9/25: Open Game Thread

The buzzards have been circling over this Mariners season for months. Today we see them begin to swoop down and take a peck of flesh. Poor Eric Wedge sounds like someone who's definitely not returning:

Eric Wedge on his future: "I'm hanging out there ... I shouldn't be in this situation." #Mariners

— Tim Booth (@ByTimBooth) September 25, 2013

Eric Wedge pissed me off something fierce on Monday night when he pinch hit Endy Chavez for Mike Zunino. I don't think he's any better at the strategic side of the game than your typical quality Out Of The Park aficionado. But I've had dreams dashed and when it happens all I want to do is sit in quiet, drink and not think. Wedge knows he's gone and is forced to don the gear, make out the lineup card and throw himself into the middle of his own failure day after day. He's starting to break. I find it hard to not feel a pang of empathy for the man.

Lineups

Seattle Mariners

Brad Miller - SS
Nick Franklin - 2B
Kyle Seager - 3B
Kendrys Morales - DH
Raul Ibanez - LF
Justin Smoak - 1B
Michael Saunders - RF
Mike Zunino - C
Dustin Ackley - CF

Hisashi Iwakuma - P

Kansas City Royals

Alex Gordon - LF
Emilio Bonifacio - 2B
Eric Hosmer - 1B
Billy Butler - DH
Salvador Perez - C
Justin Maxwell - RF
Mike Moustakas - 3B
Jarrod Dyson - CF
Alcides Escobar - SS

Ervin Santana - P

Here marks the end of Hisashi Iwakuma's 2013 and it's been fantastic. A good start tonight could push him to 4+ WAR. It's as quiet a great season as I can remember any Mariner having. I'm not sure I've ever heard Iwakuma even speak. I know nothing about him other than he's been a pleasure to watch all year. Thanks Kuma.

Also Ervin Santana is so totally a Mariner next year. God.