The Seattle Mariners have been called much worse. If Jim Bowden is right, and the Mariners are the next version of the Tampa Bay Rays, it would certainly make plenty of fans happy. In recent years, the Rays have put together the kind of club that small and medium markets hope to create, which includes great pitching, balanced hitting, and a minimum of high-priced free agents. What has to happen for this prediction to come true?

The pitching staff

We have our ace in Felix Hernandez. For the Mariners to become the Rays, we need some of this purported talent to develop into genuine big leaguers in a fairly short period of time. That has been plenty of talk about Hector Noesi, Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker. Until that is the actual starting rotation and they all have positive records, the M’s are still going to be King Felix and a number of players who might live up to potential someday.

Coming together

On paper, there is potential in the Mariner lineup. Despite a dreadful offense over the last couple of season, fans can be optimistic about players like Dustin Ackley, Mike Carp and Jesus Montero. Again, potential means nothing until the team starts hitting somewhere far north of .233 for the year. If Michael Saunders continues to hit like he has during the spring and Munenori Kawasaki turns out to be a solid contributor, this offense could actually have a bright future. Wouldn’t that be a nice change of pace?

Balance in the payroll

The fear with a team like the Mariners is that eventual success may be difficult to maintain from a payroll standpoint. Because of baseball’s dysfunctional financial system, a club like the Mariners is always at risk of being raided by the big spenders like the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels. Developing into the Rays is a nice thought, but Tampa Bay may have a hard time keeping their stars in the next couple of years. Still, it would be fun to watch a hot young team play for a few years and perhaps even contend.

As a fan, I certainly wouldn’t mind if the Mariners found the same success as the Rays have discovered over the last few seasons. It has been a tough few years, and Seattle deserves better.

Sources:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thehotstoneleague/2017708267_jim_bowden_raves_about_mariner.html

The author lives in Los Angeles, but grew up in Seattle and still roots faithfully for the Mariners even though they are sometimes frustrating to watch. He gets to Seattle whenever he can to see his M’s. You can follow him on Twitter @tpheifer.

More from this contributor:

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Over the past four seasons the Tampa Bay Rays have gone from being the doormat of the AL East to one of the most successful franchises in baseball. Since 2008, the Rays have three playoff appearances, two AL East titles and represented the American League in the 2008 World Series.

One of the key components of the Rays success has been their ability to develop talent from within the organization. Whether the players are drafted or acquired through a trade, the Rays have excelled at grooming young talent in their system. During the past four seasons the Rays have had significant contributions by home grown talent at every position on the field, except one.

The Rays minor league system has been unable to develop a quality, Major League ready first baseman. However, over the past five years, they have enjoyed reliable (and sometimes exceptional) offensive and defensive production from the position.

Carlos Pena was signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training before the 2007 season. Pena made the most of his opportunity with the Rays and became a fixture at first base from 2007-2010. During his tenure with the Rays he hit 144 home runs and accumulated 407 RBIs. Pena left the Rays via free agency after the 2010 season and signed with the Chicago Cubs.

After Pena’s departure the Rays were left with a hole at first base. Early in the season they turned to Dan Johnson(notes), but he struggled to produce during the first month of the 2011 season.

Johnson’s struggles cleared the way for Casey Kotchman(notes) to have a shot at the everyday first base job. Kotchman (once a top prospect for the Los Angeles Angels) played for four different teams from 2008-2010 and his production declined with each stop. After a miserable 2010 season with the Seattle Mariners, the Rays were able to sign Kotchman to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training before the 2011 season.

Just like Carlos Pena did before him, Kotchman made the most of his opportunity with the Rays. He experienced a career revival in 2011 by hitting .306 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs. Unfortunately, for the Rays, Kotchman was only signed to a one-year contract and he became a free agent after the 2011 season.

So once again, the Rays are left with a hole to fill at first base and they don’t have many viable options within their organization to fill the void. Let’s take a look at five potential options, outside of the Tampa Bay organization, that could man first base for the Rays in 2012.

Casey Kotchman

If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it. The Rays won 91 games with Kotchman at first in 2011.

On the plus side, he’s an excellent defensive first baseman and that fits well with the Rays philosophy of winning with pitching and defense. He also led the team in hitting with a .306 average.

On the negative side, he lacks the power you would ideally like to see from a corner infielder. His .306 average was the highest of his career and he’ll most likely revert to his career average of .270-.280 in 2012. Also, after the success he had in 2011, he’ll be looking for a multi-year contract and his price may be too high for the Rays, especially since he has limited upside potential.

Carlos Pena

Pena is once again a free agent after completing his one-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs in 2011.

Pena was always a fan favorite with the Rays and re-signing him would excite a fan base that struggles to support the Rays at Tropicana Field. He’s a known commodity. He plays excellent defense and has the power you look for in a corner infielder.

On the down side, Pena strikes out a lot and he’ll never hit for a great average. His numbers were solid with the Cubs in 2011. He hit .225 with 28 home runs and 80 RBIs. He would bring some much needed explosiveness to the Rays pedestrian offense and could provide Evan Longoria(notes) with some protection in the line-up.

There’s no doubt the Rays would love to have Pena back, but the price tag will be an issue. The Rays won’t pay $10 million for a free agent first baseman. The Rays would need to sell Pena on the idea of playing for less money to have a shot at contending for a World Series ring, while playing close to home (he lives in Orlando).

Yonder Alonso(notes)

Alonso was once the top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, but his status has slipped some over the past couple seasons. He’s currently ranked as the third best prospect in the Red’s system.

The Red’s tried to convert Alonso to left field (since they already have a superstar first baseman in Joey Votto(notes)), but his natural position is first base. However, even at his best, he is considered an average fielder.

