You'd think that by now I'd be a lot better about getting these up earlier than right at first pitch, or a little after it, but you'd also think that a lenticular cloud is hovering in place where in reality it is in constant motion. So it doesn't matter what you'd think. It matters what is, and what is is that I suck at posting game threads. So here's a terrible game thread that I'm going to rush through so you can talk about the very beginning of this baseball game. The Mariners are playing the Diamondbacks and something something Golden Saguaro gotta win the Cactus League, the Diamondbacks are horrible, this is a must-win, Willie Bloomquist has a career .428 OPS against the Mariners because we know all of his weaknesses.
12:05pm PST. Gameday link. On the radio, both online and on 710. Starting lineup:
Figgins, 3B
Ryan, SS
Ichiro, RF
Carp, LF
Wells, CF
Peguero, DH
Liddi, 1B
Jaso, C
Kawasaki, 2B
No Michael Saunders today because he's locked himself in the bathroom, crying and sniffing that disgusting sniff that you sniff when you cry. Carlos Peguero's getting another look and what's become evidently evident is that the Mariners really really like him despite all of his Carlos Pegueroness. We've made fun of Peguero on a pretty regular basis but there's no denying he has the raw talent to turn into an offensive monster if he ever gets his discipline sorted out, which he almost certainly won't. Peguero and Liddi back-to-back is kind of like Peguero and Olivo back-to-back, except infinite times more Italian unless Miguel Olivo has a little Italian in his blood.
Starting for the Mariners will be Jason Vargas, followed by Mariners pitchers. Starting for the Diamondbacks will be Trevor Bauer, who I'm sorry but he's a lot more interesting than Jason Vargas is. You'll remember Bauer from draft day, when the Mariners passed over him and others in order to select Danny Hultzen. Hultzen went second, and Bauer went third, to Arizona. Over seven brief starts of minor league experience Bauer struck out 43 of 119 opposing batters, but now he's going to be opposing Mariners batters, so expect that rate to...well actually probably increase on account of the Peguero and Liddi thing. Bauer's a hell of a talent so that'll be an interesting few innings that none of us can watch on a screen.
Win the baseball game! Mariners!