Game 38, White Sox at Mariners
DMZ · May 10, 2008 at 6:10 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Vazquez v Washburn, 7:10.
I looked at the mini-schedule on the M’s home page today and saw that they were headed to Texas after this series. It gave me a start — I’d forgotten, and being reminded that the team the M’s just went 1-3 against would be their next opponents caused my heart to fall. “Can we just skip ahead to divisional rivals the Padres?” I thought.
Anyway, as this posts I’m likely trudging down Occidental smiling on my way into the game.
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Have fun at the game – you will need a lot of liquor to endure.
Willie is hitting 2nd. I’m not watching tonight.
Did anyone catch tonight’s lineup of absurdness? It includes Cairo and WFB. Liquor indeed.
Just have one look at the lineup….frightening.
You know, BoMel didn’t start making out lineups like this until August of 2004. Looks like Mac is getting a jump start on the Mariners’ death march.
I’d like to see a nice chart with a regression line that models the amount of drinking due to the Igniter! & Cairo being in the lineup. Blech.
disappointed when on May 10th, a thought pops into my head thinking that my team is mailing in the season … terrible feeling.
coming up on Baseball Tonight, a special report on The Maple Bat: Delicious But Deadly. I think it is narrated by Troy McClure.
despite the lineup, you know it is baseball, you never know…
may be its boom booms night to light em’ up.
Wow, can we just forfeit?
Cairo??
Again??
It’s gonna be a long nite…
Okay I don’t have to work tonight so…tonight’s drinking game (because I’m trying to be optimistic AND I don’t wanna get stupid drunk) everytime the Mariners score a run it’s JAGERBOMB TIME. If someone named Bloomquist or Cairo gets a hit..make it a double…
Gawd..the things I do to keep the games interesting the days are hard on my liver…
Oh well…Go M’s!
Did Sexson’s appeal not go through or something? Thought that usually lasted a few days to a week.
Sexson’s suspension was reduced to five games, starting tonight. Still, it is damning of the organization that the best they can do is Cairo.
Tek, I don’t think Cairo’s the best they can do, but it’s the best they’re willing to do. There are better solutions, but they would have to jettison Cairo, which for some reason is unthinkable.
I’m glad we have Cairo playing first instead of Notron.
everytime the Mariners score a run it’s JAGERBOMB TIME. If someone named Bloomquist or Cairo gets a hit..make it a double…
What if Princess Willie or Cairo hits a double?
I better c some bag heads or I will b very dissapointed.
Think that tugboat can hit?
No.
A double???
LOL
seriously…
If either of them hits a double I’ll drink the whole damn bottle…
What’s Ben Broussard doing these days..maybe he could play first for five days…then when he goes three for three we can release him…
…speaking of which…did anyone notice the huge offensive numbers Wilkerson put up today?
The league leading team in HR going up against Washburn. The worst RHP hitting team in the league going up against Vazquez. This will be ugly.
Why don’t u take a shot for every out by Cairo or Willie? Double for a K. That way you get hammered.
Just because the Tigers are not meeting expectations does not mean its ok for the Mariners to be below expectations. I hate hearing that statement.
Lets hope we can put a solid hitting performace up tonight….LETS GO M’S!
Cairo is playing first right? Hmm…don’t think that would be fair….
Wlad could be the new face of the franchise with plays like that one.
I’d love to hear bob uecker do the broadcast
Maybe we should trade for Moyer. Put him at DH. He is hitting .273 with .697 OPS.
I think Broussard is back in the studio, working on his next album.
For all you stats guys:
Cairo’s Batting Average .067
Cost of a whiskey and cola (1oz) .67
Combined IQ of Mariner’s FO 67
weird huh?
I’m sure Jon Miller will let us know when Broussard’s next album will drop tomorrow night.
the M’s are one White Sox sac fly from being totaly out of this game
So much for a sac fly.
thats like 5 games worth of runs in one swing
The Reds fired their GM already, why can’t Bavasi just be fired already? Any day f’in day now people.
the Dangers of The Maple Bat is now on BBTN.
It might be more gripping than watching Wash.
i dont mind Maple bats, I just dont want my daughter bringing one home
God damn Cairo.