Alonso has shown some ability at the plate. In 117 career Major League at-bats he’s hit .299 with 5 home runs and 18 RBIs. During his three years in the minors he posted a .293 average with 36 home runs and 179 RBIs in 1179 at-bats.

Recently, there have been rumors that the Red’s would be willing to deal Alonso if the right offer came along. He would fit in with the Rays strategy of pursuing young players, with some upside potential, who have a low price tag. He wouldn’t be eligible to arbitration until 2015 and wouldn’t be a free agent until 2018.

The Rays currently have eight Major League ready starting pitchers in their organization, so they could be in the market for an Alonso trade, but the asking price would determine the level of interest from the Rays. The Rays won’t deal any of their top four starters (Shields, Hellickson, Price or Moore) straight up for Alonso, but if a deal is built around Wade Davis(notes), Jeff Neimann, Alex Cobb(notes) or Alex Torres(notes), the Rays might listen.

Logan Morrison(notes)

Logan Morrison played left field for the Marlins in 2011, but he’s more suited for first base. At best, he’s an average defender. However, he does have some pop. In 2011 he appeared in 123 games and hit .247 with 23 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Morrison had attitude issues while playing for the Marlins. He was briefly demoted to the minors during the 2011 season after clashing with management.

On the downside, his limited defense and potential attitude concerns don’t fit into the Rays standard philosophy.

On the plus side, he’s young, cheap and has some offensive potential. He isn’t arbitration eligible until 2014 and would remain under team control until 2017. Those factors do fit into the budget conscious Rays philosophy.

One of the first trade rumors this offseason involved the Rays trading James Shields(notes) to the Marlins for Logan Morrison. That trade is extremely unlikely. Shields current value vastly outweighs Morrison’s. Once again, the Rays won’t part with their top four starting pitchers to obtain Morrison, but if a deal is built around one of the other four, the Rays might be interested.

Justin Smoak(notes)

Rumor has it that the Seattle Mariners may be pursuing free agent first baseman Prince Fielder(notes). If the Mariners do sign Fielder then they may deal incumbent first baseman Justin Smoak.

Smoak was once a top prospect of the Texas Rangers, but he was dealt to the Mariners as part of the Cliff Lee(notes) deal in 2010. Smoak was the everyday first baseman for the Mariners in 2011. He hit .234 with 15 home runs and 55 RBIs.

On the plus side, Smoak is a switch hitting first baseman that still hasn’t reached his offensive potential. He’s not arbitration eligible until 2014 and will remain under team control until 2017.

On the down side, he’s a below average defender. In 223 games during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, he’s posted a dWAR (defensive wins above replacement) of -0.1.

If Smoak becomes available and the Mariners are willing to trade for one of the Rays lower end pitching prospects (think Alex Torres), then the Rays may be interested in trading for the switch hitting first baseman.

The Rays front office is always creative when addressing holes in their roster. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them pursue an option nobody saw coming. Only time will tell who the Rays run out there as their starting first baseman in 2012.

Sean McDonnell has been a resident of the Tampa Bay area for the past 21 years. He is an avid fan of the Tampa Bay Rays; Tampa Bay Bucs and USF Bulls.

*statistics provided by Yahoo sports

Sources:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smoakju01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/morrilo01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonsyo01.shtml

Additional articles from this author:

Rays Trade John Jaso to Mariners for Josh Lueke: A Fan’s Take

Is Jose Molina a Good Fit for the Rays?: A Fan’s Take

Should the Rays Trade for Joey Votto: A Fan’s Take

Should the Rays Trade James Shields for Logan Morrison?: A Fan’s Review

How the Rays Can Increase Attendance: A Fan’s Take

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

“It feels good,” Damon said. “It was a great team effort, again.”

Damon connected for a leadoff shot in the ninth on the first pitch from Dan Cortes (0-2), sending his 11th homer of the season into the right-field seats.

“The first pitch I was going to look to drive something,” Damon said. “But after that I was going to think about bunting, maybe, and getting on base and set the table. Fortunately I hit it far enough.”

The Rays trailed 5-4 in the seventh when Damon launched a deep fly to right-center field. It was first ruled a home run, but the umpires changed the call to a three-run double after 2-minute, 45-second video review.

TV relays showed the reversal was correct and that the ball hit off the top of the wall.

“They were right on with that call,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Actually, we got the ball back and it had yellow paint on it.”

Damon also came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but the inning ended when catcher Josh Bard chased down a pitch that went to the backstop and threw the ball to Cortes, who tagged out Matt Joyce attempting to score from third.

After blowing an early four-run lead, Seattle tied it at 7 during the eighth when Wily Mo Pena hit a long two-run homer to center off James Shields.

“We were in position to win two out of the three games here and ended up losing both late,” Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. “We just have to keep plugging.”

Kyle Farnsworth (5-1) pitched a perfect ninth as the Rays won for the 10th time in 12 games.

“I had a good feeling about it,” Maddon said. “The resolve was there. The attitude was there. They were ready to roll.”

Casper Wells also homered for the Mariners, who have lost five in a row. Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a third-inning double.

Shields gave up seven runs and 12 hits over 7 1-3 innings. The right-hander had given up just two runs in 24 innings over his previous three starts at home.

Seattle starter Michael Pineda allowed two earned runs and six hits in six innings. The rookie had five strikeouts, giving him 148 over 147 innings this season.

Wells hit a two-run shot, helping Seattle go up 3-0 in the first. He has five homers over his last seven games.

Bard made it 4-0 on second-inning RBI grounder.

Joyce and John Jaso each had RBI singles that got Tampa Bay within 4-2 during the second. Jaso also had a run-scoring grounder in the seventh.

Seattle took a 5-2 lead in the fourth when Franklin Gutierrez drove in a run with a single. The Rays got the run back on Ben Zobrist’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly.

