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Branyan And Gutierrez Continue To Produce

By Tyler Hissey | July 3, 2009 | Around the Majors

Russell Branyan and Franklin Gutierrez each played a key part in the Seattle Mariners' 8-4 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.Branyan continued his impressive breakout, going 2-for-4 with his 20th home run (a moon shot that hit the restaurant in center field at Yankee Stadium). Gutierrez also went deep to cap off a three-hit performance as the Mariners roughed up Yankees starter CC Sabathia for six earned runs. Ichiro Suzuki, as usual, also got in on the action, but it was fitting that Branyan and Gutierrez each played such an instrumental role in the high-profile win, which ended Seattle's 10-game losing streak against New York.Each offseason acquisition has been tremendously valuable to the Mariners, 40-38 and a realistic contender in the weak American League West, in their own way. Jack Zduriencik made several shrew roster moves in his first offseason as general manager, attempting to upgrade his...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: CC Sabathia, Franklin Gutierrez, MLB, New York Yankees, Russell Branyan, Seattle Mariners

FB365's Morning Drive 7/3/09

By Charlie Saponara | July 3, 2009 | Fantasy Baseball 365

In Cincinnati, Chris Dickerson is making a case for the full time centerfield job. As Willy Taveras continues not to get on base (NOT A SINGLE WALK IN THE MONTH OF JUNE!!) Dickerson finds himself with a respectable .288 AVG and .389 OBP. He's not doing much with regards to power or stolen bases, but if by chance Dusty Baker decides to bat him leadoff because, deep breath, HE ACTUALLY GETS ON BASE, then he could see a slight rise in value for NL-only and deep mixed leagues. Francisco Rodriguez blew the save, his third in 10 days. Nothing new here. Frankie has averaged 5.5 blown saves per season since becoming a full time closer, which is about the norm. This is what I worried about with Kevin Correia. His fastball velocity was back a little yesterday, but not where it was during is hot streak. You can see from the chart below (via fangraphs.com) the upward trend in Correia's average velocity and how it dropped significantly his last outing. Yesterday's outing is represented with the red dot, which indicates an average fastball velocity of just over 91 mph. A.J. Happ is becoming an interesting starter to watch. Since converting to a full time starter he has shown a nice progression in K/BB rate. Also, Happ's velocity is showing signs of progression as well. He's currently owned in only 37% of Yahoo! Leagues. Franklin Gutierrez stays hot. He hit .304 with 4 homers and 3 stolen bases in June. Pitchers are not giving anything to Albert Pujols and he'll take his walks all day long. The beneficiary? Ryan Ludwick. It's been a struggle this season with healthy and a prolonged slump, but he has 7 hits in his last 5 games and 3 RBI in his last 2 games with Pujols getting on in front of him. Derrek Lee didn't just hit 2 homeruns last night. He hit 2 pure bombs last night. One was a grand slam and Lee collected 7 RBI on the night. Lee hit .333 and slugged .973 in June. Will there be a place for Jake Fox to play once A-Ram returns from the DL? I think I'm done betting against Mark Buehrle....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: A.J. Happ, Albert Pujols, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chris Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds, Derrek Lee, Fantasy, Fantasy Baseball, Francisco Rodriguez, Franklin Gutierrez, Kevin Correia, Mark Buehrle, MLB, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Ludwick, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Willy Taveras

Friday's Games of the Day

By Jonathan Etkowicz | July 3, 2009 | MLB Notebook

The Fourth of July Weekend kicks off with a full schedule of games. The Yankees look to start a new winning streak against the Blue Jays. The Brewers and Cubs continue their seesaw NL Central battle. The Brewers need wins to stay ahead in the division because the Cardinals and Reds are battling for positioning in the division. The Mets and Phillies begin a series that will determine which team is in first in the NL East on Monday. These games, and many more, can be found in Friday's Games of the Day. Toronto at New York Yankees: The Mariners...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: AJ Burnett, Boston Red Sox, Brian Tallet, Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Curtis Granderson, Derek Lee, Detroit Tigers, Felix Hernandez, Franklin Gutierrez, Games of the Day, Gordon Beckham, Hideki Matsui, Homer Bailey, Houston Astros, J.J. Hardy, Jeff Suppan, Joel Pineiro, Jose Lopez, Kansas City Royals, Kevin Slowey, Luke French, Mike Cameron, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Paul Konerko, Philadelphia Phillies, Rodrigo Lopez, Ryan Sadowski, San Francisco Giants, Scott Kazmir, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Tim Wakefield, Toronto Blue Jays, Zack Greinke

