After this game thread, the next game thread will matter. Well, the next game thread will be tomorrow, and the Mariners don't play tomorrow, but the next game thread after that will matter, for the Mariners. We're so close that it's dawning on me how utterly unprepared I am. Here's to winging it.
| Ichiro, RF | Furcal, SS | |
| Figgins, 3B | Carroll, 2B | |
| Bradley, LF | Ethier, RF | |
| Cust, DH | Kemp, CF | |
| Smoak, 1B | Uribe, 3B | |
| Langerhans, CF | Loney, 1B | |
| Ryan, SS | Thames, LF | |
| Wilson, 2B | Gimenez, C | |
| Moore, C | de la Rosa, SP | |
| Bedard, SP | de la Rosa, SP |
It's not quite the Mariners' Opening Day lineup, but it's close enough, for better or worse. Note that the pitcher the M's are facing tonight has a first name of Rubby. "Rubby" is only a first name when used in conjunction with a last name of "McHappyhands", employed when referring to someone who gets too touchy on a first date.
Available to pitch behind Bedard will be Tom Wilhelmsen, Brandon League, Chris Ray and a handful of minor leaguers. The game's on 710 and ROOT Sports, which I just found out isn't yet officially ROOT Sports, but will become ROOT Sports on Friday. Thanks for all the memories, FSN Northwest. Here's your Gameday link.
When you wake up tomorrow morning, it's going to be baseball season.