Baseball Returns to the Emerald City: A Seattle Mariners Dynasty

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Week 5: April 25 - May 1

April 25
MLB News/Transactions

Mariners News/Transactions
Game 21
Seattle Mariners (7-14) @ Minnesota Twins (15-6)

Mariners lose 6-1	WP: Joe Decker (3-0)		LP: Mike Paxton (1-2)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Mariners 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	1 	3 	1
Twins 		0 	3 	1 	0 	0 	2 	0 	0 	x 	6 	9 	1

The Mariners fall to 0-9 all-time against the Twins with yet another weak loss. The Twins had another starter go the distance against Seattle, this time veteran Joe Decker. The Mariners could only muster three hits, all singles against the soft-tossing Decker. Mike Paxton had his first poor start of the season, giving up six runs in six innings.

	Mariners					Twins
	Roenicke 1-3, BB, RBI				Wynegar 3-3, 2 2B(4), 3B(2), R, 3 RBI
	Kuiper 1-3					Cubbage 2-4, 2B(4), 2 R, RBI
	Paxton 6 IP, 6 R, 8 H, BB, K			Decker CG, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K

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April 26
MLB News/Transactions
Contracts:

BOS	CF Fred Lynn (90)		Signed 3 Year, $1.38M extension ($460K per) through 1979

That they were only able to settle on a buyout of Lynn's arbitration years has to be sort of a disappointment for the Red Sox brass. Lynn is one of the premier center fielders in the game today and is already a Sox legend after becoming the first player in baseball history to win the Rookie of the Year and the AL MVP in the same year. He could command a very lucrative contract on the open market and the Sox will find out in a few short years. Lynn is batting .307/.351/.420 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs so far this season.

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Mariners News/Transactions
Game 22
Seattle Mariners (7-15) vs. Oakland Athletics (8-14)

Mariners lose 1-0	WP: Vida Blue (1-4)		LP: Byron McLaughlin (1-2)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Athletics 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	0 	1 	3 	0
Mariners 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	6 	1

Oakland ace Vida Blue finally picked up his first win of the season with a complete game shutout of the flailing Mariners. The M's have combined for just two runs in the past three games, culminating in this disaster against the A's. Blue was in total control, striking out seven and walking none. Byron McLaughlin was the hard luck loser for the Mariners in his best start as a Major Leaguer, going eight innings and allowing only one run. The M's will have to start hitting again if they have any chance of becoming a competitive team.

	Mariners					Athletics
	Moreno 2-4, 2B(7)				Ramirez 1-3, RBI, K
	Johnson 1-4, 2B(2)				Fairly 1-2, BB
	McLaughlin 8 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 7 K		Blue CG, 0 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 7 K

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April 27
MLB News/Transactions
Injuries:

BOS	SP Luis Tiant (90)		Severe Elbow Tendonitis (Two weeks)

Tiant is the second big Red Sox star to go on the DL in the past week after battery mate Carlton Fisk. Tiant is having another stellar season with a 3-1 record and a 1.96 ERA. Bill Lee will make a few starts in Tiant's place with Tom Murphy being recalled to take the roster spot.

NYM	RP Bob Apodaca (74/77)		Chipped Knee Cap (Two weeks)

Apodaca has been less than productive pitching in relief for the Mets this year. He's been excellent the last two seasons pitching more than 80 innings each year. But this year he's at a 6.48 ERA through 8+ innings. Rookie Jesse Orosco will be called up to provide a few innings of relief.

Releases:

MIN	LF Rich Chiles (60/62)

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Mariners News/Transactions
Game 23
Seattle Mariners (8-15) vs. Oakland Athletics (8-15)

Mariners win 3-2	WP: Fernando Arroyo (1-1)	LP: Mike Torrez (2-3)	SV: Doug Bair (3)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Athletics 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2 	8 	0
Mariners 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	1 	0 	0 	x 	3 	7 	1

Fernando Arroyo pitched the best game of the season allowing only one earned run over six innings, striking out six and walking only one batter. Gary Roenicke had the best game of his season with 3 hits including 2 doubles. The M's still aren't hitting at all, but at least the pitching has been semi-decent.

	Mariners					Athletics
	Roenicke 3-4, 2 2B(6), 2 R, K			Allen 1-4, R, HR(4), RBI, 2 K
	Johnson 2-3, BB, R				Page 3-4, 2 2B(2), R, K, 2 SB
	Arroyo 6 IP, 2 R, 6 H, BB, 6 K			Torrez 6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K

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April 28
MLB News/Transactions
Injuries:

CHC	SP Steve Renko (82)		Finger Stress Fracture (Two weeks)

Renko has been the Cubs best starter this season, going 4-2 with a 2.59 ERA and a 32/19 K/BB ratio in 48+ innings. The last place Cubs are struggling to score runs despite the outstanding pitching. Paul Reuschel will be called up to provide additional bullpen depth.

