Mariners Moose Tracks, 8/23/17: Nick Neidert, Boog Powells, and Isaiah Thomas

Hello everyone! Unfortunately the Mariners fell in a shutout yesterday —- their second in the last three games. In case you missed it, this completely bonkers play took place on the basepaths in Atlanta.

All of that and the M’s still couldn’t score any gosh darned runs. Hopefully they’ll scratch across a few today. Here are some links for your Wednesday.

In Mariners news...

• Nelson Cruz credits the sport of baseball with helping him save his home town in the Dominican Republic.
• The Mariners locker room sure has had some strange acts lately.

In Mariners minors news...

• Hell yeah, Nick Neidert!

• Zach Shank has slowly made himself into a pretty interesting utility infielder.

• The Mariners promoted PNW-native Joey Wong to Tacoma yesterday, and the kid did some damage right away.

Around the league...

• Ben Lindbergh at The Ringer spent a series with the worst team in professional baseball — the Salina Stockade — and found out how they keep their heads up despite the knowledge that they’ll always fail.
• A baseball-centric TV show in China named ‘Boyhood’ has been a roaring success.
• Yasmany Tomas will undergo season-ending surgery for his injured groin. The Arizona outfielder hasn’t played in an MLB game since early June.
• Dave Cameron looks into the early surge of Phillies prospect Rhys Hoskins — who has an 80-grade baseball name.
• Sam Miller tries to sort out who the real single season home run king is.
• Wait, there are not two, but three Boog Powells? Holy crap.

• Shelby Miller is the latest athlete to sign up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency.
• Major League Baseball is planning to implement a “code of conduct” for fans in 2018. The idea was sparked after a fan shouted racial slurs at Adam Jones in Boston.
• Sign this kid to a contract already, sheesh.

Anders’ picks...

• In the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers made a huge swap with the Boston Celtics. Point guards Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas — a former UW great — will be trading locations. This trade really enraged my dad.
• Yes.