Game Thread: Game 1 - ALWCS Seattle @ Toronto - Friday at 4pm ET - ESPN

[WizardHawk]

Game 1 of the best of 3 AL Wild Card Series, all 3 scheduled for play in consecutive days at the Rogers Centre.
Set to start at 1pm Pacific/4pm Eastern on ESPN - Game will not be cast on ROOT (No local coverage), however there will be pre and post game coverage. Post game set for 20 minutes after the end of the game.

Seattle 90-72 | 7-3 in last 10 | +67 run differential
Toronto 92-70 | 7-3 in last 10 | +96 run differential

Starting pitchers:
Luis Castillo - 8-6 record | 2.99 ERA - 167k's | VS Toronto 0-1 3.00 ERA | Luis Castillo Stats | ESPN
Alek Manoah - 16-7 record | 2.24 ERA - 180k's | VS Seattle 0-1 2.45 ERA | Alek Manoah Stats | ESPN

Run line - Toronto -1.5
Line - TOR -140
Over/Under 7.0

Notable injuries M's - Winker out (neck), Haggerty out (groin), Boruki out (forearm)
Notable injuries Jays - Gurriel IL10 - Espinal IL10 - Note status of both unknown for this coming series. Both are close to return status.

First playoff appearance for Seattle in 21 years. We can go ahead and have game threads instead of just a series thread for the whole thing lol. Feel free to add lineup info or anything else related.

THE POST SEASON IS HERE BOYS. ENJOY IT.

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[MarinersBestFan]

FWIW - The Mariners and the Mets are the only 2 teams riding a 3 game win streak into post season play.

I believe in our ball club. Good pitching and good defense with some timely hitting is a winning formula in the playoffs.

Julio needs to be careful as they are going to bust him up and in with fast balls and off speed down and away.

Rest assured they will pitch around Julio in the lineup to get to France in the 2 hole to roll over on one into a DP.

If Santana - Haniger and Kelenic have a good weekend, I see us winning 2 of 3.

 

[NWinAZ]

FWIW - The Mariners and the Mets are the only 2 teams riding a 3 game win streak into post season play.

I believe in our ball club. Good pitching and good defense with some timely hitting is a winning formula in the playoffs.

Julio needs to be careful as they are going to bust him up and in with fast balls and off speed down and away.

Rest assured they will pitch around Julio in the lineup to get to France in the 2 hole to roll over on one into a DP.

If Santana - Haniger and Kelenic have a good weekend, I see us winning 2 of 3.

I really believe it will come down to which Mariners team shows up. We are so Jekyll and Hyde it is scary. If Castillo the stud shows up, we have a great chance. If the other version is out there, it will be over quick. Same with the bats. Of course all teams can say that I guess, but just seems like M's are more so.

Win or lose it will be fun to see a payoff game. I honestly don't remember much of what happened in 2001 playoffs. I remember '95 better.

Go M's!!!!

 

[WizardHawk]

My fear will be the same as it is in every regular season game. If they get a 2-3 run deficit early can they sustain a rally to make it up or are we praying for a series of long balls to scrap out a way to win. They live and die by the long ball too much and in the playoffs teams are going to stay away from pitching to the hot HR hitters. They aren't going to give Jrod, Haniger, or Suarez meatballs to make up score with. Maybe they still pitch to Cal?

I hope they change the lineup such that those guys all hit in series so they can't just walk them all. Leave every HR hitter back to back and hope the others find a run somewhere of their own?

 

[NWinAZ]

My fear will be the same as it is in every regular season game. If they get a 2-3 run deficit early can they sustain a rally to make it up or are we praying for a series of long balls to scrap out a way to win. They live and die by the long ball too much and in the playoffs teams are going to stay away from pitching to the hot HR hitters. They aren't going to give Jrod, Haniger, or Suarez meatballs to make up score with. Maybe they still pitch to Cal?

I hope they change the lineup such that those guys all hit in series so they can't just walk them all. Leave every HR hitter back to back and hope the others find a run somewhere of their own?

I still don't know if I am a fan of JRod batting leadoff. I know he does it well, but that doesn't mean had can't do it well from the #3 spot either. I want runners on when he homers or at least on to pitch him honest.

