Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - Two Forgetable Games, Two Injuries

Episode Date: April 7, 2021

Well, the first two games of the White Sox series went pretty badly, to say the least. Chicago pitching absolutely stifled Seattle bats, plus in game two, James Paxton and Jake Fraley both sustained injuries. D.C. talks about these two abysmal games, and then talks about how the teams in the National League have begun their seasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on Locked-on Mariners, my best friend and I steal John Wayne's footprints from outside Gromond's Chinese theater. Welcome to Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Here's your host, D.C. Lundberg. Thank you very much, Joey Martin. This is Locked-on Mariners, of course, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Please remember to download, rate, and follow this program using whichever podcasting app that you personally care to use. Ask your smart device to play locked on Mariner's podcast or any program here on the Lockedon

Podcast Network or T-L-O-P-N or T-L-O-P-N or T-Lopin. Very easy to do to say, hey, smart device, would you please play me Locked-on- Anything Podcast? Just something to your team's name for anything. Anything at all. We've got a show on it. Well, not anything at all.

We do have a duck hunting show, actually. That's Locked on Ducks. That makes that's ridiculous. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed yesterday's crossover with Locked on Podres. probably better than me talking about Monday's game, honestly, which was forgettable. I will talk a little bit about that game here in the first segment, talk about yesterday's game in B-block,

and then at the end of the show, going to update the National League, as I did with the American League on Monday. Now to Monday's game, there's really not that much to talk about, honestly. It was one of those games that you try to erase from your memory bank as soon as possible. Mariners could only muster three hits against Chicago pitching, lots of hard fastballs, and the Mariners struck out 15 times. On the flip side, Justice Sheffield simply was not effective.

Chicago was one of the better teams against left-handed pitching, which is trouble for the Mariners, since two-thirds of the rotation is left-handed. Chef could only go five, eight hits, six runs, four of them earned, two walks, a home run, a second-inning solo blast by Yosmani Grandal, and he struck out five. A little bit more on Justice Sheffield, or the Sheffield family, rather, at the end of the show. Drew Steckin-Rider and Will Vest both pitched two innings in relief,

and more on that in a little bit as well. As I said, this was by and large one of those games, you just say, hey, this just was not our day. Let's come back and get him tomorrow. John Schuster and the U.S. Curling team had a game like that on Monday, and believe it or not, it was a worse game than the Mariners played. I won't go into detail, especially this early in the show. But I'll just say this. Up until that point, I had never seen a curling match in which one team was down 10-0 at halftime. Uh, yeah, it was bad. Back to Monday's Mariners game, though, and despite the fact that it was not good,

that's putting it mildly, there were some bright spots, and I'll start with the offense. The Mariners did only have three hits, but two of them were had by Mitch Hanager. He is back, ladies and gentlemen, and through Monday, after Monday's game, he was hitting 353 and slugging 706. And Jake Fraley. He did not get a hit yesterday, but he did draw two of the four mariner bases on balls. Through Monday's game, he had walked eight times already, eight in 17 played appearances. His on-base percentage after Monday's game, 588.

His on-base numbers and the high minors are good, but he's taken his patience to a whole other level. He's adopted, pardon me, a much more patient approach to hitting, and it has paid off. the hits are going to come. They have not so far this year. But if he's keyholding and waiting for his pitch, that will only help him. I don't like his strikeout numbers in the high minors, but maybe that will improve as well with his newfound patience. Well, not, I shouldn't say newfound patience. As I said, he had pretty good on base numbers in the high minors, but not really outstanding. Telegram Sam Haggerty finally got into his first ballgame of the year, sporting a new uniform number,

number zero, but he went 0 for four. He was the final mariner to record a strikeout. Everybody in the lineup struck out at least once. Dylan Moore and Kyle Sigger both cayed three times. Again, just a rough day at the office. It's going to happen. Will Vest pitched much better on Monday than he did in his major league debut. He went out to pitch the 8th and only needed four pitches to put away the pale hose.

So Scott Service sent him back out for the 9th. And while he did need 20 pitches, he did not allow a run and in fact only issued a two-out walk to early-season hero your mean Mercedes. Drew Steck and Ryder also pitched two innings in relief through 42 pitches. I wasn't aware that he could be a multiple inning reliever. And with service only utilizing three pitchers, I'll reiterate a question I brought up on Monday. Why do you need eight pitchers in the bullpen, especially when you've got a six-man rotation?

