Game 103, Mariners at White Sox
Pauley vs Garcia, 5:10 pm.
Tonight should be an interesting test for Pauley. Similar to Doug Fister, he pounds the zone with mediocre stuff and relies on getting hitters to get themselves out, which doesn’t work all that well in a ballpark where the ball flies pretty well. But, if he can get through this line-up, he’s got a pretty decent chance of sticking in the rotation for the rest of the year, and might post good enough numbers to wind up with a major league job next year.
Also, just figured I’d throw this out there, for people who need some good news: Josh Lueke, since coming over in the Cliff Lee deal, for Double-A West Tennessee: 7 2/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 14 K. Don’t be surprised if we see Lueke in September. The M’s could certainly use another reliever with an out pitch who can throw strikes.
Ichiro, RF
Figgins, 2B
Kotchman, 1B
Gutierrez, CF
Saunders, LF
Smoak, DH
Josh Wilson, 3B
Johnson, C
Jack Wilson, SS
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Guti in center (and batting cleanup)! Saunders hitting fifth! Smoak sixth! No Lopey! (okay he’s hurt, so that’s a bit cheap of me)
Why am I so excited – is it diminished expectations??
Can’t showcase Lopez, so time to showcase Kotchman instead.
Since they’re tracking a 100 loss season with the enthusiasm of a beagle on a fresh rabbit trail, I would hope so.
Funny thing is that, just prior to the pre-game show, Moore & Bill Schwartz on KIRO ripped up the Mariners for about thirty seconds then said “Let’s get back to golf!”
When a bunch of washed-up old farts standing around playing golf out at Sahalee takes precedence over the M’s, you know the season’s already been over for a loooooong time.
I’m more wondering why Branyan isn’t in there again.
“I’m more wondering why Branyan isn’t in there again.”
Great question!
Well, to be fair scott, it is U.S. Senior Open and its being played locally….
True, Patrick…but then again, if the M’s were actually in a pennant race, they’d probably get more airtime.
Nice pick by Kotchman. The man can certainly play first base.
I’ll agree with you there.
I’ve had absolutely no complaints about Kotch’s defense at all…it’s a crying shame that the poor guy can’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag, though.
I was wondering the same thing myself, then realize that he had to slide into home plate yesterday – buried himself up to his knees – and probably hurt something again. Or, they are simply sticking to their plans to develop Smoak. Can’t argue with that.
I am sure glad to see that the “NellieFox” curse on Ichiro has been lifted.
Nice bunt Figgy!
Small ball. Cool. Come on Kotchman. The Angels are still looking for a 1B – and they are familiar with you.
Damn … pick up the pace Freddy. What would it be like if he ever faced off against Dice-K?
Does Figgins get credit for 1/2 stolen base for that one … with some of the advanced statistic formula’s?
gooooo Ichiro
Scratch that. Twice Figgy … twice? WTF?
Yes, this team should continue to find ways to give away more outs.
Man, it has to be said that Jack Wilson has a nice glove. That is some great D he’s showing today.
And while we’re at it, Kotchman also has nice defense. Too bad he couldn’t hit here but at least he’s been doing good with the bat today.
Not exactly the grade on the Pauley test that any of us were hoping to see tonight.
Smoak needs time in Tacoma??
Yep. I think he is a 2 inning relief guy in some teams rotation (maybe even ours) in the future; but a reliable starter, he is not.
2 questions:
1. Did the Rangers acquire a 3B who can also play 2B (to replace Kinsler while he is out); or is Michael Young going to move over to 2B?
2. Does anybody remember the circumstances behind the Mariners acquiring Omar a few seasons ago (over the Winter) and then not “passing” him on his Physical? I remember it occured, but cannot remember when … but I do remember not being too upset about it. It’s a lot more upsetting now than it was then. He is kicking our asses!
That thought came to mind last night. Texas rushed him to the Major Leagues, and he looks lost.
Smoak just needs to play – period, but you are probably right. He could use some time at a lower level in order to “tear it up” and build some confidence.
