Lou Piniella used to say he didn't care what his catcher hit - until he didn't - as long as the team won when he was behind the plate.

The Seattle Mariners have noticed that Rob Johnson is hitting .212, but they're more impressed with how he handles pitchers.

In his last 11 starts, the Mariners have won nine times, and in his 49 starts this year the team is 32-17.

That's why he's catching again tonight.

It's Garrett Olson vs. Derek Holland - and the temperature is cooler in Arlington than it is in Seattle. Amazing.

Mr. Blalock, again

It only seems like Hank Blalock homers against Seattle every time they meet. One out into the second inning, Blalock hit his 20th of the season for Texas - and his fourth of the year in 33 at-bats against the Mariners.

It wasn't cheap.
One out later, after an Andruw Jones walk, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit his eighth of the season.

In the second: Rangers 3, Mariners 0

More Texas thunder

Michael Young homered, another 400-foot-plus shot against Olson. If the Rangers knew what was coming, they couldn't swing much harder.

Chris Jakubauskas is warming up in the bullpen.

In the third: Rangers 4, Mariners 0

Thunder, thunder, thunder

Olson is out, Chris Jakubauskas is in and Michael Young doesn't care.

Young just hit his second home run of the night and 16th of the season. The Mariners have one home run in their last seven games, so watching Texas hit four out tonight in the first four-plus innings is doing nothing for their confidence.

In the fifth: Rangers 5, Mariners 0

It's not just the pitching

Aside from watching all those home runs, the Mariners have other problems tonight - like hitting.

Through six innings, Holland has allowed one single, period. No matter who was pitching for Seattle, that wouldn't be enough.

That said, Mr. Olson may have made his last start for awhile. The Mariners are going to want to see Ian Snell before long, and Doug Fister is a possibility, too - although that might wait until September callups.

This is a tough park for pitchers trying to show they belong, and Jason Vargas starts here tomorrow night.

A lot of it is the pitching

OK, the Rangers are being worn down tonight, all that running the bases after hitting a home run.

What must Jack Wilson be thinking?

And in the end

Tip your cap to rookie Holland, who had never pitched beyond seven innings in his first nine big-league starts.

Tonight, he went 8 2/3 innings and allowed one baserunner in the first eight innings - Jack Hannahan's ground ball single in the fifth inning. In the ninth, the Mariners 'rallied' when Johnson drew a walk anc, with two outs, Franklin Gutierrez singled on Holland's 118th pitch.

At that point, he was lifted to a standing ovation, and Jose Lopez singled home a run against reliever Warner Madrigal.

The Mariners couldn't have done much worse if they hadn't shown up at all.

Jack Wilson makes the first start of his Seattle career tonight, batting seventh as manager Don Wakamatsu gets a good look at him before making any long-tem lineup decisions.

The Mariners remain without their top power hitter, Russell Branyan, who has been laid low by back strain. Branyan took batting practice today, will likely play tomorrow. Otherwise, against lefty Derek Holland, the Mariners won't be starting Ken Griffey Jr. or Kenji Johjima.

Here's your Seattle starting lineup:
Ichiro RF
Franklin Gutierez CF
Jose Lopez 2B
Mike Sweeney DH
Chris Shelton 1B
Jack Hannahan 3B
Jack Wilson SS
Rob Johnson C
Michael Saunders LF
Garrett Olson LHP

If you think Jack Wilson was happy to make the upward jump in the standings from Pittsburgh to Seattle, think how ex-Mariner George Sherrill feels todcay.

Sherill's been traded from Baltimore to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and while he may not close, he's moved from an abysmal team to one with a shot at the post-season.

Sherrill, remember, was the Seattle reliever found in the independent leagues by scout Charlie Kerfeld, who's now with Philadelphia. He was part of the trade for Erik Bedard, so Sherrill has never had an August or September pennant race in his career.

He's got one now. Enjoy them, George. They can be few and far between.

The week of the trading deadline has served another reminder that journalism and blogging remain friends but haven't yet married.

There are a couple of baseball blogs surrounding the Mariners that get it right - and get it first - with regularity, and offer perspective with their news.

Kirby Arnold of the Everett Herald breaks stories routinely, although the entertaining U.S.S. Mariner always credits another blogger for doing so. And Larry Stone of the Times is not only a fine national baseball writer but a rock-solid beat guy when he's doing that job, too.