Game 68, Diamondbacks at Mariners
I ended up seeing Chavez’s injury a dozen times yesterday, between the game and watching the post-game show, and… I don’t have anything good to say for the game thread today. Endy’s out, Wlad’s in, Vargas is starting, and I’m sad. I know this kind of thing’s entirely unpredictable, and I’ve been trying not to, but to have Yuni involved, and walk away unharmed, after all the frustration of the season, it’s almost too much for me to maintain a wall between Yuni, the player who is underperforming and hurting the team eight ways, to Yuni, the guy who is cursing the team.
I can’t be alone on this, can I? We’re only human, and fans so we’re irrationally emotionally involved with this stuff. If he lets the bat go on a swing and gives Gutierrez a concussion tonight, at this point I’d just shake my head and put it on his tab.
If (as it’s gone so far this season) Yuni responds to this by fielding every ground ball in play and goes 4-5 with four home runs, it’d be a good first step to working off this karmic debt.
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I feel the same way. Yuni has made the transition from hurting the team with his subpar defense and batting to physically taking out other players. It’s very frustrating to see him continue to be in the lineup and even on the roster.
So, you know it’s irrational and yet allow yourself to think that way. That’s probably worse.
I’m right with you. I know it’s a completley emotional response, but I am pissed at Yuni. I know technically it’s not really his fault (he was even actually showing some hustle for once), but for some reason I still blame him completley. He just cost us one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. BAAAAHHHH!!!!
Not that i’d ever *really* wish an injury on a player, but how great would it have been if it had been the other way around with the injury and it was Yuni out for 9 months to a year? *gets off soap box and feels bad for meaning last comment*
I take the sense of karmic injustice even beyond Betancourt. It’s like Zombie Bavasi is still haunting this team, refusing to die, clawing his way out of the gloomy graveyard of the past and using his minions to inflict horrifying injuries on the optimistic roster of the future. This team will never be free of the Zombie King’s dark karmic debt until the last contaminating shred of his roster is exorcised from the 40 man.
C’mon now, people. Defensive collisions happen all the time even if everyone does their job the right way.
While Yuni’s inattentiveness might have been a factor in the collision happening, it’s not like he aimed for Endy’s knee.
It’s worse to acknowledge that I’m having an emotional reaction and try and sort it out? Really? I don’t even know what to say to that.
It’s worse that you know better and allow yourself to act irrationally, yes.
So I have a question. How much would Griffey’s defense hurt us in left over Wlad? Is the difference small enough to platoon the two (obviously meaning Griffey would be getting most of the time out there), then move Branyan to DH and let Carp play first. On the surface it seems like the extra runs it would cost with Griffey in left over Wlad might be made up with the extra production we get out of Griffey over Wlad and the extra production we’d see having Carp in the lineup every day. I could be waaaay off base there because i haven’t looked too closely at the numbers, but just something I was thinking about.
I’d rather see Saunders out there, but I understand their reasoning in not doing that at this point. So if we can’t see Saunders, I want to see more Carp.
Oooooooooooooooooookay. I guess I’m just going to go abandon mindfulness practice and start lashing out at people and killing puppies. Thanks for the guidance.
Derek, you’re entitled as a human being to think and feel whatever the hell you want to. But you put yourself out there for a moral character judgment and I’m afraid I just can’t agree with the way you’re handling things.
I mean, it’s one thing to be so mad and angry you want to kick a baby. It’s another thing to know you shouldn’t do it, no matter how mad and angry you are, and do it anyway. You want to begrudge Yuni? There’s a ton of perfectly justifiable reasons to do so. This really shouldn’t be added to the list just because he was the other party involved.
Well, then count me as irrational, too, for I had the same reaction– even though I could see that he went out low as he was supposed to, and it was in the no-mans land between SS & LF.
Can I add Rob Johnson to the irrational list?
It’s a human reaction, and I have to admit it was my initial reaction until I thought about it some.
But it happens, and I don’t think any of us should be passing out moral judgments, regardless of which side of this particular fence they’re on.
I’ll be interested to see how the team does from here. They’d seemed to have been coping very well with all the adversity up to that point, and they did rise up to win the game yesterday, BUT, I also remember the way Beltre starting yelling for the ball when Yuni started inexplicably rushing toward him on a infield pop-up.
