Game 60, Mariners at Nationals
DMZ · June 11, 2005 at 3:20 pm · Filed Under Game Threads
LHP Jamie Moyer v RHP John Patterson. 4:05, KSTW-11.
Looks like Ibanez in left and Winn in center again. I’d have looked at a NL road trip as a chance to give all three LF/CFers (Ibanez, Winn, and Reed) some time off, but that’s me.
Comments
204 Responses to “Game 60, Mariners at Nationals”
For our lovely manager, Reed’s .312/.373/.473 May wasn’t good enough or something. He was slumping in June. So you let him work out of it. I really dislike the way he’s treating Reed. Ibanez has a hot bat in left and Winn isn’t playing poorly either, but give Reed a little time. I agree with you 100$.
Actually, I’ve gone from unimpressed to rolling my eyes to just sullenly disgusted by how Hargrove manages his lineup before the game and in the game (or heading into the season for that matter). I wish he was taking notes last night while Frank Robinson was giving a clinic on when (and how) to pinch hit, advance runners (including a squeeze play that pulled shiggy out of his shoes), and generally run a ballclub. But that would be asking way too much.
I have been on a road trip for the last week? Is Reed hurt?
Nope. Our manager just doesn’t believe in giving guys breaks.
Valle attributes the Nats’ streak primarily to luck.
Give Ichiro a day off. It can’t hurt at this point. But get Reed into the lineup. There’s really no excuse to sit him 5 days in a row.
I’ve been very unimpressed with Hargrove to this point.
Please feel free to read into my post any amount of understatement you feel necessary.
Are we starting free Jeremy Reed to go with Sherill and Leone?
What do people think of the Ms making a play for Joe Kennedy? Could an offer of Winn + Mateo get it done? This is comparable to what the As are rumored to be offering. Such a deal would free the Ms to bring Doyle up to play LF. How is Doyle’s defense in LF compared to Winn?
The scouting report on TV says the Nats’ pitcher has to keep the ball down. It’s good to see the scouts are generously spreading the good advice around, not just keeping it all for the M’s pitchers.
I wouldn’t run Doyle in left everyday for health purposes, but if he were to alternate with Ibanez, I’d do it. Kennedy is a quality pitcher, and Franklin could move back to the pen where he has been effective.
Almost certainly a downgrade – Winn’s LF defense is excellent.
did Fairly just sound annoyed by the Keys to the Game?
Jamie is most effective ahead in the count. Who knew??
Oh, and he has to keep the ball down.
The RFK ballpark doesn’t look too bad. What’s wrong with it? – why do the Nats need a new ballpark?
What I’d do right now is trade for Rick Short to send Greg Dobbs down. He’d become the best hitter on the bench. I’m a bit pissed that he was sent back down, even though it was inevitable.
Wait, he was DFA’d, not optioned. Claim the guy off waivers.
Good to know we can’t throw strikes again tonight.
I agree with the above. Hargrove’s lineup is another snoozer. His approach is laughably predictable and does nothing to help his players who are slumping. I’d like to see a lineup card like this tonight:
Winn
Reed
Ibanez
Sexson
Boone
Beltre
Morse
Borders
It gives Ichiro the “night off”. It gets Reed back in action. It gets your best hitter (currently) in the 3 hole and it lets Beltre take some pressure off in the 6 spot. But, hey, he makes the big bucks. That’s why he just fills out the samel lineup card every night. Wish my job were that easy.
why do the Nats need a new ballpark?
Why does any team? Box seat revenue greed, pen- er, edifice envy, mutual backscratching/palm greasing among politicians, team owners, and developers…
Ibanez gets a little revenge for being DH’d all year. Good to see some hustle.
Good fielding by Raul. Hey, there are worse LFs in the majors.
Derek Jeter has had a day off. A-Rod has had a day off. Pujols has had a day off. Helton has had a day off. But Raul Ibanez and Randy Winn haven’t. Just about everyone in baseball has had a day off. It’s laziness.