McLaren should be fired, right now, just for putting Cairo at 1B.
37… what about maple bars? Mmmm, maple-y goodness.
and even worse, the saturday night line-up on RTN is just as bad as this game.
McLaren should be fired, right now, just for putting Cairo at 1B.
Seriously! wtf?!
Cairo at first base is beyond bush league. Cairo and WFB both on the field — I think the Rainiers could take us.
I’m sorry, I can put up with bad baseball but Cairo playing at 1B just makes me angry.
you know, baked up some of those Trader Joe’s pecan sticky buns for lunch today with my dad …
I see we’re showing off our defense tonight.
Jones would have had that, er…
So, because Cairo doesn’t get an error on that play, thanks to Lopez & Washburn, The M’s don’t get out of the inning and Washburn gets an earned run.
how in the world can they look at this and believe that they have fielded an above average defensive team?
Do you suppose Geoff Baker was watching and will acknowledge that Ibanez’ defense did unquestioningly cause a run to score? That a league-average LF catches that without the drama?
Derek may be buying a lot of beers tonight.
Can you see anyone in the stands with a bag on his/her head?
Kenji is the worsed defensive catcher in the league!!!
Jones wouldn’t have had that.
Losing in baseball is so much worse than the other sports. Getting a high draft pick means nothing. unless its gay-rod or Griffey its a crap shoot. The idiot you sign to a 60 million gets it all guaranteed. There is really no silver lining in losing other than hoping everyone involved never works again.
…. caused 3 runs to score at this point ….
Holy cow! What a train wreck…you don’t like what you are seeing, but you just can’t stop watching it….
remember just last week when Washburn had the one-hitter going?
good times.
So what does a pitcher think right now…you’re guaranteed a loss cause there is no way your team can come back and you’ve got no defense behind you. When you are a pitch to contact hitter, it is hopeless.
Oh god, Baek.
See comment #22.
I’m following the action on MLB Gameday because the game isn’t on here until 9pm…
Wow..perhaps I shouldn’t bother…
and yay!!!
tune in tomorrow for Gavin Floyd’s ‘third-times-the charm’ no-hit bid.
I haven’t read the whole thread so if it has been said before I apologize, but geez, Washburn inhales loudly.
ETA: before I could post this… nice play Raul…
Griffey went 2-5 with 2 RBIs tonight…
61 – Oh, make sure you watch. You wouldn’t want to miss Blowers talking about his mullet!
hopefully there is another fight and Cairo and Bloomquist are prominetly involved
I come home to this debacle. Whatever. Business as usual.
What’s the over/under that they sign a contract with Derek tonight?
Can’t switch the channel for 5 min to watch the debate on maple bats without the M’s giving up a bunch more runs. The M’s version 2008 are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked…..
I come across the game on WGN for less than ten seconds and get to see Ibanez fail to get to a ball AJ rather easily….blah, blah, blah….NASCAR, friggin’ NASCAR is lookin’ good at this point.
The video of the Pirates coach catching the broken maple bat with his face is scary stuff.
What channel is the maple bat debate on?
Hey Vazquez could get a no-hitter tonight.
Oh well…my Jagermeister is getting really cold…
The maple bat debate was on BBTN on ESPN, but they’ve moved on.
I have seen this level of baseball skills only twice in my life ,the 62 Mets and my grandsons T-Ball team. You don’t need to waste time using statisical analysis on this group,they are pathetic.
What’s the record for least amount of runs scored over a 10 game stretch? In the modern (post-WWII) era?
Over the past 10, we’re 1-9; scored 19 runs and allowed 54, almost a 3:1 margin.
When a team’s doing bad, the booth guys tend to wander, topic-wise, and my attention tends to wander as well, so it causes these surreal moments of coming back to discover Dave saying things like: He’d put cigarettes out on his wooden leg….
Great throws by Wlad and Beltre.
Crede got greedy … got Beltre’d.
Good Lord! I just tuned in and Washburn is pitching to contact — and the score reflects it. Has he been walking a bunch or is he just being lit up like a Christmas tree?
I’m wearing a paper bag on my head here at home, just to keep the spirit alive. Who wants to join me?