NOTES: Tampa Bay RHP Jeff Niemann (8-4), who has won seven straight decisions, will face Detroit ace Justin Verlander (18-5) on Monday night. … Seattle SS Brendan Ryan, who returned from a sprained left shoulder joint this weekend, is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday. … Mariners INF Luis Rodriguez, hit in the right elbow by a pitch Saturday night, didn’t play. … Seattle LHP Jason Vargas (7-11) will pitch Monday against Cleveland RHP Fausto Carmona (6-12). … The Rays gave kids 14 and under a superhero action figure of LHP David Price and his French bulldog, Astro. Before a pregame on-field photo shoot, Price had to chase down Astro, who ran up a walkway to the clubhouse level. “I guess every dog has its day,” Maddon said. “Plus, it’s a pretty cool dog.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

“The biggest play of the game was Johnny beating that ball out,” Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said. “That’s why we play the game the way we do.”

Hernandez (11-11) took a one-hitter in the eighth before the Rays’ put together the late rally. An out after pinch-hitter Sam Fuld lined an one-out, opposite-field single to left, Damon had a single before Longoria and Zobrist had consecutive RBI hits to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2.

“That’s the one thing you can actually control in this game is hustle,” Damon said. “I’ve done it ever since I was a kid and I do it now, and it paid off. There’s been plenty of times this year when I missed it by a half step, but right there I showed the track wheels that I had back in the day.”

Seattle manager Eric Wedge felt Damon’s ball to third baseman Adam Kennedy should have resulted in an inning-ending out.

“It’s just a play that has to be made … Adam just took a little too much time getting it over there (the throw to first),” Wedge said. “Inning’s over, it’s a different ballgame.”

Kennedy, when making the play, didn’t feel like he took too long.

“I didn’t think so at the time, but he was getting down the line pretty well,” Kennedy said.

Juan Cruz (5-0) got two outs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Hernandez allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings. The 2010 AL Cy Young winner, who had nine strikeouts and three walks in his fourth complete games this season, felt like he had no-hit quality stuff.

“It was going to be something special,” Hernandez said. “Baseball is like that. It was a tough loss. Can’t do nothing about it.”

Kyle Seager put the Mariners up 2-1 with his first major league homer, a solo shot off Wade Davis leading off the seventh.

Trayvon Robinson doubled in the third and later scored from third to make it 1-0 when Rays’ shortstop Sean Rodriguez was charged with an error for an errant throw to the plate on Franklin Gutierrez’s grounder.

Davis gave up two runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Hernandez appeared to land wrong on an 0-2 pitch to Casey Kotchman in the fifth, but the right-hander wound up recording a strikeout. B.J. Upton then hit a one-out grounder that got past the glove-hand side of Kennedy for the Rays’ first hit.

“Just a couple tough plays for me and I didn’t make any of them,” Kennedy said.

After Upton stole second and third and Matt Joyce drew a walk, John Jaso tied at 1 on a sacrifice bunt. Upton had been 1 for 22 against Hernandez before the hit.

“It was a Bugs Bunny changeup, just diving off the table,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Hernandez. “There’s a reason this guy won the Cy Young.”

Mariners first baseman Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a second-inning infield single.

Seattle outfielder Casper Wells, hit by a pitch in the nose Wednesday, went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter. Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo, who missed one game after being hit in the chin by a foul ball Tuesday, had a single in four at-bats.

NOTES: Seattle placed INF Jack Wilson (bruised left heel) on the 15-day disabled list and activated SS Brendan Ryan (left shoulder) from the DL. … Tampa Bay activated Jaso (right oblique) from the 15-day DL. C Robinson Chirinos was optioned to Triple-A Durham. … Mariners 3B Chone Figgins (right hip flexor) took grounders before the game. “He’s still going to need some time,” Wedge said. …. Seattle 1B Justin Smoak (broken nose) is taking batting practice and will be reevaluated in about a week. … Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-8), Saturday’s scheduled starter, allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of last Saturday’s 9-2 loss to the New York Yankees. “The last start was pretty frustrating, disappointing,” Hellickson said. “One of those you try and forget about.” … Mariners LHP Charlie Furbush (3-4) will make his first career start against Tampa Bay Saturday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  — Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist each had run-scoring singles with two outs during the eighth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays beat Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Friday night.

Hernandez (11-11) took a one-hitter in the eighth before the Rays’ put together the late rally. An out after pinch-hitter Sam Fuld lined an one-out, opposite-field single to left, Johnny Damon had an infield single before Longoria and Zobrist had consecutive RBI hits to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2.

Juan Cruz (5-0) got two outs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Hernandez allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings. The 2010 AL Cy Young winner had nine strikeouts and two walks in his fourth complete games this season.

Kyle Seager put the Mariners up 2-1 with his first major league homer, a solo shot off Wade Davis leading off the seventh.

Trayvon Robinson doubled in the third and later scored from third to make it 1-0 when Rays’ shortstop Sean Rodriguez was charged with an error for an errant throw to the plate on Franklin Gutierrez’s grounder.

Davis gave up two runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Hernandez appeared to land wrong on an 0-2 pitch to Casey Kotchman in the fifth, but the right-hander wound up recording a strikeout. B.J. Upton then hit a one-out grounder that got past the glove-hand side of third baseman Adam Kennedy for the Rays’ first hit.

After Upton stole second and third and Matt Joyce drew a walk, John Jaso tied at 1 on a sacrifice bunt. Upton had been 1 for 22 against Hernandez before the hit.

Mariners first baseman Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a second-inning infield single.

Seattle outfielder Casper Wells, hit by a pitch in the nose Wednesday, went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter. Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo, who missed one game after being hit in the chin by a foul ball Tuesday, had a single in four at-bats.