I realized that Vest probably only would have pitched the one inning had his first inning not been so quick, but even if they would have brought out a new arm for the ninth, that would have only been three relievers in the ballgame, leaving five of them unused. See, Shannon, I can do math. Anyways, this comes back to Ace Frey. Well, his batting average might not be there yet. He is playing well, and he is more than likely going to be the one sent down when Kyle Lewis returns.

More on that shortly as well. On Monday, service showed a willingness to let his relievers pitch multiple innings. That's a good thing. But I'm really puzzled as to why they need so many pitchers if they're going to use so few of them per ballgame. Maybe this is temporary and they'll send someone down when the AAA season starts? I don't know. I hope so because I'd really like to see Ace Frey remain on the big league roster. I've been impressed with his much improved batting eye and the number of walks he's drawn.

I hate to dwell on this, but I'm going to bring it up again. His two prior cups of coffee were not good. so he does have a lot to prove. And oftentimes, when someone has that much to prove, he'll be pressing too much and swing at pitches that he should not in an effort to try to do too much. Ace has not done that and it's paid off. So Ace Fraley, no trouble walking. I'm sure you don't know what that means. Maybe I'll institute a new segment here on this show explaining my outdated music references.

And maybe I'll get Stacey Gautzulius from Locked on Yankees to do the same. segment with me. She's one of the only other hosts on this network who knows who Gorky Park is. Kyle Lewis, Scott Service explained, indicated rather, that he's probably not going to see action in a game for another two to three weeks. He started hitting out of the cage on Monday, and the Mariners are going to bring him back slowly, which I think is a good call. It's early in the season, and there's no reason to rush him back. Time for the trivia corner, and since that segment took a lot longer than I thought it was going to. I figured I'd be lucky to get five minutes out of that game. We'll do a quick trivia question, and it'll have nothing to do with Monday's game.

Instead, I'll do a question based off Tuesday's game. James Paxton made his first appearance as a mariner since being traded to the Yankees for Justice Sheffield at all. He is known as the Big Maple because of his Canadian roots. Where in Canada is he from? This is one you might actually be able to get out there. Answer following this from Bilt Bar, the greatest protein bars in the history of protein. Low in sugar, calories, and carbs, they taste as good, they taste as close to a candy bar as a protein bar can get. No gritty or chalky texture, no funny aftertaste, just good old-fashioned deliciousness, gang.

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Yes, 20%. That's almost 21%. Builtbar.com promo code locked 20 for 20% off your order. Built bar, let your fingers do the walking. Answer to the trivia question, James Paxton is from Ladner, British Columbia, about 130 miles northwest of Seattle, about 20 miles northwest of the U.S. Canada border on I-5,

about a half-hour drive or so, or since this is Canada, about a half-hour drive. See, I picked up a little Canadian while watching all this curling. Coming up, were the Mariners able to bounce back on Tuesday after a bad day on Monday. I have no idea. As of this recording, that game hasn't happened yet. Now back to Lockdown Mariners and your host, D.C. Lundberg.

Thank you very much, J.M. Hey, gang, get all the sports news that you need in under 20 minutes with the Lockdown Today podcast. Host Peter Bikowski update to you on the latest news in every major sports with the help of our local experts. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, our very own local experts. Follow locked on today on the Odyssey app or wherever you get podcasts. Last night's game was long. Could the Meritors please finish a game inside of three hours? Is that asking too much?

Also, is it just me or are pitchers taking more time in between pitches this year than they have in the past? I don't know, but the games this year have been long. Last night's seventh inning stretch occurred at 9.53 p.m. Even the 14-1 Smackdown, the Reds laid on the pirates yesterday, took less than three hours. Anyways, this was another not good game. There are two injuries to touch upon as well, unfortunately. This was James Paxton's return engagement with the Mariners, and it was over really quickly. He had to leave the game with one out in the second inning with what's being described as elbow discomfort.

