Off day

DMZ · June 19, 2008 at 8:44 am · Filed Under Mariners 

We could certainly use the rest too. You’ve probably noticed, but we’re exhausted: we’ve done 24 posts since we got the news that Bavasi was being fired, some of them quite huge, and behind the scenes we’ve been dealing with crazy traffic which has kept me busy on the back-end too.

If you appreciate this kind of intense coverage and having USSM stay up through it, please consider tossing us a buck or two.












I don’t know if we’ll end up buying an entirely new server or what, but I’m going to do something here shortly. Anyway —

w/r/t yesterday’s lineup post, msb sent us this quote from McLaren, on batting Lopez third:

“We’re trying to just get a workable lineup. Lopez has been our best hitter, and that’s as good as I can put it.”

Please, McLaren, read the lineup post.

Cuban Refugee Yuniesky Betancourt Prefers Castro To M’s Manager John McLaren

Comments

36 Responses to “Off day”

  1. Mike Snow on June 19th, 2008 8:54 am

    It’s always an off day unless Felix is pitching.

    Seriously. The last Mariner starter to win a game other than Felix was Bedard on May 28. (Dickey’s the only other pitcher with a win since then, but it was out of the bullpen before he joined the rotation.) The last time a starter besides Bedard or Felix won a game was May 11 (Batista).

  2. pygmalion on June 19th, 2008 8:56 am

    I think that we could all use a rest. 5-10 posts a day are fun and all, but reading them all and following the comments does tend to interfere with other activities. Like work.

    Nonetheless I am hoping that Sexson and Vidro will be DFA’d today.

  3. Jeff Nye on June 19th, 2008 8:57 am

    That Onion link was hilarious.

    “For Christ’s sake, he starts Miguel Cairo at first base sometimes. If this were the Villa Clara Industriales, Castro would have had Miguel Cairo beaten with a boot.”

  4. cody on June 19th, 2008 8:57 am

    Thanks for the link. That made me laugh.

  5. Mike Snow on June 19th, 2008 8:59 am

    I’d be happy to set McLaren and Betancourt adrift on separate rafts.

  6. cody on June 19th, 2008 9:02 am

    Why can’t I comment on the “Open letter to McLaren on line-ups” post?

  7. zzyzx on June 19th, 2008 9:02 am

    I was thinking of posting the Onion link but feared it would be off topic 😉

  8. pygmalion on June 19th, 2008 9:02 am

    The last time a starter besides Bedard or Felix won a game was May 11 (Batista).

    Nice stat.

  9. Logger on June 19th, 2008 9:03 am

    I’m not sure if this fits here but I was at the game yesterday and noticed a ton of passed balls. Does this support the M’s concern for Clement’s defense or were the passed balls more attributable to catching a knuckler?

  10. Mike Snow on June 19th, 2008 9:06 am

    Why can’t I comment on the “Open letter to McLaren on line-ups” post?

    Despite Derek’s request that comments be constructive (like the letter itself) and not focused on venting about McLaren’s idiocy, as they are in every other thread, people didn’t seem to get the message. And with that, meta-comments on the subject are closed as well.

  11. cody on June 19th, 2008 9:06 am

    The passed balls were probably the fault of the knuckleball. Some catchers just can’t catch it. For example, the Red Sox have a personal catcher for Tim Wakefield; even though Varitek is considered on of the best defensive catchers in the game.

  12. Jeff Nye on June 19th, 2008 9:09 am

    I was thinking of posting the Onion link but feared it would be off topic.

    It’s an off-day post; as long as you don’t go TOO wild, we’re not going to worry about it too much.

    Why can’t I comment on the “Open letter to McLaren on line-ups” post?

    While we’d prefer people not ask questions about stuff like this in random comment threads (email is preferable); the intent of that thread was to make a constructive offer to help McLaren and people were using it as Yet Another Thread To Complain About The Team, which totally defeated the purpose of having the post in the first place.

  13. Jeff Nye on June 19th, 2008 9:12 am

    Darnit, that’s what I get for writing a longer post and blockquoting! Mike beat me to the punch.

  14. MILS on June 19th, 2008 9:21 am

    Yeah, you guys have seriously been writing at a frenzy. It HAS been noticed. I think I speak for all the readers when I say, it’s been really awesome!

    Nonetheless, you certainly deserve a break. Thanks for all you guys do.

  15. Steve Nelson on June 19th, 2008 9:25 am

    Darnit, that’s what I get for writing a longer post and blockquoting! Mike beat me to the punch.