He could also use a shorter swing path to the ball. He has good bat speed, but it takes a long time for the bat to get there. Needs quicker hands. He will get there. They will work with him. I think he has all the tools we are looking for in a future power hitting 1B or DH option.
It was a straight up deal with the Indians, Carlos Guillen for Omar. Instead we got the proverbial bag of balls for Carlos. In his first season in Detroit, Carlos was, according to Fangraphs, worth $16.3 million and was paid $2.5 million. In his third season, $21.6 and paid $5 mlllion. Great moves by the FO.
The season is lost, he might as well learn against the best and hope it doesn’t kill his confidence. Hopefully we don’t ruin another highly promising prospect though as he was rushed to the majors with only 400 or so minor league AB’s.
Like watching paint dry.
And, of course, Carlos got the privilege of playing (and Tiger fans got the privilege of watching) a World Series in 2006…whereas Mariner fans got to watch Yuni play X-Box and load up on Twinkies while still not being able to enjoy a World Series.
Thanks, Bavasi.
Watching Michael Saunders succeed is one of the reasons I still watch Mariner games.
The emergence of the Condor (which, BTW, would make a great title for a nature documentary!) has truly been a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dismal season.
I’m officially avoiding the term “breakout” for next year, though — since I apparently jinxed the last guy I thought would have one this year (namely, Hyphen).
@breadbaker: Thank you for the info/reminder
Freddy’s 82 mph high-school-heat seems to be ideal for Kotchman. I am not sure why it isn’t ideal for a few more guys … but this is the 2010 Mariners. We have seen this movie. We know how it ends.
Oh, hey … we gave up another dinger!
Yep, seen this movie.
Darn. Still trying to figure out how to do the block quote thing.
Copy, paste, highlight, click bquote
And Bavasi probably thought “well, I thought it was the other Juan Gonzalez and not the one who was the minor league scrub.”
4A pitchers attempting to succeed against MLB hitters is like a bullet train hitting a parked car. Loud and damaging.
Yay another AAA arm coming in the game! Maybe this mediocre piece will get some
outs.
Love the trainwreck analogy there, Des!
Quite the mirror image of the M’s season, acutally.
Do you mean in Mariners history or do you mean in the all time history of baseball? Either one could be feasible.
We would have been much better off doing nothing … or was Carlos traded because he knew Freddy and Freddy got a DUI? Or, did Carlos get a DUI in concert with being injury prone. Ah, who the hell cares. Never mind.
Ditto
Hands too slow … currently
Wilson Ramos traded for Capps. I know Capps is better than Aarsdma but maybe we could have sweetened the deal to get Ramos?
No…something had to be done to protect the ever-sacred “family-friendly” image of the franchise from those “evil” partying guys on the team who like to go out dancing on the weekend and unintentionally get speeding tickets on their way home…
Uh, yeah.
Thanks Scott … I recall that it was something very “egregious.”
God – this teams leadership has sucked for an awfully long time. Where is George Argyros when you need him? Now that ass-hole was so bad that I actually can remember the details about him.
I am too lazy to look him up. Who is Ramos, who does he play for, what position does he play. Has he ever had or know of anybody who ever had a DUI?
Sincerely,
M’s Ownership/Management
Ichiro is giving a big f u to all of his haters
I am telling you … the NellieFox curse has been lifted. Either he was banned or he banned himself … or he is looking for yet another career.
Agree, maybe a Aardsma + any prospect
Ichiro’s wife must have made him some extra special slump busting rice balls.
I’d have to say that Mr. Suzuki has done a nice job at the dish tonight. If only some of these loafers would do the same…
But we already have plenty of “catchers”!
I think Moore = Ramos … or at least, in theory, he should. At least that is the popular thought process. There are other areas of need … as you know – just point at any of 5 or 6 positions plus 1/2 of a bullpen and 2 starting pitchers (minus the 1 currently in Tacoma) and say the word “need” and you will be correct
Mike –
And the thing about it is, FO’s in every sport dump guys whom they (rightfully or not) perceive to be “bad apples” all the time. It’s just that the smart and savvy GM will at least get something of value in return for the star-caliber player(s) they’re dumping — not just haul them out to the curb like last week’s garbage.
