Game 87, Rangers at Mariners
Jay Yencich · July 11, 2009 at 6:00 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Special Safeco Tenth Anniversary Edition:
As if we haven’t had enough to talk about, there’s another game today. How much the team has changed these past few weeks. How much the franchise has changed in the past ten years.
RF Ichiro!
1B Russell Branyan
2B Jose Lopez
DH Ken Griffey Jr.
CF Franklin Gutierrez
LF Ryan Langerhans
C Rob Johnson
3B Jack Hannahan
SS Ronny Cedeno
Have at you, in a civil and thoughtful manner, of course.
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195 Responses to “Game 87, Rangers at Mariners”
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I am surprised to see Hannahan in the lineup already. Figured we wouldn’t see him until after the break.
So… we can’t talk about Rob Johnson?
It’s a quick flight up from Fresno to Seattle.
Sure we can. Saying “Rob is a terrible hitter, an even worse catcher, and is not a credit to this franchise” is clearly thoughtful if it appeals to sabermetrics. Otherwise, it’s just mean (uncivil).
Rob is aterrible hitter (average under .220 with an OPS under .600; whereas Kenji’s OPS is just shy of .700–not great, but an improvement over Rob), an even worse catcher (“wild pitches” eat him up, and should be scored passed balls…he has a few of those, too), and is not a credit to this franchise (we have other catchers–GQ, Burke, Kenji could get more playing time…God forbid Clement; they want Moore to develop more, but at this rate, would he be more hurt than Rob Johnson)…
I feel civil.
Safeco is opened 10 years ago this day. Has it really been that long?
I should probably make note of that.
I was just thinking that same thing… man, time sure flies. Now I feel old.
Larry Stone had a piece today
Seeing Jr & Ellis made me feel old
They had the ownership group and others on the field for the pregame celebration. Should the fans be cheering for a group that threatened to move the team if they didn’t get public money for a new stadium?
I cheer for an ownership group that cared enough about winning to put together a team that won over the public and got that stadium built. Were they assholes? Sure, but if they hadn’t won, that stadium would not be built…and it would have been their own fault. They weren’t Jeff Loria evil.
Are you gonna tell me wanting Safeco over the Kingdome was wrong? I loved the Kingdome. I was raised on it; I was at the ‘95 one-game against the Angels. That place will always be magical to me. But the first time I walked into Safeco, I knew baseball was meant to be this.
Plus the whole ‘buy the team so it stays in Seattle’ thing…
Damn – already getting squeezed by the ump.
More pitches, Millwood! More pitches!
On the replay, Griffey wasn’t even in the frame when Hank Blalock made the throwing error. If the pitcher had not of rushed to first, he could have caught it and tagged Griffey enroute.
So if it wasn’t for the evil ownership group we could still be playing in the Kingdome?
good evening gents….
I don’t think you can blame Millwood for that. He didn’t have a good way to judge Griffey’s speed behind him (other than knowing Griffey moves like a gelatinous cube).
I think him getting to first, stopping, and letting Blalock solidify his footing and make a proper throw would be the way to do it. If it was more of a rush, then Blalock throws while he’s on the move.
OH BABY!
Owned.
Langerhans’ arm > Johnny Damon’s.
i didn’t think jose was gonna get him…looked like he didn’t know where he was
M’s 2nd inning batting order < any other 3-man inning in MLB, including NL teams with the pitcher hitting.
That was a horrible tag by Lopez, but a hell of a throw by Langerhans!
someday i want langerhans to strike out and break the bat over his leg, point to the pitcher and pretend to slit his throat
HEY NEW GUY
nice contact
I like how he still has his Oakland batting gloves…
m’schick – that’s hilarious.
What about his shoes–are they still Oakland white?
i remember a catcher we had a few years back…can’t think of his name. we got him midseason from the white sox and he was in the dugout with a sharpie blacking out WHITESOX on his catchers helmet
Hah, do they have the A’s logo on them?
I foresee Dirty Harry Jokes for Hannahan…you know, like Callahan?
langerhans and hannahan need to do a commercial together
hey is hamilton’s arm on fire? i see flames
SOMEBODY GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!
Miguel Olivo
Ben Davis? I’ll never forget him getting a ball to the balls and falling over exactly like a felled tree, face first.
If only there’d been a reaction shot of the dugout, I could have died happy.
Those are tra…nevermind.
thanks Liam
Ben Davis?!
I miss Dan “The Man” WIlson
Yup!
Wow That was a shot!
RUSSELL THE MUSCLE!
That man is insane
Didn’t have much hang time on that one.
I LOVE THAT MAN
Good thing it didn’t quite make the upper deck…nobody would have been there to find it.
Mussa!
So when is Silva going to be let go??
i need to find or make a Russell The Muscle shirt
We got Ben Davis from San Diego. Boy we had an a few “can’t miss” young catchers come through here that managed to miss pretty badly. Davis and Olivo were two peas in a pod.
Yeah, we traded Big Ben TO the Whitesox…
Also, I love me some Muscle Branyan!
