Drayer’s M’s Notebook: The strangest road trip in 18 years

This was one the strangest Seattle Mariners road trips I can remember covering.

There was extreme heat and wind in three day games in Chicago. Then rain and a 4 hour, 22 minute rain delay in Minnesota. Then back-to-back-to-back extra-innings games in Texas.

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The only thing that beats it is a season-opening swing east in 2007 – “Snow-pening Day” and four snow-outs in Cleveland, followed by a sleet-out in Boston, then what in my opinion was the second-best start of Felix Hernández’s career.

Let’s just say a lot was going on during this recent trip. So much so, there’s a lot of notebook cleaning out to do. We’ll do it in two parts, so first here’s some news, notes and nuggets you may have missed, or I may not have had a chance to share. And then click here for a few things that stand out from the Mariners’ lineup in June.

“Second-Inning Bazardo”

It was clear the entire staff was thrilled with what they saw from right-handed reliever Eduard Bazardo, who held the Rangers scoreless in both 10th and 11th innings of Game 1 in Arlington – with the inherited runner on second – and picked up the win.

“He wants to pitch every day. That’s just who he is,” Mariners pitching coach Pete Woodworth said. “He can go out there and throw 20 pitches and come back in and say, ‘I’m good Papi, send me out there.'”

That goes for in-game also, and Woodworth has little problem sending Bazardo out for multiple innings.

“The cool thing we have seen about Bazardo, the longer he’s out there the harder he throws. (Mariners director of pitching strategy Trent Blank) calls it ‘Second-Inning Bazardo.’ I don’t understand it but he gets more and more velo, he gets more competitive, more and more impressive. So I’m anxious to see him at pitch 80 throwing 112 mph.”

Bazardo leads the Mariners’ bullpen in innings pitched in June with 15 2/3, and is second among M’s relievers in ERA this month with a 1.15 behind only Matt Brash, who has yet to give up a run.

Probably should give a tip of the cap to Casey Legumina this month, as well. In 13 innings pitched, Legumina has posted a 1.38 ERA and a strikeout rate of 11.77 per nine innings.

Support staff

After a tough outing in Minnesota, right-handed reliever Zach Pop made the trip to Texas but was DFA’d before Game 2. Pop allowed seven earned runs in just one inning pitched Thursday as the Mariners lost 10-1 following the rain delay.

Before the series opener against the Rangers, Pop was in the clubhouse in a situation that must have been tough for him, knowing another reliever was there on the taxi squad. A move seemed imminent.

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A couple of hours before the game, pitcher Logan Gilbert walked over to Pop’s locker and had a long talk with him, finishing with a hug. What was remarkable about this conversation is it was Gilbert’s start day. He was already in pre-Walter mode with his game face on, hair wet down, but he still took the care and the time to have the conversation. Just a very good clubhouse scene.

J.P.’s advice

I caught up with shortstop J.P. Crawford for a pregame show before Game 82, getting his thoughts on the first 81 games and what he would like to see going forward. He was quick with his answer.

“Just be more comfortable, and me personally I would like to see them be a little bit more aggressive on first pitches,” he said. “Go out there, have fun and keep competing.”

Click here for Part 2 of Shannon Drayer’s notebook detailing three surprising things that stand out from the Mariners’ lineup.

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