Game 161, A’s at Mariners
Pauley vs Anderson 7:10 pm
Locking up the #2 pick proved to be rather easy last night. Of course, it also meant that we got blown out on Fan Appreciation Night. Indeed, shut out, tying the Indians for the AL lead. We could claim that lead all for ourselves tonight. It would be something.
In more positive news on the larger scale, you have the emergence of David Pauley as some kind of major league pitcher. I don’t know that I’d qualify that as great news for us in particular, but great news for him certainly. Awful teams have that benefit of giving opportunities to guys otherwise on the fringe, and if they establish themselves, they can go on to have decent little careers in the big leagues. Pauley probably isn’t part of the team’s long-term plans. Despite an ERA under four this season, he has a tRA of 5.32 as a starter. His Ks aren’t impressive and he’s walked a few too many. But still, he’s living the dream and getting the paycheck. That’s nice.
Since the topic interests me, at least, I’ll add that in the game notes for today, they mention that the full-season affiliates for the M’s led the minor leagues with 2956 runs, 527 home runs, a .439 slugging percentage, and a .782 OPS. Things are looking up.
Speaking of things that are up (up in the air, that is), Death to Flying Things has gone the entire season without making an error. Assuming that continues, he’ll be the first Mariners outfielder to end a season with a perfect fielding percentage, and he would set the MLB record for most total chances in a season without an error.
This was more than I thought was possible to write about a team that has a chance to lose its hundredth game today.
RF Ichiro!
2B Figgins
DH Gutierrez
1B Smoak
C Moore
3B Mangini
CF Halman
LF Saunders
SS Jo. Wilson
Smoak, please hit your first HR in Safeco.
Thanks bye.
Hey, our man Branyan was given second place in Jayson Stark’s “Injuries of the Year”. I didn’t know about his most recent flip-flop-related mishap…
So what will the #2 pick net us? A pitcher? Position player? I’m assuming Rendon will be the first pick. Too early to tell?
With such luck, perhaps Russ Branyan could star in a remake of The Dick Van Dyke Show. 🙂
Had a great deal of HOPE coming into the season, with all the talk about “doing the new math” and figuring small ball and defense are the ticket for the first step of seeing the M’s in the playoffs. The M’s became a horrific team this year. I kept thinking during the off-season, “why don’t these guys go after someone like a Vladimir Guerrero”? Seems like Seattle’s pro sports are always looking for the player that have been over looked by the other teams, then sign them to find out they aren’t Pro caliber when performing in this town. I was so high on Figgins, with his supposed good defense and hitting skills, but he was a total bust, especially when performing in clutch situations. He’s probably still too busy counting all that money he’s making. Unfortunately, Figgie is one of our lesser problems when looking at so many other failures… again and again.
Now on the positive side (just a couple of em)
Ichiro!! If I were putting a team together from all the players that ever lived… the amazing Ichiro would OWN right field. We’ll be talking about Ichiro 50, maybe even 100 years from now! He’ll be talked about like Ty Cobb is today (but even greater as true 5 tool player). The other is King Felix! Felix is still too early in his career to talk about lasting greatness, but he was worth watching this year (as soon as he’s done pitching leave the stadium in a hurry if you want to savor good memories)
So Guti will get the Gold Glove, right? Right?
Wait, who’s the Yankees’ centerfielder? He’ll get it by default.
Aannddd…cue the clown parade music, AGAIN!
Just wondering if anyone is going to waste money on 6-game plans and up next season. Im all for hoping these young stars turn out, but something makes me think that Jackie-Z wont go after jack or —- in the offseason, possibly making them even worse than this year. I still want to believe in Jack, but have no faith in Howchuck. I just cant toss money their way anymore. Here’s to hoping the two of them are gone soon….. not that Im holding my breath or anything.
Curtis Granderson, I believe, these days…and yeah, Juneau, you’re probably right.
Which is part of why it depresses me when players I like wind up on teams I can’t stand.
Point of clarification: in the outfield, Gold Glove is not necessarily position-dependant.
Smoak! Two for three with two doubles and a sharp lineout against a good MLB LEFT-handed pitcher in SAFECO field.
He has arrived!
Man oh man Smoak is on fire. Too bad this isn’t May.
It amazes me that, even after the disaster that was this season, to hear people like Drayer and Sims talk as if Jack Z needs to “get a veteran presence” (Sims’ phrase) to help with all the young players we’ll have next year.
You’d think they would have figured out just how valuable that is from THIS season – the Mariners had “veteran presence” out the wazoo.
Smoak now has a better triple-slash line than Saunders. Crazy considering how both were doing a couple months ago.
I’m looking forward to seeing Smoak hit .275/.375/.800 next year. 😀
(Remember, you saw it here first)
CONDOR!!
(apparently he wasn’t happy w/ Sports on a Schtick’s comment)
Yay, #100…
oh, wait.
I was at the game. Smoak hit 3 rockets. Saunders launched two (one foul a little ways). All 5 of these shots were off left-handed pitching. Colour me impressed!
ONE (hundred) is the loneliest number you can ever do….
Last rant for the season: Whatever — It should have been the last Felix Day for the year. Period.
Pencil pushers. You follow their logic, he might as well have been yanked when they fell below 15 games.
Look at the bright side – it’s NOT still May… if this were still May we’d be on a pace to lose almost 200 games this season… 😉
They have needed to go with a rebuilding strategy for a decade, but always seem to opt for the quick fix. There is a long list of bad trades and free agent signings made with the intent to keep the Ms in contention every season. I think the fans will be happier with a young team that may get better with time, than a team full of veterans on the decline.