The Gil Meche the Seattle Mariners waited six seasons to see will pitch at Safeco Field Saturday – in a Kansas City Royals uniform.

Over his first five starts this year, Meche has average seven innings, striking out 24 men, walking only seven.

"He’s everything we’d hoped he could be for us," manager Buddy Bell said.

Meche always had the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, and Mariners managers Lou Piniella, Bob Melvin and Mike Hargrove all saw it but couldn’t reach him. Instead, Meche as a Mariner was a streaky pitcher with

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There was much to like for Mariners fans in Seattle’s 2-0 victory over Oakland, including a reminder that in Jarrod Washburn they have a legitimate No. 2 starter.

There was also a telling play in the eighth inning that didn’t figure in the outcome, but certainly could have.

Ichiro Suzuki was on first base and Yuniesky Betancourt at third with one out. A ground ball, a sacrifice fly, Seattle would have another run.

Except Ichiro fell asleep at first base – and Oakland’s Joe Blanton picked him off. Ichiro’s first

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Baseball beaters can whine with anyone. No one understands the travel demands, the birthdays missed, the ‘days off’ burned by cross-country flights.

Yada, yada, yada.

The storms that canceled Seattle’s game in Arlington on Tuesday also banged an awful lot of flights out of Dallas. Travelers scrambled from one gate to another looking for the next plane to anywhere.

I was supposed to get out about 9 p.m. The flight was delayed until 10 p.m. then 11 p.m. and finally to 12:14 a.m., because the flight crew couldn’t get in.

About 12:30 a.m., the airline finally

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The Seattle Mariners lost a sixth April game to winter today – and it wasn’t any wimply little snow or rain.

Tornado watches, flash flood warnings and the chance of being hit by flying cows forced postponement of the Mariners-Rangers game, and an hour after the game Texas officials evacuated the press box for fear a tornado was coming.

Since everyone survived, it’s now a matter of making up yet another game, with yet another double-header. That puts Seattle at a distinct disadvantage the rest of the season.

It’s also gutted the month of April for the

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Jeff Weaver declined to speak to the media after a three-inning start against Anaheim, and it was probably the right thing for him to do.

After two terrible starts, his third lasted three innings and 68 laborious pitches, after which manager Mike Hargrove pulled him, trailing 3-0. Weaver wasn’t happy about that.

He’s not looking like a man who’s going to get much happier – not unless his pitching completely turns around. Like a lot of journeymen pitchers, Weaver believes he’s established himself.

He has, just not as a

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Like hearing old baseball stories? When former Angels closer Troy Percival showed up at the ballpark Saturday, he visited with general manager Bill Bavasi – and made broadcaster Mike Blowers shake his head.

"I was the first Mariner ever to face him," Blowers said. "He’d just been called up, and he came into the game in like the eighth inning, these huge goggles on his head, and threw the first two warmup pitches to backstop screen."

Blowers turned to hitting coach Lee Elia for a scouting report and was told that all the team knew about him was

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OK, kids. Have it your way.

Let’s say the Seattle Mariners fire general manager Bill Bavasi today and start an in-season search for his successor, and fire manager Mike Hargrove and replace him with interim manager John McLaren.

Now, what changes?

What is it anyone thinks will improve this team this season if that occurs?

Take your time, give it some thought, then post away.

Darrin Beene is covering the Mariners-Twins game today along with the announcement about Felix Hernandez’s condition.

The team doctor announced this afternoon that Hernandez, who left the game Wednesday in the first inning, has a flexor-pronator strain in his right arm. He will not be allowed to throw for the next five days and will then be re-evaluated. Overall, he’s expected to miss at least 10-20 days.

Darrin’s story on Hernandez is here.