Happy Big Series Day
Dave · August 27, 2007 at 9:27 am · Filed Under Mariners
Welcome to the start of playoff baseball. If the M’s are serious about playing in October, then we’ll need to see some good performances the next three days. For the Mariners, now two games behind the Angels, to give themselves a legitimate chance at winning this division, they can’t afford to give up ground. They need to close the gap, not widen it.
This is the most important three game homestand Safeco has seen in years. Here’s to hoping for a packed house and some big hits tonight.
If we don’t sell out Safeco for this series that Seattle doesn’t deserve the playoffs.
Let’s go Mariners!
I’ll wear the Mariners Blue here in Taiwan
And watch the Lolla-Blue-Za series at home!!
Hello from behind enemy lines. Mariner playoff odds are one thing, but more importantly (
) keeping Angel fans (some of whom are my friends and neighbors) somewhat humble for at least a little while longer would be greatly appreciated. I can tell you that the local fanbase and media have been VERY uncomfortable about the Mariners for a good two months now. I don’t have to remind anyone how long it’s been since that has been the case.
Take 2 of 3 and it will be a September to remember.
No case of the Mondays for me! Being out of the country the last few years around this time has left me without catching much of any playoff baseball or exciting Mariners games for sure. The chips and beer will be out all week for this series. Wearing the closest things I got to Mariners blue and my Ichiro! jersey. I was only 11 when the M’s made the great 1995 run and being in Colorado it was very tough to follow, here is to a second chance for me to watch a playoff run! Go M’s! Choke that damn rally monkey with some Rally Fries!!!!
based on the pitching matchups alone, we should be looking at 2 of 3…if bautista gets it going and lackey falters, we could sweep…should be a great series…
The M’s BACN spewer just reminded me that tonight is a BECU Family Night — $10 upper deck seats.
One less excuse to get your butts to the park tonight, people.
Oh, and I’ve decided that the M’s will get my MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY for playoff tickets if they can take 2 of 3 from the Angels.
We should be channeling October 2, 1995 all series if we know what’s good for us. Win two or three and things start to look pretty damn promising, considering who the pressure will be on.
It’s time to get in the Angels’ heads. From the AP article that day:
“The Angels led the division by 11 games as late as Aug. 9, but then lost 24 of 30 as Seattle – 13 games back on Aug. 5 – caught them on Sept. 20, then went ahead.”
Forget Lolla-Blue-Za, it’s time to start refusing to lose all over again.
“I know there’s going to be more attention placed on this series because the top two teams in our division are playing, but our challenge is the same. We need to bring our game to the field every night, no matter who we’re playing. If we do that, I’m confident we’re going to be successful. You can’t get distracted by a series like this. There’s too much baseball left in the year. If we play well, our task isn’t done and if we don’t play well, we’re not going to be deflated. Even after this series, we still have to play well the rest of the year. These next three games won’t make or break either team.”
Mike Scioscia, LA Daily News.
Sounds like a guy trying not to let his team get spooked. Here’s hoping Jose Guillen has the series of his life enroute to a lead change in the division!
If we could win TONIGHT’S game vs Lackey, that could really make up for humping the bunny in those last two games at Arlington. The next two are more attainable, but winning tonight would really rock the Angels back on their heels.
Of course actually SCORING vs Lackey would be nice start…assuming Miggie shows up, unlike in Twinkieville last week.
i agree…we should win games two and three, so tonight is most important…scioscia sounds terrified…the boys need to get FUNKY tonight!
I’ve never really thought of this season as being similar to ’95. The M’s came from a long way back in a short time late in the season in 1995. This year they have been much closer for much longer. It’s been more of a head-to-head battle, and I think it will stay that way through late September. ’95 was a hail-Mary, ’07 has been 3 yards and a cloud of dust.
I feel like if we can win tonight then we will win this series. This is the game we need to steal. Batista should be well rested, lets hope he’s on his game.
Go M’s!! I am pumped for this series!!!!
Larry Stone’s got an article up on espn.com about Vidro and quotes USSM.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2992825
also, go mariners. see you guys there monday/tuesday. anyone have plans for a pre-game USSM meetup?
So. Uh. Screw the Angels. I expect to see Jose Guillen breaking legs.
msb–Please start baking now. Your power of the msb baking is (small sample size) proving to be more powerful than “fries”.
Go Mariners go
Los Angeles Angels of
Anaheim my ass
Maybe this is the start of another 6 game dunker so we can get ‘hot’ again the rest of the way.
Larry Stone: “Vidro is making Bavasi’s gamble look justifiable, if not astute.”
Wow, talk about damning with faint praise…
Lackey vs. Batista
Santana vs. Weaver
Weaver vs. The King
Agree that tonight’s game is going to be the toughest to take, and that if we take it, the next two look more attainable.