Notes: Seattle placed INF Jack Wilson (bruised left heel) on the 15-day disabled list and activated SS Brendan Ryan (left shoulder) from the DL. … Tampa Bay activated Jaso (right oblique) from the 15-day DL. C Robinson Chirinos was optioned to Triple-A Durham. … Mariners 3B Chone Figgins (right hip flexor) took grounders before the game. “He’s still going to need some time,” manager Eric Wedge said. … Seattle 1B Justin Smoak (broken nose) is taking batting practice and will be reevaluated in about a week. … Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-8), Saturday’s scheduled starter, allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of last Saturday’s 9-2 loss to the New York Yankees. “The last start was pretty frustrating, disappointing,” Hellickson said. “One of those you try and forget about.” … Mariners LHP Charlie Furbush (3-4) will make his first career start against Tampa Bay Saturday.

–The Associated Press
 
 

By Steve Slowinski

– Editor-in-Chief

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Aug 19, 2011 – After a respectable 3-2 roadtrip through New York and Boston, the Tampa Bay Rays (66-56) return home for a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners (53-69). This series is the last time this season these two clubs will face each other, and they have split the season series down the middle so far (3-3).

The Mariners are not necessarily an impressive team this season. They have the third-worst record in the American League, and their offense is the worst in the majors. They have hit a collective .231/.293/.342 — 21% below league average — posting an OBP under .300 for the second season in a row. The Mariners’ offense was historically awful last season, and sadly for Mariners fans, it hasn’t improved much at all.

And yet, the Mariners are no pushovers. Their pitching rotation is solid, led by Doug Fister ( 3.33 ERA, 3.25 FIP), rookie Michael Pineda (3.77 ERA, 3.60 FIP), and ace Felix Hernandex (3.38 ERA, 3.25 FIP). The Rays will face two of these three starters this series, which could make these games close due to the Rays’ off-and-on offense.

If the Rays can contain rookie standout Dustin Ackley, we could be in for some long, low-scoring games.  
_________________________________________________________________________

Friday, 7:10pm – Wade Davis vs. Felix Hernandez
Saturday, 7:10pm – Jeremy Hellickson vs. Charlie Furbush
Sunday, 1:40pm – TBA vs. Michael Pineda

Available On: Sun Sports, WDAE 620

Read More: Felix Hernandez (P – SEA), Wade Davis (P – TAM), Dustin Ackley (2B – SEA), Jeremy Hellickson (P – TAM), Michael Pineda (P – SEA), Charlie Furbush (P – SEA), Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, August 6, 2011

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Ben Zobrist drives in Desmond Jennings, left, and Johnny Damon with a sixth-inning single that puts the Rays up 6-2.
	[CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]

ST. PETERSBURG — Network hype aside, the reality of this weekend’s Yankees-Red Sox series at Fenway Park is that they really aren’t playing for much since both seem likely to make the playoffs.

It’s up to the Rays — and/or the Angels — to make that not the case. And with 19 games left against the division- and wild-card leaders, the Rays can at least maintain the pretense of possibility by continuing what they’ve been doing.

Friday, for the third straight day, the Rays played the type of solid overall game necessary to make a run. And with an 8-4 victory over the A’s, they put together their first three-game winning streak in more than a month.

“I think our players are really starting to believe again strongly,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “They’re starting to see we’re playing good baseball. We’re winning close games. All of a sudden, we’re scoring runs at the Trop. That’s pretty big. We’re winning games at home. That’s pretty big.”

Jeff Niemann was certainly a large part of Friday’s testimony, coming just an out short of a complete game while throwing a career-high 119 pitches, extending his July hot streak into August while improving to 5-0, 2.26 in eight starts since coming off the disabled list in late June following a lower back strain.

“It’s been a combination of things,” Niemann said.

And so was the suddenly rejuvenated offense, B.J. Upton reaching base five times — and seven straight going back to Thursday — and support from top to almost bottom, making it 24 runs over their past three games. That’s the first time they’ve scored seven or more in three straight games in more than a year and the first time at Tropicana Field since April 2010.

“Contributions coming from every direction,” Maddon said.

Enough so that DH and clubhouse DJ Johnny Damon had a tough time deciding who would pull the cord to light the Captain Morgan sign by his locker that signals victory. (Upton allowed Niemann the unofficial player of the game honors.)

After a stretch in which they lost nine of 12, the Rays (59-52) have won six of their past eight and with another victory tonight or Sunday will claim their third consecutive series.

Granted, they’ve done so against the Mariners, Blue Jays and A’s (who have lost 30 of their last 37 on the road). But it’s a start. And for what it’s worth, August has been the Rays’ hottest month since their 2008 renaissance as they are a majors-best 56-32 over that span.

“Hopefully, we can keep doing what we’re doing and try to chip our way back into this thing,” Upton said.

The Rays wake up sitting nine games behind the Red Sox and 10 behind the Yankees in the AL East but determined to keep the big-picture goal in mind while aiming small for now, trying to gain one game a week. Maddon has been preaching that mantra, and Damon said he reinforced it in an up-till-now secret team meeting in Seattle last weekend.

“Whenever you look at the big picture, things seem more doable,” Damon said.

“I think for a little while, we were trying to make up all those games in those amount of days. And obviously, that’s not possible. We also have to worry about ourselves. We can’t worry about what happens with Boston and New York when we’re not playing them.”

And when they do, starting next weekend in New York?

“Rock and roll,” Maddon said. “We play them often enough, too, that we can make some noise with them, too.”

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Rays Report

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Friday, August 5, 2011

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Rays vs. A’s

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers:

Rays

RH Jeff Niemann (5-4, 3.51)

A’s

RH Guillermo Moscoso (4-5, 3.41)

Watch for …

Staying hot: Niemann is 4-0 in seven starts since coming off the disabled list. He struck out a career-high 11 against the Mariners last week and is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and one shutout against the A’s.

