Keep the offense going at Safeco

[Igoe4Mariners]

The offense has struggled mightily at home compared to on the road. It'd be nice to see them sustain this 5+ run offense at Safeco and go on a nice little run against the NL West.

[daddyferrari]

It has been nice to see the M's scoring runs for a change, and winning!! Would love to watch it continue over the next few weeks here at home! Go M's!

[evergreenmachine]

Keep raking Seager!

[clarknova]

Safeco really has been a pain in the ass for this young team. It's nice to hear Saunders come out and say that he's focused on figuring Safeco out and how to be successful there. I'll be at the game Saturday. I picked that one even though Clayton Kershaw is pitching. I wanted the chance to see him throw, even if he pitches well against my team. It isn't very often you can see last years NL Cy Young award winner pitching in Safeco. Also, I want to check the Dodgers off my list of teams I've seen in Safeco. Probably won't get to see San Fran, although I'll try.

Love to see Smoak pick it back up a bit, and for Montero and Ackley to have some good games. Right now we have a couple young players clicking at the same time in Seager and Saunders. Imagine what it's going to be like when 3 or 4 of them are clicking all at the same time. That's what we've all been waiting for. Now, imaging that with a much better rotation and two more legit top end of the rotation pitchers and another triple digit reliever in the pen... Like I said at the beginning of the year, this team will be really ugly at times. Streaky. Inconsistent. They're like one giant young player, but when things start coming together things are going to get awesome in a hurry.

[Igoe4Mariners]

Safeco really has been a pain in the ass for this young team. It's nice to hear Saunders come out and say that he's focused on figuring Safeco out and how to be successful there. I'll be at the game Saturday. I picked that one even though Clayton Kershaw is pitching. I wanted the chance to see him throw, even if he pitches well against my team. It isn't very often you can see last years NL Cy Young award winner pitching in Safeco. Also, I want to check the Dodgers off my list of teams I've seen in Safeco. Probably won't get to see San Fran, although I'll try.

Love to see Smoak pick it back up a bit, and for Montero and Ackley to have some good games. Right now we have a couple young players clicking at the same time in Seager and Saunders. Imagine what it's going to be like when 3 or 4 of them are clicking all at the same time. That's what we've all been waiting for. Now, imaging that with a much better rotation and two more legit top end of the rotation pitchers and another triple digit reliever in the pen... Like I said at the beginning of the year, this team will be really ugly at times. Streaky. Inconsistent. They're like one giant young player, but when things start coming together things are going to get awesome in a hurry.

Same with Carp getting back to hitting like he did last year. If him and Ackley can get going...watch the fuck out MLB!

[Igoe4Mariners]

Offensive performance at home is really starting to worry me

[evergreenmachine]

Offensive performance at home is really starting to worry me

It's got to be mental at this point

Also concerned about Felix seems to be rushing his delivery

Almost a nice comeback tonight almost

[Igoe4Mariners]

Yeah. Felix is now under .500 with an ERA over 3.5. Very un-Felix like. There were a few tough breaks against him tonight, but still...the velocity is starting to worry a bit, though he did hit 94 twice last night.

[clarknova]

Alright... I'm in. I'm jumping ship. I'm in support of moving the fences in before the 2013 season. I think we have the potential pop in our lineup that is suffering due to the dimensions of the park, and I know we need to support our young pitching staff, but that's why we have really good pitching coming up through the minors.

I didn't support it in the past due to the opposition's power advantage in almost every game, but I think we're at the point where we have some young stud pitchers coming up through the minors that will help compensate for it.

This is not in response to Justin Smoak's comments about his fly ball outs yesterday which honestly, neither of them were "no doubters" in very many MLB stadiums, I think he's scapegoating the stadium a bit there, but I am seeing the logic for guys like Montero and even Seager. Now that we have some power potential it makes more sense to me for next season.

The thing it's going to be detrimental to is the effect of making fly ball pitchers like Jason Vargas look better than they really are.

[Igoe4Mariners]

Wouldn't be surprised if Vargas isn't on this team next year. But yeah, I'm on the fences in too. I just want them to cut the power alleys down a bit. Leave the lines and center field as it is.

[206HoopsFan]

Alright... I'm in. I'm jumping ship. I'm in support of moving the fences in before the 2013 season. I think we have the potential pop in our lineup that is suffering due to the dimensions of the park, and I know we need to support our young pitching staff, but that's why we have really good pitching coming up through the minors.

I didn't support it in the past due to the opposition's power advantage in almost every game, but I think we're at the point where we have some young stud pitchers coming up through the minors that will help compensate for it.