A sweep would be awesome, but I’d take 2 of 3 anyday.
I’ll see tonight, and Wednesday too.
These games are huge, and no doubt the Angels know it. That said, what Scioscia said is also true, and it’s a sane, stabilizing thing to say: an example of good leadership. If you think it means he’s “terrified” or whatever, you’re dreaming.
he’s terrified…
On August 28th, 2005, the Angels entered a three-game series against the A’s trailing the A’s by half a game. The Angels had been leading the division for weeks, but the A’s were on a six-game winning streak. The A’s won the first game of the series to take a game-and-a-half lead. If the Angels were ever feeling the pressure of collapsing to a team that had caught them from behind, it was then. The Angels took the last two games of the series, and went on to win the division, taking 3 of 4 from the A’s later in the year to effectively put it away.
The 2005 and 2004 divison-winning Angels have a lot more to do with the current team than the 1995 team, whose ghost may haunt the fans and media but has very little to do with the current team, who have the confidence of a team that has already proved its mettle in pennant races. The Mariners are good enough to outrace the Angels, but let’s not fool ourselves about which team is likely to have the confidence of past success and which team is feeling the pressure of not having been there.
I just checked out the rotation… Labor Day Monday, 1pm ET, Bronx NY:
King Felix vs. The Rocket
I bought tickets to this game back in April. They have more than paid off.
LET’S-GO
MARI-NERS
A sweep would mean media coverage up the yang (even non-sports channels). Then, just like 1995/2001, your aunt/cousin/sister/mom/etc will be asking YOU about the Mariners. And a buzz would fill this city like we haven’t seen in years.
And Bill Bavasi will look like a fricken GENIUS (to the casual eye, at least).
Just hoping for 2 out of 3. Not trying to get greedy.
So what IS with Lackey this year? In past years I never saw him as much of a threat. Granted, this is the first year I’ve paid close attention to the Mariners (more than just watching the games, I mean)… What’s he been doing differently this year?
What is the official beer of the Mariners? I can’t seem to find it online. I am going to go pick up a case of Rally Beers and would like to drink with the team!
[dupe]
Lackey has been one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball for a couple of years.
Who would’ve thought a few months ago that a Weaver-Santana matchup would appear to favor the Mariners?
I note that ESPN.com has a playoff prediction poll. One thing they ask is what the results of the M’s/Angels series will be, and the leading answer (now, anyway) is “M’s take 2 of 3″.
Gosh, I hope we’re right (yes: I voted for that myself)!
However, the vote has the Angels winning the west, too (and, sad to say, I voted for that as well. I HOPE I’m wrong.).
Official beer of the mariners?
Whatever is on sale my man.
Since I’m down here in Orange County I’m gonna pick up some Alaskan Amber and make some garlic fries.
My Ms jersey is going to make me really unpopular around here this week…especially since my office is directly across the street from the stadium.
My Rally Fat Tire worked pretty well last Friday. The Rally Hefeweisens over the weekend not so well. I’m going back to the Fat Tire for this series.
So what IS with Lackey this year?
Lackey has been one of the ten best starters in the league the last three years.
2005 8.5 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 3.08 FIP, 122 ERA+, 75.4 LOB%
2006 7.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 3.41 FIP, 123 ERA+, 70.3 LOB%
2007 7.0 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 3.99 FIP, 129 ERA+, 74.7 LOB%
He arguably had a better year in 2005. This year, his strikeouts are down, but a little lower walk rate and luck with leaving runners on base are making up for it.
Larry Stone: “Vidro is making Bavasi’s gamble look justifiable, if not astute.â€
Wow, talk about damning with faint praise…
It would appear that the Sprite was indeed delicious.
Of course, the problem is that odds are high we will have Vidro in 2008 AND 2009 cluttering up the roster… and expecting him to contribute the .315/.380/.390 line he needs to not be a trainwreck for 2+ years seems unlikely.
I must say, the Rally Red Hook is my drink of choice on game days.
Would LOVE to see BB start at first. Not expecting to see it happen though.
Since this is the most important series of the year so far, I suspect we’ll see Dick Sexson planted at first.. and AJ chewing sunflower seeds on the bench.
Ugh.
Apparently Bavasi was on the Jim Rome show today, anybody catch it?
Yes, and that disgusts me as well. We’ve been incredibly lucky so far that the refusal to adequately leverage strengths and skill sets hasn’t cost us many games of late…we’ve been defying the odds right and left, in fact, and have been extremely lucky to catch almost every break. Sooner or later when we badly need a win, some team is going to hit double after double to left field that Raul just can’t get to, and I am going to have to point out that Raul’s “hot bat” didn’t create as many runs as AJ’s glove would have prevented. And that will make me an M’s hater.
