Game 24, A’s at Mariners
7:10, FSN. Batista v Eveland. Oakland comes into the series tied for the division lead with the Angels. The M’s have a chance to pull them down. We’ll see how it goes.
Dana Evelend’s another guy the A’s took off the Diamondbacks. He’s a lefty, pretty heavy groundballer, historically has a little above average on walks given up, about average for striking guys out.
I don’t think lineups have that huge an impact, but if I were to put together tonight’s, I’d be wary of where I put the slow ground ball hitters, if you know what I’m saying. We’ll see what happens.
Lineups!
C-R Suzuki
1B-L Barton
2B-R Ellis
DH-R Thomas
LF-L Cust (who is listed under “designated hitters” on the A’s roster)
RF-R Brown
SS-R Crosby
CF-R Sweeney
3B-R Murphy
CF-L Ichiro!
2B-R Lopez
LF-L Ibanez
3B-R Beltre
DH-B Professional Hitter who is not hitting Jose Vidro
1B-R Sexson
C-R Johjima
RF-R Bloomquist
SS-R Betancourt
but, but, Derek! that would take guys out of their roles, out of the established line-up!!!
why is every one so surprised that the M’s defense has been bad?
Because people refuse to believe that they sucked last year?
Nice to hear from Mac that the defense is one of our strengths and that the extension will have some clubs knocking on our door so we can add a couple of missing pieces. Also talked about gettingva certain catcher into the line up.
Well, I bought a Kenji shirt at the game last night. Guess I’ll have plenty of time to wear it. I thought he’d get 2 years, but I’m surprised at 3.
I’m still in Seattle, but not going to the game tonight. That should insure that they play much better than last night. “Defense one of our strengths…” I can’t even type that with a straight face after last night.
Think about how much the defense would be improved just by a simple move such as signing Lofton to play left and moving Raul to DH.
So what exactly is Batista’s “secret” that everyone is talking about? Is he wearing his lucky underwear today?
5- Hell, if last year is any indicator, that would be a significant upgrade on offense as well.
This is going to be a long night.
*heads to liquor cabinet*
what was that magic thing that Batista figured out last start?
6: I was kinda wondering what his “secret” was myself.
If Frank Thomas his a HR here I’m going to throw up in my mouth.
Man, what a base-clogger.
hmmm… this is already intriguing.
Benne, can you get me a Double Sapphire and Tonic?
Already, that non-pickup of the Big Hurt is coming back to haunt us.
Krueger had a guess about Batista’s “secret” before the game, but I didn’t hear it. Did anyone else?
You got it. Would you like the head of Turbo on a platter, as well?
whatever it was, I think he left it in Anaheim.
“Miguel Batista said there was a secret behind his success Sunday against the Angels, but he provided precious few details. “I can’t tell you what it was,†Batista said. “But I think I found something that I wish I would have found four or five years earlier in my career.â€
“I don’t know for certain,†he said, avoiding specifics. “It’s going to take me another four or five starts to find out for sure. But if it does, I might be able to pitch another five years.
Any hints?
“(Heck) no,†he said.
The few clues that Batista gave away had to do with his velocity and making his pitches appear even faster.
“I didn’t have great velocity today, but I was still able to throw the ball by people and they knew fastball was coming,†he said, adding it was a tactic that Greg Maddux and a few other pitchers are also using.
Was it a physical adjustment, a change in approach, what?
“Can’t tell you,†Batista said.”
Well….. this is fun. Thank god it’s Friday and I can drown my frustration with this team!
You know, if it would get Mac to sit ‘em, I would say yes. But I would probably put even money in Vegas that his ass would still roll out a headless corpse at DH before trying something new.
FWIW, the FSN radar has Batista at 94-95 mph, well above his career norm. Not that it’s helping him right now.
At least Baek will get in some work tonight.
I wonder if Miggy’s “secret” is the same tonic that Krueger’s using on his hair these days.
Well that will do it for me, I’m off to get plastered. Hopefully when I stumble back to check the score I’ll see an M’s victory… hopefully.
Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2008 Mariners!
Well, Miggy, now that’s just a ducky little piece of pitching. >:(
We have a Baek sighting! Miggy is comically bad today.
Cue the calliope music.
