Game 88, Tigers at Mariners
RHP Zach Miner v LHP Jarrod Washburn.
I… I… here.
DH-L Ichiro!
3B-R Beltre
2B-R Lopez
LF-L Ibanez
1B-R Sexson
RF-S Everett
C-R Johjima
CF-R Bloomquist
SS-R Betancourt
I can’t think of the last time the M’s have fielded an outfield defense this bad. And behind Washburn? This is a meltdown in the making and all we can do is watch. This is worse than early-2004 Ibanez/the start-of-the-season lost Winn/Ichiro. Maybe a 2003 McLemore/Winn/Mabry? I know, I’m reaching here.
At the end of this game thread, the person who comes up with the most recent outfield alignment that’s comperably bad will get a congratulatory email and a year’s subscription to USSM.
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I’m sorry but you’ve had too much Sun! You’ve put Ichiro as DH and C Rex as RF. No manager in his right mind would do this. Ha Ha good joke!! (right? please say yes!!! Pleeeese!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I’m glad I’ll be radio-ing this one and not watching it on TV. These fly balls could be blinding.
When did the M’s pick up a rightfielder named Everett? For a second I thought it might be Carl, but surely that’s not possible.
I was thinking about watching this game in my office while I work on the book, but I have to say that this could be so horrible I might want to witness it on a decent television. Heck, this is almost enough to make me drive in and see this live.
Oh god. Oh god.
The only way to make this worse would be to put Petagine in left.
Geezus.
My eyes! Dear God, my eyes!!!
I am definitely watching this game. It’s like the Scott Spiezio at 2nd game of last year, too comically humourous to miss.
Back in the early 80′s I was at a game when the outfield was Bruce Bochte-Tom Paciorek-Jeff Burroughs.
Germany was pretty awesome today though.
Glenallen Hill … a nation turns its lonely eyes to you … woohoohoooooo ….
I’ve been looking through game logs for worse outfield lineups, and I haven’t found any. This is astonishing. Behind Felix, maybe if you’re trying to rest some people or… something, because he’s such an extreme groundballer, but a flyball pitcher like Washburn? It’s insane.
I think a Lauren out burst would be appropriate about now.
There has GOT to be a full-blown episode of “The Office” going on behind closed doors in the clubhouse.
This is the sort of thing that will make Ichiro disinclined to negotiate a contract extension in the offseason.
I guess this is what an angry outburst in the manager’s office gets you..a start in RF.
Why am I the only fan he’s messing with?
I don’t think Winn/McLemore/Mabry ever happened.
I wonder if there was ever an Offerman/McLemore/Sierra outfield in 2002. That would have been worse.
I mean really, if this lineup holds, we have:
- a CF who might be charitably called average or “not that harmful”
- a slow left fielder known for taking bad routes to balls
- an immobile right fielder who hasn’t been good enough in the field to be called a defensive liability in years
I think I know what the office out burst was.
Grover, “Carl, RF Saturday”
C Rex, “WTF You Nuts???”
This, folks, is what you call a teamwide meltdown. Was it really barely a week ago that the Mariners were two games over .500 and the future looked bright? Now I can barely remember that long-ago time.
You know Carl’s outburst had to do with not getting any PT on the field, so it pisses me off that he gets it. It’s not like his bat is so valuable that when Ichiro DHs you HAVE to get it in. I have to imagine the defense you lose by putting Everett at DH instead of say…Perez, would negate any potential offense gain.
This is Grovers idea of a deserved night off for Ichiro, DH.
Mr. Thompsen,
Would you please give us Rick R’s intro to C Rex as a RF’er???
How about April 28, 2002:
Sierra in left
McLemore in center (!!)
Relaford in right
That’s pretty bad.
Here’s one from Retrosheet so far: Offerman-Cameron-Relaford, Sept. 2, 2002. Though Cameron mitigates the awfulness on the corners.
Real life decisions that would be something like this, based on real jobs:
Banker decides customers are tired of routine and has clients spin a wheel to find out whether the teller will be allowing them to make a deposit, withdraw funds, or refi their mortgage.
Chef at Ruth’s Chris feels he needs a change from steak, serves every third patron a dish of pinto beans and a bag salad from Albertsons.
Pilot tires of flying aircraft, decides to switch seats with the passenger in 4E for the rest of the day. Passenger decides new destination.
Only in baseball could you make this kind of decision and not be fired on the spot.
F€¤k!
I know it’s crude but that seems to sum up the stink the Ms have become.
Do real MLB teams laugh at us openly oe are they kind enough to turn their backs first?
I’m not the Rick Rizzs impersonator here, sorry. I might try Steve Kelley later, though.
Anybody want to try writing a script for “Hargrove Office Theatre”?
Meyers/Strong/Mabry on 9.21.03 is pretty ugly
How about April 28, 2002:
Sierra in left
McLemore in center (!!)
Relaford in right
I think we have a winner.
It disgusts me to think about how bad this team is, all of a sudden. I’m not quite sure who the blame falls on but I would have to say Grover.
27. Who was Meyers?
All this does is bring us one step closer to Rohn.
How about August 6, 2000 — Ibanez-Martin-Javier?
30: Chad Meyers, a minor league journeyman 2nd baseman who got a september callup in 03
32: That’s really ugly. I’d rather have Ibanez in CF than Al freaking Martin!
in fact, that 32 lineup shouldn’t even be legal.
The pitching for that 9.21.03 game:
Seattle Mariners IP H R ER BB SO HR
Meche L(15-12) 1 4 5 5 1 0 0
Mateo 3.1 6 4 4 1 0 0
Sasaki 0.2 2 1 1 0 0 1
Putz 1 2 2 2 2 1 0
Looper 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Sweeney 1 1 0 0 0 2 0
Totals 8 15 12 12 5 3 1
Ugh…
OK, one more and then I stop.
May 22, 1999 — Huskey-Gipson-Mabry. And they lifted Huskey for Hunter later in the game.
Griffey DH’d.
Putz/Looper/Sweeney. The triad of back-of-the-bullpen callup crap.
I thus conceed defeat to post 32.
37… naah, Gipson was actually a decent fielder. Not great, his paths sucked, his bat was nonexistent, but you can do worse.
on the bright side, an outfield defense of Thames/Infante/Ordonez isn’t much worse! Infante=baaaad
So, why wouldn’t Bavasi step in at this point and say, “Um. No. No freaking way. You can’t do that. Change the lineup NOW. We’re trying to WIN ballgames, dammit” … ?
I can’t imagine Billy Beane would stand idly by if Ken Macha got a wild hair and put Frank Thomas in left.
These OF alignments would make a great poll question. I’ll do that later.
42: But Everett is technically an experienced Major League Outfielder! Thomas has never played left in his life.
Who will catch more balls tonight – our outfielders, or the fans?
[errors]
45. I am betting on the fans, not just on homers but on ground rule doubles. I can’t see Carl running down much of anything.
You can’t tell me that’s worse than Bochte-Paciorek-Burroughs in 1981 (haven’t found the date). Most of you just don’t remember how slow all 3 of them were after all these years
Empty seats will catch more balls than either the Mariner outfielders, or Safeco Field attendees.