I really want to see Branyan in the Home Run Derby
phew
my GOD junior is due for a monster HR….
hey did you guys hear michael jackson died?
Langerhan’s takes a walk so the power hitters coming up behind him can knock him in.
I so wish I had a constant PiP camera shot of Ron Washington. That alone would be worth the price of Charter Extended Basic…
amen Elmer
hey that creepy, makes-no-sense all star commercial is on
hahaha. Ichiro was in the All-Star game commercial
I’ve started rooting for Johnson to get a HBP every time he comes to the plate.
It’s the most productive outcome I can imagine. And it would help soothe my anger a bit.
But that wouldn’t benefit his CERA at all! How could you?!
You know, maybe I should have been more specific. I’m hoping for the hit by pitch every time he comes to the plate with a bat.
He does it way too often when he comes to the plate with a glove.
Who is worse Cedeno or Johnson??
nice friken pitch
Rick Rizzs is back!!!!!!!!!!
Nah, we’d be playing in Tampa.
Though it’s almost as unlikely as unlikely can be, I’d love to see Hannahan win the game tonight with a clutch HR.
Whoa a hit from the bottom of the order!!
I don’t live in Texas, so can anyone tell me… Does Mike Maddux do local ads for Just For Men Facial Hair Formula?
Let’s not waste Cedeno’s hit for this week.
Happy bday/anniv stadium!
Something about the look of their pitching coach (I think that’s who it is) freaks me out. I can’t quite place it.
The entire RF area is open for Ichiro!.
Seriously–the RF is playing in center field. Ichiro has to pull the ball here.
man Saltalamacchia looks giant compared to Ichiro
Cedeno was out by a mile.
He has to be– otherwise his name would never fit on his jersey
Wow he missed the Tag.
Man, Cedeno was nailed there
no tag
How many time has Ron Washington been out of the dugout this series? It’s like he’s channeling Mike Scioscia.
LMAO!
Not nearly enough. He’s pure unintentional comedy gold.
I’d rather have Woodward at 3rd than Hannahann.
I’m still laughing at the comment in yesterday’s game thread about Washington being able to make it faster to first than Griffey.
Now that was pure comedy gold.
that’s horsesh*t
i’m starting to like these bobblehead commercials
The agency behind the bobblehead ads needs to be fired.
I have the gasoline, who’s bringing the matches?
Come on, cedeno, if you want to keep your average under 200 you need to at least be able to throw to first
Come on, Sidi! There’s only so much you can say about bobblehead dolls that would make a grown man want to take his family to a ballgame. Going the absurdist route is pretty much the only option they have left.
I kinda liked the Britduck approach.
boo yah! nice job franklin!
Death to running things
That was hilarious. “But, but, but…I’d touched the bag!”
Saltalamacchia kind of looks like Sexson from this angle.
quick like a cat! (don’t hear that in reference to lopez…EVER)
That was an awesome catch
I actually don’t think I’d ever seen that situation at 2nd base before. Runner going, touches 2nd, heads back towards first when he thinks the ball’s going to be caught but it’s not.
Does he need to be tagged? He would if he had continued on past 2nd…
can we PLEASE score some friken runs?!?!
And so it began…
Does he need to be tagged? He would if he had continued on past 2nd…
It was a force, and as far as I know that never requires a tag. He didn’t have a choice (as he would have past second…either second or third). He had to reach that base.
Johnson’s fail even extends to the bunt.
This is the ideal spot for Johnson’s first jack of the season..
Johnson hits a home run!?!
Hell freaking yes!
Johnson? Did…did that just happen?
Home run by Rob Johnson? I’ll take it.
Wow. Either Slippery is psychic, or my comment pissed him off.
wait, did rob just park one? wak looks amused
I like Wak a lot, but he seems to be crushin’ on Johnson, and this cannot happen.
I cannot believe that just happened!
Was that the 2009 equivalent of Alex Diaz’s grand slam in ‘95?
Did you post that before he hit it?
not the helmut!noooooo! ha! nice shot rob. good timing too.
That’ll never ever happen again. It hit one of the Gladiator helments in the bullpen.
Yes
ask and ye shall receive
I saw it before the hit, so yes.
OK, how about another 2-run shot here?
/testing my “gift”
My call was a few innings early:
Langerhan’s takes a walk so the power hitters coming up behind him can knock him in.
BTW, today’s my birthday, so perhaps I’ve got an “in” with fate…
RoJo Mojo! He only needs another 619 to catch Junior.
Ok, with Guardado pitching…a two run homer would prove nothing.
at least Ronny is useful for something.
ICHI!
woooooooot!
LOL Sidi
nice to see Everyday Eddie tossing meatballs for someone else
Anyone else remember when Eddy was at Seattle. Those were dark times.
Rule 7.08e
However, if the forced runner, after touching the next base, retreats for any reason towards the base he had last occupied, the force play is reinstated, and he can again be put out if the defense tags the base to which he is forced;
!ch!ro! welcome to town jack. good, we have a couple-run padding here too.