Good call on that…he’s up already in the pen!
HIs fast ball is moving so much he can’t control it
Batista + Washburn = 19 Million Dollars of Salary.
Oh man, this is painful. This is like watching Bobby Ayala and his classic bullpen meltdowns… Wait, that was last night.
Did Miguel ever throw 95 before?
That’s what’s getting me thinking about what his “secret” is. Miggy rarely threw above 90-92 before. Today he’s touching 94-95 and it’s all over the place.
I noticed Batista fussing over his cleats on the mound…kicked off some dirt. Got to be the cleats, that’s the problem; struck out the next hitter after that.
Someone warn Baek to clean those cleats before relieving Batista’s half game of pitching.
I got it…Miggy must’ve sent away for some instructional DVD’s from the Nolan Ryan Institute.
5 straight fastballs from Eveland?
It’s run-manufacturing time!
Boy does Mariner nation need some hope with some offense … sometime soon.
On a brighter note Lopez with the nice even swing. He’s made me smile so far.
Sac fly works for me.
Now that was professional.
Somehow, Turbo manages to hit a ball in the dirt for an easy groundout. He never fails to impress.
A .200 hitting DH with no power. At least the team will be used to interleague play.
It’s time for Baek.
I finally figured it out! Batista’s secret is to not throw strikes so he can get to the bar early tonight.
Am I the only one who thinks sac flies play way too big a role in our offense? Feels like they score half their runs that way.
Not that they do, of course. In fact, the actual number right now is 11 out of 108 runs, which is ~10.2%. That’s too high.
Apparently Miggy angered the baseball gods by even mentioning the secret.
On Ichiro Bobblehead Night, Kurt Suzuki has so far reached base more times than Ichiro.
Define irony…
Miguel hurt? AS if the braintrust needed a ‘now what’ to further display their ineptitude.
Too funny!
The M’s should have a stress toy night at Safeco. A prosthetic soul patch is nice and all, but…
So Batista’s hurt. That certainly explains a lot.
I reckon we’ll be having another Dickey sighting within a few days…
It’s BAEK TIME! (barfs)
Of Batista’s 47 pitches, 21 were for strikes.
Well, Kurt has been up to bat more.
Beltre’d!
so, maybe it isn’t the flu going through the clubhouse, but a case of infectious suckitudeitis?
I’m not sure I like the new undershirts with the M’s uniforms. Very J. Crew.
They look like they need to put on pukka shells and wear their hats backwards.
#58–no, it’s just a poorly constructed team that’s also had several injuries.
Haha dw…at least it fits with some Seattle stereotypes.
I think the gun at Safeco is off- it has been registering high all week, unless you really think Felix was throwing 100 MPH when sick the other night ….
Has throwing a strike become a lost art on this team???
Apparently Miggy is out with a groin injury.
Pukka shells — arrgh! Don’t give Bavasi any ideas…he’ll wanna go see if Turk Wendell can come out of retirement to join the bullpen.
Batista is out with a groin injury– and, I see that Baek last pitched 12 days ago.
Wonder if he pulled something trying to hit 95 on the gun?
Big Richie! (remember those commercials?)
Wait…Sexson, ah, actually makes contact on the first pitch?!
When was the last time Richie swung on a first pitch? Recently it seems he takes the first one and then psyches himself out because he’s down in the count…
8:06 BLOWERS CITES CONTRACT WORRIES AS SOURCE OF KENJI BATTING WOES
Who had that in the pool?
Those “Big Richie!” spots reminded me of Arby’s ads for some reason.
got my hopes up there, that it was a team upgrade of some kind.
OMG, and Dave comes out and expresses doubts about the extension! On air! Go Dave!
Also, Blowers says there’s no question those kids will be in the big leagues.
Do our announcers have to emulate the network Fox guys by complimenting ballplayers everytime they simply do their job–make a routine play, run fast enough not to get doubled up?
did it have to be Blow? ’cause Kreuger brought it up, too.
Sorry msb.
Gotta love Kenji. Sees nine pitches, only gets to a 2 ball count.
The pool was for in-game. I’m going to assume it was me and have a gin and tonic, because some jerk upthread mentioned it and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
Blowers: “Good news! Other teams will be calling Bavasi about our young catchers in the minors!”
