Indians @ Mariners Series (April 17-19, 2012)

[Igoe4Mariners]

Don't have time to do the pitching probables, but Jaso starts tonight at DH - Montero at C. OLIVO RIDES THE BENCH! YES!

[Travis]

Coming into the homestand I was hoping for 7-2. Sweep the A's, and get 2 of 3 from the Indians and Sox. More realistically, I want 6-3 with 2-1 wins in all the series. We need to get one out of the next two before Felix comes in and dominates Thursday (he's due. He only got hit because it was the third consecutive time the A's saw him. Batters figure out pitchers after two times through the line up, imagine going through the order 10 times.) The weekend series worries me the most but I'm confident we can get two from the Engines.

GO M'S!

[Igoe4Mariners]

Masterson always seems to dominate the M's. I don't like the matchup tonight, unless it's a low scoring game.

[Mariners51]

Masterson always seems to dominate the M's. I don't like the matchup tonight, unless it's a low scoring game.

Mr. Masterson, meet Johnathan Jaso!

[JosephC]

Mr. Millwood, meet the door.

[Igoe4Mariners]

This is going to be one long ass game.

[Igoe4Mariners]

That hurt :(

[bigsexyy81]

Losing after being up 8-1 is just brutal. We won't get many 8-run games and to just throw them away in a loss is grueling.

[daddyferrari]

That definitely was one of the most ugly games we've seen this year... Great 4th only to be pissed away in the next half inning... Damn. How disappointing.

[Igoe4Mariners]

Smoak is not in tonight's lineup.

[Igoe4Mariners]

M's tie up the series with 4-1 win. Nice job by Vargas and the usual Wilhelmsen-League combo. Would be nice to find another reliable arm outside of that.

[daddyferrari]

It was a good showing by the squad last night. Definitely could use another good arm in the rotation though. The strong start to yesterdays game only made me more nervous about keeping the Indians so close, but they managed a good win. Let's get the last one too!

[bigsexyy81]

I wish Vargas wasn't such a wild card. Some nights he looks phenomenal, other nights he is out by the third inning. I suppose you can't ask too much more of what really is your third or potentially fourth best starter (Felix, Beavin, Noesi?)

Lead off homer by Chone and a follow up by Ichi? That would've been great to see in person!

[Travis]

I like our changes of winning our third series out of four tonight. Felix on the hill finally against a team other than the damn A's. Seeing the same fastball and change up 10 at bats in a row will help you settle in on a guy. The Indians are in for a shock tonight.

And I'll be in the King's Court going ape shit.

[Igoe4Mariners]

I wish Vargas wasn't such a wild card. Some nights he looks phenomenal, other nights he is out by the third inning. I suppose you can't ask too much more of what really is your third or potentially fourth best starter (Felix, Beavin, Noesi?)

Lead off homer by Chone and a follow up by Ichi? That would've been great to see in person!

You make a good point about Vargas. Another thing is that he seems to start off the season well, but fade in the second half. The bad thing is he's probably a No. 5 starter on a good staff, but we're counting on him as a veteran No. 2.

[JosephC]

I wish Vargas wasn't such a wild card. Some nights he looks phenomenal, other nights he is out by the third inning. I suppose you can't ask too much more of what really is your third or potentially fourth best starter (Felix, Beavin, Noesi?)

Lead off homer by Chone and a follow up by Ichi? That would've been great to see in person!

I don't think he's had a bad outing since he's added that turn into his pitching. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm a big believe that that it has helped pitchers. I saw it help Felix in 2009, and Bedard always used that motion.

[Igoe4Mariners]

I don't think he's had a bad outing since he's added that turn into his pitching. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm a big believe that that it has helped pitchers. I saw it help Felix in 2009, and Bedard always used that motion.

He made the move in Sept of last year, and you are correct. He hasn't had any really bad outings over that span. But I'll believe it when I see it if he keeps up the success through the All-Star break and beyond.

[Igoe4Mariners]

Game three lineup:

Chone Figgins, LF
Dustin Ackley, 2B
Ichiro, RF
Justin Smoak, 1B
Kyle Seager, 3B
Michael Saunders, CF
Miguel Olivo, C
John Jaso, DH
Brendan Ryan, SS

Felix Hernandez, P

[JosephC]

Glad to see Seager going up in the order, but why is Montero not playing again? He shouldn't need a day off again.

[Mariners51]

Glad to see Seager going up in the order, but why is Montero not playing again? He shouldn't need a day off again.

Apparently that DH spot is so demanding physically.

[bigsexyy81]

I fear this last series is going to be what we are to expect all year. Nice highs but lower lows. Score 8 runs by the 5th inning only to give up 9 runs. Have the King pitch one of the best games of his career only to have the guy who has been total ice all year lose the game in the 9th.

I hate giving in and agreeing that this is a 'rebuilding year' when we should have won all 3 of these games and instead wrap it at 1-2.

[daddyferrari]

So frustrating to watch Felix throw such a good game and have it blown by the closer... crap.

[Travis]

I fear this last series is going to be what we are to expect all year. Nice highs but lower lows. Score 8 runs by the 5th inning only to give up 9 runs. Have the King pitch one of the best games of his career only to have the guy who has been total ice all year lose the game in the 9th.

I hate giving in and agreeing that this is a 'rebuilding year' when we should have won all 3 of these games and instead wrap it at 1-2.

When you're a team not expected to do much, you need to capitilize on every opportunity you get. I know playoffs aren't a realistic expectation, but I still want it. So losing this one, the opener of this series, and that big lead in Texas really kills. I figure the late comeback in Texas offsets that tough loss, so I won't count it, but we should have two more victories and be sitting at a comfortable 9-5.