MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – INSIDE PITCH
It came way too early to make any blanket statements, but second baseman Nick Franklin’s first start as a major leaguer had to leave Mariners fans groaning with familiarity.
When the 22-year-old rookie started at second base Monday and promptly went 0-for-4 with a bases-loaded groundout, a strikeout to strand runners on second and third and a costly error, it seemed like a fitting way to break into the bigs for someone wearing a Seattle uniform.
All that is forgotten now.
After Franklin hit two home runs in Thursday’s 7-1 win over the Padres, the fan base finally has reason to get excited about a young, up-and-coming hitting prospect again.
Franklin, who was selected 25 spots after Dustin Ackley in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft, has already made the decision to send Ackley back to Triple-A earlier this week look like a sound move. With Ackley struggling for two years now as he adjusts to major league pitching, Franklin could easily surpass him as the Mariners’ second baseman of the future.
A natural shortstop, Franklin was moved to second base to give him a more clear path to the majors. He’s already made jumps from Double-A and Triple-A this season, and Thursday’s game proved that he’s not in over his head.
Drafted out of high school the same year that Ackley entered the professional ranks as the best hitter in college baseball, Franklin might already be on track to have more of an impact in the big leagues.
It was only one game, but at least the Mariners have reason to believe a hitter who grew up in their own organization might finally be on the way to fulfilling expectations.
Franklin followed up Thursday’s performance with a 1-for-2 night in Friday’s 3-0 win over the Twins. Franklin also walked twice.
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MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 24-31
STREAK: Won two
PAST 10 GAMES: 4-6
NEXT: Mariners (Aaron Harang, 2-5, 6.51) at Twins (Kevin Correia, 5-4, 3.96)
PLAYER NOTES:
–LHP Felix Hernandez continues to show he’s one of baseball’s best pitchers since the mound was lowered from 15 to 10 inches in 1969. The win by King Felix Thursday at San Diego was career start No. 250, and he now has a lifetime earned run average of 3.17 with 1,574 strikeouts. The only other pitchers who had 1,500 K’s and an ERA under 3.25 after 250 starts (since 1969) are Bert Blyleven, Dwight Gooden, Roger Clemens, David Cone, Pedro Martinez and Johan Santana.
–RHP Aaron Harang is coming off his best performance of the season, and best by a Mariners pitcher in 2013. Harang threw a four-hit shutout in Monday’s 9-0 win over San Diego. It was his first complete game since June 4, 2009, and it helped Seattle’s starters compile a 2.15 earned run average over a five-game span. He’s only faced the Twins twice before in his career, in 2002 and 2003 while pitching for the Oakland Athletics, and did not figure in the decision of either outing.
–INF Nick Franklin was 1-for-2 with two walks in his third straight start at second base on Friday, extending an already successful first week in the majors. Not only did the 2009 first-round draft pick collect his first big-league hit on Wednesday in San Diego, he followed that up the next day with his first two home runs. At 22 years and 89 days, Franklin is the third-youngest Mariner to hit more than one homer in a game. Ken Griffey, Jr. and Alex Rodriguez did it at a younger age. Franklin was called up from Triple-A Tacoma along with RHP Hector Noesi on Monday, the same day Seattle optioned INF Dustin Ackley and LHP Lucas Luetge to Tacoma and designating OF Francisco Martinez for assignment.
–OF Jason Bay played in career game number 1,194 as a left fielder in Friday night. What makes that mark noteworthy, according to CanadianBaseball.com, is it places the native of Trail, BC, at the top of the list of games played in left field by a ballplayer from Canada. The No. 1 spot had been held for 121 years by George “Dandy” Wood of Pownal, PEI. Wood played 13 seasons in the 19th century, and the only team he played for that still exists is the Cincinnati Reds, with whom he closed out his career in 1892. Bay has made 26 starts this season in left field for the Mariners, his fifth big-league organization.
–C Jesus Sucre nearly had a nasty collision at the plate when Chris Parmelee tried to score from third on a slow grounder in the third inning. Instead of sliding, Parmelee came in standing up and crashed into Sucre, who took the throw from SS Brendan Ryan. Instead of trying to hold his ground, Sucre made the tag and spun away from Parmelee. “Sucre did a great job of hanging in there, got hit pretty good but handled it the right way,” said Seattle manager Eric Wedge.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I was able to make good pitches when I needed to. I didn’t have a very good bullpen, I thought my balance wasn’t right, but then I was able to make the adjustment during the game.” — RHP Hisashi Iwakuma, through an interpreter, after throwing 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball in Seattle’s 3-0 win at Minnesota Friday.
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MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–OF Michael Morse (strained right quad) left the May 28 game. He remained out as of May 31. He is day-to-day.
–1B Justin Smoak (strained oblique) was hurt May 25, and he was not in the starting lineup May 26-31. He had one at-bat May 29. He is day-to-day.
–CF Franklin Gutierrez (torn right hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list April 23. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on May 16. He might be ready to return in late May or early June.
–RHP Josh Kinney (stress reaction in left rib area) was shut down March 10, and he hadn’t resumed throwing through late March. He went on the 60-day disabled list March 25. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on May 17.
–RHP Stephen Pryor (torn right lat muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 17.
ROTATION:
RHP Felix Hernandez
RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
LHP Joe Saunders
RHP Aaron Harang
BULLPEN:
RHP Tom Wilhelmsen (closer)
LHP Charlie Furbush
LHP Oliver Perez
RHP Carter Capps
RHP Yoervis Medina
RHP Danny Farquhar
RHP Hector Noesi
CATCHERS:
Kelly Shoppach
Jesus Sucre
INFIELDERS:
1B Justin Smoak
2B Carlos Triunfel
SS Brendan Ryan
3B Kyle Seager
DH Kendrys Morales
INF Nick Franklin
INF Alex Liddi
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Michael Morse
CF Michael Saunders
RF Raul Ibanez
OF Jason Bay
OF Endy Chavez