Gee, Mike…thats what we were afraid of.
damn. I never win the raffle.
Who had that in the pool?
Actually, all I need is “Blowers gives Rally Fries to eight year old with hand-lettered sign” and I have bingo.
Anybody besides me think that the Johjima signing represents 2 of this FO’s worst traits: 1) overvaluing veterans and undervaluing talented youth, and 2) prioritizing keeping popular players over winning games? Billy Beane would NEVER have done this.
Yeah, Blow, why does that constitute good news?
8:15 Niehaus calls current pitcher previous pitcher’s name
Oooh, I’m working on blackout now.
Willie’s due for an extension too. Hopefully his next contract will once again include a $150,000 bonus in the event Willie wins the MVP.
Some Jerk? c’mon D, you know you are craving the Sapphire after watching this crap so far… You’re just delaying the inevitable.
oh, btw, speaking of Big Frank Thomas (I assume that is his legal name?) he pretty much said his re-signing with Oakland was for the reasons we’d assumed.
According to him (via Baker) 4 teams including Seattle inquired, none of the 4 offered a 2009 extension, and Seattle couldn’t/wouldn’t promise him that he’d be the full-time DH, unlike Oakland– which also had the benefit of familiarity/comfort.
Did Blowers just allude to Ruth’s “equipment”?
“A big head, among other things…”
I don’t think I have any Sapphire in the house. Which is shocking in and of itself.
Msb, are you telling us Thomas wouldn’t sign here because the team was intent on preserving Vidro in at least a part-time DH role?? If so, just shoot me now.
Yeah, that doesn’t make me feel any better.
You konw the announcers are bored when they bring up Abner Doubleday.
Actually, I can’t get blackout. One of the squares is “Valle discusses 20th Century German philosophers.”
I do have a little bottle of Maker’s Mark, but that’s useless for a G&T.
I really do not like Vidro and everything he represents.
Dear God, this Beanie Baby conversation would be enough to drive me to drink were I not already drinking.
I guess they weren’t willing to say, no Frank, the one-dimensional player we’re currently paying $9M dollars to probably won’t be sliding down the bench to keep Greg Norton company fulltime.
I’ve been working on a bingo card for M’s broadcasts tonight. Really.
Jack Cust did his best Raul impression there.
thank goodness, I’ve had the sound down on the tv.
I have gin, but no tonic. or soda.
I do have lime, however…
You could do a drinking game. Real simple. Just drink heavily when the Mariners are on OK.
I think the Beanie Baby routine is intended to distract us from how badly the team is playing. I think I’ll go bang my head against the wall, and then do the sackcloth and ashes and rending the garment thing they’re always talking about in the Bible. I don’t drink, so that option isn’t open for me.
er, on TV.
Brain currently functioning the way the Mariners are hitting.
that guy spent 10 hours of his life to try to win rally fries. c’mon m’s fans
All future M’s and A’s games should have two designated hitters, one for the pitcher and one for the leftfielder. They could play like we used to in grade school, with balls hit to left field automatic outs.
C’MON BELTRE!!! SHOW A SACK AND ARGUE FOR ONCE!
Sorry, that pitch was a little inside.
I have to strongly disagree with that. I learned last night his favorite actor is Sean Connery. So I’m totally OK with his Connery fandom. On everything else, I’m with you, though.
#89
DMZ, let’s just pray he was was talking about Ruth’s gut, or bat, or…..anything else.
Could you imagine Blowers arguing with an umpire? All calm and monotone: “I think there’s absolutely no question about it, that was a ball.”
10 years ago, when I was in the UK, my brother calls me and says his best friend’s girlfriend really really really wants a Brittania bear could I please find her one?
Go to John Lewis, and they said they sold out, and what was the deal with all the Americans showing up asking for them anyway? They were going for about 10 quid, $17.
Just checked on eBay. $5.
Has anyone ever told Dave Sims what a jackass he looks like in those hats?
Well Baek hasn’t been a total disaster yet. Things could be a lot worse…
how about stress-eating?
speaking of gin and it, when is the USSM feed? is it a feed this year, or just a get-together?
I love 4 pitch innings.
How often does a major leaguer get thrown out, on average? How great a testament to Blow’s character is that?