43- I’d love to see Broussard at first, not likely, but IMO AJ should be on the bench this series. We need to put up runs against good pitching in a pitchers park, I’ll take our best bats instead of our future bat. Yes AJ’s defense is superiour but Raul’s the guy to have in in the biggest series in years.
I grabbed some Rally PBR and if those fail some Rally Coors. But have no fear the liquor store is just across the street so I can try anything else if they fail. They did not have Rally Ballpark Peanuts so I am a little disappointed.
IMO AJ should be on the bench this series
You want to score runs, but you’d be willing sacrifice some runs prevented to do so? That is AJ’s biggest contribution right now, helping prevent runs.
45 – You really believe AJ’s glove would have saved more runs then Raul’s bat has produced in August? Wow. Can’t even come close to buying that.
Rally Vodka. As in, “I’m Rally Drunk”.
48 – It’s certainly a difficult balance, and I know I’m probably guilty of undervaluing defense, but AJ has been unspectacular when he has started and I know its a small sample and his defense was great in Tacoma, but he’s not in Tacoma and the last time he was in the show he never got his bat going. I think Ibanez is producing to a point where he is making up for his poor defense. Whether thats sustainable is anotehr story but I still think you gotta go with Raul this series.
Boy, we sure have never had the Adam Jones vs. Ibanez discussion before.
Yes. Clearly.
Scott: I’d like you to cross-apply the thousand previous discussions we’ve had on AJ v Ibanez, and consider the matter worn out. Thanks.
what we should be worried about is Lackey vs. Batista…not AJ and Raul…
Bow, we sure have never had snide comments about the Jones-Ibanez discussion before.
“Boy”, sted “Bow.” Although I hope the M’s take a lot of bows sweeping the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, USA, Earth.
This is what it is about!! Meaningful baseball in September. A NEW Generation of Mariners is born today!!!
Also…I have to be a “remote fan” a la Dave…although not as far away as he (I’m in Nashville). What I’m shocked about is that ESPN is not going to show even ONE of these games. This could be the most compelling games on the slate for August. I mean, we have the second and third best teams in baseball (record wise) fighting for first in the AL West with the Yankees lurking a few games behind the M’s for the Wildcard spot. What better theater than that?? Oh, ESPN thinks the Yankee/Detroit game is a better show tonight and the Yankee/Boston game Wednesday. Not that I haven’t already known this for many years but…WHAT A BUNCH OF MORONS.
Talk about giving the M’s some love? Come on!! They’re throwing a few scraps to make up for showing the Yankees again for the 100th time this year.
Sorry…It just bites that the M’s and Angels can’t get a little more respect and exposure across the country. They’re great teams playing great ball and the games tonight have great drama surrounding them. They should be shown to a national audience!!!
{step down of soap box}
I guess AJ/Raul is the 2007 version of “Hey, let’s trade Randy Winn for Ryan Howard!”
This probably belongs in a different thread, but I’m not sure where I’d put it. I just saw that Tim Purpura was fired by the Astros. I seem to remember him being mentioned as a possible GM candidate that USSM would favor. Is this still the case? If so, would be likely be considered by management more than other blog favorites such as Antonetti due to his “experience”?
off
i do (veaguely) remember drinking some “Bare Knuckes” at a game last year… whoah… i blacked out from that stuff… i hope i was only rude to the opposing team
anyway… i think the official beer thing is a pretty good idea… and i would vote “Fat Tire” all the way
-Ti
We can tear Lackey a new one. He is prone to getting rocked from time to time.
Oh, ESPN thinks the Yankee/Detroit game is a better show tonight and the Yankee/Boston game Wednesday. Not that I haven’t already known this for many years but…WHAT A BUNCH OF MORONS.
We’ll be lucky if Mariners’ games are broadcast nationally if they reach the World Series.
This is truly exciting. I am going to all three games, and just can’t stop thinking about the outcome. Win or lose, this is a great step for the organization. Of course, I’d much rather have them win, as I don’t see this team as currently constructed able to pull this off again next year.
Also, for the last time, neither Tony, Danny, nor Jose Bautista play for the Mariners. If you are going to make a post about the pitching match ups, I gather you had to of seen that Miguel’s last name is spelled “Batista.”
Oh, ESPN thinks the Yankee/Detroit game is a better show tonight and the Yankee/Boston game Wednesday. Not that I haven’t already known this for many years but…WHAT A BUNCH OF MORONS.
Well, the Yankees really don’t get a lot of media coverage or national TV time, so ESPN is making sure they get their fair share.
It’s not that ESPN thinks the Boston vs. New York series is more important, it’s just that they know that series will get much better ratings than the M’s – Angels series. It’s sad but true, most people in the country couldn’t care less about this series.
