Game 55, Tigers at Mariners
DMZ · May 30, 2008 at 6:05 pm · Filed Under Mariners
We cranked out 12 posts here since the last game. That’s a lot.
Robertson v Silva.
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh. This could be a really ugly game. Fortunately, the M’s are playing with a new attitude! Tighter, more focused baseball! They’re coming together as a team! Just like the Tigers did when they swept the Mariners! Let’s see these two rejuvenated franchises go at it! Woooo! Go M’s!
Lineups are out! WOOOOOO!!!
CF-L Ichiro
2B-R Lopez
DH-B Turbo
LF-L Ibanez
3B-R Beltre
C-R Johjima
RF-R Balentien
1B-0 Cairo
SS-R Betancourt
VIDRO AND CAIRO ARE SEPR8ED!!! NOOOEEESSSS!!!!! WINNING STOPS!!!! WHYYYY??!!?!??!?!?!
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We cranked out 12 posts here since the last game. That’s a lot.
Yeah, have pity on your poor overworked moderators.
Slacker.
it’s that finger-wagging by Bavasi! That’s it! Just like the chewing out by Guillen spurred the Royals on! oh, wait.
Fun stuff too. But I’d be really impressed if this was a day game following a night game.
But msb, you don’t understand, these things take a little time to have their full effect. After all, it took the Mariners a couple days to turn their better play into actual victories.
What a surprise, Cairo starting at 1B again.
See, it’s that gritty postingness that makes you a winner. That, and veteraness. Having been through the rec.baseball… wars, you know how to go about your business and crank out those posts, no question about it.
oh, right– plus, the players in KC had to wait until the rant appeared on the news and in the papers, since Jose didn’t actually give them the speech …
Tell me again why we have Jose F’ing Vidro batting third!
And I see we still have Jeremy Reed simmering on the bench. Nice.
Felines versus fishmongers. These teams have to earn their rightful monikers.
#9-Because he is the only hitter on the team who can theoretically hit .300 and take the occasional walk.
Reed’s sitting because it’s a lefty on the mound.
Mac keeps trying to explain to people that the best thing these guys can do is watch the game from the dugout so they can learn. Because obviously the starting nine have it all down….
Oh, hey, and look what the Royals are doing against Cleveland. There you have it, msb, that’s what Guillen will bring to a club. And beating up on Cliff Lee to boot (no regression to the mean there, no, none at all).
I don’t know why you people are bagging on Cairo. Put aside all that crap about Bavasi’s call-out and whatever: this team’s been winning since Cairo’s been starting. SO THERE.
is Cleveland possibly being baffled by Meche? because Gil likes a good pep talk.
Felines versus fishmongers.
Or, “The Motor City Kitties,” as they were called during the radio pre-game show.
I fear this game will bring a case of Guillenesque sympathy hemorrhoids.
As poor a #3 hitter as Guillen was he is still better than Turbo even for 12 mil.
You know, if a Mariners fan had just come out of a coma after two months, and you told him that Vidro is our #3 hitter and Cairo was playing first, he’d ask the doctor to put him back under.
I’m pretty sure my daughter would fill in the three spot better than Turbo. Don’t believe me? Check out my website by clicking on my name.
So, maybe we should see about cloning him eight more times and start a team of Miggies! Or, at least the entire infield.
so, just how did Cairo steal Willie B’s “energy”? Expose him to red kryptonite, or something?
Not to mention that putting Cairo at first shows they understand the value of defense. Or something.
had to be Rizzs.
Has anyone noticed the lack of quality first baseman in the AL. It is ridiculous compared to the NL.
Sounds like the AL SS situation.
How much worse would a team of Cairos be compared to a replacement level squad?
had to be Rizzs.
Tom Huttler. Same dazzling knowledge, slightly less glottal push.
They’d make up for it with grit and productive outs.
Just looked at the stats for 1B in the AL. The only players I would consider good to great are Morneau, Carlos Pena, and Miguel Cabrera.
The thing about C. Gullien is how he’s a different player after 2003 than he was before. Not hugely, but still better all around. I mean, just look at the graphs and draw a mental line to divide his career between ’03 and before, and ’04 and after. Of course he switched teams between those seasons, so he’s in a different division and home park, but it’s more than that. Personally, I think it took him until then to recover from his TB, but maybe it was just yet another case of getting better by getting away from Seattle.