Vern Fonk, Seattle’s answer to Crazy Eddie.
and, based on this year’s cookbook, he has a lovely family who all enjoy some fine cooking.
Cliff is officially below the Mendoza Line.
I hate this dead zone in our lineup. But I guess it is better than spreading them out.
You’ve got me on the stress-eating, msb, I’m definitely prone to doing that. Maybe I can blame all my extra pounds on the M’s….
On Vidro, his eyebrows still creep me out.
Did you see the FSN tracer on Sexson’s strikeout. 6 pitches and not one was a strike yet Richie finds a way
remember when every one seemed to think the Angels and A’s would struggle to start the season?
yeah, and this is our easy month
Vidro is enough to make me dislike Connery… and anything his family cooks. Perhaps if they did not make such delicious meals he would be able to run out one of his four grounders per game.
123-I’m not sure a pitch has ever registered in the strike zone for Joe’s Tracer
Is something up with our mound? Silva caught a cleat on it the other day, and I saw Kenji messing with it when he went out to talk to Bautista before they pulled him.
sounds more than reasonable to me. I settled on just re-heating my decaf tea. pathetic.
Leave Vidro alone. He needs his stress eating too.
Well, I’ve got a conference to go to tomorrow, and the M’s have convinced me that continuing to watch this game will be bad for my physical and emotional health, so I’m going to go do some stress eating while not drinking.
I see another trademark coming…Willie Bloomquist, Corner Outfielder.
Egads, Vidro and Joh both below the Mendoza line and Joh just got his extension and Vidro is going to play enough for his option to vest. I do not think this can be stated enough. Maybe Mr. Yamauchi would be more concerned with the purse-strings if the Wii were not doing so well.
While watching Ichiro foul off some pitches, I started looking for some data on pitches per plate appearance, foul balls, pitches taken, etc. Mariner hitters started out getting more walks. So I tried but couldn’t find any data on pitches per plate appearance this year, or any year, to attempt to conclude that a higher pitch count per plate appearance means a higher OBP. While searching, I came across this:
http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/02/swinging_taking.php
Then the bizarre Fungo Commercial played, and I lost focus…
Can someone point me to data that has pitches per plate appearance along with the result of the at bat? I want to play with this data myself.
so we should blame Annette Vidro and that really good looking fried fish, plantains & sauce recipe. and maybe the midnight snacks of frosted flakes. and the praline & cream ice cream.
I have to say, though, it is hard to really hate someone who claims Looney Tunes as his favorite tv show and under music lists both Metallica and Hector “El Father” ….
Nintendo should have a gimmick night where the whole team swings Wii-motes instead of bats. Get the product some more exposure. It’s not like it would really effect the offense.
man willie sucks
Wow what a superb Suzuki play
#137: Agreed. Bring back Wilk. Wow.
I’d enjoy a dinner party a la casa de Vidro. It’s not Jose Vidro penciling his own name in to the line-up. You can’t really get mad at a player for being washed up.
I wonder if a pitcher is more or less able to throw a lot of pitches after sitting on the bench for twelve days.
Baek kicking ass.
As for Vidro, it is a vicious cycle, I imagine. The more he indulges in those tasty treats the slower he gets, and the slower he gets the more he eats. It is his only escape from those painful memories of being one of the better hitting 2nd baseman in baseball all those years ago in Montreal and what he has become now.
I like Mike’s idea. Could make up for the loss in profits wasted on M’s “talent.”
I’ll be the first…Baek for Cy Young!!
You can’t stop Cha Seung Baek. You can only hope to contain him.
Derek-there’s another square for your M’s announcer bingo card…every time Blowers bitches about the schedule
Man MSB, you’re killin’ a brother who hasn’t gotten around to eating dinner yet!
And I’ve gotta pick up that new cookbook, too…that recipe sounds awesome!
There have now been 17 consecutive outs by both teams…this game’s a barnburner!
Do voters take into account if a pitcher only gets to pitch every 12 days?
Maybe Miggy’s “secret” strategy should’ve been to let Baek start this game for him.
I think Baek maybe a viable starter if the M’s don’t ever tell him he’s going to pitch until…well when he needs to start warming up.
What’s this, a pulse?
