Game 105, Mariners at Twins
Hernandez vs Slowey, 4:10 pm.
Happy Felix Day.
The trade deadline has come and gone, and it sounds like there were no deals made by the Mariners today. Not a huge surprise, as we talked about yesterday. The only guys who are affected by this deadline are League and Aardsma, and the M’s didn’t seem very motivated to move either. Neither are having great years and still have team control left, so they could boost their stock with a strong finish to the 2010 season, and be trade bait this winter. Or, stick around and help the 2011 bullpen. There was no urgency to move either.
The rest of the guys will be able to clear waivers, so the M’s can continue to shop them for the next month if they want to. Just because Jose Lopez is still here doesn’t mean that he’s going to finish the season as a Mariner.
If you needed a bigger sign that the team has tired of him, the M’s recalled Matt Tuiasosopo from Tacoma today, and he’s playing third base today. I’d expect he’ll get the majority of the playing time at the position going forward. Wak still likes him, and the M’s will probably give him a shot to see if he can finish strong. I wouldn’t bet on it, but it’s more interesting than watching Lopez pull the ball to third base five times a game.
Going down to Tacoma to make room for Tui is Justin Smoak, whose struggles we’ve talked about the last few days. This isn’t a bad idea, I don’t think – give him a few weeks to get his feet under him again, let him get his confidence back, and then he’ll return to the club when they trade Kotchman or when rosters expand.
In less happy news, Sean White was also recalled and Milton Bradley was placed on the DL. Oh joy, oh bliss.
Ichiro, RF
Figgins, 2B
Kotchman, 1B
Branyan, DH
Gutierrez, CF
Saunders, LF
Bard, C
Tuiasosopo, 3B
Jack Wilson, SS
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From ProspectInsider,
Sending Smoak down only make sense in this way: Service time.
He’s still got 6 years of team control left, so was the move to avoid him being a Super Two?
And again, Felix pitching, and no Rob Johnson.
Maybe they are growing tired of Lopez, and Rob.
Some disjointed thoughts…
Okay, I’m tired of RoJo too, but it’s also possible that Wak has finally decided he’s going to squash the “personal catcher” concept. Plus RoJo hasn’t been 100% for a while now (yeah, I heard that “like for the past two years!” comment from the back of the classroom…)
Bradley is on the DL again – I know hindsight is 20/20, however this does seem like the decision to bring back Griffey and Sweeney may be the gift that just keeps on giving. 2008 isn’t exactly ancient history, so I’m wondering if next year we’ll start off with Bradley as our full-time DH.
I hope Tui can at least hit. It’s probably going to be brutal watching him play the hot corner.
i understand the passing deadline won’t hurt us in terms of our players clearing waivers, but what about the players we may potentially acquire? like kelly johnson or reid brignac, neither would clear waivers.
i was really hoping for a league + something for brignac deal…
i would love an infield of Figgins-Brignac-Johnson-Smoak. so much left handed infield goodness…though i’m not sure how well Brignac can play SS.
Oh boy, Sean White’s back…
Can’t wait to see him torch a few more games.
Every time I see Jim Thome still getting the job done at the same age as those guys, I think the same thing.
wonder if Smoak will be in Tacoma lineup tonight, it’s on CSN here in Vancouver, WA
I thought about Smoak’s demotion in relation to Super 2 status. Not sure if it’ll happen but maybe the M’s will be able to hold off arbitration for another year (and yea, get his confidence back up).
I liked this line from Street’s MLB.com story:
Okay, but isn’t he often brought on to face one or two batters after another pitcher’s let guys get on base? What’s been the line for those guys who aren’t charged to White? That’s what I really want to know…
Don’t forget swinging at the first pitch for that pulled hit. And grounding into the inning ending/crushing double-play.
Bitter? Me?
To who? What team out there has room or need for a no-bat first baseman?
‘We need to pick up a late-inning defensive sub at first as part of our playoff run’ is not exactly something I’d expect to hear…
Only two reasons to watch tonights game. Felix+Saunders.
Probably not. He will certainly be called back up in September, so the time he misses in August probably wouldn’t push him past Super 2. I think he’d have to either stay off the 25 man the rest of the season, or, if he’s back up in September, he’d have to be optioned to the minors for a few weeks next season. In other words, they’d have to play him in the minors for about a good month and a half to avoid Super 2 with him.
