Game 159, Athletics at Mariners
And down the stretch we come.
RHP Jason Windsor (who?) vs. RHP Gil Meche, 7:05pm.
SeattleMariners.com headline: “Meche to start perhaps last game with Mariners.” I’m willing to overlook the mediocre quality of said headline if it can be true. Please, let it be true.
CF Ichiro!
3B Beltre
C Johjima
LF Ibanez
1B Sexson
DH Broussard
SS Lopez
RF Snelling
SS Betancourt
Meanwhile, Oakland runs out the “Day after clinching” lineup:
CF Bocachica!
2B Scutaro
RF Kielty
LF Swisher
1B Johnson
C Melhuse
SS Jimenez
DH Brown
3B Perez
You’ve got two former M’s (Bocachica and Perez), plus the great D’Angelo Jimenez, who, having started the season in Texas, is making a run at playing for all four teams in the division by the end of next year.
Trivia Question (for which I don’t have an answer): Since the move to the current divisional alignment in 1995, has any player played for all four teams in AL West? I can think of one player who has spent time with three of four, but that’s it off the top of my head. Have at it.
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Bocachica 4-5 3HR
I was thinking about something to say about how I feel about Gil Meche’s last start as a Mariner, but Jeff did it better than I could.
adieu et bon chance, Gil “JeykllAndHyde” Meche…
speaking of departures, Bat Boy Joey is finally retiring from Batboydom, having graduated from college with his accounting degree– sounds like he got to go on the last road trip with the team…
Spiezio just needs a stint as a Ranger and he will have played for all 4 teams.
That’s the guy I was thinking of, MFAN.
Dave came up with a handful of guys who have done 3 of 4, but we haven’t found a winner yet. Well, a real winner at least. Dave did come up with a player who has played for all four, but he fails the test because I said “post-1995″ — said player played for one of the four teams before 1995 (and the other three after).
5- I knew it had to be Scott. I think in 10 years the Dobber could be added to the list.
Randy Velarde played for the other three, I think, but not for us.
Rickey played for everyone but Texas, but I don’t remember if his Angels stint was after 1995.
I am suprised to see the headline about Meche on the Mariners’ website. You would think they would be a little more optimistic/positive/whatever than that, but I appreciate their honesty.
There is a real different vibe at the park tonight — this is truly the first game this season that doesn’t really matter for either team.
And what a first play of the game.
What a crappy way to start the game.
ruben sierra hit 3 of 4 also, and just needs a stint for LAA.
rickey henderson hit 3 of 4, missing texas
Mac would be the 4-timer, playing for California up to around ’90 or so….
Mark McLemore played for all four AL West teams -
There has to be a curse, if the the A’s AAA team is going to kill us.
Ruben Sierra is another three-for-four.
#7, it was in 97.
anyone want to lay odds which inning Gil’s focus strays?
16- 1
#16 – first
#12 – He played for the Angels prior to 1995.
Our beloved Aaron Sele also hit 3/4 missing only the A’s. It’s funny saying Sele and “missing” anything in the same sentence, it sure as heck wasn’t missing bats.
Apparently Gil wants to leave a sour taste in the mouths of M’s fans on his (possible) last game as a Mariner.
yup, he’s the one in #5 that Jason said Dave mentioned
so, the A’s generated no offense this year except when they played the Ms, is that it?
I wonder what the record is for playing the least games in a career while playing for at least, oh, five teams. Because Orlando Mercado played for eight teams (including Seattle, Texas, and Oakland, though of course it was before 1995) while playing only 253 games in his career.
That’s awfully mean spirited about Meche. I’ll be glad to see someone else starting in his place; I don’t want to see him pitch again; I’m sick to the gills* with rumours of his talent; I know he’s been rewarded more than amply for his consistent reversions to mediocrity, but I don’t want to mean rude about it.
Thanks for trying Gil, sorry it didn’t work out. All the best in your new gig, and drop a few bucks in the poor box on your way out the door.
*No pun intended.
This pathetic tonight — we can’t even hang in a game that doesn’t mean squat.
And I can’t remember to put a verb in my comment.
we can’t even hang in a game that doesn’t mean squat
But that’s a sign of the team’s character! They get up for games that mean something! And then fall down!