I’m sorry, I may have gotten too much sun today. Played 2 soccer games, back to back. So I think I may be suffering from heat exhaustion or something. But did I correctly read Ibanez/Willie Dynamite/Jurrasic Carl as the outfield lineup?
On a Saturday evening game? On a nice day? Give me a break.
This is really ugly. I try to avoid Washburn anyway, but if I were at the game I think I’d ask for my money back and walk back to West Seattle if need be.
God I hope they fire Hargrove.
It’s probably cooler at Safeco that it is at our house. I think you’ll see a high number of walkups.
Ok anybody wanna say how long it’s going to be before Grover is fired? I am going to say 2 weeks after the All-Star break if we aren’t winning consitently by then.
8-10-81, Bochte/Paciorek/Burroughs
I love this. The team has successfully put me back into the “I don’t care if we lose, and I hope we get our asses kicked if we lose”" mode after a few days where I really,really wanted to win.
“Mike, the phone’s ringing.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Isn’t that the GM line?”
“Probably.”
(pause)
“Shouldn’t you answer it?”
“Meh.”
“Hey, you can see Bavasi up in the owner’s box. Man, he looks pissed!”
“Huh.”
“He’s waving his arms at you and pointing. I think he’s going to come down here.”
“Is he?”
“Yeah, he’s gone now.”
“Huh.”
“Time for the game to start… good thing he can’t be in the dugout during play, I guess.”
outfield defensive disasters: The 2006 Giants with Bonds in left, Winn in center and Alou in right
[Pineiro]
59… Isn’t that like sending a food critic to McDonald’s?
60… or sending a wine critic a box of Franzia “rose”?
I honestly don’t think pitchers get the least bit worries when they have to pitch against our team. Lately they are just breezing through this great lineup of Hargroves.
Or having a car critic review the Dodge Colt?
This first inning looked a lot like just about every inning last night; the top half of involves our pitcher getting into a jam but escaping unscathed, and in the bottom half our batters clear up the jams.
HEY! The Dodge Colt was a good piece of automotive machinery.
I want to go back to playing NL teams…..
Didn’t we have a gave last fall with Mike Morse in LF and W. Bloomers in CF, with Ichi in RF?? I feel confident in saying that such an alignment, if it occured, is or would be worse than today’s. Hargrove was the manager for both, and Bavasi is the guy who thinks the team doesn’t need a 4th OFer.
One, two, three, EVERYONE:
“Ichiro would have had that ball.”
Carl Everett was put into right so the sun would shine into his eyes.
that shouldn’t have scored.
I can’t think of the last time the M’s have fielded an outfield defense this bad.
I just turned the radio on in time to hear Rizzs say that if the batter hit it to right, the Mariners had a new fielder there (Everett). Then, he ended up flying out to Bloom.
After that, I just had to come on here to say something, but of course you had already covered it in the opening post.
Washburn comment hits home, as well… just as the Tigers wish to do all night long…
What a friggin’ ridiculous team this is sometimes.
Nice job on that foul, Carl. Don’t worry about it, it was way in the stands.
This outfield… jesus, did you just see Willie’s throw? It went about 30 feet. It barely hit the dirt from shallow center.
Oh, well. What’s the worst that can happen? His managing can fail and we can lose. We’re inured to that.
Oh, wait. No, the worst that can happen is that his managing DOESN’T fail and we win. And like an idiot who wins 2 dollars on a scratch-it gets convinced he’s a winner and invests his next pay check in Wild Bananas.
Raul
Raul Ibanez’s counting stats are going to look insane in career context. Who has their career year at age 34, for crying out loud?
Man, Raul is just having an amazing year.
This time it didn’t take us 26 outs to break up the shutout. Were getting better!
A couple of games back in 2001 they had Martin/Mclemore/Lampkin.
Ibanez is on pace for 40 HR for this season. That’s insane.
The M’s do score sometimes. They’ve gotten 22 runs in their last 8 games. Although 14 of those runs came in just 2 of those 8 games.
In the last 8 games, they’ve been shutout twice, and held to one run twice. Tonight, they’ve already got one.
Lampkin?!? Freaking Lampkin?!?! That would be UGGGGLEEEE
77. Lampkin in the outfield? Wasn’t he just a catcher?
Wow, I couldn’t believe 77 but he’s right.
7/5/2001 ended with McLemore/Martin/Lampkin.
That’s the only game Lampkin played in right that year.
that must have been an extra inning game or something, surely they didn’t start the game with Lampkin in right?
Yuni!?!!?!!?!??!?!?!?????!!?!?
That was a terrible call.
The infield isn’t doing Washburn any favors tonight, first Beltre and now Betancourt.
True, Jim… terrible play, too. But a bad call.
What the !@$$%^@Q!!!!!!(*^(*&&^!!!! is up with Betancourt?
Bad call or no, there was no excuse for nonchalanting the ball like that.
That was an ugly blowout? By the end of the game
C Sprague
1B Wilson
?!
2B Gipson
SS Guillen
3B Bell
LF McLemore
CF Martin
RF Lampkin
DH Edgar
Nice DP
And all three of Stark/Fuentes/Panaigua pitched!
89 – No excuse for either the play or the call. Not excusing the play.
Good job, Lopez. Show ‘em how it’s done.
Umm, Valle? Two DH’s and a utility infielder do not make a “great idea” for an outfield.
Valle thinks it was a “great idea” to put Everett in right.
As if we needed any more proof that it was a crappy idea.
Nice AB.
I love it that Dave Valle thinks “it is a good idea that Carl Everett is in right field…” I wonder about announcer sensibilities at tmes but Valle removes the doubt with that missive.
Javier played 13 games (or parts thereof) in center field in 2001. That must have been amusing to watch.
95… who is the other DH, besides Ibanez?
Javier wasn’t as bad as some of the folks they used to run out in left field
Glenallen Hill was an atrocius fielder.
I just realized that as far as averages go, we really aren’t too bad. Five regulars are hitting >= .280. I guess the bad thing is that the guys who are under .280 are way under .280.
#100: That would be the DH who is in Right tonight.
Radio: “This one is just beyond his reach….”
They rule that a triple over Bloomquist.
It’s a WFB-aided triple.
A real centerfielder would of had that.
Nice route.
Oh, MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN. That was terrible.
103 – That ain’t great. Especially when only one of them is over .300. Heck, only one of them is over .290.
Bloomquist!
Ichiro/Reed/Cammy/Sprague would have caught that.
Would Choo have had that?
So, so far Willie has cost us one run and a triple. Nice start, dude.
Edgar would have caught that.
112 – 50/50 with Choo depending on how lucky his first read is. But Willie is about 25/75.
Don’t blame Willie… he got some grit in his eyes.
I think Choo would have gotten to that, but not certain if he would have hung onto it.
101 — I agree. In fact, I saw Javier make one of the year’s best catches in RF in 2001, going up over that Pepsi sign that is where the Starbucks sign is now to rob somebody or other. BP shows him as a league average RF over his career (and in 49 games there for the M’s), in 493 games there.
Damn — was that one of the worst routes you’ll ever see on that ball Shelton hit to WFB?
I love how Valle talks about Washburn throwing the high fastball to Inge there when Johjima’s glove was low and inside.
