Game 124, Mariners at Rays
King Felix vs. Wade Davis, 4:10pm
Happy Felix Day! Let’s focus there and not on the fact that Ackley’s sitting this one out.
The M’s travel across the country to St. Pete to take on the Rays, who, despite being talented and relatively successful this year, are playing out their season the same as the M’s. At this point, BP’s playoff odds gives them a 0.7% chance of grabbing the wild card. Rays fans can dream about top prospect Matt Moore getting a cup of coffee this September, as the consensus top pitching prospect is now 3-0 with 57 Ks in his first 34 2/3 IP for AAA Durham.
Once he’s up for good, today’s starter might find himself the odd man out. Wade Davis had a deceptively good start, with an ERA near 2.8 through May 3rd, but then his HR/FB luck ran out and he’s been hit pretty hard since. Now, the guy who was once a top 20 prospect in all of baseball needs to reinvent himself as he’s got a K rate is nearing Beavan territory, and Davis doesn’t have Beavan’s good control. On paper, this is a good match-up for the M’s.
That said, Wedge has chosen to rest the “struggling” Dustin Ackley, who’s 8 for his last 42 with only one extra-base hit in that stretch. Still, during this slump, he’s got an OBP of .346. During his worst stretch since his call-up, Ackley’s line looks a lot like that put up by Jack Cust, who was, depressingly, one of the M’s best hitters through mid-July. Kyle Seager gets the start in Ackley’s place; this should allow Seager to show off his versatility to the M’s while hitting against a righty who doesn’t miss bats.
The line-up:
1: Ichiro
2: Gutierrez
3: Kennedy (3B)
4: Carp
5: Wells (DH)
6: Olivo
7: Rodriguez
8: Seager (2B)
9: Robinson
In the minors, the AA Jackson Generals have shuffled things around after James Paxton was shut down. IF prospect Nick Franklin returns today from the DL/AZL rehab, and seeing how he closes out his season will be one of the big things to watch down the stretch. He’s been out since late June with a concussion and mononucleosis. Rich Poythress is also on the DL with a back injury, which is too bad considering the progress he made since his horrible start to 2011. Yoervis Medina (1-13 with an RA of 8.00) replaces Paxton in the Generals rotation.
Tacoma’s trying to stay in the PCL playoff hunt, but they’re slumping at the wrong time. Jarrett Grube starts tonight against Omaha at Cheney.
Jose Campos, one of the top prospects in the NWL, gets the ball in today’s matinee in Vancouver. Campos has 63 Ks to 9 BBs in 62 innings, to go with a good GB rate and very good raw stuff.
Marc, thanks for the game thread summary, I especially enjoy the minor league supplement that we didn’t get before. I check in on the thread two or three times a game still, even though the conversation has decelerated without Dave. I don’t have much to add to the substance, so I mostly don’t speak. Mostly….
Sometimes a day off is just a day off…
TRAYVON!
I really hate these cowbells, it makes the Rays look like they have fans.
NICE CATCH by Trayvon…who is rapidly becoming one of my favorite Mariners.
Trayvon! I’m really starting to like him, Felix looks pretty good today as well.
18 for Carp!
Seager is just a half-tick off. He will eventually get it – and be a solid hitter – and utility player with value.
I am very glad Carp is making the most of his chance. Nice swing, good approach, good power. Good for him. It will be great if Smoak can come back and finish out the season on a strong note.
Gotta love Tray-Rob’s aggressiveness. He has good speed, why not use it.
Didn’t see the double, did he leg it out?
Sure did. Line drive into the corner.
Trayvon’s 2B could have stretched into a 3B. He had plenty of time for 2B
Watching Felix never gets old. The big ad right behind home that says “Crown” in huge letters & has a picture of a crown – perfect! Felix can stare at it all game long and get even more super powers! He just made Longoria look goofy.
Olivo. I’m looking at you for that Ray run.
Seager!!
Wow, that was sure a pretty homer. Let’s hope he goes on a tear the rest of the year
Time will tell, of course; but, going forward, I’m thinking we might have a decent in-house option for third base.
Interesting, Seager sure looked lost his first stint in the majors. I wonder what clicked? Playing regularly seems to have helped him
Wells = safe
Fucking Kennedy.
Well stated.
Kennedy’s stellar defense has led to all 3 Tampa runs today.
Wonderful
How many outs is Felix going to have to get this inning?
This is what happens when you have no depth. Sucks to lose this game!
On that strike-3 swing, Ackley ended up looking at the 1st base dugout. He pulled his head so bad.
On the bright side, Ichiro was 2-for-4
Ackley has racked up quite a few 3 or 4 pitch strikeouts lately. I wasn’t surprised to see him get the day off – and then not surprised again to see him pinch hit – and then not surprised for the final time to see him strike out in 3 pitches. Yes, yanky heady. He was way out in front though and it was a breaking pitch. There are only so many places for your head to go when you guess wrong.
He will get his timing back, though.
Kennedy’s not just clutch–he’s double clutch!
Why was Kennedy playing 3rd? Seager is a 3rd baseman playing 2nd? Kennedy a 2nd baseman playing 3rd? I don’t know if it would of mattered but it’s kind of weird.
This kind of loss makes you want to spit.
Seager has been a 2B his whole life until this year.
It’s cathartic to pick on Kennedy, but this is really an organizational loss. It seems odd that Ackley’s off day couldn’t have waited until Ryan’s imminent return this weekend, but I have to trust Wedge’s judgment. Still, it sucks.
It still makes no sense to play Seager at 2nd as he is presumably being groomed to play 3rd. Why not give him reps there when you can since it’s seems like he is going to be part of the future while Kennedy’s future should be DFA’d to a retirement home.
But Kennedy’s the Proven Veteran.
What is with the penchant to put players at a weaker position (Lopez at 3B, Figgins & Wilson & Seager at 2B, Ackley at 1B, et cetera) than they normally play? How does it improve the team to move everyday (or potentially everyday) position players somewhere they are less comfortable for what appears to be just a want to “shake things up”?!? Putting Kennedy at 3B and Seager at 2B leaves both men at their weaker fielding positions while doing nothing helpful for the team. Simply switching their locations in the infield doesn’t change your lineup at all, yet gives you a stronger defense between the foul poles. Frankly I’m surprised Wedge hasn’t offered a lineup card with Olivo at 1B, Kennedy as C, and Ichiro in LF. How about we play to the strengths of the team’s parts and help setup both the players and the team for (as close to a) victory (as a lineup can help induce)?
Seager’s future is potentially as a super utility guy, so having him play 2B every once in a while is a good idea in terms of his role with the team and as building trade value. Given that he played 2b in college it’s also hardly a circus act.
The Yankees claimed Laffey off waivers. They claimed him yesterday, so they have until tomorrow to finish the deal. A big wish is we could get one of the AA catchers they have but I doubt it. Jack do your work, and bring us something good.
Why was Kennedy playing 3rd? Seager is a 3rd baseman playing 2nd? Kennedy a 2nd baseman playing 3rd?
(WEDGE’s quaint lineup arrangement really brought forth some Monday-Morning Quarterbacking.)
More to the point: On defense, before each pitch, a ball-player is supposed to ask himself, “what will I do if the ball is hit to me?” Then he reviews all the relevant factors.
Somewhere, KENNEDY hould have thought, “that’s JOHNNY DAMON up there; if he hits me a grounder, I’d sure better not nonchalant my throw to first.”