This is not in response to Justin Smoak's comments about his fly ball outs yesterday which honestly, neither of them were "no doubters" in very many MLB stadiums, I think he's scapegoating the stadium a bit there, but I am seeing the logic for guys like Montero and even Seager. Now that we have some power potential it makes more sense to me for next season.

The thing it's going to be detrimental to is the effect of making fly ball pitchers like Jason Vargas look better than they really are.

I think the problem is that it gets into their heads mentally as well. Guys on opposing teams come and go, but these guys have to play half their games there, and I have a feeling they try to do too much at times. You also have to take into account the effects of the marine layer. Additionally, our great offensive teams we've had at Safe-Co were in the middle of the steroid era, and even the guys that probably weren't juicing were just great pure hitters like Edgar and Olerud. Great pitchers like Walker, Paxton, and Hultzen (as they're projected to be at least) should be able to pitch well anywhere, and even if they moved part of the fences in, I still don't think Safe-Co is going to be an offensive park. As for Vargas, sure he may not be as effective, but I think the move would impact our own hitters more because of the mental aspect than it would the guys just coming in for a few games. I know you're already on the bandwagon, just thought I'd throw some more opinions into the mix.

[daddyferrari]

This is not in response to Justin Smoak's comments about his fly ball outs yesterday which honestly, neither of them were "no doubters" in very many MLB stadiums, I think he's scapegoating the stadium a bit there, but I am seeing the logic for guys like Montero and even Seager. Now that we have some power potential it makes more sense to me for next season.

I hate hearing the players blame the park for their performance! A bunch of BS really! Hit the ball better, don't swing for the fence, if you can't get it there... geezzz! And for EF sake, quit blaming it on the park!! *smacking self on forehead*

[Nateyb24]

I hate hearing the players blame the park for their performance! A bunch of BS really! Hit the ball better, don't swing for the fence, if you can't get it there... geezzz! And for EF sake, quit blaming it on the park!! *smacking self on forehead*

The park really does play a factor though if you look at the numbers for both the visiting team and the home team they are bad and all 3 of Smoak's hit's sounded like he really tagged the ball just to have it caught at the track 3 times had Rizz fooled all 3 time's to.

I don't know how much it will help due to the air but moving the fences in should help a little bit since they are closer in.

[clarknova]

I think the problem is that it gets into their heads mentally as well.

I agree with this. I think about the mental side of the game quite a bit as it pertains to player slumps and surges in production. Dustin Ackley's struggles. Justin Smoak. Kyle Seager's approach. The fact of the matter is that the mind is a powerful thing and it can alter reality for the observer. I've read studies on group thinking and it has been shown that if you are in a controlled group being asked to identify distance or the length of lines on a page when the answers would be obvious to a child, and there is a planted member of the group that insists that the obvious answer is wrong, your mind will actually change the length of lines on a page and interpret data differently. The power of suggestion is incredibly strong. So, when Justin Smoak hits a 385 foot fly out to the warning track and says that is "all he has" and implies that that is the farthest he can hit a baseball, that's either pouty hyperbole, or he actually believes that Brendan Ryan can hit a ball farther than he can. I tend to think it's the previous, but the point is that perception is reality. If these young players coming up and hitting here for the first time (Montero) are hearing everyone, even players on their own team say that you can hit a ball with everything you've got, but it won't matter- that has to have an effect on your confidence and might affect your approach at the plate.

When I was a kid I was afraid to get on this rope swing at my friend's farm. I said it was too high and that I was afraid of heights. My friend's dad said he would lower the rope for me and told us to go play somewhere else while he did it. He called us over a while later and let us know it was done and that the rope was lowered. Should be no problem now. It looked lower, and I hopped on and swung confidently. I thanked him and he said, "I didn't do a damn thing. It was all in your head".

Now, granted... I was 5 years old, but I'm just saying that all this talk about Safeco is probably getting to these hitters. Regardless of the validity. Maybe moving the fences some in the power alleys as Igoe suggested would be good for their physical ability to hit a ball over a wall, and maybe it will also help their mental approach and confidence going up to the plate.

I know it's common to think, "these guys are professionals who are paid a lot of money and they should man up and hit the damn ball over the fence and quit being such babies. Awwww, Is Safeco Feeowd to big fow you to hit dingos in? Grow a pair!" But, fact is that the mind doesn't work that way and if you think that these players wouldn't rather crush the ball here and earn 8 figure contracts you're retarded. The mental side to baseball is HUGE and fascinating. Look at Donkey. Did anything change in him physically after he signed that contract? Do you really believe he doesn't care that much if he gets booed because he drives home in a Lambo? I think he'd love to be a stud on the field and get paid millions after next year. His play has cost him millions of dollars. But, I think his mental approach is weak. I mean, Albert "The next Ted Williams" Pujols April is a perfect example of how easily a player can fall into a negative pattern.

