Scooter Chapman
Another super opening for the Mariners?
Published on Wed, Apr 7, 2010 by Scooter ChapmanRead More Chapman
The Seattle Mariners are playing their third game of the 2010 Major League baseball season tonight in Oakland, then it's on to Texas for three before heading for Seattle to open the home campaign Monday, April 12, against the Athletics in a 3:40 p.m. contest.
Opening days are very, very special for baseball fans, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed two very exciting openers, the 1977 contest against the California Angels in the Kingdome and Safeco Field opener in 2000.
The first opening day
I had watched the Kingdome being built and remember the first tour of the concrete facility in 1976. We got the walking tour through the grandstands and what would become the press area.
I remember seeing the big scaffold in the center of the field that seemingly was holding up the dome to keep it from falling in.
The crowd was 57,762 on April 6, 1977. What a time it was. Remember the starting lineup? It was Dave Collins in the designated hitter spot and he led off. Jose Baez followed at second, then: Steve Braun, LF; Lee Stanton, RF; Bill Stein, 3B; Ruppert Jones, centerfield; Bob Stinson, catcher, and Craig Reynolds, shortstop.
California won the opener, 1-0.
1999's opening day
Chicago's White Sox beat the Mariners 8-2 in the final home opener in the Kingdome on April 5. A crowd of 51,656 witnessed the contest.
That lineup? Carlos Guillen, 2B; Alex Rogriguez, SS; Ken Griffey Jr, CF; Edgar Martinez, DH; David Segui, 1B; Jay Buher, RF; John Mabry, LF; Russ Davis, 3B; and Dan Wilson, C.
Jess Fassero started and Brett Hinchliffe came on in the seventh.
Safeco opens in style
Ground was broken for the field March 8, 1997. Grass was installed May 24, 1999, and the first game was played July 15, 1999. I had the privilege of being in the nifty press box for that game against the San Diego Padres.
Mariner broadcaster Dave Niehaus threw out the ceremonial first pitch, Jamie Moyer threw the first pitch at 7:15 p.m. (a called strike) and Russ Davis hit the first home run July 17. Raul Ibanez hit the first grand slam that same day.
For the first "true" opening day at Safeco, Boston beat Seattle 2-0 April 4, 2000, before 45,552 frenzied fans. Jamie Moyer started on the mound and took the loss.
The Mariner lineup had Mike Cameron in center, Mark McLemore in left and Alex Rodriguez at short. John Olerud was at first, Edgar Martinez was the designated hitter, John Mabry played right field, David Bell was at second, Dan Wilson caught and Carlos Guillen had moved to third.
Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox limited Seattle to just two hits and the big crowd was dejected on the way home.
The M's 2010 opening lineup
Seattle was on its way from Peoria to Oakland as this was written, so the final 25-man roster is not final. It will be a couple of weeks before the roster is set as it looks as if new pitcher Cliff Lee will be on the disabled list to start things.
Seattle pitchers will be Feliz Hernandez, Ian Snell, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Jason Vargas and Doug Fister will be four starters. Look for nonroster pitchers Jesus Colome and David Pauley to make the team.
Catchers will be Adam Moore and Rob Johnson, with veteran Josh Bard as the third backstop.
First base will be Casey Kotchman, Chone Figgins will be at second, Jack Wilson at short and Jose Lopez at third. Matt Tuiasosopo is the infield backup, with Eric Byrnes and Mike Sweeney outfield backups.
Milton Bradley will be in left, then Franklin Guittierez and Ichiro Suzuki in center and right.
With Griffey Jr. the designated hitter against right handers and Sweeney against lefties, Seattle is going to be a singles and doubles hitting team.
Home runs will be welcomed, but Don Wakamatsu will not rely on a three-run homer to win games. Look for the Mariners to get a lot of good pitching, but runs might be hard to come by.
Columns by KONP 1450 AM sports announcer Scooter Chapman appear weekly in the Sequim Gazette. He can be reached via e-mail at scooter@olypen.com.
Opening days are very, very special for baseball fans, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed two very exciting openers, the 1977 contest against the California Angels in the Kingdome and Safeco Field opener in 2000.
The first opening day
I had watched the Kingdome being built and remember the first tour of the concrete facility in 1976. We got the walking tour through the grandstands and what would become the press area.
I remember seeing the big scaffold in the center of the field that seemingly was holding up the dome to keep it from falling in.
The crowd was 57,762 on April 6, 1977. What a time it was. Remember the starting lineup? It was Dave Collins in the designated hitter spot and he led off. Jose Baez followed at second, then: Steve Braun, LF; Lee Stanton, RF; Bill Stein, 3B; Ruppert Jones, centerfield; Bob Stinson, catcher, and Craig Reynolds, shortstop.
California won the opener, 1-0.
1999's opening day
Chicago's White Sox beat the Mariners 8-2 in the final home opener in the Kingdome on April 5. A crowd of 51,656 witnessed the contest.
That lineup? Carlos Guillen, 2B; Alex Rogriguez, SS; Ken Griffey Jr, CF; Edgar Martinez, DH; David Segui, 1B; Jay Buher, RF; John Mabry, LF; Russ Davis, 3B; and Dan Wilson, C.
Jess Fassero started and Brett Hinchliffe came on in the seventh.
Safeco opens in style
Ground was broken for the field March 8, 1997. Grass was installed May 24, 1999, and the first game was played July 15, 1999. I had the privilege of being in the nifty press box for that game against the San Diego Padres.
Mariner broadcaster Dave Niehaus threw out the ceremonial first pitch, Jamie Moyer threw the first pitch at 7:15 p.m. (a called strike) and Russ Davis hit the first home run July 17. Raul Ibanez hit the first grand slam that same day.
For the first "true" opening day at Safeco, Boston beat Seattle 2-0 April 4, 2000, before 45,552 frenzied fans. Jamie Moyer started on the mound and took the loss.
The Mariner lineup had Mike Cameron in center, Mark McLemore in left and Alex Rodriguez at short. John Olerud was at first, Edgar Martinez was the designated hitter, John Mabry played right field, David Bell was at second, Dan Wilson caught and Carlos Guillen had moved to third.
Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox limited Seattle to just two hits and the big crowd was dejected on the way home.
The M's 2010 opening lineup
Seattle was on its way from Peoria to Oakland as this was written, so the final 25-man roster is not final. It will be a couple of weeks before the roster is set as it looks as if new pitcher Cliff Lee will be on the disabled list to start things.
Seattle pitchers will be Feliz Hernandez, Ian Snell, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Jason Vargas and Doug Fister will be four starters. Look for nonroster pitchers Jesus Colome and David Pauley to make the team.
Catchers will be Adam Moore and Rob Johnson, with veteran Josh Bard as the third backstop.
First base will be Casey Kotchman, Chone Figgins will be at second, Jack Wilson at short and Jose Lopez at third. Matt Tuiasosopo is the infield backup, with Eric Byrnes and Mike Sweeney outfield backups.
Milton Bradley will be in left, then Franklin Guittierez and Ichiro Suzuki in center and right.
With Griffey Jr. the designated hitter against right handers and Sweeney against lefties, Seattle is going to be a singles and doubles hitting team.
Home runs will be welcomed, but Don Wakamatsu will not rely on a three-run homer to win games. Look for the Mariners to get a lot of good pitching, but runs might be hard to come by.
Columns by KONP 1450 AM sports announcer Scooter Chapman appear weekly in the Sequim Gazette. He can be reached via e-mail at scooter@olypen.com.
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