Kevin Millwood watched from the dugout today when Andy Pettitte came out of retirement to pitch once again for the New York Yankees – this time against the Seattle Mariners.

“It was cool the way he came back after sitting out a year and a half,” Millwood said of the New York lefty. “Obviously, he’s still got a lot left in the tank. I do, too.”

And then he proved it, allowed three hits and a run in seven strong innings as the Mariners beat New York and Pettitte, 6-2.

Justin Smoak and Casper Wells had home runs, shortstop Brendan …

Read more »

Eric Wedge has defended players and chided them this season, tried to motivate them and moved them up and down his lineup.

Chone Figgins, Miguel Olivo, Brendan Ryan, Justin Smoak – they’ve all been the topic of discussion at one point or another in 2012, usually when Wedge is asked about his inconsistent offense.

Today, he talked about another player: Ichiro Suzuki.

 It began with a question about the young lineup he posted against veteran Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees.

“Why is Smoak batting fifth?” Wedge said, repeating a question. “Because no veteran guy is doing anything – …

Read more »

No one is certain whether Seattle Mariners shortstop Brendan Ryan has hit bottom this season, batting .149, but one thing became clear today– he’s about reached the end of his manager’s patience.

Eric Wedge has tried moving Ryan down in the lineup and up in the  batting order, putting him second in hopes of getting him more fastballs, ninth to take pressure off.

Today,Wedge sat Ryan.

Why?

“He needs a day,” Wedge said. “I need a day.”

 In manager-speak, read that as abject frustration.

“Is there a level he has to reach to stay in the lineup?” Wedge asked, repeating …

Read more »

Day Two in the Big Apple, and the Seattle Mariners are throwing both former Yankees at New York in this gamde – DH Jesus Montero and RHP Hector Noesi.

After beating Felix Hernandez last night, the Yankees will try to undermine Noesi’s development as a starting pitcher and, tomorrow, try to derail Kevin Millwood entirely.

Here’s Eric Wedge’s lineup:
Dusin Ackley 2B
John Jaso C
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Jesus Montero  DH
Kyle Seager 3B
Mike C arp LF
Justin Smoak 1B
Michael Saunders  CF
Munenori Kawasaki  SS
Hector Noesi  RHP

While Mariners fans impatiently wait for pitchers Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker to advance from Double-A Jackson, a couple recently-called-up Generals pitchers have made immediate impacts at Triple-A Tacoma.

Starter Andrew Carraway took a perfect game into the seventh inning Friday in his Triple-A debut and hard-throwing reliever Stephen Pryor has been dominant since joining the Rainiers Tuesday.

First, let’s get to Carraway. Here’s my game story from his flirt with a perfect game.

He didn’t overpower batters — Carraway admits he’s more crafty than flamethrower — but he kept hitters off balance and impressed Tacoma manager Daren Brown.

“He commands the strike zone,” Brown said. “He has an idea of what he’s trying to do with each pitch, uses both sides of the plate with all his pitches. He has different ways to attack hitters.”
Read more »

As home runs go, Jesus Montero’s was a reminder to the New York Yankees just what they’d given up in trade to the Seattle Mariners.

The one Raul Ibanez hit against Felix Hernandez? It was just more evidence the old guy can still get it done, and his three-run shot brought New York from behind for a 6-2 victory tonight.

Hernandez wasn’t as dominant as he can be, allowing two walks and 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings, but manager Eric Wedge put that in perspective.

“Maybe he wasn’t quite as sharp as we’ve seen Felix, but you have to remember, …

Read more »

Felix Hernandez is about to find out whether he still owns the mortgage on ‘new’ Yankee Stadium  – the King is 3-0 in this ball park, with a 0.38 earned run average.

Given that, the Seattle Mariners have as much chance of winning tonight as any game in this series, facing right-hander Hiroki Kuroda and a lineup that includes left fielder Raul Ibanez and third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

Hey, here’s Dustin Ackley and we’re off:

First inning:

Mr. Ackley, meet Mr. Kuroda. Ack hit his first career leadoff homer, an opposite field shot that came before the home crowd could …

Read more »

Blake Beavan threw the baseball for the first time since being hit by a line drive on his right elbow, and though he felt no pain the team has decided to accommodate the bruise.

“If it was up to me, I’d start on the day I’m supposed to start, but that might not be smart,” Beavan acknowledged.

Instead of pitching Sunday in New York, the Mariners will give Beavan two extra days and he’ll pitched Tuesday in Boston. In the interim, the team will have Kevin Millwood start Sunday, Jason Vargas on Sunday.

With a day off for travel, both …

Read more »