Tuesday, April 12, 2011 @ 12:31am
The Welcome Back Wak-Off! Youth is served!

By Mike Salk

Holy cow!

HOLY COW!

HOOOLLLLLLLYYYYYYYY COOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

At least that's the edited version of what was going on in the Salk household in the ninth inning Monday night. I can't really give you an accurate quote on a family blog, but you get the drift.

It was awesome.

For the last 10 days, we've been saying the Mariners have stuck with it even when they've gotten down early. Against a superior Texas team, they continually battled back even when the Rangers extended the lead. Late comebacks fell short in Texas on Monday and Tuesday and at home against Cleveland on Saturday and Sunday. Heck, they even tried to make it interesting late in the debacle that was their home opener!

Finally, it all came together on one fun night with former manager Don Wakamatsu watching from the other dugout. It was (with a hat tip to @NickSchnepf) a “Welcome Back Wak-Off!”

Yes, the Blue Jays helped with 11 walks, including three in a row with the bases loaded in the eighth. But the Mariners showed great patience in not trying to hit a 5-run home run. They let the game come to them, had great at bats, and it paid off. When this team is patient, they are infinitely better than when they swing away.

There are a few things I love about this win.

First, I love the stick-to-it-iveness. They stayed up and it eventually paid dividends.

Second, I love that Justin Smoak and Michael Saunders played huge roles. Smoak had a pair of hits, including a double that missed getting out of the park by less than a foot and a huge single to get the M's within a run. He also walked twice. That combination of power and patience should define the player the Mariners traded for last season. Saunders has been a different player since he shortened up that long swing. He sounds confident in interviews and he looks even more confident at the plate. Yes, I loved the clutch double to set up the tying run. But even more I loved that it was stroked with authority down the right field line.

And yes, I loved the final at bat from virtual unknown Luis Rodriguez. I'll admit to not knowing much about the utility man. People in the know like Dave Cameron tell me he is a solid player with some pop in his bat. All I know is this: I would have felt less confidence if Chone Figgins had been up in that situation. That is the prototypical “back-up quarterback” mindset that often drives me crazy (and leads to insane calls and texts about Mike Teal), but it's true. The Mariners may have won this game in part because Figgins hurt his wrist.

Go figure.

As great as this win was, it was just one win. It won't change the standings drastically. But I'm curious what it will do to a clubhouse that seems to want to come together and get past what happened last year. Their manager held a few (veteran) players accountable for their actions. The younger guys I've spoken with seem to like that everyone has a shot to compete for playing time.

In the case of Saunders, I believe he has earned a more regular spot in the lineup and I'm told that will occur. With Franklin Gutierrez potentially returning soon, the M's will need to find a spot for him.

May I suggest left field?

They will need to clear a roster spot for Gutierrez and I'm curious to see who will be let go. Ryan Langerhans is the obvious choice, but don't count out Milton Bradley. I'm told his outfield time will be limited soon and the M's have some level of commitment to Jack Cust – maybe more as a team leader than a designated hitter.

But those decisions can wait. For now, let's just celebrate the Welcome Back Wak-Off and be happy that the comeback was keyed by the young players we all want to see develop.

Saturday, April 9, 2011 @ 11:10am
Mariners can't keep Jack Wilson, Wedge shows he's in charge

By Mike Salk

I wrote the following blog post during Friday night's game. At the time, it represented how I felt. Now, I'm not so sure. Jack Wilson was very contrite after the game – seemingly realizing how serious his actions really were.

“At this point you have got to earn the trust back with your teammates, your coaching staff and your manager when you let them down like I did that day," he said. "You got to earn that back so I am going back to work like every other day but that is something that has to be earned.”

Wilson sounded near tears as he spoke, which lends some credibility to his comments. It'll be very interesting to see where this goes next...

I'm not sure how Jack Wilson can stay in Seattle. Not after what his manager said before the home opener.

“It's unspeakable,” said Eric Wedge, in regards to Wilson removing himself from the game. He later told me he had a hard time even talking about it.

