Mariner Minors
Saturday, June 18, 2005
  Game Recaps (6/17/05)

Tacoma 8, Las Vegas 6 (LA)
RHP Cha Seung Baek (3.88, W) went six innings and somehow only allowed six runs despite thirteen hits (HR) and a walk with three Ks. LHP Jared Thomas (3.63) had a hit, two walks, and a strikeout to show for the next inning and a third, and RHP Masao Kida (4.20, S) finished it up to get the save. CF Abraham Nunez (HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, .281) logged three hits in this one, and 2B Ramon Santiago (2B, R, .230), LF Shin-soo Choo (2B, 2 R, RBI, .290), and SS Yuniesky Betancourt (3B, 2 RBI, .305) had two apiece. With this win, their tenth in a row, the Rainiers took over sole possession of first place.

To clarify some troop movements in recent days, C Wiki Gonzalez is back in Tacoma on a rehab stint, 2B Jose Lopez is up in Seattle as you all well know (personally, I'm quite happy about this), 3B Greg Dobbs is coming back down, RHP Felix Hernandez is being held back with shoulder bursitis, RHP Jorge Campillo is on the DL with a sore pitching elbow after pitching basically since the start of the Mexican League season last year, and LHP Adam Brandt and RHP Joe Woerman, both in short-season leagues in 2004, have been called up to give the Rainiers a little pitching depth.

Midland 1 (OAK), San Antonio 4
RHP Juan Sandoval (3.72, W) pitched one of his good games, going six innings and allowing a run on five hits and three walks against four Ks. RHP R.D. Speihs (1.69) took the final three, walked one, and struck out one. The Missions didn’t have more than one hit from anyone in the lineup in this one, but I’ll go with C Luis Oliveros (3B, 2 RBI, .370) for doing something sort of unusual, being a catcher and hitting a triple. Well, not quite as unusual as Olivo’s inside the park home run a little while ago.

Lake Elsinore 11 (SD), Inland Empire 5
Still no Moorhead sighting, it was just wishful thinking in this instance. LHP Miguel Martinez (7.11, L) pitched the first three and a third and gave up seven runs on eight hits, two wild pitches, and four walks against two Ks. LHP Troy Cate (0.00), making his first appearance of the season after some shoulder troubles (IIRC), gave up two of those runs in the next inning and two-thirds when he allowed two hits, a hit batter, and two walks while striking out four. RHP Greg Wear (4.85) pitched the next three and allowed two more runs on three hits, a hit batter, and a walk against a K, and then RHP Mike Steele (4.38) allowed two runs on a walk and a bomb with two Ks in the ninth. 1B Bryan Lahair (2B, 2 R, .281) was a perfect 4-for-4 with a walk, but CF Michael Nesbit (2B, R, .271), 2B Matt Rogelstad (2B, R, E, .306), and LF Carlos Arroyo (2B, RBI, .386) each had a double.

Wisconsin 2, Beloit 4 (MIN)
LHP Julio Santiago (3.80) had another okay, but not spectacular start, going six+ innings and allowing two runs on five hits (HR), a wild pitch, a hit batter, and two walks against three strikeouts, but considering he jumped over a league, it could be a lot worse. RHP Ivan Blanco (1.26, L) gave up his first runs and his first loss in the next two innings, but that came after a walk followed by a home run. Otherwise, no one reached base and four of his six outs came on the third strike. Free Ivan Blanco anyway. CF Sebastien Boucher (.333) had another two hits and 1B Brandon Green (2B, 2 RBI, .200) had a double. 2B Asdrubal Cabrera (SB, CS, .316) and LF Jack Arroyo (.236) both walked twice.

Universidad 5 (FLA-WAS), Aguirre 1 (seven innings)
Doubleheader! RHP Ronald Uviedo (1.25, L) was tagged with the loss after going four innings and allowing two unearned runs on three hits and four walks against five strikeouts. Now, if he can clean up that K/BB, then it might be interesting. Both runs came in the fifth when he walked a batter and another reach on an error to open the inning, and then RHP Alejandro Gutierrez (3.86) came in and hit one and walked another without a recorded out. RHP Jorge Acosta (3.93) would score one of the runs against Gutierrez (also unearned) and two unearned of his own after five hits, a walk, and three Ks on his way to finishing up the game. 2B Humberto Espinoza (.324) had another two hits in the game.