Tom C — Christmas tree. Long, loud fly balls.
Oh, look, a Mariners hit.
OMG!
cancel the postgame show
Here comes our man!!! Get ready to take a shot. A double after the homer coming right here.
Looks like a decent crowd tonight. Did they learn nothing?
Cairo just looks awkward at the plate.
I get the sense that Cairo believes he can hit, the way he just said, “Come on!” to himself as he’s there with two strikes.
I realize supreme self-confidence is necessary to make it in pro sports, but at some point, don’t the numbers tell you the truth?
At the start of the game, we had 5 of the nine hitters batting above .200. Pathetic.
Hmmm..do I have one here or not..I’m kinda torn…
Way to beat that out Mickey.
if you are going to bat bloomy 2nd, shouldnt you just bat Cairo 3rd? why spread em out
What the hell..it may be my only opportunity…
Cheers everyone…
BillyJive…drink up. There was contact!
Here at the game. Went to sit over in right field with my paper bag on. I was forced to move. Apparently, the usher checks “everyone’s” tickets. I wonder what they will do when I sit in my own seat with it on.
Does the JJ Putz bobblehead come with a seat cushion?
cairo is such a cunt
Just went to check when Dave made his “Five Days” post. It was on May 6th, and assuming we lose tonight we’ll be 0-4 in the first four days.
One could argue that the next 6 innings are our season, and it’s May 10th…
I’m getting really sick of this, here’s to another shitty season
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Make her proud.
Meanwhile, the Rangers are winning their fifth in a row. The Angels are losing, so we aren’t going to be any further behind at the end of the night.
Someone needs to turn that place into a parking lot
killer_ewok18, what’s the crowd like? How big is it and what’s the mood?
Maybe next season will be better
103 – judging by being there over the past 4 days, i would be surprised if the crowd even knows they are watching baseball
A run! A real run!!!
BELTRE !!!!
Beltre!
we’re just like the rays, except the Rays are WAY WAY better
FUNK BLAST!!!
Cheers everyone!!!
First nine games in May: M’s 58-296 for a .196 BA. 17 BB’s for a .240 OBP. 12 extra base hits (8 doubles, 4 HR’s).
shtick: for the most part, it seems like they aren’t aware we’ve been playing so awful. Crowd goes insane on Beltre’s homer, cheering WFB and Cairo, etc. Maybe they’ve been watching the other Mariners.
If the Rangers are winning their fifth in a row, that means we’ll be 4 games out of 3rd after tonight.
so washburn is good 1 out of 5 starts?
#112
Once you get kicked out for wearing the bag be sure it reads USSMariner.com. Hopefully that might educate a few clueless fans.
Maybe Seattle fans are practicing to be like Cub fans.
Washburn is throwing 80 MPH meatballs.
quick question, how does a team with a $117 million payroll end up with Cairo at first, Bloomquist at SS, two minor leaguers and Washburn pitching.
Sims is losing his mind.
The answer:
Nintendo!!!!!
Haven’t put it back on yet. Will let you know.
This is a broken record, but Raul is really, really slow.
Ibanez can play first right?
Right?
Gawd
120. Good question. The only possible answer is GM incompetence.
Is that booing I heard from the crowd?
Probably meant for Swisher, not poor Raul, scurrying around like an old lady after her last chicken.
You could easily make the case that Raul’s defense in LF has cost 4 runs.
Personally, I think Baek would be a better starter than Washburn.
Okay, I’m in 328 about halfway up.
An also better than Batista.
Ibanez is a triple machine, and not in a good way.
129-so would Dickey
But it doesn’t much matter who we have pitching if we only score one or two runs a game.
Clement shoulda let that hit him…I’ll drink for a HBP
133. I agree.
This should amuse a couple people…sorry if someone has already posted it.
I was just poking around the Yahoo! fantasy baseball columns and read Andy Behrens’ piece on Richie Sexson’s ultimate worthlessness.
‘That is a gutless, six-foot-seven, .200-hitting, formerly good player’
Bottom of the article links to DMZ’s “Your choice of colors, too” ‘throwin’ in the towel’ post from yesterday. Nice to see Sexson’s suckitude is getting the national recognition it deserves, and that USSM can help the cause.
