Game 104, Indians at Mariners

DMZ · July 31, 2005 at 12:49 pm · Filed Under Game Threads 

RHP Jake Westbrook v RHP Joel Pineiro. 1:05, FSNW.

Last chance to avenge Ichiro the old-fashioned way. But then, Ichiro’s been avenging himself pretty well.

OF: Ibanez-Reed-Ichiro, Hansen’s the DH of the day.

If deals are filed but don’t get cleared for a couple of hours, this game might be good for, if nothing else, trying to figure out who’s been punted by who’s missing from the game, or the bullpen.

Comments

321 Responses to “Game 104, Indians at Mariners”

  1. Cool Papa Bell on July 31st, 2005 4:59 pm

    I don’t think calling 4 straight impressive wins against the division leader a “little run” is delusional. That’s exactly what it was, a little run.

  2. eponymous coward on July 31st, 2005 4:59 pm

    All the guys they picked up, not so much on the command, but better with the fastballs. (paraphrasing Bavasi)

  3. DMZ on July 31st, 2005 5:01 pm

    It’s interesting that Bavasi mentioned that this was a gamble — that they might end up with some gems in these pitchers, but maybe not, too.

  4. eponymous coward on July 31st, 2005 5:04 pm

    The 1984 Mariners swept the 1984 Detroit Tigers when the Tigers were 35-5 coming into the series. The ’84 Mariners still sucked and the team didn’t hit .500 for years, and winning 4 straight games means diddly. Almost any MLB team will have a stretch where you go 5-1 or 6-0. Heck, KC, had a hot stretch of a couple of weeks when they changed managers.

    This team was toast by the first of July- the number of teams that have gone on to playoff appearances after being in last at that point are the ’73 Mets (who were the worst team to make the playoffs ever), and the 1914 Miracle Braves. If we had swept the Orioles, I MIGHT have bought the “run” (since basically, teams that go to the playoffs after slow starts get VERY hot for a while)- but 4 in a row? No.

  5. eponymous coward on July 31st, 2005 5:06 pm

    And yeah, DMZ, I think when your rotation is as bereft of fastballs as the M’s are, gambling is sort of callled for.

    This could work out great, or we might end up with Menhart and Hurtado all over again as we comb through pitching.

  6. John in L.A. on July 31st, 2005 5:07 pm

    “I think we have better position player prospects in this organization that other people have given us credit for — even ourselves,” Bavasi said.

    Interesting. I like that. That seems a nod to Doyle in my blind-fan imagination.

  7. eponymous coward on July 31st, 2005 5:15 pm

    It’s a nod to more than that. Adam Jones could be pushing for a major league job by this time next year.

  8. eponymous coward on July 31st, 2005 5:16 pm

    Bavasi says Felix will be here soon- they know when, but he won’t tell KOMO. Just soon. 😉

  9. eponymous coward on July 31st, 2005 5:18 pm

    They want to give Strong, Doyle and Choo a shot, but Doyle will go first.

    And Willie deserves some at-bats.

  10. argh on July 31st, 2005 5:20 pm

    Re: 293 My cynicism is both inbred and hard learned, but in this particular case I’m looking at quite a bit of excitement about a AA pitcher who seems to have done well at that level and not so well above it, including one inning in the bigs this year where he gave up 5 runs, 4 of them earned and walked 2 (21.6 ERA). So give him a look, sure. But, get excited? Maybe not so much?

  11. Mountainman Ernie on July 31st, 2005 5:46 pm

    Let’s find a lob ball pitcher. I’ll bet my sweat they wouldn’t hit him harder.

    Ernie

  12. Oly Rainiers fan on July 31st, 2005 5:56 pm

    And nobody mentions how Bavasi mentioned MATT Clement as our recently signed draft pick? (Funny, I thought his name was Jeff).

    I like that he wanted guys with high ceilings, but hey, is this news? And I think it’s interesting that, until all that pitching in our minor leagues flamed out last year, we were known for being overloaded with young pitchers, many of whom were judged to have high ceilings.

    We got 4 pitchers back in trade, we’ll be lucky if one of them works out, and we’ll be crazy lucky if that one turns out as high as the enthusiasm on him (whether you think that ONE is likely to be Bazardo or Foppert).

    Tacoma game thread. Who IS this Diaz guy on the Royals???? 5-5 with 2 singles, 1 triple, and 2 HR’s. (I was really rooting for that double…)

  13. jim on July 31st, 2005 5:58 pm

    You can cool a beer or any other bottled beverage most quicky by placing the bottle in a container of ice and adding (cold) water until the bottle’s almost covered. Swish around occasionally. Should make a beer quite drinkable in 10-15 minutes, I’ve made champagne bottles (oops – California Sparkling Wine made in the Methode Champagnois) drinkable in 15 min with said technique. Liquid is a better conductor of heat than air/gas and has greater surface contact. Ice makes the liquid about as cold as you can without owning liquid nitrogen (which would be an instant disaster for your beer, but, I’m told, can be used to make a terrific ice cream – Google it and see!).

