Question
I didn’t watch today’s game, so I’m hoping there was some kind of real explanation for this that I’m missing. Here’s the 9th inning game log:
SEATTLE 9TH
-O Dotel relieved T Hudson.
-M Olivo struck out looking.
-J Reed walked.
-J Reed to second on fielder’s indifference.
-J Lopez singled to center, J Reed scored.
-I Suzuki struck out swinging.
-R Winn walked, J Lopez to second.
–J Cabrera hit for E Martinez.–
J Cabrera grounded into fielder’s choice to shortstop, J Lopez out at third.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors
Oakland 7, Seattle 4
Was Edgar ill? Hurt? Saving a cat from being dropped off the roof?
Because if not, why would you ever pinch hit Jolbert Cabrera for Edgar Martinez? Much less when Edgar is playing in his 5th-to-last-ever home game, representing the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Seriously, if this was a “strategy” move, I don’t have words for the stupidity of it. Someone tell me there were mitigating circumstances. Please.
Comments
12 Responses to “Question”
I think Edgar fouled a ball off his toe and was having it looked at.
Edgar fouled a ball off his ankle in his previous at bat and I’m guessing he wasn’t feeling well enough to hit in the 9th. Don’t worry, Melvin hasn’t lost all sense.
Okay, on that point — Edgar fouled the ball off his foot, was clearly in a lot of pain, and took a loooooooooooong time to get back in the box. Where the hell was the trainer, or Melvin, or someone to ask him how he was doing?
Actually if you had known about Edgar’s mishap, the thread should have been “Why the hell is Miguel Olivo hitting in the 9th off of Dotel?”
Miguel Olivo is 0-26 with 16 K’s. He is hitless on this homestand. In fact he is hitless since before Labor Day.
They are carrying three catchers now and not pinch hitting for him in the 9th inning is inexecusable.
Of course he let through another catchable ball for a WP to advance two runners to 2nd and 3rd.
What happened to Edgar’s special Kevlar-reinforced shoes??
I believe it was “stolen” from him. Rumors are they’re planning on bronzing it and giving it to him on “Edgar Day”…if he makes it that long.
Hopefully it was up melvins ass kicking him out the door!!!!!
FWIW,
FSNW says tonight that Edgar will not play on Sunday due to the toe injury.
tede –
I wonder if theres some sort of curse on our catchers…
Ben Davis went 3 for 33 with us (lets not even mention spring training or tacoma). With Chicago he’s hitting .260 8 2B 6HR.
And now that Miguel Olivo is supposed to be our catcher of the future he is completely falling apart.. first it was terrible defense, and now he looks so bad at the plate he preobably couldn’t hit the ball off a tee. Meanwhile Jason Varitek is a key member and contributer on the playoff bound Red Sox. Let’s just hope that Olivo snaps out of it and actually becomes the catcher we’ve needed. This team is developing a frightening cycle of players not living up to expectations (cirillo, aurilia, spiezio, boone, shiggy, ben davis, olerud, on and on…)
Wilson ain’t hitting so hot either.
The other night when Dobbs pinch hit for Olivo and they brought in a left-hander to pitch to him, Rizzs actually questioned why Melvin wasn’t bringing Wilson in to hit for Dobbs.
This was right before Dobbs had the game winning, bases clearing double.
Shawns,
Perhaps there is a frightening cycle of players not living up to their expectations… but the players you mention are not good examples. Sure Cirillo and Aurelia didn’t live up to expectations, but the others either matched or exceeded expectations. Boone, that guy exploded as soon as he reached the M’s. Spiezio… nobody expected anything from him except the Mariner Optimist. Shiggy… who could have predicted his 2003 season? Nobody. Ben Davis was essentially traded for as a longshot in the first place. He had never shown the success that was expected of a #1 draft pick in the Padres system. He only had the attitude of a #1 draft pick (“hey look at me, I’ve got it made). The Mariners traded a few spare parts on the hope that they could turn him around. I can’t imagine that too many people were really surprised when he didn’t turn it around. Olerud… how can you suggest he did not live up to expectations. He gave us several years of solid defense and reliable hitting. Why do you consider it unexpected for a ballplayer to start fading in his late 30s?
I would argue that the majority of the players we aquire do indeed live up to the expectations of those that reasonably assess their value and project future performance. They do not, however, live up to the unreasonably high hopes of the Mariners front office.
Hans-
I simply meant this year when I put Olerud, Shiggy and Boone in that list. They did not live up to expectations for THIS YEAR. And Ben Davis seemed to be finding his stroke the first half of last season, so he too was a dissapointment this year. Obviously it comes down to front office ineptitude and unwillingness to sign any big name players to contracts over a year or two in length. The past years they have picked mediocre players and hoped that they would have good solid seasons. Instead of Tejada, Aurialia; Instead of Pudge, keep trying Ben Davis; Instead of an actual third baseman, spezio. ect.ect.ect. Clearly they will be forced to sign at least one big name this offseason. I just hope it isn’t Carlos Delgado, I have a baaaaad feeling about him (and I want Bucky to stick around).