Chris-
You’d be surprised… If you’ve got a crushing right handed first basemen who can’t field worth a darn, he’s a great late innings sub. He is, afterall, the VERY BEST defensive 1b in the game. It’s not worth a ton, but if you’re throwing out a right handed closer to a predominantly left handed hitting opponent, he’s a nice 8th or 9th inning sub, with a lead.
Especially if the Mariners are willing to eat most of his salary– and we’d get a couple of prospects in return.
(Of course, you have to use your imagination here, as we haven’t seen a lot of 8th or 9th inning leads ourselves).
I’d be stunned to see anyone come back for Kotchman, let alone multiple players.
Kotchman has been known as a decent hitter in the past, and has put up a 1.000 OPS the last month. There may be teams that have a real need and look at him as providing a fix for their specific situation. It’s not as if he has a lot of trade value, or a lot of interested suitors, but if the right situation comes up, some team might be willing to offer something of value for him.
Hey, if the 2000 Yanks were willing to go get a washed-up Jose Canseco because they thought they really needed a backup right-handed DH for their stretch drive, then I guess anything’s possible.
The rumors earlier today were about the M’s trying to trade Figgins, to the Braves IIRC. Didn’t get all the details, but apparently nothing came of it.
A lot of trades today! And no one wanted to scrape off the Mariners’ scum on the top of the bucket.
Damn.
The Braves asked us about Figgins and we turned em down
Probably thought we might be willing to sell low based on his disappointing season so far.
Well, they didn’t see anything they wanted out of the large items which Z set out on the curb.
Ugh Smoak sent down? I hate it, but it might be best for relieving the pressure on him.
too bad we couldn’t of sent two 30 year olds and a reliever for Chris Synder, Damn Pirates. That may have been the steal of the trade deadline, and it was by a team as bad as us.
I fear the Mariners were setting out flea-infested sofas and the table with one short leg.
Maybe some people slowed the car, but no one carried anything away.
If Kotchman or Lopez do get traded, it wouldn’t surprise me if they were swapped for the same type of guy…
The enigma known as: “Player to be Named Later”.
(Although, honestly, I don’t know if that’s allowed in waiver deals? Anyone know… Just out of curiosity?)
Plus, it’s just confusing as all hell to try to figure out which pile is the free stuff, and which pile is the “good” stuff– amongst all the rusty cars on blocks, the chickens running loose, the dead grass growing up through oil-stained gravel, and the dented up unplugged refrigerators.
Is Beavan now a Rainier? His name was on the roster on the mobile site.
Milton Bradley DL’d: Who fucking cares
Smoak to AAA: Probably the right thing to do
Tui and White to the Majors: Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me?
Regurgitating turds in the blender and serving them for supper: Priceless.
Smoak, Ackley, and Pineda in Tacoma.
Jeez, send Ichiro, Felix, and Guti down, and just make Tacoma the pro team.
It’s not often 20 members of a 25 man roster could clear waivers without even a glance from another team.
“The 2010 Mariners: We clear waivers!”
@GoldenGutz
Yes Beavan is in AAA. Tacoma was two starters down so they had to send someone up.
Somehow I don’t think Saunders would clear waivers.
Anyone else think Tacoma could beat Seattle in a 7 game series? I mean Felix would only go two games and there is a ton of talent at AAA. I doubt they actually could but it’s just interesting to think about.
I dunno, but I’d be more interested in going to a Seattle-Tacoma series than a Seattle-MLB team series at the moment.
what’s with the high camera angle in Minn
Why Saunders is batting sixth, this year is an opportunity for test the young players, Wak could put Saunders in the three hole and look for 2011, Kotch is not a player for 2011, I prefered that Carp or Mangini test the big leagues than the “late inning defensive replacement guy”
Nice to start out the game with some bullshit strike 3 calls…
Two triples in one inning…
I hate the M´s
Kotch is more experienced and has been hitting better. We still have to put our best lineup our there. We can’t just play for 2011 for the next 2 months and lose 110 games.
Hey, nice play there Tui.
Tui’s fielding percentage since he’s been called up: 0.000
Geez, this is bad when even Felix is looking like Jeff Weaver out there.