Remember me? Moscoso faced the Rays on July 25, allowing five runs and eight hits over five innings in a no-decision. While he had a 1.75 ERA in six starts before the All-Star break, he has racked up a 7.31 mark since.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Moscoso

B.J. Upton 1-for-3

Ben Zobrist 1-for-2, HR

Kelly Shoppach 2-for-3, HR

A’s vs. Niemann

David DeJesus 1-for-7, HR

Hideki Matsui 3-for-14

Mike Sweeney 3-for-7

Mementos of the day

Rookie C Robinson Chirinos has picked up quite a collection of memorabilia the past few weeks, keeping the ball from his first career hit (July 18), first home run (Wednesday) and first walkoff hit (Thursday). He had an interesting exchange involving the home run ball with a Little Leaguer after Wednesday’s game, gladly trading a signed bat and ball for it. “He was a catcher, too,” Chirinos said, smiling. “It was cool.”

Quotes of the day

“There’s no quit in us.”

Rays DH Johnny Damon

“The final out in three different innings was elusive.”

Blue Jays manager John Farrell

Number of the day

20 Players used by the Rays on Thursday, the fourth time they have done so before September callups.

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SEATTLE (AP)—Jeremy Hellickson(notes) has the numbers to show that he’s among the
best rookie pitchers in baseball this season.

The 24-year-old right-hander held the Seattle Mariners to five hits and a
run over seven-plus innings, becoming the first AL rookie with 10 wins as the
Tampa Bay Rays rolled to an 8-1 victory Sunday.

Hellickson (10-7) is the quickest Tampa Bay rookie to 10 wins since Rolando
Arrojo reached the mark on June 27, 1998. He leads AL rookies in wins and is the
first one with 10 before August since Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) (12) in 2007.

This all comes as no surprise to Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon.

“He’s been that guy his whole career,” Maddon said. “Even in the minor
leagues he’s been successful.”

In six minor league seasons, Hellickson was 49-16. He went 12-3 for Triple-A
Durham last season before a brief period with the Rays in which he was 4-0 with
a 3.47 ERA.

Now, he is 14-7 in 23 career starts for the Rays.

Sean Rodriguez(notes) had three hits, including his fifth home run, and three RBIs.
Ben Zobrist(notes) added three hits and three RBIs for Tampa Bay.

Jason Vargas(notes) (6-10) went 5 1-3 innings for the Mariners. He allowed nine
hits and six runs, four earned. He walked one and struck out six.

Hellickson carried a no-hitter into the sixth but Chone Figgins(notes), batting
.184, opened with a single to center and Franklin Gutierrez(notes) followed with
another single. Hellickson retired the next three batters on a flyout and two
foulouts.

“The fastball command was there, getting ahead of guys early and just
throwing strikes,” Hellickson said. “When you’re getting quick outs and
throwing strikes it gives you a little more confidence. I just kept attacking
the zone.”

It was a sloppy start for the Mariners, and the Rays took advantage. Desmond
Jennings(notes) reached on a game-opening error by shortstop Brendan Ryan(notes). Jennings
made it to third on a steal of second and a throwing error by catcher Miguel
Olivo(notes).

Evan Longoria(notes) then hit a sharp grounder to third baseman Figgins, who came
home with it. Jennings, who broke on contact, scored with an evasive slide
around Olivo’s tag attempt.

“The aggressive mentality derived from that kind of play helps your whole
group,” Maddon said.

Jennings, recalled from Durham on July 22, said, “you just anticipate a
groundball being hit somewhere. I got a good jump on it. I got off far enough
that I could make it on contact.”

In the third, Sam Fuld(notes) reached on first baseman Adam Kennedy’s(notes) one-out
error. Fuld eventually scored on Zobrist’s single to left.

The three errors tied a Mariners season high, set May 16 against Minnesota.

Tampa Bay added two more in the fourth. Kelly Shoppach(notes) opened with a single,
then Matt Joyce(notes) doubled when Gutierrez just missed on a diving attempt. Both
runners scored on Rodriguez’s bloop single to center for a 4-0 lead.

Casey Kotchman(notes) made it 5-0 with a two-out single to left to score Zobrist,
who had doubled.

It was the fourth straight start in which Vargas couldn’t get past the sixth
inning. It also was his fifth straight loss.

“It’s been a rough stretch lately,” Vargas said. “I haven’t really
pitched good since coming back from the break. I’m just not making those big
pitches when I need to and I’m getting the pitch count up early.”

Zobrist pushed his team-leading RBI total to 61 with a two-out, two-run
single in the sixth off Dan Cortes(notes).

Rodriguez opened the eighth with his shot over the left-field wall on a 1-2
pitch from Charlie Furbush(notes), acquired Saturday in a trade with Detroit.

The Mariners finally scored rather awkwardly in the seventh. Mike Carp(notes) and
Olivo opened with singles, and Kennedy forced Olivo at second. Casper Wells(notes), who
arrived with Furbush from Detroit, lifted a blooper that dropped into shallow
right-center. Carp scored but Kennedy, unsure whether the ball would drop, was
thrown out scrambling for second.

Wells was credited with an RBI but his ‘hit’ turned into a fielder’s choice.

Notes: Two of the four players acquired by Seattle in Saturday’s six-player
trade with Detroit were added to the big league roster. Wells started in left
field and Furbush worked one inning. Wells is the first player named Casper to
reach the majors. … Furbush is expected to start in place of LHP Erik Bedard(notes),
traded to Boston just before game time. … Zobrist extended his hitting streak
to 11 games. During that span he is batting .413 (19 of 46).

3:36 p.m.: Final: Mariners 3, Tampa Bay 2.

3:07 p.m.: Pineda’s day is done. He throws 110 pitches through 6 1/3 innings. He struck out a career-high 10 batters and walked off the field to a standing ovation. M’s still cling to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh.

