After Pineiro's gem, Nelson blasts Mariners for not dealing - MLB

SEATTLE -- Jeff Nelson couldn't hold himself back after the Seattle Mariners chose to let the trade deadline pass without doing anything major.

"It's very disappointing," the outspoken reliever said Thursday after the Mariners completed a three-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers with a 4-0 victory. "The guys in this clubhouse are very disappointed.


Jeff Nelson is happy after closing out the Tigers, but expresses his anger later.(AP)

"It's difficult year after year here to watch this team never make moves to better themselves," he said. "It's a shame the front office didn't take that extra step to maybe get further in the playoffs."

The Mariners have been to the AL Championship Series in 1995, 2000 and 2001 but never have made it to the World Series.

Nelson, an offseason resident of the Seattle area, is eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season.

"I've never seen an impact player come to this team nor have they ever seemed to go out and try to get one," Nelson said. "The fans deserve a winner, the guys in this clubhouse expect a winner and it's frustrating when you don't get it."

The Mariners are projected to draw more than 3 million fans to Safeco Field for the fourth year. They've led the majors in attendance at 3.5 million fans for the past two seasons.

"This is not a small market," Nelson said. "You see Oakland doing it, and they have a much smaller market than the Mariners. It's frustrating for everybody in here, and it should be frustrating for the people who pay for the tickets and these outrageous prices for these concession stands."

General manager Pat Gillick and manager Bob Melvin said the team tried to make a move.

"I don't believe that," Nelson said. "It's always the same story every year. This is the best facility in baseball. The fans are awesome here. They support their team unbelievably."

In Thursday's game, Joel Pineiro won his eighth consecutive decision, and Mike Cameron homered for the Mariners.

Seattle pitched its major league-leading 13th shutout of the season, The Tigers were blanked for the 12th time, also the most in the majors.

Pineiro (13-5) is 8-0 in nine starts since a June 11 loss to Montreal and stretched his scoreless innings streak to 20 innings, retiring his last 10 batters. He allowed two hits in seven innings, tied a season high with six walks and struck out six.

Pineiro said he was happy the Mariners didn't trade two-time All-Star Freddy Garcia, the Mariners' opening night pitcher who will try to end a four-game losing streak Friday night against the White Sox.

The Mariners reportedly were trying to put together a three-team trade that would have brought them All-Star third baseman Aaron Boone, younger brother of Mariners All-Star second baseman Bret Boone, from Cincinnati and would have sent Garcia to Boston. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner reportedly stymied the trade so Garcia wouldn't go to the Red Sox by acquiring Aaron Boone in a trade with the Reds.

"I'm glad he's still here, that's all I've got to say," Pineiro said. "He's going to come back, he's going to find his groove. Then they'll be like, 'Thank God, I'm glad we didn't trade him.'"

Wilfredo Ledezma (3-5) made his fifth career start and lost his third in a row. He gave up four runs, six hits and six walks in four-plus innings.

Detroit, a major league-worst 28-78, went 1-8 against the Mariners this year, losing the last seven games. In the series, Seattle outscored the Tigers 28-8 in the series and outhit them 34-16.

The Tigers were limited to three singles without Dmitri Young, who was given the day off. Young leads Detroit's offense with a career-high 22 homers and 59 RBI.

"You look at our offense without him, and it certainly hurts us," manager Alan Trammell said.

The Tigers expect third baseman Eric Munson, who sprained his left ankle Saturday night, to be able to play Friday night at Minnesota.

"We're hoping," Trammell said. "I'm not 100 percent, but I'm hoping."

Seattle took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Bret Boone's two-out triple, an intentional walk to Edgar Martinez and RBI singles by John Olerud and Cameron. Randy Winn, who had six RBI Wednesday, hit a run-scoring double in the second, and Cameron homered in the third.

Notes

Pineiro is 3-0 against the Tigers this season and 5-0 in his career.
Rey Sanchez, who will play SS for the Mariners while Carlos Guillen is on the disabled list recovering from an inflammation of the pelvis, played his first game for Seattle. He was 0-for-2 with a walk. Sanchez, acquired in a trade with the New York Mets on Tuesday, will wear No. 1 for the Mariners.

Seattle vs. Detroit

Notes