The Tui´s Show return to Seattle
Been reading the daily recaps at Mariners Minors lately. With Smoak and Beavan headed to Tacoma there’s more to reason to. And every day seems to offer less reason to follow the team in Seattle.
Tui: Worst infielder on the 40 man roster … hands down. Anybody’s 40 man roster. Good thing he can hit though.
Not to worry, Luke French should be able to stop the bleeding tomorrow.
More reason to what? I need to know. Your input is far more interesting than the game.
Please advise.
More reason to puke, I believe — since Tui got called up to replace Smoak on the roster.
Also, three strikeouts already in the first two innings for Slowey? I never realized that he was the Second Coming of Pedro Martinez!
It’s the straight center field view … instead of the one that is off to the LF side angle that we are used to. It’s easier to see the corners (i.e. the pith that was way outside to Branyan). They apparently have to have the camera higher than we are used to for the straight away shot. Felix’ big old bucket head would probably be inthe way. ESPN has used it in the past. I like it occasionally. It may be the wave of the future … who knows. Won’t complain if it is.
The straight away shot also gives us a nice view of the vanilla colored Minneapolis slate behind the plate. Looks cheap from a distance. Probably better up close. Bricks or block would look better IMO. Other than that, the park looks pretty nice. Plays big … especiallly when the M’s are hitting.
I’ll go with this understanding. I think it is probably more accurate anyway.
I think Tui replaces the not yet ready to “perform” Lopez – and they needed someone to stand in the infield and make an occasional play … maybe … perhaps.
Smoak to AAA shouldn’t really bother anybody or be all that surprising. He will go down there, probably rake, get his attitude muscle rehabbed and be back soon enough. If the coaches tell him nothing, he should be fine. If they try to over-coach him …….. West Tennesse here I come.
Ichiro must have read somewhere that he doesn’t take enough walks.
Swing the damn bat !
It is actually pretty amazing how common we go into the 5th or 6th inning without a run. Lately it seems like it happens more than half the time! I need to keep reminding myself that this is not normal at all, and that in baseball, teams typically score 4-6 runs on a standard day…
And why can’t Tui throw a baseball!?
Kotchman can even save Tui errors. God he is a witch with the glove. Too bad he can’t hit.
Dear Felix,
Joe Mauer owns you … and it has nothing to do with “luck.” Do not pitch to him. Roll the ball to the plate and he might not hit it as hard. You also might not have to duck as often.
Love,
Mike
There you go …throw shit in the dirt and maybe he will swing at it. This time he did – and you didn’t end up having to duck.
wtf Ichiro, 3 k’s
Ichiro is on pace for a new career high! Unfortunately it is his O-swing% which is at 36%.
This offense is the worst in the MLB, but is the worst af all times??
I’m beginning to wonder if the first inning was due to Felix sulking about the loss of his personal catcher. He threw a lot of meatballs up there, and seems to have “regained” his usual form since then.
Wow this team is totally unwatchable
2 called K’s at pitches 1″ or less off the plate and 1 swinging K at a pitch that bounced across the opposite handed batters box. When you swing at shit like that, you have a lot less credibility with the umps – when you “disagree” with something they called an 1″ off the plate. Ichiro’s approach is absolute horse-shit too often. If he had Gwynn’s discipline, he probably could have made a run at hitting .400 during one of his high avg. years.
With that said, I am going to make an advance prediction on Ichiro’s next AB: Single.
So, does Slowey now vault up the ladder into the Top 3 for this years Cy Young consideration?
You usually need to wait until mid-September to see these types of inspired performances by teams out of the running. Lucky us, we have gotten to see a lifetime’s worth in less than one full season.
Yay!
No more predictions for the evening. No need.
I agree Msfanmike….Ichiro has been increasingly aggressive with each season. For comparison in 2002 his O-Swing% was 20%. Basically he averages a 1.5% increase in his O-swing% with each passing year. Not to mention fangraphs has his speed rating at 4.9, the league average is 5.0! I don’t know, or claim this is the beginning of the end for Ichiro. They are just very discouraging signs from the highest paid, and best player on the team.
