SCRAPPY SAILORS:

Brawling toward better team spirit (Larry Stone, 7/09/07, Seattle Times)

The Mariners spent the first half of the season establishing their credibility.

Sunday, they cemented their camaraderie.

Call it bench-clearing diplomacy; in sports, the team that fights together ignites together.

The Mariners exited their hockey game with Oakland feeling closer than ever before, and we're not talking about the scant 2 ½ games that separates them from the Angels at the All-Star break.

"People know now we are a team," said pitcher Miguel Batista. "We're going to win as a team, lose as a team, fight as a team.

"We're there to win fairly and squarely between the lines of the game. But they will find out — we're a team in every way."

The incredible thing is that Jose Guillen didn't start the brawl.

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 9, 2007 9:55 AM