder Ryan Langerhans to the Mariners for infielder Mike Morse. Morse, who will report to Triple-A Syracuse, played in 107 games for the Mariners during his career and has a .300 career batting average with three home runs and 33 RBIs."

Mike Morse traded for outfielder Ryan Langerhans

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June 28

Seattle Times

"Jack Zduriencik just announced that the Mariners have acquired outfielder Ryan Langerhans from the Nationals for Mike Morse. Langerhans, a left-handed hitter, plays all three outfield positions as well as first base. Though Langerhans characterized it as a minor-league trade, all indications are that Langerhans will be joining the Mariners Tuesday in New York. "This gives us a degree of flexibility,'' Zduriencik said. "We thought it was important to add another guy like this.'' The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Langerhans, 29, was hitting .278 (57x205) with 16 doubles, 9 home runs and 40 RBI in 64 games for Class AAA Syracuse. Langerhans has appeared in the majors in parts of the past seven seasons ..."

Mariners win, but lose Adrian Beltre to surgery

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June 28

Seattle Times

"On a night in which Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 620th career home run, Russ Branyan legged out his first triple of the season and added a towering homer, Ichiro raised his average to .375 and Felix Hernandez pitched another gem, it was a pending departure that dominated - and dampened - the Mariners' emotions. With Adrian Beltre possibly playing his final game before undergoing shoulder surgery, the Mariners defeated the Dodgers 5-1 Saturday night as Hernandez allowed only an unearned run in eight brilliant innings. "That's tough. He's the best third baseman in the league," second baseman Jose Lopez said of Beltre. "That guy plays hurt, but he needs surgery." Beltre informed the Mariners ..."

Eric Milton isn't the answer for Dodgers

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June 28

Los Angeles Times

"Go ahead, please take the fifth. The Dodgers would love for someone, anyone, to step up and become a reliable fifth starter. It has been the most glaring weakness for the team with the best record in baseball. James McDonald opened the season at the back end of the rotation and lasted four wobbly starts before being demoted to the minor leagues. Jeff Weaver averaged only five innings over four starts. Eric Milton? He was gone after five innings Saturday night at Dodger Stadium during the Dodgers' 5-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners. In his first start since missing three weeks because of a strained lower back, Milton gave up seven hits and four runs. His early departure forced the Dodgers to ..."

Dodgers' Andre Ethier has a giant night

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June 27

Los Angeles Times

"Bad things don't come in threes for the Dodgers. Good things certainly do. Nearly halfway into the season, the team with the best record in baseball still hasn't lost three consecutive games. Andre Ethier made sure of it Friday night at Dodger Stadium with the first three-homer game of his career in the Dodgers' 8-2 triumph over the Seattle Mariners. Ethier hit his 12th, 13th and 14th homers and drove in a career-high six runs, becoming the first Dodger to hit three homers in a game since Hee-Seop Choi on June 12, 2005. Ethier was mobbed by teammates in the dugout and took a curtain call after his third homer, a towering solo blast to right field against reliever Miguel Batista in the ..."

In Rob Johnson's world, his job is to catch

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June 26

Tacoma News Tribune

columnist John Mcgrath

"Mariners catcher Rob Johnson is a one-man balancing act. Because his primary job is handling the psyches of the pitching staff, he can't afford to dwell on his struggles at the plate. And yet, it's those very hitting struggles that are preventing him from becoming an everyday player. Johnson brought a .188 batting average into the homestand finale Thursday at Safeco Field, with no homers and 10 RBI. He draws rave reviews from pitchers and coaches about his defensive aptitude, but the dearth of pop in his bat is why he'll return tonight to his role as the backup to Kenji Johjima, recently activated from the disabled list. It would be tempting for Johnson to sulk about his tendency to swing ..."

Ichiro helps Mariners get started in 9-3 victory over Padres

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June 26

Seattle Times

"The Mariners polished off another of baseball's worst teams Thursday afternoon behind a leadoff home run from their best hitter, Ichiro; a game-breaking double from one of their most frustrated hitters, Rob Johnson; and the first win in two months from their hardest-luck starter, Jarrod Washburn. The Mariners left Safeco Field with a 9-3 victory over San Diego that finished a 5-1 homestand against teams in baseball's basement - the Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks. But where the Mariners (37-35) are headed could be largely determined by the next nine games, all on the road against three of the best teams in baseball. "We'll see how we stack up," manager Don Wakamatsu said. On a 10-day, ..."

Online balloting to decide '09 All-Stars

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June 26

MLB.com

"We, the people, are deciding who goes to the 80th All-Star Game July 14 in St. Louis.We are ready for the mad rush.We are entering that Validation Key over and over, submitting our 25 allotted votes in the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com.We punched those Walt Disney Pictures G-Force All-Star Game paper ballots and left those little chads all over ballparks, and now those last paper ballots are being collected tonight at Pittsburgh and Houston as it goes online-only for the homestretch.We know it's the final week to decide starters. Our deadline as empowered fans is 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, and we know that only because we have been staring at this javascript voting app ..."

Mother's Day bats now up for auction

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June 26

MLB.com

"It has been a big first half of baseball for current American League All-Star first baseman vote front-runner Mark Teixeira, and that included that memorable Mother's Day game back in his hometown of Baltimore, where he crushed a two-run homer for the Yankees.He was swinging a pink bat."It's obviously huge -- I think that's the first home run I've hit with a pink bat, so I'm going to go bring that to Mom right now," Teixeira said on May 9, referring to Margy, a breast cancer survivor who had been diagnosed when he was a freshman at Baltimore's St. Joseph's High School. "As soon as I hit it, I thought about it. It's pretty special to me."Margy may have gotten that pink bat, but another one ..."