Universidad 1, Aguirre 5 (seven innings)
P Edlando Seco (0.00) went three innings and had two hits, a wild pitch, a hit batter, two walks, and two strikeouts to show for it. P Carlos Sanchez (3.21, W) followed with another three innings, where he gave up a run on four hits, two wild pitches, and two walks against two Ks, and then LHP Jose Jimenez (4.15) tackled the seventh and was perfect there. CF Edzul Robles (2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB, .203) is getting the nod in this one for going 1-for-2 with two walk, but there were only two hits by Aguirre and an incredible twelve walks, so I’ll give additional props to 1B William Ortiz (2 SB, CS, .250) for being the only Mariner to walk three times.

Today’s Schedule:
Tacoma: LHP Andrew Lorraine, at Las Vegas, @ 7:05 pm PT
San Antonio: LHP Thom Oldham, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: LHP Jason Mackinotsh, at Inland Empire, @ 7:11 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Jason Snyder, at Beloit, @ 5:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Tronconero, @ 6:30 am PT

Tacoma Rainiers: 38-29, .567, 1st in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 36-32, .529, 3 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 28-40, .412, 11.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 38-30, .559, 1st in MWL West
Aguirre Mariners, 13-13, .500, 3 GB in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 6-4, .600, 1 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 159-148, .518
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Friday, June 17, 2005
  Game Recaps (6/16/05)

New transaction register, out now! They've decided to break off the extended spring training signings and whatnot to a new article, so I guess that'll be coming out soon.

Portland 2 (SD), Tacoma 3
RHP Chris Buglovsky (5.40) got the spot start actually wasn’t all that bad, going five innings and allowing just an unearned run on three hits and two walks against five strikeouts. RHP Jeff Heaverlo (6.57) went two after that and allowed a run on three hits against a K, but really, RHP Sean Green (2.25, W) let that run score after Heaverlo opened the eighth with a hit and Green gave up two hits and two Ks to finish the inning. RHP Masao Kida (4.34, S) had an uneventful ninth to get the save. The eighth inning was key for the Rainiers, as 2B Jose Lopez (2B, R, .280) opened it with a double, DH Chris Snelling (R, .269) walked, RF Abraham Nunez (.272) singled, and C Miguel Olivo (.196) drove in Lopez with another single and 1B Aaron Rifkin (RBI, .252) drove in Snelling with a bases-loaded walk. Those who were not involved in that decisive inning, but were otherwise noteworthy, included LF Shin-soo Choo (3 SB, .283), with three hits, and 3B Justin Leone (2B, R, E, .253) and SS Yuniesky Betancourt (2B, .296). Tacoma has won their past nine.

Midland 0 (OAK), San Antonio 3
LHP Bobby Livingston (2.59, W) was incredible, going eight innings and allowing only four hits against three walks while striking out nine. RHP Emiliano Fruto (3.15, S) struck out two in the ninth. LF Jaime Bubela (R, .271) led the team with three hits, while CF Gary Harris (2B, RBI, CS, PO, .275), DH Ismael Castro (2B, .229), SS Eddie Menchaca (.217), and 2B Eric Blakeley (RBI, .226) each had two.

Lake Elsinore 13 (SD), Inland Empire 1
RHP Nibaldo Acosta (4.68, L) got the start for some odd reason, and made it through three frames of work, giving up four runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk against a strikeout. RHP Tanner Watson (18.00) made a rare appearance next, coming off the DL and allowing four runs on five hits, a wild pitch, and two walks in a couple of innings of work. RHP Phil Wilson (6.00) pitched two innings after that and gave up a couple of runs on three hits and a walk against three Ks, and then RHP Aaron Looper (3.75) and RHP Aaron Trolia (4.19) split the last two. Looper allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk, while Trolia allowed an unearned after three hits and a strikeout. For the offense… well… uh… 1B Matt Hagen (2B, .188) had a double. I got nothin’.

Wisconsin 6, Beloit 1 (MIN)
RHP Aaron Jensen (4.82, W) was on his game in this one, going seven innings and allowing just one run on six hits (HR) and a walk with four Ks. RHP Chad Fillinger (2.76) gave up a hit and struck out two in the next inning, and then RHP Craig James (0.71) struck out another in the ninth. 3B Yung-Chi Chen (2 2B, R, RBI, .292) had three hits in this one, so it looks like he’s getting back on track. CF Sebastien Boucher (R, RBI, .329), RF Mike Wilson (.263), and LF Josh Womack (R, .262) had two hits apiece, and 2B Oswaldo Navarro (2B, R, 2 RBI, .279) added a double that seemed to do some damage. With the win, the T-Rats clenched playoff berth for leading the division for the first half.