I dunno Yuni, you’ve just taken a guy out. I’d think you’d be a bit gun-shy to be running at other players.
It’s one thing to be saying that Derek’s being overly emotional, blah, blah, but baseball players are hardly know for their rational thought process when it comes to being snakebit, cursed, good luck charms, etc.
I hate you, Rob Johnson.
TIF apparently is practicing for his admittance to the Vulcan Science Academy. The rest of us who are actually human beings — rather than internet Spock poseurs — are capable of both having irrational feelings and rationally recognizing their irrationality. You can’t choose how you feel, but you can choose what you do with those feelings. Writing about them as you did is an entirely reasonable (even productive) response. Taking pissy potshots at you for doing so just makes someone much less of a zen saint than they’re smugly trying to portray themselves to be.
(And that’s the last of my flaming — feel free to delete this comment if it’s too provocative — I’m off to watch the game at a bar anyway)
I put myself out there for a moral character judgment? I guess I missed where I did that. In fact, I think I talked about it being hard to maintain the remove from emotion here, and the struggle to do so, at no point condemning him and acknowledging that it’s chance. I don’t see where I’m doing the thing you’re condemning me for doing.
I was just catching up on the other entries– man, I go out of town for a few days, and all hell breaks loose.
This Mariner lineup is about the worst they could possibly have against a mediocre righty with a 2 seam fastball.
Sweeney at DH? Wlad in left?
If Ichiro gets on 3 times, and Branyan hits 3 homers, the M’s could score 6 runs tonight.
Wakamatsu has some blind spots in his judgement.
Mike Sweeney is one of them.
Free Mike Carp!
Derek,
Perhaps my presumption was wrong, but when you asked the question of whether or not you were alone in thinking and feeling the way you do, were you not asking for vindication? If you were just being rhetorical, I apologize for speaking when it wasn’t warranted.
I didn’t set out to offend you and I certainly wasn’t trying to take a “pissy potshot” at you. I’ve been on this site a long time for a reason. I respect you, your work, and your opinions.
Though, again, if I misunderstood the purpose behind your post, I sincerely apologize.
I am really surprised that Wak went with pretty much the same lineup as last night given the dismal results until the 8th inning. Wlad is getting his last chance, without Lopez in the lineup, it looks like a AAA lineup. sadness!
I’m watching the Jays-Nationals game on the TV. Has anyone ever seen the fake umpires before? These 2 guys sit right behind home plate and mimic everything the umpires do, complete with full uniforms. They even pull put new balls after fouls into the crowd and use indicators for the ball-strike count.
So why is Griffey not in the line up two days in a row when there is a DH batting against a RH pitcher? Is he injured or Wakamatsu a total dick?
Hey, they’re just feelings, man. I mean so what if Derek has an irrational response to Endy’s injury, it’s not like he’s acting irrationally. Now if he reacted by running out onto the field to attack Yuni with a bat, then it’s fair to say he should know better. Processing emotions, either to overcome them or channel them to useful purposes, is part of being human.
How small is this ump’s strike zone? Vargas is getting NO close calls tonight.
Also Griffey is batting quite well at Safeco this year (about 100 points higher than on the road and most of his power has come at home). Sitting him at home and against a righty doesn’t make any sense.
I think the “fake umpires” are based in Toronto, and perhaps they will make an appearance when the Mariners visit in September.
Ichiro!/Perra!
common Branyan! Think Yard.
Not a single comment on Rob Johnson being geeked into throwing to second on the play that scored the D’backs’ run?
Sweeney is in as Griffey had his knee drained today.
I said I hate him when it happened, Breadbaker. Does that count?
I was particularly nice right as, I think Dave was saying how baseball smart that Upton was for someone so young.
Well, I guess I have to cancel my plans for tomorrow.
Maybe you can hire Tonya Harding to take out Yuni’s knee?
Three line drive bullets, a walk, a defensive error, and presto: one big, fat, solitary run.
Ladies and gentlemen, your Seattle Mariners offense!
This lineup makes this team hard to watch.
After the first two hitters, it’s pretty darned painful.