Nick Marevichis, who still needs a nickname, came in and gave the M's, pretty good long relief. He did give up a two-run, home run, but he was good otherwise. Keenan Middleton had another rough day at the office, unfortunately. He could not locate his fastball, although I did like his slider. He allowed a grand slam to Jose Ibrahim in the ninth to put the game really out of reach. That made it 10 to 3 up until that point. Conversely, Lucas Jolito was pretty good, another good performance by an opposition starting pitcher. Although the Ms were able to get to him in the third, after he looked just untouchable the first two innings, he struck out five in those first two. In the third, he couldn't seem to locate his fastball as well, and also lost a few miles per hour

off that pitch. But he began using his change-up and breaking ball more, which were effective, and he could locate them better. In that third inning, the Mariners cast in three runs and made him throw 39 pitches. If not for that, he most likely could have gotten deeper into the ballgame. But the Mariners couldn't do much against the hard third. or out of the White Sox bullpen either, even though they also had trouble locating their fastballs. Garrett Crochet in particular had location issues with his fastball, but he mixed in a slider

pretty well and seemed to be able to better locate it. The Mariners got one garbage time run in the ninth, but it was another forgettable ballgame, a 10 to 4 loss. You know, what else can be said about this? The Mariners have run into some very good starting pitching this far, and Chicago's bullpen is far superior or San Francisco's. I'm not ready to sound the alarm yet. It's only

been five games for one thing. And as I just said, the Ms have seen some pretty good pitching. Let's hope they can salvage the final game of this series this afternoon. Justin Dunn will get his first look of the season against former trashd row, Dallas Kichel. Game time is 1.10

p.m. So watch this be the game they breeze through in two and a half hours. Jake Fraley made an impressive diving catch last night, but injured his hamstring on the play. His turn at bat did not come up the bottom of the inning, but he was replaced on defense the next inning by Dylan Moore, who had originally gotten the day off. And I'm sure that while listening to the first segment where I was talking about Ace Frey, you out there were saying, Fraley is injured. How can he not know this? I recorded that segment

very early this afternoon to save myself some time, so I wouldn't have to record the whole show after the ballgame, especially given the M's propensity for long games this season. You have to remember, ladies and gentlemen, I'm 114 years old. As of right now, there's no word on ACE's status for the immediate future. I'm sure there will be one later today, and I'll probably talk about that on Thursday. There's also no word on Paxton's status. That's the one I'm more worried about. He has a history of injury problems, including arm trouble. And if he does land on the injured list, Nick Margievich's will step into the rotation. Eric Swanson would be a likely candidate to be called up since he offers multiple inning capability out of the bullpen.

And if Ace has to go on the IL, then I'm guessing it would be Braden Bishop to get the call. I sincerely doubt it'll be Jared Kelnick for two reasons. A, the Mariners want to develop him a bit more in the minors before bringing him up, and B, he's not on the 40-man roster. I don't know who they would or could DFA to make room for him. But let's hope that Ace's hamstring strain was minor, and let's also hope that Maple's elbow isn't as bad as I fear might be. Good thoughts, gang. Good thoughts. And if you out there have a thought that you would like to

express on the air, send it to Lockdown Mariners at Gmail.com. Hey, see how I did that? That's called a segue gang for those scoring at home. Questions and comments on any subject are welcome and encouraged. I will address them on the air. Just keep them appropriate. That's all I ask. It's a family show. Coming up, what's nine feet tall? Has orange fur and lives in the Atlantic Ocean? Something that has nothing to do with this next segment. Now this, from Bet Online, the fastest and easiest way to bet on all your sports action. Football might be over, but the NBA, college, no, not college basketball, still such college basketball in my script.

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Bet Online, your online sports book experts promo code Locked On. Why'd I say it like that? Welcome back to Locked On Mariners. Here once again is your host, D.C. Lundberg. Thank you very much, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, be a waiver. WIRE winner with the Locked-on Fantasy Baseball podcast. And if you can say WaiverWire winner five times fast, you get 15 extra points.

It's a daily fantasy baseball podcast hosted by veteran fantasy analyst, Scott Cullen, who uses data and nearly two decades of fantasy experience to offer the strategies and waiver-wire pickups that lead to league wins. I never realized until now just how bad a run-on sentence that is. Anyways, follow Locked-on Fantasy Baseball on the Odyssey app, or wherever the heck you choose to get podcasts. Gonna go over how the teams in the National League are doing to close out today's episode. And yes, gang, I realize this episode may be a little short.

I could stretch it out and talk about curling for a few minutes like I did at the end of Monday's show. I'm not going to do that. I'll probably bring it up after the gold medal game. And then that'll be it until the Women's World Championship in a few weeks. But as far as the National League goes, we'll start in the NL West, since everyone else seems to start out east. get to show a little West Coast bias, just because I can. And the defending world champion, L.A. Dodgers are out of the shoot like a house of fire.