2:55 p.m.: After Ackley doubles in the sixth, Mike Carp drives him in to give the Mariners back the lead. It’s 3-2 heading into the seventh.

2:44 p.m.: The no-hitter is over. Pineda gives up a two-out single in the sixth to Ben Zobrist, who drives in a run to tie the game. Pineda has thrown more than 90 pitches through six innings.

2:25 p.m.: Pineda adds two more strikeouts in the fifth. He has nine so far in this one.

2:18 p.m.: The Mariners’ offense hasn’t done much the past few innings, but Pineda continues to pitch well as the Seattle clings to a 2-1 lead.

The Rays only run came after Johnny Damon walked, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Josh Bard and scored on a ground out from Ben Zobrist.

Only two Tampa Bay players have reached base through four innings.

1:54 p.m.: Pineda is a machine right now. He has struck out seven through three innings. Evan Longoria is the only Rays player to reach base. He walked in the second.

1:50 p.m.: Chone Figgins slapped a single and stole a base in the second. Could he do enough today to earn a trade out of town?

1:40 p.m.: Michael Pineda has struck out five through two innings.

1:29 p.m.: Dustin Ackley continues to provide at least one reason to come out to the ballpark. He provides an early jolt to the Mariners’ offense in this one with a first-inning, line-drive home run that shot over the sign honoring Dave Niehaus in center field. It’s 2-0 Mariners after one.

1:17 p.m.: Michael Pineda looks very good early. He struck out Desmond Jennings to open the game and Ben Zobrist to end frame, retiring the side in order in the first.

12:46 p.m.: Plenty of news coming out today with Doug Fister and David Pauley being traded to Detroit for three players and one more to be named later.

I’m working on that news story now, so I’m going to post this, but I won’t have many updates early in the game.

Here are the lineups:

Mariners (44-61)
——————————-
51 Ichiro Suzuki (L) RF
26 Brendan Ryan SS
13 Dustin Ackley (L) DH
20 Mike Carp (L) LF
17 Justin Smoak (S) 1B
21 Franklin Gutierrez CF
3 Josh Bard (S) C
9 Chone Figgins (S) 3B
2 Jack Wilson 2B
——————————-
36 Michael Pineda RHP

Rays (55-50)
——————————-
8 Desmond Jennings LF
22 Johnny Damon (L) DH
18 Ben Zobrist (S) 2B
11 Casey Kotchman (L) 1B
3 Evan Longoria 3B
20 Matt Joyce (L) RF
2 B.J. Upton CF
38 Robinson Chirinos C
1 Sean Rodriguez SS
——————————-
53 Alex Cobb RHP

SEATTLE (AP) — Jeff Niemann finished the best month by a pitcher in the history of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Niemann allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 11 in 6 2-3 innings in a 8-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

He set the club record for any month for any Rays pitcher with a 1.06 ERA and a 3-0 record.

“Every since I came back off the DL, I’ve wanted to get back and contribute to this team,” Niemann said. “I didn’t get off to a great start.”

He began the month with a 2-4 record and a 5.00 earned run average. Before he went on the DL, Niemann was 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA.

Since returning, he is 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA, lowering his overall ERA to 3.51. Over his last three starts he has a 0.87 ERA.

“He’s been outstanding the whole month,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s great to see him get back in this manner.”

The Rays hitters made it easier for him with an eight-run second inning.

Ben Zobrist hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot. Over the past nine games, Zobrist has 15 hits in 37 at-bats (.405).

“We got up early so it was nice to have like a no-stress game there,” Zobrist said. “I feel more like me as a hitter. I felt like early this season and a lot last season I did not get to the point where I felt as comfortable like I have been the past couple months.”

Maddon said Zobrist “quietly is having a really, really good year.”

He’s hitting .279 with a team-leading 56 RBI.

Casey Kotchman had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. In the second inning alone, he had a single and a double, scored twice and drove in a run.

Kotchman, who hit .217 for the Mariners last season, is now hitting .329, third-best in the American League.

Mariners starter Erik Bedard (4-7), just off the disabled list (knee) and the subject of trade rumors, showed the effects of his 32-day layoff. He threw 57 pitches in just 1 1-3 innings and was tagged for five runs and three hits, walking four and striking out two.

The Rays sent a season-high 12 batters to the plate in the second. The eight runs are the most since June 25, 2008 when the Rays scored 10 in the fifth inning against Florida.

The Rays also scored seven run in the seventh inning Thursday against Oakland. It’s the first time the Rays have scored seven or more runs in an inning in consecutive games.

Bedard and Aaron Laffey combined to walk four in the inning and all four scored.

Bedard issued a bases-loaded walk and gave up a two-run single to Johnny Damon. Laffey yielded Zobrist’s two-run shot on a 2-1 pitch.

“We did a really good job of making him (Bedard) come into our zone, especially those pitches high in the zone and curves down in the zone,” Zobrist said. “We did a good job of zoning into our pitch and not chasing. Whenever you do that it makes it harder on the pitcher. He’s really got to bring strikes early in the count and he just wasn’t doing that.”

The Mariners have lost 22 of their past 27 games, with a franchise-record 17 straight losses during that span. They are 5-19 in July with two games remaining. Their worst July in the franchise’s 34 seasons was last year at 6-22.

It’s the ninth shutout for the Rays this season and the ninth time the Mariners have been shut out.

Niemann gave up a two-out single to rookie Dustin Ackley in the first, and singles to Adam Kennedy and Chone Figgins in the seventh.

“He did a good job with his fastball and a couple different types of breaking balls,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “He threw some good changeups to left handers. He threw the ball well tonight.”

Five Mariners pitchers issued seven walks, matching the season high set July 20 against Toronto.

