Tagged: Alex Liddi
Several Mariners Listed On World Baseball Classic Provisional Rosters
World Baseball Classic, Inc. today announced the provisional rosters submitted before the January 16th deadline by the 16 participating Baseball Federations in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Provisional rosters allow up to 28 players to be listed.
Included were 9 players who currently play in the Seattle Mariners organization, including four Major Leaguers and five minor leaguers:
Venezuela – Felix Hernandez
Canada – Michael Saunders
Italy – Alex Liddi, Brian Sweeney
Mexico – Oliver Perez
Netherlands – Kalian Sams
Brazil – Luiz Gohara, Pedro Okuda, Thyago Vieira
Each Federation must submit its final 28-man roster, including a minimum of 13 pitchers and two catchers, by February 20th.
The 2013 World Baseball Classic will be held in early March, with Pool A (Fukuoka, Japan) and Pool B (Taichung, Taiwan) beginning March 2. For a full schedule, and to follow all the WBC action, visit www.WorldBaseballClassic.com or follow on twitter via @WBCBaseball.
Michael Saunders played for Team Canada in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and will be playing in his first World Baseball Classic in 2013.
Mariners Add 7 Players to Roster
The Mariners added seven players to the active roster today, bringing the total number of players available for tonight’s game vs. the Red Sox to 34. Major League Baseball allows teams to expand their active roster to any player on the 40-man roster. Today’s additions included the following players:
- DH/1B Mike Carp recalled from his rehabilitation assignment at AAA Tacoma and activated from 15-day DL
- DH/1B Luis Jimenez selected from AAA Tacoma
- RHP Shawn Kelley recalled from AAA Tacoma
- INF Alex Liddi recalled from AAA Tacoma
- RHP Hector Noesi recalled from AAA Tacoma
- INF Carlos Triunfel recalled from AAA Tacoma
- OF Casper Wells recalled from AAA Tacoma
To make room for Jimenez on the 40-man roster, outfielder Johermyn Chavez was designated for assignment.
Most know about Carp, Kelley, Liddi, Noesi and Wells, who have played for the Mariners already this season, but here is some information on two players who will be making their Major League debuts.
Jimenez (#39), 30, will be making his Major League debut with his first appearance. Named the Tacoma Rainiers Offensive Player of the Year, Jimenez hit .310 (146×471) with 32 doubles, 20 home runs and 81 RBI in 125 games. A PCL All-Star, he hit .364 (36×99) with 19 runs scored, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs and 23 RBI over 28 games in August. During the month, he led the PCL in on-base percentage (.462) and OPS (1.148), while ranking 2nd in slugging (.687) and total bases (68), T2nd in extra-base hits (17), 5th in average (.364), T5th in RBI (23) and home runs (7) and T9th in hits (35). Jimenez reached base safely in 28 consecutive games, April 29-June 1, batting .382 (39×102) with 22 runs scored, 8 doubles, 5 home run and 24 RBI; was tied for the 10th-longest streak in the PCL this season.
Triunfel (#8), 22, will be making his Major League debut in his first appearance. He becomes the second-youngest player on the team, the youngest position player (Erasmo Ramirez is two months younger). Triunfel is ranked by Baseball America as Seattle’s No. 25 prospect; listed as having the “Best Infield Arm” in the farm system. He finished 2nd on the Rainiers with 129 hits, 31 doubles, 62 RBI. Carlos set a career-high with 10 home runs (previous: 7, 2010 with West Tenn), 31 doubles (previous: 28, 2011 combined between Jackson and Tacoma) and 62 RBI (previous: 49, 2008 with High Desert). He was named the Rainiers Defensive Player of the Year.
Here is a look at the Mariners active Major League roster:
– JE
Everett AquaSox Retire Greg Halman’s #26
It has been nearly seven months since the world lost Greg Halman but his impact is still being felt and will be appreciated for years to come.
On Saturday, June 23, the Everett AquaSox organization retired the number 26 which Halman donned during his two seasons in Everett.
“Like everyone, we were saddened by Gregory’s loss,” said AquaSox Executive Vice President, Tom Backemeyer. “He played in Everett for two seasons, and not only was he one of the best players to ever wear an AquaSox uniform; he was a wonderful young man too. We wanted to find a way to honor his memory and decided that retiring his number was the most appropriate way to do it.”
In his two seasons with the AquaSox (2006 and 2007), Halman, an outfielder, batted a combined .291 with 21 home runs, 52 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 90 games. As a 19 year-old in 2007, he was voted as a Northwest League All-Star after batting .307 with 16 home runs in 62 games.
During the pre-game ceremony, Halman’s host mother in Everett read a touching letter from Halman’s mother in the Netherlands in which she thanks the Everett community. “Gregory loved everything about Everett. The community, the fans, the organization, the stadium, the team and last but not least his host family,” said Hanny Suidgeest, Gregory Halman’s mother. “Gregory stayed for two years with the Chapman-family. We would like to thank Jim and Kathy Chapman and their family for having Gregory in their home and treating him like he was a son to them.”