No HD broadcast tonight? Anybody know what’s up?
Here’s how a half-inning with a bunch of Cairos would go:
Original Cairo leads off the inning with a gritty single that eeks its way past the SS and comes to a lazy stop just on the outfield grass. Cairo Clone #1 steps up and productively moves Original Cairo over with a sacrifice bunt. With Original Cairo now on second, Cairo Clone #2 steps up and moves him over to third with another productive out, the sac fly to right field. Showing true grit, Original Cairo barely beats out the throw from deep right by sliding into third face first. Cairo Clone #3 steps up and, through sheer determination, beats out an infield single, scoring Original Cairo from third. However, when 1st base threw home to try and stop the run, Cairo Clone #3 decided to try for second. The catcher guns him down, thus ending the inning.
There’s a half-inning that just oozes grit.
Would it possible for a team of Cairos to create some sort of eternal veteran presenceâ„¢ loop? One Cairo mentors another Cairo, then that Cairo passes on his experience to the next Cairo and so forth. By the time the last Cairo enlightens the first Cairo there’s like ten times as much veteran presenceâ„¢ as there was before. First Cairo passes on the super elixir veteran presenceâ„¢ and repeats the cycle.
Maybe they think that the team will appear better in standard definition.
Cairo??
Vidro??
*sigh*
Go M’s!!!
3 in a row!!!
Hooooly crap, that half-inning of Cairo is hilarious
Youkilis is an awesome first baseman.
Do you think WFB could sneak onto a team full of Cairos without being noticed?
Just a quick question for those who might know… in Geoff Baker’s Q+A in the paper today, he addressed who could come (back) up and help in the immediate future from the farm system, should the team admit the season is lost and start giving guys extended chances to prove themselves.
To quote him: “For immediate help, Clement is it.”
My question: what ever happened to “can’t miss” prospect Rob Johnson? I know he’s a catcher as well (and there’s a catching clog building up on the team…), but wouldn’t he be worth a shot with the bat?
If this is an obvious/dumb question, apologies in advance. For some reason I thought he was highly thought of last year, and now it’s this year… or, quite possibly, it’s going to be next year by the all-star break, roster wise.
Nah, he sucks.
Ok. Um, thank you.
Speaking of sucks, Silva is doing his thang.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
what do you think Mel is telling Silva? Don’t suck so much please?
Oh for Pete’s Sake.
Off to a kickass start!
Where ours is the ass getting kicked of course.
Wow!
I’ve seen enough…
night everyone!
Ugly is ugly either way – it’s looking like it won’t matter tonight.
How long did we lock Mr. Sucktastic up for again?
Come on Football Season!
What happened to the miraculously transformed, clean-playing, fired-up team I was told they’d transformed into?
#51 – they haven’t batted yet.
I was told that this new, hard-charging team now played outstanding defense.
49 – 664 on comcast is broadcasting in HD.
I’m literally rooting against the Mariners right now.
My desire is that not only do the people in charge, um, move on, but the man at the top says “this is an abomination. X, Y, and Z were all fired because they did a despicable job. There is no other rationalization.”
Quick nights work for a fat paycheck…
Silva gets to hit the buffet table extra early tonight.
What would be more painful? Watching the rest of this game or getting my Mariners logo tattoo removed from my arm?
Get Baek in there. Oh, right…
Review of tonights game in 2 words.
Shit Sandwich.
So once Bavasi finally gets axed, any chance of voiding a few contracts by arguing that Bavasi was incompetent when he signed them, and therefore they shouldn’t be legally binding?
Analysis:
Silva really had command tonight and was hitting his spots. It’s just a matter of a tight strike zone by the umps, some bad luck, and Detroit really hitting. Those guys really turn it on against Seattle. I’m sure he’ll be back at it next week and have the success that we expected when we signed him for $8.25 mil.
It’s Dickey time!
Someone at work today had great tickets for the game at 50% off face, and I had a baaaaaaaaaaaad feeling about it, so I passed.
Yup. Sometimes it pays to listen to your instincts.
They,ve found the winning formula! It’s all good baby!
#64 – you sure you couldn’t have gotten 75% in front of the gate?
Hey, just checking in — how’s it going? What’s the score?
What a team.