#14. In addition to the greed mentioned in # 19 RFK was built primarily for football. It is old, old, old and has the typical problems one sees in old buildings. For example this AM’s Tacoma Tribune reports that during a pitcher’s meeting yesterday before the game there was a power outage. BP had to finish the meeting using emergency lights, but the real difficulty was that the air conditioning in the club house also was out.
Gah! The KOMO feed for gameday audio just failed – now I have to use WFED.
Another hard-hit ball by Morse. Dude seems to be adjusting to MLB pitching just fine.
Nice to see some other people starting to notice what a non-job Hargrove continues to do. For what seems the 35th time this season: Go ahead, PROVE Hargrove is actually at the game….
#25
What happened to that ball hit by Morse? Gameday shows that it went past the fence.
27: Flyout almost to the wall.
on the warning track, but pretty simple catch by Wilkerson
24–I am listening to KOMO on gameday audio. It’s not failed for me today.
3-strike strikeout by Patterson on Ichiro. Just horrible.
ichiro? strikes out swinging? wowza
looks like he wanted to foul it off…
In all due honesty wouldn’t you love to have Pat Borders on your slow pitch soft ball team? Especially on your over 35 team. Of course he would play shortstop. Actually a couple of years age I think I played with him…. Incidently is this the worst slump ever for Ichiro!?
Ichiro down to .300… Can he please get a day off!?
Wow, what is wrong with Ichiro?
I meant 3 pitch strikeout, but you guys got the point.
Ichiro just looks worse and worse. It’s a good thing we have Hargrove to make sure guys get a night off at just the right time. Oh, wait a minute, I forgot! Hargrove doesn’t decide those things, ICHIRO does!! What was I thinking?? Silly me.
30 – I can’t even select the KOMO feed anymore. If I choose it, I get WFED. Hell, if I choose the Toronto feed for the Jays-Astros game I get WFED. I can only listen to WFED.
Ichiro is fine. He’s had a few of these slumps and they are always followed by an insane hitting tear. I haven’t looked up the numbers on this but I’m certain of it. He’s going to be just fine and by the end of July we’ll have forgotten that he ever was in a slump.
We need someone in the Seattle media to write an article about how Ichiro is no longer a star. Then he’ll go off on a tear.
FSN showed Ichiro hitting .300 then he srikes out to go 0 for 2 today. Is Ichiro now at .299? Talking about days off, maybe a day off will help Ichiro.
Dammit Beltre!
A soft pop-up by Beltre. What a surprise.
God damn it Beltre, if you’re in such a slump, would it kill you to take a pitch?
How come Alex’s (see #18) lineup makes sense and Hargrove’s doesn’t?
#38 I expect him to get out of it. Would just be nice if they’d give him a game off to sit and think about what he is doing wrong instead of going farther and farther into the hole.
Good to see Guzman is earning that 4 year contract of his
37 — That sucks. You’re not really missing anything, though.
It seems like every time a manager tries to tinker with Ichiro in any way, it doesn’t help a bit. I won’t be surprised if they DH him next week, though.
48: I would. You can’t just sacrifice potentially the best defesnive OF in the game. I’d much rather see him just take a full day off. His problems are at the plate, not in the field.
Speaking of Doyle, Rizzs is comparing him to Brad Wilkerson. I’d say that’s a pretty good comparison.
This ball club has been together all through spring training and a third of the season and Hargrove, their leader, says they are still trying to find their identity. And you expect this guy to figure out some of the players may need a day off? I didn’t like Grover as the “human rain delay” and I like him less as a mgr.
50: Why were they talking about Doyle? In all honesty, it’s about time he gets called up. Would it hurt our bench to have a good hitter and a 4th OF for the first time in forever?
49, I agree that I’d rather see him get a full day off – I just don’t think they’ll do it. If I were manager I would risk pissing him off and tell him to take a rest but Hargrove seems loathe to change much of anything.
Not that I’d want to be manager of this team. Makes me shudder just fantasizing about it.