Clement is working his way back to the minors.
Clement: don’t they throw curveballs in AAA?
133: I’d support calling up R.A.D again
I feel like I’m watching that scene in “The Natural” where the Knights hire the psychologist to talk to the team….”losing, is a disease”….
And Clement looks like he’s caught it. Wasn’t he hitting something like .390 in Tacoma?
I sensed it was time for another homer. But I didn’t mean Homer Simpson.
[no]
Why’s Baek pitching? Won’t they need him tomorrow when Batista only lasts three innings?
Baek threw 93 pitches on Tuesday. So he is pitching on three day’s rest after essentially pitching a whole game.
They will need him tomorrow…maybe Cairo can pitch too..it might explain why he’s a Mariner…
143… you had a point?
Reed has a 1.017 OPS at Tacoma. I say send Clement down, put Raul at DH and put Reed in left. At least it would be a defensive upgrade.
Wow! Okay so no to Barry Bonds…
If the Mariners score a run this inning I’m inviting you all for free Jagerbombs…
Why would Barry Bonds want to play on a losing team?
143. I guess Mac figures RRS can come in for Batista in the 4th tomorrow. But he did pitch on Thursday.
Cairo’s OPS: .243
Cario’s salary in 2008: 850,000
Can’t we get a minor leagure who can do a better job for less?
Fuck Rally Fries. Why won’t FSN grow a pair and show somebody wearing a bag on their head?
Thunderous applause for Cairo!
NO WAY!!!
Wow..cheers everyone!
That’s a double for BillyJive
Cairo! Isn’t that his second hit of the season already?
Miguel Cairo gets a hit? To quote Kyle’s mom:
“Wha-wha-whaaaa?”
Well he got a hit, but I stand by my point.
Um..didn’t he play for the Giants?
Where is that shot?!
Cut out the Barry Bonds stuff, guys.
I know this game is boring to watch but we’ve had that discussion as many times as we can productively have it.
HAHAH screw you Anderson.
My ears may deceive me, but I thought I heard Sims say “Drilled by Crede, a single to right”. I guess he two was thunderstruck by the event of a Cairo hit.
It feels weird having runners in scoring position.
Wow. I just turned on the game. Hwhaaugh!
$hit..I forgot..okay…anther shot it is…my tummy’s getting warm…
sdkla;fuhsdl;ifgdhi;iuf;dasfhs FUCKASDIOFHDSFHn WILLIE
Great job WFB. What an ass!!
justinh I said they had to score a run..they’re not there yet…*grin*
Ugh. Captain plastic is in my section.
Dude, Cairo scored, gotta finish the bottle
Beltre!
LOL
There ya go two Jagerbombs for everyone…email me for directions to my pub….
Too funny….
Go Beltre! This game suddenly got interesting.
Killer_ewok, are you on a BlackBerry or iPhone?
I have completely opposite feelings for Beltre and Willie.
Was that the Princess Wille fan club in the stands?
Cheers everyone…
YES! multiple runs at last!
Screw it, I’m going to crack open a beer.
RAUUUUUL!
Who are these guys!?
Full credit for this inning goes to BillyJive’s liver, may it rest in peace.
We have a pulse! Rally Pony Time!
cairo still is a cunt
No kidding..talk about taking one for the team….
Here we go again…
Cheers everyone!
Those were some loud cheers for a sac fly. I feel bad for those fans who will undoubtedly be disappointed by game’s end.
[whispers]
We’ve secretly replaced the Seattle Mariners lineup with real hitters! Let’s see what happens!
[/whispers]
How many shots is that for you now, Billy?
my god, down only three runs! quick to the bomb shelter!
Clement, Clement, he’s our man!
If he can’t strikeout, no one can!
Good time for a bomb! Com’on Jeff!
7 and one double although I just did two at once…
But I’ve had 4 Red Bull…
3-1 good count!
im not gonna sit here and watch this team score runs, who do the think they are the 27 yankees?
Sims just asked if Clement had the green light on a 3-1 count…
Hey Joey Cora! Ahh, good Mariners memories.
the fact clement worked a walk right there makes him the third best hitter on this team already. Anyone else would’ve drove that 3-1 pitch right to shortstop.
