The Mariners awoke this morning to play a baseball game. They were to play this game and then one more on Tuesday, before the regular season finally begins Thursday. In just four days, the team will awake in Seattle, and get ready to play Cleveland in a game that actually matters.
Though they could be excused for finding it somewhat hard to focus amid all the excitement, the Mariners still went out and put up 11 runs on the Padres today. Every projected Opening Day starter, except perhaps Ichiro, got the start today, along with two or three at bats. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t televised, so there’s a dearth of highlights.
Who did poorly?
- Dee Gordon and Jean Segura combined to go 0-for-6 with two strikeouts. It’s not a huge deal, as Gordon has shown more than enough to believe he can maintain his high level of play from the last couple years, whereas Segura is still sitting at .436 for the spring.
- James Paxton was tagged for a run in the first inning as Kyle Seager and Guillermo Heredia committed errors on the same play, allowing Manuel Margot to reach second on a grounder to third. A wild pitch and a grounder then allowed Margot to score. Paxton then allowed two solo dingers in the fifth inning. While it wasn’t a stellar performance, Paxton still pitched plenty well, striking out six over 5.0 innings. There’s no reason to be worried about him.
- James Pazos walked three batters and allowed a run in his 0.2 innings of work. To be fair, both of those outs were strikeouts, but his command was clearly shaky.
- The Padres’ other three runs were given up by Everett Aquasock David Gerber. If David Gerber impacts the 2018 Mariners, I cannot begin to imagine how things could have gone more wrong.
Who did well?
- Almost everyone else! The Mariners scored 11 runs, which is a lot of runs, especially when your top two hitters in the order go 0-for-6!
- The biggest highlight of the game was this Nelson Cruz dinger. Cruz had been struggling this spring, but I really don’t think it’s been anything worth worrying about. That being said, it was nice to see him turn on one.
That sweet, sweet sound.@ncboomstick23 bringing the lumber. #MarinersST pic.twitter.com/N7vftfIhS9
— Mariners (@Mariners) March 25, 2018
- Dan Vogelbach continued his torrid spring. He had three plate appearances, on which he walked twice and doubled. He scored two runs, including one that involved a 270-foot gallop from first to home. If you haven’t heard, he’s been told he’s on the Mariners’ 25-man Opening Day roster. Nobody is more deserving (aside from the team’s stars, but don’t be pedantic).
- Nick Vincent and Juan Nicasio each threw perfect innings. Nicasio had one strikeout, while Vincent had two. Holy cow, I’m really stoked for this bullpen.
The real winners:
- Us, for only having to deal with one more of these exhibition games before Opening Day. There are just four more day! This time next week, the Mariners will have played three games.
- Oh jeez, the Mariners will have played three games.
- Please don’t lose all three, guys.
- Really.
- ...
- I’m so scared.
- ...
- Go Mariners!