Oh, hey, with respect to booing Rodriguez… I couldn’t agree more. I didn’t even boo him on his first trips back to Seattle, and now it has been three years. Three years, people! Let it go! There isn’t a person alive who would have turned down that contract. Or, perhaps more appropriately, a contract similar in terms of the kind of raise it would give you… obviously none of us are ever going to be offered a $252M contract. At least, I don’t think we are.
Excuse me, Tom Hicks is calling on my private line.
In other minor league news, the M’s signed IF Mickey Lopez and assigned him to Tacoma. Lopez, a switch-hitter, spent last season in the Cubs’ organization and was released this spring. To make room, C Jim Horner was sent down to San Antonio to serve as Scott Maynard’s backup. I know he’s not a prospect, but Horner always seems to get the shaft when it comes to roster moves — he’s put in his time with the organization, but somehow they always manage to find a reason to send him down to the Texas League rather than keep him with the Rainiers. The same thing happened last year when GM Pat Gillick’s personal catcher, Pat Borders, was signed late in the season.
Can we get over this booing thing with Alex Rodriguez? Alex gave us the best five shortstop-seasons this club ever saw, he was a consumate gentleman, he gave generously to Seattle of his pre-free-agency salary and his time. Drafted by the M’s, Alex ignored Scott Boras, who was “advising” him, to sign with the team (Boras wanted Alex to go to college and wait a year to be drafted by a larger, more money-heavy club). Alex ignored Boras again to sign his below-value extension through his arb years and into 2000. When the time came to chose between his avowed desire to play on a contender, to be, Ripken-like, a one-team player through his career, and his desire to make an extra, what, hundred million dollars minimum, Alex chose to take the hundred million dollars. I would ask everyone who boos Alex what decision they would make in his position — except that it doesn’t matter. He’s a symbol now, a symbol of the greed people see in baseball players, and booing him allows fans to feel self-righteous and bonded against that greed.
Meanwhile, Alex’s teammate Carl Everett, he of the child-abuse problems, who tried to start a fight with Jamie Moyer — Jamie! — and had that crotch-grabbing, foul-mouthed tirade for Jamie and has no respect for the game… Carl gets to bat in silence.
Minor League Highlights for Sunday, April 13
Tacoma‘s home game with Las Vegas was rained out. The teams will play a double-header today, with RHPs Jeff Heaverlo and Brian Sweeney scheduled to start for the Rainiers.
San Antonio 8, El Paso 3. Two hits each for CF Michael Curry, 1B AJ Zapp, DH John Lindsey and RF Elpidio Guzman, none of whom are prospects. RHP Chris Wright started and went six solid innings (5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) for the Missions.
Rancho Cocamonga 6, Inland Empire 1. The 66ers had just two hits in the game, one of which was LF Shin-soo Choo’s first homer of the season. RHP Cha Seung Baek, a former hot prospect trying to come back from numerous injuries, lasted only three innings and was hit hard (9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K).
Wisconsin 4, Burlington 0. The big story here was pitching, as LHPs Bobby Livingston and Ryan Rowland-Smith combined on a two-hit shutout for the Timber Rattlers. Livingston pitched the first 5 2/3, allowing both hits, one walk and striking out seven. Rowland-Smith was nearly perfect over the final 3 1/3, with a two-out walk in the ninth the only blemish. Leadoff man CF Gary Harris had three hits in five trips and 2B Corey Harrington was 4-for-4 with a triple.
Our first feature: “Drinking in Safeco” or, as it was once titled, “Get Lit for Little“. It’s the article one publication wouldn’t run because it was too true! too raw! They couldn’t handle the hard-hitting criticism. It’s the article another publication passed up after having me sit on it for six+ months and then turned down last week only because they didn’t feel it would be appropriate with us getting our war on. So now, for the first time, available only on the U.S.S. Mariner, because I won’t compromise to bring our reader(s?) the truth.
Cloude wouldn’t really be a fit for the “arm for a week” scenario. They’d want to bring Mateo back at some point, and that would require Cloude going back to Tacoma. Since he’s out of options, he’d have to clear waivers. No point risking him getting claimed (hello Detroit) to get a weeks worth of mop-up duty out of him. Putz would probably be the guy, though I don’t see the M’s actually doing it. Might be worth considering if Cararra won’t be back until Wednesday, though.
They wouldn’t have to expose Thornton to waivers, by the way. They could transfer him (or Snelling or Anderson) to the 60 day DL and free up that spot. The trade-off would be giving a prospect service time when you’ve already optioned them to the minors. If you feel you may lose the player, though, its probably worth it.
Cloude isn’t scheduled to pitch until Wednesday, so he’s a choice for promotion. Unfortunately, they’d have to move him onto the 40m, which would mean clearing space by trying to clear someone else like, say, Matt Thornton, who I can’t imagine anyone would claim right now. Or Ugueto, who I also can’t imagine would be a hot roster claim. Otherwise, it’s a promotion for Aaron Taylor or JJ Putz. I’d pick Putz, myself.
As a side note, I was at the game tonight, and on behalf of my aching back, I’d just like to say “Ow. Ow ow ow.”
I’m going to Tues-Wed-Thurs this week, Wed on (gasp) press credentials. I’ll report on that in detail, doubt not.
Nice win. Here’s to hoping Joel can go at least 7 tommorrow. I have to wonder if they’ll consider optioning out Mateo for 10 days to get a fresh arm in the pen.
Minor League Highlights for Saturday, April 12
Tacoma 4, Las Vegas 3. Nothing much of note here.
San Antonio 8, Midland 2. RHP Clint Nageotte: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 1 K. Odd line, that.
Rancho Cucamonga 10, Inland Empire 4. Top prospects 2B Ismael Castro and OF Shin-soo Choo are off to very slow starts this season.
Wisconsin 9, Burlington 3 (15 innings). The Timber Rattlers scored six runs in the top of the 15th behind homers from 1B-OF Jon Nelson, OF TJ Bohn and SS Michael Garciaparra.
Soon, I hope to have a link to my “big board,” where I keep rosters and starters for each team in the system. Watch this space.
The first nine games of the year, the Mariners drew 30 walks. They’ve drawn 20 in the past two games. Its amazing what Chan Ho Park and Ryan Drese can do, and not in a good way.
Greg Colbrunn has batted six times in eleven games (less AB’s than every other member of the roster), despite Edgar Martinez sitting out 5 games. Can anyone explain?