This is a genuine question. Is Ichiro’s weakness going back on the ball? (And I ask knowing this is the hardest ball for any fielder) Is there any reasonable way to determine this?
I smell 10-spot.
I really like the way our guys are hanging in there and giving it their all–GO M’s!
I <3 Silva…
…
…
…’s ability to prove me right in my community projection. Time for the Dicktator.
Hey guys. Just got home and I thought I’d check in on how the game…
what the…
Blissful ignorance.
Alright Silva one game started zero walks.
Nice command big boy.
I just threw up. Not a little. A whole lot.
Man, those two guys, I think their names are Cabrera and Ordonez, must suck. Everyone else got a hit.
No worries. They only have 7 after 1 inning. It’s not like our offense has trouble scoring or anything. We should be able to get right back in this thing.
PS- there is sarcasm in those words.
Well the Cubs overcame a 9-1 deficit in three innings yesterday. If Lou’s crew can do it…
Thanks, enazario. I’m on Dish Network. Doesn’t matter now – I’m ceding control of the TV for the evening.
I meant scored a run. Holy balls.
Hey, Derek. Just pan back up the Cairo half-inning. It’s all rainbows and sunshine up there.
Accountability at work!
That was today, dude. Though it’s been several hours.
Boy, if ony Cairo had been batting 2nd
Boy, if only Cairo had been batting 2nd
Our Fangraphs WE is already down to 5%. What else is on TV tonight?
Just came back from dinner. Should’ve never left, what with Silva serving up doomburgers.
80 – When you watch the Mariners the hours seem eternal.
At least I could hear some boos when Vidro was announced…that was nice.
Now we just need to buckle down and hold them to three or four runs this inning.
I’m pretty sure I’d rather watch anything else. Even those videos you watch when you go to birthing class with your wife. You know, the ones where they lady does the… uh… you know, the pushing and stuff.
Been on vacation so I haven’t caught a game in about a week, sweet one to come back to. This team is the definition of a hideous baseball organization right now.
The issue is that Silva needs a personal catcher.
Hey! To cheer everyone up…
Adam Jones went 0 for 4 today! Yeah! We got the better end of the Bedard trade!
I was sad till I saw Dickey was in for relief. Yay M’s!!
Somewhere in a poorly lite bunker, Bill Bavasi and Clay Bennent are leaning over some master blueprint to make my head explode…. I’m absolutely convinced….
Beltred!!! 6 more of those Adrian, and we’ll be right back in this one!
Yay Beltre! Screw everyone else.
#90. Why? The ball isn’t even GETTING to the catcher…
We should find out who caught for him as a child in Venezuela and sign that person A.S.A.P.
Jesus Christ on a Pogo Stick, I miss part of the game eating delicious sushi and I find the Ms have already given up 7 runs?
I’m really glad the Mariners spent the off season upgrading their starting pitching.
Imagine how bad this game and season would have been if they had used replacement level starting pitchers?
Oh, wait…
98: It took longer for the head to settle on my glass of Guinness than it did for Silva to get the hook…
Silva only made it 2/3rds of an inning? Amazing.
How has Johjima been catching knuckleballs?
Get ready. Cairo’s about to hit it out…
of the infield.
NOT
I guess everyone gave up. Ah well.
I’m at the game now and there is a rumor that sexson was traded for scott hatteburg. is this just a rumor?
Like the baseball gods are that kind to Mariners fans.
Grit-tah
Sexson was benched because the team “won two in a row” and Cairo makes contact (right, straight into a fielders glove). Fine Sexson is sucking. But if Sexson is going to hit ever again don’t you think he should hit against soft throwing lefties?
Veteran pop-up leadership there by Raul.
DMZ really had this game pegged, didn’t he?
So DMZ, is the Mariners feed full yet? And how hard-core statty is it gonna be?
I’m listening to the game. Will someone tell me how the knuckleball has looked.
112 – Nothing special.
Not sure why I called it the “Mariners feed.” Possibly I just needed to be sure we hadn’t all made a transition to rooting for a good team.
Speaking of good baseball teams – I’m way over thinking this but its fun for me. I coach a church softball team, everyone needs to play, with playing time being as equal as possible. We have 18 people on the team, 10 play at a time. What does the math say is the most optimal way to play everyone? Best 10 players and then bring in the subs? Best 10 minus 2-3 and put those people in with the second team? First and second teams totally mixed? I’m thinking that the best way to go would be the best 10 minus 2-3 to get a good lead and then bring in the subs. Any ideas?
