So tell me again why Rich Hill was pulled from the rotation? I know that he’s been pounded this year, but I think I’d rather have him in the rotation and take his lumps and save Jon Lieber in the bullpen. He’s been successful in that role all season.

Lou, get Rich Hill back in the rotation, he’s the franchise.

Are you looking for a fast, easy way to track baseball scores on your phone? So was I. So I created one. It’s called MyMobileScores and it launched Wednesday. I’m blogging about it’s development, new features and general other stuff at my professional blog over at http://www.k3ndall.com.

It’s not full-featured yet and there is work to be done to make it better and easier to use. But it’s up, and it works. I’d love your feedback.

The site currently works with iPhone and iPod touch (for sure), Windows Mobile (I think). Support for the Palm Treo is in the works, but just haven’t gotten there yet.

Last night Felix Pie came up in the 8th inning with 2 men on, and I whole-heartedly expected him to strike out. It’s what he’s been best at in his major league career.

I know that he has been working with Lou Piniella (and most recently with minor league hitting coordinator Dave Keller) trying to straighten out his swing and get everything figured out, but he just hasn’t produced. Until last night. His home run barely cleared the basket in right field, but it may as well have been onto Sheffield Avenue. The ‘fun’ came with Pie’s huge smile and first-pumping rounding of the bases showed that he was making progress and starting to see results. If Pie can become the 5-tool threat that he’s been advertised as, the Cubs have their leadoff hitter and centerfielder for a long time. An outfield of Soriano, Pie and Fukudome for the next couple years, sounds pretty good.

Congratulations on your progress Felix, but let’s not call Cooperstown yet.

Brian Kersey/AP

So Hank Steinbrenner tells the New York Times that he thinks that Joba Chamberlain should be in the starting rotation.

The Yankees GM Brian Cashman says Chamberlain will stay in the bullpen.

I just have to wonder what the guy who is actually responsible for making those decisions, manager Joe Girardi thinks about all this. He hasn’t been one to hold his tongue so this might just turn into something very interesting. Apparently Hank Steinbrenner is just as much of a meddling douche as his dad.

*** Update ***

Apparently the honorable Hank Steinbrenner has retracted his statements, changing his statement about Joba Chamberlain being in the bullpen. “You have to be an idiot to do that.” He said talking about keeping a guy with a 100mph fastball in the bullpen. Later in the day Monday he slowed his roll a bit by saying “sooner or later it would be nice if he was a starter.”

Hank must have realized that this is not what the Yankees need right now. They sit at 10-10 on the year and are in third place. Maybe he thought the team needed a spark with their best player, Alex Rodriguez, on the bench with a tweaky quad.

I for one wouldn’t be too upset to see them never climb higher than third place, but with the new blood on top, it’s sure proving to be an interesting ride for New Yorkers.

And we only had to part with $48 million. Not the top prospect in the farm system who is already batting .260 at the Major League level. Not to mention delivering late in games. Something it seems like the Mariners might be able to use. I have no qualms with the Mariners pitching staff. It’s just the fact that there is not one bat in the lineup that opposing clubs need to plan around (save an occasional hot streak from Rauuuuul).

Mike Morse, the Mariners right fielder Sunday, has played all over the diamond in his 4 years with the M’s. Yesterday, he proved that right field is not his home on a major league field. He misjudged or misplayed 3 fly balls in right that led to 7 runs. On the last play he hurt his shoulder diving for a ball that he should have had an easy play on. On the previous 2 bone-headed plays that led to runs, he either didn’t see the ball off the bat, or just didn’t react properly.

If the guy makes one bad play in the field, you can give him some slack, but 3 in one game, that lead to runs, that’s unacceptable at the Major League level. Morse’s poor outing in the field put spot starter Cha Seung Baek in a really bad spot. Baek actually pitched pretty well. He got into some jams, and had more base runners than you’d like, but he definitely didn’t pitch badly.