Notes: Before the game, the Mariners designated DH Jack Cust for assignment to make room for Bedard. “He’s a class act. He was good in the clubhouse, good teammate, hard worker,” Wedge said. “He just really wasn’t able to get it going for us this year.” Cust, 32, who signed a $2.5 million, one-year deal, hit just .213 with three home runs and 23 RBIs in 67 games. … Wedge is considering going with a six-man rotation to help preserve the young arms on the staff. … Maddon said he talks to GM Andrew Friedman every day on possible trades. He said, “our names are bandied about every year and nothing ever happens. So I’m prepared for nothing happening.”

SEATTLE (AP) — Jeff Niemann finished the best month by a pitcher in the history of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Niemann allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 11 in 6 2-3 innings in a 8-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

He set the club record for any month for any Rays pitcher with a 1.06 ERA and a 3-0 record.

“Every since I came back off the DL, I’ve wanted to get back and contribute to this team,” Niemann said. “I didn’t get off to a great start.”

He began the month with a 2-4 record and a 5.00 earned run average. Before he went on the DL, Niemann was 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA.

Since returning, he is 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA, lowering his overall ERA to 3.51. Over his last three starts he has a 0.87 ERA.

“He’s been outstanding the whole month,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s great to see him get back in this manner.”

The Rays hitters made it easier for him with an eight-run second inning.

Ben Zobrist hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot. Over the past nine games, Zobrist has 15 hits in 37 at-bats (.405).

“We got up early so it was nice to have like a no-stress game there,” Zobrist said. “I feel more like me as a hitter. I felt like early this season and a lot last season I did not get to the point where I felt as comfortable like I have been the past couple months.”

Maddon said Zobrist “quietly is having a really, really good year.”

He’s hitting .279 with a team-leading 56 RBI.

Casey Kotchman had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. In the second inning alone, he had a single and a double, scored twice and drove in a run.

Kotchman, who hit .217 for the Mariners last season, is now hitting .329, third-best in the American League.

Mariners starter Erik Bedard (4-7), just off the disabled list (knee) and the subject of trade rumors, showed the effects of his 32-day layoff. He threw 57 pitches in just 1 1-3 innings and was tagged for five runs and three hits, walking four and striking out two.

The Rays sent a season-high 12 batters to the plate in the second. The eight runs are the most since June 25, 2008 when the Rays scored 10 in the fifth inning against Florida.

The Rays also scored seven run in the seventh inning Thursday against Oakland. It’s the first time the Rays have scored seven or more runs in an inning in consecutive games.

Bedard and Aaron Laffey combined to walk four in the inning and all four scored.

Bedard issued a bases-loaded walk and gave up a two-run single to Johnny Damon. Laffey yielded Zobrist’s two-run shot on a 2-1 pitch.

“We did a really good job of making him (Bedard) come into our zone, especially those pitches high in the zone and curves down in the zone,” Zobrist said. “We did a good job of zoning into our pitch and not chasing. Whenever you do that it makes it harder on the pitcher. He’s really got to bring strikes early in the count and he just wasn’t doing that.”

The Mariners have lost 22 of their past 27 games, with a franchise-record 17 straight losses during that span. They are 5-19 in July with two games remaining. Their worst July in the franchise’s 34 seasons was last year at 6-22.

It’s the ninth shutout for the Rays this season and the ninth time the Mariners have been shut out.

Niemann gave up a two-out single to rookie Dustin Ackley in the first, and singles to Adam Kennedy and Chone Figgins in the seventh.

“He did a good job with his fastball and a couple different types of breaking balls,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “He threw some good changeups to left handers. He threw the ball well tonight.”

Five Mariners pitchers issued seven walks, matching the season high set July 20 against Toronto.

Notes: Before the game, the Mariners designated DH Jack Cust for assignment to make room for Bedard. “He’s a class act. He was good in the clubhouse, good teammate, hard worker,” Wedge said. “He just really wasn’t able to get it going for us this year.” Cust, 32, who signed a $2.5 million, one-year deal, hit just .213 with three home runs and 23 RBIs in 67 games. … Wedge is considering going with a six-man rotation to help preserve the young arms on the staff. … Maddon said he talks to GM Andrew Friedman every day on possible trades. He said, “our names are bandied about every year and nothing ever happens. So I’m prepared for nothing happening.”

CBSSports.com wire reports
July 30, 2011

SEATTLE — Jeff Niemann finished the best month by a pitcher in the history of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Niemann allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 11 in 6 2/3 innings in a 8-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

He set the club record for any month for any Rays pitcher with a 1.06 ERA and a 3-0 record.

“Every since I came back off the DL, I’ve wanted to get back and contribute to this team,” Niemann said. “I didn’t get off to a great start.”

He began the month with a 2-4 record and a 5.00 earned run average. Before he went on the DL, Niemann was 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA.

Since returning, he is 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA, lowering his overall ERA to 3.51. Over his last three starts he has a 0.87 ERA.

“He’s been outstanding the whole month,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s great to see him get back in this manner.”

The Rays hitters made it easier for him with an eight-run second inning.

Ben Zobrist hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot. Over the past nine games, Zobrist has 15 hits in 37 at-bats (.405).

“We got up early so it was nice to have like a no-stress game there,” Zobrist said. “I feel more like me as a hitter. I felt like early this season and a lot last season I did not get to the point where I felt as comfortable like I have been the past couple months.”

Maddon said Zobrist “quietly is having a really, really good year.”

He’s hitting .279 with a team-leading 56 RBI.

Casey Kotchman had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. In the second inning alone, he had a single and a double, scored twice and drove in a run.

Kotchman, who hit .217 for the Mariners last season, is now hitting .329, third-best in the American League.

Mariners starter Erik Bedard (4-7), just off the disabled list (knee) and the subject of trade rumors, showed the effects of his 32-day layoff. He threw 57 pitches in just 1 1/3 innings and was tagged for five runs and three hits, walking four and striking out two.