    Yeah – you do all that stupid work documenting, referencing, citing, and verifying. Then some Drudge-like does a quick link and breaks the story ahead of you. It’s enough to drive a responsible writer into blogging, isn’t it??? 🙂

  16. Evan on June 19th, 2008 9:30 am

    I’ll admit I’ve been missing articles because you’ve been writing so much. And I’ve fallen behind on reading other sites (like Fangraphs and THT).

    There’s only so much time in the day – though you’ve demonstrated that I’ll skip those others to read the content here.

  17. Evan on June 19th, 2008 9:34 am

    Incidentally, the PayPal link in this post doesn’t work for me, but the one in the sidebar still does.

  18. tylerv on June 19th, 2008 9:38 am

    Dude, your paypal button isnt working. ‘We were unable to decrypt the certificate id.’

  19. Mustard on June 19th, 2008 9:41 am

    Guess I will use the sidebar link to give you boys some much needed beer money etc. for all your posts and threads you have been giving us.
    Thanks a ton, it’s been a great work week.

  20. joser on June 19th, 2008 9:47 am

    I was at the game yesterday and noticed a ton of passed balls. Does this support the M’s concern for Clement’s defense or were the passed balls more attributable to catching a knuckler?

    He was catching in some of the games during his previous call-up and he didn’t have a significant problem with passed balls. But he wasn’t catching Dickey. Johjima doesn’t normally have a problem with passed balls, but he’s had a few catching Dickey. What conclusion would you draw?

    (FWIW, at the feed Fontaine described Clement as one of the hardest-working prospects he’s ever seen, who gets to the field early, stays late, and takes tons of instruction, and his catching has improved a lot as a result.)

  21. Logger on June 19th, 2008 10:02 am

    Joser – Thanks. I figured the passed balls were mostly due to catching Dickey but I hadn’t seen enough of Clement behind the plate to arrive at any conclusion.

  22. crazyray7391 on June 19th, 2008 10:04 am

    KJR just reported that McLaren is gone. I missed who is taking over as the manager for now, but MCLAREN IS OUT!!

  23. The Ancient Mariner on June 19th, 2008 10:05 am

    I hope y’all have a restful day, and my gratitude for the work you’ve been doing since Bavasi got the boot. I will say, I have a lot more hope for this team going forward than I did have — if your take on things is right, as long as they don’t hire Wayne Krivsky, we should end up a lot better off.

  24. jwgrandsalami on June 19th, 2008 10:06 am

    McLaren out. Jim Riggleman in as interim manager.

  25. Logger on June 19th, 2008 10:07 am

    The letter to McLaren needs to be revised!

  26. cdowley on June 19th, 2008 10:08 am

    Whoa… so much for Mac getting to stay till the end of the year, huh? Even my source didn’t know about that till about fifteen minutes ago…

  27. bmanuw on June 19th, 2008 10:09 am

    [screw you]

  28. DMZ on June 19th, 2008 10:13 am

    aaaaaaaaaaand now has its own post.

  29. fetish on June 19th, 2008 10:30 am

    Looks like some people have a permanent off day from the M’s: McLaren, et al. most likely.

  30. Jay R. on June 19th, 2008 10:34 am

    I have been using the Amazon link to Derek’s book to order stuff; every penny helps. I finally broke down and actually bought the book too! Next up are the two recommended to McLaren…it might be too late for him, but not for me.

    Great job on keeping fresh, interesting, and useful content here, guys. It is definitely appreciated.

  31. Lauren, token chick on June 19th, 2008 10:50 am

    Awww! I love it when the Onion focuses on li’l old us. Cute.

  32. BrianV on June 19th, 2008 10:53 am

    Donate’d. USSM has gone above and beyond any conceivable expectations these last few days. I’m happy to do my part to help the site.

  33. jbarr08 on June 19th, 2008 11:01 am

    someone on Baker’s blog comments thought the Onion article was real… teehee. 😀

  34. Blastings Thrilledge on June 19th, 2008 11:04 am

    I gave a few bucks. This blog is good.

  35. RoninX on June 19th, 2008 1:16 pm

    Must … have…. ’round the clock Ms coverage…. $$$ on the way.

  36. David Jones on June 20th, 2008 8:30 am

    Donated. I’ve been neglectful in not doing so before…so here’s to making that up.
    I’ve read this blog for years now and it has never failed to be a great source of information and entertainment. Thanks for all you guys do for us readers!

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