Cabrera pulled a Mariner.
I don’t know — Dave and Jeff are handling the RSVPs. I’m just going to show up and try to look sharp.
I thought it was the “energy” Cario is bringing the team– could Richie ever provide that kind of energy, that kind of spark?
c’mon Lauren, you know you want to, c’mon– all the other kids are doing it ….
Brian,
If you’re gunning for the Church Softball World Series Championship of the Universe, then play your best ten and bring in subs when you’ve got an insurmountable lead. If any of the subs complain, tell them to buck up or go home. You don’t need ‘em.
So the M’s DFA replacement level pitcher Baek, and have $12 million dollar a year Silva last all of 2/3 of an inning. Another positive move for how Bavasi manages the roster.
McLaren starts two M’s with no future….Cairo and Vidro. Another positive move for how McLaren manages the M’s. I hate the direction of this team.
msb- I thought he provided spark when to played pin the helmet on the Kason Gabbard.
Hey! If the bases had been loaded both times, we’d be winning!
Beltre’d.
111 – I’m going to bring my slide rule and beanie cap.
Look at this back-and-forth in the Lookout Landing game thread:
That made me laugh.
No present either.
The best thing about the game was watching the cutie of the rally fries.
Sentinel – That’s the spirit. Church softball at its best.
#68-I just noticed your question and yes I believe Ichiro’s weakness is going back on the ball hit to dead center. It is not a weakness when he is in right.
You have to be ruthless in the cutthroat world of church softball, Brian.
Seriously, I’d just mix it up and make sure everyone had fun. I mean, how serious can a church softball league be?
Can’t we think about having nine Beltre’s on our team? Sigh.
Find the worst two hitters on your team and bat them 3rd and 12th.
BLASPHEMY! The Ichiro! has no weakness!
133 – Well I meant if there is any analysis of a fielder’s range weaknesses. Is there even such a thing?
oh …. Granderson has had a terrific evening so far.
I thought Sims said that it had been a terrific evening so far. I was going to differ.
134-I think that is something that still has to be observed with the naked eye even though any conclusions are anecdotal.
105 – ESPN is reporting a rumor that the Mariners are interested in Hatteberg. No trade though.
132 – perfect!
Also Ichiro is barely missing these hits directly over his head so maybe he is finally starting to lose some speed.
Yuuuuniiii!
The best way to rotate them: try as much as possible to get people multiple innings at the same position. Like swap everyone out after two innings, say, and do any rotations then, too — the more moves and rotations, the more confusion there is, and people get frustrated.
Of course the M’s would be interested in the no good vet instead of Votto.
last night on Ironside, Gary Collins starred as the centerfielder of the pennent-seeking Giants, who was being harrassed by a mysterious caller whose threatening letters escalated to a smoke-bomb through the bedroom window, and gas-gun pellets to the ribcage.
The filmed ballpark scenes were poorly intercut & vaguely matched with footage of the real Giants at Candlestick. Even so, it was better than the baseball we are watching.
RA Dickey baiting hooks in the Safe. Too bad we didn’t atart him…….
Maybe Ichiro is tired from all that base-stealing, just like he warned McLaren he might be.
I hate to see Ichiro bunt. Maybe it’d be ok if everyone else on the team hit better than he does. Can’t quite imagine that.
start him
The annoying thing is that 7-3 in the 6th is manageable even by an average team. But not this bunch.
You know, every player would make as many “productive” outs as Jose Lopez if every player made as many outs in general as him.
Whoa, enazario. Are you Blowers?
Lauren – That is the worse insult.
Rich Amaral is in town, and was talking tonight about how much he enjoyed chatting with Ichiro about stealing bases during spring when he worked with the team.
(I don’t actually know whether that was Blowers talking. These guys sound exactly the same to me, whoever they are.)
But he said “manageable”! Right after you! That can’t be a coincidence.
Hopefully Dickey will be punished for his performance by putting him on waivers and trading him for a proven veteran such as Barry Zito.
DMZ – Should I try to play a couple people at all 10 positions as well? Mid inning defensive switches to compensate for lefty / righty batters?
Rich Amaral? Wow. That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.
