Seattle Sports Insider

Texas 7, Mariners 2 (10 innings) - Cinco de Mayo

=== Erikkkkkkk "Baseball's Best SP" Bedard ===

Bedard takes a shutout into the 7th inning. Fans seven Rangers and walks none. Has a vintage Erik Bedard Randy Johnson start.

Leaves the game tied. Does not win the game. Has a record of 2-1, 2.37 after six great starts.

POTD: Rob Johnson and Dan Wilson

=== Rob Johnson's Tag Play ===

At Lookout Landing, Jeff Sullivan counted 15 strikes that Felix threw, that he got ripped off on by the home plate ump. Meanwhile, James Shields suffered 0, according to LL. How many bad calls does it take to FIX a sporting event? Usually only three or four, as the 2005 Seahawks found out. When a couple of terrific, evenly-matched champions are slugging it out, a win or a loss is often a matter of luck on ONE play -- a double kicks up chalk or lands a foot foul, and that's the ballgame.

Erik Bedard the best pitcher in baseball?

Sandy-Raleigh, the flagship analyst at Mariner Central:

Doc: “I’m not sure Erik Bedard isn’t the best pitcher in baseball”

Sandy: “I am. He is.”

At this point, I think “if healthy”, Bedard is better than Santana. The combination of stuff and knowing how to use it puts him ahead of any other hurler in the game today, IMHO.

Stats Look Backwards

=== Extend Jarrod Washburn ?! ===

Matty floats the question of whether the M's should .... EXTEND Jarrod Washburn? Which is a bit like Batman re-thinking his relationship with the Joker and proposing that the Clown Prince of Crime take Alfred's place as chef.

By the Numbers

3.01 - What is the 2009 Mariners' teamwide ERA

3.12 - What is Roger Clemens' career ERA

3.08 - What is Johann Santana's career ERA

3.27 - What is Randy Johnson's career ERA

3.52 - What is Roy Halladay's career ERA

3.78 - What is Josh Beckett's career ERA

...............

4.73 - What was the Seattle Mariners' ERA last year

By The Numbers, Bottom Half of the Inning

101 - Games the 2009 Seattle Mariners would win at their present pace

87 - How many games would Dr. D guess the M's will actually win (aided by hot start and Wakamatsu)

.241/.293/.352 - Offensive production producing these 101 pro-rated victories

.248/.309/.331 - Average offense in NL in the 1915 season, deadball era (27 homers per team per year)

5 Homers? Really?

=== Had You Noticed ===

The M’s have hit 12 home runs, and their opponents only 5 !

……………..

I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the only time in 30-odd years that the M’s pitchers had given up only 5 homers in their first 15 games. That is an extremely low number. That’s 560+ batters faced and only 5 homers?! That’s as if the average AL hitter got only five homers in a full season.