Former teammates Mike Carp, Alex Liddi, Adam Moore, Johan Limonta and Mike Wilson each took time to remember their fallen friend in a video tribute to Greg Halman.
Click picture for Greg Halman Tribute Video
The idea to retire his number came from a young fan named Luke Frost who was touched by a simple gesture by Greg during Spring Training in Arizona.
Liddi’s Big Night
Alex Liddi went 3-for-5 with a home run and stolen base the Mariners 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers last night.
Liddi not only set a career-high for hits in a game, but also became just the fourth rookie in club history to record least three hits, hit a home run and steal a base in the same game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau and their must-read Elias Says feature on ESPN.com, Liddi joins Ruppert Jones (6/5/77 vs. CLE), Ken Griffey Jr. (4/26/89 vs. TOR) and Bret Boone (9/26/93 vs. OAK) as the only other Mariners rookies to record 3+ hits, hit a home run and steal a base in the same game.
Alex Liddi hit his first home run of the season and recorded a career-high 3 hits Tuesday night at Detroit (Getty Images)
Mariners Spring Training Update – Day 9
Day 9 / Monday, February 20, 2012 / 36 Days ‘til Opening Night in Tokyo / 52 Days ‘til Opening Night in Seattle
Weather: We didn’t check the forecast so we can’t give you an exact temperature for today, but it was clear that today was the nicest, sunniest day that we have had all spring.
Quote of the Day: “It’s okay! I told him what was coming!” – Miguel Olivo to pitcher Josh Kinney after Alex Liddi hit a pitch off the very top of the 30-foot wall that is 410 feet away on Field 3.
The Day: Day 9 saw a continuation of live pitching after the regular routine of infield drills and PFP. The live pitching was by far the most interesting for fans and media alike. Over on Field 4, the Japanese media had the perfect photo opportunity. Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma was pitching, Ichiro was batting and infielder Munenori Kawasaki was working on reading the pitcher from second base. As you can see, it was quite a scene.
Media looks on as Hisashi Iwakuma faces Ichiro
Trayvon Robinson, Luis Rodriguez and Michael Saunders wait for their turn in the cage
Hot Stove League and Mariners Mondays
Big offense is the theme for this week’s Mariners Mondays (7:30pm on ROOT SPORTS™). Each week through March 5, ROOT SPORTS is highlighting big games from the 2011 season, helping to tide baseball fans over until Spring Training gets underway in earnest.
The Hot Stove League show will be hosted by Shannon Drayer and Matt Pitman. Fans can listen locally in the Puget Sound region on 710 ESPN Seattle and over the Internet on Mariners.com. Guests for the show are scheduled to include:
- Hitting Coach Chris Chambliss
- Catcher Miguel Olivo
- OF Casper Wells
- RHP Aaron Heilman
- ESPN.com writer Jim Caple
- Mariners Vice President of Marketing Kevin Martinez (talking about the 35th anniversary events and what the club has in store for the 2012 edition of the famous commercials).
Here is a teaser for the Mariners Mondays games that will be highlighted tonight on ROOT SPORTS™:
Tonight, moments of Biblical proportions (as in the old joke “In the Big Inning…”). Let’s go back to June 5, Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays. The Mariners have taken two out of three from the Rays, with the final game of the four-game series on tap. The big hit of the game is a tie-breaking three-run homer by Miguel Olivo in the 8th inning. But the game was notable for a couple of two-run triples, one of baseball’s most exciting hits. One by Ichiro in the 3rd inning, and in a bittersweet moment, Greg Halman’s 2011 debut with a triple in the 7th. Halman had three hits in the game.
Miguel Olivo connects on a 3-run home run June 5, 2011 vs. Tampa Bay. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
The next series of highlights are from the August 24 game at Cleveland. Two games were rained out in May, so the Mariners and Indians made up one of the games on the Mariners return trip in August (the second game would be made up in September… see below). The Mariners won the first game of the series 3-2 on March 22, split the doubleheader on March 23 with a 12-7 win in the nightcap, and bashed out another 16 hits on their way to a 9-2 win in game four. The offensive star of the day was rookie Kyle Seager, who was 4-for-4 with three doubles and a single. Seager’s college teammate at the University of North Carolina, Dustin Ackley, also got in on the act going 3-for-5. And Willy Mo Peña had a good game with a two-run home run, a double and a single. Oh, and Felix Hernandez had another good outing striking out 10, the 17th time in his career he reached double digits.
For the third game of the evening, the Mariners 12-6 win over the Indians on Sept. 19 is highlighted. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s raining. (What is it with bad weather for our games in Cleveland?) Starting pitcher Charlie Furbush got plenty of run support in the 12-6 rain-shortened game for his first win in over a month. He had a career-high 8 strikeouts and was buoyed by the Mariners 9-run third inning, including Alex Liddi’s first MLB homer, and a Mike Carp grand slam. By the way, Liddi’s homer was the first by an Italian-born player since Reno Bertoia hit one in 1961.