Bedard close to return

By TD | July 2, 2009 | Rain Delay

According to manager Don Wakamatsu, Erik Bedard could return to the Mariners rotation as early as Tuesday against his former team the Baltimore Orioles. He's been out for nearly a month with discomfort in his pitching shoulder. He threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and from all reports things went fine, though he only threw about 40 pitches.He'll throw a simulated game at Fenway tomorrow before the Mariners take on the Sox. And if all goes well, could start on Tuesday. "He will get a couple of starts before the All-Star break and then have a couple of days off," Wakamatsu said. "Hopefully, he will come back pitching well in the second half." This means that if Bedard does in fact return Tuesday, that either Garett Olson or Brandon Morrow will be the odd man out. Though the former is more likely than the latter. It would help the Mariners...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Adrian Beltre, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Brandon Morrow, Don Wakamatsu, Erik Bedard, Garett Olson, Mariners, MLB, Seattle Mariners

Thursday's Games of the Day

By Jonathan Etkowicz | July 2, 2009 | MLB Notebook

Thursday brings us another short schedule with only nine games scheduled. Thursday is still filled with good games. The Mets and Pirates finish a series that began in June. Houston and San Diego face off in a matchup of teams just out of last place in their divisions. The Phillies look to beat the Braves and stay in first in the NL East. And the Brewers and Cubs renew their rivalry. Those games and more can be found below. New York Mets at Pittsburgh: This game is a makeup of the June 3 game that was postponed. If Paul Maholm and...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Adam LaRoche, Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, Atlanta Braves, Barry Zito, Bruce Chen, Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia, Chase Utley, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Games of the Day, Houston Astros, Ichiro Suzuki, J.J. Hardy, JA Happ, Jason Vargas, Javier Vazquez, Kansas City Royals, Mark Buehrle, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Paul Maholm, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ryan Dempster, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tim Redding, Wandy Rodriguez

Hot Prospect Corner: Alex Liddi

By Charlie Saponara | July 2, 2009 | Fantasy Baseball 365

There were a few players that I took notice of at the California League/Carolina League all-star game. One of those players was Mariners farmhand Alex Liddi. Background: A player for team Italy in the WBC, who was actually born in Italy, Liddi was signed as a free agent by the Seattle Mariners in 2005. He was 3 for 8 in this year's WBC with 4 strikeouts, which is his biggest issue needing development. Currently Liddi is in the midst of a breakout year offensively hitting .347 with 19 HR. What I saw in person: He impressed with his line drive homerun power during the homerun derby. At 6'4" 176 he's a tall lanky kid that reminds me a lot of a young Troy Glaus. The lowdown: Coming into this season Liddi was not among the top Mariners prospects, or even in the top 20 for that matter and rightfully so. He hit .240/.308/.385 at mid-A in 2007 in 400 AB's and .244/.313/.360 in 2008 over 447 AB's. He also combined for only 14 homeruns in those two seasons. Starting this season at high-A High Desert has made a world of difference. 5 of Liddi's 19 homeruns have come at home, which very much distorts his overall numbers. The Cal League in general is considered a very hitter friendly league, but high desert is the pre-humidor Coors Field of the league. The combination of its elevation, dry air and high winds make for box scores like this one. There is no doubt that Liddi's performance so far this season warrants attention, but the real test would come from a move to AA West Tennessee. A note from the expert: As much as I love to follow minor league baseball and track prospects, there is only so much time to follow/attend games or read reports etc...That's why it is important to rely on credible sources for information. One of my favorite minor league sources is Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. I recently sent him an email asking about Liddi. This is what he had to say... I will tell you that the Mariners are very excited about Liddi - I talked to someone there about him for Futures Game stuff. He's legit, with power and the skills to stay at third.The future: Again, his next step, which is likely AA West Tennessee, will be huge in figuring just how much of his high-A performance is real and how much is a product of his environment. At least the Mariners believe in him and see his skills defensively as a third baseman. That would help any sort of fantasy value he might have down the road. Dynasty leagues should take note of Liddi and monitor his rise over the next year or two. ...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Alex Liddi, Fantasy, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Seattle Mariners

