Series Preview: Mariners @ Sox

Seattle Mariners (21-39)
AL West: 15.5 GB
Streak: L4
Last 10: 3-7

3 game series @ Fenway Park
Game 1 Friday 7:05
Hernandez (3-5, 3.29) vs. Colon (3-0, 3.50)
Game 2 Saturday 3:55 FOX
Batista (3-6, 5.90) vs. Wakefield (3-4, 4.50)
Game 3 Sunday 1:35
Washburn (2-7, 6.56) vs. Masterson (2-0, 2.95)

PREVIEW:
Had to cut the normal preview post short to bring the updates on the suspensions from the Raysbrawl game last night.

According to the Globe Coco Crisp, or Cock-o as I have now taken to calling him for obvious reasons, rightfully received the harshest penalty with a 7-game suspension. Fellow Sox Jon Lester (5 games) and Sean Casey (3) were the only other members of the Boston team to get suspended, curious because neither player appeared to be active participants in the melee.

The Rays on the other hand were hit pretty hard as starters James Shields (6 games) and Edwin Jackson (5) received the equivalents of one missed start each, while Jonny Gomes (5), Carl Crawford (4) and Aki Iwamura (3) got lighter sentences.

The punishments will be staggered so everyone doesn't sit at once, and Crisp has stated he will appeal his, allowing him to play tonight. Expect him to get maybe one game shaved off, but that's about it.

All in all a pretty costly evening for both clubs.

As for the undercard of the Friday night fisticuffs between Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis, ESPN is reporting that Manny took exception to Youk tossing some equipment around the dugout following an out he made in the bottom of the fourth.

This is unsubstantiated by the ball club but is easy to believe that even his own teammates are tiring of Youk's ultra-sensitive intensity regarding balls, strikes and outs.

There is some good news amidst all this brawl-filled bullshit: Jacoby Ellsbury's wrist injury appears to be minor and he should only miss a game or two.

So we got that going for us.

As for this series Seattle staggers into town having lost four in a row and 12 of its last 15 games, with two of those wins coming against the Sox in Seattle a week and a half ago.

Since taking the final two games of that series and a game against Detroit two nights later the Mariners were swept by the Angels, prompting a post-game expletive-laced tirade by manager John McLaren Wednesday night.

So basically the Ms are the one team that might be more of a mess than the Sox are right now, but with a lot worse record. As in the worst record in baseball worse.

The roster for the game tonight, when Bart Colon goes for win #4 in four starts since being called up, will feature Coco Crisp in center but Manny will not be in left. he tweaked his already tender hammy in the 7th inning last night, leading to a rare pinch running performance by Kevin Cash, so he will sit out tonight.

In his place Brandon Moss, who was called up after the game when Chris Carter was shipped back on the PawSox express, will start in left while Mayor Casey takes over the DH duties.

Moss had been on a tear since coming back from his appendectomy, so his bat will be a welcome addition with Papi and now Manny and Ellsbury missing time.

Anyway it will be nice to get back to talking about baseball instead of fights and bickering.

At least for a day.