Jubilee On The Radio, Mariners Win Spring Training Opener 5-4

Today I could not have been happier to listen to a game that does not matter at all. The end result was a thriller, a 5-4 victory for the Seattle Mariners over a San Diego Padres club, which started almost all of its A team, which was probably the best in MLB this winter. The result will not be kept in many records, but the game was important. It was a winter return for players and fans, and a comeback that was becoming even longer for some of those in uniform. Although a limited number of people actually attended, many more could at least listen to Rick Rizzs and Mike Blowers welcomed them again. The match does not deliver a lack of excitement above the idyllic setting.

Without a TV broadcast come the excerpts from the club, media and contestants. As such, today’s summary (and many of the spring caps) will have a more pointed, key takeaway style.

• Marco Gonzales starts, and goes 1 ²⁄₃ turn, and end the top of the second via the driver-fiat, as this spring allows. The Padres would also appeal to the power once, later in the game. Marco reportedly took his subsequent Zoom printer in a t-shirt indicating that little of the club has forgotten the shame of former team president and CEO Kevin Mather.

• The other pitchers of the day were RHP Kendall Graveman, RHP Keynan Middleton, LHP Anthony Misiewicz, RHP Wyatt Mills, RHP Will Vest (Rule-5), RHP Casey Sadler, and RHP Paul Sewald (NRI), respectively. Gonzales was the only pitcher to issue a free pass, and there was particular praise from those present for Vest, who had a 1-2-3 “debut” with a few outfielders.
• Vest also got this foundation that helped UTIL Sam Haggerty show defensive brilliance.

• No throwers seem to have been hurt today, and no one has looked terribly out of their sight, so the overall result can only be described to me as successful in that facet of the game.
• Rick Rizzs and Mike Blowers seem pretty excited to be back in the garden to broadcast, sharing some new (or at least new) anecdotes. Rizzs noted that he mentions the game where Mike Blowers got his first big league hit, a 12-2 hull from Blow’s Yankees over the Mariners of 1989 in which he singled out M’s reliever Jerry Reed twice. Rizzs also shared a hilarious story of his first spring training by setting up his radio broadcast on top of the concession stand after being informed there was no stand. Miss you, Rick.
• A few Mariners players have played in games for the first time in almost a year or more. Tom Murphy started behind the sheet, after missing the entire 2020 season with a broken foot. Mitch Haniger hit second and got a hit and scored a run, in his first match action since mid-2019. Reportedly, both were healthy as well.
• Haniger was replaced in the first place by 4th place by Jarred Kelenic in a fun surprise for all involved. Kelenic stretched an ankle in the right field in his first innings and ended the day 1-for-2 with a walk that would show up late.
• The rest of the series was close enough within a month to be nine on opening day, and looked relatively sharp compared to the Padres starter Adrian Morejón and a variety of depth / four-wheel arms. The yard was scarce of the Friars, but was still a representative AAA or better quality for the younger players.
• One such younger player was Evan White, whose development in 2021 will be important as he wants to make more contact in his second major league season. He struck a laser and worked a step back from a score of 1-2 before being relieved for the day.

• Cal Raleigh had a great time behind the court to relieve Murphy, and although we literally get no video of him, he threw out the fast Padres prospect, Tucupita Marcano, in an attempt to steal in the 9th innings . Raleigh is praised for improving his reception to take pressure off his bat, but his ability to control the run was a question mark. Something to look at!
• Most of the M offenses come from the start, when they jumped to a 4-1 lead through three overs. The beginners went five-for-15 with five hikes and a Dylan Moore stolen base. The contestants were Donavan Walton, Kelenic, Braden Bishop, Jack Reinheimer, Julio Rodríguez, Haggerty, José Marmolejos, Raleigh, and Taylor Trammell, who combined for just 4-for-19 with two free throws and a hit from the field.
• The crescendo was in ninth place, while the Padres parade of former Mariners from Taylor Williams crossed to Nabil Crismatt and eventually landed on Parker Markel to start the final framework. After a quick two Ks, Jarred Kelenic got a chance to step into a thousand flashy headlines nationwide. Instead, four-step, followed by an HBP from Bishop. Jack Reinheimer also made a turn after trailing 0-2 and putting Julio (oooooooooooooooooooooo) in a spot.

He had a plan. He redeemed.

February fun melts away by the time April rolls around. But the talent may just suit the personalities of many of M’s current and future players, and until Tuesday, the last taste M’s fans of their club will have soon.