If the Yanks miss the playoffs and the Mariners snag the wild card, the camera crews would probably follow A-Rod and Jeter around in a new reality show instead of showing the ALDS.
Fat Tire, bleh. I suspect a requirement is to be a beer they actually sell at Safeco, but The Immortal IPA by Elysian Brewing Company would be a good choice to me personally, not Flat … I mean Fat Tire.
Bavasi is going to get an extension. I can feel it. The GM discussion, excited as it used to get me, now makes me depressed because I feel like it’s fast becoming moot. It’s sad because it shouldn’t be based on a season’s success, even if said season represents a remarkable turnaround in record from the few previous years. The question should be, are we building in a fashion conducive to sustainable competitiveness? I feel like the answer is no (see Vidro’s contract, pulling Sexson back off waivers after the Tigers were dumb enough to claim him, the egregious Weaver signing, etc.).
I’m gonna have to go with Alaskan IPA…. is that readily available in Seattle?
They sell IPA in Safeco. Not sure if it’s brewed by Elysian, though.
I went with Pabst Blue Ribbon cause it is Lolla-Blue-Za. The competitive price didn’t hurt either.
65 – If I’m not mistaken the games they choose to televise are chosen before the season starts, therefore they have to predict which games are going to be most meaningful. And before the season started Yankees-Red Sox looked like it was far more probably to be meaningful then Seattle-Anaheim. That and the game wouldn’t come on until 10 eastern.
69- You can’t let an AL rival with a terrible 1B pick up Sexson for free when both teams may wind up competing for the same playoff spot. That’s penny-wise, pound foolish. Better to keep Sexson and not play him if you think he’s that bad … trade him in the offseason.
And the Weaver signing wasn’t too terrible. No long term commitment to worry about either.
49:
It’s dropped and won’t be discussed here, but to respond specifically to you, don’t put words in my mouth. Just saying we bucked the odds and have been extremely fortunate to have it go our way about 9/10 times on average. It’s not a formula for sustainable success and raises significant questions about whether decisions are being made empirically or on gut feeling. That applies to every facet of baseball strategy, not just which guy to start in one position night after night.
74: I disagree wholeheartedly about the Sexson waiver issue. A guy hitting .210 and not getting on base even as often as some of your guys are getting hits is an anchor, not a motor. If you can sucker a competitor into taking on your dead weight, it’s a good idea even outside of the obvious contract issue. Especially when said player is a defensive liability and is keeping a better player on the bench. I agree to disagree, I’m leaving it at that.
Why is there such palpable negativity about next year and Bavasi today, when we are on the cusp on the biggest series this team has played since probably 2001? Let’s live for the now, and “enjoy the enjoyment” (as one website says)of a real, live pennant race this year. Let’s worry about next year when the season is over, and, also, give Bill his due, as he has presided over a turnaround that now sees the Mariners seriously contending. I am not trying to be Pollyannish, but let’s revel in the here and now and a chance for a season to remember.
Fat Tire is fattening… and may flatten your wallet… but im sticking with it…. unless we are instituting a rule that requires it (the official beer of the Mariners) to be available/sold in Safeco… then i vote IPA .. but i would like to let the record show that i vote in protest
GO M’s!!
-Ti
I’ll be looking for some Rainier Rally beer for this series. That stuff was sold everywhere when I lived in Seattle in the late 70′s. And there’s a fresh keg of Cinder Cone in the refrigerator as backup. Go Mariners!!!
66 – How would anyone know??? They’ve never shown anything except the Yankees or Red Sox!
mmmm cinder cone…. mmmmm….
oh sorry im drooling…
-Ti
The micros at Safeco are drinkable, but so is Bud (which is cheaper), and the correct strategy has been discussed before.
(I recommend the Elysian Fields brewery, which isn’t mentioned on there. I think DMZ isn’t updating that because some jackass will read that piece, decide that drinking and driving or binge drinking is being endorsed, do it, and then Lionel ‘this is is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my suit against the film, “The Never-Ending Story”‘ Hutz will get involved.)
I like the M’s future right now. There’s a good chance Sexson will be dealt during the offseason even if the M’s have to eat some of his contract, Guillen’s option will be picked up, AJ will be starting in LF, the Doubleplay Twins will have another year under their belt, Beltre is back for at least two more years, Ichiro’s locked up, the bullpen’s in great shape, Johjima’s an improvement over the endless string of light-hitting catchers the M’s were sticking behind the plate, and Felix will hopefully keep maturing into the stud we know he can be. The main question mark next year will be the starting rotation again.
77: Why are there ALWAYS people telling other people how to feel? I’m excited about the series, happy about where we are, and apprehensive about the future all at once. I can in fact contain all these feelings and not explode. Everyone who wants to just feel good about whatever, fine, feel how you like, but stop lecturing the rest of us. Thank you!