Morning Notes: Meche, Bob Melvin, Minor Perfection

By Zach Sanders | July 1, 2009 | MLB Notebook

Gil Meche will fight through injury issues and pitch in the Royals series finale with the Twins tonight.Former Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners manager Bob Melvin is accepting a job with the San Diego Padres. There is no word on what that job may be.Rockies minor leaguer Brandon Hynick threw a perfect game yesterday. Good for him....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, Bob Melvin, Brandon Hynick, Colorado Rockies, Gil Meche, Kansas City Royals, MLB, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners

Wednesday's Games of the Day

By Jonathan Etkowicz | July 1, 2009 | MLB Notebook

July begins with several teams either looking to extend winning streaks or stop losing streaks. San Francisco and St. Louis continue a series that impacts the early Wild Card race. Colorado looks to turn their luck around against the Dodgers. Plenty of pitchers are looking for win number eight, nine, or ten on July 1. Nyjer Morgan joins the Nationals. Adam Jones and Marco Scutaro begin July looking to end recent slumps. Those, and plenty of other good storylines, can be found in Wednesday's Games of the Day. Washington at Florida: The Nyjer Morgan era begins in Washington. He and...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Adam Jones, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Brad Bergesen, Brad Hawpe, Chicago Cubs, Clayton Kershaw, Cole Hamels, Colorado Rockies, Dallas Braden, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Games of the Day, Ian Snell, James Loney, James Shields, Jarrod Washburn, Jason Hammel, Jered Weaver, Josh Beckett, Justin Verlander, Kevin Millwood, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Luke Scott, Marco Scutaro, Mike Pelfrey, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Nick Johnson, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Torii Hunter, Toronto Blue Jays, Virgil Vasquez, Washington Nationals, Yovani Gallardo

MLB Top 10: Halos Grab AL West Lead

By Jaymes Langrehr | June 29, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Sometimes when I think about this list during the weekend before Mondays roll around, things end up looking a bit differently than I pictured. This was one of those weeks. Over the weekend, multiple winning streaks were snapped, teams unexpectedly played poorly, and my top ten list underwent some major reconstruction. The result? A drastically different list compared to what we would've seen on Friday. 1. Los Angeles Angels (41-32)The Halos have won five straight, including a series win over the red-hot Rockies last week. They followed up the impressive series win by sweeping the woeful Diamondbacks over the weekend, and they now hold a 1.5 game lead in the AL West over Texas. They get the chance to widen the gap this week when they continue their road trip in Texas, in what some are calling the biggest series for the Angels this year.2. Tampa Bay Rays (42-35)Don't look...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Minnesota Twins, MLB, MLB Outsider, MLB Top 10, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays

MLB Great Debates: Which Playoff Contender Needs a Trade to Stay in the Race?

By Staff Report | June 26, 2009 | MVN Outsider

MLB Outsider's Jaymes Langrehr and Kurt Evans debate the issue: Which contending team most needs to make a deal before the July 31 trade deadline in order to stay in the race? Jaymes Langrehr argues that the Brewers desperately need starting pitching:As we get closer to the trade deadline, a good number of teams are developing clear needs that need to be addressed if they're going to stay in playoff contention. Some teams will be able to cope with their weaknesses and still make the playoffs due to their other strengths. Other clubs will need to make a move if they have any chance at contending in the second half.The Milwaukee Brewers are a prime example. Heading into this season, they knew that their pitching wouldn't be as good as it was down the stretch last season. Given the strength of their offense, however, they figured to be in okay...Read more

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MLB Top 10: Rox Still Hot

By Jaymes Langrehr | June 22, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Sure, the Colorado Rockies may not be on an insanely long winning streak at the moment (they're back to a merely above-average 5-game streak), but they're still playing the best baseball outside of Los Angeles or Boston at this point. For that reason, they hang on to the #1 spot in this week's Top 10 list. But who takes the #2 spot? With quite a few teams piecing together winning streaks lately, there are plenty of contenders -- there are seven teams who have won at least three games in a row, so there's no shortage of teams playing well, unlike in previous weeks.1. Colorado Rockies (36-33)Sure, it may not be an 11-game win streak, but after dropping a game to the Rays to snap the streak, Colorado has won five straight. For those of you keeping track at home, that's 16 wins in their past 17 games, and it's...Read more

