What I wouldn't give to be in Bigfork, Montana for the Fourth of July. But you know what, Safeco Field is a close second. I can still remember the beating that Tigers put on the Mariners, particularly tonight's starter Carlos Silva in Detroit.

In four games,

Here's a link I forgot to put on the earlier post from a Phillies story, but the Phils were scouting Erik Bedard on the last trip and the Mariners had scouts looking at one of the Phillies' top prospects.

GAME THOUGHTS START HERE:

9:01 -- Sorry for the long lapse, but I had to finish the game notebook. Anyway, Silva kind of got nicked and dimed to death with a bunch of singles. Nothing that was hit overwhelmingly hard. And he also lost an out, on a terrible call at home by Mike Winters. Clement did a nice job blocking the plate and Ichiro's throw was right there, Carlos Guillen was out, but he called safe.

7:55 -- Three straight singles lead to a run for the Tigers but Carlos Silva gets out of the jam with a 4-6-3 double play, including an impressive turn by Yuni Betancourt, who did a nice job of handling a low throw from Lopez and still making a good throw to first.

7:31 -- Let's see, Verlander just walks two of the last three guys he faces to load the bases, the Tigers call time and meet with Verlander, who's clearly scuffling, and then he gets in and throws one pitch to Richie - and what does he do? Swing. Grounding out meekly to third. Wasn't he watching the previous three at-bats?

7:27 -- Somebody should tell Beltre that just because he hit home run while swinging and falling to a knee, that doesn't mean it works every time.

7:22 -- a good start for the Mariners. Ichiro rips a single through the right side and then advances to third when Verlander tries a pick off throw and the player that appears to have eaten Miguel Cabrera couldn't reach it. Jose Lopez drives him in to give the Ms a 1-0 lead.

LINEUPS
TIGERS (42-42)

28 Curtis Granderson CF
14 Placido Polanco 2B
9 Carlos Guillen 3B
24 Miguel Cabrera 1B
20 Matt Joyce RF
3 Gary Sheffield DH
36 Clete Thomas LF
7 Ivan Rodriguez C
46 Michael Holliman SS
---------------------
35 Justin Verlander RHP

MARINERS (33-51)
51 Ichiro RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
28 Raul Ibanez LF
3 Jose Vidro DH
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
8 Jeremy Reed CF
44 Richie Sexson 1B
9 Jeff Clement C
5 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
------------------
52 Carlos Silva RHP

We haven't done a big linkage post in a few days. Larry and I had a big meeting on Tuesday to discuss the second half of the season, so that took some time and just a lot of other little things.

Anyway let's get to it.

* Here's my game story from today's paper that focuses largely on Miguel Cairo ... (you know the words to the song).

* The game notebook talks about John "Mule" Miles, who the Mariners drafted as honorary pick from the old Negro Leagues in conjunction with a promotion from major league baseball.

* John McGrath has a nice column on the voice of the Rainiers and a good friend to all of us at the TNT - Mike Curto. I met him when I was an intern in 2000 covering the Rainiers for the TNT, and hung out with him since returning to Tacoma. He's a class act, and a good baseball guy.

* The Rainiers got whacked by the Colorado Sky Sox the other night.... From the other day, Michael Saunders hit a grand slam in one of the Rainiers' wins.

* Unfortunately for the Mariners, it looks as though Joel Zumaya will be at full strength against them.

* Jayson Stark's weekly Rumblings and Grumblings came out... It's always a must read, here's a part I found interesting.

• Northwest Clearance Sale Dept.: Here's an interesting development: Clubs that have spoken with the Mariners report they're back-burning their attempts to deal Erik Bedard, for the moment at least, because they have more pressing priorities.

And what might those priorities be? Moving the likes of Richie Sexson, Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista and Adrian Beltre. That's what. Not surprisingly, unloading Sexson heads that list -- not that they're getting anywhere.

Seattle is even expressing reluctance to deal Raul Ibanez -- at this point, anyway. One club reports the Mariners would like to package Ibanez with someone like Washburn or Batista, in hopes of maximizing the return. Otherwise, they're saying they would move their left fielder only "for a quality young outfielder" and another piece.

* Here's some trade talk from Peter Gammons...

I found this part interesting ...