52: They were watching Wilkerson and Rizzs said: “You know who Wilkerson reminds me of?” “Chris Snelling.” and then they elaborated.
I guess Doyle’s real name can be used when spoken of indirectly. I agree though, good comparion.
I’d like to see Richie hit that white seat out in the centerfield bleachers.
Augggh!
52 – It might hurt Doyle, though. Doyle needs to play every day.
If we somehow end up with an opening in the OF, then Doyle might be ready to come up and be a regular, but there’s no way anyone should sit him on the bench.
I love the way hargrove is killing the confidence of reed.He just started hitting and bam go to the bench.Why not rotatw days off for the outfielders?
Oh crap. I completely slipped. So sorry.
Wow Nick Johnson caught stealing second? They must not think very highly of Borders’ throwing arm.
Did Niehaus just call Morse “slender”??
Looking at the dimensions of RFK, how many stadiums can you think of now that have outfield walls shaped in a perfect parabolic curve?
Re: (USS MARINER) – GAME 60 – “Looks like Ibanez in left and Winn in center again. I’d have looked at a NL road trip as a chance to give all three LF/CFers (Ibanez, Winn, and Reed) some time off…”
Maybe MIKE will read this before Sunday’s game, and take his brain out of neutral–some say “reverse.”
How many of those 3 pitches were in the strike zone?
YAY. That was a good bad hop.
I think Busch Stadium is parabolic (at least through the end of this year)
All right Ichiro! Hopefully, that’s the slump-breaker.
did that hit johnson in the side of the head? about time m’s get lucky…
65: Yeah i was just thinking and there’s actually a few. Dodger Stadium comes to mind.
I try not to get too excited about seeing eye singles, and that one definitely had eyes (and a bad attitude).
I very much doubt all (or even any) of those parks have parabolic outfield walls.
Symmetrical, perhaps, but not parabolic.
Ahhhhh heck, Rizzs is on the TV side now.
Joy!!!! The game’s on radio in my neck of the woods.
Man… Ichiro needs a nap. That was a tough ball to get to, but we’re spoiled.
Yeah Morse.
This is weird. I’m actually more confident in Ibanez than anyone in our lineup right now (save Randy Winn).
75: bad timing
Yeah Morse.
That was not a difficult play. Someone needs to hit him 50 grounders to his right before tomorrow’s game. He’s not getting bad bounces. Maybe he’s just not very coordinated. Next audition for SS, please step forward…. introducing, . . ??
I always wondered when Spivey’s helmet would pop off… that thing looks like its barely on his head.
It stays on because he has a chinstrap.
Hee Seop Choi went through a slump like that, just swinging at everything (and he’s generally far more selective than Ichiro!). Last night he hit two homers, including a walkoff in the 9th off of (brace yourselves) a left-hander. Granted, said lefthander was Terry Mulholland…
On the topic of outfield walls – Turner looks parabolic and symmetrical on TV, but according to GameDay it is slightly asymmetrical. Dude, if you’re going to be square on purpose, do it all the way. Dodger Stadium is symmetrical and smooth, but appears to be more ellipsoid than parabolic.
Wow Morse. I really hope this is not Willie Bloomquist, circa 2002.
I wonder what Jeremy Reed is thinking right now. This is ridiculous
GREG DOBS??????
What happened, Chuck?
What a gorgeous swing by Mr. Dobbs!
Ugh.
atta kid Dobbs!!!
WHAT A JOKE..
Why is Dobbs in the major leagues?
#83 – No kidding. I can’t believe that we let Reed sit on the bunch in a situation where some decent contact gets us the go-ahead run.
Watching on GameDay and saw PH Dobbs .156. Oy.
Bet all those swings were sweet, though.
I wonder how Dobbs looks in jeans.
Who does Dobbs think he is, Hank Blalock? – that was a huge cut he took on that popup.
It just means that Reed will be double switched into the lineup now. Stupid Hargrove.