I think it just makes him a little less interesting and equally more frustrating to watch from time to time … but not representative of any actual decline yet. He had a season where he hit just a tick above .300 with 205 hits (2004 or 2005?) – and he will likely have a better season this year than he did then. Ichiro has a lot of gas left in the tank. I didn’t complain about what his salary was at that time (underpaid) and I won’t complain about his salary at the present time. I don’t care what they pay him. I don’t have to write the checks. Plus, all the metrics which you likely know better than I do (that are used to calculate value in terms of wins in comparison to salary) show that he is more than worth his salary (every season except 1 during his career). It was a link Dave provided earlier this week. I read it. I understood it. I even appreciated it.
At this point, I would like to see an advance metric (created by Dave) used in concert with some fancy use of the English Language (written by Carson) – that can prove this season didn’t actually happen. It can be called “Baseball Between the Numbers Rev 2″ … and only available to Mariner fans.
Why is what’s his knuckle (on the radio – Pittman?) all over Figgins again? What did Figgins do or not do?
Oh, he’s a “jerk” according to Pittman. I see. A jerk.
I missed whatever it was that Figgins “did.” I know he didn’t get 3 hits today. He had 3 hits yesterday though. But today, he is a “jerk” because the Mariners didn’t trade him?
What the fuck is Pittman talking about?
Please fill me in … if this Site is still active
Slate? That’s limestone, a stone that is prevalent in Minnesota. The limestone inside and outside the park is absolutely beautiful and very Minnesotan. Brick or block? Just do what everyone else did instead of doing something original using local materials? Puh-lease.
There is absolutely nothing cheap about this ballpark.
SBG, I think it’s great you guys finally got a real ballpark. Having said that – what was it like in early April? I know Minnesota isn’t the only place with cold spring weather at times – the Mariners had an early-season series at Cleveland snowed out a couple years ago!
April was absolutely gorgeous — our warmest April on record, I think. My first game was a night game in April and it was about 60 degrees. I had a light jacket on and was very comfortable. The park has a concourse all the way around it that is open to the field. There are heat lamps in the concourses — you can stand under the heat lamps when it is cool and watch the game, if you are so inclined. But April was absolutely terrific, weatherwise.
Average temperature in April: 47.2 degrees in Boston, 48.6 in Chicago, and 46.4 in Minneapolis. It’s not THAT much colder in MPLS than a lot of other northern cities that have baseball outside.
Thank you. I blew it. I knew it was limestone … and my fingers said “slate.” And I did say, it probably looks better up close than on TV. The LIMESTONE behind the plate (light color) looks dirty on TV. However, I have noticed it throughout the rest of the park, so there is a match and it is a very nice highlight throuhgout the rest of the park – and unique. As a matter of fact, it just might be the most beautiful accoutrament (sp?) I have ever seen … anywhere … at any time – even if it is not covered by a baggy.
At least we are discussing important things now.
Back to Figgins and Matt Pittman: Didn’t Figgins have what was arguably the only (and certainly best) hustle play of the day – when he backed up the errant throw to 1B from Felix, and he threw a strike to 2B … to Jack Wilson who was actually waiting at the bag to receive the throw and tag out the batter runner.
ALL THE PLAYERS AND PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THIS TEAM ARE LOSERS.
FIRE THEM ALL.
Tacoma is at least competing for a championship. It might be more fun to be there.
Tuiasosopo I don’t get. Why not just play Josh Wilson at third. he is a much better hitter, and probably a better defender.
Josh Lueke is now in Tacoma. His line on Saturday:
2 innings pitched, 1 hit, zero walks 4 k’s and he earned his first save at AAA. I know this guy has a history that is a PR nightmare for the M’s, but with their bullpen as awful as it is how can they keep him out of the majors much longer? He’s 25. Not exactly too young to make his debut. His criminal past is likely the only reason he was never called up by the Rangers. Just sayin…
Inter-FO politics, I’d imagine. Tui is local sports royalty because of who his dad is.
If How/Chuck are still in charge the next several years, we’ll probably draft Trey Griffey when he graduates – whether he’s played high school baseball or not.
“Not to worry, Luke French should be able to stop the bleeding tomorrow”
..and remember, ALL bleeding eventually stops! I believe we’re there…
No Mauer, don’t even think about using your closer, it’s only the Mariners.