I still own a JOey Cora jersey!
And an Edgar
..and an Ichiro 2001 All-Star Jersey
..um..and a Bloomquist
Kenji grounder on the first pitch?
So who are the pinch runners tonight with WFB & Cairo playing, since that is why we have both of them … right?
johjima looks like my baseball coach
MyOhMy Meet Turbo Professional Pinch-runner
no quality start for Vazquez, moral victory!
Ah, obviously Turbo and Burke. How could you not know that?
WTF is a “4″? And why did it move the 0 out of its place on the FSN scoreboard by the Mariners??
With Dotel in the game, it would be wise to have a left handed bat in the linup. Like Norton, for example. Oh wait. I guess that leaves Vidro.
Has anyone seen the difference in opponents average over last couple years when Johjima catches vs. Burke? Every starter has a lower ERA and opponents BA when Burke catches. Johjima calls a garbage game and does not know how to work with pitchers.
Two batters, two 1-2 counts.
Yes but Burke is a pinch runner..how unfortunate
Oh, how could I forget Burke?! NICE!!
We wouldn’t want our old #5 hitter (Norton) playing 1B in Richie’s absence … OH NO, let’s play Cairo! At least he plays good D, errr NOT!
208. Maybe that’s why Bedard prefers to work with Burke. But I guess one could also plead that Burke presents a small sample size.
Good thing we have three catchers!
#208 – I’ve wondered the same thing. I agree he calls a terrible game! And didn’t Mac learn anything from Lou as far as catchers go? Who cares if they hit … they need to handle the pitchers first and foremost! I guess the FO doesn’t see that either … 3yrs, $24M
211. Norton was traded for a PTBNL.
Jamie Moyer is my neighbor and he told me 2 years ago Kenji is the worst catcher he ever threw to. I think that is why Bedard is throwing to Burke for sure.
Okay same deal as last inning…
What the hell…it worked the first time…
215 – OBVIOUSLY! I’m saying Norton was hitting 5th in the order when they decided to DFA him. Unlike Cairo who is can’t hit himself out of a wet paper bag and is NOW playing 1B.
211-
Im assuming the PTBNL is Soriano????
BillyJive, is someone with you who can call 911 if the Mariners have a big inning . . . maybe one of the Funktastic Five?
Cairo should not be called WFB lite. He should be called WFB heavy.
Ok, down by three, Cairo up, we’ve got to pinch hit with Turbo right???
Wrong!
218. Sorry, myomy, I misread your previous post.
Way to advance the runner for Ichiro. God, bringing up Reed to lpay left and putting Raul at first looks like a Godsend right now.
Cairo proves himself worthless again……
Ichiro has to steal here, unless the M’s feel confident Willie can hit a double…
I love how WFB’s new song when he comes up to bat is “Rock You Like A Hurricane”. Willie the Hurricane!
A walk would be about the best thing Willie could do here.
Do you send Willie?
Bring on Beltre.
No worries Rick. I just don’t get WTF the M’s are doing. They can’t hit so they keep a pinch runner on their bench instead of a guy who can actually hit. It started with 3 pinch runners when you include Jimerson out of spring training …
I love it when Bloomquist is smart enough to take a walk.
It would be worth it…but my guts are starting to hurt a little…
Muahah. How bad do you have to feel if you’re Dotel after you walk Boom Boom.
God no. Not with 2 outs.
No, not with AB being the tying run.
Dotel reminds me of Ayala! This must be the feeling other teams had when he was pitching for the M’s.
232. I agree with you entirely. Trading Norton who was swinging the hot bat when then have four starters who can’t hit worth a damn is one of the most baffling decisions (along with the Soriano trade) the front office has made.
Well that was incredibly bright. Sigh.
Yup. That’s about par for the season.
Is it me or does it seems like the Mariners have angered vast cosmic forces? That was infuriating.
Greg Maddux got his 350th career win tonight.
For me that was the season low point right there…
I hate to say this guys.. but when WBN Superstation showed the replay of the Ichiro play at the plate, I kinda think the catcher missed the tag. Ichy mighta been safe.