Whoa, we have somebody on base?
Ah I love when Vidro can GIDP and get a RBI.
Don’t fuck this up Turbo.
Boy with Ibanez/Cust manning left field today, everyone should be trying to poke the ball there. If they can. Richie should of course concentrate on making contact of any kind.
Here comes a sacrifice fly. The most exciting play in Mariners baseball.
Come on Turbo! One time!
Bases loaded, nobody out for the Mariners!
I forget. What’s this thing called again?
A rally?
Baseball Tonight talking about the Joh extension
And, as Blowers pointed out, Turbo was good enough to set up a second sac fly. Because, you know, a base hit is just too much to ask for.
Vidro really wanted a RBI…
(b) The official scorer shall not credit a run batted in
(1) when the batter grounds into a force double play or a reverse-force double play; or
C’mon Richie…at least make a productive out!
Fwiw, Kurkjian said the M’s really like Kenji and they will now be moving Clement to 1st. Orestes Destrade spoke about intangibles and used a Japanese word that translates, I believe, to grittiness.
Sacrifice fly for Richie!
First Vidro, now Richie.
The Mariners sure have some Professional Hitters.
I wonder if we can start a new trademarked catagory: “Professional Sac-Fly Artist”?!
I thought grittiness was an inherent part of catching.
Luckily sacrifice flies are my favorite play in baseball.
Did anybody see the drunk guy award Kenji first base. That guy brings the passion.
I would have never imagined Wilkerson pinch hitting. Miracles do happen.
We’re putting our fate in Wilkerson’s hands? Somebody kill me.
Kenji Mendoza…
Hit-by-pitch for Johjima. The second most exicting play in Mariner baseball (behind the sac fly).
The drama builds….
In a related article on pitches per plate appearance (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/and-heres-the-pitch/), Brad Wilkerson shows up for years 2000-2004:
Highest PA OPS Pitches P/PA
Rickey Henderson 1290 694 5595 4.34
Brad Wilkerson 2029 838 8740 4.31Todd Zeile 2552 751 10953 4.29
Jeremy Giambi 1299 828 5574 4.29
Adam Dunn 2112 893 9039 4.28
This year before the game, so far his OBP is .302, SLG .244, AVG .178 with 45 ABs. Couldn’t find P/PA for this year though.
Let’s see how many he takes now…
Wilkerson comes on to hit for Willie — to the tune of Alan Parsons’ “Sirius”.
The way his season has started, “Damned If I Do” or “Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You” might’ve been more appropriate.
Nice to see Wilkerson hasn’t lost it in his time off…
So predictable.
You see, there are TWO types of grittiness. And that is where the Mariners FO has one over on us… they see that special type of grittiness that allows an aging, low power, low avg catcher to be worthy of a three year extension at well above average pay for a back-up at his position. Clement must not have the second type yet.
Here’s Wilkerson’s P/PA.
I thought he was tossing Casilla out of the game, but you’re interpretation is plausible as well.
Say, this Baek guy isn’t too bad. Aren’t you glad that you discovered he’s on your team, Mac?
15 in a row for Cha Seung Young!
Wow, Wilkerson’s one clutch at bat was as bad for the team as Vidro’s flailing this game, according to WPA — it’s -.077 to -.084
That’s veteran grittiness.
Where’s Lauren when you need her?
Ouch! Geez, aren’t there any NL pitchers that we can sign to ride the pine and pinch-hit once in a while?
I know!
-jimmylauderdale
How is Kenji a “low power, low avg catcher”? The last 2 seasons he’s been in the top 10 for hitters at his position in just about every important hitting stat.
I really don’t understand why we can’t stay with Baek — he is dealing. He’s a starter, so he can handle the work. I don’t get stuff like that. There has to be an explanation….?
Someone needs to explain to the team that when a guy gets on first they can’t get him home via three sac flies.
Haha! True… gosh, has every run we’ve scored tonight been via sac fly?
My bad, I meant that with his age that is likely what he will end up being for the duration of the extension. I know I am assuming alot with that, and would love to be wrong, but it is what I fear will happen. I actually like Johjima and what he has done, but the extension at this time for this money is not a wise move.
