Injuries and sudden mental lapses by players attempting to fill out the bench are holding the team back from making the final roster decisions.

First, you have relief pitchers Mark Lowe, Arthur Rhodes, and Chris Reistma all coming back from arm injuries and have yet to pitch in back-to-back games. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre seems certain two of the three will be ready by opening day though. I suspect the third candidate will be slapped on the 60-day DL as to not count against the 40 man roster. My money is on Rhodes.  Add the fact the Mariners feel it might be three weeks before they feel comfortable using Brandon Morrow as he comes back from a little arm tightness and that may cause them to carry an extra arm sacrificing an extra bench player.

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John Lackey has now joined Kelvim Escobar on the DL to start the season for the Halo's. These are the top two starters from last year who put up huge pitching totals for a division championship team and both will miss probably the toughest stretch of there schedule to start the season.

Escobar and Lackey both averaged almost 6 2/3 innings pitched per start and combined for 339 strikeouts last season. I somehow don't think you are going to replace those numbers with Dustin Moseley or a young high draft pick.

Losing them as starters will also hurt an already thin bullpen. There long man Moseley will be in the starting rotation, Chris Bootchek the other long man is also returning from injury and has just started throwing, pretty much leaving Scot Shields, Justin Speier, and K-Rod to wear themselves out to start the year. Mariner fans can tell you how the story of an overused bullpen ends after last season.

Continue reading "Angels Falling From the Sky in AL West"