Game 31, Rangers At Mariners
Dave · May 4, 2011 at 6:00 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Pineda vs Wilson, 7:10 pm.
This isn’t a great team, we all know that, but you know what, it’s May 4th and the team is two games out of first place. With Gutierrez and Aardsma having contributed zero innings each, Figgins and Cust not hitting, and Miguel Olivo now residing as the clean-up hitter, I don’t know that we could have asked for much more than that out of the first month of the season. Nice job, fellas.
Ichiro, RF
Figgins, 3B
Bradley, LF
Olivo, C
First Baseman Of Greatness, 1B
Cust, DH
Wilson, 2B
Saunders, CF
Ryan, SS
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I know they don’t want to put pressure on Smoak by batting him third, but when should we expect him to get there? Next season?
We need to keep doing well, simply because I want Price Fielder next season. Just imagine!
1. Ichiro!
2. Ackley
3. Smoak
4. Prince Fielder
5. Olivo?
6. Guti
7. Liddi? Please not Chode Figgins
8. Saunders
9. Ryan
Sorry for the rosterbation, but oh this would be amazing. Smoak needs a legitimate clean up hitter behind him for line up protection, and to take some pressure off from him. Look at what happened when Matt Holliday went to St. Louis.
You know, it’s not the record, or the standings for me…
For me, watching El Diabólico, Smoak, and Ichiro (and Saunders to a lesser degree) are what’s got me tuning in. If Ackley makes an appearance later this season, all the better!
The recent wins are just icing on the cake.
Okay, I’ve come up with a nickname for Pineda. How about Pineda The Punisher!… or just The Punisher.
We all know Prince Pineda stinks because that suggests that he’ll always be in Felix’s shadow, and we all know he has the talent to be right up there with Felix.
The King and The Punisher sounds pretty good to me! lol!
What do you think?
I’m totally there with you on this.
I’d personally include Ryan too, at least on defense. On offense… not so much. But he’s amazing in the field.
Pineda the punisher… I like it. So Smoak is now a First Basemen of Greatness even though he has been with us since last July and hit a few homers. Yes I like him and he is a future first baseman of greatness but it is to early to celebrate.
Thanks for the horrible Richie Sexson flashbacks.
@texasmarinerfan,
Not sure if your comment about Smoak was directed at me, but if so I think you might have misinterpreted my meaning.
I wasn’t implying that Smoak or Pineda have already achieved greatness (that’s Ichiro’s thing :p). I just really like watching young players develop into stars before my very eyes. It’s one of my favorite things about the game.
Unfortunately I’ve been denied this opportunity far too often with this organization. With these two already showing signs of potential greatness, and Ackley in the wings, it’s like a breath of fresh air for my hopes for the future =)
Well, that sucked.
Oopsie. Good thing he got Rookie of the Month before seeing the Rangers for the second time.
Three balls in play, three base hits. The rest were struck out.
Pineda pitched better than his line that inning.
Strike 3 to Ichiro was a ball.
Robots!
We do not want Prince Fielder next year. Seriously, that would be bad.
Yeah this umpire is not good thus far: which Mariner gets ejected first?
Bradley no earplugs, guess he figures there’s nobody in the stands anyways.
Nice to see him get a hit.
Thanks for the make up call blue.
At least Olivo got that run in, rather than his typical suckfest.
<3 Smoak
I <3 smoking while watching Smoak smoke one…too much?
It almost looked like Wilson did a late swing on purpose, but he couldn’t have known the catcher would miss it behind him.
If Andrus looks straight ahead he’s safe. Oh well. Thanks!
You notice Andrus was dirty there and intentionally went after Smoak’s foot.
Michael Pineda is great…
6 K´s , 3 innings, 37 pitches, 30 strikes…
Honestly, even if Pineda loses this game 2-1, I’ll be a happy man tonight =)
Kirby Arnold on Twitter asking about whether Ichiro should have dove for a ball in the first.
Apparently, most people think so.
I don’t because I want Ichiro in the lineup all season long.
Countdown to Figgins hitting into DP in 5, 4, 3, 2, ….
With Ichiro on first, Figgy would have to hit the ball hard to hit into a DP.
So I’m thinking no.
Well Figgins hit into a DP, but Texas horrible D bailed him out.
Well, it could have been a DP.
But, Rangers.
I’m not really paying 100% attention and yet the same thing seems to be happening over and over. The innings have changed, right?
No bases loaded walks tonight, so the M’s are going to sac fly them to death.
Medicine, I’m really happy the rangers screwed up to make you wrong but that scared the crap out of me. Do you have this sort of power for use of good in our lineup?
Also just curious, what’s the hate fest on Prince Fielder?
This is so weird seeing the Mariners capitalize on errors and such.
Olivo is such a huge improvement from RoJo… I’m a fan.
Agree, he´s very good defesively and decent offensively, good sign so far…
If Felix stays on his five days rest gig, regardless of off days, and The Chief gets an extra day rest somewhere, they’ll meet on Friday the 27th.
When Cust walked, Root showed his pitches per plate appearance for the season compared to the league average.
Beltre would have made that pl.. oh, wait.
I think I am losing patience with Saunders.
