Why is it that Washburn can give up 4 runs over 5 1/3 and I’m left feeling like he pitched a decent game? My standards as a fan are dwindling - Jose Lopez picking up 2 RBIs and a HR tricked me in to thinking that it wasn’t such a big loss.

The truth is that I couldn’t help but spend more time watching game 5 of the Stanley Cup go in to triple overtime. Ah… so that’s what the white-hot flames of competition looks like.

Perhaps if the Mariners grew beards they’d know what it means to play like warriors. R.A. Dickey has the right idea.

Tomorrow Erik Bedard will face an 8-2 Joe Saunders in what should prove to be a a real duel. Let’s see if Richie gets to start again, or if the sentimental McLaren just wanted to see him in a Mariners uniform one more time before putting him out to pasture.

Jarrod Washburn will face off against Jair Jurrjens. Apparently Jarrod can hit baseballs. We’ll see about that!

An official game post is a new thing here at Yeti Ballclub, mostly because the site is new, and readership is either small, or the millions of people that have been coming through are just too shy to leave a comment. Well, allow these game threads to be your secret folded note that you can pass on to a friend, only to have it intercepted by the entire world and read aloud for everyone to hear and judge.

I know that the game thread isn’t a new concept. The U.S.S. Mariner does it, and does it well. I often head over there myself to get involved. My hope with this site isn’t to compete with the U.S.S. Mariner, but to offer a slightly more casual place to talk about baseball and even webcomics!

I love baseball the way that I love the air in the Northwest and fresh sushi, but I wear Adrian Beltre’s jersey t-shirt because he makes awesome stops and 3rd, and does a funny foot shuffle sometimes when he’s up. I cheer for R.A. Dickey’s beard even when he’s not performing well, and hold out hope that Brandon Morrow will have 4 plus-pitches by next spring and join Felix at the top of the rotation. It’s for topics like these that the rest of us fans ought to have a place to discuss them, and I hope that the motherly arms of Yeti Ballclub can be that safe haven.

Just remember that when you’re here you won’t be made fun of because you’re misinformed, you’ll be made fun of because it makes people feel better about their own inadequacies. So, leave a comment! You’ll feel great!

Jarrod Washburn and Randy Wolf will go toe to toe in a battle of the lefties today in San Diego. Washburn had a pretty solid outing in Atlanta, striking out eight, and maybe if he follows that performance up with another gem, the Phillies will want him too. We could trade Bedard, Washburn, and Pike Place Market for Chase Utley! I would do it in a heartbeat.

First pitch at 7:05 PM. That’s our time now. 

How about those baby blues!

• There has been interest shown by both the A’s and the Dodgers in Adrian Beltre. Of all the players that we could see hang up their Mariners uniform, I hope he’s one of the last. He may not be putting up the numbers that he did his MVP season, but I think he’s one of the best defenders in the game, and still has some good pop left in his bat. He’s just a fun guy to watch, even if he doesn’t take extra B.P.
• For a team that’s in a hole as deep as the Mariners, R.A. Dickey has shown that he could potentially hold a spot in the rotation. He may have an occasional Batista like outing, but he’s also getting paid a fraction of we are giving Batista, Silva, and Washburn.
• Jeremy Reed has been earning his keep, hitting .304 after 29 games played this year. Grady Sizemore he is not, but his contribution this season should be noted.
• Felix is on the DL for a spell. I’m not sweating it until we hear that he’s going back on it after his return. The last thing anybody wants is to see him out, but if it weren’t this this unfortunate incident we wouldn’t be seeing Rowland-Smith start, would we? Am I the only one excited about this?!
• The weather in Seattle has been amazing. We should all allow ourselves a day to forget about the payroll, the underachievers, and our place in the standings, and get out to Safeco Field for a game. It is hands down one of the nicest parks in baseball. It’s really easy to get bummed out by a team when you’re just watching their numbers. Dare to immerse yourself in the human experience with real athletes in person that do awesome things.

Wisconsin native Jarrod Washburn takes the hill tonight against righty Dustin McGowan. Washburn has only given up six runs in his last four starts combined, but has just one win to show for it. It won’t be long before we see some trades going down, and there is a good chance that he will be part of them.

It’s another beautiful day in Seattle, and will be a nice night to relax in the friendly confines of Safeco Field. Just watch out for all of the excitable Canadiens! There were a ton of them at last night’s game, and they were cheering so loudly that more Blue Jays chants were coming over the television than Mariners ones. So maybe Canada Day had something to do with it, but still.

UPDATE 7:30 PM: Forget what I said about the weather! The skies are thundering… and wait for it… wait… here comes the rain!

POST GAME: Washburn kept it real tonight, and MIguel Cairo showed us all that he has has the power of a hundred men within him, but only chooses to showcase it once a season. I can’t concentrate on anything else that has happened tonight because my man-crush on Brandon Morrow keeps getting bigger. His ERA is lower than any other pitcher in baseball who has thrown more than twenty innings. Sure, that’s not a ton of time, but he’s been flat out dominating. For (what will most likely not be) the last time: I want a Morrow jersey t-shirt. Who decides which players to print up, and what are they waiting for?

Jarrod Washburn looks to keep his string of strong starts alive and will face Dana Eveland in the first of another four-game series.

I imagine the team is pretty exhausted after their fifteen inning romp yesterday, only to be rewarded with a plane flight to their eleventh game in as many days.

UPDATE 7:12: What’s this? A three-run Richie Sexson bomb? The Mariners jump out to a quick 3-0 lead. I bet they gave Sexson something to hit because they thought it was better to face him than the awesome power of Kenji Johjima. A power so great that Kenji just landed himself on first thanks to a throwing error (that should have been caught). A wise move on behalf of the A’s.

POST GAME: The Mariners lost this one 4-3, but Jarrod Washburn pitched eight good innings and let the bullpen get some much needed rest. It’s tough to see them lose another close one, but Washburn’s resilience may prove to help win some games in this series after all.

Jarrod Washburn is trying his best to lower his trade value as much as possible so far today. I’m writing this post in the bottom of the second with the Mariners down 2-0 and just had the pleasure of seeing Washburn give up two consecutive hits.

The major news of today though… Tug Hulett has his major league debut. I left the room for a minute and missed his first at bat! From what I can tell it was a three pitch strikeout, so maybe it won’t be his most memorable moment.

This just in! Jarrod walked a batter to load the bases, and we’ve still got one out! I think we’ve got a fun one on our hands!

Jose Vidro is still hitting clean-up. There are also creatures on the bottom of the ocean that are completely clear. Unsurprisingly, clear creatures make more sense to me.