Glenallen Hill wasn’t a fielder. Oh, he had a glove, and he went roaming in the gloaming, but having bullhide shake hands with horsehide just wasn’t part of his destiny. DH was invented for stiffs like Hill—to save them from injury.
That’s my car’s new bumper sticker: “WHAT WOULD CHOO DO?”
hmmmmmm……… weird what a 5 game losing streak can do to a team!
#103, the only AL teams worse than the M’s in OBP are the Angels and Tampa.
I have a new drinking game. Watch BBTN when Jeff Brantley is on the show. Every time he spouts nonsense during a highlight, take a shot. For instance, tonight after a pitcher walks a guy he says, “Don’t aim the ball young man, throw it.” When he says something like that you drink.
that sounds like a fun drinking game.
If we had nine Ibanezes playing toninght, it would be an interesting game. (both offensively and defensively)
Ibanez seems too decent a guy to have a deal with the Devil, but his year this year has some hot stuff in it. Looking at Raul’s approach at the plate, his numbers aren’t that surprising, and he’s consistently had hot streaks through his later career where he just creams the ball. So far this year, he’s only had one down period, in May; he’s just stayed hot. Maybe getting the contract extension bucked him up to do good. Or something.
The man can hit home runs, and rob them too.
[]
126: I believe the plural of “Ibanez” is “Ibanices” and not “Ibanezes.”
Ibanii.
129 – I believe with revenue sharing, it actually goes to every MLB team, not just the M’s…
A swing and a miss on a 3-0 count! Terrible….just terrible.
130: Thanks. That was quite a confusing matter for me. I tried to look it up on dictionary.com, but I didn’t find much.
Adam Jones hit his 14th home run tonight. 4-0 Tacoma in the fourth.
That ugly, infamous August 5, 2001 game against Cleveland (where the M’s were up by 12 and started pulling regulars, only to lose in the 11th) featured both Martin/Cameron/Gipson and McLemore/Cameron/Martin. Gipson is listed as rf,lf,rf so there’s probably another permutation there I’m missing.
#132: so that would change the fact the Ms aren’t getting my money how?
Might we see Adam Jones up in September if the M’s are out of it?
Washburn isn’t pitching so poorly tonight *knocks on wood*. So I guess the big question is whether or not Hargrove will awake from his nap too late to pull him at the right time, or will he awake too early and yank him too early.
Baseball stuff:
Texas loses!
I’m not sure who to root for in the Angels-Oakland game.
Jered Weaver and Francisco Liriano today: a combined 14 innings, 6 hits, 0 runs, 13 Ks.
What do they play when Choo comes to bat? I’d go with “I am the walrus” (which song off Sgt Pepper is that again?)
Washburn has been pitching high and wild all night.
This is sort of like watching a guy walking a tightrope in a high wind.
Adam Jones has been hitting the crap out of the ball since the beginning of June. With the way they’re pushing prospects (Kuo-Hui Lo was promoted to Wisconsin today), it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Jones up in the next few weeks.
Hargrove comes out to discuss with the 3B ump why he, as manager, was stupid enough to put Boomquist in CF. The ump guffaws. Grover shuffles back to the dugout.
He should have been called out on principle: Willie’s throw almost beat him to the bag.
Our OF recorded an out!
144: Hargrove was just pissed that he had to wake up.
140. I kind of wish my luck from Fantasy Baseball was used on the M’s. I was fortunate enough to pick both of them up in my league this year. I think we are one the only team to beat Liriano, and score a run off of Weaver.
C-REX WITH THE CATCH!
It would have seemed nuts to me before the wave of system promotions in the last two weeks, but I think we have a great chance to see Clement _and_ Jones on the 25-man by the first week of August. This is Bavasi’s push to keep his job, to me: “Look what I’ve done for you.” And, in fairness, it’s a bunch cheaper than dealing for other teams retreads, a whole bunch smarter than, say dealing a hot prospect like Asdrubal Cabrera for a part-time bat your manager won’t even use.
Was that Carl’s first opportunity? the ball stayed in his glove!
CRAZY CARL GOT ONE!
C-Rex catches one–obviously my granny in her little rascal could have had that one too.
C-Rex=2006 American League Gold Glove Right Fielder
Wow, way to go Everett! *bows down before him*
Washburn’s escaping jams like, like…well, you get the idea.
Don’t bow. You’ll only encourage him.
I think Willie shaved his goatee between innings. He’s getting serious now.
#150: Petagaine needed someone to keep him company in pergatory…
Washburn’s escaping jams like, like…well, you get the idea.
Washburn’s escaping jams like logic and reason escape Hargrove.
Petagine: The Unknown Soldier in the Mariners’ ’06 campaign.
If Everett can keep his fielding % at 1.000 I don’t see how he can be denied the Gold Glove…
These outfielders are putting on a clinic tonight.
Petagine II: They recovered the uniform, but the body was mummifed beyond recognition.
Turn about is fair play…. YUNI!
Aaaaand we were just discussing which OF was worse, the Ms or the Tiges. Answer: both of them.
It’s like Leyland and Grover signed some kind of treaty: “I’ll rest Ichiro tonight if you rest Granderson.”
he’s the 36 million dollar Mr Clutch with RISP…. why act surprised? Bavasi did his homework on this one
I think that’s me playing left field for Detroit!
169: Then you suck.
My gameday says on-field delay. Anybody know what’s going on?
Hargrove should get tossed here to provide a spark.
Wow. Anatomy of a teamwide meltdown right here, folks ….
Ichiro knows how to argue the right way.
Oh, give me a break, umps.
Ichiro has looked horendous at the plate lately. He is reminding me of his April form.
Ichiro claims that he fouled the pitch called for strike three, and he and Grover sang a long song to the umps. Nothing in the tin cup, they went back to the dugout.
From today’s Los Angeles Times:
The Yankees would sell their pinstripes for Gil Meche, and just might settle for Joel Pineiro.
I sort of wanted to see Ichiro get tossed there, just to see what he would do.
The All-Star Break will be a Mercy Pause for thissss club, sho’ nuff.
#178. I think I’d take their pinstripes–maybe they can play center
Jose is going to show why he’s an all-star in this at bat.
I watched the pitch in slow motion a couple of times, and I couldn’t tell if Ichiro fouled it or not.
#170 ya…right on man…..I can’t beleive anyone would give that Thames bum a chance….. when will the league get a clue about the concept of replacement level?
Even though Calabro is clueless about baseball I’m enjoying the Rizzs-less broadcast…
178 – I know that most disagree with me, but I am convinced that Meche has trade value. More than a B prospect.
I think we could get something and I think we should pull the trigger before he reverts to form.
This ump is falling apart.
From the Associated Press
NEW YORK–The Yankees today traded their famous pinstripes and a baked potato for Mariners pitcher Joel Pineiro. Insiders say the Mariners got a steal because the baked potato was delicious.
Did it seem weird to anyone else that Hargrove just walked past Ichiro when he was done “arguing” the call?
Looks like positive thinking does nothing for this club.
Oh, I don’t believe it—wait; yes I do. Stranded at 3B. The Ms are working hard, HARD, to find the shortest path to an L here today. *blickk*
183 – In freeze-frame it appears that he does, but muddled with the ground hit.
