So a few of us writer types were sitting around the table at the Safeco Press Dining Room wondering about whether or not Washburn could still be traded and how it all works.

We all believed it was a distinct possibility considering that the Yankees just watched Joba Chamberlain leave his last start with a sore shoulder. Chamberlain is going to miss his next start for certain, but perhaps more frightening as to the severity of Chamberlain's injury is that he is meeting with Dr. James Andrews, and that's not usually a good thing.

So the need for Washburn could be possible. But how much will his last start - a disaster - and to start influencetheir decision. That's a good question. Do the Yankees 6 1/2 out again want to try youngster Ian Kennedy again, or do they bring in a veteran like Washburn on a waiver trade?

2:01 -- Well it doesn't look like Washburn is helping his chances any. He gave up a single to Randy Ruiz and then Adrian Beltre booted a ball at third to start the problems. Light-hitting Adam Everett delivered an RBI single to score Ruiz. Washburn then loaded the bases with a walk to No. 9 hitter Carlos Gomez. It looked like he might get out of it, but Denard Span took advantage of a poorly executed 0-2 pitch, lacing a triple to right to score all four runs. Twins 4, Mariners 0

2:20 -- Jeff Clement leads off with a single but he is quickly erased as Wlad Balentien hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

I talked with Balentien a little and he knows the scouting report on him: Soft breaking pitches away and then fastballs on his hands once he's down in the count.

"I've been getting better at laying off that pitch and waiting to get better pitches to hit," he said.

As for still trying to be aggressive at the plate Balentien said he just needs to be aggressive on good pitches, and he thinks he's been better at recognizing good pitches.

This will be his second time around this season. And for many players it does get easier. Balentien admitted that the circumstances surrounding his first call up were far different.

"The first time when I came up, the team was struggling and I wanted to do so much to help out," he said. "I kind of created more pressure that I put on myself. Now it's a different situation. I just have to play the game, do what I do and try to be myself."

2:40ish -- Mariners get a run as Jeremy Reed walks and then later scores on Beltre's RBI single. The Mariners are now down 4-1.

3:01ish --- the Mariners get two more runs as Yuni was hit by a pitch and Ichiro singled. Jeremy Reed drove in Betancourt with a single, while Ichiro scored on a fielder choice. Twins 4, Mariners 3.

3:21 -- Jarrod Washburn just worked himself out of some self-imposed trouble. He walked Brendan Harris and Adam Everett after getting two outs quickly in the sixth. But he was able to come back and strike out Carlos Gomez to end the threat. Washburn is at 102 pitches, Twins lead 4-3.

4:00 -- Just when it looked like the Mariners might have a chance to pull it out late, Mark Lowe gives up back-to-back singles and then a two-run double to Brendan Harris. It is now 6-3. It would be easy for a pessimist to say -- "Well this is what happens when you don't have Brandon Morrow." You won't hear that from me. The season is a wash, and what does one win mean any way? Morrow is where he should be at. Sure the relievers the Mariners send out there aren't as good, obviously, but its time to start thinking about next season. Twins 6, Mariners 3 still in the eighth.

4:13 -- The eighth is finally over. Jared Wells, who made his Mariners debut, didn't have the easiest of times. The Twins executed a nice squeeze to score their seventh run of the game. Wells then walked Nick Punto to load the bases. But he struck out Mike REdmond on a nasty 3-2 slider and then got Justin Morneau to fly out to end the inning. Twins 7, Mariners 3, to the bottom of the eighth we go.

* I know it was brought up on USS Mariner: Why didn't manager Jim Riggleman go to Sean Green in the eighth inning instead of Roy Corcoran. It was the first question asked today by MLB's Jim Street.

"Green had an achy feeling and a little tightness in his shoulder," Riggleman said. "We decided to shut him down for a couple of days. It was one of those things where he said, "I can pitch." But we decided to stay away from using him."

Green is listed on the active pitchers today and Riggleman said he felt better and could use him today if necessary.

* Also Wlad Balentien is starting in center today (lineups below). Is this the end of the Bloomquist/Reed platoon? Not entirely. Bloomquist injured his heel running out a ground ball two days ago and has been bothered by it. Riggleman said that's why he didn't pitch for Jeremy Reed last night with a lefty on the mound.