Anybody know the team record for Sac Flies in April? The M’s have to be closing in on it. I think Lopez may be at or close to the individual record for April in the post-expansion era.
Yup.
Ouch! Geez, aren’t there any NL pitchers that we can sign to ride the pine and pinch-hit once in a while?
Check out the Brewers. They’re carrying 14 pitchers, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Question. If the Mariner’s, starting tomorrow were moved to the NL, would John McLaren’s head actually explode?
Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles!
Turbo’s scary speed putting pressure on the A’s.
So whatever it was, this thing Batista found, it ended up straining his groin?
“I had a thing. It was a secret thing. It was my secret thing. And then I, uh, broke it.”
Not pinch running for Vidro? Seriously?
Turbo’s scary speed putting pressure on the A’s.
That’s why they call him “Little Hurt.”
199 – Who’s on the bench that would actually make a difference on the base path?
Wow, pinch hitting for a guy who just got a $24 million contract. What a signing.
Richie said a bad word. But then, I said the same word.
I don’t get the waiting a batter to put in a pinch runner.
Oh Suckson.
Can someone explain why Mclaren waited until after he subbed for Johjima to pinch run with Cairo?
Also, really glad we made that new deal with Kenji today.
It would start to, and then he would be reminded that the Mariners’ DH hits about as well as a pitcher and that he would now be given many more opportunities to utilize the skills of Princess Willie and the Ghost of Miguel Cairo in the form of double-switches.
Wilkerson and Norton pinch hitting in the same game. Do you believe in Miracles? Yes!
McLaren baffles me.
For more than the obvious reasons, I miss Freddy sometimes. He’s .207/.230/.241 lifetime (12/58) at the plate as a hitter…not horrible for a pitcher — and, interestingly enough, I remember one interleague game against the Dodgers where Lou actually did use him as a pinch-hitter.
When we were getting blown out, of course.
Wilkerson looks very confident at the plate. Not.
206- And PONIES!
I really think McLaren gets fixated on something and forgets about everything else for a bit. There’s not that much going on at any point in the game, you’d think he’d be able to keep up. But maybe he’s just asleep.
It’s sad when you’re rooting for a HBP.
The Mariners look destined to give back every one run game the took last year, with interest.
Lou used Zambrano as a pinch hitter in the post season last year.
I think McLaren’s dumb, and I’m saying that with all seriousness. He’s just unintelligent.
There’s a reason he’s been in the business for 97 years without ever being a manager.
@213: I guess we’re regressing to the mean, only over a two season stretch….
Niehaus just called him Curtis Wilkerson. Huh?
Wilk is SOOOO gritty with those walks!
Wilk working the count, fouling off pitches and drawing a walk? Get out of here.
May I have a sacrifice fly to go please?
This game is becoming oddly symmetrical.
Clutch P/PA
What are the chances of a Yuni GIDP?
Well, crap
I called it. sigh
We suck as much as a bucket full of really sucky things
And are you proud about that?
214: Joser — Just looked up CZ’s plate numbers real quick. I can see why Lou did that…Wow!
Not at all… hence the sigh. Just speaks to the fact of how predictable things have gotten.
I’m kind of late to the posts here. Watching the game in Oakland. Not sure if this has been brought up yet, but the Mariners are 11-12 and, if we’re lucky, 12-12 if they somehow pull out a couple more runs tonight. We are now through almost 25 games of the season, which I think is a pretty good stretch to get a feel for the team. I don’t want to panic yet, but should we face up to that likely fact that this year’s Mariners are a .500 team, at best? Is this is as good as it’s going to get this year?
Lowe just lost his fastball…
I was kind of sad when the only way we could score was on sacrifice flies, but I guess I shouldn’t have complained.
Anybody following Tango’s Clutch Project? He’s tracking Ichiro!, Raul, Richie, and Yuni.
Yuni’s way ahead in clutchiness. Just didn’t work.
rexpresto-Probably, the big kids get out of school soon.
Unleash the Rally Ponies!
Grr, I got the link to work, and screwed up the rest of it, which was supposed to be “Just doesn’t keep working.”
Odds on sacrifice bunt? 100%
Fuck you McLaren.
I hate having enemy closers in fantasy baseball. I mean it’s no question I want the Mariners to win, I just hate it. That’s all.
