SEAside Thoughts: Stars Lead the Way for Mariners in Week 13

Mariners SEAside Thoughts Week 13

“That boy’s good.”

-Coming to America

• The Mariners came home from “The Brawl” needing to keep the momentum rolling. First night back…egg laid!
• The rest of the week was an absolute success!
• Cy Young Robbie Ray has been activated. 13.2 innings pitched, 5 hits, 1 earned run, and 20 K’s. Ray helped start the successful week by keeping the Orioles in check while the offense was struggling, and he did it again on Sunday.

• Julio Rodriguez may or may not be an all-star (may be too late, but he should be), but make no mistake this dude is a star. Every time he bats or makes a play in the field or bases, it’s must-watch television.
• Yes, I’m a Mariners fan, so I’m a bit biased, but I can’t think of a player this young taking over the league with such talent, joy, and star power. Yasiel Puig could never control the raw talent, Trout hasn’t been successful enough with the Angels to own the sports world. Julio is a cornerstone talent, and when he gets Seattle to the playoffs, he may be the biggest star in the game. Seattle is so lucky.
• Kirby had a batting practice game on Monday against the Orioles, but he showed incredible resolve and makeup, coming back on Saturday to throw the best game of his career. He shut down the A’s lineup, going 7-strong with 9 K’s. It’s good to know he can mentally bounce back like that. The rotation really is giving you everything you could possibly ask for right now.
• Sounds like Lewis is going to begin a rehab assignment soon, and there’s a chance Ty France is back by this time next week. Getting Ty back and healthy is an absolute need, and could really help jolt this squad into the all-star break firmly in the hunt and looking to be full-on buyers. I’m happy for Lewis, but anything he gives Seattle from here on out is gravy on top. You can’t count on him right now, or in the future. Any time he does play, enjoy it, and I hope he can stay healthy long enough to get a rhythm.
• Two weeks ago I talked about the Mariners entering the easiest part of their schedule so far. A thirteen-game stretch involving the A’s, Angels, and Orioles. I said 9-4 was the baseline to stay alive, and they went 10-3. That will help, but dang, no brawl and Winker’s warning track power in Seattle on Friday and the Mariners would have gone 12-1 and would be over .500. A tremendous week nonetheless.

• The easy schedule run is over, now we’re in a 32-game sprint to the all-important trade deadline. Of those 32 games, 19 are against the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres. That’s four of the top nine teams in baseball. You wouldn’t bat an eye if any of them made the World Series. It’s time to see if the Mariners have truly gotten better, or are just a product of their easy schedule.
• If Seattle manages to go 16-16 during this span, and are three games under .500 at the deadline, I’d still view that as a success and would hope Jerry is aggressive at the deadline. The final 60 games for Seattle look very manageable, and the path to 90 wins could be realistic…with the appropriate reinforcements.
• This week’s SEAside Player of the week is…a tie!
  • Robbie Ray looks like the ace Seattle paid for.
  • Julio winning back-to-back rookie of the month awards while separating himself as the clear best player on the team at his age is wild!
• This week’s “Mariners Music Mojo” is Imagination by Citizens.
• Hope you had a great Fourth of July!