In Johnsons world, his job is to catch, base hits are bonuses

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June 26

Tacoma News Tribune

"Mariners catcher Rob Johnson is a one-man balancing act. Because his primary job is handling the psyches of the pitching staff, he can't afford to dwell on his struggles at the plate. And yet, it's those very hitting struggles that are preventing him from becoming an everyday player. Johnson brought a .188 batting average into the homestand finale Thursday at Safeco Field, with no homers and 10 RBI. He draws rave reviews from pitchers and coaches about his defensive aptitude, but the dearth of pop in his bat is why he'll return tonight to his role as the backup to Kenji Johjima, recently activated from the disabled list. It would be tempting for Johnson to sulk about his tendency to swing ..."

Teammates happy, get Washburn a win

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June 26

Tacoma News Tribune

"Jarrod Washburn thought for a moment and shook his head in disbelief. The question was simple: "Had he ever gone this long in his career without getting a win?" "I don't think I have," he said. "That's a long time." How long? Well, his previous win came on April 21 - a span of 10 starts. "That's over two months," he said. "That's a long time. Even when I was really bad, I don't think I went that long without a win." But the frustrating thing to Washburn is that he hasn't been really bad during the winless stretch. There were a few shaky outings in which he allowed more than five runs, but he had five starts in which he allowed four runs or fewer. And his ERA during those 10 starts was ..."

Trade Washburn? Not if he keeps pitching like this

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June 26

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Jarrod Washburn might not be the most popular of Mariners players with his current 4-5 record and a four-year mark of 27-48 in Seattle, but he's easily been the biggest surprise of a patchwork starting rotation that keeps getting the job done for the new regime. Washburn hasn't had a lot to show for it in the win column, thanks to the worst run support in the American League, but the 34-year-old is having by far his best season since signing a four-year, $37 million deal with Seattle in 2006. In fact, Washburn has been good enough that the Mariners should be growing increasingly reluctant to part with him at the trading deadline if they remain in contention in the AL West. Barring a ..."

Beltre will try to play with pain

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June 25

Tacoma News Tribune

"Third baseman Adrian Beltre, whose 2008 season was cut short because of bone spurs in his left shoulder, will need surgery to correct the same issue some time this year - news that could mean missing much of the next few months. The issue isn't "if" Beltre will need an operation to remove bone spurs that have regrown in the same place, it's "when." "It's the same thing I had last year, bone spurs, only it's worse. I had X-rays (Tuesday) and they've grown back, in the same place," Beltre said. "I think they're worse this year. "I'm going to need surgery, now or later. It's a matter of how long I can play with the pain." Team trainer Rick Griffin acknowledged the inevitability of taking ..."

Washburn loves Seattle baseball again -- winning helps

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June 25

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

columnist Jim Moore

"As you probably know by now, I wing it from time to time, if not all of the time, and such was the case Tuesday night when I wandered into the Mariners clubhouse. I intended to interview David Aardsma, but I couldn't find him. Ichiro was sitting at his locker, and I thought about asking him how his dog was doing but didn't want to interrupt his pre-game routine. Then I spotted Jarrod Washburn at his cubicle reading a deer-farming magazine, which figures because he's a deer farmer. I've always liked Washburn, but I've never understood how he can be a big deer fan and still shoot them with a bow and arrow. I'll never forget his first news conference after the Mariners signed him to a ..."

Franklin Gutierrez comes through for Mariners in a 4-3 win over San Diego Padres

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June 25

Seattle Times

"Good thing Franklin Gutierrez went deep in the eighth inning, delivering a 4-3 win to the Mariners, or else these two squads might have stayed here until 3 a.m. Neither team could muster much of anything on the scoreboard after the early innings. And the sight above, of David Aardsma, closing things out, really is one for sore eyes these days. He's been striking out everything in sight and held the Padres scoreless -- despite one walk -- as he's expected to. We'll have to see what happened to Yuniesky Betancourt running out that grounder. Looked like he might have pulled a hamstring muscle. Not the greatest game offensively for the Mariners yet again. They did get that magical fourth run ..."

A "strong chance" Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is headed for the disabled list

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June 25

Seattle Times

"Word out of the clubhouse is that Yuniesky Betancourt hurt his lower hamstring. He'll have an MRI tomorrow and manager Don Wakamatsu says "there's probably a strong chance'' he'll be DL-bound. "It looks like he's going to miss some time,'' Wakamatsu said. This situation is not as dire as it might be now that Jose Lopez is coming back off the bereavement list tomorrow. The team will merely sub Lopez into Betancourt's roster spot. Don;t forget, the team also has Ronny Cedeno, Chris Woodward and Josh Wilson on the roster. And Betancourt wasn't exactly the second coming of A-Rod the hitter or Ozzie Smith the fielder this season, though Wakamatsu felt he played one of his best games all season ..."

M's reliever Kelley strides toward his return

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June 24

Tacoma News Tribune

"The pop of the glove echoed through a mostly empty Safeco Field. Save for a handful of grounds-crew members, a few scattered members of the media, and the Seattle Mariners' coaching staff, Shawn Kelley was pitching to an empty stadium. It was a far cry from the near-sellout crowds he had thrown in front of earlier this season, yet the less-heralded simulated game Tuesday afternoon might have been the most important of Kelley's season. The hard-throwing right-handed reliever pitched to batters for the first time since straining an oblique muscle in a game on May 5. It was a major milestone in his return to the bullpen. "Today was a big step," he said. "With the hitters in there, you step ..."

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