He doesn’t own the trademark on that one.
This inning has been fun, but geez, it’s been so bad that a 2-run inning seems like a different ball club.
An 11 pitch walk? What is happening with this team?
ESPN is reporting a rumor that the Mariners are interested in Hatteberg. No trade though.
Nooooooo!!!! Bavasi strikes again! He must be destroyed!
Seriously though, the other day I posted a rant on Baker’s blog about what washed up vet Bavasi would bring in next year and Hatteberg was one I listed, just winging it off the top of my head. I hope I didn’t give him the idea.
it’s been interesting to see how Baker’s one-line in the third item of his notes column (“… amid rumors the club is actively pursuing longtime Yakima resident Scott Hatteberg”) has translated on various rumor sites into “the Seattle Times confirms the Mariners are actively persuing Scott Hatteberg”
Oh, now it makes sense, the Hatteberg rumor. Yakima, Issiquah, close enough, they sound the same.
This bringing bogus players ‘home’ thing has to end.
162 – Oh why not. Bring Griffey back for all I care and Edgar too.
Cairo Funk Blast!
I remember when we could have gotten Inge for Carlos Guillen.
Anyone who has ever questioned the value of Beltre should shut up now forever.
That’s one of those moments that makes me glad I kept watching. Beltre rocks.
Neihaus about had a coronary when calling the Beltre play.
For shame, for shame. I now breathe my last.
And Rich Amaral and Joey Cora and Bobby Ayala and Dave Henderson and, of course, Jay Buhner. Then we can trade everybody considered a prospect in our farm system for Jose Cruz, Jr., and I’ll never have to worry about thinking the M’s are going to do well again.
Sure Inge is versatile and all, but we have Bloomquist!
World Class DH Vidro, 0-4. Go M’s!
I don’t.
171… and Cairo! He’s like Bloomquist, only Bloomquister!
But Vidro got an RBI. Don’t forget those damn productive outs.
Mags’ hair-related choices are getting scarier and scarier.
I believe that’s spelled “Bloomquistier”.
I remember when he was a clean-cut White Sock and always washed up after supper.
you know, if we wipe Silva’s May from the books, why, they’d be at least five games better, and ….. still in last place.
173:
Mariners Notebook: Bid for Inge fails
Apparently it was a proposed trade for Opening Day Starter Gil Meche. Not sure why I thought it was a Guillen-Inge trade.
177… how about “Bloomquistish”?
Is Neifi Perez the Bloomquistiest player in baseball?
isn’t that a deliciously crunchy breakfast cereal?
I love how Detroit’s bullpen can’t get anyone in either league out except the Mariners.
More World Class Action! What a swing by the Jho…………..
“No matter how bad your week was, it could be worse. You could be Carlos Silva.” – Sandy
Silva’s ERA in May is now over 11.
And we have him for four years! WOOOOOOAAAAAHH!
So…uh…Triunfel’s hitting above .400 for May. That’s something I guess. Greg Halman & Juan Ramirez are doing well too, which bodes well for 2011 Mariners.
I wonder if we could get Zito for Triunfel, Halman and Ramirez.
Uh, those are some prominent…Zaloumis…in the turtleneck there.
A Cy Young winner for a bunch of unproven kids?! One can only dream.
Can we get through one game without some dude commenting on the hotness or boobs or lack of hotness or boobs of a female on the telecast?
BTW, Jeff Nelson thinks Silva is one of the team’s three best pitchers.
I wonder if Rohrbaugh is going to get called up at some point this year? I also wonder if anybody in the organization knows that his LOB% and BABIP are way too low and too high, respectively, right now and that his FIP is only 3.74? Nobody with decision-making power, I’m sure.
Unlikely. That’s the only reason she’s on the telecast.
Greg Halman has got some pop… hitting .307 with 16 homeruns
Seriously? Did you really say that? Do you really believe that?
Silva isn’t one of the team’s thirteen best pitchers.
Nelson struck out a ton of batters and walked a ton of batters, so he’s probably just attracted to his opposite.
When he’s commenting on the sole highlight of the telecast….
I guess I’m outnumbered among commenters, but aren’t the mods supposed to cracking down on the sexist posts?
That’s the only reason she’s on the telecast.
Totally agree! Why bring it up on a site that doesn’t let you post screen shots or video captures? Really bad form.
