Mariners Moose Tracks, 8/10/17: Players Weekend Nicknames, Matt Chapman, and Jay Bruce

The Mariners are alone in the second wild card spot! Look! Here’s proof!

Big Maple takes the mound today against the Angels at Safeco Field. Let’s rock and roll.

In Mariners news...

• In case you missed it, MLB and its teams rolled out the upcoming nicknames for players’ weekend. It appears that one Seager brother missed the memo.

• Here’s the whole lineup of Mariners nicknames.

• The M’s made some roster moves.

In Mariners minors news...

• Yesterday was a terrific day in the Mariners minor league system! Everybody but Arkansas came away victorious — and the Travelers only fell by a single run. In the loss, Braden Bishop went 3-4 against his former Husky teammate Tyler Davis with a double, a walk, and a stolen base.

• Ernesto Frieri was pretty rad in his debut.

• New catcher Mike Marjama blasted a HR en route to a 9-2 Tacoma win:

• Sam Gaviglio was lifted in his start without even completing three innings, and Eric Filia was lifted from what would be an eventual Modesto win.

Around the league...

• The Mariners can thank a runaway kitten for helping the Cardinals defeat the Royals last night.
• SB Nation rounds up the best and worst players’ weekend jersey nicknames so you don’t have to.
• Here’s a list of all the players you can be mad at for not actually choosing nicknames.
• As always, Dan Haren has the best jokes with regards to jersey nicknames.

• Here are the official rankings of each MLB ballpark according to food safety. Spoiler alert: Safeco is the best.
• Dave Cameron thinks that A’s third baseman Matt Chapman could develop into a star player.
• Mike Trout is the first-ever bandwagon Philadelphia 76ers fan of the 2010s.

• Carlos Gonzalez is having an extraordinarily awful walk year. Luckily for the Rockies, CarGo turned down their “lucrative” extension offer that they made in the spring.
• Dave Cameron wonders if the Tigers can really get anything of value for Justin Verlander in a trade.
• Mike Trout might still win the American League MVP award even though he missed more than a month due to injury.
• Rays players wore shirts with “VENEZUELA” and the country’s flag on them in support of their friends’ families and loved ones who are suffering under the political unrest.
• The Mets have traded outfielder Jay Bruce to the Indians.

Anders’ picks...

• I wish I could wash this from my eyes. Instead I’m going to force you all to look at it.