BAL	RP John Flinn (61/77)		Ankle Stress Fracture (Three weeks)
CHW	RP Randy Scarbery (65/76)	Torn Quadriceps (Three weeks)

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Mariners News/Transactions
Game 24
Seattle Mariners (8-16) vs. Oakland Athletics (9-15)

Mariners lose 8-2	WP: Doc Medich (2-2)		LP: Randy Lerch (1-4)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Athletics 	1 	0 	1 	2 	0 	0 	1 	3 	0 	8 	14 	0
Mariners 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	1 	2 	9 	1

Doc Medich shut down the Mariners as they fail to score more than three runs for the fifth consecutive game. Medich was in control throughout the game confusing Seattle hitters left and right. Leadoff man Omar Moreno struck out three times as he continued his poor play. Randy Lerch finally stopped the bleeding and lasted six innings and "only" gave up four runs. Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel.

	Mariners					Athletics
	Richards 2-5, R, HR(2), RBI			Allen 3-5, 3 RBI
	Hobson 2-4, 2B(5), 3B(3), R			Henderson 2-5, 4 R, HR(1), RBI, K, 2 SB
	Lerch 6 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 3 BB, K			Medich CG, 2 ER, 9 H, 3 BB, 4 K

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April 29
MLB News/Transactions

Mariners News/Transactions
Game 25
Seattle Mariners (8-17) @ Cleveland Indians (11-14)

Mariners lose 4-1	WP: Jim Bibby (4-2)		LP: Rick Honeycutt (0-3)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Mariners 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	8 	0
Indians 	0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	0 	x 	4 	8 	0

The offensive futility continues for the Mariners as they put up only one run against Indians starter Jim Bibby despite racking up eight hits. The Mariners need to learn from the Indians lineup, who had the same amount of hits but managed to score four runs. Timely hitting isn't a skill the M's possess at this point in their development.

	Mariners					Indians
	Kuiper 1-3, RBI					Duffy 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 K
	Moreno 2-3, BB, K, 2 CS				Bell 1-2, 3B(1), 2 BB, 2 R
	Honeycutt 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 3 K		Bibby CG, ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 4 K

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April 30
MLB News/Transactions

Mariners News/Transactions
Game 26
Seattle Mariners (9-17) @ Cleveland Indians (11-15)

Mariners win 8-1	WP: Mike Paxton (2-2)		LP: Wayne Garland (2-2)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Mariners 	0 	0 	1 	2 	1 	0 	0 	1 	3 	8 	11 	0
Indians 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	9 	0

The Mariners' best all-around effort as a franchise came on the last day of April as they put together a decisive 8-1 victory together over the Cleveland Indians. Mike Paxton pitched the first complete game in Mariners history with a 115 pitch effort, scattering nine hits over nine innings. He is emerging as the staff ace in the early going and after being picked in the 2nd round of the expansion draft, is turning out to be a bargain. Four Mariners slapped together multi-hit games including team leaders Lamar Johnson and Gene Richards. A great end to a miserable first month in the young history of the franchise.

	Mariners					Indians
	Johnson 2-4, 2B(3), R, 2 RBI			Thornton 1-4, 2B(2), RBI
	Roenicke 1-4, BB, R, HR(2), 2 RBI		Ashby 2-4, 2B(4)
	Paxton CG, ER, 9 H, BB, K			Garland 7.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 0 K

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May 1
MLB News/Transactions
Injuries:

CHW	RP Bruce Dal Canton (77)	Severed Knee Ligament (Eight months)
CHW	RP Kevin Hickey (65/78)		Pulled Groin (Two weeks)

The White Sox lose two of their bullpen regulars on the same day as Dal Canton will miss the rest of the season and Hickey the next two weeks. Del Canton was having a fine season with a 1.62 ERA in 16 innings pitched before tearing up his knee in his last outing. Hickey's loss isn't as bad, as he was horrendous in 13+ innings this year, throwing up an 8.56 ERA. The Sox will call up 19 year old Juan Agosto and 29 year old Rich Hinton to replace the two lost relievers.

CHW	C Bill Nahorodny (65/69)	Dislocated Shoulder (Two weeks)
MON	2B Tony Bernazard (60/78)	Chipped Knee Cap (Three weeks)

Releases:

CLE	RF Tommy Smith (65/66)

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Mariners News/Transactions
Game 27
Seattle Mariners (10-17) @ Cleveland Indians (11-16)

Mariners win 8-3	WP: Fernando Arroyo (2-1)	LP: Al Fitzmorris (1-5)
  		1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	R 	H 	E
Mariners 	2 	0 	1 	0 	0 	5 	0 	0 	0 	8 	9 	0
Indians 	1 	0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	3 	12 	1

Back to back good games by both the offense and pitching have the M's feeling good as the calendar turns to a new month. Fernando Arroyo went eight innings and allowed three runs to win his second game as a Mariner. The top of the lineup was the key for the M's as Omar Moreno and Gene Richards wreaked havoc on Indians starter Al Fitzmorris.

	Mariners					Indians
	Moreno 1-5, R, 2 RBI, K, SB			Manning 3-5, R, CS
	Richards 1-4, 2B(8), BB, 2 R, 2 RBI		Carty 2-4, 2B(6), R, HR(2), RBI
	Arroyo 8 IP, 3 ER, 11 H, 0 BB, 2 K		Fitzmorris 5 IP, 8 R, 8 H, 5 BB, K