The Rays sent a season-high 12 batters to the plate in the second. The eight runs are the most since June 25, 2008 when the Rays scored 10 in the fifth inning against Florida.

The Rays also scored seven run in the seventh inning Thursday against Oakland. It’s the first time the Rays have scored seven or more runs in an inning in consecutive games.

Bedard and Aaron Laffey combined to walk four in the inning and all four scored.

Bedard issued a bases-loaded walk and gave up a two-run single to Johnny Damon. Laffey yielded Zobrist’s two-run shot on a 2-1 pitch.

“We did a really good job of making him [Bedard] come into our zone, especially those pitches high in the zone and curves down in the zone,” Zobrist said. “We did a good job of zoning into our pitch and not chasing. Whenever you do that it makes it harder on the pitcher. He’s really got to bring strikes early in the count and he just wasn’t doing that.”

The Mariners have lost 22 of their past 27 games, with a franchise-record 17 straight losses during that span. They are 5-19 in July with two games remaining. Their worst July in the franchise’s 34 seasons was last year at 6-22.

It’s the ninth shutout for the Rays this season and the ninth time the Mariners have been shut out.

Niemann gave up a two-out single to rookie Dustin Ackley in the first, and singles to Adam Kennedy and Chone Figgins in the seventh.

“He did a good job with his fastball and a couple different types of breaking balls,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “He threw some good changeups to left handers. He threw the ball well tonight.”

Five Mariners pitchers issued seven walks, matching the season high set July 20 against Toronto.

Notes

• Before the game, the Mariners designated DH Jack Cust for assignment to make room for Bedard. “He’s a class act. He was good in the clubhouse, good teammate, hard worker,” Wedge said. “He just really wasn’t able to get it going for us this year.” Cust, 32, who signed a $2.5 million, one-year deal, hit just .213 with three home runs and 23 RBI in 67 games.
• Wedge is considering going with a six-man rotation to help preserve the young arms on the staff.
• Maddon said he talks to GM Andrew Friedman every day on possible trades. He said, “our names are bandied about every year and nothing ever happens. So I’m prepared for nothing happening.”

CBSSports.com wire reports
July 30, 2011

SEATTLE — Jeff Niemann finished the best month by a pitcher in the history of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Niemann allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 11 in 6 2/3 innings in a 8-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

He set the club record for any month for any Rays pitcher with a 1.06 ERA and a 3-0 record.

“Every since I came back off the DL, I’ve wanted to get back and contribute to this team,” Niemann said. “I didn’t get off to a great start.”

He began the month with a 2-4 record and a 5.00 earned run average. Before he went on the DL, Niemann was 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA.

Since returning, he is 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA, lowering his overall ERA to 3.51. Over his last three starts he has a 0.87 ERA.

“He’s been outstanding the whole month,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s great to see him get back in this manner.”

The Rays hitters made it easier for him with an eight-run second inning.

Ben Zobrist hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot. Over the past nine games, Zobrist has 15 hits in 37 at-bats (.405).

“We got up early so it was nice to have like a no-stress game there,” Zobrist said. “I feel more like me as a hitter. I felt like early this season and a lot last season I did not get to the point where I felt as comfortable like I have been the past couple months.”

Maddon said Zobrist “quietly is having a really, really good year.”

He’s hitting .279 with a team-leading 56 RBI.

Casey Kotchman had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. In the second inning alone, he had a single and a double, scored twice and drove in a run.

Kotchman, who hit .217 for the Mariners last season, is now hitting .329, third-best in the American League.

Mariners starter Erik Bedard (4-7), just off the disabled list (knee) and the subject of trade rumors, showed the effects of his 32-day layoff. He threw 57 pitches in just 1 1/3 innings and was tagged for five runs and three hits, walking four and striking out two.

The Rays sent a season-high 12 batters to the plate in the second. The eight runs are the most since June 25, 2008 when the Rays scored 10 in the fifth inning against Florida.

The Rays also scored seven run in the seventh inning Thursday against Oakland. It’s the first time the Rays have scored seven or more runs in an inning in consecutive games.

Bedard and Aaron Laffey combined to walk four in the inning and all four scored.

Bedard issued a bases-loaded walk and gave up a two-run single to Johnny Damon. Laffey yielded Zobrist’s two-run shot on a 2-1 pitch.

“We did a really good job of making him [Bedard] come into our zone, especially those pitches high in the zone and curves down in the zone,” Zobrist said. “We did a good job of zoning into our pitch and not chasing. Whenever you do that it makes it harder on the pitcher. He’s really got to bring strikes early in the count and he just wasn’t doing that.”

The Mariners have lost 22 of their past 27 games, with a franchise-record 17 straight losses during that span. They are 5-19 in July with two games remaining. Their worst July in the franchise’s 34 seasons was last year at 6-22.

It’s the ninth shutout for the Rays this season and the ninth time the Mariners have been shut out.

Niemann gave up a two-out single to rookie Dustin Ackley in the first, and singles to Adam Kennedy and Chone Figgins in the seventh.

“He did a good job with his fastball and a couple different types of breaking balls,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “He threw some good changeups to left handers. He threw the ball well tonight.”

Five Mariners pitchers issued seven walks, matching the season high set July 20 against Toronto.

Notes

• Before the game, the Mariners designated DH Jack Cust for assignment to make room for Bedard. “He’s a class act. He was good in the clubhouse, good teammate, hard worker,” Wedge said. “He just really wasn’t able to get it going for us this year.” Cust, 32, who signed a $2.5 million, one-year deal, hit just .213 with three home runs and 23 RBI in 67 games.
• Wedge is considering going with a six-man rotation to help preserve the young arms on the staff.
• Maddon said he talks to GM Andrew Friedman every day on possible trades. He said, “our names are bandied about every year and nothing ever happens. So I’m prepared for nothing happening.”