Major League Baseball

The Seattle Mariners avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox in a midday matinee at T-Mobile Park today (April 7) despite a poor start from pitcher Justin Dunn.

While it is virtually impossible to go 162-0 in Major League Baseball, as fans exited T-Mobile Park last night (April 1) following a dramatic 8-7 come-from-behind win in 10 innings against San Francisco on Opening Day, there was nary a Mariners fan that couldn't help but utter the words "undefeated" as they were exiting the ballpark. Well, that didn't last long.

The wait for the complete return of Our National Pastime has never felt longer but, mercifully for us "seamheads", today is the day that the Great American Game finally begins again! Baseball is back and I couldn't be happier.

Sad news for fans of professional minor league baseball in the Yakima Valley today with the news of the passing of former Yakima Bears Field Manager Mike Bell's passing at the age of 46 due to complications from cancer of the kidneys.

The Seattle Mariners lifted their Cactus League record to 3-4-5(!) with a comeback 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on a rainy, windy game that was ended after eight innings at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona.

In just their fourth game in Cactus League play at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, the Seattle Mariners are already showing some promising power in the batting line-up.

The Mariners opened their 2021 Cactus League schedule on Monday with a walk-off 5-4 victory over the highly touted San Diego Padres. Phenoms Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez showed the promise that has them ranked as top prospects in all of Major League Baseball by propelling them to victory.

With the Seattle Mariners re-signing James "Big Maple" Paxton, it got me thinking of other sports stars that carry a nickname that includes the moniker "Big". Here are some of my favorites with a surprising disproportionate amount of them having played for Seattle sports franchises.

With the sad news of Los Angeles Dodgers manager and baseball icon passing away last night, I recall the times I got to meet him when he would visit Yakima.

In one of the more clever and successful corporate promotions tying in with professional sports, the Taco Bell restaurant chain again rolled out their "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" campaign to run throughout the 2020 World Series. It didn't take long for all of America to score a free taco, thanks to Mookie Betts!

Even the most optimistic of Mariners fans knew that the truncated 2020 season was going to be filled with growing pains as General Manager Jerry DiPoto had to tear a veteran-laden team down to the studs to replenish a depleted farm system. The rebuild may be happening ahead of schedule.

Major League Baseball conducted Rounds 2 -5 of their annual amateur selections yesterday (June 11) and the Seattle Mariners used their selection in the 5th Round to pick a pitcher with some ties to the Yakima Valley.