And He’s Off…

Ichiro leads off with a triple, then freezes and doesn’t score on Willie Bloomquist’s infield single. These Mariners invent ways not to score. Raul Ibanez ruined the shutout, hitting an RBI double.

Seattle is rolling. …

Now Pitching For Seattle …

The Mariners likely will call up Ryan Rowland-Smith in the next few days and give him at least one start in the spot currently filled by R.A. Dickey. They’re also close to sending Brandon Morrow to Tacoma, giving him three starts there to stretch him out to about 75 pitches, then bring

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… with the Mariners?

Well nothing. They are minus one reliever and a mid-grade prospect richer.

But with the playoff races in the American League East and the National League West? Plenty.

That’s because Manny Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a three-team trade, while former Gonzaga standout and Kirkland resident Jason Bay is headed to the Red Sox. Here’s some of the details of the trade.

But who cares about teams

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The trade that was most likely to happen did, and Arthur Lee Rhodes is now a Florida Marlin – moved in exchange for a young, minor-league starting pitcher.

It was a move that served the future, and whether 22-year-old Gaby Hernandez works out is something no one can know today.

But Rhodes, 38, will be missed – as much in the clubhouse as on the mound, where he was having a rock-solid season.

Arthur had character, the kind that lets a man deal with a son who has cancer without using it as an excuse for poor

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All the clamoring for Junior to be traded to an American League has been answered, only the team is the Chicago White Sox. Multiple sources, led by Fox’s Ken Rosenthal , have reported that the Griffey has approved the trade for infielder Danny Richar and pitcher Nick Masset – neither of whom are exactly household names – not even for a person who covers baseball.

How Griffey is going to be used remains to be seen. The White Sox have a pretty solid outfield with Carlos Quentin in left, Jermaine

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The Mariners traded relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes to Florida this morning for a minor-league pitcher.

While much of the talk about possible trades for the Mariners surrounded a different left-handed pitcher, the trade of Arthur Rhodes should have been expected. He will be the first of about five or six left-handed relievers to get traded.



Why?



Because the left-on-left specialist is a needed commodity for down-the-stretch success. The Marlins bullpen has been decent this season but their lefty specialist Reynel Pinto leads

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Manager Jim Riggleman has little say over what trades do or don’t get made, but he’s clear enough about sending signals to his players.

SS Yuniesky Betancout, who simply whiffed on a fastball during a squeeze situation on Tuesday finds himself on the bench tonight in favor of Willie Bloomquist.

Riggleman’s message is straight forward: Do the little things right or feel free to watch the game from over here.

Good for Riggleman. …

Pinch-hitting 101 …

When the Mariners pinch-hit Kenji Johjima in the ninth inning Tuesday for rookie Bryan LaHair, it raised a

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From ESPN’s trade deadline blog, Jayson Stark is reporting that the Mets possible deal for Raul Ibanez is dead because the Mariners were asking for too much.

We have a big all-staff meeting right now, so more links coming soon.

The Mariners made a move and acquired a pitcher today, claiming Luis Munoz off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. I really have nothing to say about this. But if the guy couldn’t cut it in the Pirates organization, what makes him able to make it with the Mariners. Lee Pelekoudas called it “low-cost, low-risk” which means low interest to me.

Here’s the press release.

MARINERS CLAIM RHP LUIS MUNOZ FROM PITTSBURGH

Munoz will report to Double-A West Tennessee

ARLINGTON, Texas. — Seattle Mariners Vice President

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