The M's lost Monday, but they had 10 hits against a really vicious pitcher who was having a great (0 BB, 95 mph) night. 

Per their body language, I'd have thought they were 30-and-19:  they battled with two strikes, they executed hit-and-runs, they executed rundowns with alacrity, they fought back in the 9th.  Even Dr. D would not blame the M's if they had given up by now, but they have not.

Somebody with more patience than I might care to (A) look up the M's total bases and walks, the past week, and even (B) index them against strength-of-opposition.  They'll like what they see.

.

=== Chone On Crazy Diamond ===

Figgins, in the 3rd inning, battled Liriano through seven very unpleasant pitches.  On the seventh, Liriano flung a nasty deadfish changeup that caught the intersection of the low-and-away edges of the strike zone. 

Figgins squared it perfectly on the sweet spot of the bat and lined it into left-center.  One of the two or three best strokes I've seen from Figgins this year.

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

In the 5th inning, he got a 94-mph Liriano jam pitch right on his hands, waist high and inside black.  He pulled his hands in and lined the ball hard into CF for a long single.  One of the two or three best strokes I've seen from Figgins this year.

Two clean, hard singles off two of the worst pitcher's pitches a human being can face.

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

Figgins' OBP the last week, going into Monday, was .450, and it has looked like it.  For that week, he has looked like a $45MM player.  And during that week, the M's have scored solid runs against All-Star pitchers.

We mentioned earlier that Zduriencik has two huge additions the rest of the way:  Figgins and Lopez.  Let's hope it begins now.

.

=== Jose Lopez ===

Had two laser beams off Liriano.  Had been hitting .389/.429/.556 over the week prior.

...........

Assuming that Jose Lopez and Chone Figgins did begin hitting one week ago, they join theseteammates in the fight:

• Figgins - hot this week, hitting pitchers' pitches
  
• Lopez - hot this week, and hitting pitchers' pitches
  
• Ichiro - is going to have another 2001/2004/2007/2009
  
• Gutierrez - 126 OPS+
• Sweeney - a very good hitter who, apparently, has something left in the tank
  
• Milton Bradley - one of the most gifted hitters in baseball, currently at an 80 OPS+ despite the funk.
  

In April and May, the Mariners deployed only 2 of these 6 hitters.  Apparently we're now going to be using all six.  It would be okay with me.

.