Safeco’s got Fat Tire available.
The M’s have had chances to trade Sexson before and passed them up, I don’t know why this off-season would be any different
apparently The Glenlivet isn’t a rally brew.
[shudder] Rex Hudler on the radio.
If we start getting our ass kicked early I am heading across the street for some Rally Car Bombs and then pass out on the Rally Floor.
In theory, this offseason would be different because we only have three spots for four players (AJ, Ibanez, Sexson, Vidro).
The M’s have had chances to trade Sexson before and passed them up, I don’t know why this off-season would be any different
I think Dave’s argument is that the roster is too logjammed if you assume AJ starts in the OF in 2008 and Guillen is resigned, since that moves Raul to DH or 1B.
I expressed some skepticism about this. Dave pointed out Bvasi really likes AJ… but then again, Bavasi raved about Doyle in front of all of us, too. I can completely see Sexson perking up the last part of the season and AJ being given Ellison and Broussard’s at-bats next year while we “go with proven veterans who’ve been through the wars”… though I certainly HOPE some sense prevails.
With the two losses in Texas makes this series with Angels even more important for the M’s playoffs hopes.
Because in order to achieve a tie in AL West the M’s must win the series to go ahead by a game a sweep must be completed.
The Angels are going to be doing everthing in their power to avoid both outcomes and the M’s have to be prepared for a baseball war not games.
This series in my opinion is the difference bettween having good odds to make the October playoff season or having to count on a stellar Sept to even be in the running.
Mind you a solid Sept is needed either way but it could become a scramble for wild card instead of having some sort of grip on how our fate is decided.
Rally Blue Moon is my choice, though I think the Mariners official beer is boring Budweiser.
After the season he’s had, if Bavasi can trade Sexson for anything in the offseason, even with the M’s picking up his entire contract, I’ll be impressed. Though I suppose you could trade him for an equally-expensive albatross, like Pavano.
Meanwhile, we return to this season — already in progress. This series is huge, and I wish the M’s weren’t entering it off a pair of losses to the lowly Rangers. Still, you dance with them’s that brung ya.
I’m seriously considering going to the day game on Wednesday, but I fear purchasing a ticket now will result in a pair of losses to lead up to it. Amazingly for a mid-week day game, the best seats available — even for just a single ticket — are up in the 200 level.
Rally 211
Oh yeah, and speaking of Sexson: Monday game, that means Bud is $2.12 at Norm’s tonight.
Everyone knows that Ibanez is just about done as an outfielder, including Bavasi and McLaren. Jones will be given every opportunity to earn the LF spot next season. That means that Ibanez will have to DH or play 1B or both. Unless Sexson suddenly starts ripping the cover off the ball for the final month he’ll be considered very expendable even if they don’t get much for him.
I have to watch the game on mute here in OC to avoid listening to Physioc and Hudler. I can barely stand listening to them when they’re playing another team, but it’s impossible during a Mariner game.
Here’s the thing, though: as much as that seems like a generally reasonable set of assumptions, there’s really no evidence that that’s what Bavasi/McLaren think, or that the team will, given a particular roster challenge, make what seems to be an obvious and correct decision.
Most of the time I wish for Sexson to pull out of it and rip the cover off the ball the last part of the year because a) he will be playing the majority of the time, like it or not.. and b) perhaps his offseason perceived value would go up marginally and we would be able to ‘off’ him somewhere..
But at the same time, I kinda hope he doesn’t. Because I see the ineptitude of the front office putting too much value on a last minute “Sexy Surge” and doing something stupid, like keeping him another full year.. or (gah) more.
But they can’t be *that* stupid, right?
I agree, except that Ibanez already IS done as an outfielder. He’s a defensive liability, no two ways about it. But since Vidro and Raul are as responsible as almost anyone in the lineup for how well we’ve been doing for the last month or so, we are going to have to stick with what’s working right now. That I can handle. Sexson was already deemed expendable enough to put on waivers…then he was pulled off, infuriating myself and many others. I would still like to see Ibanez, Turbo and BB share 1B and DH duties…my only problem with that is that I think BB deserves more than 150 at bats next season, though I know he doesn’t deserve 400 either. I don’t care where Sexson goes, just as long as it’s away from here!
96 – I fully agree with you Ibanez is done as a everyday OFer and with his bat being hot and needed.
I have been suggesting in other blogs and in the M’s Forum that Ibanez be delagated to 4thOFer/1stB/DH duties and let Jones be the everyday LFer and get his needed ABs to adjust quicker to MLB pitching.
As to Sexson I advocated his trade since the offseason and prior/during the ’07 ST for SP and prospects whiler he had value.