Speaking of the Jays, I wonder who Z would have to cough up to get John McDonald over here for the rest of the season? I mean, if I have to watch a guy struggle at the plate all year, I’d rather have one who at least plays above-average defense.
Oh well…Yuni’s started to (incrementally) pay back his karmic debt by scoring, at least. Maybe things are looking up…
Are the Marines number one in the MLB for failure to score with runners in scoring position?
The M’s could always invite her and Jeff Gillooly to batting practice.
This is how I felt about the collision . “season. I do not want to ever see Benencourt’s fat ass on the field again. So much talent wasted on a guy who is dumber than my Lab.”. Ad I posted to my FaceBook this AM
The Mariners are number one in failing to score in any form or fashion.
WLADDY!!!
heh, that’s funny. I was just thinking “what happened to Wlad’s power?” and here we are.
The M’s have scored 175 on AB’s with RISP this season. Which is good enough for dead last (tied with San Diego).
Nice timing, Tek. Although I’d like to see our rate of solo homeruns.
Maybe I should dis some of the other M’s.
Who should I complain about next? Johnson and Woodward?
You didn’t insult Johnson quickly enough.
“You didn’t insult Johnson quickly enough.”
I don’t think it’s possible to insult Johnson quickly enough.
Johnson looked like he pulled something running up the line on that double play ball.
I say road trip. An abduction leaves Yuni deep the Idaho wilderness Running for his life. It seems the Abducters had quite a sence of humor. After a 10 hour trunk ride, Yuni was rub down with deer blood and entrails. Bears really like deer carrion, Real shame! Yuni will need the better part of two years at the clinic recovering from the tremors, tisk tisk.. But thats just me.
Derek is fine, When you care about something, sometimes you are irrational. noone is perfect.
Nobody within 40 feet pf Yuni on that popup.
That Idaho “adventure” almost sounds like a pilot for a new reality series, Jake.
There were three games in a row settled 4-3, and Batista lost one and vultured a win in another?
so, how bad was the call that gave Washburn the run(s) leading to his no-decision?
I have to admit, I wished all kinds of Bad things on Yuni lastnight over my Bourbon. But today, Alass it is a new day. Yuni walked and scored a run. But those 4 homers would sooth nicely.
How is Carp in left field?
Actually, Jake, that sounds like a great solution to getting Yuni into something resembling playing shape. It might solve ALL of our problems–rid us of him, get his head on straight, and make him a valuable short stop…all at once. Woo…
Leon-I doubt you’d want to “trout” him out there every day.
So Carp is a worse option than Wlad or Junior fielding in left.
Let’s sing it together now… the wheels on the bus are falling off…
Leon-I have no special insight to Carp in left… I was just fishing for a laugh.
I like Vargas’ pace.
Yuni almost killed someone again. God damned moron.
Do they need to station a sniper in the rafters to take Yuni out on these popups to the shallow outfield?
(massively massive sigh of relief!!!!)
This just in: Justin Upton is very very good.
Rizzs, on that final play of the inning: “Betancourt…no collisions…side retired.”
Heh, even he had to say it.
Bentencourt is an assss Wholeeeee!
The “devil’s theory” of why it was good Endy got it yesterday: we can far less afford to lose Gutierrez, and he could see all the signs and backed off there.
Gah! Good thing Ichiro plays far far away from the short stop.
All 195 lbs of him.
Wait, what’d he do? I missed it.
Also:
This.
Mariners catch a break!
Respect the mustache.
Yuni almost extended his outfielder hitting streak to two games.
Will Yuni score the go ahead run?
No, we can’t afford to lose Branyan.
Oh lord, not Branyan.
…crap. Not Branyan!
nice curse job, leon112.
Damn. Ow.
not after hitting Russell.
THERE GOES THE SEASON.
…why is Cedeno pinch hitting for Beltre? I am confused…
Oh great…there goes about half of the offense…
Are we losing Branyan, Endy, and Beltre in two days?
And now Cedeno is pinch hitting for Beltre?!? Somebody hide Ichiro before something drops on him.
I am really tired of Yuni.
A bunt. With the bases loaded and no one out. A force at any base.
W.
T.
F.
WTF Wak?
Cedeno can’t even bunt properly anymore.
Huh?
