SECAUCUS, N.J. – Shortstops were a big hit leading off the Major League Baseball draft. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Vanderbilt slugger Dansby Swanson with the No. 1 pick Monday night, setting off a history-making run at the position.

Wednesday: If there is a more frustrating team to follow these days than the M’s, I’m not sure which team it would be. I decided to take a day off yesterday. Not watch. Not listen. Go my merry way. Then they sucked me in. And may have lost me for good.

SEATTLE – First baseman Logan Morrison extended his hitting streak to 12 games Friday night, batting at the top of the lineup after getting scratched Thursday because of back pain. “It just tightened up on me,” Morrison said. “Got stiff. I’m not sure why. I was just swinging in the cage, and I felt some pain in lower back. I tried to get it loosened up, but it just wasn’t loosening up.

Beleaguered closer Fernando Rodney served up a leadoff home run in the ninth inning to Logan Forsythe that broke open a scoreless game and sent the Mariners to their seventh straight loss, 1-0 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at Safeco Field.