Wilson made two straight errors on Wednesday in Texas. Both were made trying to turn double plays at second base, a position he was playing for just the fifth game in his career. The errors were completely forgivable.

What happened next was not.

“I tried to protect Jack by saying he was a little bit hazy and then he made mention of the fact that I took him out of the game,'' explained Wedge. "I did not take him out of the game. He took himself out of the game. (Bench coach) Robby Thompson and I were underneath there, and wanted him to go back out. Wanted to convince him to go back out. He didn't think he could do that and ultimately we had to make a change.”

It is not okay for players to quit on the teammates. Wilson is making a potentially difficult switch from shortstop to second base. He is accustomed to playing exceptional defense and sometimes it can be hard for an elite athlete to accept some measure of failure. But while they can get frustrated, they can't just walk out in the middle of a game. There are only 25 players on a team, and unless one of them is injured, he is expected to be ready to play.

Wilson said all of the right things this spring when he was transitioned to his new position. Actually, “transitioned” is probably being generous. Wilson lost the competition for the shortstop gig and was moved across the bag as a placeholder for phenom Dustin Ackley, who could arrive by June. Regardless, Wilson publicly said the right things. He had lost weight, gotten himself in shape and was hitting and running better than he had ant any time since he arrived in Seattle. On Monday night, he made one of the greatest plays you'll ever see from a second baseman.

Two nights later he refused to keep playing the position.

“I want to learn this and do what’s best for the team,” he said. “But not if it’s going to mean losing games. It’s a pretty tough pill to swallow, but at that point I felt like it was the right thing to do. Until [my play at second base] is crisp, until I’m confident enough to [play the position], I’m probably going to be sitting down watching someone else.”

Wilson's teammates were unimpressed. More than one expressed shock that he would remove himself from the game. One told me it was “unheard of,” another used a word that I won't repeat but means “wussy,” only worse. It wasn't hard to find folks around the building to agree.

That same teammate loved the way Eric Wedge handled the situation.

This seems like an early test for Wedge, but I would bet that he loved it. As much as he might be seriously offended by Wilson's “unspeakable” action, it is an excellent chance for him to show that the accountability he preaches is as serious as death.

I love the way Wedge handled this. He first tried to protect his player, even though he was disgusted by the behavior. Then, after he felt the player had misrepresented the situation, he told the truth...no matter how ugly.

It's hard to imagine Wilson sticking around too much longer. He lost the job at shortstop and is now saying he isn't ready to play second base. This team already has another utility infielder (Luis Rodriguez) who can play both middle infield positions. His value to this team is nearly at zero.

But the value of Wedge showing that he himself is in charge could be invaluable.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 @ 2:22pm
SI's Peter King fears Jake Locker will be a bust

By Brady Henderson

When Redskins coach Mike Shanahan was asked at the NFL scouting combine in February about Jake Locker, he said the ex-Husky reminds him of former Pro Bowl quarterback Jake Plummer.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King, who joined Brock & Salk on Tuesday, offered a less flattering comparison.

"I'm worried that he's Kyle Boller," King said.

Boller was the 19th overall pick in 2003 despite completing just 47.8 percent of his passes in four years at Cal. He's played for three NFL teams in nine seasons and has a career 56.7 percent completion rate.

King lauded Locker's willingness to play through broken ribs last season but said similar accuracy concerns are too great to ignore.

"I have great respect for a guy who understands that the only chance his team has to win is by him playing even though he's in pain and he's hurting himself and he's hurting his pro future by doing it," King said, "which obviously he did this year by playing with broken ribs.

"But on the other hand, the stats are the stats. The guy in four years of college football completed 54 percent of his passes. That stinks. And if I'm a team looking at him, I've got to say, 'It's not just because he played a few games with broken ribs. He's just not an accurate enough passer.'"

You can listen to Brock & Salk's conversation with Peter King here.

You might also be interested in...

• Brock & Salk: Is Mallett or Locker a better option for the Seahawks?

