Why wasn’t Julio in center field yesterday, and what’s with Cal not playing at all?

BEND, Ore. - I’m guessing this was the case with many Mariner fans…

I firmly - and wrongly - thought when Dom Canzone hit a three-run homer to power the Mariners past the Rangers 6-4 Sunday afternoon, it would be a catalyst, a defining moment, one that would be remembered as a losing-stopper and momentum-starter for Dan Wilson’s team.

I was so convinced that I made various wagers totaling $50 on the Mariners yesterday, and you know what happened - they reminded us that they may not have sucked on Sunday, but the suck is still there, dropping a 7-3 decision to the Rangers Monday afternoon.

Yeah, it was baffling that George Kirby, who had been so good for so long of late, got knocked around, giving up four home runs.

But even more baffling was yesterday’s lineup, which had Julio Rodriguez as the designated hitter and Cal Raleigh not playing at all.

With Julio, the Mariners indicated they are still slow-playing him, so to speak, after his return from a concussion on July 18th. Julio missed 10 games after getting hit in the back of the helmet by a throw when he was on the basepaths July 2nd.

I want to call this “understandable.” There are certainly different degrees of concussions, and for all we know, maybe Julio’s is one of the worst. No one wants to mess around with a possible brain injury.

I even have a little first-hand experience with a concussion suffered by my wife when she fell as she tripped over something in a planting area at our home and hit her face and head on the sidewalk.

Nearly a month later, she’s still dealing with some brain fog, which we’re told is normal, but still, it’s unsettling to us.

Then again, with Julio being the DH yesterday, it wasn’t understandable to some fans, two of whom expressed their feelings to Mariners reporter Shanon Drayer on Twitter.

“I think there’s more of a chance to get hit in the head from a pitch than running around in the outfield,” wrote GEM Mint Truth. “But that’s just me.”

And there was this scathing comment from Tom Walther:

“Biggest game of the year and Raleigh is on the bench and Julio isn’t in center. What a (flippin’) clubhouse full of and run by (wusses).”

If this is the same Tom Walther I know, you’ll have to consider the source.