Mariners Moose Tracks 7/13/18: Paxton’s short start, Nelson Cruz, the Robot Wars, and triskaidekaphobia

Last night the Mariners played a very bad game, which you can read the recap of here, and please do, because poor Connor had to watch the whole thing and write about it. The game got off to a rocky start when Paxton was lifted in the first inning, but it turns out that it was mostly precautionary, because the Mariners engage in this radical practice where they take care of their pitchers instead of frog-marching them through potential injury and doing long-term damage [scroll down to the old “Around the League” section to pick up that shade, if you haven’t already]. With the yucky Angels and their yucky stadium behind us for a while, here are your home-stretch-to-the-All-Star-Break links!

In Mariners news...

• Exhale.

• In the same interview, Servais said any potential DL moves could be made tomorrow. Supposedly Pax won’t be pitching right when they come back from break, so they could ten-day DL him in order to make room for Christian Bergman, who will need a spot on the 25. (DL’ing Marco, who got thwacked in the calf on Wednesday, is also a possibility.) Pax’s early exit means the team will want to bulk up the bullpen for the Colorado series. Chasen Bradford, who covered multiple innings after Pax was lifted, might be a candidate to be optioned down, and Nick Rumbelow was again unimpressive in his outing, giving up two monster-blast HRs. Ryan Cook and Casey Lawrence are the only Tacoma relievers on the 40-man, but there is room on the 40-man for some adds. We’ll have a blurb on whatever the team decides to do when it’s announced.
• Speaking of the series in Coors, we might not get to see Nelson Cruz very much if at all, as Servais shot down the idea of him playing in the outfield. Booooo.
• ICYMI, this Yahoo article about the Mariners is essentially 1000 words to say “beat it, nerds.”

Around the League...

• Here’s a cool thing:

• Here’s a cool thing, if you’re into corporations having your biometric data on file so they can draft you into the Robot Wars. HARD PASS.

• Marc Normandin sees a way minor leaguers could begin the unionization process.
• Several teams, the Mariners included, have announced they have suspended the Papa Johns pizza promotion after the founder used racially charged language.
• C’mon, Rays, I thought we was cool.

• Here’s a cool story about former Athletic Sean Doolittle and all the charity work he does.
• Friend of the site Sung Min Kim wrote about Julio Franco for the Athletic ($).
• Bad news for the Angels:

Kate’s pick...

It’s Friday the 13th, and when I was at Safeco on Sunday I noticed something: there’s no section 113. There’s a 213 and a 313, but no 113. Anyone have any insight on this? I know a lot of times hotels omit the 13th floor, but it doesn’t seem to be standard practice at stadia, as far as I can tell.

I don’t scare very easily, but one thing that terrifies me is shoddily built amusement park rides, so in honor of Friday the 13th, enjoy this video about New Jersey’s Action Park, one of the nation’s first and also most dangerous water parks. Also known as “Traction Park,” or “Class Action Park,” the park combined inexperienced lifeguards, intoxicated guests, and ambitious, poorly-designed, and ill-tested rides. You can probably guess the rest. If your boss is a jerk who doesn’t like you watching videos at work, there’s a pretty good oral history of the park here, which includes the unfortunate description of a giant oozy friction burn as “the Action Park tattoo.”

Kate’s Other Pick:

The Mill Creek Little League Seniors team (ages 15-16) just won the State Tournament and will be representing Washington at the Western Regional Tournament in Sacramento on July 19th. The team needs help covering traveling expenses and Sam Bennett, LL reader and third baseman for the team, wrote to ask me for some help with their final fundraising push:

My team and I are just a bunch of boys, living out an amazing dream, and we don’t want it to end. Please consider this request. I am available to chat with you by phone anytime. (except during baseball practice).

The team’s GoFundMe page is here. Please consider helping out a team of local kids who have the opportunity to do something amazing!