Aguirre 6, Ciudad Alianza 3 (BOS-SD)
P Gerardo Esparza (1.71, E) went three and a third innings and gave up the three runs (two earned) after a hit, five walks, and two strikeouts. LHP Hugo Castro (2.77, W) pitched the next two and two-thirds+ and gave up five hits, a wild pitch, a walk, and three strikeouts, but wasn’t hurt by those as RHP Kelvin Alarcon (1.88) came in and shut the Red Sox down and had only a hit, a walk, and a strikeout over the next inning and a third. RHP Diomny Gaetano (0.00, S) was perfect through the last five outs. SS/2B Terry Serrano (R, .256) and CF Edzul Robles (HR, .203) had two hits, and C Jair Fernandez (HR, .360) had a home run.

Off in the Dominican, it’s three games later and the M’s are still playing .600 ball and are still one game back in the division. While the pitching, led by LHP Eddy Fernandez (1.26, 1-0), RHP Gregorio Rosario (0.84, 2-0), and P Richard Ortiz (0.90, 2-0), has been good, it’s the hitters that have been the stars. The Mariners have three of the top four spots in the batting average race, going to OF Wellington Dotel (.439/.452/.707), IF Ogui Diaz (.421/.436/.605), and 1B Aramis Acevedo (.391/.515/.522)

Today’s Schedule:
Tacoma: RHP Cha Seung Baek, at Las Vegas, @ 7:05 pm PT
San Antonio: RHP Juan Sandoval, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Brandon Moorhead (?), at Inland Empire, @ 7:11 pm PT
Wisconsin: LHP Julio Santiago, at Beloit, @ 5:00 pm PT
Aguirre: Can’t access the site.

Tacoma Rainiers: 37-29, .561, 0.5 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 35-32, .522, 4 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 28-39, .418, 10.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 38-29, .567, 1st in MWL West
Aguirre Mariners, 12-12, .500, 3 GB in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 6-4, .600, 1 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 156-145, .518
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Thursday, June 16, 2005
  Game Recaps (6/15/05)

Portland 5 (SD), Tacoma 7 (fourteen innings)
LHP Damian Moss (3.25) went five innings and allowed three runs on three hits, a hit batter, a wild pitch, and four walks, striking out three. RHP Michael Bumstead (5.34) followed for the next two and allowed a run on two hits and a walk against a strikeout, and LHP Jared Thomas (3.78) had similar results in his two innings, plus a walk, a hit batter, and a couple of Ks. RHP Jeff Harris (1.47) played the role of bullpen savior, going four innings and allowing just three hits and striking out two, but RHP Jeff Heaverlo (6.69, W) got the win after giving up a couple of walks and striking out one in the fourteenth. LF Abraham Nunez (HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, .267) hit the two-run walk-off in the bottom half of that inning, so he gets the game ball, but SS Yuniesky Betancourt (R, SB, .300) had three hits and RF Chris Snelling (HR, 5 RBI, .375) had a grand slam earlier in the game.

Corpus Christi 2 (HOU), San Antonio 9
RHP Jon Huber (4.71) went six frames and allowed a couple of runs on six hits (HR), a wild pitch, and a walk against six Ks. LHP Chris Key (0.68, S) tossed the final three and gave up three hits and struck out two. 1B Nate Espy (2 R, SB, .284) and CF Gary Harris (2B, 2 R, RBI, .271) both had three hits, and C Luis Oliveros (2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, .385) had two. 2B Eric Blakeley (2B, .204) added a double to the mix.

Inland Empire 5, Lake Elsinore 6 (SD)
LHP Ryan Feierabend (4.72) went six innings and held the Storm to two runs on five hits and three walks against three strikeouts. RHP Greg Wear (4.70) got one out, but let two runs score on four hits, a wild pitch, and a walk. RHP Mike Steele (4.00, L) stranded all of those runners, but over the next two innings he gave up two runs on three hits and was tagged with the loss. DH Wladimir Balentien (3B, R, RBI, .278), RF B.J. Garbe (HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, .264), CF Chris Colton (2B, RBI, .243), and 1B Matt Hagen (2B, .184) had an extra-base knock each. The Sixers have lost five straight.