 

[WizardHawk]

 

[WizardHawk]

Mariners-Blue Jays position-by-position breakdown

For the first time since 2001, the Mariners are in the postseason, and that’s obviously going to be the primary story of the Seattle-Toronto Wild Card Series this weekend. On the other hand, this is also the first time since 2016 that the Blue Jays have hosted a postseason game

www.mlb.com

The TLDR - Jays have an edge at every single position outside of CF and maybe 3rd base, starting pitching even for 2 games, edge for M's in 3, bullpen favors M's.

No real surprises.

 

[WizardHawk]

 

[Tapey]

Mariners-Blue Jays position-by-position breakdown

For the first time since 2001, the Mariners are in the postseason, and that’s obviously going to be the primary story of the Seattle-Toronto Wild Card Series this weekend. On the other hand, this is also the first time since 2016 that the Blue Jays have hosted a postseason game

www.mlb.com

The TLDR - Jays have an edge at every single position outside of CF and maybe 3rd base, starting pitching even for 2 games, edge for M's in 3, bullpen favors M's.

No real surprises.

I disagree with them at Catcher, Cal is every bit as good as Kirk or Jensen.

 

[ulmax]

International guy felin celestin
Is #2 recruit at ss..that is as big as julio
And
R HP Martinez out of Mexico

See lookout landing
Mariners doing well on intermational

 

[ulmax]

I disagree with them at Catcher, Cal is every bit as good as Kirk or Jensen.

Cal and julio are two of marinrrs biggest
Rookie stars on the hitting side

Murphee,fests k erby for pitching

I think mariners may have less rookies
Next year..
Hopefully windash comes soon..or they
Trade for a 2b
Even if you have 1..You still need 1 more
..
Best is for example
Ss...crawford..L
2b...fraizer..L

2b/SS...moore..R

For example

Then..1 or 2 at tavoma for depth..
Toro
Need 1more LEFT handed or resign
Frazier
But mariners need some production
At 2b..

 

[ulmax]

2b and left field are the big ones
For the mariners for production
Increase

.there are.. not.. a lot of 2b
In free agents..that will do that..

The whole league has a lot of 2b
Rookies comming..the next couple
Years..
Mariners should be able to trade for
One..or a vet...
.........................................................
The left's democracy..is an abomination
In a REPUBLIC..like the USA

 

[ulmax]

What have you Givin us ..Mr franklin...

a REPUBLIC..

If you can keep it...

Ben franklin...

Stop
A .
Bombing
A
NATION

 

[WizardHawk]

I disagree with them at Catcher, Cal is every bit as good as Kirk or Jensen.

If you go to their linked data for how they came to the conclusion and change it from Team to Individual stats for catcher, Cal is above both (4th overall in the league with a 4.2 WAR) vs 7th and 11th for Kirk and Jensen respectively.

The M's are purely Cal. Neither backup is of any real value at the plate. If Cal is healthy, yeah we are in better position. Toronto has options and can swap either if one is struggling for any reason or change out for better situational hitting.

 

[Msfann]

I think a lot of the team's injuries of late were more to rest the guys for the playoffs. Play suffered a little bit but they knew they had a playoff spot locked up. It was great experience for the bench type players to play more too, even Kelenic looked decent.

 

[WizardHawk]

 

[Tapey]

If you go to their linked data for how they came to the conclusion and change it from Team to Individual stats for catcher, Cal is above both (4th overall in the league with a 4.2 WAR) vs 7th and 11th for Kirk and Jensen respectively.

The M's are purely Cal. Neither backup is of any real value at the plate. If Cal is healthy, yeah we are in better position. Toronto has options and can swap either if one is struggling for any reason or change out for better situational hitting.

Yea idk how much depth at any position besides pitching is going to matter in a 3 game series.

And besides the article said Cal can’t compare to the Blue Jays Catchers. Which isn’t true at all.

 

[AceKeptic]

The one thing I'm wary about is our team BA for the season. Of the teams in the playoff picture, we aren't looking that great.

We ranked 27th in the Majors with a .230 BA, regardless of the 197 HRs we hit. To say we are an "underdog team" is a bit of an understatement.

Run support would be nice, but first things first: we need to get on base more often.