* As we sat and talked with Riggleman, Raul Ibanez was out there taking voluntary batting practice on the field. So I asked Riggleman about Ibanez's work ethic and how hard he pushes himself.

Riggleman said this: "I'm extremely impressed. But it just goes to show you what everybody should be doing. He's always done it. But everybody should be doing it."

Hmm, perhaps like the starting shortstop, who was instead lounging on the couch in the clubhouse while Ibanez, Beltre, Lopez, Balentien, Cairo, Reed and others were out hitting on the field.

"Why wouldn't you go through your career and look back and say I did everything I could do when I was playing," Riggleman said. "It's blatantly obvious that throughout the game a lot of players aren't doing this."

Like perhaps Yuniesky Betancourt?

So is it a matter of experience?

"I think a little bit, those players are smart enough to realize they can't leave any stone unturned," Riggleman said. "There's a desire in the heart and the brains in your head that you need to do it, but it's also having the desire to do it."

Is it a case where either a young player figures it out or they don't?

"That's the point, some young guys should see it and realize that's he does it," Riggleman said. "He never misses a day out here. He's in the cage constantly. He's in the weight room. He's back looking at tape. He's dedicated to his trade. Tony Gwynn was like that. Tony hit on the field every day. He was in the video room constantly. His attention to details of his game was off the chart."

If that isn't an indirect shot at Yuni, I don't what it is. Riggleman will never come out and say that Yuni needs to work harder, he's too professional to do that. But when he said these things, he was clearly passionate in his belief.

Let's get to the links

A big thanks to Doug Pacey for covering for me yesterday. An editor's note: because of all that went down these two days, my Rays story is running Sunday.

Here's Doug's game story about the Seattle Rainiers, er, Mariners.

Here's the notebook which dealt with all the moves yesterday.

Here's how the Minneapolis Star Tribune covered the game. Gamer and Notebook., which discusses the Twins bullpen issue.

The Tacoma Rainiers are streaking ... Rob Johnson continues to hit, going 2-for-4 with a homer. Andy Baldwin (8-5), who was acquired in the Jamie Moyer trade, is now 6-1 in his last eight starts.

* Here's an Adam Jones update.

* The Angels, a free swinging bunch (not quite as bad as the Ms) are starting to learn patience at the plate.

* Also Richmond Lockwood Sexson, Richie, to most, hit a grand slam yesterday, but the Yankees still lost.

Twins (62-51)
2 Denard Span RF
8 Nick Punto 2B
55 Mike Redmond C
33 Justin Morneau 1B
16 Jason Kubel LF
56 Randy Ruiz DH
23 Brendan Harris 3B
12 Adam Everett SS
22 Carlos Gomez CF
------------
53 Nick Blackburn RHP (8-6, 3.56 ERA)

Mariners (44-69)
51 Ichiro RF
8 Jeremy Reed DH
28 Raul Ibanez LF
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
4 Jose Lopez 2B
9 Jeff Clement C
50 Wlad Balentien CF
39 Bryan LaHair 1B
5 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
-------------
56 Jarrod Washburn P (5-10, 4.77 ERA)

From our intern Stephen Chen, who was at Cheney Stadium:

Brandon Morrow pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up one hit, a long double to center to Dallas McPherson, and no runs. He was solid but not spectacular. Three weak groundouts and a popout to first. He threw 34 pitches, 21 for strikes. All but three pitches were fastballs. His fastballs were consistently around 94-95 mph. He topped out at 98 mph in his eighth pitch of the game.

Slightly longer bottom of the first--15 minutes--as the Rainiers scored 3 runs. Morrow threw three balls to start the second inning, but his velocity was good and he didn't have too many control problems after that.

Here's some more from Mr. Chen after talking with Morrow:

"I haven't thrown out of the windup all year so I felt a little inconsistent, but I thought it went pretty good," Morrow said.

"I wanted to throw more offspeed pitches, but I was falling behind because I was out of the windup," Morrow said.

Morrow is slated to throw a bullpen in Tucson on Friday and make his second start Monday. Morrow said he expects his pitch count to be bumped up to around 50.