Can someone please enlighten me to as why that was not called a balk?
speaking of cosmic forces, every time I try to post, the site crashes.
Oh well. It wasn’t anything important…just as expression of despair, with acknowledgment of heavy drinking.
Don’t look now, but San Diego just won.
If the Ms lose, I believe we will officially be the Worst Team in Baseball. My oh my!
man.. now they got the good relievers coming. Dotel is hittable. Linebrink and Jenks arent. Game over. PLus, there is no way Batista beats Floyd tomorrow… and we have to hit the road after tomorrow. It might be a looong time before the Mariners win another game.
We weren’t shown a replay on FSN, but it sure looked as though his hand couldn’t slipped by the swipe tag.
Perhaps the FSN producers didn’t want to add to our alcoholism.
I mean, ‘could have slipped by the swipe tag.’
(Step away from the bottle…)
It looked like the pitcher stepped off the rubber first, but I couldn’t tell because I was too busy screaming obscenities at McLaren and Boom Boom.
He was safe!
Every day is a new game. I’m just looking forward to the next win, whenever that happens. Just because the Mariners aren’t headed to the post season doesn’t mean there’s not a chance to see good M’s baseball from time to time =)
yeah… I mean, it was close either way, and when it happened live, I thought he was out by a mile. But the replay showed that the catcher tagged Ichy as Ichy was touching the plate. It was bang-bang, but after looking at the replay on my computer now, I think he was safe by a hair.
Clement has been a total bust so far.
That flyball would’ve been a homer in every other ballpark not named Petco.
well.. this game is over. That play at the plate was the game. If Ichy is called safe, then it is 7-5, with Beltre up and Boom Boom is scoring position. Dotel was struggling, and Beltre may have tied the game or continued the inning. Then, instead of a 3-run game, it is a 1 or 2 run game, and everything changes. But whatever… that is the way the breaks have gone for the M’s this season.
RRS Warming up. This really leaves us without a long man for tomorrow’s potential Batista meltdown.
I would like to apologize, my math was wrong. Even if/when the Ms lose tonight, they still will have a better record than the Padres.
259… you gotta be kidding me, right? WHY? We ain’t winning this game anyway, let Green finish up.
@$#@$#$P$%#$ McLaren!
So, the White Sox add Swisher, Quentin, & Cabrera this offseason to get more ‘O’ and the M’s add Wilkerson, Cairo, & Norton. Lovely!
Is it me, or do the opposing hitters seem to aim for left field? Raul just keep running around out there, chasing a ball already on the ground.
There was some irony in that ball Ibanez hit to left field earlier, that if he’d been fielding, would have been an easy double, but was caught handily by Quentin.
Why it wasn’t a balk – - -
You can fake to 3rd and then go to 1st when runners on the corners. No balk.
To me it didn’t look like he was faking to 3rd… it looked like he was going home until the catcher popped out and then he went to first.
wow.. they are pulling Green.
NOTE TO MCLAREN: This game is over. The Mariners have scored 4 runs all week, how are they gonna score 4 more in one inning. Cut your losses, let Green finish his own mess, and save Rowland for the 2nd inning tomorrow, when Batista is yanked after letting up 6+ runs again. We already wasted Baek, we need RRS.
Holy Cow, Matt Thornton is still alive.
266 – We won’t need our bullpen tomorrow, Batista is throwing.
and he has a good ERA. Glad we got, um, whatsisname for him.
Former Mariner #1 draft pick Matt Thorton.
what? you don’t think Joh, Wlad & Cairo can’t take Matt Thornton?
Thorton, and yet another guy we gave away for a guy, Borchard, who lasted approx 11 AB’s for the M’s before they cut him.
At least Joh’s bat is heating up.
“And Miguel Cairo — last hope.”
What hope?
“Miguel Cairo–last hope.”
Now, those are words to have me reaching for the bottle again.
“Miguel Cairo, the last hope” is not a phrase you want to hear.
Why is Peter Parker working the post-game show?
[what? no]
“Miguel Cairo” period! Not the phrase you want to hear …
McLaren in his interview tonight:
“Well we got dug ourselves into a whole early.”