Now for Erik Bedard. It’s not serious, I know. But he’s been scratched twice already this season. I see a problem brewing. I still think Bill Bavasi made a good trade, but I’d just like to see my ace pitcher actually take the mound on his scheduled days.

We battled the rain, the snow, and Erik Bedard’s 5 walks, but we stuck it out for the whole game. The Mariners open the season with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers.

Bright spots

• Adrian Beltre - He looked comfortable hitting and if he’s hitting, the M’s have some stability in the middle of their lineup.
• JJ Putz - One of the best closers in baseball still has electric stuff

Areas of concern

• Richie Sexson - Big Sexy still can’t layoff the bad pitches. He opened the season with a walk, but proved that was an anomaly as the game progressed.
• Erik Bedard - Let’s hope it was Opening Day jitters. He look terrible. Facing the leadoff batter in the first, he was lights out. After that, he was in trouble the whole game. Let’s hope this isn’t an instant replay of Jeff Weaver. I don’t think it will be.

So, the Mariners are undefeated. Looking at their lineup, I don’t think it’ll last. Let’s just hope that they can scrap their way to first place by mid-summer and see if Bill Bavasi brings in some help at the trade deadline. They may win the weak AL West with this lineup, but they won’t get out of the first round of the playoffs.

Here’s a little preview of how I think things will end up in October.  Feel free to pick it apart in the comments.

American League East

1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Baltimore Orioles

American League Central

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Minnesota Twins

American League West

1.  Seattle Mariners
2. Anaheim Angels
3. Texas Rangers
4. Oakland Athletics

National League East

1. New York Mets
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Florida Marlins
5. Washington Nationals

National League Central

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

National League West 

1. Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Colorado Rockies
3. San Diego Padres
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. San Francisco Giants

In 2008, there are high hopes. The thing that people seem to be talking about is the 100 year drought for the Cubs winning the World Series. Of course that is a big deal. Any team that has such an infamous drought is bound to draw attention, but that is really a non-issue. The World Series drought has nothing to do with this year’s team.

The Cubs spent a ton of money last off season to bring in Alfonso Soriano and locking up Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Zambrano. This off season the biggest addition was Kosuke Fukudome from Japan. Fukudome gives the Cubs a solid left-handed bat and a dependable right fielder.

The starting rotation for Cubs will be a strength again. Led by Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill, the Cubs will have plenty of starting pitching. Rounding out the rotation are former closer Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis. The bullpen should also be a strength. Jon Leiber, Sean Marshall, and Bob Howry will take the Cubs from the starters to the shut down tandem of Carlos Marmol and newly named closer Kerry Wood. If Woody can remain healthy, he will provide the Cubs a dominant closer. If he does run into some health issues, look for Marmol to slide seamlessly into the closer role, with Howry moving into the setup role.

If there is one thing that I’m a little worried about with the Cubs is depth at infield positions. If something should happen to Aramis Ramirez or Derrek Lee, I wonder about the long term back up for either position. I know Mark DeRosa can back up either 1B or 3B, but I think he’s more valuable at other spots in the infield.

I think the pitching staff looks great and the lineup top to bottom is solid. They could use a bona fide lead off man, but I think they’ll be able to get enough guys on base, and score enough runs with their lineup as is.

What do you think is in store for the 2008 Chicago Cubs? I’d like to hear your predictions.

So, its 4 am on a Friday night/Saturday morning and I’m sitting at the Mariners Team Store downtown Seattle with Jared waiting in line for single game tickets.

Why? Hmm. Great question. I’m freezing my ass off. My hands are numb typing this out. For what? The honor of getting opening day tickets to see Erik Bedard. Guaranteeing ourselves the tickets we want. To see the Red Sox, the Yankees on my birthday, and some interleague action against the Padres (I’d love to see Maddux one more time). No Cubbies in Seattle this year, but that’s ok. Maybe I’ll be able to catch a game with the Cubs and the Mariners in October????