First time out, he flirted with a no-hitter - and now Brandon Morrow faces an Angels team one night after it clinched the American League West.
On paper, a mismatch. The Angels have won 31 more times than the Mariners have.
Maybe Mr. Morrow can even the odds. ...

Yes, the lad is up to his usual tricks, no-hitting an opponent early on a minimum of fuss.
Thirteen pitches in the first inning, 14 in the second and Morrow walked a man. He also gave up one wicked line drive to Kendry Morales that Adrian Beltre caught with a leap and a backhand.
After two: No score ...

A wobbly third. Morrow walked the first batter he faced, but catcher Kenji Johjima threw the runner out on a third strike to Sean Rodriguez.
Morrow then walked Gary Matthews Jr., who stole second base and took third on Kenji's throwing error.
Garret Anderson singled and the Angels had the lead and Vlad Guererro at the plate.
Guerrero popped out on a 95 mph fastball.
Not bad when your wobbly inning means only a run - but it took Morrow 27 pitches to get through the third.
Angels 1, Mariners 0 ...

Morrow is pitching well. Jered Weaver is pitching just a bit better. If the Seatle lineup has had one constant weakness all season it's been hitting hard-throwing ritht-handers who feature cutters or sliders.
Weaver is one of those, and the Mariners aren't mounting threats.
Their offense so far: two walks, a hit batter and a single.

Difference thus far tonight: Morrow can't stop the Angels with two outs. Both their scores came on two-out singles with a man on third, the latest a line drive by .188-hitting shortstop Brandon Wood.
He gets in trouble, nearly gets out and bends. Two runs aren't insurmountable.
Morrow just hasn't had the stuff to stop them tonight.
Angels 2, Mariners 0 ...

Sixth inning. Sean Green warming up for Seattle. Morrow has pitched into and out of trouble all night and, obviously, the Mariners aren't going to let him go too far.
Jeremy Reed singled to open the inning, one out later Raul Ibanez walked and, with two outs, Yuniesky Betancourt put together a long at-bat before popping out.
Green now pitching for Seattle.
Angels 2, Mariners 0 ...

So effective into August, reliever Green now is watching a marvelous season battered appea rance after appearance.
Out of the bullpen in the sixth, Green allowed four hits while getting one out.
When he entered, it was 2-0.
When he departed, it was 4-0 and there were Angels at second and third base.
Rookie Justin Thomas walked Matthews to load the bases, then gave up a single to Anderson.
Angels 6, Mariners 0.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em. This one is over.

Ichiro Suzuki hit the sixth home run of his season for his 191st hit of the year, igniting a three-run rally in the eighth.
That made the Angels pretend to care, bring in Scot Shields and put the Mariners away.
Mark Lowe now pitching.
Angels 7, Mariners 3 ...

Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre, who has played more than a season and a half with a torn ligament in his left thumb, will undergo surgery and need four to five months of rehabilitation before playing again.

"I should probably have it now, before the season ends, to be fully ready for spring training," Beltre said today. "But I feel guilty walking away from my teammates. I know what I should do, and I probably will do it, but I haven't decided yet.

"I've played with it since I hurt it last year. We did an MRI in December and found the tear, but by then it was too late to do anything and not miss the start of the season."

While weighing his decision, Beltre talked his way into manager Jim Riggleman's pre-game lineup - though that was subject to change.
On the day Beltre has his thumb surgery, he'll also have an operation on his left shoulder to cleanup a painful bone spur there.

"This guy plays hurt, and he may be the toughest player I've ever seen," Riggleman said.

"I'm a fast healer," Beltre said, "but the timing for this surgery is four-to-five months of recovery. If I don't get it done soon, I'm cutting it close for next spring."

Beltre originally injured the thumb diving for a ground ball at Safeco Field in a series that began last May against Texas. When x-rays showed no break, he returned to the lineup after nearly two weeks.

Six years into a career fans never appreciated as much as his teammates, Willie Paul Bloomquist may have played his last game as a Mariner - and has already bid adieu to Safeco Field this year.

Once called the best utility player in baseball by team president Chuck Armstrong, Bloomquist asked the team to let him come off the 15-day disabled list and play the final two weeks of '08.

The Mariners declined, and instead placed him and his ailing hamstring on the 60-day DL.

A free agent, Bloomquist may well be more attractive to a National League team, much the way Greg Dobbs in Philadelphia became a vital part of that franchise.
The lads at Big Boat Mariner won't miss and will likely dismiss his depaerture.

Bloomquist was an old-school player, even in a reserve role. He pushed teammates, cajoled them, befriended them.

He had an impact on players as diverse as J.J. Putz and Adrian Beltre.

If Bloomquist is gone, he'll be missed. He never gave less than his best, which is something not all Mariners could say.

It's too bad that on the final day of what could well be his last season, the local-boy-made-good won't get one last chance to say thanks.

Or say you're welcome.

Mike Morse, the utilityman who won a spot on the opening day roster by hitting nearly .400 last spring - only to be injured diving for a fly ball in April - has been cleared to play again.

Just not with the Mariners.

Morse, whose badly separated shoulder required surgery, will be a desinated hitter in Peoria, Ariz. beginning next week, then play winter ball in November.

The team expects him to be ready to compete for a starting job - first base, anyone? - next spring, and it's a good thing.
Morse will be out of options. If he doesn't make the opening day roster, he can become a free agent.

At 26, Morse is the best chance the Mariners have to still find an impact player in the Freddie Garcia trade that produced Miguel Olivo and Jeremy Reed.

A big, strong right-handed hitter who figures to play for just over the minimum nex year?

Yes, Virginia, the Mariners could use a few of those.