• Rob Rang has Seahawks taking DT in first round

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 @ 12:28pm
4/5: Ryan Mallett or Jake Locker?

You can listen to Brock & Salk's conversation with Peter King here.

• Rob Rang has Seahawks taking DT in first round

Monday, April 4, 2011 @ 11:07pm
Mariners show something we hardly saw in 2010 -- heart

By Mike Salk

The Mariners lost 6-4 in Texas and saw their record drop back to .500 at 2-2. If you didn't watch the game, you'll probably see the score and think, "Same old M's." You'll be bummed out that Erik Bedard allowed five runs in as many innings and that he gave up a pair of long home runs. You'll think that the first two wins of the season were a fluke and that the Mariners are just a carbon copy of last year's debacle.

Sounds like a bummer. But it wasn't.

The Mariners may have been the less talented team on Monday night. Their lineup wasn't as deep as the Rangers' and their pitching wasn't much better. They aren't red hot the way the defending AL champs have been so far this year. But faced with those disadvantages, they didn't give up the way their 2010 counterpart often did. They didn't get down early and crawl into a hole and die. They showed the heart we all hope our ballplayers display. They battled for nine innings and I saw some positive signs.

First of all, Justin Smoak's continued development is a pleasure to watch. Two more hits, one more long double, and another all that nearly got over the right fielder's head show that he is figuring things out from both sides of the plate right now. So far this year, he has shown an understanding of the strike zone (four walks and an OBP of .529) and an ability to both accumulate hits (.385 avg) and generate power (three doubles in four games). Smoak's progress is the single most important thing Mariners fans should expect this year and the first four games have been amazing.

What really jumped out to me in Texas, however, was the M's twice getting themselves back into the game after it looked like the Rangers were ready to run and hide. When Elvis Andrus homered in the first and the team tacked on two more in the second, it looked like this was going to be a long night. But Bedard worked a quick third inning and the M's actually put together an extended rally in the fourth.

Not only did they battle back into the game, the middle of the lineup took control. Milton Bradley singled, Jack Cust walked and Smoak crushed an RBI double. Presto. They looked like...wait for it...no...it can't be...it is....a real middle of the order! Yes, it was just one time through the lineup, but it showed what is lurking in the most important spot.

Half an inning later, Nelson Cruz hit his ridiculous fourth home run in as many games and every Mariners fan who remembered last year assumed the game was over at 4-2. But the 2011 version found a way to scratch out another run and get back to within striking distance. They simply refused to give up just because they were down a few runs to a superior opponent.

I loved it.

Eventually, Texas scored twice more and the M's bats didn't have enough left for a third comeback. That didn't bother me. I can read a lineup card and understand that the Rangers are going to beat the Mariners most days they play.

But if the M's hang tough in each game, stay positive, stay engaged, and put pressure on their opponents, some of those close ones will turn into victories and we'll see the progress. And of they continue to show heart, we'll enjoy this season a lot more than anyone initially expected.

-- -- -- -- --

As much as I loved the passion, the comebacks, and the play of Smoak, this game could have gone differently were it not for two plays. The first was Ichiro's error in the second inning. Bedard wasn't incredible, but he had gotten a line drive to right field that should have ended the inning, even without a 10-time Gold Glove winner coming on to make the play. Ichiro mishandled it and Andrus followed with a two-run triple. Those runs never should have scored.

In the fourth, the M's had runners on second and third with no outs when Miguel Olivo tapped an RBI groundout to shortstop. Yes, he scored the run, but the trail runner couldn't advance and was eventually stranded. They blew an opportunity to score a run without a hit and they simply can't afford to do that; they don't have the offensive firepower to overcome mistakes.

Two mistakes leading to a three-run swing. It can't happen if this team wants to compete.

Monday, April 4, 2011 @ 1:21pm
Blue 42: Ryan Mallett doesn't fit with Seahawks

MyNorthwest.com staff

According to National Football Post, Ryan Mallett is beginning a two-day visit with the Seahawks on Monday.