And now, Dave Sims’ wet dream is one batter away.
The comment someone made about how this looks like a minor league lineup is even more true now, with Cedeno as our number three hitter. I’m imagining Carp is coming out to play first, so it’s basically going to be Ichiro, Franklin and seven guys who could make a fine roster in Tacoma.
Worst move ever. Who the hell came up with that?
Ok, if Branyan is injured, I say we trade every remaining positive thing on the club, send Felix to Venezuela until 2010 and hope for a last place finish for a chance at Ron Harper.
Sweeney comes through. Imagine that.
That dive by Byrnes after the catch was very strange.
So, is Cedeno just a dumbass or did Yuni miss the sign? Either way, stupid play!
I’m without tv or radio. What is Branyan’s injury? Why was Beltre taken out?
wow. we scored a run.
I didn’t think we would do that.
do it again.
GUTI!
Ron Harper, the old Cavaliers/Lakers guard? Or you mean Bryce Harper? Unless the Mariners decide to break out the triangle offense, I don’t see how Ron makes much sense.
beltre was pinch hit for, so they could bunt squeeze. branyan just scored on franklin’s single.
Branyan didn’t step on the plate, not that I won’t take it.
I was wondering that myself…
Though in spite of that, Sweeney and Guti getting the job done instead…yaaay!
Branyan was HBP right on the wrist or hand. But he appears to be staying in the game. At least he ran the bases. We’ll see if he plays the field.
Branyan was hit in the hand by a pitch.
4-2 Mariners.
Branyan got hbp on the forearm. Beltre? Who knows.
I’m calling him Ron Harper because Bryce is a girl’s name, and I can’t have a catcher with a girl’s name
I imagine Beltre could bunt squeeze if needs be.
Thanks.
That was the dumbest pinch-hit I’ve seen in a long time. If we’re going to squeeze, do it with a hitter who at least poses some threat. Instead, you bring in Cedeno who can basically only bunt, take away any element of surprise and end up failing horribly. That was a bad move.
Nice work tonight by Vargas.
What a hot mess, even with the lead. I’m way behind on drinking. Rum and coke, coming up.
Best bullpen in the American league? Uhm, when did Boston go to the NL?
Nice inning right there.
Brilliant, White.
Drayer is investigating the missing Beltre.
Since when is Bryce a girl’s name?
Murderer’s row coming up – Woodward, Johnson, Betancourt … not in baseball terms, but they must’ve killed someone to get a spot on a major league team.
Why do so many of you think Cedeno’s pinchitting appearance is a purposeful decision on the part of anyone for strategic reasons ? Is there any reason to think that he’s not hurt in some way, and feels that he can’t contribute at the plate in that situation ?
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Bryce
I didn’t say it was a common girl’s name
I think it was 1952, when the Braves went from Boston to Milwaukee…oh, wait…
So Beltre has sunk this low? Pinch hit for with no outs and the bases loaded…
Hey, Aardsma and White could both make the ASG… along with Ichiro and Felix at least… just saying.
Giants-Athletics are tied at 1 in the 11th if extra inning games excite anyone else as much as they excite me.
Well, they’re actually tied regardless of the excitement level of anyone else.
Hah, smart ass!!
Aardsma could make it (low ERA, a decent number of saves). No way White goes though. Hasn’t he walked more than he’s struck out? He hasn’t been dominant enough to get sent as a middle reliever.
Woodward and Johnson get on base in a row. What is the world coming to?
To mods:
I’m guessing that the game-time threads generate significant traffic due to constant refreshes and posts. Why not, then, use a chat? You can archive it to preserve a record and there are no refreshes. I allows for a quicker conversation. It can be moderated if needed and it’s more suitable for the type of posts that are in these game threads.
FWIW, from Divish:
“Adrian Beltre hasn’t looked right all night long. He’s limped to and from the field all night, and was lifted for pinch hitter (Cedeno) in the 7th.”
Yuni!?!
Ok, my comment about Murderer’s row was sarcasm, Yuni, Johnson and Woodward have no sense of humour.
“again a bunt situation for the mariners” -
What the hell does that mean?