But in full speed you can HEAR it.
#188: Throw in chives, bacon bits and sour cream, and it’s a deal.
What is the deal with the shitty quality of comments lately? There’s been a massive influx of users who can’t write a sentence without making at least one spelling or four punctuation errors every single time and they’re still hitting the “add my light…” without, it seems, a moment’s hesitation.
Where do they come from? It’s not like the Japanese/Taiwan users I’m willing to give some slack to… this is driving me nuts.
Knowing Steinbrenner, the deal would stall when he’d insist on Bac-O-Bits.
The Boss does love his pork products.
194 what da ya meen?
This umpire has been terrible tonight. Someone on the Mariners’ coaching staff (I’m looking at you Hargrove) should intentionally get ejected to show the players that they are willing to defend them. Maybe it will provide a spark as well. Also, the team is better off if Hargrove gets tossed.
Ichiro is much to proud to claim he made contact if he didn’t feel it in the bat. If he says it, I believe it.
I think Pineiro would look great in pinstripes
Perhaps we can distract Big George with a Costanza cannoli run
#198: Agreed. It’s time for the Crash Davis “You’re a cocksucker” routine.
172, I agree. How does Hargrove not go to the mat to support Ichiro!? How many times has anybody seen Ichiro! argue like that? What kind of engraved fargin’ opportunity to Lead do you NEED?!
Lopez grounds out after sending his own not subtle message to the Ump. Way to inspire the team, Grover. Way to miss a golden opportunity.
#194: I agree, it’s almost as annoying as trying to read Baseball Prospectus 2006
199 – I agree.
197 – Did the tone of DMZ’s post lead you to believe that tenor of reply was a good idea?
I just had to go back and check my posts to make sure I wasn’t involved.
the 6th is where Washburn has been self destructing
194. Despite a few punctuation errors, I think everyone knows what people, including me are trying to say. I appologize to anyone else who can’t stand the errors but my excuse is that I can’t type right due to the rage of watching my team fall apart, again.
Willie hustle!
#204: You have a point. I love the book, but it’s as if the writers got their sense of what’s funny from reading Dennis Miller’s “Big Book of Rants.”
Dirty Uniform Ignitor!
Oh he’s so spunky and gritty.
I had nothing to do with Baseball Prospectus 2006, I’ll have you know.
Personally, I think someone on the Mariners staff should throw a high and tight fastball……when Hargrove is taking out the lineup card…
Boomquist closes his eyes, takes a few steps, and by infielder’s instinct throws himself to the ground. Amazingly, the ball chooses the pocket of his glove as it’s final destination. Billie Bloomers is a Blessed Childe, yessir.
Willie!
its/it’s
Handicapped as I am by only having access to this game via the radio, I obviously have no idea what’s *really* going on on the field. Was the “outstanding catch” by WFB that inning, really outstanding, or merely a nice save of an initially incorrect read on the ball? Was he, in fact, making an easy one look hard again?
206: Hopefully the offense self-destructs this inning!
217: He made an easy one look really really hard.
I’m pretty anal about my spelling and sentences, but I don’t understand why it bothers people so much when others have spelling errors. You still know what they mean.
please take the media guide away from Kevin. NOW!!!
Re. # 194:
[Off-Topic]
In all seriousness, though, proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation are used by pretentious egotists; there is no denyin’ it!
Jamie Walker is dy-no-mite.
thank you hargrove.
YAAAY!
BTW, I’m dyslexic, have glaucoma in one eye, cataracts in the other, find apostrophes to be an inefficient use of energy expenditure, and my spellchecker doesn’t work on the latest version of Firefox.
’bout time!
The Willie fire is rubbing off on Grover.
Derek: I know it grinds you, and believe me, it grinds _me_, but here’s the skinny: I’ve had pervasive neurological issues for five years, and I’m lucky that I’m typing as cleanly as I am this last six months. If you recall a year ago, it was much worse. I much prefer to do a print and proof it, since proofing on the screen is significantly less reliable for everyone, but there isn’t time with these posts. The only reason I have time enough to even circulate en blog here is that my real work, with year’s of research behind it, has been out of reach for the duration.
Go Hargrove!!!
BTW, I’m dyslexic, have glaucoma in one eye, cataracts in the other, find apostrophes to be an inefficient use of energy expenditure, and my spellchecker doesn’t work on the latest version of Firefox.
In that case, thank you for ejecting Hargrove.
this is the maddest I’ve seen Hargrove.
Just three more homers from Ibanez and he’ll tie the record for total bases in a game…well, guess we’ll have to wait for his next ABs.
Did we all read those lips?
Hargrove is doing the right thing here. Reading his lips is hilarious.
Wow. You could read his lips there, huh? There goes the 700 Club audience.
OK what was Grover getting pissed about this time?
It was quite easy to read Hargrove’s lips.
And, as terry says, I’ve had very minor dyslexia with reversing letters all my life as well. I’d loooove to have my posts read clean, but.
I read Hargrove saying: “Fuck you! Fuck you!”
Why did Hargrove just say, “vacuum, vacuum”?
I’m glad Grover chewed a piece out of the ump; somebody had to do it.
#237, Ibanez was called out for a foul tip strike three, except that he didn’t actually foul it.
I like the ump that intervened and told the home plate ump to get the hell away, this Barrett is a clown.
219 – Thanks. Thought so. Thanks to this wonderful blog, I’m slowly learning how to translate the M’s announcers into English. It’s a long and difficult process due to the thickness of the fog they appear to be surrounded by, but I’m making good progress. When things start happening quickly, and there’s no time for a detailed translation, I just assume that the opposite of whatever they say is going on is actually happening. It works well in a pinch.
C’mon Barrett! I just DARE YOU to screw Crazy Carl over!
And let the circus begin if it happens
AAAAIIIIIIGGGGGGHHHH. Why why why is Everett being allowed to bat from the right side?
Dugout Theatre:
Eduardo Perez: Hi, I’m Eddie.
Roberto Petagine: Hi, Eddie. I’m Roberto.
Perez: So … what do you do here?
Petagine: I have no idea.
Perez: Me neither.
Petagine: Think anybody would notice if we slipped out for a drink?
He said FU at least five times there after Rick Reed came over to stop the explosion.
That’s good work by Reed. He let the show go on, then stepped in and stopped it when it was getting too heated.
Note to Calabro: It’s Jamie Walker, not Jimmy Walker. Thank you.
Hahah.
Soriano in the 7th, down a run. I wonder who made this decision.
Hargrove should be mad. Defying all logic, we are still in this game. The last thing we need is repeatedly bad umpiring on top of our own inadequacy.
Maybe, since Ichiro argued that he had fouled a pitch off, the ump thought that he’d call a foul on the next Mariner that came close.
247
Who’s to say they haven’t already?
By the way, does the contest for the free subscription to USSM involve only Ms outfields? If not, I declare myself the winner by nominating the 2005 Reds: Dunn in left, Griffey in center and Pena in right….
Hargrove’s having a pretty good year; 6 ejections before the break. Anybody know his career high?
Ha. That’s just as good as catching the fly in the first place.