Oh man. This is the worst thing ever. Ron’s “retirement” plans.
Can you imagine buying a house from him? I bet he’d show you the same house eight times.
Sele and Sierra for sure on the 3/4 list. The one Dave got me on — I completely forgot he ever played for the Ms — was Ismael Valdes.
And yes, McLemore was the quasi-winner.
Randy Velarde is on the 3 for 4 list too.
Is there like an MLB “law” that requires the M’s to ALWAYS fall behind Oakland in the first inning, regardless of who’s playing for them?
hmmmm, Gil walking Boca, or, a bathtub full of decomposing body on ‘Bones’…
Yank Gil so the fans can give him his proper send-off (tons of booing).
You can’t forget Chad Kreuter: 95 Seattle, 97/98 Anaheim, 03 Texas. 3 of 4 with no Oakland.
After running through the entire roster of Mariners players using Baseball Reference.com from 1995 to present, the answer is no. A number of them came close, most of which named already. A few not named were:
Chad Kreuter played for 3 of 4 (M’s, Tex, Anaheim)
Omar Olivares pitched for 3 of 4 (M’s, Oakland, Anaheim)
Ismael Valdez got close pitching for 3 of 4 (M’s, Texas, Anaheim)
Mark MacLemore is the closest, playing for all four teams, three after ’95, but the fourth was played before ’95.
Meh, Kreuter and Valdes were mentioned while I was composing that. I took a good long look at Omar Olivares just in case we could find a loophole and he ended up in Texas’ minor league system or as a coach or something, but nada there. I think he’s currently with the Indians orgnization.
Hey… a run. Hey… it’s 3-2.
let’s not leave Richie on 2nd again, please.
For those who want to CHEAT on this trivia thing, there’s this:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/multifranchise.shtml
Although, B-R misses Ismael Valdes….
Stan Javier 3 of 4, pre-1994 though. So that’s a large *.
Gene Nelson played for all four team pre-re-alignment.
And, of course, while writing/watching, somebody else mentions that Valdes didn’t play for Oakland, after all….
Now that’s some primo run-driving.
Hey… a run. Hey… game’s tied 3-3.
41 — thanks for the link…
And nice work by Lopez and Doyle
Okay, did they seriously just have Doyle bunt?
My God – a lead!
not exactly how I expected it, but I’ll take it.
Hey… a run. Hey… M’s take lead 4-3.
#48– Hargrove loves to have Doyle bunt. He’s a bunting machine.
#52- I know, I just keep trying to block it out of my mind.
53
I think its just to spite the rabidly anti-bunt crowd here at the USSM.
I still like Ichiro.
Jason, why are you evil giving us a trivia question that can’t be answered?
Benji Gil is another 3-for-4 if you count spring training
Re #56
Too keep us forever on-topic…
Mark Holzemer got 3, LAA 93-96, SEA 97, OAK 98.
did Kevin Appier(sp?) play for all 4? I know he played for 3, if you count this season with the M’s.
Was he ever a Ranger?
ah, that’s our Gil– just look at the way he puts the hammer down on the As as soon as his team gives him a lead….
BOOOO! TAKE HIM OUT!!!
Joel warming up, man this game rules!
Pineiro warming up to replace Meche.
Fitting. Hopefully, this will be the last appearance for both as a Mariner, and we can end their torture of the Mariner fanbase on the same night.
Hey I think it would be cool to get one innings of Red and Dave uncensored, as a parting gift, but that’s just me.
Melhuse, Jimenez and Brown
thanks Macha.
Three Ks on 11 pitches? Give him a contract!
My favorite broadcasting crew: Ron Fairly, Dave Niehaus & Jack Daniels
Okay, say what you will about Fairly (and I have), but that was a cool half inning broadcast. Dave and Ron are obviously good friends, and that was a pretty big moment for both of them.
I do think that was the first time I’ve heard an inning end with “I love you”
you know what, im gonna miss Fairly. Yes I admit it!
Man…Bloomquist *can* do it all! Haha…
70. Who said “I love you”?
Willie with a gritty impression
that must be some of those intangibles we keep hearing he has….
