Minor League Wrap (8/1-7/11)
Good news, everyone, Moniker Madness is on and the M’s have a couple of representatives this year in perennial underachiever Jetsy Extrano (who will likely inexplicably lose to Kipp Schultz in the first round) and Forrest Snow. Moniker Madness is dumb because the player with the most interesting name almost never wins. The past four winners have been Houston Summers, Will Startup, Dusty Napoleon (okay, that one’s all right), and Rowdy Hardy, who somehow beat out SEQUOYAH STONECIPHER in the quarterfinals. It’s dumb.
To the jump!
Read more
Game 113, Mariners at Angels
Happy Felix Day! It’s amazing how much better Felix day feels when the team looks capable of scoring a few runs and hasn’t just lost 10+ games in a row. Felix deserves so much better than he’s got this year, and it’s just nice to see him get a start behind a line-up that’s pretty much MLB quality.
The M’s face Ervin Santana who’s coming off a no-hitter against Cleveland, and is enjoying his best season since 2008. He doesn’t have much of a platoon split, so Casper Wells is back in the line-up in RF (Ichiro gets another DH appearance). I might’ve started Trayvon Robinson in CF to give Guti a day off, but if the M’s really wanted to rest Ichiro’s legs, then I understand the idea behind the line-up. Carp’s at 1B again, which is preferable to Kennedy at 1B for any number of reasons. Brendan Ryan’s out again after being scratched just before the game yesterday. Now would be a good time for a line drive or two, Kyle Seager. I know there’s a big talent gap between AAA and MLB, but this is ridiculous – it’s still baseball, Kyle.
1: Ichiro (DH)
2: Wilson
3: Ackley
4: Carp
5: Wells (RF)
6: Bard
7: Gutierrez
8: Robinson
9: Seager
Game 112, Mariners at Angels
Beavan vs. Chatwood, 6:05 pm (Note the early start time)
In a battle of rookie starters, Tyler Chatwood faces the M’s for the first time. He’s got a decent ERA, and a solid FIP (especially for a 5th starter), but his peripherals suggest he’s been a bit lucky. He’s given up 60 free passes and racked up 60 strikeouts. He’s not an extreme ground-baller, but his lack of command hasn’t hurt him thus far. While he hasn’t been absurdly lucky in his strand rate or BABIP, I’d be worried about a K:BB ratio like Chatwood’s going forward. He’s got good velocity, but I don’t see a real weapon in his arsenal; his contact rate makes Doug Fister’s looks like King Felix’s in comparison. I fully expect him to dominate despite all of the above, because this is still an M’s/Angels game.
Chatwood was sent down to the minors over the all-star break to get some work in and he faced Tacoma – but the only M’s hitter he faced in that start was Mike Carp. He walked 5 in just three innings and ended up taking the loss.
Trayvon Robinson is rewarded for his amazing catch last night with another start in LF, and with a righty on the hill, that means Casper Wells starts on the bench.
1: Ichiro
2: Ryan
3: Ackley
4: Carp (DH)
5: Kennedy (1b)
6: Olivo
7: Gutierrez
8: Seager (3B)
9: Robinson
Game 111, Mariners at Angels
Vargas vs. Weaver, 7:05pm
Hmmm….well, good luck Trayvon.
Line-up:
1: Ichiro
2: Ryan
3: Ackley
4: Carp
5: Kennedy
6: Olivo
7: Wells (DH)
8: Gutierrrez (CF)
9: Robinson (LF)
Dave On Brock And Salk Today
10 am pacific time, 710 am on the radio dial. Or listen online. Or don’t. I’m just offering options.
Greg Halman Optioned to AAA, Trayvon Robinson Called Up
That didn’t take long. Trayvon Robinson’s been in the Mariner organization for all of three games, going 1-9 with 3 walks and 4 Ks, but according to Ryan Divish, he’ll join the Mariners in Anaheim. Greg Halman’s hot streak after his call-up seems like it happened years ago, if it happened at all. His 3 strikeout game yesterday didn’t help dissuade people that he didn’t belong in MLB. Even the Halman fans (and I still want to believe) would agree that he should be in AAA and playing, and not waiting around in Seattle for spot starts against lefties. The Halman detractors will simply point out that he struck out in 32 of his 91 plate appearances, and drew 2 walks.
Robinson’s gunning for the PCL strikeout lead himself, so the M’s are not swapping Halman for a fundamentally different kind of hitter. Still, he’s a switch hitter who can play CF and give Gutierrez a break, or play LF against lefties or in the late innings. I’m really curious to see what Robinson can do in MLB, as he’s another guy that might struggle for a while against quality right-handers like Jered Weaver (why have the M’s brought two guys up from AAA *just* in time to face Jered Weaver?). The big difference between Robinson and Halman is that, at least in the minors, Robinson’s shown the ability to take a walk. Welcome, Trayvon.
The ten day period following Jack Cust’s DFA was up Mike Snow points out that the 10 days weren’t up, so this wasn’t the M’s releasing Cust because they had to – they did so because they could. Would waiting another few days matter? Probably not, so he’s been released.
Dave’s Latest At 710sports.com
Hey all,
Thanks again for all the support over the last few weeks. I’m feeling a lot better and am slowly building my work schedule back up, so I resumed my writing for the 710sports.com blog today, doing a piece on reliever inconsistency and why the M’s should have traded Brandon League.