Ooooooh nice tag, that was the ump Hargrove cursed wan’t it?
There’s a case, if the M’s had been using a real centerfielder, the Tigers likely would not have tried for a triple.
*HAHAHAHAHA* “. . . Sennd in the clowns; there oughtt to be clownnns, well . . . maybe next yeaaarrrrrr.”
I loved the friendly little slap on the back by Beltre. Nice touch.
I can’t tell from Gameday, but could WFB have gotten to that fly ball?
Even Hargrove couldn’t watch this outfield.
261: I don’t think so. He was shaded over towards right center, and the ball was hit fairly well to left center.
261. No. He was playing inn right center and the ball was hit to left center. Agressive baserunning on the Tigers part gave us an out.
Okay, a little more translation help, please. WFB just got an outfield assist. Can I translate that into “baserunning error”, or was it really a well-executed cutoff and relay?
I have been wondering this for sometime now. Does anyone know the % of times we score when Ichiro is on base? I am trying to come to the conclusion that when he is not getting on base, we rarely win.
Cha Seung Baek tonight:
6 1 0 0 3 5
Willie is actually smarter that I thought. He’s acting like he can’t catch so he can throw people out at third.
265: Terrible, terrible baserunning error.
263. On gameday it had the ball hit to straight away center, that’s why I figured he had a good chance to catch it.
265. It was a well-executed cutoff and relay. The play at third wasn’t that close.
Didn’t we have a gave last fall with Mike Morse in LF and W. Bloomers in CF, with Ichi in RF?
Actually, it was even more abysmal than that. Morse in LF, Choo in CF, Ibanez in RF. September 17, 2005, at Texas with Pineiro starting. As tonight, Ichiro was the DH. More recent than the other candidates, and in my opinion just as bad if not worse.
#265: He appeared slow in getting to the ball, and in getting rid of the ball. But he made a nice throw.
I think the runner picked up on how slow he was to get to the ball, and tried for third.
Nah, Morse is worse than Ibanez, but Ibanez is still way better than Everett, and Choo is about an even swap for Bloomquist.
Mike Snow, thanks for the research on that. I nominate _any_ OF with Mike Morse in it as the finalist in our contest. He and Glenallen Hill together couldn’t catch a basketball on a field the size of a pool table. With Goalies gloves.
Why is Leyland bringing in a lefty to face Ichiro? He hits better against lefties anyways. This reminds me of a Grover move.
Choo this year is an even swap for Bloomers, but Choo was much worse last year. Really.
Goalie’s. [Thinking of you, D-man.]
Back to the third innings for a second – it looked like Ichiro almost did get tossed just by staring at the ump. When you can get tossed through sheer force of will, there’s nothing you can’t do.
275. I am somewhat confused here. Morse may have been new in Left, but other than a bad play on one of the first balls hit to him, he did just as good as anyone that has played left for us. Are you basing his skill level on the number of games or am I just forgetting a lot of bad plays?
Hargrove: @##%%&* umpire.
Bavasi: HAR-GROOOOVE!!!!
Hargrove: Hell! (ducks into clubhouse)
Eduardo Perez: Hey coach.
Hargrove: Who the hell are you?
Perez: I’m on the team.
Hargrove: I’ve never seen you before.
Bavasi: HAR-GROOOOVE!!!!!
Hargrove: You got somewhere to hide me?
Perez: Actually, Petagine and I are going out for a beer. Wanna come?
Hargrove: Petagine… I’ve heard that name before. Uh, yeah, sure. But Bavasi is blocking the way out.
Petagine: Actually, that’s not a problem. (walks next to locker, opens a trap door)
Hargrove: A trap door?
Petagine: Yup. Tunnel leads to a storage closet at F.X. McRory’s. This is how Freddy Garcia used to smuggle his pre-game prostitute into the clubhouse.
Hargrove: How’d you find that?
Petagine: When you’re languishing on the bench, you have a lot of time on your hands. Now, climb down. You’re buying.
281. LOL
280. You are forgetting a lot of bad plays. But it was his first time in the outfield.
Amazing Beltre didn’t swing at that.
How many pitchers do the Tigers have?
Tonight’s game is being brought to you by Chico’s Bail Bonds.
FORE!
284. 12
Beltre swings at a pitch in the dirt to end the rally.
It’s a Bad Adrian sighting.
[]
Beltre once again proves he’s barely a notch above worthless vs AL teams
If I was Petagine, I’d make a wax dummy of myself, put it in the dugout, and then enjoy drinks at Sluggers during the game.
I wonder how bad the dummy could be before Hargrove would notice.
281 – Brilliant!
Morse is hurt.
Beltre is back.
289. I’d rather see my cousin Amy out there instead of Everett. But Morse tore up his knee on his return to Tacoma.
Nice to see I’m not the only one reminded of the “cocksucker routine” from Bull Durham tonight.
The umpiring seems pretty bad this whole game though. That strike on Lopez didn’t look close. This is obviously no excuse for our hitters feebly waving at pitchers in the dirt, but it can’t help. Beltre needs an IV of plate discipline.
#287: So the Tigers still have 2 pitchers in their bullpen?
290. Perhaps we could trade him to a National League team for a good prospect.
283 — It would have been a very shrewd move for Beltre to have swung at the wild pitch. With two out, he could have taken first and loaded them up for Ibanez.
[]
Ladies and gentlemen, the new Howie Long commercial.
299… Rizzs and Valle.
Odd that the only name you put (sp?) after is the only name you spelled correctly.
The Tigers could also use starters. Everyone has extra rest coming with the break.
Toronto used Casey Janssen in relief today, even though he started on Tuesday, and he’s the scheduled starter the first game back.
#302. I was just thinking that maybe if the M’s could get a run, and if the game went into extra innings, the Tigers might get low on pitching since Leyland had used 5 pitchers through 7 innings.
So how many games does Grover get suspended? He was pretty verbally abusive … three? Five?
It seems like it would be good advertising for the fire-hargrove campaign if we came back and won tonight, with Hargrove not being involved and all.
Of course, I suppose it might be said that he fired everybody up with the ejection.
Do you really think he’ll get suspended? The umpire wasn’t exactly trying to walk away from the altercation.
J.J. to the rescue!
Wow, the Mariner Moose is on the ballot for the Mascot Hall of Fame.
304…We should all petition hard for five.
This isn’t the first time Putz has been used in the 8th. I like that.
The bullpen has been managed well in these late innings. Does anyone know why?
“Look at the bend in that rod!”
309 We should petition hard for 80.
312. Did I miss something on the radio?
312: I’m glad I’m not the only one who laughs at that.
Beltre
June: .324/.387/.611
July: .167/.231/.208
Wow. I can’t stand that fucking Moose. (putting in some of the requested profanity from earlier.)
I demand that we at LEAST tie this damn game.
313. Why not take this opprotunity to just fire him now?
304 – Trying to figure out how long the winning streak will be?
What does it take to get nominated for the mascot Hall of Fame, anyway? Has the Moose ever done anything of note besides molest a fan or two?