Unbelievable. I just can’t watch this crap. He’s 4-4. Sac bunt like he’s a 9 hole hitter hitting .207. Oh wait that’s your #5 hitting DH. HFS GD MF stupid frickin M’s.
Ok, how about a reach on error and then a 3-run (unearned walk off?)
I need to learn a new language. English doesn’t have words enough to describe this team.
the rally ponies didn’t get here in time.
or not.
I cannot even believe that garbage.
What Benne said. What’re the odds of Ichiro stealing vs. Jose successfully bunting? I bet they’re even at best, and stealing doesn’t give up the out. Even if he doesn’t steal, LET LOPEZ HIT FER CHRISSAKES!
we just lost a game when we outhit them 8 to 3, and they got more runs than hits.
This really sucks.
Who let the mares ou-, oh, never mind!
oh well, NFL draft is tomorrow…
What a crappy 24 hours to be a M’s fan.
Don’t want Jose’ getting any of those selfish RBI. In the 9th. To win the game. We have too much team chemistry for that.
Ah bunt. What a bunch of bunt. That was one of the worst bunting decisions I have seen. How in the bunt does bunting really help you win at that point? Bunt this team and bunt McLaren.
Watching the M’s makes me want to kick puppies.
so, what is the magic number of days until it finally becomes obvious to the FO & Mac that a good number of hitters on this roster are not going to hit, no matter how many times we look at the back of their baseball card?
I am so relieved to know that it was a great play by BC that saved the game for Oakland and not the Assssss of a call by the manager. 4 for 4 let’s bunt. AHMac or MacAHole which ever.
And then there’s Mac…just bound and determined to keep running that same strategy into the ground time after time…ARRRGH!
Speaking of time…time to hit the bar and go medicate! >:(
thank you.
bunt Mac and sac this team.
I blame Mclaren for this loss, I mean Lopez is 4 for 4 and you have him bunt with Ichiro on first and no outs?!
Anyone else feel that even though Cha Seung pitched great, no one will probably see him for another 2 weeks. I just can’t see Mclaren doing anything right.
254 – I couldn’t agree with you more – I can’t believe he bunted lopez who was 4-4 … I most definitely would have sent Ichiro before bunting lopez. It is literally unbelievable how many of Mac’s decisions have backfired on him since Grover QUIT
side note: 4-9 hitters were 1-17 today. Miserable.
Geez, even Nellie on KJR is acknowledging what a dumbass McLaren is. That oughta tell ya something!
I nominate JimmyLauderdale for a Golden Comment Award. Bunting great comment, dude.
Wow, Orioles @ White Sox just getting started.
254 & 258: I’m not sure what you meant. The sac bunt attempt gave up an out without any benefit whatsoever. Short of a double play, it was the worst possible outcome. That the game ended on a great play by the shortstop doesn’t get McLaren’s stupidity off the hook, it just amplifies it.
I blame last season. If the M’s had won 10 fewer games then Bavasi would have been fired. Without Bavasi, no McLaren.
Haha, thanks msb and JMH. I think I can speak for all of us when I say McLaren bunting pisses me off.
So, I don’t ever get to post during games since my computer is in a seperate room from the TV so I’m going to say this now…after the game.
That appears to be 2 games we’ve lost at least in large part because a pitcher was injured and didn’t say anything. First, JJ and his rib business and that homerun to Hamilton. Now, tonight with Batista. If you hurt your groin area in any way, you can’t pitch. You can’t drive if it’s on one side and you can’t land right if it’s on the other. Silva had no qualms with acknowledging his quad last night and having himself pulled. I know it’s super macho to play through being hurt, but it’s bs to continue to play and put your team at risk.
Anyways, that’s about all. Oh yeah, and bunting with a guy who’s gone 4 for 4. Very nice.
Honestly I don’t believe or care about anything that comes out of Batista’s mouth.
Lost all respect for him last year when he just wouldn’t take the blame for getting lit up by New York and tried to hide behind the excuse that he was tipping his pitches. He should have just said “I sucked, and they lit me up”.
But that’s just my opinion and feelings about somehow who I deem useless and overpaid.
I was at the game with my kids.
We were there since 4.30pm (for our Bobbleheads!)