“Our bats got going a bit.”
“Beltre had some nice swings.”
“Yeah Willie was going on 3-1 count and it was just an unfortunate play.”
Listening to the post-game on Fox….they are trying to make it sound like this was a good game because we scored 4 runs, thanks to Beltre. The fact that we lost 8-4 seems to be lost on these clowns.
Sigh…
Does anyone ask why Willie was going on a 3-1 pitch with Beltre up on a 3-1 count and down by 3 runs?
Who is the hottie on FSN Mariners post game….smoking hot! She is the best part of watching the Mariners fail once again.
I wonder what game the official scorekeeper was watching to not give that slick outfielder Rauuuuuuul a much deserved error.
Four runs is still below the league average.
Mac is a proud subscriber to the Cliche of the Month club.
Down three with 2 innings left you want to get both runners in scoring position if possible. With 3-1 count usually what teams will do if guy on first can run.
There’s no way to justify this. It was 2 outs in the most high-leverage situation in the game, with your best hitter at the plate in a very favorable count. The risk of ending the inning is not worth the benefit of an extra base.
Down three with 2 innings left? There’s no way you are running on a 3-1 count. That’s bad baseball. Period.
Plus, I’m getting a little sick and tired of hearing about how good a base stealer Willie is….he was 7/12 last year and is 3/5 this year. His base-stealing percentage is a net loss for the team in the last year and a half. He would have been out tonight if Dotel would have made a halfway decent throw.
I’ve been a regular reader of this site for a couple years now, and to me the most telling fact of how bad things have gotten lately is that readers are now openly advocating Jeremy Reed as a step in the right direction. And they have a point. I am going to go cry now.
I can’t believe 33k people were in attendance for this crap. That’s surprising.
I’d rather have Reed play 1B rather then Cairo. I mean it would make alot more sense bringing Reed up. Have him play LF, Ibanez plays 1B or have Clement play 1B and Ibanez DH. At least you have options. Cairo offers absolutely nothing.
Some impressions from Section 127, Row 13 (thank you, friends who got season tickets in 1977 and let me join the group):
The reason it was such a large crowd is there were a large number of groups, in particular state government groups and elementary schools. Plus it was mom t-shirt night.
The guy sitting behind me noted, after the first hit of the game, that Washburn was a completely different pitcher with men on base. He had breezed through the first and then the first hit led to the floodgates. Point made.
Anyone with any eyes at all realizes that Ibanez is just killing us in left. Anything hit into the corner has the potential for being an inside the park homer. The suggestion someone made to send Clement down, bring up Reed to play left and have Raul become the fulltime DH makes so much sense that I assume McLaren and Bavasi are rehearsing their BS responses to it as this very moment. “We have statistics showing Raul performs worse when he’s the DH.”<—expect to see this comment. Try not to snigger too loudly.
While my gut sense (seeing it in three dimensions though it was obviously a bang-bang thing) was that Ichiro was safe at home, I still don’t understand why he went. If he scores, they definitely walk Beltre and put in a leftie to face Ibanez. If he stays, there’s a slightly larger chance that they give Beltre a nice fat pitch to hit 3-1 (which was the count at the time). When you add in the possibility (as happened) that he’s called out, and look at the bottom five of the lineup, it really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to take the bat out of the hands of the guy who had already driven in three of our four runs with two runners in scoring position.
And if we’ve got to the point where we have no option that includes pinch hitting for Miguel Cairo with two out in the ninth, what have we come to? Is Jamie Burke incapable of picking up a first baseman’s glove? WFB has played first before; is Yuni completely out? There’s gotta be a better option to at least give the fan’s the appearance that you aren’t already playing out the string on May 10.
Are people giving up on Clement? On one hand I can understand–his line of .138/.286/.138 with an atrocious strikeout rate is hard to swallow, and at times he looks like he’s completely in over his head. On the other hand, if he goes back to the minors, it will probably mean more Turbo time.
Personally, I’d rather watch him play and take his lumps than watch a washed up has-been phone it in.
No drinking games tomorrow…
Damn Mariners
*sigh*
It is interesting that Clement is struggling at the plate, but doing a solid job behind it.