    Glad to see Sherrill and Strong, expect Snelling soon which means bye bye Spiezio, WFB moves back to backup middle IF which is fine, I’d rather rest Reed with Strong than WFB. Maybe a day or two off for Ichiro and Sexson as well.

    Every minor leaguer whose name begins with Y is having their agent contact the Mariners this evening. I’m changing my kid’s name to “Yencer”, it’s gotta at least help him get scouted I figure.

    Would be curious to see validated info on what the two offers were for Moyer. If he nixed a trade that would have brought reasonable potential to Seattle he should be ashamed for not being willing to help the club that is paying him way too well for way too long in his career.

  14. DMZ on July 31st, 2005 6:17 pm

    If he nixed a trade that would have brought reasonable potential to Seattle he should be ashamed for not being willing to help the club that is paying him way too well for way too long in his career.

    That’s re-fricking-diculous. He’s under no obligation to accept a trade, just as the team’s under no obligation to not try and move him. If he wants to value being close to his family over playing for a contender, and he has the choice, that’s all he should be thinking about.

  15. Smegmalicious on July 31st, 2005 6:40 pm

    Can someone sum up what Bavasi said on the postgame show for those of us that missed it?

  16. skipj on July 31st, 2005 7:03 pm

    DMZ
    RE: 260

    Cold beer fast!

    Two trays of ice in a stoppered sink. Running cold water. Hopefully you have a double sink and can run the water continuously. Add a cup of salt. More ice in ten minutes; another half cup of salt. Ice cold beer in 15 minutes. Do not exceed the 50% beer bottles/ 50% water and ice ratio. Lower is better.

    The physics is boring, but think the old hand crank ice cream urns; ice+salt+motion=cold fast.

    It’s a thermal transfer thing. Baaaby!

    Only thing faster is a fire extinquisher. Bit spendy for two beers.
    Now a six pack…

    Hope this helps, at least in the future.

  17. Mat on July 31st, 2005 7:07 pm

    How is liquid going to have better surface contact than air? Better surface contact than ice, sure, but air and water are both fluids. Your idea is sound, though, I’d advise it over all others mentioned here.

    Oh, and I 100% agree with DMZ on the obligations of a player asked to be traded. If the team wanted to get something in return for him, they should have done it before he became a 10/5 guy. Some people prefer family, etc. to WS rings, go figure.

  18. skipj on July 31st, 2005 8:14 pm

    Mat,
    RE:316

    Water is a better direct thermal conductor than air.

    I’m not sorry that Jaime is still here. He actually is a community asset. Somehow a bit of return on the cost of Safeco.

  19. Mat on August 1st, 2005 12:48 am

    skipj,
    RE:318

    Okay, then say that water is a better thermal conductor, not that it has “better surface contact” as was orginally claimed by Jim. I wasn’t disagreeing that water was a better fluid for the task, just the ill-worded claim about its surface contact. It’s not a big deal, but I like to see a bit more precision in wording an explanation like that.

  20. Mat on August 1st, 2005 12:50 am

    Oh, skipj, just in case there was a misunderstanding, I wasn’t responding to your comment, I was responding to Jim’s (#313). Yours seems just fine to me.

  21. jim on August 1st, 2005 11:00 am

    Mat and Skip,
    Um, air is a gas and is thus intrinsically less dense than water. Ergo for any given surface immersed in air or water, there’s more water molecules in contact with the surface than air molecules. This may explain why liquids have greater thermal conductivity (which is true – the fastest computers and engines all have liquid cooling). Maybe my molecular physics understanding is off (only 1 semester of chem) but at a macro/thermodynamics level my assertions are correct.

    And I don’t think my notion that Moyer could have chosen to help the team is that re frickin diculous – naive perhaps, but thinking that a guy who has spent 20+ years traveling for a living, and who has done so 4-5 years longer than most of his peers, and who states a desire to do so for at least 2 more years, would be choosing family over baseball accomplishments is equally naive. Bavasi should have dangled a return next year (per Dave and DMZ’s benefit analysis), guaranteed retirement of number, Mariner HOF, any job in the org he wants, leave Karen and the kids here to keep up the Foundation, but spend 2-3 MONTHS in Atlanta in exchange for someone who can help us when you’re gone. Again, naive, pollyanna, rose colored glasses, but I can always hope for win-win thinking.