Brendan Ryan, 2 pitches, 4 outs…
Saunders and Ryan really know how to crash a party
Ryan did hit the ball hard the second time. The first time, not so much.
It was going to happen sometime. And inevitably it was a lefty.
Bomb.
Edgar4Hall: I’m good for one prediction a night. Tapped out now.
Ackley just hit a grand slam in Tacoma
Lol damn medicine. Think next time you make a prediction can you make it a three homer night for Smoak? Lol.
And damn I guess Moreland is pinedas kryptonite
68 pitches – 56 strikes and 12 balls.
Yikes
Quick, someone let Olivo know he can’t get a sac fly here.
Poor Olivo doesn’t have enough outs to sac fly Figgins home from 3rd this time.
@ Jim_H I was referring to what Dave wrote in Smoke’sname. I am excited and happy to Smoak Pineda, And Ackley but I dont believe that we should call them heroes after a good month of play, after a year or multiple years, yes, but not immediately.
Well, these are the worries we had with Pineda against lefties.
Ohh Pineda, just when I was going to post a comment on how great you where doing, you give up an 0-2 homer.
Oh, look. The white towel.
Carson FTW!
If I was Wedge I would of pulled Ray after the leadoff walk and sent him down to AA.
Chris Ray masterfully, once again, gives up a run (hits not required).
That’s a pretty optimistic assessment of Ray’s value. I’d skip baseball altogether, and put him to work in the concession stands– make him EARN that contract (plus they need more bodies).
Perhaps we need to have someone take a Polaroid of Chris Ray in his uniform every game, and then make him carry it in his pocket– that way, when he’s confused, he can take it out and see which team he’s actually supposed to be helping?
(Wouldn’t hurt to try…)
I would worry about an 0-2 fastball down the middle against any major league hitter. It was just a case of real bad location. Davis can’t hit anything but a fastball. His swings on the first pitch of his 2 most recent at bats (at a breaking ball) were feable. He got a mistake pitch and he didn’t miss it.
Except for a few players in our lineup.
There, fixed that for me
Don’t look now but Chone Figgins is 12 for 33 in his last 8 games (four multiple hit games in a row, five total), with 6 runs scored, a couple of walks, and 3 stolen bases. NOT awful. Actually, the opposite of awful. How weird is that?!
Don’t look now but Chone Figgins is 12 for 33 in his last 8 games (four multiple hit games in a row, five total), with 6 runs scored, a couple of walks, and 3 stolen bases. NOT awful. Actually, the opposite of awful. How weird is that?!
So can we trade him before he gets bad again? Jack! get on the phone quick! we may yet get a bag of balls for him insteadof just orange slices!
Sorry, I should frame my comments in a more positive light… We are playing awfully well right now. I was just nervous that Wedge threw in the towel on Pineda’s start by going Ray/Wilhelmson.
So yeah, positive spin:
Give it up for Chris Ray! Lowering his ERA with 1 inning of 1 run ball… Nice job, son.
I guess it’s asking too much to pinch hit for our Designated Hitter in the 9th inning– because he has trouble hitting/running/flossing/crossing his legs…?
Can somebody turn out the lights when you leave?
No Hamilton and no Cruz, but we can’t capitalize.
Yeah, that was a dull game, dully played.
I’ve been a Saunders fan, but eventually “small sample size” will not apply – and I’m not seeing much improvement.
Heck, I’d argue we’re seeing regression at the plate. Early in the season, there were signs the new swing might be working – but the last few nights he usually just looked overmatched. I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking this because it was C.J. Wilson out there and C.J.’s been pretty darn good so far this season, but right now it’s sure looking like being a platoon player is Condor’s future role… and that’s assuming he starts hitting righties better.
And that all makes me sad, because I really am pulling for this guy – I’m not sure why.
BTW Olivo’s last strikeout was just ridiculous. That ball was about level with his forehead, and he swung at it anyway. I’m still not convinced…
When you give a guy a nickname, it’s traditional to capitalize it.
But I think you nailed it.
Chris Ray, AKA “The White Towel”.
The two homers off Pineda reminded me of when I saw Mark McGwire rocket a 530 foot homer off of Randy. It was a fun game, even if they lost. CJ Wilson lived up to his billing. It was frustrating when the Ms couldn’t do the simple little things, like bunt >Cough, Saunders<, but I doubt it would have mattered. I just hope this isn't a sign that teams will be figuring out Pineda as they see him more.
Also, I'm a little worried about Ichiro not diving to make a catch of that 1st-inning double from Beltre, which would have saved 2 runs. I'd think Ichiro, circa 2001-2005 would have unquestionably made a dive for it. Either he's a little sore from that fly ball that beaned him Sunday, or maybe just not as willing to sacrifice his body so much anymore, especially with a team that's been so awful for so long.
What is this “dive” of which you speak? Ichiro does not dive. He has never been one to dive. He will slide to make a catch occasionally, but dive … never. Who do you think he is, Sam Fuld?
Ichiro will dink, dunk, blast, run like hell, throw, catch, awe, amaze, sometimes frutstrate, preen and strech … but dive? No, not so much. It ain’t gonna happen.
Also, I am not sure if it would have mattered on that Beltre hit, but we will never know. We will never know. Haleys Comet will be seen more frequently than an Ichiro “dive.”