Wisconsin 17, Clinton 5 (TEX)
Wisconsin came into this game trying to break the first-place tie with Clinton. I think they proved their point. RHP Randy Frye (1.35) went three and two-thirds innings and gave up a run on four hits (HR) and six walks against five strikeouts, but the calling of this game was rather strange and there were pitches outside that were called for strikes and ones down the middle that were balls. Designated long reliever RHP Stephen Grasley (4.40, W) went the next four and a third and gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits, a wild pitch, and two walks against four Ks. RHP Ivan Blanco (0.00) gave up one hit in the ninth. On offense, well, all but one starter get multiple hits, and 2B Asdrubal Cabrera (HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, .321) made up for that with a three-run home run. C Rob Johnson (2 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, .298) and 1B Marshall Hubbard (2 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, .314) both had three hits, and the rest of the lineup, CF Sebastien Boucher (2 R, RBI, 2 SB, .326), 3B Yung-Chi Chen (2 R, RBI, .286), RF Mike Wilson (2B, 2 R, .259), DH Matt Tuiasosopo (2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, .307), SS Oswaldo Navarro (RBI, 2 E, .280), and LF Josh Womack (R, RBI, .258), all had two.

Today’s Schedule:
Tacoma: RHP Chris Buglovsky, at Tacoma, @ 7:05 pm PT
San Antonio: LHP Bobby Livingston, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Brandon Moorhead, at Inland Empire, @ 7:11 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Aaron Jensen, at Beloit, @ 5:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Ciudad Alianza, @ 7:00 am PT

Tacoma Rainiers: 36-29, .554, 0.5 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 34-32, .515, 5 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 28-37, .424, 9.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-29, .561, 1st in MWL West
Aguirre Mariners, 11-12, .478, 4 GB in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 3-2, .600, 1 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 149-142, .512
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Wednesday, June 15, 2005
  Three More Draft Signings

The Mariners have just signed two more picks from the 2005 draft, 9th round pick 3B Bryan Sabatella (9th) and RHP Ari Kafka (26th), both out of Quinnipiac University.

Sabatella is headed for Everett, where he'll most likely be the Aquasox starting third baseman. Kafka is going to Peoria.

Edit: 4:34 pm

Add RHP Brett Bannister (19th), son of Floyd, to that list.
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  Game Recaps (6/14/05)

Portland 0 (SD), Tacoma 2
I refused to delay two Felix-related recaps in a row. RHP Felix Hernandez (2.32, W) went six innings and allowed just three hits and four walks while striking out seven. In addition he had eight groundouts to just one fly out. High Ks and high GO numbers have been known to cause drooling in fans of good pitching. RHP Sean Green (2.57) went the next two and had a hit and a walk, then RHP Masao Kida (4.44, S) had a strikeout and the save in the ninth. The big hit was a two-run bomb by C Ryan Christianson (HR, 2 RBI, .281), but 1B Aaron Rifkin (.255) and SS Yuniesky Betancourt (CS, .273) both had two hits. 3B Justin Leone (.258) is back. That’s the good news. The bad news is that in three at-bats, he grounded into two double plays and struck out. But at least that isn’t as bad as Ron Wright’s major league debut a few years back.

Corpus Christi 5 (HOU), San Antonio 2
The Hooks keep on paying the Missions back… Anyway, LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (4.57) went six innings and gave up a couple of runs on six hits, a wild pitch, a balk, a hit batter, and two walks with two Ks. What happened to the RRS of yesteryear? He used to strike out about a batter per inning, but now it’s two-thirds of that. LHP Tim Rall (3.15) went the next inning and had a hit, a walk, and a strikeout, but then RHP Renee Cortez (5.34, L) gave up two unearneds on one hit batter against two Ks and LHP Cesar Jimenez (3.35) scored ‘em both and one more after two hits and a strikeout. C Brian Moon (.235) had a couple of hits, and LF Jaime Bubela (2B, R, SB, .264) and CF Gary Harris (2B, .261). 3B Jesus Guzman (CS, E, .271) reached base three of the times he went up and sacrificed during the other, but his gaffes proved to be rather costly.

