Even with Adam Moore,Mariners can’t stop Baltimore

     Tonight in Baltimore 12,375 paying fans got to watch an eleven inning game between two struggling clubs who are playing for pride at this point in the season. Both the Mariners and the Orioles under new managers, played tonight as if it was the 7^th game in the World Series, right up to the last at-bat when ex-Mariners Adam Jones laid-down a surprise squeeze bunt scoring the winning run from third to win the game 5-4.

   On a hot and humid night one Mariner stood-out however having his best night ever going 4-5 including a homer, yes indeed Adam Moore finally has arrived on the scene showing us why he is the catcher of the future for Seattle. And even though it sucked to see David Aardsma have another melt–down (it’s been awhile) it was a treat to watch Moore gunning-down runners and swinging the bat like the tough, athletic guy he is. In my book after tonight’s debut of the real Adam Moore there is no going back to the Rob Johnson show.

  Doug Fister pitched like….. Well the real Doug Fister. After starting out looking like a superman early on I’m afraid to say that Doug Fister is really just a back of the rotation guy on a mediocre team. The Orioles got to him early and he never really looked in control tonight, but he did get through 5 innings and only allowed 3 runs on 10 hits. Doug’s shipmates Jamie Wright and Brandon League pitched 4 scoreless innings in relief tonight, as neither team really looked like they wanted to win this one, or perhaps they just forgot how.

    Jose Lopez did his usual multiple personality routine giving us a display of power, finesse and dorkiness all in one game. Lopez is definitely unique in his ability to drive fans crazy one minute, and the next play look like the real deal. But really both of these teams have some talent and fighting spirit and this game was kind of fun to watch, as the spectacle of two beautiful losers engaged in a death match has always been high on my list of favorite types of games to watch. This was the sort of game where you got to know the individual voices of the fans yelling in the background as this game unfolded. There is something magical about being on a losing team in a 3/4 empty stadium in extra innings and just letting it all out, sort of a cleansing experience that I don’t begrudge the loyal Orioles fans tonight in their bright orange jerseys.

   So that was tonight’s battle, a classic almost campy clash of two teams everyone has long forgotten about giving it their best for a handful of fans on two different coasts who have long ago quit feeling the pain of losing and instead, like the players watch for the love of the game.

  I wanted to thank Graham Womak from the Blog Baseball Past and Present who published an article on his blog about my grandfather: The original Dusty Rhodes story    Graham wrote the article  after          interviewing me this weekend and going through some old photos and scrapbooks. Graham is an earnest young guy from the Bay Area who helped begin to start thinking and talking about my Grandfather’s career in a realistic way in order to not only help me with the book I’m planning, but to also begin healing around his wonderful yet tragic career. Like tonight’s emotional rollercoaster the game of baseball is full of highs and lows and if it doesn’t kill you, can make life a lot richer and deeper.

Another Positive game for Mariners winning 5-1

Tonight the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on a wet and dreary night in front of 12,614 die-hard Birds fans. On display was exactly the sort of team Jack Z. promised us. Good Pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting, plus a home run by Ryan Langerhans. Mariners starter Cliff Lee picked up the win pitching into the 8th inning before Brandon League came in to finish this one out. Both pitchers were impressive facing an Orioles team that is struggling without their All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts. Orioles starter David Hernandez pitcher had another tough night and recorded his 11th loss in his last 11 decisions.

 Once again the trio from Tacoma Ryan  Langerhans, Josh Wilson, and Michael Saunders produced at the plate for the second game in a row. Langerhans playing 1st for Casey Kotchman and hit a solo homer in the 5th  Saunders also had 2 hits on the night including an RBI single in the 6th. It was a relief to see Rob Johnson pick up a couple of hits on the night including a clutch 2-out single in the 6th which scored 2 runners including Ken Griffey who hustled in when the ball was bobbled in left field. Even Chone Figgins picked up a hit tonight and had an RBI walk in the 5th.

Watching Cliff Lee pound the strike zone with first pitch strikes and his fast pace was fun to watch. But coming away from this game it was apparent to me that Brandon League is quickly becoming the go-to guy in the Bullpen. League came into the game in the top of the 8th with one out and runners on first and second, and with 4 pitches shut down the Orioles. League shut the Birds down in order in the 9th, and that was all she  wrote.

 The only way we are going to move beyond the drama from the last homestand is for this club to come together as a team like they did tonight and silence all the armchair GM’s. We looked like a team tonight and it feels good.http://jeffsmariners.com