In Monday's Blue 42, Brock Huard said the visit means the Seahawks are seriously considering Mallett, though his lack of mobility may be prohibitive for Seattle's new offense.

Brock referenced comments from Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network, who joined Brock & Salk last week to discuss Jake Locker's pro day and also gave his analysis of Mallett. Lombardi: "I would think knowing what Seattle does, I would think Mallet's more of their guy. I think Mallett fits what they want to do. If you want to throw the ball vertically up the field and you want to make big plays with your passing game, then Mallett's your guy. If you can get comfortable with who he is as a person, he can clearly make an impact on your football team."

Brock's response in Blue 42: "By the hiring of two guys, (offensive line coach Tom Cable and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell), they're going to be a run-first team. They're going to upgrade the offensive line and they will be run-first, play action second. You bring in Darrell Bevell, who comes from a complete West Coast system background. Short, intermediate movement, sprint right, sprint left, play action, play action off of that, bootlegs.

"You've got to have some level of athleticism, and when Mallett ran 5.47 handheld (in the 40-yard dash) and I watched that body jiggle as a 22-year-old in the best shape of his life, you've got to move at this level. ... You don't have to be a sprinter, you don't have to be Michael Vick, but 5.47 is a sitting duck target. With the West Coast system and the play action passing game, I don't think he's an ideal fit here in Seattle."

Brock also discussed what has stood out during Huskies' spring practice and who had the best body control of any player he ever played with. You can listen to Blue 42 here.

You might also be interested in...

• Report: Former Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett visiting Seahawks

Monday, April 4, 2011 @ 12:27pm
4/4: Justin Smoak looks good in Mariners' opening series

You can download Monday's podcast here.

You might also be interested in...

• Ten predictions for the 2011 Mariners season

Friday, April 1, 2011 @ 1:52pm
4/1: Seahawks' top offseason priorities

You can download Friday's podcast here.

You might also be interested in...

• Seahawks GM John Schneider says O-line, D-line are top priorities
• Blue 42: Reaction to Warren Moon's comments about Cam Newton criticism

Friday, April 1, 2011 @ 11:50am
Blue 42: All quarterbacks are picked apart

MyNorthwest.com staff

Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon alleged earlier this week that "blatant racism" is fueling criticism of former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

In Friday's Blue 42, Brock Huard noted that all quarterback prospects are scrutinized and offered a few examples.

"The one thing I don't want to do is touch the racial element, because I am in no place whatsoever, and Warren Moon is. He went through it and he knows very specifically how that feels. Some of the other elements -- and Warren and I have chatted about this before -- I'd like to pick apart a little bit. ...

"I would contend that Tim Tebow last year was blasted relentlessly about being a spread quarterback with a horrible release and some of his convictions he has off the field. His level of persecution was incredibly strong.

"I would contend that Jimmy Clausen was attacked for being a bad guy, a bad teammate, a bad human being, a bad person, not a leader of men, and every other way you want to characterize what he went through a season ago.

"Colt McCoy, one of the reasons he fell to the third round was not just his size, but him playing in a spread system. And when I look at Cam Newton and I compare him to Sam Bradford -- because that was the other name that Warren really threw out when no one was talking about Sam Bradford, he was in a spread system -- Sam Bradford threw it 483 times, 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Cam Newton a season ago threw it 265 times and ran it 280; that is the difference.

"Very much spread systems; the one focused on accuracy and passing and precision and throwing the ball, which is exactly what Sam Bradford has done at the NFL level. Cam Newton, this year, the running outweighing the throwing, that does not translate. We have seen that into the NFL. That's where some of the concerns like Tim Tebow come from -- his background in the spread system."

Brock also discussed how the additions at tight end will change the Huskies' offense and what Seahawks GM John Schneider said about Jake Locker's hands. You can listen to Blue 42 here.

Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 8:37pm
What will Michael Pineda give the Mariners?

You might also be interested in...

• Matt Pitman and Mike Salk also previewed the Mariners bullpen and lineup
• Read the latest Mariners news on Shannon Drayer's blog