Mike Carp connects on his first career grand slam Sept. 19, 2011 at Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
– RH / JE
Greg Halman: Friend Remembered, Legacy Continued
The baseball world, and more specifically the Mariners family, was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of outfielder Greg Halman on November 21, 2011. For most of us, his passing is just now starting to set in as pitchers and catchers report along with some position players, this week.
Greg might not be in the Mariners clubhouse at the Peoria Sports Complex, but as Greg Johns wrote today on Mariners.com, his spirit and his memory are being carried on by his teammates.
Each player received a Greg Halman shirt courtesy of Mike Carp.
Mike Carp not only lost a friend and a teammate, he lost a brother. Carp arrived in camp and it was clear that he wanted to keep some part of Greg in everybody’s thoughts.
As MLB.com’s Greg Johns wrote here right before the Christmas holiday:
Carp wants people to know who Greg Halman was and what he could have been. He says the 24-year-old had something special about him, a presence and light that lifted everyone around him. And after finally making it to the Majors for 35 games this past season, he was just scratching the surface of what he could be on the diamond.
Carp traveled to Holland along with Dan Cortes, Adam Moore, Alex Liddi and Matt Mangini to support the Halman family through a difficult time. When he arrived, he saw the impact that Greg had on his community.
“His legacy will live on, especially in Holland,” Carp said. “And the people he touched here, he made them better. There will be a lot of people who, I’m not going to say are angry, but will be on a mission now. It’s going to change a lot of people’s lives for the better.
“That was the effect he had. He wanted to make people better. It was never about him, it was about everybody else and what they needed.”
Mike Carp provided these shirts in memory of Greg Halman to all the Mariners players, coaches and staff in Arizona.
Carp also made a personal and permanent addition to himself. Over the offseason, he made the commitment and added some ink, much like the ink that Greg sported on his arms, a sleeve of artwork.
As he told Greg Johns:
“I have him right here,” the 25-year-old said, tapping the new tattoo on his left bicep. “He actually had this on his own arm. So when I went to Holland, his mom gave me a picture of it and I took it to my guy and had it put on in the same spot and everything.
“He’ll be with me for the rest of my life.”
The artwork was inspired by Halman who had many of the same elements that Carp has incorporated into his own canvas.
The “My World” tattoo is an exact replica of the one that Greg had, clearly seeing the stitching of the baseball, and if you look closely enough, you’ll see marks to depict where Greg is in the Netherlands, and where Carp will be in Seattle.
While not completely visible in the slideshow below, Carp has a “G” on one side of the world and an “H” on the other with “No Grind No Shine” (Greg’s favorite saying) also being part of the art that surround the world.
Halman Remembrance
– FA
Greetings from Peoria, Arizona
It feels like the 2011 season just ended, but here we are having landed in Phoenix, AZ, and arrived at the Mariners side of the Peoria Sports Complex today for the start of another great year of baseball. When the Mariners have their first official workout of the spring on Sunday, we’ll be the only Cactus League team, or Major League team for that matter, to be open for camp.
Seattle Mariners Administrative Offices in Peoria Arizona
A few players have already arrived including RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, LHP Jason Vargas, INF Alex Liddi and C Adam Moore and many more will be trickling in before their scheduled physicals on Saturday.
Carlos Guillen, Dustin Ackley, Brendan Ryan, Kyle Seager, Justin Smoak and Mike Carp have their lockers ready for camp.
The fields are not completely empty. The Doosan Bears, a professional baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea, have been working out at the complex and will continue to work out here until February 19 in preparation for their regular season.
The Doosan Bears, a professional baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea, will be practicing at the Peoria Sports Complex ahead of their regular season.
It should be an interesting first few days being the only team in the Cactus League. With RHP Hisashi Iwakuma and INF Munenori Kawasaki joining Ichiro on the Mariners and with RHP Yu Darvish joining the Texas Rangers just down the road, we expect to have a higher-than-normal influx of Japanese media.
Here’s a quick run-down of what the schedule looks like for the Mariners in the next few days.
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Important Spring Training Dates |
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Fri. |
Feb 10 |
Major League Camp Coaches Meeting |
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Sat. |
Feb 11 |
Major League Staff Meeting / Pitchers/Catchers Physicals |
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Sun. |
Feb 12 |
First Workout – Pitchers/Catchers |
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Wed. |
Feb 15 |
Minor League Mini Camp players report (more on this next week) |
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Thurs. |
Feb 16 |
Mini Camp Physicals |
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Fri. |
Feb 17 |
Physicals Position Players / First Mini Camp Workout |
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Sat. |
Feb 18 |
First Full Squad Workout |
– FA
From the Corner of Edgar & Dave 