Game 97, Red Sox at Mariners
Dave · July 23, 2010 at 4:00 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Beckett vs Vargas, 7:10 pm.
I’m not actually here. I took Amy to the mountains this weekend for her birthday, so I’ve pre-written the game threads for the next three days. If the team makes a trade or does something interesting, I’ll talk about it when I get back. For now, I’m enjoying a weekend away with my wife.
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119 Responses to “Game 97, Red Sox at Mariners”
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Uh, what? No he wasn’t.
If what I believe is true, you made the same mistake I did in confusing the bald white guy (who I since learned is a part of the training staff) with JZ. Someone asked Jim Street on mail call about it and he cleared it up. But yeah, they are totally twins!
No worries. There is like zero chance that this team does something interesting.
..slightly different angle on ESPN.
Lopez didn’t actually do anything wrong. He was just trying to intervine, and then ended up in the middle of it. His only mistake is that he isn’t good at breaking up a fight.
Thanks for the links.
If I were Jack Z, I would fire Wakamatsu AFTER this season. Like someone mentioned above, you simply can’t fire him now. But when a manager loses complete control over the team, its obvious he isn’t cut out to be a MLB manager.
Wak is terrible at writing lineups, bullpen managment, late game substitutions, and now controlling the team. What else does a manager even do? FIRE WAKAMATSU!
Great, we have a bench clearing brawl, completely contained within the dugout. Only thing that would’ve made it more perfect would be the bullpen charging into the dugout to join in.
Branyan saying nice things about Figgins after the game. Huh.
This is probably the downside of Wak’s “belief system.” Guys underperform for long stretches but keep their starting roles and lineup slots (e.g. Figgins hitting 2nd, Lopez cleanup). So the attitude is that there aren’t playing time consequences for underperforming. Lax play gets a guy benched and the guys thinks WTF? Why me now?
Alternate theory: When Brett Boone was DFA’d, he buried a cursed tiki under the infield and now all M’s 2B are cursed with lack of concentration.
Firing Wakamatsu would be the absolute worst move the Mariners could make. Terribly underperforming players with big egos and mouths (like Figgins) would reign supreme for years to come.
And to people complaining about his line-ups etc. Have you really taken a good look at the available players? Sure Jose Lopez sucks and should not be batting cleanup. OK, let’s stick Josh Wilson in the cleanup spot. Milton Bradley? Saunders? Casey Kotchman? Guti? (who until a few days ago had been OPSing around .400 for a month) The great RoJo? Jack Wilson?
And his moves. Have you taken a look at his bench? The nonhurt players?
The tools (roster) that Wakamatsu has been handed have really been pretty terrible with just a few exceptions. Yet he has made do. And last year’s roster was also pretty poor (if you look at it) but the M’s were more lucky and he managed to win a lot more games.
Oops! Jack Z was indeed not in the dougout(he was in Tacoma watching the future because the present is too painful to watch, even for him). That guy is indeed almost a clone though.
They could start with an apology. I don’t think Wak should be fired, he did the right thing. You can’t tolerate that kind play, granted he should have done it sooner with some of the other guys(Lopez you giant turd). Figgins has an argument because to be fair we have seen worse than that all week(Lopez you sack of wine). However, Figgin’s can not be allowed to publicaly oppose the manager and even go after him. As a veteren he should know better. So what do I think should be done? Figgins should probably sit for a few days. Wak needs to have a damn team meeting and show some cajones and let these guys know that this is his team and they need to play all out or get the hell out. Also I would be supremely happy if they got rid of Lopez today. That is all.
Samregens: Lopez is last in wOBA among qualifying hitters in MLB. Dead. Last. Every time he comes up to bat there are three or four better hitters hitting behind him.
Just to keep a lefty between Gutz and Lopez you should bat Bradley or Kotchman in that spot, assuming you don’t want the pressure of hitting fourth on Saunders or Smoak.
I assume when Branyan gets back he’ll bat fourth…but his absence doesn’t excuse Wak for consistently rolling out the worst hitter in baseball in the “cleanup” spot.
Oooh, I like that theory…
And it would account for how that position has seemed completely jinxed since he left! 😮
I don’t know if it’s been mentioned but Pineda: 5 IP, H, ER 0 BB, 11 K. Only allowed 2 baserunners. And apparently he wasn’t relying on his fastball only. I usually don’t get excited about prospects but I believe this kid is the real deal. Everything about him reminds me of Josh Johnson. I know it’s a long shot but he has te build, the skill set and can bring it on the radar gun. I can’t wait to see him next year.
Actually, I’ve got a better idea for a new pre-game theme song for these guys: Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies!!!
Wait, wait – Jim Street actually cleared something up?
Lopez isn’t good at something. Wow, glad I was sitting down for that one. 😀
Okay, snark filter is back in place… Z has to back up Wak, no matter what. I don’t care if Z plans to fire Wak tomorrow – he can’t allow an atmosphere to form where players feel they have an advantage over the manager.
Is there any video online of the Lou Piniella – Rob Dibble fight in the clubhouse? I remember watching it on TV once.
From MLBTR:
“It’s unlikely that the M’s move Jason Vargas, a Seattle official told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).”
Was there actually a need to clear that up?
jephdood
I saw that too. I was real confused by it as well. Why would sellers be giving up a semi-young and future-promising Vargas? Unless we can yet semi-young and future promising hitting, I don’t understand the concept of trading him at all.