MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COVERAGE AS DRUNK AS YOU >>>

Yesterday was a big day for baseball in the Pacific Northwest.

No, the Seattle Mariners didn't hit the free agent market and pick up those one or seven bats they desperately need. And no, our beloved Rainiers (50-49) didn't suddenly spring ahead ten games in the standings and find themselves in a divisional dead-heat with those pesky Reno Aces.

We're talking ‘a big day' in the completely quantitative sense. As in, "Man, yesterday there was a lot of baseball to watch."

If our calculations are correct, Northwest baseball fans could have spent eight hours and sixteen minutes watching Mariners and Rainiers baseball yesterday. Eight hours and sixteen minutes. From the moment the Mariners started on their twelfth loss in a row to the second the Rainiers closed the books on their doubleheader against the Tuscon Padres, eight hours and sixteen minutes of baseball passed through the air.

Now, I doubt very many Pacific Notherwesterners watched or listened to the entire eight hours and sixteen minutes of yesterday's ballgames. It's possible some die-hards did. But for most, eight hours of baseball is a bit too much.  Even so, it's nice to know the option was there.  Soon the dark days of winter will sweep down upon us and the only baseball action available will be a single Buster Olney tweet. Those are dark days, my friends. Everyone should store up the remaining baseball months like a hungry squirrel hording fatty nuts.

Oh, and just for the record, one hour or so of yesterday's baseball was actually part of a Rainiers' rain delay. So, really, it was like seven hours of field time. We chose to say eight because it sounds cooler.

-Just for fun, here are a few things one could have accomplished in eight hours and sixteen minutes. That is assuming one didn't watch baseball yesterday.

-Watched the classic war movie Tora! Tora! Tora! three and a half times.

-Taken a leisurely drive from Tacoma to Mount Shasta, California.

-Gone on six Ride the Ducks in Seattle tours.

-Answered half of Matt Driscoll's emails.

-Had sex approximately 116 times.

Cool stuff, huh? But always remember, watching eight hours of baseball is time well spent.

-Speaking of time well spent, the Rainiers laid a hurting on the Tuscon Padres in yesterday's doubleheader. The Rainiers won the first game by a score of 9-2 and the second by a score of 8-1. Outfielder Carlos Peguero led the Rainiers with three hits in the first game. The second game was dominated by starter Luke French's pitching. French allowed one run on seven hits, continuing his recent outburst of success.

-Golden boy third baseman Kyle Seager is expected to be back in the lineup tonight when the Rainiers square off against the Salt Lake Bees. Seager was sent down from the Mariniers in exchange for relief pitcher Josh Lueke. It's hard to say who we like seeing better in the Rainiers' lineup, Seager or Lueke. Wait. I see it now. Seager. We definitely like Seager. 

-The News Tribune is reporting that the 2011 Tacoma Rainiers are on pace to shatter their franchise record for runs.  That's all well and good, but is the News Tribune reporting on the plight of missing toilet paper in ladies' restrooms? We think not. Take THAT, News Tribune!

-With the Rainiers heading into Salt Lake we should probably mention that tonight there's a Zero Fatalities Post-Game kids run at Spring Mobile Ballpark. Following the game kids 12 and under get to run around the bases. This has us thinking: why aren't there base races between Minor League teams following each game? We'd love to see Rainiers' left fielder Mike Wilson chugging around the base paths. 

Tonight's game against the Bees starts at 6:05 p.m. We advise everyone to store up for the winter by listening to Curto call the game on South Sound Sports 850 AM. 

LINK: The "Rainiers Minute" collection