Cactus League Game Thread, 3/6/2010
I can imagine, some time, far off in the distance (let us call it Monday), when the Mariners will not be facing the Padres. I know. “Impossible”, you must surely say.
There isn’t much news out of camp early this morning, save that Jack Wilson and David Aardsma are both feeling better. Your lineup for the 12:05 pm PT game:
CF Ezequiel Carrera
LF Eric Byrnes
1B Ryan Garko
DH Mike Sweeney
RF Ryan Langerhans
3B Matt Tuiasosopo
2B Dustin Ackley
C Adam Moore
SS Josh Wilson
RHP Ian Snell
There’s something in the rule books about needing a certain number of regulars in the lineup in any given Cactus League game, so clearly, some of the fellows above have to feel good about their odds.
Death to Flying Things remains MIA 🙁
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There’s something in the rule books about needing a certain number of regulars in the lineup in any given Cactus League game
You’re supposed to start four regulars. I believe the rationale is that if people are paying $$ for these games they shouldn’t see B games or AAA games. Some teams play pretty fast and loose with the rule.
The Mariners have ZERO guys in the lineup who will start opening day and Byrnes is the only player I’d call a regular. With Garko, Sweeney, Langerhans batting 3-5, they should be embarrassed to charge people money.
I’d count Ackley as something I would want to pay money for, and don’t discredit Moore as the mostly-regular catcher… You’ve overstated your position a bit.
I was at the game yesterday and didn’t mind paying to watch a bunch of M’s prospects and utility players. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen tons of M’s games and I’m not really curious how Ichiro or Lopez or Gutierrez are going to perform. Or maybe because it was a beautiful mid 70’s day and I was just happy to be watching baseball again with beer in hand.
Ackley looked solid at 2B in his limited chances, turning a double play on a routine grounder hit to him. He never did connect well in his ABs, though.
Sweeney absolutely crushed the ball yesterday and is making a case for a roster spot with someone.
The other player that stood out in his limited innings was Michael Saunders who hit a rope to rightfield for a triple and covered a lot of ground in LF on several flyballs.
It’s supposed to rain today in Phoenix but weather permitting I’ll be at the ballpark again today.
I suppose some people view ST as a cheaper way to see the regulars, but that’s not my interest. I’d definitely pay ST game prices to see the Saunders-Ackley-Moore sequence they put in the lineup. That’s potentially your middle of the order of the future. That’s exactly what you go to a spring training game to see. You’re going to get about 81 chances to see the other guys at Safeco. (Granted, given how things seem to be shaking out, you may get to see that sequence a fair bit in Tacoma this year).
Are you sure it’s four? I thought it was two position players, which matches pretty well with my long, long experience going to those games (and I believe I read a story about this once, where the two weren’t ever happy because it meant they’d get on the bus for the away game while everyone else could hang around the home park).
Also, I’m with joser. The problem though is I’ve ended up seeing games (especially really late in ST or really early) that consisted almost entirely of the dregs of the roster, guys who might fill out the AAA affiliate if you’re lucky. At that point, the novelty’s not there: you can’t convince yourself you’re seeing interesting prospects, even.
I can definitely take seeing prospects – its the random org fillers that aren’t so much fun.
On another note, from another Jim Street mlb article re: Steven Baron:
“The kid can catch,” Wakamatsu said. “To think that he’s a year out of high school, it’s amazing. You watch the guy catch, and you see a belief system. Sometimes it gets broken as they go along, but he’s a pretty confident kid.
Time for the Mariner drinking game again!
But really, why isn’t Gutierrez playing?
Don’t know really, but he was slated to be in today’s game before the rainout.
Ah ha! I got it via Baker’s blog, which has had someone else updating it of late. Guti hasn’t been playing due to a sore right shoulder.
Mariners vs Brewers on MLB channel tonight at 7pm EST—cant wait to see them play live. Who is the starting pitcher for the M’s tonight?
Mariners vs Brewers on MLB channel tonight at 7pm EST—cant wait to see them play live. Who is the starting pitcher for the M’s tonight?
FSNW is going to replay one of today’s games on TV tonight. I assume that is what MLB will be doing?
Actually both games today start at noon Pacific time. Been following Shannon’s tweets as she tries to figure out which game to attend.
DMZ:
Yup. Anyone that wants a good chance at seeing lots of the regulars in a spring game should head down there about halfway through the Spring, missing the early games when there are split squads, 60 man rosters, and regulars that only play 3 innings or throw 30 pitches. And avoid the last game of the spring.
In the really old days, way back around 1980, Spring Trainnig wasn’t popular. Weekday game attendance was limited to a few retired folks and maybe a college kid or two skipping classes (don’t ask how I know this). Back then, many teams didn’t have all those practice fields, and by the 5th inning there would be players running (foul line to center field and back) in the outfield, getting in their exercise, during the game! It was a different time.
The TV schedule for FSN has Rangers at Mariners. They’ve been replaying games from last season on Monday nights.
OK, I was confused.
So I guess I can watch the Mariners on TV on MLBN at 4 PM Pacific?
The game is live on Fox Sports Wisconsin, DIRECTV Channel 669.
The game is on MLB.TV right now. Ackley has had a rough game so far. K’ed looking on curve after being buzzed with an up and in fastball, and an error at 2nd. Fister got hammered in his first frame.
Gee, thanks a lot, KIRO…really appreciate you not carrying either of these games live on the radio today.
What happens if Tui keeps hitting the cover off the ball. Does that make Lopez expendable or trade bait? What are Tui’s defensive numbers at third vs. what would be projected for Lopez at third?
Anyone else worried about our pitching? I know its early, but man has it been bad.
Go Tui go. He’s a spring tr machine of late eh.
No.
I just heard a real dumb statement by a Brewers announcer (replaying today’s game on MLB). He made quite the deal of explaining that the Jack Wilson will really help the Mariners because they had the 4th worst defense in the league last year, and the best pitching.
Talk about making strangling noises…
How good do you expect him to look, at this point?
Going to throw this out there:
Is anyone here going to be at spring training from March 12-16? Better if it’s the 13-15th, since I won’t be flying those days.
Going to be down in Tempe/Peoria for a few days and would love to hook up with some USSM crew while down there.
P.S. 28 year old bartender here. Just to give ya an idea who I am.
For what it is worth, Drayer opined yesterday on air that that was the poorest she’d seen him play at third, thus far. She has a blog post up.