Cutting your losses

Today the Mariners released Horacio Ramirez. About damn time! The fact that they gave up Rafael Soriano to acquire that bum is positively mind boggling. Red Sox fans, to put the deal in terms you can understand, the Mariners traded Hideki Okajima for Joel Pineiro. Not a perfect analogy (Soriano is not Japanese) but it was bad. Everyone knew it was bad. 15 months later the story ends. The Mariners side of the story, that is. In Atlanta, Soriano, who is currently recovering from elbow soreness, will be the closer. And a damn fine closer.

Would it come as a huge surprise if the Sox extend Ho-Ram an invite? Yeah, it would.

Changing gears, last night I caught a program on FSN Northwest that ran down the top 10 Mariners' wins at Safeco Field. Four of them were against the Red Sox!

Last season's sweep-capping walk-off double by Jose Lopez was in there. As was Bret Boone's 11th inning walk-off grand slam in 2004. And, of course, the 19-inning battle that ended with an opposite field Mike Cameron home run. Looking at that box score, I am overwhelmed by the formidable collection of arms that came on in relief that night: Rod Beck (RIP), Rich Garces, Jose Mesa, Rheal Cormier, Hipolito Pichardo. Why did the game ever have to end? The fourth Sox defeat might have been this game with the Richie Sexson walk-off. Unfortunately I can't remember.

At any rate, the Sox really suck at Safeco. Not only do they lose dramatically, they lose abundantly: 2-4 in 2007, 1-5 in 2006, 1-2 in 2005, 3-3 in 2004, 1-2 in 2003, 2-4 in 2002, 1-2 in 2001, 3-3 in 2000. That's 14-25, friends. It's an unlucky place. And dangerous.