More moves
Just when you thought they were done, nope, the moves keep coming.
Probably announced tomorrow (Edit: Just announced, now official), though might happen before gametime: Adam Jones back to Tacoma, T.J. Bohn up. Since Tacoma already played today (Bohn didn’t, by the way), they might wait to send Jones back until after the game tonight.
With Ichiro to center becoming pretty much official for the rest of the year (WOOOOO!), Jones is going back to Triple-A to get some playing time for the next few weeks. He’ll be recalled when rosters expand before the 20 day loophole closes, so this won’t cost him an option year.
Rotation shuffle:
Meche is having his start skipped. Felix and Washburn move up to start tomorrow and Thursday, respectively. It’s assumed, but not known for sure, that Woods goes Friday. No Saturday starter has been named. I don’t have an explanation for why Meche’s start is being skipped. It could be because he’s been terrible lately, or, more interestingly, he might have cleared waivers and they could have something brewing. We’ll find out in the next few days.
I am starting to get excited over these long overdue moves the USS Mariner has been after for a long time….Ichiro in Center, Doyle up and actually playing in the field instead of riding the bench, and Jones back down to Tacoma so he can actually play everyday. Now if only Hargrove gets fired sooner rather than later!
Doyle in the 2-hole tonight with a Willy free lineup. Although Rivera is in there.
In a perfect world, Ichiro singles, Doyle walks and Beltre hits them in.
Lopez dropped down. Probably a needed move since he hasn’t exactly been tearing the cover off the ball since the All-Star break.
2 hole!
In a perfect world, Ichiro singles, Doyle walks and Beltre hits them in.
Well, I guess that’s perfect because it minimizes stress on Doyle’s legs. But Doyle knocking in Ichiro with an easy stand-up double, and Beltre knocking him in with a double or HR wouldn’t be bad either, yes?
The best thing about this lineup is that it shows that Hargrove isn’t completely wedded to the whole lefty-righty-lefty thing — either he’s actually aware that Ichiro and Doyle aren’t troubled by lefties, or he just hasn’t paid enough attention to notice Doyle’s not a righty.
Dave (re: 7), the funny but awful thing about that, is that if he sat Ibañez against lefties in favor of Bloomqust, it probably wouldn’t hurt us as much as all that. I mean, it would still be ridiculous, but Ibañez has been pretty horrible, and Bloomquist is probably a better defender than Ibañez. Plus his arm wouldn’t hurt us so much in left. Snelling, though, has never shown any platoon splits, right? I guess Snelling needs time off anyway, but still…
Is anyone actually in Hargrove’s head at all about the Bloomquist thing? He doesn’t actually think he can hit, right? He just thinks he’s such a great, hardworking guy who’s given a lot to the organization or something? Or, kind of a good ol’ boy, reward the guys who “play the game right” (ie, bunt) sort of deal? I’ve never bothered to try to understand it before, but it’s been going on long enough that I’m actually getting curious instead of just angry. And having more and more trouble figuring it out. Is he just doing Bloomquist a favor?
Game thread please.
So, Angie tells us why Meche’s start was skipped. Tendonitis in his hand and forearm, because of the problems he had with the mound the other day combined with a certain type of grip he uses. She said he told her he could actually hear his arm/wrist ‘squeaking’. Which, given his history, isn’t surprising I suppose. Only a man with as mysterious an arm as Gil would ‘squeak’.
54, I don’t care what Hargrove is wedded to, honestly. I hope the next guy can construct a good lineup.
But good for Chris, getting in there so high in the order. Here’s hoping he makes it impossible for them to freeze him out next year.
You gotta love those photos on Gameday. Jamie was batting, still wearing his Mariners cap, and the Cubs pitcher looks like someone just shoved a lit sparkler up his ass.
Oh, and Jamie struck out but got himself up to a full count.
Meche has a sore arm, no trade, via rotoworld.
Another one that should have been sold high on.
Didja hear Doyle’s little interview? The accent is almost completely gone. So sad.
no mariano rivera tonight, or scott proctor
The other thing I keep wondering about is what happens if trade Sexson? Or Broussard? Then Snelling is in the lineup no matter where Ichiro plays, probably as either LFer or DH. So is Ichiro likely to just move back to make space for Jones again? Is that the best solution?
Sorry if that’s asking us to get too far ahead of ourselves…
That Cubs pitcher is the kid they pulled up from Iowa to pitch after that 18-inning thing in Houston where Dusty Baker used every single pitcher he had. And then he gave up five hits and six walks in his first start and still somehow managed to win 1-0 (methinks the Astros were a tad exhausted). So I’m not surprised he looks like he has a sparkler up his ass — it’s actually an Astro’s rocket (uh, not The Rocket).
Meanwhile, Jamie’s doing alright for himself. 5IP, 2ER, 3H, 1BB, and 3K (3K! And only one of them was the pitcher! Phil Nevin and Jacque Jones must be hanging their heads in shame)
Anyone call for another Jeff S?
“Type B FAs require the signing team to surrender the first round pick unless it is in the first half of the round.”
Link please?
FA COMPENSATION – Much of the talk about Free Agent Compensation reveals that many people–# 43 excepted–are not clear on the subject.
Perhaps someone on the staff can explain the situation. (BA did some years ago, and I have it, but it won’t tranfer–and I type too slowly.)
BTW, does anyone know what criteria Elias uss to rate pitchers? (What determines whether MECHE is a Type A or Type B FA?)
Here, Matt.
Just got in and…that’s odd, we’re winning.
Is it just me or does Neihaus not sound too excited on the two hr calls today? He sounded especially casual with Beltre’s for some reason.
#60 – I don’t get Snelling’s accent. Listen to his interview from early 2005 at Lookout Landing (in the sidebar) – that sounds like a guy from Seattle. Now, sure, it’s not exactly overwhelming, but he’s clearly Australian. Either he’s spent a lot of time at home and his accent’s come back, or someone was impersonating Snelling in that LL interview…