#89 Why is Hargrove in the major leagues?
85: Greg Dobbs happened
Dobbs must have photos of Mike Hargrove in a hottub with the Mariner Moose.
And Ichiro continues his suckfest. Did anybody besides Winn, Morse, and Moyer show up for this game?
Screech Powers >>> Screech The Eagle
Let’s see. I have Dave Hansen, Jeremy Reed and Greg Dobbs. Can anyone of these guys pinch hit very well? Dobbs is sure a nice lookin’ kid. Hansen is burned out on all his pinch hits. Reed too rested. Maybe he’s rusty. KID!! You’re up!!
Wonder if Hargrove ever applied to any NL teams. How they must have *laughed*!
What’s more worthless, Dobbs, or an investment in Enron stock? No question, at least you’d have about $5 if you invested in Enron 6 years ago.
So apparently JJ has changed his pitching motion slightly. Now we’ll see if it pays any dividends.
“Past a diving Boone…”
Yeah, Hansen’s never been much of a pinch-hitter against the NL…double oy.
Wow, Tony Blanco has his own website:
http://www.tonyblanco.com/
Didn’t the TV scout tell JJ he needs to keep the ball down?
Wasn’t this game on last night?
Hmmmm let’s see, the Nats have a pinch-hitter who’s hitting .333, and we’ve got… uhhh… never mind.
it’ll be, what, his 30th start of the season that Moyer finally gets that 200th win?
Maybe JJ’s been getting some pitching advice from Thornton.
Do we have relievers that can throw strikes?
Now if Grover had any brains, he’d throw Eddie into the game right now to prevent another meltdown.
Hargrove better have that hook ready. I’d hate to have to start calling him Grady.
On KSTW those shots of Hargrove are actually holograms. Do you think that if he was actually there he would have allowed Dobbs to PH and JJ to throw in this situation?
Niehaus sounds thoroughly disgusted. Rick and Hendu are probably yucking it up again over Hendu’s home run off of Donnie Moore.
That a boy JJ, if you’re going to miss the zone, throw it in their ear.
Can we bring back Mabry to pitch this inning?
…And how long is Hargrove going to let this continue. Where’s the hook?
Maybe Putz should throw the rosin bag up to the plate.
new question, who’s more worthless, Dobbs or Putz?!
Putz: What?
Boone: I saw movie once where the pitcher tagged the mascot. I think it was a bull.
Putz: Yeah?
Boone: Just saying.
So I wonder what it takes to make Grover make a pitching change in this situation?
THROW STRIKES>…………………….
This season is like the Luis Bunuel film where no one can leave the dinner party.
can anyone say “Damage Control”?
Hargrove should break-out of this “closer only pitches 1 inning” old school mentality. This will be the second game in a row lost because of poor game management.
Whew. That was close.
And now JJ will probably think he did okay out there.
gaawwwd. He’s lucky he got out of that without killing someone.
Junior–did that one have Kevin Spacey and Dennis Leary in it?
Look on the bright side, at least he didn’t give up a grand slam.
I see real signs of improvement.
Anyone else think Nick Johnson looks like Private Pyle?
Well, we are still in the game… despite the feeling that 1 run is actually 12. Maybe Putz has been listening to Jeff “I like to always give up one run an inning” Nelson. Or he just got lucky.
If Hargrove knew what lefthander to use last inning then it would be tied. but now its over. We wont score a run.
Uh, for those of us following the game on CBS Sportsline – what’s the score? 2-1 or 3-1? They are a bit confused.
Seeing someone named “Ayala” on the mound during a Mariners game prompts savage flashbacks.
#134
1-2
I know this is off topic but…. If anyone cares Jeff Clement the mariners top pick will be on ESPN2 at 7:00 against Oregon State in the College Baseball Super Regionals.
Beltre leads the league in going 1-4.
Can we get do-overs on signing him to that big deal? He is an unmitigated bust. Plain and simple.
Maybe we can unload him on the Dodgers.