This is admittedly sexist, but [deleted, sexist]
crap. when the html tagging goes, it’s obviously time for bed.
because they haven’t experienced sports the way male commentators have?
No. It just doesn’t work for me. Couldn’t really tell you why.
205… because there is a surprising lack of average-looking women covering sports on TV?
R.A. Dickey for #5 starter!!!!
Silva claimed that he “couldn’t feel the ball” when he was pitching.
There’s a lack of average looking men too. Do you think Brad Adam has his job purely because of journalistic talent?
It’s so obnoxious that you can look at a woman doing a sports broadcast and proclaim that she must have gotten there on looks without stopping to think about all of the s**t she had to deal with, because of people like you.
Of course I believe that. What other reason do you think? You think she’s unaware of what she’s wearing? You think her producers are unaware of what she’s wearing? You think I’M the sexist one here?
Look, I don’t buy the “because they haven’t experienced sports the way male commentators have” argument — Brad Adams doesn’t look he’s experienced too much of anything, while Angie Mentinck could kick the crap out of half the Mariners. I don’t have a problem with female sportscasters at all.
I DO have a tiny problem when their physical attributes are clearly what they bring to the telecast. Zaloumis is in that category. If she looked like, uh, uh, uh, some other woman with a different body type, she wouldn’t have gotten an interview at the station.
If you think that’s sexist, allow me to say in my defense that virtually everyone in that position, male or female, is chosen for the exact same reason. Watched any local news lately? 100% wall-to-wall bimbos and himbos, or possibly former bimbos. Nobody on God’s green earth gives two farts and a train whistle if they know anything at all about anything at all, as long as they can read the Teleprompter.
I have a profound amount of respect for intelligent, thinking women. An intelligent, thinking woman could no more get a job on a local TV station, especially doing sports (or weather) than I could modeling brassieres. Ms. Zaloumis was hired for her turtleneck-filling skills, period.
I’ll bet it would work for you if you had been more exposed to female commentators through the years. I don’t blame you for not liking female commentators, but I think you should at least acknowledge that their being female is the reason per se, which brings up another point about all of this that I think is really at the heart of it. That point is the implication, under all of these sexist jabs, that women can’t do sports and shouldn’t try unless they’re fun to look at.
How do you think people reacted to the first female news anchors?
Steve T, your opinion is more nuanced than I had thought, and I’d even go so far as to say I agree with most of what you said. Thanks for the clarification.
210… people like me? I’m not the one hiring sportscasters because of their looks.
If you think this kind of sexism isn’t alive and well in television, you need a reality check. Pointing this out doesn’t make one sexist.
I did openly acknowledge that from the get-go. I would never claim that women can’t understand sports the way men do or anything like that, I just think it’s annoying hearing them call a game.
This should say: “is not the reason”
May I also point out that the one who first mentioned it to me, and in fact pushed me out of the way to get a better look at Ms. Zaloumis’s turtleneck, exclaiming loudly, was my wife.
In that case, I completely disagree. I like watching women’s sports, and have nothing but admiration and appreciation for female athletes.
How do you think people reacted to the first female news anchors?
The first female newscaster on network television was Barbara Walters. I kinda doubt she was put there for her looks. (And lest you say “but she was young…”, she was 47 at the time.)
I am depressingly convinced that sexism is everywhere in television, but here’s the thing: We’ve all come to accept himbos like Brad Adam without comment (99% of the time), but fixate on the lack of credentials and abundance of sexy of his female counterparts. That is sexist too.
Yeah, but how many hundreds and thousands of anchors at local affiliates do you think there were before Barbara could have been accepted at a network?
Yikes. I’m outta here. You know the Mariners lost when…
You want to talk trash about Brad Adam? What about that hair? It looks like it’s going to take off and do a few loop-the-loops before landing at Boeing Field.
Yeah, but how many hundreds and thousands of anchors at local affiliates do you think there were before Barbara could have been accepted at a network?
The first female news correspondant on network TV was Pauline Frederick. (She was age 40 when hired.) Began with political conventions, then moved to cover the UN. Won a Peabody. Not hired for her looks – she was average looking.
I find it humorous that you are making these assumptions without doing the tiniest bit of research – I found both these facts by googling “first female broadcaster.” First hit, too!
So true. I think he could use a teeth whitening, though.
