Scooter Chapman
Despite defeat, M's opener was a treat
Published on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 by Scooter ChapmanRead More Chapman
Major league baseball is something special, folks, and opening day for the home team is extra special wherever baseball is played, be it in Minnesota at the brand new Target Field or in the vast Oakland Coliseum where a crowd of 25,000 looks like a crowd of 10,000 or at Safeco Field in Seattle where 46,876 turned out April 12 to welcome home the Mariners who had suffered through a 2-5 road trip to begin the long campaign.
The smell of the freshly mown grass, the taste-bud arousing, nostril-sniffing garlic French fries, the excitement of long-time and first-time Mariner fans clogging the concourses before the introduction of players and the hum of activity was electrifying. Just being there was something special.
It's even more special for guys and gals like me in the so-called media. We used to be the press corps, the sports writers, the broadcasters ... now we're just the media.
I arrived at Safeco around noon for the 3:40 p.m. opener. A media person has a parking pass, but, on big days at Safeco, the media pass doesn't do any good if all the parking spaces allotted for media are taken by other media types.
Luckily I had a spot on the roof of the Safeco parking garage. I hauled my little suitcase with a big sweater inside, down the elevator, over Edgar Martinez Way to the media entrance, had my bag checked, then went to the field, through the hallway the players use going from the clubhouse.
Clubhouse
is in order
I was a tad too late to get any interviews in the clubhouse, where each player has a large cubicle full of game uniforms, practice uniforms, personal gear, game equipment and shoes. Some players have small chairs, others stools, others have big comfy rocker/recliners.
On to the dugout and the field. KIRO Radio, the flagship station of the Seattle Mariners broadcast network, of which KONP in Port Angeles has been an affiliate since the team started, was broadcasting a program live, players were long-tossing, then taking batting practice and all were glad to be home.
Pre-game hoopla
The fans were in their seats by 3 p.m. for the pregame festivities. After the Oakland players were introduced, the M's came one by one from right field on the red carpet to huge cheers.
Loudest ovations were for Ichiro, Ken Griffey Jr. and Felix Hernandez.
A moment of silence was observed for the four slain Lakewood police officers and it's respect when that many people pause for a minute.
Then came the ceremonial first pitch tribute video and then 6-foot 10-inch Randy Johnson walked out of a door in center field and walked all the way to the pitching mound to the roar of the crowd.
Johnson, who was not much of a media interview in his heyday, waved at everyone and was taken aback as he approached the mound when his longtime catcher Dan Wilson appeared with a glove to catch his offering.
With flashes galore, Johnson took a short windup, threw a strike and then was overwhelmed when former 1995 teammates Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner strolled out to the mound with Griffey to salute their former pitching ace.
Even the grizzled media types like me teared up a little bit to see those former Mariner stars, the guys who electrified the city in 1995 when Johnson was 18-2 and in 1997 when he was 20-4.
On the diamond
At last it was time to take the field. It was the 34th home opener for the Mariners and they were 21-12 all-time for the first home game of the season, including 15-10 when it is the season opener.
Going in, Seattle had beaten Oakland five times in six starts opening at home. It was not to be.
Oakland got to starter Ryan Rowland-Smith in the fourth as he issued three straight walks, then a sacrifice fly and only an inning-ending double play prevented a big score.
Then Seattle's lack-of-hitting came into play. Franklin Gutierez hit a long double to left center. Jose Lopez, batting fourth, grounded out to second, like he was trying to do, moving Franklin to third where Griffey Jr. could drive him in with an outfield fly to tie the score.
Griffey struck out, fooled badly by a slow, breaking ball. Then highly-touted Milton Bradley followed by grounding out to short.
Seattle never threatened again; Oakland got a solo homer in the sixth and two runs in the seventh to get a 4-0 win.
Only a matter of time before the bats come around? Not the way things are going. I left for a Lions convention in Canada on Thursday. As I finish this column Sunday night, lo and behold the Mariners are 6-7 after the first 13 and seem to have righted what was a ship in distress.
The smell of the freshly mown grass, the taste-bud arousing, nostril-sniffing garlic French fries, the excitement of long-time and first-time Mariner fans clogging the concourses before the introduction of players and the hum of activity was electrifying. Just being there was something special.
It's even more special for guys and gals like me in the so-called media. We used to be the press corps, the sports writers, the broadcasters ... now we're just the media.
I arrived at Safeco around noon for the 3:40 p.m. opener. A media person has a parking pass, but, on big days at Safeco, the media pass doesn't do any good if all the parking spaces allotted for media are taken by other media types.
Luckily I had a spot on the roof of the Safeco parking garage. I hauled my little suitcase with a big sweater inside, down the elevator, over Edgar Martinez Way to the media entrance, had my bag checked, then went to the field, through the hallway the players use going from the clubhouse.
Clubhouse
is in order
I was a tad too late to get any interviews in the clubhouse, where each player has a large cubicle full of game uniforms, practice uniforms, personal gear, game equipment and shoes. Some players have small chairs, others stools, others have big comfy rocker/recliners.
On to the dugout and the field. KIRO Radio, the flagship station of the Seattle Mariners broadcast network, of which KONP in Port Angeles has been an affiliate since the team started, was broadcasting a program live, players were long-tossing, then taking batting practice and all were glad to be home.
Pre-game hoopla
The fans were in their seats by 3 p.m. for the pregame festivities. After the Oakland players were introduced, the M's came one by one from right field on the red carpet to huge cheers.
Loudest ovations were for Ichiro, Ken Griffey Jr. and Felix Hernandez.
A moment of silence was observed for the four slain Lakewood police officers and it's respect when that many people pause for a minute.
Then came the ceremonial first pitch tribute video and then 6-foot 10-inch Randy Johnson walked out of a door in center field and walked all the way to the pitching mound to the roar of the crowd.
Johnson, who was not much of a media interview in his heyday, waved at everyone and was taken aback as he approached the mound when his longtime catcher Dan Wilson appeared with a glove to catch his offering.
With flashes galore, Johnson took a short windup, threw a strike and then was overwhelmed when former 1995 teammates Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner strolled out to the mound with Griffey to salute their former pitching ace.
Even the grizzled media types like me teared up a little bit to see those former Mariner stars, the guys who electrified the city in 1995 when Johnson was 18-2 and in 1997 when he was 20-4.
On the diamond
At last it was time to take the field. It was the 34th home opener for the Mariners and they were 21-12 all-time for the first home game of the season, including 15-10 when it is the season opener.
Going in, Seattle had beaten Oakland five times in six starts opening at home. It was not to be.
Oakland got to starter Ryan Rowland-Smith in the fourth as he issued three straight walks, then a sacrifice fly and only an inning-ending double play prevented a big score.
Then Seattle's lack-of-hitting came into play. Franklin Gutierez hit a long double to left center. Jose Lopez, batting fourth, grounded out to second, like he was trying to do, moving Franklin to third where Griffey Jr. could drive him in with an outfield fly to tie the score.
Griffey struck out, fooled badly by a slow, breaking ball. Then highly-touted Milton Bradley followed by grounding out to short.
Seattle never threatened again; Oakland got a solo homer in the sixth and two runs in the seventh to get a 4-0 win.
Only a matter of time before the bats come around? Not the way things are going. I left for a Lions convention in Canada on Thursday. As I finish this column Sunday night, lo and behold the Mariners are 6-7 after the first 13 and seem to have righted what was a ship in distress.
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