296. They have Zumaya, which is enough. And they have Todd Jones.
320…
“To be eligible for nomination a character must have been in existence for at least 10 years. During that time the character must have had, or continues to have, a major impact on their sport, and/or community. Eligible characters include characters that perform at live sporting events as a primary function of their existence at both the professional and collegiate level. Eligible characters should be inspiring and their performance would be considered memorable or ground breaking.”
Maybe the M’s could actually get a run or two if they had to use Todd Jones.
Not exactly Murderer’s Row in the 8th. Maybe Trespasser’s Row. Or Guys that Rip off the Furniture Tags Row.
This is killing me, and I know one of you smarty pants around here would know.
Who, besides the Moose has worn the “00″. I know it was someone, but for some reason the name has escaped me.
Carl Everett, since the start of June, is now 15 for 87. That’s a .172 average.
At this point, there’s literally no excuse for his continued presence on the roster.
Okay, so what about the Moose is memorable or ground breaking? He’s generic enough for a mascot, but it’s not like he’s funny or does anything interesting.
nice play by JJ
322: I can’t think of a single mascot that fits that criteria.
The Mascot Hall of Fame Executive Committee includes none other than Mike Veeck, of “Disco Demolition Night” fame.
326: “Clubhouse intangibles.”
Youppi, the Phillie Phanatic, the San Diego (now Famous) Chicken
323. We may get to see Todd Jones! This is not like Leyland, who usually makes smart decisions.
Didn’t the Moose crash into a wall and break a foot or something?
Maybe that was memorable.
I’m voting for the Chicago Bulls mascot after his recent actions.
325: didn’t Jeffrey Leonard wear 00?
327, 329 He molests the female fans.
[]
Has anyone ever noticed that Putz is a good pitcher?
325 Does Benoit Benjamin count?
317 – Of note, the Moose once hugged me and broke my glasses. The Moose can burn in hell.
Everett calls off Lopez and makes the catch!
[google news, use it]
Rick White wears 00
The case for the Moose, according to their site:
“# Introduced in 1990
# Led World Record Effort for most people doing the Macarena.
# Attempted to break indoor Hang gliding record
# Was Ken Griffey Jr’s running mate in Nike’s “Griffey in ’96″
# Appears at nearly 300 community events throughout the area each year.”
I wonder how often they clean that Moose suit.
325 — Jim Otto, if that counts.
Led World Record Effort for most people doing the Macarena.
That seems to fit “reasons to shoot someone” more than it fits “reasons to put someone in the Hall of Fame.”
How can Jones have 22 saves this year?
Oh my god that’s Zidane’s music! He’s coming in from the bullpen and he’s– he’s got a chair! He’s running right by security and Todd Jones goes down! Jones is down and — oh, this is horrible! We thought he was in Germany! How could he be here, beating up the Tigers in the ninth?
Petagine sighting! Look now!
Here’s Petagine, trying to hit in the 9th while only hitting a couple of times a month.
Hey, Petagine wears my number.
348. LOL Agreed.
I think I’d vote for the Phanatic based on my limited knowledge of any other team’s mascot. But most importantly, I Hate That Fucking Moose.
“even the most flexible and open-minded moose” hee.
249 – Tigers win, a lot.
349 – The Tigers are good.
341
Best post of the night imho, lol
Fare thee well, Petagine. Fare thee well.
Jones reminds me of Eddie. Three almost home runs but a save.
Thought we were going to tie that one up
337 – Not just female fans. Remember that our very own David Cameron was molested by the Moose.
This is a thoroughly defeated team, in every sense of the word.
Why Jones is the closer instead of Zumaya is a mystery equal to the Guardado vx. Putz mystery earlier this year.
Read the link, it wasn’t David Cameron.
Welcome back to last place folks.
336- You would be correct. And thank you, it was driving me nuts.
Future poll question:
Who is the creepiest under that outfit?
- Mariner Moose
- Department store Santa
- Clown
353 – Garcia wears mine.
Gee we finally break out with six whole hits and we have the nerve to give up TWO runs!
Can someone fire Hargrove NOW. NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! Fuggin’ G’dam NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW!
I am sick of his bu–sh–!!!! Sick! Sick! Sick! Sick! Sick! SICK!
Beltre, 0-3
Sexson, 0-4
Johjima, 0-4
So much for ‘the resurgence.’
Everett, 0-3
Boomquist, 0-3
It’s like having two pitchers in the lineup in a DH League.
‘Thank you Bill & Howie.’
[]
Not to defend tonight or the state of things since Canada Day, but the M’s are playing the best team in baseball this weekend.
[Pineiro]
Bavasi has built himself one damn fine NL team. Does he know what league the Mariners play in?
[Pineiro]
ok, a few questions, coming in late to the game:
what did Zach Minor do that was so baffling?
Hargrove fielded that outfield, and the unearned run came off the infield?
Who was the home plate ump who apparently was so bad?
Is Eduardo ever going to get an at-bat? Will he got more that Roberto has been sent away?
oh, and I vote Mr. Blister, the NW Burns Foundation mascot, go into the Mascot Hall of Fame
What are Everett, Bloomquist and Piniero doing on a major league roster?
First, it’s Pineiro. Second, Major League should be capitalized.
Everett should not be on a roster. Bloomquist is great to have on a bench. Pineiro could be successful as a reliever.
377: Because you spelled it wrong. And you just spelled it wrong again.
and I apologize for the typos I just noticed….
At some point I’m going to sit down and write a Greasemonkey extension that will allow you to auto-magically correct the spelling of commonly misspelled Mariner last names.
#377, PinEIro. Blog bugbear, gotta watchit. Jo-el is a relative of Superman, and the Supercitizen uses his superspeed to swoosh into the blogsphere and with his superstrength pry the bits apart in your message, leaving a calling card of the rubble. Really.
my typos, not everyone elses
so, Petagine gets DFA’d so they can bring up a AA catcher, so that Rene has a back-up Sunday while Joh heads back to Japan for the break, is that right?
[whose]
Beltre is perfectly capable of a hot streak; we know that. But when it happens it signifies IN NO WAY that Adrian’s an iota different as a baseball player. We are reminded so yet again.
preview:
[whose]
i love three’s company.
ERA over 5.00. Watchit on the curves, there, or the heat vision of the Super Citizen will blow your tube, and your post will flip over the edge. *hee*
#385; hey, it’s a hot button — we’ve all been called on it
Carl Everett, since the start of June, is now 15 for 87. That’s a .172 average.
At this point, there’s literally no excuse for his continued presence on the roster.
So of course, Petagine gets DFAed so we can have a guy from AA back up Rene Rivera for a game.
sigh…
At some point I’m going to sit down and write a Greasemonkey extension that will allow you to auto-magically correct the spelling of commonly misspelled Mariner last names.
If you can write a plugin for WordPress that auto-corrects comments using a set of synonyms, I would flip out with joy.
A second preview:
#387: [Capitalization]
I missed the bus.
I could give it a try, DMZ. Send me a list of mappings.
Becky has a pretty nice streak going (3 deleted posts in a row).
Did anyone else think that with Hargrove ejected that the bullpen/bench was used better than normal? Or am I just biased due to my dislike of Grover?
Well, I’m going to go edit the chapter I managed to put off working on all day. Feel free to mispel all u want lol but brb lol
I love it– on the posgame show, Matty Sinatro is explaining how it is that you can be fooled by a slow breaking pitch!