I again advocated his trade at the deadline to any of the Texiera sweepstake losers even if for only prospects.
Make Broussard our 1stBman with Ibanez and Bloomquist maybe Vidro handling backup off the bench.
This would opened up salary space for a FA TOR SP if available and also made a chance for LaHair next ST to make the team if only as bench player to back up Broussard.
Not only that Broussard could have been sign to extension similar to his present deal but for say 3 yrs.
“The Angels are hitting .308 this season with 12 home runs in 14 games against the Mariners. John Lackey has been very strong against the Mariners this season. He has not allowed a run against Seattle in 15 innings this season and has two of his 15 victories against them.”
The M’s put a lot of unnecessary pressure on themselves by playing so poorly against Texas, one of the worst teams in the majors. We’re 1-6 in our last 2 series against Texas. Playoff teams beat up on their inferiors (the Yankees have been making the playoffs on Tampa Bay’s/Baltimore’s backs for years). The M’s haven’t done this. If the M’s miss the playoffs (and I think they will), the failures against Texas will be at least as meaningful as whatever they do/don’t do against the contenders.
Just because it has worked over the last 6 weeks or so is no reason to believe it will continue to work for another 6 weeks, or even another 6 hours.
I wish I was there tonight, but alas, I am in Pullman being a Coug. I am wearing my M’s hat today though! Time to start “Refuse To Lose” for 2007, baby.
Go M’s!
P.S. I don’t agree with commenter #1 that if the M’s don’t sell out the Angels series Seattle doesn’t deserve a playoff team. I used to attend M’s games regularly, but have been to only one game since 2002. The reason? I refuse to subsidize the FO’s incompetence. I think that is a perfectly valid reason to not attend, and has nothing to do with anyone “deserving” anything. Remember, this has been a last place team (despite massive financial resources) for several years now.
next year is next year…go get your rally beer and focus on making THIS year’s playoffs…
Well as disgusting as it sounds I wouldn’t mind a “sexy surge”.
Anything to help us win now.
Thoughts, desires of an off season Sexson trade. Umm, I think he recently cleared wiavers, and the team balked at giving him his walking papers.
It’s a catch 22, if he gets any worse no one will want him. If he doesn’t get worse, the team won’t let him go.
The fact that Sexson was put on waivers tells you that his future here is very shaky, even if Bavasi didn’t pull the trigger on the Tigers trade. Sexson’s been given a lot of rope this year based on the notion that he’s a second half hitter who can carry a team, and Richie’s hung himself with that rope so far. He won’t be given the same opportunity to be a 6’8″ hole in the lineup for 3/4 of the season next year even if he does come back. Management isn’t deaf to the booing Sexson’s been getting in Safeco either even if they and the media have tried to guilt-trip fans into stopping it.
I really doubt Sexson will be back, personally.
beckya57: The M’s are 8-8 against the Rangers this year, not stella, but certainly not as bad as you think. No, the M’s were not 1-6 against the Rangers in the last 2 series, they were 2-6.
No, the Yankees aren’t beating up on the Orioles this year either, they are 4-8 against the O’s, which is even more pathetic than the 8-8 record the M’s have against the Rangers.
You can elect NOT to go to any M’s games, but I don’t think many people share your opinion on the team.
6. Don’t get too excited about the BECU seats tonight: they weer nearly gone early last week, and they apparently sold the last of the open seat pairs before this weekend. Once the friendly neighborhood scalpers have made their pregame run, there will probably be none left.
So just for the record:
RH vs Lackey: .231/.361/.652
LH vs Lackey: .268/.391/.722
Fuel for the near-certain Broussard vs. Sexson fire that will undoubtedly ignite as soon as Sexson is announced in the staring lineup for tonight.
Re: Lackey – um, yeah, he’s been tough on the M’s this year. 2 starts, 15 innings, 11 hits, 4 BB, 9 K, zero runs. Much better than last year when he gave up 25 runs and 46 hits in 26.2 innings across 5 starts. There are not many aspects of the 06 season that I like better than 07, but the 06 Lackey is one of them.
Yea, but if Richie’s not in the lineup tonight we’ll always wonder how many K’s he would’ve had…
In honor of Happy Big Series Day I’m considering buying tickets to the Sept 26 double header vs. Cleveland. The times currently show TBA on ESPN and simply 4:05 at TicketMaster. Does anyone know when the games will actually start and what standard protocol is for this sort of situation? It would seem that a 1:05, 4:05 double dipper would make the most sense.
I think I’d be happy living the rest of my life in uncertainty over the number of strikeouts Richie would have had.
Hey, Angels fan here. I’m not usually too excited about a series in August, but I am REALLY excited to get home tonight and watch the game. That’s mostly due to your great season. Thanks and good luck.
