Game 67, Diamondbacks v Mariners
The Bob Melvin-less Diamondbacks visiting. Be still my trembling heart! Garland v Washburn.
I was trying to remember Washburn’s last good start and I kept casting back to the first game he threw in May against the A’s, but looking at the game log I found a start that dropped entirely out of my memory, and only two weekends ago, May 6th when he gave the twins almost nothing for six innings, winding up with 6 K against 1 walk. The bad news is that the three most fearsome hitters in the Diamondbacks lineup, unlike the Twins, are not lefties and won’t be conveniently stacked on top of each other.
Still, overall the Diamondbacks are a pretty bad offensive team. Not Mariners bad, but we count our blessings where we can find them. And I’m looking forward to seeing how Wakamatsu manages to put together a lineup while being squeezed like this due to circumstance.
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A couple of interesting roster moves before the game: Rob Johnson is off the bereavement list, Quiroz was DFA’ed and then IF Josh Wilson was claimed off waivers from our hated rivals and original expansion partners (along with the Montreal Expos and Kansas City Royals), the San Diego Padres.
Well, the Seattle Pilots original expansion partners. They left for Milwaukee to become the Brewers, then Seattle sued MLB for a new franchise because Kansas City had been awarded the Royals after the Athletics left for Oakland. So we got the Mariners.
Kruger was rambling on about how Griffey should play the field more because it makes him hit better.
Could someone explain this to me? I don’t get how standing in the outfield, under the blazing sun a lot of times, or running around after hits, can then make you hit better at the plate?
I’ve heard this whole thing about the field helps you remain focused, but couldn’t just as easily physically drain you? Shouldn’t a professional athlete be able to sit on the bench and remain focused? Or do like Edgar did and go to the indoor batting cages?
Congrats to Wak is in order. Joe Maddon has picked him to be an All Star bench coach. Because, according to ESPNs Buster Olney, Wak took the same route to become a manager in the show as Maddon did.
re Josh Wilson.
The pickup truck is in the shop, but Dad let us have the moped.
Washburn got a swinging strike vs. RHB!
Quiroz is definitely replacement level, but he was doing better than Rob Johnson.
Juneau-
Kruger is an idiot…
I knew that, bako, but I keep hearing this–not here, though, so maybe that’s my answer.
Did Dave just say that was Ichiro’s 90th hit? If so, wow. If not, I need to find the damn remote and turn up the TV now that the pre-game crap is over.
Hey, is Mike Carp still on the team? I don’t recall them saying he was sent down.
Yes, Ichiro has 90 hits.
Dave did say it was the 90th hit…
And Carp is still on the 25-Man roster…
Adrian, if you are going to point to first, do it when the home plate ump calls a strike.
Small sample size. Sweeney is the DH against a righty instead of Carp because Sweeney has 5 career homers off of Garland.
Ugh.
Anyone know why they’ve changed base coaches?
Or did that double steal answer my question?
Well that inning was a bust.
Yeah, 3B coach Bruce Hines is ill today.
Well, that inning was a bust, too.
4 LOB in two innings.
Weird. I thought only Josh Hamilton had the full sleeve biker dude tats and here this Ryan Roberts guy has them. After hearing over and over that Hamilton’s are this remnant of his meth head past, wonder what this guy’s excuse is?
He didn’t take a single step within the basepath.
The batter/runner should have been out. Add in the double play ball the next batter hits and the innings over without any runs scored. The umpire just cost the M’s 2 runs. Wakamatsu should have argued until he got tossed….
Wakamatsu should have argued until he got tossed….
And that would have served what purpose? Lou was entertaining in such situations, but I don’t see what benefit is derived from Wakamatsu suddenly acting completely out of character for him.
“…would be in law enforcement if not an umpire.”
Not exactly a comforting thought.
Just how slow is Sweeney? I think we know now.
I’d forgotten that Eric Byrnes was even still alive. One of the perks of following the AL is not having to see that twerp’s face anymore.
DMZ, I logged in just so I could ask you, should your title be “Game 67, Diamondbacks v Mariners”?
(I was reading the Game 66 comments wondering just how the team would do against the “awful Padres”, and remain unsurprised at Miguel Batista and the Mariners’ insistence on USING him)
Nice play by Wash there…
Some of us have a lot of tatoos without the meth. =)
Woot! Endy!
Yeah, I was being facetious, galaxieboi. It all seems very chicken and egg with Mr. Hamilton.
It is odd that tattoos haven’t taken over baseball like the other sports. Or maybe they’re all under the uniforms.
Come on, dammit, Yuni, don’t pop out! I dare you!
“Great catch by Betancourt” – Blowers
Couldn’t Yuni confine himself to sucking without having to take out other players.
Carp in left, please.
I noticed that Yuni keeps going further and further into left field after balls, and I’d been mildly irritated by it, thinking, he can’t range right to left, but he’s got no problem rushing into the outfield, head tossed back like a turkey in the rain, when it’s not his damn position…and now this.