Inland Empire 1, Lake Elsinore 5 (SD)
The walks weren’t haunting RHP Mumba Rivera (4.19, L), as he allowed only one through six and a third, but other things were and he ended up giving away three runs on seven hits and a wild pitch plus the walk against six Ks. RHP Aaron Trolia (4.26) let two of those and an unearned score while he finished the seventh with a hit and a walk. RHP Aaron Looper (3.27) also had an unearned score against him after a hit, a wild pitch, and a strikeout in the eighth. DH Erick Monzon (2B, R, .290) and LF Carlos Arroyo (2B, RBI, E, .393) both had doubles, but if you’re wondering about the bad defense, it mostly came form an unusual source in C Justin Ruchti (E, 2 PB, .179), who went 1-4 and is usually sure-handed, but had an error on catcher’s interference and two passed balls.

Wisconsin 5, Clinton 11 (TEX)
Thus, the T-Rats are tied for first again. This is a serious match up between these two teams, but LHP Casey Abrams (5.40, L) probably would not have been the guy I’d have sent out there. He lasted just two-thirds of an inning and gave up five runs (four earned) on three hits and three walks against one K. Could this be the final straw? Free Ivan Blanco already! LHP Eric O’Flaherty (5.76) stranded those runners, but the defense let him down over the next two and two-thirds as well, as he gave up five runs as well (three earned) on five hits, a balk, and three walks against one strikeout. LHP Kendall Bergdall (3.77) went the next three and two-thirds, scoring two against O’Flaherty but only allowing one of his own after three hits (HR), a wild pitch, and two walks against three Ks. RHP Cibney Bello (3.82) escaped the eighth with just a walk and a strikeout. 2B Oswaldo Navarro (HR, 2 R, E, .275) had three hits in the game, and LF Josh Womack (3B, 2 R, RBI, .255) logged two.

Aguirre 1, Tronoconero #1 3 (PHI)
P Kervin Montbrum (1.57) actually no-hit the Phillies through four and a third innings, but he did have three walks against six strikeouts. RHP Jorge Acosta (4.70, L) went two and two-thirds after that and gave up three runs (two earned) after three hits, a hit batter, one walk, and a couple of strikeouts. RHP Alejandro Gutierrez (3.86) struck out one in the ninth. DH William Ortiz (HR, .250) hit a home run, but there’s not much else to say.

There’s going to be a transaction register coming up. Not now, but soon, yes, soon. I even blurbed the recent draft signings. I can deal with Andy Hargrove, but Rufus Lumry scares me.

Today’s Schedule:
Tacoma: LHP Damian Moss, at Tacoma, @ 7:05 pm PT
San Antonio: RHP Jon Huber, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: LHP Ryan Feierabend, at Lake Elsinore, @ 6:00 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Randy Frye, at Clinton, @ 5:00 pm PT
Aguirre: Off day

Tacoma Rainiers: 35-29, .547, 0.5 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 33-32, .508, 6 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 28-36, .438, 7.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 36-28, .563, 1st in MWL West
Aguirre Mariners, 11-12, .478, 4 GB in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 3-2, .600, 1 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 146-141, .509
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Monday, June 13, 2005
  Game Recaps (6/13/05)

Portland 1 (SD), Tacoma 2
The only game I’ve gotten around to attending yet this year. Sure it was LHP Andrew Lorraine (5.17, W), but I had the day off. Lorraine went six innings and gave up a run on five hits and two walks with two Ks. He pitched about as well as one could hope, but I must admit that during a couple of the innings he was out there I wandered off seeking concessions. I have a strange fixation with buying Polish sausages when at ballparks, despite the food’s clear hatred for me. RHP Jeff Heaverlo (6.88) went the next two and gave up only one hit. RHP Masao Kida (4.53, S) got the save with a hit and a strikeout. On offense, CF Jamal Strong (R, 2 CS, .312) and 1B Aaron Rifkin (.249) both had two hits. Strong was caught stealing twice and both of those calls were kind of borderline, but from the LF bleachers, I didn’t have the best view. Other observations… well, Betancourt makes the plays, there’s not much denying that. There was a spin move he made where he couldn’t get the runner at first, but a double play was turned right after that, so it didn’t matter. The Betancourt-Lopez combo is pretty cool. You can tell that Betancourt is still getting used to the idiosyncrasies of American baseball, like a small child being carried around to sweep off the bases. That was fascinating. I wish I had been playing closer attention to his reactions to such storied traditions as the t-shirt slingshot/cannon and the dizzy bat race. Santiago was playing third and he just doesn’t have the arm for it. It’s sad, really. I wasn’t exactly taking notes though, as this was more of a recreational thing. The Rainiers have now won six games in a row, but the team ahead of them has won seven.