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Fantasy Baseball: Seattle Mariners P Brandon Morrow

By Brad Berreman | June 16, 2009 | MVN Outsider

So far in 2009, Seattle Mariners' pitcher Brandon Morrow is 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA and six saves (in eight opportunities) in 17 appearances. He has struggled with his control so far this season (7.6 BB/9), but has struck out 24 in 21.1 innings this season (10.1 K/9). Morrow started his first game of the season last Saturday in place of an injured Erik Bedard and went three innings, allowing one run on three hits while walking and striking out four as he threw 64 pitches. The Mariners had planned to send Morrow to Triple-A in an effort to convert him into a starting pitcher, but that plan has been scrapped for now due to some lingering injuries in the Mariners' starting rotation. Morrow is expected to make another start this Thursday at San Diego against the Padres and reports have suggested that his pitch count will be in the 75-80 range. After that,...Read more

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MLB Outsider Mock Draft: Seattle Mariners Select Wil Myers

By Staff Report | May 29, 2009 | MVN Outsider

MLB Outsider is hosting a 2009 MLB mock draft, where bloggers from all over come together in an attempt to project the draft results that will take place June 9. Prospect Insider's Jason Churchill picks for the Seattle Mariners at No. 27. Seattle will happily take C Wil Myers from Wesleyan Christian Academy. Follow the mock draft here.Wil Myers is the best athlete among a strong group of prep catchers, creating further options should his bat prove worthy of third base or right field and the vigor of catching everyday dare not agree with his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. Myers, a right-handed hitter, profiles as a plus bat with average or better power and good contact skills. He runs well and has a plus arm, but his athleticism, versatility and feel for the game are the attributes that incline scouts to believe he's a big leaguer. Myers' advantage over Max Stassi...Read more

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MLB Great Debates: The Ballpark Experience

By Staff Report | May 26, 2009 | MVN Outsider

MLB Outsider's Jaymes Langrehr and Kurt Evans debate the issue: Which experience is better, going to a Major League Baseball game or going to a minor-league one?Jaymes Langrehr says MLB's quality is top-notch:Where I grew up, I was about a three-hour drive east away from Milwaukee County Stadium, and a three-hour drive west away from the Metrodome. I was literally stuck in the middle of nowhere when it came to the MLB map, and looking back, I was definitely jealous of the kids who were able to spend their summers buying cheap Brewers tickets and move their way up to field level (because it's not like anyone was sitting in those seats, anyway). Still, the few major-league games that I was able to attend were incredible -- even though the home team almost always got crushed. Even when your team stinks, there's something special about a Major League game that...Read more

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MLB Great Debates: Steroids and the Hall of Fame

By Staff Report | May 13, 2009 | MVN Outsider

MLB Outsider's Jaymes Langrehr and Kurt Evans debate the issue: Should the BBWAA look past the use of performance-enhancing drugs and vote known "steroids guys" into the National Baseball Hall of Fame?Jaymes Langrehr says the writers will eventually have no choice but to vote in tainted players:Once again, the game of baseball has been rocked by a star testing positive for a banned substance. Every time this happens, everyone ends up trying to decide if that player is going to be allowed to enter the Hall of Fame. And every time this happens, all the old time-tested baseball writers voting for the Hall say that the player will get in over their dead bodies.It's getting to the point now, though, that eventually they're going to have to lighten up, or risk enshrining some undeserving players. If they stick to their word, we won't be getting Alex Rodriguez and Manny...Read more

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MLB Outsider Mock Draft: Seattle Mariners Select Jacob Turner

By Staff Report | May 12, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Turner - Let's Play Two

MLB Outsider is hosting a 2009 MLB mock draft, where bloggers from all over come together in an attempt to project the draft results that will take place June 9. Prospect Insider's Jason Churchill picks for the Seattle Mariners at No. 2. RHP Jacob Turner from Westminster Christian Academy becomes the first high school pick in the draft. Follow the mock draft here.[I made this pick before Dustin Ackley of UNC played center field for 18 straight innings, effectively answering the questions about his ability to make the necessary throws and thus pushing his draft value to where I would have taken him at No. 2 over Turner... ] Turner is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander who has reached 98 mph on the radar gun this spring and has flashed a plus breaking ball and more-than acceptable command as a high school senior. He Began the season behind other prep...Read more

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