Now nostalgic Mets fans can hate Yuni too.
I don’t know if that was Yuni’s fault or not — or if it was anyone’s fault for that matter. Freak accidents do happen.
I just hope Endy is OK.
Is there anything Yuni can’t do to hurt this team?? I mean seriously shitty D and pop ups/double plays aren’t enough!?
Our worst defender takes out one of our best…awesome…
Me too.
Why! Why was it not Yuni being hauled off? That is the Mariner”s fans luck right there in a nutshell.
It’s mostly a cultural thing I think. Baseball players do have some VILE-ass tatoos. I’ve met a lot of the guys my cousins play/-ed with in the minors and…yikes.
Not if he is to be the Grand Poobah of suckiness.
And I can’t spell tattoos correctly right now either. Sorry everyone. Best wishes to Endy being ok and I’m off to bed. It’s an hour later here, remember!
Come on, dammit. It’s two freakin’ runs!
Baker speculates that Chavez’s injury could lead to Saunders being called up. Maybe, although I should point out that Saunders has yet to be added to the 40-man roster, and what with the churn at other positions, space there is a little tight at the moment.
Ah, ya gotta love that Yuni…the One Man Wrecking Crew.
It is hard to see anybody else but Dan-O wearing number 6. Especially when they kill a rally with one swing.
Oh, right, it’s three runs. Okay, the game’s lost.
Wanna bet Beltre said in Spanish, get the fuck away from me, as Yuni’s rushing in on that ball.
That was my thought, too. In sports like basketball or boxing, they’re fairly obvious due to the lack of shirt sleeves (or, shirts, for that matter)…though not as much in some of the other sports.
Which reminds me…who was the ump that time who had the issue with Bobby Madritsch’s tatts and made him roll his sleeves back down?
MO MUSCLE!!!
Branyan strikes again!
Ouch. That ought to hurt Schoeneweis’s ERA (1 run, 0.0 IP).
(Yes, I know ERA isn’t a good metric.)
Branyan!!
Just read about Endy and Bedard. Right now I’m literally eating sour grapes.
Why is Branyan hitting second in the order and not fourth?
Because Wakamatsu wanted to bunch up the only two guys who were actually hitting.
Wow. Griffey delivers.
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!
Hell yeah Junior!!!
Uh, these fans think Griffey’s going to hit a HR…..well, shit. Go on you, Old Man.
JR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I knew I was right not to go out tonight!!
(It was totally intentional)
Griffey putting on a show for the home crowd.
On the first pitch yet…
Go Junior!!!
Clapton Who?
Griffey is God!
Wow, that brings back memories, nice shot Jr.
Why is Silva always trying to kiss Griffey?
As the fans were going nuts before he came up I was thinking “This is more about what everyone WANTS to happen than what actually WILL happen.”
Then it happened.
CRAZY.
And for a moment, it is 1995 all over again.
Wait…we score runs?
Rob Johnson triple.
You are now entering the twilight zone.
I think the fans have found their new scrappy gritty white guy!
Although it was fun to watch Byrnesy scamper around after that ball like an amped up squirrel.
As great as it was to see Griffey’s HR, having Johnson hit that after what he’s been through over the last week…well, it’s a little dusty over here.
The Angels and Rangers are losing…nice…
And here comes Yuni to kill the rally…
Oh Yuni, you inning killer.
Well, for once, we can finally sing it with glee…
The wheels on the bus fall off and off!
There went the wind out of the sails quick.
Yuni fucking SUCKS…
That was the most embarrassing Yuni at-bat to date.
Oh, Yuni. That was just pathetic and a waste. I
wish I couldquit you.Well, the mood here at Safeco has certainly changed!
Wooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
If we only had the 25th worst shortstop in baseball.
I’m amazed they pitched to Jr.
Niehaus is in classic form on the radio (Griffey hitting home runs, Dave calling them, it’s like the last decade never happened). I hope his voice survives the night.
How many .202-hitting catchers hit triples?
Really time for Yuni to go. God that was just pathetic.
If we only had the 25th worst shortstop in baseball.
Do we even have the 50th-worst?
Not to be negative, but that was really a double, and Byrnes misplayed it…
The worst thing about this? Batista could vulture a win.
Yeah, but that’s not how they scored it.
Wish I could have heard Dave’s call, joser. Sims is getting dangerously close to orgasmic the past two innings.
Sometimes, you gotta wonder if Rey Ordonez actually might have been an improvement over Yuni offensively.
Ugh, this is going to be close.
Aardsma always has to walk on the wire.
M’s win!
Or at least that’s what Gameday tells me.
Nice wrap-up there, Double-A!
Whatever else the M’s critics say (usually correctly) you can’t say they lack drama.
Niehaus is going crazy on the radio. I don’t care what anyone says, “I LURVE HIM”.