This isn’t a knock on Brandon League specifically, but on relievers in general. Here are the top 10 relief pitchers in baseball by ERA in 2010, and then their corresponding 2011 ERAs:
1. Hong-Chih Kuo, 1.20; 12.46
2. Joaquin Benoit, 1.34; 4.50
3. Andrew Bailey, 1.47; 2.20 (but only 22 IP due to injury)
4. Chris Perez, 1.71; 3.11
5. Rafael Soriano, 1.73; 4.76 (and only 17 IP due to injury)
6. Mike Adams, 1.76; 1.29
7. Joakim Soria, 1.78; 4.14
8. Brian Wilson, 1.81; 2.88
9. Mariano Rivera, 1.80, 1.74
10. Heath Bell, 1.93; 2.23
I’ll be on with the guys tomorrow to discuss the post and talk about the team. When we have a time, I’ll post it here.
Game 110, Athletics at Mariners
12:40pm, Charlie Furbush vs. Gio Gonzalez
Yes, the last game thread was game 108, and this is game 110. The Mariners 2011 season no longer moves in a linear, martial fashion, and is now an avant garde performance art piece. Games are played almost immediately after one another in short, staccato bursts of activity, then, just as quickly, the empty drone of airliner engines. Nothing more until the evening of August 5th. The Mariners play with these negative spaces with a riotous jumble of their roster – who is this Charlie Furbush? Did Aaron Laffey ever really leave? Kyle Seager is simultaneously here and there.
Furbush makes his first start for the M’s and his third start overall this season. As we saw in his M’s debut, he’s beset by command issues that have led to a home run problem and a high walk rate. These same issues used to plague Gio Gonzalez, the A’s starter today. Gonzalez was a highly-rated pitcher in the White Sox system (he was a top 100 prospect after a stellar 2005), but his HRs spiked after he moved to AA (and the Phillies organization). He also struggled with free passes, which pushed his RA higher than his K rate would predict.
Gonzalez always had the reputation of a “real” prospect following his 2005 breakout season, and his velocity and breaking balls (curve/slider) were seen as MLB quality. Furbush….wasn’t. He had average velocity and got K’s with a deceptive motion and not actual stuff. But while Gonzalez clearly has better velocity (and well above average velo from the left side), the gap isn’t huge. Furbush averaged about 91mph in his starts for Detroit, and Gonzalez averages about 93. While Gonzalez’s velocity increased since his first call-up, the real difference has been a drop in his HR rate, at least in part driven by an increase in his ground-ball rate. That’s something Furbush should focus on in the off-season.
Justin Smoak’s off tonight after he hurt his thumb/hand fielding a grounder in last night’s game, but the M’s aren’t going with Adam Kennedy at first. Instead, they’re using Mike Carp. Here’s to Wedge for making hitting ability a priority.
1: Ichiro (DH)
2: Ryan
3: Ackley
4: Carp (1B)
5: Wells (RF)
6: Gutierrez
7: Bard
8: Wilson (3B)
9: Halman (LF
Game 108, Athletics at Mariners
Felix Day! Wooo! It’s Felix Day!
Mariners Decide They Could Go for a Frosty Margarita, Recall Tom Wilhelmsen
The Mariners recalled RHP Tom Wilhelmsen from AA Jackson today, ostensibly to provide bullpen depth. Sources near the team suggest, however, that with the belated arrival of warm summer weather, the team wanted someone with experience creating fruity cocktails.
One reliever noted that Chris Ray had gotten “pretty annoying” by foisting dry-hopped XIPAs on his teammates, whose tastes tended towards lagers and mixed drinks. Eventually, the aspiring brewer went down with an injury and is now on the 15 day disabled list. Another pitcher confessed he was excited for the change. “Look, it’s finally warm out, I want to go out with my girlfriend and have something fun. I like Chris, but he was always rambling on about ‘simcoe’ and ‘amarillo’ and I was thinking he was talking about the Texas League or something, but no, he’s just explaining – again – why the beer I’m drinking is stupid.” A starting pitcher was describing one of Wilhelmsen’s strawberry margaritas in vivid, rapturous terms to a newly-acquired player when I asked them about Ray’s IPA. “I’m really glad he’s the Doogie Howser of making beer more bitter, but everyone here’s looking forward to this move. Everyone.” I pointed out that the Howser analogy is conceptual nonsense, but the pitcher just resumed his discussion of the airy, almost ethereal quality of Wilhemsen’s blended drinks.
A noticeably looser, more jovial Jack Zduriencik told reporters that “Wilhelmsen has earned this.” When questioned how (Wilhelmsen’s FIP and ERA are in the mid 5’s, and his tRA is over 6), Zduriencik changed tack: “You know what? WE’VE earned this. We’ve been working hard, we’ve got nothing to show for it, it’s gorgeous out, we’ve got new guys that we need to integrate into this organization, we’re going to be welcoming.” Asked if that meant that Wilhelmsen is being brought up to bartend, Zduriencik asked, “Every player brings a certain set of non-baseball talents. We don’t typically care about that, as we’re here to win ball games. But are you asking me if I’m specifically going to ignore what Tommy brings to the table? No, I’m not going to do that. It’s not my job to ignore things.” What about the plan to stretch Wilhelmsen out as a starter? “It’s not my job to ignore things.”
(The above is satire. Wilhelmsen was recalled, and I really do hope he makes his teammates some frosty margaritas, if that’s what they want. I also hope Chris Ray uses his down time to make another great brew with Fremont Brewing. Please drink responsibly.)