#137.. I’ll be watching! Go Beavs!
JJ didn’t louse it up enough, so Nellie’s in the game.
The futility of our popgun offense (quick quiz: can anyone remember when Beltre homered last?) and our inept relief pitching makes watching this bunch of minor leaguers painful. Watching the Mariners does teach you how to cuss, though.
#138 That would imply that he’s hitting .250 though. Don’t give him that much credit.
Though I am thoroughly disappointed in Beltre, I am not ready to declare him a bust. Talk to me in October.
I do think, however, that the manager and the hitting coach should be doing something. I’m sure Hargrove has talked to him.
Hargrove: Hey, how you doing?
Beltre: Fine, skip.
Hargrove: Wanna sit?
Beltre: With Bloomy and Dobbs? No way. I’d rather keep sucking.
Hargrove: How about moving down in the order?
Beltre: And put me near Boone in the batting order? That’s an insult, skip.
Hargrove: Ok-dokey.
#141
I think May 22
#141 Yes, Saturday, May 21st.
The only two playing up to potential is Winn and Ibanez..
The Dodgers probably wouldn’t take Beltre – their current third baseman is hitting about .370 and playing outstanding baseball. His name?
Antonio Perez.
Don’t worry – Beltre did this every 1st half with the Dodger (except 2004), and he usually hits about 24 HRs with 70 RBI in the second half.
I hate gardening and I think it’s more fun than watching this team…
Going outside now.
I too am profoundly frustrated by these two games, but could we also recall that the Nats are 35-26, 22-9 at home and have won 8 in a row, 9 of the last 10 and that there might be a reason they have done so?
I think Hargrove needs to do the same thing that the Manager did in Major League with Willie Mays “Hays”
Lou Brown: Everytime you hit the ball in the air you owe me 20 pushups.
Will Mays Hays: Hey, no problem.
Swing ball goes in the air..
Mays Hays: Shit.
How does Niehaus see that last pitch to Guzman “over the heart of the plate” when it was three inches outside? Nellie got lucky there.
I sure hope tomorrow we will not have to hear about how D.C. has not had a team for 30 plus years, nor how the area loves the team, or how hot it is, nor how nice the script “W” looks, or how RFK was built in the 60′s, nor how you don’t disrespect Frank Robinson, blah, blah, blah.
Jim Bowden deserves some credit. A lot of people, especially of a Moneyball bent, were calling his work this offseason the worst summer ever by a GM (b/c of so many over-the-hill vet contracts), and he’s got them contending and exciting the fans right off the bat.
Well, I hope Bustre does catch fire in the second half, but I am not optimistic. His 2004 may go down in history as one of the all-time fluke seasons, along with, among others, Brady Anderson’s insane homerun season.
Bustre does not look like he has a clue at the plate — he swings at bad pitches and either takes or pops up grooved pitches. Pathetic.
“Major League” should be required viewing for every baseball fan.
So many memorable quotes from that movie.
I was one of the people who thought Bowden did a horrible job. If you want a detailed argument about this, I can still give it to you, but look only at his most-criticized moves: Christian Guzman remains a terrible, terrible signing, and Castilla’s performing better than expected but that deal’s still an awful contract, and both of them blocked several low-cost, good-upside prospects.
It’s not a fluke, really – Brady Anderson never had another half-season as good as that one year, while Beltre’s had several halves that were close to what he did last year. Beltre just always starts slow. Getting his appendix removed by the finest doctors in the Dominican Republic also had something to do with it.
LOL
“Up your butt, Joe-boo.” – i may need to go rent it again, though the crappy team montage feels a little too close too home right now.
Way to look really pathetic at the plate, Boonie.
Boone is Roger Dorn..
Bustre has never had a half like the two he put together last year. Until he show otherwise, it is a fluke.
I really wish the producers would let Rizzs/Valle know that Niehaus/Fairly already covered the D.C United angle, the Nationals taking the city by storm angle, and EVERY OTHER NON-IMPORTANT angle so we don’t have to hear them TWICE.