But everyone knows the Cubs need one more front-line starter. They doubt they have enough to get C.C. Sabathia, although Hendry constantly touches base with Indians GM Mark Shapiro. They are monitoring Oakland; Rich Harden may be the best pitcher in the game. (Former teammate and current White Sox player Nick Swisher thinks someone should take Harden for this pennant run, then make him a closer). Everyone seems wary of Erik Bedard's makeup. There's interest in Randy Wolf, who despite his 14 team "no-trade" list would go to a contender. Wolf made a lot of friends in the Cubs organization by calling Hendry to explain why he chose the Dodgers over the Cubs for personal and family reasons when he went to L.A. The Cubs also keep looking at A.J. Burnett, in case. They'd love Aaron Cook, who apparently isn't available, and have kicked around Bronson Arroyo and Kevin Millwood.

Wolf makes sense, and the Padres still like Matt Murton. So perhaps that's a quick fix, unless they decide to try to get Greg Maddux to leave San Diego.
"It may come down to July 28," says one Cubs official. "But we almost certainly will do something. But we really don't want to give up Gallagher at this point."
Do not be surprised if Cleveland moves quickly on Sabathia.

* The A's think they've signed a possible Felix Hernandez-type pitcher.

* Think the Bedard trade was bad, this wasn't one so great for the Mets.

* The Braves have to make a decision about Mark Teixeira's future with the team soon.

* The Rockies are now in trade mode.

* The Blue Jays want to trade AJ Burnett for a shortstop. I'd say they could have Yuni, but Bedard and Burnett on the same staff might be the downfall of society as we know it.

* Ichiro is mentioned in this story about Jacoby Ellsbury's ability to steal bases.

* Here's an interesting story about Jose Guillen.

* For Dave8557, Dave Righetti recalls his no-hitter on its anniversary.

* The Red Sox are thankful they don't have an owner like Hank Steinbrenner. I think that would be the general consensus of fans for every other team, including Ms fans.

* Apparently Miller Park in Milwaukee has been voted the best Bratwursts in baseball.

* Columnist Tim Cowlishaw thinks the NL should get the DH.

A-ROD TIME!!!! (You knew I couldn't help myself with this.)

Here's the latest from the Daily News

* They also have this story.

* And here's the latest from the Post.

* The Post has a photo gallery of all involved.

* Here's the AP story about it allstrong>.

I should have mentioned it last night. But I saw Dennis Raben hanging out around the clubhouse before and after the game. And now today he signed with the Mariners.

Remember he walked six times in one game earlier this season, which is more than Betancourt, who as five all season, has accumulated in 80 games.

Here's the release from the Mariners

MARINERS SIGN SECOND-ROUND PICK DENNIS RABEN
Mariners have signed 6 of their top 8 selection and 31 picks overall

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The Seattle Mariners Vice President of Scouting Bob Fontaine announced today that the Mariners have signed outfielder Dennis Raben, the club’s second-round selection (66th overall) in the 2008 June Daft. The Mariners have now signed 31 of their 50 selections from the Draft, including 14 of their top 20 selections.

Raben, 20, was hampered this year by an early season injury, but still hit .292 with 51 runs and 51 RBI in 53 games this season at the University of Miami. For Raben, 24 of his 56 hits went for extra bases (14 doubles, 10 home runs). He helped lead Miami to the College World Series, but Hurricanes were ousted by Stanford on June 19. Raben walked six times on June 8 vs. Arizona, tying an NCAA record previously set by Oklahoma State's Josh Holliday on May 29, 1999.

A native of Hollywood, FL, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Raben played three seasons with the Hurricanes, collecting 30 career home runs, 39 doubles and 131 RBI in 173 games. Raben also appeared in 20 games as a left-handed relief pitcher his freshman and sophomore years, posting a 1-2 mark with a pair of saves.

Raben played and had success for three different high schools, including playing his senior season at Ft. Lauderdale's St. Thomas Aquinas High School, his sophomore and junior years at Hollywood Hills and his freshman year at Grandview Prep. He never lost a game as a pitcher in high school and was the team MVP each season. Raben was selected in the 49th round of the 2005 MLB Draft by Seattle, but elected to attend college instead of signing.

Raben will now begin his professional career with the Everett AquaSox, the Mariners Short-A affiliate in the Northwest League.

Seattle made 50 selections in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, highlighted by their first pick, right-handed pitcher Josh Fields, who was the 20th overall pick in the draft. The Mariners selected 29 pitchers, including 5 left-handers, 8 infielders, 5 catchers and 8 outfielders. Overall Seattle selected 11 high school players and 39 college players.