Batista was dreadful.
(My kids were crabby too).
The M’s hitters were wasting no time getting themselves out as quickly as possible.
We left in the third.
I wasn’t upset to leave early.
wouldn’t admitting that you were tipping pitches be admitting that you sucked?
Yeah, well, what do you expect? Trading for a pitcher who has never pitched a full season and always has an excuse. Relying on old arms with big, long-term contracts. Putting the money on “professional hitters” like Vidro and Sexson when they were never all that special to begin with. Having little hope to run down a double to left. Trading away your staff of young, quality arms over and over again. Not to mention total and utter mismanagement. From top to bottom this team is a wreck. Definitely what you’d call mediocre… at best.
We’ve been through the mud long enough. Honestly, I’m not excited about the Mariners at all this season and the off-season moves really solidified that feeling.
Note to management: sign or trade for “professional hitters” with great OBP. You know, Rajai Davis might’ve been a decent addition to this sorry sack. At least he’s better than Wilkerson, in more ways than one.
I’m just thankful I haven’t watched any games this year. The radio babble is bad enough!
This game was dreadful. Give up just three hits and allow four runs and lose. McLaren did his part with a botched bunt attempt with Ichiro on first….I wonder if anyone asked him about that blunder in his post game press conference.
The real irony has to be on the defensive end.
The A’s have shown a terrible defense this year….errors in twelve consecutive games, plus Cust misplays a double, Emil Brown overthrows two cutoff men, Crosby can’t make a throw and allows the speedy Vidro to get to first….but then in the ninth makes sports center with an amazing play to end the game…..WTF!
Once again I have to write: Hitters 4-9: 1-17 from the plate. Despicable. Embarrassing.
Undoubtedly a credit to Bavasi’s unreal moves as GM
i was at the game tonight. very very painful first inning.
when crucial clutch hits needed to be made, our usual groundballs were hit.
if we make no moves before the deadline, im pretty sure we don’t win our division, or even really keep up for that matter.
how long must we wait for some of these bats to “come around”
oh well, at least i got 2 ichiro bobbleheads, right?
….
The Mariner offense has two key components: the sacrifice fly and the sacrifice bunt.
When these two things are not clicking together, their offense struggles.
When your offense’s key components are both sacrifices it’s no wonder when it struggles. What a poorly constructed team.
Imagine Lopez’s numbers if McLaren weren’t infatuated with the sacrifice bunt.
Oakland’s defense is fine. Their .718 defensive efficiency through this morning makes them #9 in baseball, much better than the .697 showing by the M’s (#20). Errors stink, but there are a few players on the A’s who can get to the ball in a hurry (Ellis, Crosby, etc.)
hey! look who’s joined us in the pool!
I also forget to mention some other key aspects of the Mariner offense: rally fries, grittiness, and um….
I’d like to see them try the Sacrifice Double* on occassion.
* The Sac2B is called a sacrifice because the hitter is sacrificing his reputation as a gritty, team-chemistry sort by selfishly getting a base hit and running up his individual stats. Also, a mis-hit double could easily go over the fence for a rally-killing HR, making the Sac2B a high-risk strategy. Still, some managers swear by it.
I hear Edgar favored the Sacrifice Double. Maybe he could teach the coaching staff something about this arcane technique?
Damn it, they are just not that good.
279 and 280 I like your style.
One more thing about Lopez bunting in that situation. The sac bunt increases your odds of 1 run at the expense of a multiple-run inning. So by choosing to go for 1 run, McLaren is being unnecessarily conservative. Instead he wants to take his chances in extra innings. But, in reality, his best chance of tying and winning the ball game was in the 9th.
I think the managers who prefer The Book to actually thinking for themselves don’t see that outs are the most precious commodity in a game, and that giving them away (e.g. the sac bunt) reduces your team’s chance of winning.
A Tale of Two Hitters:
Player A sees 4.0 pitches per PA
Player B sees 3.2 pitches per PA
Both are Mariners.
Which one should bat higher in the order?
Correction: Player B sees 3.1 pitches per PA
A Tale of Two Hitters, part 2
Player A – 12% of his batted balls are line drives.
Player B – 18% of his batted balls are line drives.
Which of these two is hitting better at this point in the season?