1-0, 8-5, 5-4

This post brought to you by the Harper Brush Works 18-Inch Rough Brissle Outdoor Push Broom.

Erik Bedard went 8 innings? The M's came from behind in two consecutive games?

Who else likes 2009 so far?

Sweep? Could it be an Easter Miracle?

Wakamatsu is pairing Bedard with Johnson this afternoon against the A's, which could mean any of a few things.

• Bedard is still throwing a hissy fit about pitching to Joh (the combination didn't seem totally flawless last week against the Twins)
• Wak is looking into resting Joh on the last games of series
• Joh's defensive blunder yesterday, botching a foul that cost the M's runs, has Wak looking into his options
  
• Wak's feeling out the lineup for the best offense (until yesterday's game Joh had been pretty dismal at the plate, with a sad 2 hits for 14 at bats, and Johnson had a crunch-time RBI during his only appearance so far this season)

Personally, I hope it's one of the latter options, Wak seems to have a good feel for keeping a healthy team atmosphere, and I don't think giving into pitchers who blame their bad games on the catcher would be good for the team. (No room for divas in the dugout) And Joh's offensive game has been slowing since last year, it might be good to develop a backup that can hold his own offensively. Under Wak's rule we've actually seen some good bats, even making up for Felix's less than stellar performance yesterday. Last time the M's found it in them to make up for 5 earned by Felix was back in Sept. '07 vs. Detroit.

Hopefully the match makes Bedard more consistent with the pitching he showed M's fans he was capable of against the Twins, striking out eight in five innings without a single walk.

A win today would also be close to a miracle in relation to last year's club, who chalked up only one 4 game winning streak all season.

The A's starters couldn't get into a bar two months ago, and some other notes.

7:05 tonight vs the A's. The beginning of a three-gamer against pitchers young enough to be Miguel Batista's sons. A's starters Anderson (tonight), 21, Braden, 25, and Cahill, 21, are all unproven, and their progression will go a long way toward determining if Oakland can comptete this year. RRS takes the mound tonight, followed by Felix and Bedard. Griffey is sheduled to start two of the games.

Some notes:

• Guess who was the subject of the cover story this morning on ESPN's MLB page? Former Mariners stud-in-waiting Adam Jones (part of the five-player deal for Erik Bedard for those of you who slept through 2007-2008). He gets a good sized Tim Kurkjian piece on his development. Not a ton of new information here, but decent. And in reality, Kirkjian's story was only written because the assembled horde of baseball media followed the Yankees to Baltimore, where they saw the O's take two of three, and realized that there were non-Yankees stories to cover. Jones was an easy target--he absolutely went off in the first two games of the series.

• John McGrath at the News Tribune offers an optimistic view of the Minnesota series.

Split in Minnesota. And Homers Too.

While Matt might find our newfound defense exciting, my favorite part of the first M’s series was the bats! I don’t mind watching my team lose a game—if it’s a good game. But last season was so dismal (our runs per game average was the worst since 1990). When the Mariners are competing for worst with the M’s of historical terribleness, that’s when you know things are bad.

Enter: The 2009 Club. The bad eggs are out (Sexson, Vidro, the entire management and half the coaching staff, etc.). And their replacements so far are a breath of fresh air, that is, they’re playing baseball: scoring runs even when we aren’t behind yet, playing defense, keeping us on our toes, these haven’t been games you turn off in the sixth inning with a sigh.

Like Matt noted, there’s been an atmosphere change here, I’m gonna go for nostalgia and credit Griffey for now—and a little bit of Wakamatsu. It’s still early, but I like Don's vibe--feels like classic Mariners to me. Not afraid to mix things up in favor of the best ninth inning defense.

That’s really what’s been missing in the last few years, wasn’t it? The fun? Remember, when we were the good guys? Familiar faces? Big smiles? No team drama with giant undeserved contracts or pitchers blaming their suckage on the catcher…(remember Bedard's and Washburn's incessant whining about Joh last year?)

But back to those runs, it seems almost too good to be true, Griffey’s back, and yes, he homered in his second at bat in the M’s uniform. That’s something we missed last year, wasn’t it? Home runs? For those keeping track at home, we have four in four games, three games scoring over five runs, one shutout, and no drama.

This is good baseball, I’m not saying home runs--or nostalgiac star power--will cure the misery that was 2008, but combined with some healthy batting and defense on the roster, they sure do feel good.

Oh, and April 14, Griffey comes home. Against division rivals. The three minute ovation when he came back in '07, only this time he's wearing the Blue and Teal. Maybe he hits a few for the fans who have been waiting for him in the cheap seats since ’99.

Baseball is Fun

You forget this stuff while suffering through a year like 2008. I'm not a fairweather fan, but the slowdown (and eventual grinding halt) of this blog last season showed maybe fairweather blogger is a reasonable term.

By August, it was too spiritually exhausting to comment on the current speculation as to which head would roll next. Or why Washburn wasn't traded. Or why we blew five-run leads to teams like the A's. And on and on.

But baseball is fun. I remember this now. The clubhouse and media atmosphere of last year's campaign is something fans aren't likely going to see again for some time. It is rare that things get so bad--in any sport--and I can't see that kind of chaos descending on the franchise again in the near future.

There are lots of reasons to be optimistic about 2009. Felix looks like Felix. Griffey's hamstrings are still intact. Richie Sexson is sitting on a couch somewhere (probably counting the roughly $42 million he earned from the M's in three-and-a-half years). The new acquisitions are playing ridiculous defense.

But the highlight of the M's first series, is the following picture:
Sweet expression Beltre is sporting. He is intensity in a word. Love the guy (Disclaimer: note this blog's title).

I'll take 2-2. Hell, I'd take 0-4 as long as the toxicity from last year is gone. Lets hope it really is.

Griffey comes home.

Smile.

Seattle Times. Seattle P-I. Sports Illustrated. ESPN.

In this market, Griffey is a solid bet for a one year deal. A gimmick? Maybe a little. But definitely worth the price of admission. The 2009 Mariners will be young(er), revamped, and now they have a new draw.

The Closer

Great article at ESPN on the position, and how it is the most overrated in sports.

"Francisco Rodriguez is racking up the saves but hasn't entered a game before the ninth inning or with a runner on base all season."

interesting...