Five and one after play on Tuesday. They dropped their opening game in course field, but have won the last five in a row, including the last two over Oakland, who are now 0 in 6. Poor Jason Burke. Go over to his locker room later on this week to cheer him up. Tell him, hey, it could be worse. I don't know how, but it could be worse. Of course. Anyways, the San Diego Padres, or Slam Diego, as it were, are four in two.

But Fernando Tatis Jr. had to be placed on the injured list today. There's no timetable for his return. But he suffered a partially dislocated shoulder and a partially torn labrum while swinging at a pitch. That must have been one hell of a healthy rip, ladies and gentlemen. Surgery is not required, however, and that is certainly good news. Arizona is two and three to begin things, as is San Francisco. After winning their first game, the Rockies have since gone 0 and 4, and they will most likely bring up the rear in the National League West.

More on them, however, at the end of the program. Moving over to the Central and the Cincinnati Reds are 4-1. Like L.A., they also lost their first game, but haven't lost since. They were also involved in the first brawl of the season against division rivals, St. Louis. Nick Castellanos had been hit by a pitch, which he kind of took exception to, sort of stared out to the mound for a minute before Yaddea Merlina settled him down a little bit. Castellanos later scored on a play at the plate following a wild pitch with the pitcher who plunked him, Jake Woodford, covering home plate.

Castellanos flexed his muscles over Woodford after scoring, got in his face, which Yadiria Murlina and the rest of the Cardinals obviously took exception to and rightfully so, emptying the benches with about half of the Reds dugout ushering Castellanos away from the fracas. Let me tell you, gang, if I'm the Cardinals, next time I face that guy, he's getting a 98-mile-an-hour fastball right in his ribs. You do not show up the other team like that. Castellanos was suspended for two games, yeah, two games, and he appealed. Anyways, the Cubs and Cardinals are both at 3 and 2, Milwaukee's 2 and 3,

and the lonely pirates are currently 1 and 4. There is one team that is winless in the National League, and that team is in the NL East, and it's the Braves, who I think are clearly the best team in that division. Philadelphia is 4 and 1 to open things up. Miami is 1 and 4. Braves, by the way, 0 and 4. The Mets and National Series, which was supposed to open up the season, never happened. One team had COVID issues.

I forget which one it was. I think it was Washington. I guess that's something that I probably should have looked at before I started recording, but it's late. It's 1.30 in the morning right now. The Mets are 1-1, and the Nationals played their first game on Tuesday, which they won in walk-off fashion. They are 1-0. Don't think they're going to go 162-0, just a hunch.

It's pretty useless to talk about statistics and whatnot, given that we're less than a week in. So I'll save that for later. Still very early on, still way too early to get an idea on how teams are doing. The picture really doesn't start to come and to focus until after about a month or so. It might take the Mariners, though, a slight bit longer, given that one of their main cogs, Kyle Lewis,

won't have played very much at that time. Getting back to the Rockies and also getting back to something I said about Justice Sheffield in A block. Earlier this spring, Justice appeared in a game with his brother, Jordan Sheffield, for the first time. Prior to this year, Jordan had pitched as high as Double A, and earlier on this very program during spring training after that game happened, I stated that I did not know the Rockies' plans for him,

but then I was kind of hoping that they'd start him in advanced A, so he'd be a Spokane Indian for at least a little bit. Well, gang, I really did not know their plans for him. Jordan made the opening day roster for the Rockies and made his Major League debut on April 2nd, pitching a 1-2-3-9th inning against the Dodgers. Congratulations to Jordan Sheffield for making it to the show. The Rockies will play the Mariners June 22nd and 23rd in Seattle.

I do hope that Jordan is still at the Major League level at that time. It would be really neat if both Sheffield brothers appeared in the same Major League game. But even if it isn't Justice's turn on the rotation, should Jordan pitch, I'm sure that the crowd in Seattle would give him a very nice welcome. That'll do it for today, gang. Next time on Locked-on Mariners, I will be joined by Stephen Keaton, Uncle Traveling Matt, and an oven mitt. Please remember to download Raiden, follow this program.

Look for us on any podcasting app you can think of. I say we, but it's pretty much just me, quite honestly. Thanks for listening, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy this afternoon's game. It can't really go much worse than the previous two. I hope it does, at least. Take care of yourselves. I talk to you tomorrow.

This is Joey Martin, speaking for Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.