Willmore, I’ve wondered that… but then I also realized if we think there are some bad comments now, think how many there would be if it was a live chat. Or, in other words, how good is your spelling/grammer/sensibility when you’re IMing vs. emailing?
Those who worship at the ERA altar might consider White.
Thanks Yuni. (incremental karma, right?)
That’s how you bunt.
Wow, Johnson was pushing Woodward down the third base line.
I know a lot of you can’t stand it, but I love Sims’ Gus Johnson orgasmic impersonation.
Whoa… Woodward and Johnson running the relay race! That was awesome.
How bad is the D’back’s catcher that our catcher is faster and more cat-like than him?
Thank the baseball dogs! Branyan wasn’t killed!
Gee, more redemption points for Yuni…
He’s still a couple of thousand points in the hole, but gaining.
A sacrifice double play? Don’t recall when I saw that one last.
Wow that was pretty cool watching Johnson and Woodward “tandem” scoring!
Did they ever say anything about why Beltre was taken out? I can’t see them pinch hitting for him willingly. Maybe he refused to play next to Yuni any more after he almost ran into Franklin.
Um, guys.
I think Beltre tweeked something, he has been limping. This isn’t good, I am glad Branyan didn’t break his wrist. It would be devastating to lose Branyan along with Lopez.
WTF Cedeno???????
You know, the Mariners are just the team to allow 6 runs in the top of the 9th. I’m just saying …
get rid of cedeno. now
Jose Lopez can’t come back fast enough. Just please let it not be Lopez from the second half of 2007.
Looks like Aardsma may be getting a save opp after all!
Ugly start to the ninth.
The Rangers game is over. They lost 2-1. The Juggernaut continues to fall.
Giants win! Meaning the Rangers lose!
Ronny was such a team player to set that up for him!
Lost it on a wild pitch, no less. Let’s close this gap tonight Aardsma!
That’s it, Aardsma, further inflate your trade value!
Oh wow the AL West is so wide open! Sucks all these injuries keep popping up….
Nice splitter!
The Dodgers beat the Angels tonight as well…
Gee, thanks Jeff Spicoli for beating your ‘lil brother to help out your old team!
Remember the last couple years when the Mariners were only a “five game winning streak” from being back in the race.
Apparently 16 games ago Colorado was only a 25 game winning streak away from being back in it.
Aardsma!
I like Aardsama in the pen. Maybe as a late-innings guy. Can’t he be a part of the future if we trade four other guys for prospects and undervalued major leaguers?
What a catch!!
Nice catch, Wlad. You’re still not Endy.
M’s win! .500 again!
Nice catch Wlad!!!! 3 1/2 back, let’s sweep tomorrow with Felix.
I think Wlad wants to keep the LF job.
I just wish fans would realize what’s going on and not try to catch a foul ball that our player is going for. At least it worked out this time. Nice Catch.
Hey fans- get out of the way! Great catch Wlad.
Nice win tonight, guys!
I just hope there isn’t anything seriously wrong with Beltre.
Wlad with a beauty catch….Yuni the Hacker with a two RBI double??
Back to 500…
I think this calls for a round of Jagerbombs….
Wak said Beltre had some shoulder stiffness as a result of a play from yesterday.
shoulder stiffness: Wildly windmilling with his arm to call Yuni off on that pop-up.
.500!!!
What a difference a year makes!
And .500 yet at fairly close to the ASB…wow!
left shoulder got jammed last night diving into 2nd, stiffened up on him. ok at BP this aft., but stiffened up again in the coldish air
Am I the only one hoping Cedeno gets DFAed tomorrow?
I still have hope for Cedeno, but it’s wearing a wee bit thin. I tell myself constantly he’s only 26-ish, wait and see…wait and see…
I don’t think anyone’s gettin’ DFAed at the rate we’re losing live bodies right now.
Hell, Cedeno will probably bat fourth before all this injury craziness is done.
As for what you were thinking, Derek…totally human. Emotions are messy. Easy for me to relate, because I was fuming how the hell Betancourt could make it to this country and be such an underachieving twit, the sheer polarity of it….and then that collision with Chavez.
I exhausted all the swear-words I knew when that happened, so I must have invented some.
My brother said it reminded him of Ralphie in “Christmas Story”, when he goes nuts on the coon-hat-wearing older kid.