Then again, we’re talking Bavasi here — who had way more salary to work with (even in adjusted figures) than the clowns whom Argyros had in charge of the team back in the 80’s…yet really didn’t get any more bang for the bucks he had at his disposal, anyway.
hahahahaha
I wonder how much the Mariner pitchers have cost the White Sox in fireworks money this series? Cash money homey.
I hate Olson!!!!!
Let’s put the lefty in against Konerko and Quentin. Because why not give the White Sox platoon advantage in their tiny ballpark.
You are exactly right.
Do they move the fences in when the White Sox are at bat?
Olson: “I want that Gas Can Award…nobody’s gonna cheat me out of it this year!”
Because why not give the White Sox platoon advantage in their tiny ballpark.
In fairness, the size of the park was pretty irrelevant to those blasts.
Man, if Jose Lopez got 500 AB’s in that park, I’ll bet he’d feel like Albert Pujols there.
scott19, hilarious. Bobby Ayala is the most flammable Gas Can in the Mariners history. Remember when he punched some glass, cut his pitching hand and wrist, and was put on the disabled list? Awful.
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-04-26/sports/sp-63038_1_bobby-ayala
http://dev.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Bobby_Ayala_1969
OT, but does anyone else remember Ayala and some other reliever combining to throw 14 consecutive balls?
Things have been (marginally) worse, my friends.
I hope for a good outing by Aardsma, for the trade, of course…
Unfortunately, though, poor Lou had sooooo many gas cans on his pitching staff at that point that Ayala’s being on the DL after that incident didn’t really help matters much…
The summary from his Wiki bio, however, is also a hoot:
Ayala was a veritable, “Mendoza of the Mound”…
Sniff … sniff……………
I am smelling 57-105
If Aardsma is traded, who closes next season? Any free agents that are appealing or potential trades? Or, do you keep D.A. and hope he pitches like 2009, and what little we have seen of him lately? If he is traded, the Mariners definitely lose 100 games.
Yes…but are we smelling or crying at this point? (Or, both?!)
I agree. If we lose Aardsma, we definitely win five more games.
I really wonder why Moore is still down at AAA. By just about any measure, RoJo is stinking up the place. Even if you buy into the whole “he calls a good game” thing (which he’s been very adept at disproving lately) – he’s sucking out loud both with the bat and with the glove.
If he’s up, he’s still at AAA
Oh c’mon, some credit where it’s due here, please…the M’s, to be fair, are at least 3.25 A (/snark).
I am probably too late to get an answer to this, but why does anyone thing Smoak is going to be a star player? If we look at the numbers (which we are supposed to do on this site) he looks like a not ready for prime time player to me: 298 at bats, 288 OBP (same as Rob Johnson), 336 slugging percentage. We already had too many guys with those kinds of numbers. Send him down to get some experience.
Yes, he probably isn’t ready for the bigs just yet, but the only reason he is here is to get some experience. Just like you said at the end of your post. What better place to learn how to hit major league pitching than the major leagues?
Not sure it is a good thing that Gutti and Saunders now have very similar OB% and BA….
Well, given where Saunders started earlier in the year – I’d say definitely good for Saunders, at least.
Why the crap did RA Dickey suck when he was on this team, and now he is decent. Freaking ridiculous.
You can find evidence of several players going elsewhere and succeeding. Conversely, good players seem to come to Seattle only to drop a hot steaming loaf.
Well, the Mets evidently hadn’t forgotten that his best start of ‘08 was that game against them where he was lights out.
Jeff Sullivan has a really good piece at Lookout Landing regarding the “why do they always get better” idea.
Short version: people have really, really selective memories in that regard, and in the main it’s not true.
Ichiro and the Oh-fers