The Deuce Is Loose!
Japanese import Kenji Johjima homered in his second at-bat as a Mariner, and Roberto Petagine homered in his first, but the Mariners lost on Opening Day thanks to the continued failings of incumbent players who ought to be able to drive in a run with the bases loaded and nobody out.
Johjima's homer was both encouraging and hilarious. Encouraging because he hit it to the opposite field, the sign not only of a good hitter but of a powerful one. Hilarious because after the ball cleared the wall, the scoreboard graphic read "The Deuce Is Loose"--a reference to the fact that Johjima wears number two, but, in our juvenile mind, a reference to that other number two, and we aren't talking about Derek Jeter.
Another new Mariner, Carl Everett, had a response for those people who think Everett ought not to have been signed, whether for personal or political reasons--on the follow through of his first swing as a Mariner, his bat flew into the stands. People--don't piss Carl Everett off.
This morning's P-I lauded the performance of Jose Lopez in the #2 spot (two-for-five, one RBI), but the young second-baseman's two hits were of the lucky variety--a grounder to third that clanged off Chone Figgins' glove and ought to have been scored an error, and a soft bloop over second base. Laud the man when he hits the ball hard. He should have been 0-5, and his terrible baserunning mistake in the 5th cost the Mariners a one-out runner-on-third situation.
Next game's today at 7:05, John Lackey vs. Joel Piniero. Buy tickets.