And if it had been up to the Mariners’ team physicians to diagnose Beltre’s stomach ache, he’d be dead from peritonitis.
See your point DMZ; still, did you think the Nationals would be this good at this point in the season?
“Bustre”? Don’t be a jerk.
Also, we’ve discussed why that’s not true at length here before. You can either use the search box or trust me, but it’s not that clear-cut.
Looking back in this game, letting Dobbs hit when the game was potentially on the line, and not Hansen or Reed, has to be held against Grover. Just add this to an increasing list of foul-ups for our esteemed skipper.
Another solid victory by the Mariners.
Oh, they lost? Damn.
LVP: Putz, Morse’s defense, Hargrove, and Screech.
I apologize for offending your delicate sensibilities. I think you do your fair share of criticizing players in a less-than-respectful manner. I had no idea you had such a vested interest in protecting the image of Adrian Bustre.
Another three hours of my life lost with nothing to show for it. Oh, well, there is always more time to lose starting at about 10 a.m. tomorrow.
On the Nationals being this good: nope. But I don’t see that Bowden should get the huge praise he’s getting. Nick Johnson is tearing it up — Bowden floated him in a couple trades and he’s not with the team for lack of trying. Ryan Church is the only other big surprise in that lineup, and that wasn’t a Bowden move to bring him in.
On the pitching side, Loiaza’s been the big shocker, and taking nice pitchers for almost-free off the Yankees has been the Expos MO for a while. So really, that’s one move that’s paid off. Jose Guillen-for-Rivera might end up being two, but we shouldn’t say that yet: he’s been run off other teams after seeming to fit well.
#147 Joe in Buffalo.
Where in Buffalo, I was raised in South Buffalo, went to S. Park HS.
I think you do your fair share of criticizing players in a less-than-respectful manner.
For one, that’s got nothing to do with it.
Second, do I call them names? There’s your difference.
Nah, referring to Adrian Beltre as “Bustre” does not constitue as one bein’ a “jerk”; ne’ertheless, I think Beltre deserves thru the rest of June to pick it up ’til we start knockin’ ‘im big time . . .
Also, why was Greg “Dobbers” Dobbs pinch hitting there, rather than either Jeremy Reed (who should’ve been doin’ it) or even Dave Hansen? Ugh, Mike Hargrove is seemin’ly an inept manager. As it is, though, I think we are all aware that as soon as Scott “The Spaz” Spiezio returns from his good ol’ rehab assignment, then Dobbs will pack his bags and take the next bus (or train) to Tacoma—where he belongs!
By the way, MarinerDan, I will give you credit for coming up with such an inventive nickname for Adrian Beltre . . . well done!
What’s wit’ th’ ‘stropes? ‘r’ we ‘n a Faulkn’r short?
DMZ said:
For one, that’s got nothing to do with it.
Second, do I call them names? There’s your difference.
I beg to differ. Without getting TOO far into a juvenile argument, I think you do criticize players in a less-than-respectful manner and, while I am not in the least offended by it (as I don’t think any player would be personally insulted by a joking criticism, assuming, incorrectly, that any players read what we write here), it makes your “don’t be a jerk” comment directed towards me particularly inappropriate.
Furthermore, while I think you HAVE called players names in the past on this site (though I can’t prove it), that is not the point. What is the difference between saying Beltre is a bust and calling him Bustre? The latter is just a joking version of the former. Lighten up, for God’s sake.
Thanks, AK1984 — I thought it was at least moderately humorous.
Um, I’d've jus’ thought that y’all would’ve enjoyed me switchin’ it up a bit; there isn’t anything wrong w/ that, now is there?
Yet, anyhow — the above notwithstanding — let us get back to discussing the Seattle Mariners . . .
When, exactly, do I criticize players in a less-than-respectful manner that involves making fun of their names? This isn’t gradeschool, where we dance around and go banna-fanna-fo-whatever.
