It's game two, and Erasmo is taking the mound for his first start of the season. In a way, this is somewhat upsetting. This start was supposed to go to Hisashi Iwakuma, maybe Taijuan Walker--or hell, any one of the (expensive) number two guys that were on the market this offseason. In another, perhaps more accurate way, it's exactly the opposite kind of thing. Erasmo is young, inexpensive, under team control and at least in the spring, looking even better than he has in his previous two partial MLB seasons. He has a real chance of producing the same kind of year that any of those expensive multi-year guys for an infinitesimal fraction of the cost. We've written and read a lot of this kind of stuff about him, but tonight, all of it is made real at 7:05. He start tonight against the same Angels lineup as opening day, sans-catcher Chris Iannetta.
Game info
- Mariners @ Angels, 7:05 PM PST
- TV: ROOT Sports, MLB Network. Radio: 710 ESPN
- LLoyd has gone for a platoon lineup for the first lefty matchup of the year, starting Corey Hart at DH and John Buck behind the plate wait that's not a platoon split...actually Buck is, in McClendon's words, just getting "early action," in place of "wasting the whole spring." Which is fine, because if he's going to be more than a black hole every five days, he should maybe get more than three at-bats a week to get into the swing of things. As long as it doesn't take important at-bats from Zunino. Which...wait...this is...wait...ah, crap being a manager is HARD.
- Stefen Romero gets the start in right field tonight in place of Michael Saunders. He's really been a sleeper candidate this spring, and while we can talk about depth all we want in May or something, I'm going to really enjoy seeing him get his first 25-man innings tonight.
Lineups
Mariners
1. Abraham Almonte (S) CF
2. Brad Miller (L) SS
3. Robinson Cano (L) 2B
4. Justin Smoak (S) 1B
5. Corey Hart (R) DH
6. Kyle Seager (L) 3B
7. Michael Saunders (L) RF
8. Dustin Ackley (L) LF
9. John Buck (R) C
P. Erasmo Ramirez (RHP)
Angels
1. Kole Calhoun (L) RF
2. Mike Trout (R) CF
3. Albert Pujols (R) 1B
4. Josh Hamilton (L) LF
5. David Freese (R) 3B
6. Raul Ibanez (L) DH
7. Howie Kendrick (R) 2B
8. Hank Conger (R) C
9. Erick Aybar (S) SS
P. CJ Wilson (LHP)