Corpus Christi 3 (HOU), San Antonio 5
Sanity resumes after a minor hiccup. LHP Thom Oldham (3.96, W) had one of his best starts in recent memory, going six innings and allowing two runs on four hits (HR) and two walks with six strikeouts. RHP R.D. Spiehs (3.86) went the next inning and third and allowed a run on a couple of hits, a wild pitch, and a walk with two strikeouts. Note to MILB.com: Just because the Southern League and the Texas League are both double-A, that doesn’t mean you should be combining those lines when calculating the ERA. The same goes for Mumba Rivera; advanced-A lines should not be combined with intermediate-A ones. Stop it. Ahem, (clears throat) after that, RHP Emiliano Fruto (3.22, S) gave up a hit and struck out two while closing the game. LF Jaime Bubela (2 R, RBI, SB, .263) and RF T.J. Bohn (.307) both had a trio of hits, and CF Gary Harris (R, .261) and 2B Ismael Castro (HR, 2 RBI, .228) had two each. DH Nate Espy (2B, RBI, .275) also doubled.

Inland Empire 3, Lake Elsinore 4 (SD)
LHP Jason Mackintosh (3.69) pitched like an all-star today (and he is, along with Wlad, by the way), going seven innings and allowing just two runs (one earned) after four hits (HR) and two walks with five strikeouts. RHP Nibaldo Acosta (4.58, L) lost it though, as he pitched an inning and two-thirds before giving up a couple of walk-off runs on two hits and a walk. CF Chris Colton (HR, 3 RBI, SB, .243) had three hits and 2B Michael Garciaparra (2B, .281) and 3B Matt Rogelstad (.311) had two each, but LF Carlos Arroyo (.395) went 0-for-4 and had his average drop below .400.

I’d like to retract an earlier comment from a previous recap. It turns out that it was Oliver Arias relieving last Wednesday, not Shawn Nottingham. Big thanks to Sixers broadcaster Mike Saeger for filling me in via e-mail.

Wisconsin 4, Clinton 3 (TEX)
RHP Jason Snyder (3.62, E, W) had one of those starts that I was expecting out of him at the start of the season, going eight innings and allowing three runs on five hits (2 HR!), a hit batter, a walk, and eight strikeouts. Well, minus a home run, maybe. RHP Craig James (0.74, S) gave up a hit in the ninth, but nailed the save anyway. Much like the situation in San Antonio, 3B Yung-Chi Chen (HR, 2 RBI, .286), finally getting out of his slump perhaps, and DH Asdrubal Cabrera (3B, R, 2 RBI, .330) both had three hits, and CF Sebastien Boucher (R, .328) and C Rob Johnson (2B, RBI, .298) had two. 1B Marshall Hubbard (E, .299) only had one hit, but he did walk twice. Could the M’s finally be developing a decent first base prospect?

Venoco #1 4 (HOU), Aguirre 0
LHP Jose Escalona (1.17, L) went five innings and gave up three runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks against seven Ks, and didn’t deserve the loss, but so it goes. P Carlos Sanchez (3.27) walked two and gave up a hit, which led to a run while he recorded just one out, but LHP Jose Jimenez (4.50) minimized the damage by stranding the runs and giving up just two hits and two walks against four strikeouts over the next two and two-thirds. RHP Diomny Gaetano (0.00) allowed a hit in the ninth. DH Humberto Espinoza (.339) had two hits, and seems to be playing everyday now, which is cool. 2B Terry Serrano (2B, .250) was 1-2 with a double and a walk.

The M’s have now signed ten draft picks, according to local reports. They are LHP Justin Thomas (4th), LHP David Asher (8th), SS Reed Eastley (13th), RHP Nick Allen (21st), OF Alex Gary (22nd), C Kevin Gergel (24th), LHP Lance Beus (28th), 3B Corby Heckman (32nd), LHP Rufus “Worth” Lumry (46th) and 1B Andy Hargrove (47th). The first four are kind of nice to have in the system, but the rest are drawing a “buh?” reaction from me. This is one of those instances where I have to go based off the incentive to get the player signed because I don’t have anything else at the moment.

Recaps from yesterday ARE below, it just took me a little while to get to them.