Read the comment guildelines if you haven’t already. Name calling’s in there specifically. I don’t like it. We’ve talked about his before, but I don’t like Bustre, I don’t like Wee Willie Bloomquist, I don’t like any of it. That I don’t like name calling shouldn’t be a shock to you.
Is Beltre pretty much reverting to his pre-2004 form?
YEAR OPS Pre-ASG OPS Post-ASG
2002 .645 .828
2003 .642 .801
2004 .935 1.106
2005 .622 ?????
If you give him some credit for adjusting to the new team, league, contract/expectations, etc. That’s not so bad.
Interestingly, DePodesta’s *still* taking heat for this from the LA Times. They think Beltre would be playing 2004-ish if he’d stayed in LA, and it gets brought up whenever one of the replacement 3B boots a ball. However bad you think pocket lint & co. are, you have no idea how awful sports journalism can be until you’re exposed to Bill Plaschke on a thrice-weekly basis.
To Adam M: Bill Plaschke was the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s M’s beat reporter in the mid 1980′s, so we got his wit and wisdom every day from March to October.
A decent start by Jamie, wasted by relievers who can’t throw strikes. Same scenario as yesterday, except merely disappointing this time, instead of horrific.
This supports my view expressed some time ago about the value of a good bullpen – i.e. a bullpen not made up of “organizational flotsam”.
I understand your rule against name-calling — certainly, folks shouldn’t call others commenters names or use profanity when discussing players.
That being said, I think your offense to Bustre is overboard.
Now, I’ll admit, I make numerous asinine comments regarding baseball — as basketball is my forte when it comes to statistical knowledge in the realm of sports (by the way, Luke Ridnour is flat-out awful!) — but I constantly hear that guys such as Bob F. and L.A.’s own Bill Plaschke are horrendous sports columnists. My question is this: why are they so awful?
190: The usual complaint about Finnigan is that
(a) he’s a mouthpiece for the M’s front office;
(b) because of (a), he doesn’t check his facts very well.
Beltre is not an “unmitigated bust”. That’s just being reactionary and silly. It’s June of the first of year of his multi-year contract.
Many people thought he would need half a year to adjust. It hasn’t even been that yet.
Has he been bad? Yes.
But an unmitigated bust? Come on.
As far as the names go… my take is that if someone used it once in context, it still wouldn’t be funny, but it wouldn’t be a big deal. But to continuously refer to him as such is… weak.
1) Every paragraph Plaschke writes has one sentence, and one sentence only. It reads like Captain Kirk speaks.
2) He’s the master of the fact-free cheap shot
3) Plaschke goes from teary-eyed treacle one moment to raving bile over absolutely nothing the next. You would swear Plaschke has PMS (Pulitzer-me Syndrome).
4) His specialty is the disgruntled fan/season-ticket holder interview, easily the laziest trick in the book, because it requires neither any original insight, thought, or guts of any kind (hey – I’m just repeating what *he* said!).
5) He has an absolutely irrational hatred of the Dodgers and will print any negative thing about them he can lay his hands on. Just this past year, it was them removing names from the unis, adding seats, and not extending the contract of the graphic designer who made Eric Gagne’s logo–each one of these topics got a dedicated column. Five years ago, they switched the uniforms of stadium ushers from straw boater bats to fedoras and you’d have thought they backed over Tommy Lasorda with a truck.
[rant over]
I’m always shocked that papers like the LA Times employ writers like that. I understand the argument that they’re in the business of selling papers first and foremost, but the LA Times has a reputation as being one of the finest papers in the country. Are we to believe they can’t find anyone better who would also sell papers?
I don’t get it.
Last I checked, selling papers wasn’t the LA Times’ forte! They’ve really bought into this “shock jock” strategy the last few years, and I have to think it will backfire when more newspaper $ start coming from the Internet. Some writers are so lousy you don’t even want to click on them once. If I’m on the Internet and want to read what some ignorant assh*ole thinks of Paul DePodesta, I can read Marriotti, Woody Page, Michael Ventre, etc. whereas if I’m at a newsstand in LA, Plaschke is my only choice.