Hargrove just said that Luis Oliveros will fill in at catcher tomorrow while Johjima goes to Japan to see his new baby. Why not Quiroz? Oliveros is batting .192 with a .422 OPS. Quiroz is battint .313 2ith an .809 OPS. Quiroz must have really pissed Hargrove off.
Hargrove just said that Luis Oliveros will fill in at catcher tomorrow while Johjima goes to Japan to see his new baby. Why not Quiroz? Oliveros is batting .192 with a .422 OPS. Quiroz is battint .313 2ith an .809 OPS. Quiroz must have really pissed Hargrove off.
Because after the game (or, before the first game after the break, or sometime in between), Oliveros is going to be optioned back to San Antonio to make room for your new designated hitter, Chris Snelling.
Petagine’s removal from the roster clears the spot for the M’s to bring Doyle up from Triple-A and hand him Carl Everett’s job. Everett will take Petagine’s role.
Since Quiroz doesn’t have options left, the M’s would have to pass him back through waivers, and he probably wouldn’t clear, so they’d lose him.
is this really true Dave? You wouldn’t just be messing with us, wouldja?
Petagine: I like him a bunch, but the thing is, the org is going to use his roster spot to give extended auditions to Clement, Doyle, and other lefthand hitters through the rest of the year. I’m just glad Rico’s got his ML pension well locked in by now, he totally deserves it. He might well land with a contender who needs a bat, too, which I suspect is something Bavasi is not unaware of; Rico doesn’t have the value to swing a deal, but when he’s a free agent, _his_ agent will get some calls. Good luck to one of the team’s two professional hitters.
Petagine DFA’d
I guess I really should refresh every once and a while.
DFA’ing Petagine is a truly boneheaded move.
#320 – gee, thanks Derek, I really needed to relive that horror again…
I’ve never been the same since.
Speaking of mascots, though, I was once in a handbell choir in Philadelphia, and we played the national anthem at a Phillies game in July 1987 sometime. We were out on the infield grass, with three tables of bells, pads and everything and got to play a few tunes in the half hour leading up to the game. I remember a Mickey Mouse balloon flying over as part of the promo that day, too. Sometime during our half hour on the field, the Phanatic came around and anticed around a bit, culminating with goosing our middle-aged female director pretty comprehensively.
So those mascots, man you just can’t trust them. OTOH, she was recently divorced and enjoyed it to a degree…
I also failed to refresh before I posted. Thanks for the explanation Dave.
Please forgive this remark as I know it may be out of place for someone new, but what’s with the spelling/grammar police? Surely someone forgetting to capitalize “Major League” doesn’t actually prevent you from understanding what they were trying to say? I just feel like it’s a little excessive. To quote Churchill, this is the sort of errant pedantry up with which I will not put.
On a baseball related note, I wonder what the record is for most saves by a closer with an ERA over 5.00. Jones must be getting close.
Who knows? Maybe they’ll offer Petagine a Tacoma assignment … and maybe he’ll take it.
Petagine: I like him a bunch, but the thing is, the org is going to use his roster spot to give extended auditions to Clement, Doyle, and other lefthand hitters through the rest of the year.
They’re not calling up Clement this year unless he destroys AAA pitching. No need to start the clock on him.
I’m just glad Rico’s got his ML pension well locked in by now, he totally deserves it.
It’s not all that much with six years’ service time. It’s less than Social Security.
listening to Jimmy Leyland on the postgame, I have to say, it just cracks me up as someone who is also a Pirates fan to look at Leyland’s staff– Lloyd McClendon, Gene Lamont, Rafael Belliard, Andy Van Slyke …
I wouldn’t normally expect Clement up this year, no, but the org seems very clearly rushing guys up for an audition, both to show, well, _somebody_ how well the farm system is doing now, and to get a sense of where this coming offseason’s two big free agent signings need to be spent. I’m confident at this point we’ll see Clement before September.
It’s very, very unlikely we see Clement this year.
Doyle, though, you’ll see next week. Adam Jones might not be far behind.
Everett will take Petagine’s role.
Oh, THAT should go over well, considering that C-Rex has already pitched a fit about playing time when he was actually getting some. I bet he’ll be thrilled with PHing every other week and watching his chances at reaching his option fizzle.
Jeebus. Why couldn’t they just DFA him instead? Petagine wouldn’t have bitched at riding pine, and is arguably a better hitter at this point.
Matty really is an extraordinary combination of Your Baseball Cliches and Baseball Company Man. Hargrove must be using his bench well because he has been doing this a long time, and no one was complaining about it when they were winning. uh huh.
Jeebus. Why couldn’t they just DFA him instead? Petagine wouldn’t have bitched at riding pine, and is arguably a better hitter at this point.
Everett won’t finish the year on the roster. They’re not done.
At the game tonight. Lots of action for a low scoring game Watching Carl leg it out to the right corner (or nearly) to snag a flyball was a heart stopping moment but what it really did was make Willie ‘The Human Divot Machine’ Bloomquist look even worse by comparison. Willie’s obligatory diving face-plant catch brought down the house of course. Team didn’t look or act beaten — but the result was the same, no matter.
I think Everett sealed his fate with that fit he threw in Hargrove’s office the other day. He showed that he can’t handle not being in the lineup, and he has shown, by way of his performance on the field, that he should not be a regular. The only solution is to get rid of him.
More re: Clement. To me he was a fairly advanced hitter coming out of college. The reason for starting him in the low minors for the long development tour was to work him up as a starting catcher. Well, Johjima is going to be the starting catcher for the Ms for several years, so if Clement gets OJT on the 25-man as a backstop, it doesn’t matter. The ’05 offseason’s plan to darn the Ms’ lefthand sock has been, er, sucktastic. Frankly, Clement could be the LF DH on for the Mariners in ’07, and a bunch cheaper than spending 8 Large and Long this offseason for an established bat. I think that the Ms FO will take a long, good look at him in that role to decide whether or not they are prepared to risk it. Either way, Clement will be up with the Ms next year unless he totally collapses given how much the org is pressing guys up-channel from need, so starting the clock on him this year isn’t that big a deal.
They’re not rushing guys up for auditions. Bavasi is moving people up to challenge them. And right now Clement hasn’t even proven that he can hit AAA pitching, much less hit it well.
You won’t see him with the big club this year, period. It makes no sense to do that unless they’re planning on playing him every day in 2007.
Right, Dave, I’m pretty sure when Mt. Everett goes volcanic at the Hargrove Every Other Week playing time he’ll get 86′ed…but the thing is we’re losing a useful LHB (Petagine) to cater to a useless LHB (Everett).
Not that Hargrove has much of a concept of how to use a bench anyway, but still… gah.
I’ll take your word on it, then Dave, that Clement won’t be up.
Maybe we can get some organizational filler (i.e. bag of balls) for Everett. There are always stupid GMs who see “proven winner” and would take him and his contract off our hands.
Oh, Good God, Dave, you just made my day. Thank you so much for the news. That makes me deliriously happy.