Tomorrow’s Schedule:
Tacoma: RHP Felix Hernandez, at Tacoma, @ 12:35 pm PT
San Antonio: LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Mumba Rivera, at Lake Elsinore, @ 7:05 pm PT
Wisconsin: LHP Casey Abrams, at Clinton, @ 5:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Tronconero, @ 8:00 am

Tacoma Rainiers: 34-29, .540, 1.5 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 33-31, .516, 6 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 28-36, .438, 7.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 36-28, .563, 1st in MWL West
Aguirre Mariners, 11-11, .500, 3 GB in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 3-2, .600, 1 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 145-137, .514
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  Game Recaps (6/12/05)

Las Vegas 1 (LA), Tacoma 6
RHP Cha Seung Baek (3.26) was pretty brilliant through six innings, allowing just three hits and two walks against eight Ks. But it was RHP Jeff Harris (1.88, W0 that got the W, going the last three and giving up the 51s’ only run on two hits (HR) against two strikeouts. LF Shin-soo Choo (2 2B, R, .273) and 3B Hunter Brown (2 2B, 2 RBI, .260) both had a couple of doubles.

Corpus Christi 2 (HOU), San Antonio 1
More craziness as the Missions lost to the Hooks again. RHP Juan Sandoval (3.91, L) got that L after going five innings and allowing both runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with five Ks. LHP Chris Key (0.87) allowed three hits over the next three frames and struck out one, and then LHP Cesar Jimenez (3.16) struck out the side in the ninth. Hail Cesar! LF Jaime Bubela (.256) had two hits, and DH Jesse Hoorelbeke (2B, RBI, .244) and C Brian Moon (2B, .212) both doubled, but the Hooks starter went the distance and that’s generally not a good sign for the opposing offense.

Inland Empire 1, San Jose 12 (SF)
Don’t be misled, this wasn’t all the fault of LHP Miguel Martinez (6.15, L), but he did give up two runs on three hits, a wild pitch, and five walks to two strikeouts over four innings, and that’s a good example of why I keep on putting a big ol’ question mark by his name whenever it pops up in the rotation. LHP Nick Bourgeois (2.76) pitched the next inning and a third and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk, but RHP Greg Wear (3.97) scored both of those and one of his own as he gave up four hits and a walk on his way to recording the final two outs of the inning. RHP Mike Steele (3.71) also struggled, allowing seven runs to the plate (two earned) after five hits (HR), three walks, and two Ks. LF Carlos Arroyo (2 2B, RBI, .409) had two doubles on the night and DH Wladimir Balentien (2B, R, .284). Won’t someone buy this Arroyo kid a ticket to San Antonio?

Cedar Rapids 5 (ANA), Wisconsin 3
LHP Julio Santiago (4.11) is still trying to get a groove going as the youngest member of the T-Rats rotation, going five innings and allowing two runs on six hits (HR), a hit batter, and a walk with four Ks. RHP Chad Fillinger (2.83, L) got hit hard next, allowing three runs after three hits (2 HR!) in the next two innings, but he did strikeout five of the six he recorded outs on. RHP Cibney bello (3.93) walked three and struck out one in the next two innings. 3B Yung-Chi Chen (3B, R, .279) and 2B Oswaldo Navarro (HR, 2 R, .271) both logged two hits, and LF Josh Womack (2B, .249) doubled.

I’ve paid my dues (maybe) on missing John Sickels’ mock draft by posting in a diary thread on his site and giving my own convoluted views on the top 20 Mariners minor league starting pitchers. In retrospect, maybe I should have thrown Sandoval in there, but he scares me sometimes. Feel free to question, comment, breathe fire, what have you.

Today’s Schedule:
Tacoma: LHP Andrew Lorraine, at Tacoma, @ 7:05 pm PT
San Antonio: LHP Thom Oldham, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: LHP Jason Mackintosh, at Lake Elsinore, @ 7:05 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Jason Snyder, at Appleton, @ 5:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Aguirre, @ 8:00 am (already lost)

Tacoma Rainiers: 33-29, .532, 1.5 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 32-31, .508, 6 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 28-35, .444, 6.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 35-28, .556, T-1st in MWL West
Aguirre Mariners, 11-11, .500, 3 GB in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 3-2, .600, 1 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 142-136, .511
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A closer look at the minor league system of the Seattle Mariners baseball club.

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