Best summary of Plaschke: take the worst traits of Steve Kelley and magnify them by 100.
Which brings up an even-more interesting thing: why do troubled industries dig themselves deeper and deeper in situations like this?
Newspapers do one thing better than almost anyone else, in in-depth beat coverage and investigative reporting. They can support continuing stories in a way that local news can’t, in a depth no other mass-market publication can.
The move to become more tabloid-like, less substantial in thought and coverage produces exactly the same result as talk radio, many idiots on the internet, etc — why read the paper in that case?
Well, some newspapers wise up and hire strong analysts instead of fire-stoking hotheads.
By the time places like the LAT get done pooh-poohing the growing threat and have to take it seriously, it’s maybe too late to turn back. Almost nobody on Dodgerthoughts needs to read the LA Times for analysis anymore, because the blogs keep multiplying, and are even starting to branch out into interviews, special investigationg, beat coverage and that type of work. To the LAT’s credit, Tim Brown has done a great job as a beat reporter, and the rest of their sections have undergone this type of overhaul (esp. Op-Eds, Automotive and Lifestyle reporting), so it may just be a matter of time until Sports goes under the knife.
Any word on how Clement’s doing tonight in his college WS game?
What do people think of the Ms making a play for Joe Kennedy? Could an offer of Winn + Mateo get it done?
I can’t believe 185 posts went by without anyone mentioning this. You want to trade Randy Winn (.304/.372/.393, one of the team’s best hitters) and Julio Mateo (3.29 ERA, 5 BB, 20 K in 38 1/3 innings) for Joe Kennedy (7.07 ERA, 34 BB, 39 K in 62 innings)? What?
There have been some less than smart things said on the blog lately, but I think this one takes the cake.
Just got back from RFK Stadium and the Nats win over the M’s. A good number of M’s fans in attendence and plenty of thrilled Washingtonians leaving the game. They went over 1,000,000 fans tonight. The Nats play very smart team ball. Robinson takes zero crap from his players.
As for our M’s…a few quick observations. Ichiro does need a night off…just not a night when we are actually playing. Beltre needs to keep his head up…he will turn this around. Boone is simply awful at the plate. Can they cut, trade or release Boone? His plate apps. are dreadful…pop up, fly out, K. Moyer was masterful…he and Borders were fine.
Putz could not keep the ball down…it was 80 degrees with 100% humidity. Sweating like a pig…then served a fast ball to Gullen.
I know Morse committed another error but he is OK. He is slender…I was in the 5th row behind there dugout. Don’t laugh but I think they need to get in a good brawl to rattle there cages a little.
This supports my view expressed some time ago about the value of a good bullpen – i.e. a bullpen not made up of “organizational flotsamâ€Â.
The bullpen’s ERA is still in the 3′s. The rotation’s sucked for most of the season so far, far worse than the bullpen- if we’re going to start ditching “flotsam”, start there. Or on the putrid bench that we have (Willie and Greg, I’m looking at you). I don’t exactly think going “OH NOES THE BULLPEN SUXX0RS WAIVE PUTZ” is really called for, considering that had we converted on a couple of offensive opportunities, this game goes our way. Yeah, we had a bad game yesterday. This happens.
Seattlemariners.com:
“Little setback for Spiezio: Backup infielder Scott Spiezio, who is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma, suffered a mild groin injury and didn’t play in Friday night’s game. “He was held out more as a precaution and he should be okay,” Hargrove said. Spiezio is hitting .346 (9-for-26) in the seven games he has played.”
In other words, they won’t let him near Safeco any time soon…
I’m surprised they let that first bit go in, as it could be seen to imply something about Spiezio’s groin. Usually they’re pretty dilligent about catching that kind of thing.
And just to clarify, that .346 by Spiezio is more likely a reflection of other teams’ desire for us to become confident in him than a reflection of any talent he might have