HE WAS UNDER THE TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, doesn’t Ichiro need Alex Barron to run out there to interpret his argument?
Whoa thats weird…Ichiro wasn’t even close
Well, there ya go. Thanks, JR.
i’m so so so happy eddie doesn’t pitch for us anymore
Russell The Love Muscle walks yet again
I hope we get the “good” Mark Lowe tonight…
Looking at Gameday. Guardado’s face looks much more substantial than Lopez’s.
I bet Lowe will hit 101 mph tonight.
I think Guardado is the perfect proof that it’s stupid to buy a closer.
Turn a normal reliever into a closer, then sell him for way too much. Screw buying the guy who accumulates the second worst pitching stat ever (only beating out the hold).
i hold my breath every time there’s a grounder to SS
Whoa, is that Richie Sexson sitting behind home plate, just to the east?
it’s residual effect from years of Yuni
It’s amazing m’schick. I still hold my breath every time a ball heads towards left field, and it’s been a whole 1/2 season. It’ll take us a while for Yuni not being there to sink in.
yup….anyone else read the blog from a KC writer about how the royals screwed up? fantastic!
Love to see the Canuck and the Japanese guy jiving it up in the dugout.
Espn said that King Felix is second in the AL Cy Young race just behind Grenkie.
That was the good Lowe.
Yup.
btw, two brilliant pitches there from Lowe, on the 0-2 and the 1-2 counts to end the inning.
and that Wak was AL manager for the first half.
Does Lowe have a third pitch? Split or change? Either way, nice sequence to Hamilton.
If it’s up the middle or in the hole I expect it to be a single still.
(dirty)
I read the KC blog. It must be tough to be a Royals fan.
I miss college. I was young, not too many responsibilities, the Mariners had a good DH…
when you’re making trades to AQUIRE yuni…you betcha
Hannahan!
Nice little play there.
Nice pitch, Double A.
was this the night that they were going to do the Best Looking Mariner?
i felt that whiff through the TV!
Yes, they did. Speaking as a married, straight man who can still appreciate whether or not a man is “handsome,” it was lame.
whoa….almost deja vu
Wow, that man has an arm…
Lopez sucks at getting in position
Imagine if Raul was trying to field that one.
Big whiffa – another nice save by Double-A.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Even with the double, Aardsma has had two good outings after the Wednesday meltdown.
The 2008 Mariners won their 45th game on August 7.
Did Aardsma look good? I’ve been concerned that he only seems to really only have one pitch…but tough to argue with results. He’s been fantastic! Should I be worried??
Nice win! 1 more win and we’ll enjoy the break.
Nooooo, Rob being interviewed and they brought up Catchers ERA.
and they just called him a “great defensive catcher”
AA was in control tonight. Yes, his one-pitch repertoire is concerning, but he did it again nonetheless.
He looked fine. Got two K’s, but still a throw the ball in there and rely on the defense type.
The game the other night wasn’t any sort of sign, it’s just what will happen when things don’t go his way.
Yeah, I’m kind of concerned about the pitch and pray type…but what the hell, I guess enjoy it while it works
He’s definitely got the defense to make that approach worthwhile. Good times tonight.
If we can take three of four from Texas tomorrow, all I can say is, hey…we gotta think we’re in this thing.
And it will completely surprise me if Roy Halladay isn’t a Texas Ranger by July 30th.
You have to admit, who can put up a more attractive package for such a talent than what the Rangers can right now?
I’d say it makes a ton of sense with this defense. Odds are good that, unless it leaves the yard, someone will get a glove on it. And I love the idea of returnign to a defense that makes pitchers look great…then sell them for something shiny.
Wasn’t Texas like 11 of 13 against the AL West before this series? For us to double their losses has to already be a bit of a victory
What the heck was that breaking pitch that Aardsma used to strike out Blalock? 90mph, sweeping AWAY from the leftie and dropping out of the zone. That was unhittable.
Dave Simms called it a splitter. If Aardsma figures out how to throw that regularly, he’ll move up to elite closer status – a la 05/06 JJ.
This team is fun to watch.
When was the last time we could honestly say that?
2003
This team is fun to watch.
It really is. This team has already given me about five times the viewing pleasure that the 2008 model did.
The competence in FO moves has been really striking this year. All of a sudden, we’re making moves that used to be made on us.
If Bavasi had made the Hannahan trade, the cost might have started with Phillippe Aumont.
OK, that may very well be yet another cheap crack, but I don’t think I’m all that wrong.
So nice to not have a GM hideously over-matched in trade discussions.
I think it is an absolute certainty that Halladay won’t be a Ranger this year. Halladay makes 14m, and Texas can’t make it’s current payroll without help from the league. The most expensive everyday players they have on the team are Young (13m) and Blalock(6m). So I’d guess that the only way to make that deal is to trade more salary to Toronto than they are picking up, so it just isn’t going to happen.
October 20, 2001. Yankee Stadium
Yeah, Gorman Thomas was pretty good.
Amen to that!