I’m like DMZ(???), I grew up on Fairly and thought he was pretty annoying in the beginning, but over the past three or four years I’ve really softened up on him because I like to hear occasional non-homerism, stories of the old days, and reasons why you should keep the ball down… that, and because Val and Hendu kill brain cells.
Coach…
Niehaus: “So that’s it! I love ya!”
Fairly: I’ll see you tomorrow at the park!”
Niehaus: “Haha! Alright!”
Fairly: “We’ve played four and a half. Mariners on top, 5-3″
Per lahmans DB, it’s nobody, at least at the MLB level, and before this year.
Niehaus must think the seasons over.
Wow two games past the 13th inning at the same time.
Pineiro should keep the ball down, as a going-away present for Fairly.
Sometimes I wonder if umps just fuck with guys who start running to first base on a close pitch…
81. Pineiro should throw a pitch and knock Rick out as a going away present for Red.
Ron loves profainity!
Beltre?
It warms my soul to be hear the words Hiram Bocachica again.
Sidenote: I am writing a research paper about MLB free agent salaries for a commodities management class and need to create a price index of free agent pitchers. What do you guys think is the most accurate database or website to look up free agent signings over the last ~5 years(I need one I can cite, so a site like mlbcontracts may not be the best one to use)? Thanks for the help.
I’m tearing up here with Ron’s stories of the old times. I’m going to miss the old guy. I suppose a side effect of concentrating on the bleedin’ obvious is that your rarely say things that are completely bogus. He’s a great foil for Dave Niehaus.
Any guesses on Fairly’s nickname for Buhner? SFB?
creepy…
sick fucking bastard?
Well, despite the rough start Meche had a pretty decent game.
Joel in
Game over
You been reading Trainspotting, Conor?
I said “creepy” to the dark view of the kid’s sliding down the slide…but I guess it also applies to Joel’s new bald head/beard combo…
Haha – no, why?
MLB.com
ooh…it’s a battle of bad facial hair! Odds on the winner…
Swisher = 4:1
Sorry I ment to say that, that was a good transaction site for #86.
How dare Pujols do that to Cla Meredith??
So I get home tonight and the parking lot for my apartment complex is closed. They’re repaving it. Nobody knows where to park.
Someone is going to get a lot of nasty phone calls tomorrow morning.
Aaaaaand here’s the good link. Sorry that one didn’t work.
Why isn’t that link working?
Aaargh. Kenji! Nice throw.
Lets try the link one more time
Sorry #86. Just go to mlb.com then click on players then click on transactions.
I think I got the link now
There we go!
OMG!!! IT JUST HIT ME! JEREMY BROWN’S THAT DUDE FROM MONEYBALL!!!
They weren’t kidding, he looks like Matt Stairs.
Mariner pitchers have pitched a lot of balls tonight.
Come on Huber!
I sort of hope they win a friggin World Series one of these days, Red!
Ugh. I think Huber is another contestent in the “Worst Facial Hair” contest.
we got this guy for Dave Hansen??? That trade gets an A+
“Mmmmm” says fat guy on TV with shiskaberries.
Bohn is terrible.
Insurance!!!
Putz in, Mariners win.
I just realized Meche threw 125 pitches. Well, I guess as long as it’s his last start as a Mariner, he might as well throw 200.
JJ 3 K’s away from 100!
COME ON JJ
Putz has to get 100 strikeouts right now because he might not have another chance.
What a home-dog Swisher is.
You, know, looking at Ichiro’s reverse-platoon splits staring me in the face yet again, and remembering the conversation we had about it here a few weeks ago–where it was asserted that usually it’s just a small sample size problem but that Ichiro may be the first ever–the obvious struck me:
Ichiro probably actually only hits righties and lefties (in a complete theoretical vacuum) equally well. Maybe he actually has no “real” platoon split–it’s just that left handers aren’t as good as a group, because left-handedness itself is part of their resume. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that before.
This leads me to believe that there never will be a RHer with a true reverse platoon split over a sufficient sample size, but that there almost certainly will be a LHer someday. My $.02…
Aw, shucks.
#117: You were saying.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Nice error Ichiro.