“Win one for the Endy”
(And Lopez’ siser and Branyan’s grandfather and Johnson’s mother-in-law)
Man, i took a little nap, woke up. First thing Branyan hits a home run then eventually Griffey with his two run blast. Best Niehaus call of the year so far. He was also in great form with Aardsma’s ninth. I’m so glad I listened on the radio and didn’t have to hear Sims annoy me with his call in that great moment.
Wak just said it looks like a ligament for Endy…
Blowers, in assessing the game, said it was a “good night for everybody”.
Hmm…guess he forgot about Endy.
Wooo Mariners! I wish I had been listening to Niehaus, but even on TV without him the Griffey homer was incredibly satisfying. Just like old times…ahhhh.
I know it won’t last, but for now it’s nice.
Any word on Endy yet?
Yeah, the way he was rolling around clutching his leg I was thinking ACL/MCL or something like that. I was hoping for just a sprain, which would still knock him out for a few weeks, but if it’s a ligament….
Classic win, great call by Niehaus. It’s games like this that make you thankful you stick around during the long season.
He thinks Griffey is made of chocolate and is actually trying to eat him.
Nice to see the hometown 9 win an exciting one. I actually jumped out of my chair when Griff connected on that. And then it got a bit dusty in the room for a bit…
Too bad about Endy…I would guess this means Carp might get to stick around for awhile and Balentien is going to be platooning with Griffey in LF.
You know, Washburn pitched a hell of a game tonight. He got squeezed like heck by the umpire early, got a cheap error on what looked like runner interference that led to 2 runs (and almost an ejection from the looks of it), and still gave the team 7 quality innings. Of course, he didn’t get any run support (again), but the team won a game he started. Good to see.
Best stat of the night….17 of the 33 Mariner’s wins this year have been by one run.
A great Griffey quote of the year on the post game show:
Reporter: How did you prepare for this at bat. Did you go down in the tunnel and get loose or are you just ready to….
Griffey: Uh, really I was asleep and they had to come get me. Where do you think I was at?
We should know more after Endy’s MRI tomorrow. If it is indeed a torn ACL, then he’ll probably go on the 60 day DL and be out for the season.
The Mariners really need to do something about the SS situation. Keeping Yuni on the roster just isn’t healthy. Also, having Griffey play LF more regularly doesn’t make sense.
Ideally after the All Star break Balentein, Yuni and Cedeno will no longer be on the roster.
Re: Endy
It looked like ACL. ACL tears happen when the knee is twisted and takes impact, and it looked like his leg got twisted when he collided with Yuni. I tore my ACL in high school so I know what that’s like; for his sake as well as ours, I hope it’s not the ACL.
MCL is also possible as that usually occurs from a blunt impact to the inner knee (such as a football helmet during a tackle, or a Yuni kneecap during a catch). I don’t remember whether or not the impact was on the inner or outer portion of the knee.
Either way, my eyes are a little misty. I hope he’s OK.
OKay so I was at that game and witnessed that collision and I just have to say it was brutal. Bentancourt kept coming even though endy was calling for it and running full speed. Bentancourt needs to go. Wak and Dr. Z please let him go. I don’t care if Woodward would be playing short, it doesn’t matter. The only thing Yuni had for him was that he hit for a high average and well now he’s hitting around .230 with a sub .300 OBP. He’s a freaking space cadet out in the field and just wrecked Endy’s knee. Otherwise what a game, Griffey is still a stud. It was one of the most boring M’s games I had ever attended until that 8th inning.
Saunders?
Id like to see Ronny stay. He should go to AAA work on his bat. Thats all that is really wrong. If he can fix it then the M’s could have a UTIL that isn’t crappy or can fill in a pinch. And he isn’t old if he gets picked up by another team which he probably would if he got sent down…..sigh damn it YUNI!!
Oh I will be very pissed if they don’t call up Saunders. They need to see what he can do. It can’t be any worse than what Balentien is doing right now.
DFA Cedeno, Yuni, and Balentien and hope Cedeno clears waivers. I like him too but he hasn’t gotten it going yet.
Can we please give Chris Shelton a look as well as the DH platoon partner? The guy has a .917 OPS for the Rainiers and would be an immediate upgrade over Sweeney.
This team is not that far away from staying in this race if they can just make some decent upgrades on offense. Saunders, Shelton and a new SS could potentially really help this offense a lot.
In that case I’m glad I didn’t see it… I’ve torn 3 ligaments in my left knee and the ACL in the right, and I damn sure cringe and double over every time I see somebody get hurt like that. Let’s hope he’s OK.
It was actually nice to see Johnson hit the ball in the clutch and Washburn have a pretty decent start. How many more of those till he’s back as a sought after trade commodity?
You’re the opposite of me… full blow in the right, ACL in the left. Any time I see a play like that, I cringe and grab my knees.
I hope it’s not as bad as it looked, and that he has as quick a recovery as possible.
I was at the game last night too… afterwards, waited by the player exit for a couple of hours seeking autographs.
Spoke with a couple of players about it, and they both said that it was a torn ACL AND MCL and that Endy would be out for the rest of the season for sure.
Just an FYI.