Did anyone hear Rex Hudler on today with the Groz? I imagine he would get annoying over 162 games, but he is halarious to listen to for 5 or 10 minutes, so energenic.
But do you put more weight on Lackey’s dominance against the M’s so far this season, or his performance in past years and against other teams this season? His last two outings have been losses: he gave up 11 hits and 7 runs against Boston, and then struggled against NY. He appears to either not be the pitcher the M’s saw earlier in the season, or to be having problems wityh aggressive offenses (which describes Seattle recently but not so much earlier in the year). On the other hand, Batista’s last start wasn’t particularly encouraging either (and Vlad is 6-for-10 with a 1.600 OPS against him this year, 12-for-23 and 1.325 lifetime). Of course Batista is better at Safeco than he is on the road. And Lackey is 6-5 lifetime at Safeco.
Whichever team has their pitcher from last Wednesday show up loses; whichever team doesn’t, wins. If they both get their starters back from last Wednesday, well, it’s going to be ugly.
Is there a chance, especially considering Raul’s turnaround, that Adam Jones spends most of next year in Tacoma? What if Raul takes the career path of Luis Gonzalez, playing into his late thirties, being the public face of the team, while hitting somewhat productively and being a defensive albatross? It seems they are content with that.
Regarding Bavasi’s contract, he has said in the past that it is basically a handshake deal that can end when either side wants it to. No formal extensions will be forthcoming. If I understand him, it is just a rolling contract, so he’ll be there until he’s not.
w/r/t Sexson being put on waivers: being put on waivers is not a good indicator that Sexson is unwanted. There are teams that routinely put all their players on waivers each year to see what happens, since the cost of revocation is $0.
There is no evidence available that says that the team’s tired enough of Sexson that he’s likely to be gone next year. Wanting it to be true doesn’t make it true.
energenic?
Umm, I think he recently cleared wiavers, and the team balked at giving him his walking papers.
He didn’t clear waivers. He was claimed on waivers and the team revoked the waivers. So your conclusion that he’s unwanted is just the opposite of the truth.
Anybody likes Pyramid? It’s brewed in northwest, right? I like the Curve Ball.
The Angels are the exact type of team that we should play our best defensive 9 against. Forget the argument about the trade off between Jones’ defensive value and the month that Raul just put up, I feel like saving runs is going to be more valuable this series than scoring them.
126- Considering we’ve put up zero runs in 15 innings against Lackey I’d beg to differ.
Pyramid’s awesome. Is it brewed in the northwest? It’s brewed right acrossthe street from the ballpark! The draught pale ale (DPA) is to die for.
The pyramid heffeweizen is pretty good.
And Curve Ball is the best summer beer around…..Come to think of it I also like Snow Cap in the winter.
#116– “a traditional doubleheader at Safeco Field on Wednesday, Sept. 26, against the Cleveland Indians. The first game is scheduled to begin at 4:05 p.m., and the second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the end of game one. A single ticket will be good for admission to both games. Gates will open at 2:05 p.m.”
This is big, and fun! I can’t see it broadcast live and it doesn’t necessarily mean a pass into the playoffs, but it will show the league and the fans if the team is really up to the challenge of the playoffs. It will give a clear signal how good the team really is.
Go M’s! (And get Adam and Ben on the field, early and often!)
104:
Read my previous posts on this thread…that’s exactly what I said before and got jumped on, though I still believe it to be true. To analogize, you can pull 4′s out of your ass when hitting on 17 a bunch of times in a row, but that will never mean it’s a good strategy for a career playing blackjack. At the same time, I don’t advise taking guys out of the lineup who are helping the team win with their logic-defyingly hot bats. I’d like to see AJ playing left and Turbo, Raul and BB in a 1B/DH platoon, but it’s not going to happen. I’m done bitching about it until Turbo’s and/or Raul’s bats disappear again (they will to some degree, it’s inevitable, even if it doesn’t happen until the playoffs) and the argument holds the amount of water that logic says it does.
Hmm, I don’t think I’ve tried Curve Ball yet. I might have to invoke the power of the Rally Curve Ball tonight.
How about Full Sail? A nice metaphor for mariners and their race for the pennant.
All right. Many people like Pyramid. Should we at least drink Curve Ball every time Felix is starting?
I haven’t seen a micro listed in this thread that I don’t love. Kudos on the good taste in suds, fellow M’s fans.
No Curve Balls until after the first inning.
133:
Just because we will stick with the hot bats doesn’t mean we have to. Hence my objection.
I am off to Rally Pre-Flight for the game with a few local Ft Collins Brews. I will be back for the kick off of Lolla-Blue-Za with my Pabst Blue Ribbon! Go M’s!!