No error? WHAT?
124. Hey, who knew?
Hey, I suddenly realized that we could win this thing with a walk-off. This could be fun! Of course, it will help if Putz can keep Johnson on third.
Way to go Joh!
Thanks Johnson.
Uh, Ron already said that Rick.
I guess Putz just wanted Ron to have his TV goodbye last longer.
JJ was bored, he wants to see a walk-off, plus he couldn’t watch Gil get the W.
I think it’s just about time for another “Princess Willie Walk-Off.”
Goodnight everybody. Going to bed.
the A’s curse lives on
pinch-hit Bloomquist for Lopez, Hargrove!
Downer…
I guess this question got answered:
Yes, it indeed was too much to ask for the M’s to beat the A’s in a series. Even when their AAA team played in the last one.
#136: In this case, it’s the Sacramento River Cats curse.
Sigh. They can’t beat the friggin Sacramento River Cats. They can’t beat a lineup that’s got a DH batting .000.
Sigh.
JEREMY BROWN (See # 108) – IIRC, Oakland drafted him (MONEYBALL)despite his unusual anatomy. I didn’t notice anything unusual about his anatomy. Did anyone?
Last game of the year for me at the ballpark:
– You want a WFB t-shirt? They have a ton of them. Want a Doyle t-shirt? They’re not in yet.
– Massive sales on merchandise in the store. Lots of stuff 25-30% off, with some Jurassic Carl t-shirts going for I think $6.
– Really quiet crowd, except for the 14-year-old A’s fan girls who screamed like Clay Aiken was scoring all the Oakland runs. God, they were annoying.
– The concession areas were running on half the staff, and I don’t think I saw an usher all night. It’s like the M’s fired everyone. Even the usual guest services guys weren’t in the place we drop the stroller off, but supervisors.
– And I don’t recall seeing the Moose at all. Maybe he got laid off, too.
I didn’t notice anything unusual about his anatomy. Did anyone?
He’s hitting .000 right now, so I don’t think the tentacle is helping him any.
142-
How much does Safeco offer to take Pineiro shirts off their hands?
Bit late but… I saw a “I (heart) Doyle” shirt at the game tonight! ^_^
#142 They not only have Bloomquist shirts, but when I was in there a few weeks ago, I noticed they actualy have Rene Rivera shirts! I can understand Bloomquist as he has a local fanbase, but who wants a Rivera shirt? I was so shocked to see the Rivera shirts that I asked the dopey Mariner employee there if they had sold any and he said “plenty”. I don’t know how many he considers plenty, but if it’s more than zero I’d be shocked. Somehow I don’t think a lot of fans are dying to have a shirt with the name and number of the backup catcher who’s hitting .140…
For the record, the I (heart) Doyle shirt was NOT me, before anyone gets the wrong idea. I’ve been the one going around Safeco wearing a Nippon Ham Fighters hat the last few days.
I totally called the lineup in this game — “they clinched yesterday, so we’re going to see guys like Bocachica and Brown today”.
Jeremy Brown is kind of pudgy but he’s no worse than George Sherrill. Seriously.
I saw the moose running around before the game, but I don’t remember if I saw him during.
As for Snelling t-shirts, I am under the impression they haven’t printed them yet, or at least that’s what they said last time we asked. I told them that if they even just printed the lowest possible amount, they would easily sell out if the right people found out about them…
146 – Jon, there’s a story behind those shirts, involving Rivera asking several times why his shirt wasn’t in the team store until they printed some. I’m under the impression he bought about half of the ones that were printed for his friends and family.
(PositivePaul was there too when we were asking about them… we were like “you know, how can you guys have a Rivera shirt and no Putz or Sherrill?”)
I have to admit I would by a Rivera shirt. Anyone can wear an Ichiro, Sexson, Raul or Johjima shirt. It takes guts to walk around in a Rivera shirt.
I actually was wondering who it was but I didn’t get a chance to ask because I was up in the $7 cheap seats and just glimsed them as they walked by on the concourse below… I NEED one of those shirts though…
Putz not get another chance (See # 120) – Wht’s the chance of HARGROVE using him in a non-save situation on Sunday–to get some work in?