You keep coming up with NETWORK personalities. I find it funny that you don’t seem to know the difference between networks and local affiliates, where the majority of news telecasts are done (especially true in the pre-CNN days).
You keep coming up with NETWORK personalities. I find it funny that you don’t seem to know the difference between networks and local affiliates, where the majority of news telecasts are done (especially true in the pre-CNN days).
OK, so why don’t you make your point by finding out who the first female local affiliate broadcaster was?
You made an assertion. YOU prove it.
Good night.
I didn’t assert anything. I asked a semi-rhetorical question. Want a reminder?
That’s all I asked. Thinking logically, I think you would agree that there’s a pretty good chance nobody (no man, especially) wanted to hear the news from a woman after years and years of only men.
Beltre still continues to play good ball in his horrid luck. Silva is unacceptable, and the Mariners are still not playoffs contender. Wake me up in 2009, or at the ASB if we do whats right and blow this team up (starting with a few choice firings)
For crying out loud, we’re worried about TV sports anchors being hired for their looks? As opposed to what? Their insight into the game? If they replaced Chesty McTightsweater with someone who brought thoughtful analysis of the game, what do you think we would get? Discussion of Raul’s zone rating? Cairo’s ISO? Washburn’s FIP? Ha. No, we would most likely get more talk of “grit” and “pressing” and “adjusting to their role.” If they’re going to drone on about how inexplicable the latest rotation meltdown is, they least the station can do is take Bogey’s advice and give the audience something to look at.
You should probably read the previous discussion a little more carefully. I don’t think anybody’s suggesting the hiring of sports anchors is about anything but camera presence. I take issue, though, with everybody’s demeaning unwillingness to shut up about female anchors. I don’t know Nicole Zaloumis, so I have no reason to think she deserves non-stop sexist criticism from male viewers.
What do I want to see after the game? I want to see Dave (in a tight sweater) standing in front of a big TV, like CNN’s, with a pointer in his hand and the replay of Silva’s miserable pitches playing. “See? 84 MPH, straight, out over the plate? They can hit those.”
If your looking for insight from the TV anchors in anyway your looking in the wrong place. The radio guys are much better, even if they don’t know about modern analysis.
The Baseball guys are simply there to keep the dumb fans happy and hopeful. I am very sad to say I used to be one of the people sucked in by there BS in ’04, ’05, ’06 and 07′ (pretty much the years I have been watching baseball). But this year I discovered Sabermertics and PECOTA, and while I am still learning both, I can already see the BS they tell us just to make the uneducated fan feel happy and hopeful.
I guess my point is. The TV is the worst place to be looking for good baseball analysis .
It’s like this: there are reasons not to like nearly every TV sports personality on merit. Most of them couldn’t say something insightful if it would get them Bob Costas’ job. I’ve never heard anyone outside of a discussion like this, though, jump from “male commentator X doesn’t do a very good job” to “male commentator X deserves to be demeaned sexually.” It’s a purely male on female, sexually-driven phenomenon and is disturbingly prevalent. I’m not going to deny that I’ve had the urge to reach for sexism when criticizing a woman, but I realize that such an urge is totally counterproductive and driven by gender hostility. Could we try to be better, more civil people? Like once?
Couple thoughts now that I’ve calmed down after the game.
The two balls to deep centerfield in the first were really difficult for Ichiro because the sun was really strong right at the warning track and not before at all, so it would be very, very difficult to see. You’re going from dark to blinding light on the ball, with the wall in front of you. Ichiro’s caught some crappy breaks in center this week.
Watching Robertson warm up, the first thought I had was, this was a guy whose movement on the ball would be right in Richie’s wheelhouse. So naturally he’s not even brought in as a pinch hitter. The fact that Adrian could take him deep twice is probably not inconsistent with my thinking.
Cairo really isn’t a first baseman (I know I’m preaching to the choir here). He has the instincts of a middle infielder. One time, there was a ball hit to Balentien that he caught and immediately looked toward first. Cairo should have been on the bag, but instead was for some reason in a cutoff position, and the runner got back.
I thought Kenji did a good job of catching Dickey. Particularly since he couldn’t have had any mental preparation to do so. Having a knuckleballer for a long man is a great convenience to a manager, who doesn’t have to worry about ruining his arm if he has to come in in the first (something a Mariner manager can expect once or twice a week), but an awful imposition on a catcher.