I ordered some Mariners gear today so hopefully in 4-7 days I will still want to wear it once it arrives.
Best NW brewery: Deschutes, in Bend. Mirror Pond Pale Ale is great, as is Obsidian Stout. Many local dives (i.e., downtown Seattle) serve Mirror Pond. Another great beer, one that’s truly local, is Manny’s Pale Ale – that’s from Georgetown Brewery. Slugger’s serves Manny’s, as do many other local joints.
133:
Yes, I understand. I was clarifying that I agree with you. You will learn as I have (if you haven’t already) that advocating the benching of Raul because he is probably the worst defensive LF in the league really aggravates some people while he is torching the ball. I think we shouldn’t stick with the hot bats (as I said, platoon them between first and DH) when we can have a huge defensive upgrade in left, but I’m finally resigned to the fact that we will. And I guess as long as we’re winning, I’m not going to moan too much about it, ridiculous as I think it is.
133 – The hot hand was dissected last week.
I’m with 141, Pyramid is good, Red Hook is good, but when I’m really in the mood for for a tasty treat I want something I can’t see through and Black Butte or Obsidian both taste like liquid candy. That being said I think cheap old Rainier should be the official Mariner’s rally beer, even if they aren’t making it right downtown anymore.
hmmmm – Mirrorpond Pale Ale! And Manny’s Pale Ale! I knocked down about 10 of those when I was up there earler this month.
Though many may not agree, my all-time favorite is the original – Redhook ESB. Often emulated, rarely equaled…
Widmer Hef beats Pyramid, IMO.
I’d like to see Dick Sexson go to the plate wearing a double-can beer helmet with straws one time.
Anyone ever notice that the current ‘standard’ McLaren lineup is ordered almost perfectly by OBP? 1-5 is exact:
Ichiro: 400
Vidro: 384
Guillen: 362
Ibanez: 340
Beltre: 331
Sexson: 303
Joh: 318
Lopez: 293 (!)
Yuni: 312
Detroit beating Yanks 6-0, Cleveland beating Minnesota 7-0.
Being stuck here in Nebraska, I can’t tell you how much I miss the Pyramid microbrews. Although, we have some tasty microbrews here (Empyrian Ales out of Lincoln, NE…their Luna Sea ESB and Vanilla Porter are especially tasty). I’m a vodka guy, I will be consuming Rally Stoli, then I will Rally pass out.
What’s wrong with the Moose?
Wow, as I type that Placido hit a bomb.
7-0
Standard lineup tonight.
Does Placido have something against the Moose?
The Yanks are starting to look less and less like a playoff team.
144 – and for the classic ads, of course.
I hope Moose keeps being in Yankees’ rotation, at least until we play with them.
Kind of a shame for Detroit to waste all these runs on a Justin Verlander start. Should have used them for Bonderman the other day.
Of course 2007 Mussina against Verlander was somewhat predictable.
Mussina is dee ewe enn done. Here’s hoping the Yanks refuse to believe it and run him out to face the M’s next week.
#111–Are you sure about those numbers? My memory is that the M’s got swept in the recent 4 game series, and then won 1 and lost 2 in the last series, hence 1-6. Even if it is 2-5 (not 2-6), that’s still a disgraceful recent record against a last-place team by a team that considers itself a contender.
As for the Yankees, you proved my point. It’s the previous editions of the Yankees that beat up on TB and Baltimore. This one is not nearly as good, and thus doesn’t beat up on the lower teams as consistently.
If the Ms could sweep, they would become almost a lock for the playoffs… They’d lead their division by a game and likely have a 4 game lead over the second place team in the WC chase…
I’ve never been impressed by the Yankees this year. You have to have a good starting rotation to be competitive in the playoffs, and all of their pitchers are either too old or too young, with the exception of Wang. The stars are past their prime and injury-prone. I’ve thought all year that the Red Sox are the class of MLB, and have seen no reason to change my mind.
When referring to the Yankees’ stars being past their prime and injury-prone, I was referring specifically to the pitchers. Some of the regulars fit that description also, but not all of them (A-Rod is the obvious exception). Yes, their offense is amazing, but you still need pitching.
I’d like to think you’re kidding…. Do you know the statistical difference in a couple of games in an eight-game sample? For crying out loud.
No, demonstrating that what you said is untrue does not prove your point.
Your point was meaningless anyway. The Yankees used to be owned by the Devil Rays; it was a joke in the local papers. Did that mean a damned thing about their championshio quality? Of course not. What matters is how you do against everybody. There are a thousand different paths to the playoffs. Everybody can point to a pattern that supports their theory of which games you need to win. The fact is, you need to win all of them, and if the Yankees won sixty percent against the Red Sox and forty percent against the Orioles, or the other way round, their record will be the same.