Rangers Gameday: 3/1 Vs. SEA

Sunday, March 1st Game Preview
Seattle Mariners (2-0-1) vs. Texas Rangers (2-2-0)
Brandon Morrow (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Vicente Padilla (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
2:05 p.m. CST in Surprise, Arizona (Surprise Stadium)
TV: - - - | Radio: KRLD 1080 AM

Mariners		Rangers
Position	Player	Position	Player
CF	Franklin Gutierrez	2B	Ian Kinsler
SS	Ronny Cedeno	3B	Michael Young
DH	Russell Branyan	CF	Josh Hamilton
1B	Chris Shelton	DH	Hank Blalock
LF	Bryan LaHair	RF	Marlon Byrd
3B	Matt Tuiasosopo	LF	David Murphy
C	Jamie Burke	1B	Chris Davis
RF	Prentice Redman	C	Adam Melhuse
2B	Chris Woodward	SS	Elvis Andrus

Notes: Right-hander Brendan Donnelly (strained rhomboid muscle, right shoulder) has not yet pitched in a Cactus League exhibition game, but was scheduled to throw long toss today and could be medically cleared for a bullpen session ... Right-hander Willie Eyre (right forearm stiffness) has been shut down, but the club's training staff believes the setback is related to his long layoff from pitching ... Right-hander Jason Jennings threw 30 pitches during a simulated game this morning, and will be re-evaluated tomorrow ... Outfielder Brandon Boggs has been medically cleared to begin playing in the outfield ... Shortstop Joaquin Arias has returned to the Dominican Republic to be with his ailing father.

Comments

[Joey Matschulat]

Not a good start for Padilla, who already walked in a run and yielded an RBI hit...

[Joey Matschulat]

And now a passed ball from Adam Melhuse makes it 3-0 Seattle in the first inning...

[Jeffrey]

Are any radio stations carrying the game?

[Joey Matschulat]

KRLD-FM is carrying it locally, but the station's web stream is blacked out by MLBAM...about five minutes before gametime I discovered my Gameday Audio subscription had lapsed, so I had to pony up the annual $14.95 premium...

[Jeffrey]

I really want to listen to the game. But my wife doesn't like spending money on "useless" things like MLB radio subscriptions. What's a guy to do?

Buy the subscription now...and the flowers for her tomorrow

[Joey Matschulat]

Okay, Julio Borbon has just replaced Josh Hamilton in center field to begin the top of the second inning...let the panicking begin...

[Joey Matschulat]

Tightness in Hamilton's right Achilles tendon is apparently to blame for his premature departure from this game...

[Joey Matschulat]

Per Anthony Andro of the FWST:

Josh Hamilton was bouncing on his feet in the clubhouse Sunday, saying his left Achilles feels fine. Hamilton said it doesn't hurt, but it is a little tight. He said he still may play Monday against Cleveland. Hamilton did not hurt the Achilles legging out his triple. He tweaked it getting a lead off third base after the at-bat.

Chris Shelton, meanwhile, just mashed a two-run jack off Brian Gordon...7-3 Seattle...

[Joey Matschulat]

And the rout may be on...10-3 Mariners, as Brian Gordon is yanked from the game in favor of Casey Daigle...

[Joey Matschulat]

Solid effort from John Bannister today, and the score remains 10-4 going into the bottom of the eighth...

[Joey Matschulat]

Guillermo Moscoso is now being battered around, and it's 12-4 Mariners...

[Joey Matschulat]

And Jose Vallejo slashes a single to lead off the bottom of the ninth with Texas down nine runs...

[Joey Matschulat]

Metcalf flies out, and up steps Borbon as Texas tries to make some late noise...

[Joey Matschulat]

Borbon draws a walk (always encouraging, given the concerns over his ability to consistently reach base), and up steps Brandon Boggs...

[Joey Matschulat]

And Boggs smashes a liner to center field to plate two runs...13-6 Seattle...

[Joey Matschulat]

Greg Golson grounds out, and the game is down to German Duran...

[Joey Matschulat]

And that's that...Texas loses by a touchdown...

[Robert Bolyard]

Oh so close! Oh wait.. wrong sport.