Finally, is McLaren really just running the lineup based on who had a hit yesterday? That is the kind of managing you see in Little League, or you see when you’re playing a videogame, not in the majors. What happened to all that b.s. about expectations and preparations and whatever? Maybe Kenji will bat second tomorrow and Cairo will bat cleanup. Let’s have Wilie catch, he hasn’t had a passed ball since junior high!
Whoa, that was a big bang’s worth of boob-based bickering.
Maybe since I have a good idea of the sort of non-sexist things Steve T tends to say and the thankfully non-sexist things most people here say, I took the “Zaloumis” comment as intended… as a “holy cow, something just appeared on my screen which is extremely prominent.” Which is exactly what I thought when I saw her on the broadcast, so I can’t be casting any stones.
That said, I think it’s awesome that we’re thinking about how and why we notice these things (not THOSE things. I mean yes, those things, but also “this type of thing” namely potential sexism) and jolly good, paulkersey, for starting the discussion.
OppositeField–Not liking women broadcasting may well be just one of those weird things, like me not liking talk radio, but the comment “I just can’t take it seriously” strikes me as a little off. Can’t you, er, try harder?
Exactly. It’s not Zaloumis’ job to provide insight. She introduces the varous segments, delivers news headlines, and generally MCs the show. And she does a fine job of it. She probably does her job better most nights than the people who are supposed to provide the insight. So, I’ll disagree with the idea that she was only hired because of her looks. Looking good is a requirment for the job, yes, but she does have the skills of an anchor as well. Having done some (radio) broadcast work years ago, I can say it’s not the easiest thing in the world to deliver narration to a live audience. Give her props, she does a good job and looks good in a tight sweater. That’s more than most of us can say. More than Carlos Silva can say on two counts today for sure.
It should also be acknowledged that I (for example) could speculate that a woman could have been hired because of her looks not based on my own sexism, but based on my knowledge of sexism in hiring practices.
Of course, it also behooves me to not simply assume it’s the case. But it doesn’t make sense to blindly ignore the possibility that women hired to appeal to a majority-young-male audience might have been selected based on more than their knowledge and experience, unfortunately.
Fox doesn’t help by taking almost any female in their employ and “foxing” her– the clothes, the make-up, the giant hair (think of how Jeannie Zelasko has been lacquered over as she has moved up the ladder)
I keep wondering how Arlati & Capuano have escaped being dunked in the communal foundation bottle.
and sadly, reading about her ‘meteoric rise’ because she has ‘it’ tends to underscore such thoughts.
holy crap.
“Capuano graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Cell Biology and Biochemistry from University of California San Diego in 1995. She spent a year working on her doctorate at UCLA before deciding to leave the laboratory and pursue her dream career in sportscasting.”
Sure, but I bet she can’t play elephant polo worth a damn.
241… Capuano has always come across as fairly sharp to me, but wow.
Then again, I know a guy with an astrophysics PhD who is writing computer games. Can’t blame either of them!
Rick Rizzs is sexy. (kidding)
Sorry, couldn’t help it with how the thread went off the rails there for a bit
BTW, FWIW, from ROTOWORLD:
Carlos Silva, Seattle Mariners, May. 31 – 1:00 am et
Carlos Silva was blasted for seven runs in two-thirds of an inning Saturday in a loss to the Tigers.
“What kind of general manager gives a pitcher with so little margin for error a $48 million contract? Probably one not long for his job.
“Silva will rebound to mediocrity, but the Mariners paid a huge sum for a guy who isn’t a difference maker. He’s 3-5 with a 6.00 ERA this season.”
You know, it boggles my mind that we bloggers find little tidbits like the one you did, John D., (#245), as well as discussing the various statistical proofs and independent analyses that demonstrate how poorly constructed the M’s teams have been the past few years…
But we still see these stupid statements being issued by Armstrong, Bavasi, etc. about “votes of confidence”, about how their less-than-replacement-level team talent must Play Better!, and so on, as if the entire Mariners front office staff is living in a military-style concrete bunker 200 feet underground without any access at all to the outside world.
Armstrong must be the monkey with his paws over his eyes, Bavasi the one with his paws over his ears, and McLaren the one with his paws over his mouth. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil…
Bavasi is smart. He will make us go.