Jamie Moyer’s Notebook: Seattle Mariners vs. Colorado Rockies August 3, 2015
By Max Carter
Seattle Mariners (48-58) vs. Colorado Rockies (44-59) August 3, 2015 5:40 PM PST
Pitching Matchup: Felix Hernandez RHP (12-6, 3.02 ERA) vs. Eddie Butler RHP (3-7, 4.82 ERA)
3 Things to Watch For:
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1. The Future Is Now
On Friday, the Seattle Mariners number 2 ranked prospect Ketel Marte made his MLB debut at second base for the injured Robinson Cano. Marte went 0 for 4 in his first big league game, but in the two games since the youngster is 4 for 8 with a walk. Ketel Marte is a switch-hitting middle-infielder that the Ms have been working out in the outfield as well. Although Austin Jackson has been decent in center field this season, he has failed to get on base as much as a lead-off hitter should, and Marte has already exhibited an ability to get on with regularity. Granted, it is a small sample size, but moving into the future, Ketel Marte could be exactly the spark that the floundering Seattle Mariners ball club needs. Two more hits for Marte tonight, including his first big league RBI.
2. The Flick Of The Wrist
Jul 25, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) hits a three-run homer against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
If you still think that Robinson Cano sucks, then you probably aren’t a very good fan. While his numbers are still not where they need to be, Cano is batting .292 over his last 120 at-bats, with an on-base percentage of .351 and a slugging percentage of .550. That is in thanks to the eight home runs that he has slugged throughout the last month, which has also helped him towards 20 runs batted in during that stretch. As difficult as the 2015 campaign has been as a Seattle Mariners fan, let’s not forget that Robinson Cano is a career .306 hitter, with 229 homers and 947 RBI throughout 10-plus seasons in the majors. This guy knows how to hit, and he has proven that in the last month. I think that Cano benefits from the air in Colorado tonight and puts one out to deep right-center field.
3. Felix Hernandez
In case you didn’t know, the Seattle Mariners have a living legend that takes the field every five days. Felix Hernandez is having a fine season, adding to his already illustrious career as a starting pitcher. To give you the big picture, in 10-plus season King Felix has produced a record of 137-98 over 2,197.2 innings, compiling 2082 strikeouts, an ERA of 3.07 and a whip of only 1.17. As if those stats aren’t impressive enough, Hernandez was the fourth-youngest pitcher in MLB history to reach 2,000 strikeouts, and has notched the most starts in Seattle Mariners history. Despite three outings in 2015 in which he has allowed seven earned runs or more, Felix Hernandez has posted an ERA of 3.02 over 137 innings pitched in 21 starts. This guy is so good that he has a day named after him in Seattle, not to mention the fact that his day is celebrated every five days for six months of the year. This guy is a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, and I say he proves that tonight in his first career start against the Colorado Rockies. An ultra-quality start for King Felix tonight; seven innings pitched, with no more than two earned runs allowed.
Last Game’s Performance (Seattle Mariners vs. Arizona Diamondbacks July 28, 2015): 0-3
Season Tally:
Hits: 50 Outs: 85 Batting Average: .370