Today is a big game for the Mariners for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, it is a regular season baseball game and when you win or lose one of those you get a + in the win column or the lose column that usually improves or hurts the trajectory of your season.
But in reality this early in the season there is a big difference between 4-3 and 3-4 for these uncertain Mariners. A winning record on this first road trip of the season against a division champ and a team we CANNOT seem to beat in Chicago would mean a lot for this team. Confidence wise. Record wise.
Felix did something yesterday that he hardly ever does. Giving up a Righty home run on an 0-2 pitch. We can forgive that because that hardly happens and you just have to live with it when it rarely does because it's Felix and Felix is the King.
However, the offensive is inconsistent and that is something that needs to change. Even though we've been scoring runs, our batting average is low and a couple of guys who need to get going still haven't. Smoak and Ackley have been patient at the plate, drawing a number of walks. But they need to get it going swinging the bat.
I understand Ackley has hit a few hard and has nothing to show for it, but he was a number 2 overall pick and my patience is starting to wear thin for a guy that I'm emotionally attached to as an athlete. We know you can do it Ack! Let's just hope these two are working out the kinks in their swings and all will end well.
Guti has looked good and so has Morse. But beyond that some serious consistency needs to develop. I hope it does too because the M's have the bullpen and the firepower to hang and win baseball games.
Today is a big game against the ChiSox's ace, Chris Sale. He can pitch, so this could be a rough game for the battery of Mariners who have had a rough start thus far.
The M's are countering with Iwakuma, who looked good last time out and needs to continue asserting himself in the number 2 slot in the rotation.
A win is a win but sometimes it is something so much more than a win. This first road trip could either portend success or mediocrity for the season-- and I think that will be defined and determined today whether or not the Mariners can gut out a win against a tough White Sox team.
Side gripe: Why does Brendan Ryan get a single when he literally THROWS HIS BAT at a pitch, where every single thing Ackley hits is either gobbled up, called for an error, or caught by a miraculously perfectly positioned outfielder? Today Ackley is going to have a mini break out of sorts (if he plays). I based that statement exclusive off of empirical evidence, facts, and statistics. And that's the truth. Trust me-- I am SOPHOMORE in college (a wise-fool for all those unfamiliar), so I really Do know everything.
*Update: Ackley isn't in the lineup today, so he will have to start the comeback against Houston at home tomorrow.
Go Mariners.
-Charlie @C14SpencerD
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