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You're dreary about baseball. I'm dreary about baseball. The Seattle Mariners seem pretty dreary about baseball. The big news today in the baseball twitterverse was the announcement that Yasiel Puig had been claimed off the Dodgers:
sources: puig has been claimed on waivers. dodgers can try to work out a deal with that team, if they can.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 30, 2016
The Mariners would be the 21st team to get a shot at him and, while I identify as a foolish optimist, that's even too foolish for me to believe in. Can't hurt to hope though, and an ALL CUBAN OF is the greatest of baseball dreams. There was also lots of baseball Twitter time devoted to watching an old football player run around and hit 86 MPH fastballs; some Seattle Mariners officials were lucky enough to watch that happen live. What has higher odds: the Ms signing this old football man, or the Ms claiming Puig?
In other very important statistical news, the Mariners have a winning record of 12-8 when playing games on Tuesdays, and have not lost more than two Tuesdays in a row. They have lost the past two Tuesdays so logic, reason, and numbers indicate they should win tonight. They are currently also at .500 when it comes to Tuesday games against the Rangers and, weirdly, both games were decided by an eight run margin. Big Biz at it again.
Anyway, tonight we place the burden of our ever-fading hopes on the large, stooped shoulders of James Paxton and cross our fingers this start will be better than his last. Cole Hamels will face off against this downtrodden Seattle offense because there was a stretch of time in early August when Mariners fans were having fun and the universe will not stand for that kind of nonsense. On the bright side, earlier today I watched this 2014 highlight video which prominently features a slow motion shot of Willie Bloomquist and Justin Smoak embracing euphorically. That, at least, is not something we will see this season.
Game Info:
Mariners at Rangers, Globe Life Park in Arlington, 5:05 PT
TV: ROOT Sports
Radio: 710 ESPN
Online: MLB.TV