Awesome. So nice to hear that right now… it washes the taste of that game right out of my mouth. And it replaces it with minty freshness.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all for the Ms to bring up Adam Jones, but to be blunt I see Clement as a more advanced hitter right now than Adam. Yes, Jones is hot, and yes, after sitting with an injury and then immediately jumping a level to an unfamiliar league Clement hasn’t taken off. Yet. Jeff’s plate discipline is much, much superior to Jones’. I’m not convinced that Doyle should be playing with the frequency yet that a starting DH against RHP would imply, and I love Doyle and hope that he’s promoted to do that role promptly even so.
#421– hmm, would Kenny Williams like him back?
KOMO just had a long (for Ichiro) interview regarding Ichiro’s displeasure with being disrespected by an umpire who should know by now after 6 years in the majors (not to mention his previous service time) that he, Ichiro! wouldn’t lie about whether he fouled a ball off or not. And oh by the way, if he HAD missed it, he would have run to first, which should have told the umpire something too.
I’m not convinced that Doyle should be playing with the frequency yet that a starting DH against RHP would imply.
He’s not going to be taking the field, and the fact is it doesn’t matter if he plays 4/5′s of the games in Tacoma or Seattle- he is what he is as a hitter regardless of where he plays. Doyle has nothing left to prove in AAA any more. We might as well know now if he can hold up for more than 30 games at a time. If the option is seeing C-Rex hit every day there’s a RHP on the hill, there’s NO CONTEST who’s the better option.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all for the Ms to bring up Adam Jones, but to be blunt I see Clement as a more advanced hitter right now than Adam.
Clement after two weeks in Tacoma: .208/.255/.292
Jones this year in Tacoma: .277/.329/.461
Jones is just getting the edges sanded off his defense. Clement needs more time.
I’m not arguing with you about their talent — Clement has far more power than Jones — but Jones is closer to Seattle than Clement is.
and Hargrove knows Doyle– one of my favorite quotes was from a spring training report: “He does love to hit,” Hargrove said. “He’s not bashful.”
It’s not quite a year since Doyle tore his ACL graft loose. It is easy to forget that, practically speaking, he’s _still rehabbing_. Yes, I want him in the Bigs for the ABs he’s getting. The stop-start, and sharp cuts running the bases are the real issue with his legs, and he’s going to need days off. That’s all. I just don’t want there to be a day when, really, he should give his leg a day, but a RHP is on the mound for the other team. I don’t really expect any re-injury for Doyle, but I’d like for there to be as little pressure to play him and as much lattitude to rest him as possible. That’s just not the case on a Hargrove team where ‘regulars’ are expected to carry the colors, and Grover and Bavasi know that 3 X 90 = Bus Ticket to Jalisco. So, yes, I want Doyle promoted to play, but let’s be cautious about the ‘regularly’ part of it, hey? And Perez is useless against RHP, so if Doyle sits . . . Ibanez DHs, maybe, with a couple of young pups in the OF?? Or maybe Choo DHs if he’s still around.
Or something.
Jones is on a hot streak, and is closer to Seattle. These last two weeks. I’m not arguing for an immediate promotion of Clement. And I like Jones. Of the two, Jones could use the rest of the year in AAA FAR MORE, though. Don’t be in any way surprised if Jones comes up and goes 1-22, with 10 Ks. Then what. This is the context of my thinking, is what I’m saying: Doyle really shouldn’t play 3/4 time, and Jones and Choo may well find Major League pitching a bit advanced for their sense of the strike zone. Then what. *drumroll*
I’m not convinced that Doyle should be playing with the frequency yet that a starting DH against RHP would imply, and I love Doyle and hope that he’s promoted to do that role promptly even so.
Which is why I would love to have Petagine around instead of C-Rex, for a once a week or so option at DH. Of course, this would mean Hargrove would actually have to figure out lineup cards and rotate players in and out of the lineup, instead of using the Xerox machine while he’s knocking back his pregame Wild Turkey, so I realize this is a rather futile hope.
msb – I’ll always think of Belliard as a Brave, I forget that he used to be a Pirate.
Yes, I would have rathered that they DFAed Carl now, ’cause he _is_ going soon, and kept Petagine, but Bavasi interferes very little with how the 25-man is used, and Grover won’t use Petagine and continues to make the call, so . . . we’ll have some interesting lineups through August, methinks.
I was hoping that Carl would be the first to go, but I guess it doesn’t really matter.
The Aussies are coming, the Aussies are coming!
Nobody has posted this yet here, but I know Jim Thomsen will need to know this info.
Garciaparra broke his nose in BP before Tacoma’s game last night. Marc W at Mariner Morsels reported it; news from a security guard at Tacoma.
Another reason not to bring up Quiroz – I think he’s hurt. He hasn’t played in Tacoma for a little while now.
Also: Today’s Seattle Times article says that after the break, they’ll send Oliveros down and bring up a center fielder. Note that they don’t say they’re bringing up a DH, but bringing up a center fielder. So, what happens to Choo? He’s the one that goes to sit on the bench while Doyle plays CF? Choo has actually been the hotter hitter in AAA this year, though I understand the whole ‘Doyle has done it before against big league pitching’ thing. FWIW also, Doyle’s legs seem to be doing okay; he’s been slamming into outfield walls and other players with some regularity over the past week….
I fail to understand the logic in bringing up Jones this year, at least from the viewpoint that he is likely to help the big club contend. If you’re going with the ‘let the kids play’ mantra, that’s about rebuilding, not contending. And while Jones has improved a lot in AAA (he made a great catch in the 1st inning last night and has been hitting well, even better since he took over leadoff spot after Choo left), it has taken him 3 months to get where he is against AAA pitching…. I’m just not sure about starting the major league clock on him, and think ‘why’?
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#435– huh?
alas sweet petagaine, we hardly knew ye…….
435: Were you still intoxicated from the night before when you wrote that? For your sake, I hope that is the case.
“Garciaparra broke his nose in BP before Tacoma’s game last night…”
This just strikes me funny in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. The Garciaparra family isn’t exactly noted for dainty, petite little button noses…
Uh, it doesn’t say a CF is coming up in the Times notebook.
After the game, the Mariners designated Roberto Petagine for assignment, and called up catcher Luis Oliveros from Class AA San Antonio. The move bolsters the catcher spot while Kenji Johjima takes a brief absence from the team. Johjima will fly to Japan today to visit his wife and new baby boy, who was born June 30. Johjima will rejoin the team July 13 in Toronto. Oliveros, 23, has hit .232 with 14 runs batted in in the minors this year. He started the season with Class A Inland Empire. Petagine, 35, was signed as a free agent on Feb. 21. He appeared in 30 games, gathering six hits in 27 at-bats.
If the plan were to bring Clement and his woeful numbers up, wouldn’t they have done it now as a back-up catcher instead of after the break?
#441– perhaps Oly was thinking of the TNT: “And after the All-Star break, when Johjima is back, catcher Oliveros will probably return to the minors so the Mariners can bring up a center fielder.”
This topic has a post of its own now.
I think you mean the News Tribune in 434… and I’m guessing LaRue is speculating, since he didn’t attribute it to a Mariner source.
While on the subject of poor outfields, what about this for a great one? (at least in terms of their arms) Gipson-Cameron-Ichiro!
All 3 had/have cannons