[clarknova]

Last thought on that- to expand on what daddyferrari said- what bothers me about what Justin Smoak said is that he is considered to be one of our strongest power hitters. If he is saying publicly that he can't hit home runs in Safeco when he hits the ball as hard as he can, that could have an effect on the plate approach of other players who will not put home run swings on good pitches because they might feel like they will be creating an out. And yeah, blaming the park is weak, honestly.

[evergreenmachine]

As we say back in NY, call the whambulance!

Park has nothing to do with it. If players have one more timely hit the last two nights we win. We win and no one is whining. Past two games were by one run, good teams win these bad teams lose these.

So to smoakie and the rest of the crew, my message is simple: keep your head down and grind out every single at bat, that's how you win during a 162 game schedule.

To wedgie - keep figgy and Olivo and the freakin bench

To the fans - don't boo your own players there is absoluteIy no benefit to the team. Heckle the opposing team and make them hate safeco.

To myself - reminder this is a rebuilding year and dont get so depressed after a couple of losses in a row lol

Rant over: go Ms!

[Nateyb24]

I don't think Smoak saying something is going to effect anyone's swing he is just saying what they all are thinking you can see it on there faces when they hit something off the label and can't believe that the ball got caught.

[clarknova]

Ok, then I would like to hear a logical explanation for the massive chasm in hitting on the road and at home. If Safeco is not in the heads of the hitters, why are they so demonstrably shittier here? It's not as if we have a murderer's row of hitters in the lineup every day. There is actually MORE room for singles and doubles. Where are those hits? If it doesn't make any sense, and if the swings of the hitters are no different in Safeco than on the road, then it is all in their heads. And how would it get there? Coincidence? I submit that all the talk about how it's hard to hit here has them convinced they can't. Otherwise, why? There may be thinner air in The Ballpark at Arlington, but it's not going to turn a ground ball into a line drive single. We're not just talking about one series, or one month anymore. This is a phenomenon.

[Nateyb24]

Ok, then I would like to hear a logical explanation for the massive chasm in hitting on the road and at home. If Safeco is not in the heads of the hitters, why are they so demonstrably shittier here? It's not as if we have a murderer's row of hitters in the lineup every day. There is actually MORE room for singles and doubles. Where are those hits? If it doesn't make any sense, and if the swings of the hitters are no different in Safeco than on the road, then it is all in their heads. And how would it get there? Coincidence? I submit that all the talk about how it's hard to hit here has them convinced they can't. Otherwise, why? There may be thinner air in The Ballpark at Arlington, but it's not going to turn a ground ball into a line drive single. We're not just talking about one series, or one month anymore. This is a phenomenon.

I am not saying it's in there head's what i am saying is what Smoak said isn't going to get into there head's and make them swing differently it's already in there head's by playing in it and experiencing it.

I have a feeling those 3 balls that Smoak hit that turned into fly balls would of went out at Arlington those things were crushed you almost have to hit the ball 417FT just to get it over the 388 FT mark.

[clarknova]

I am not saying it's in there head's what i am saying is what Smoak said isn't going to get into there head's and make them swing differently it's already in there head's by playing in it and experiencing it.

We'll have to agree to disagree on whether or not the opinion of the team leader in home runs and one of only a few legit power threats means anything to any other players and their confidence at the plate. The truth is that it's easy for either of us to say one way or the other because it is not measurable. It's a difference in opinion.

All I know is that something is wrong. And it is not due entirely to the damn fences. I'm on board with moving them, but most of the problem here is psychological. How else can you explain the lack of singles, doubles, and triples? They seem to lack confidence at the plate. Is that because they've had a few balls hit hard that were "Safeco'd"? So they can't hit a ball in the gap anymore, or poke a single over an infielder's head? How is it that they're almost across the board bad? The whole line up? It's weird, and I think it has to do with confidence. I'm not saying that Justin Smoak says "that was all I had" and suddenly all players on the team think they can't hit a home run there, or change the way they've been swinging a bat their entire professional careers, but it's not going to help their confidence. That's all. That's what I appreciated about Michael Saunders saying he has to work on hitting at home and figuring out how to be successful. That's the way to approach it. Freaking man up.

I'm not against moving the fences. I'm against coming out to the press when your team is struggling and basically saying you're one of the strongest hitters on the team and you can't hit a home run at home when you hit it as hard as you can. I think it's a chump move. Just my opinion.