Game recap, 8/9
Felix is our king.
That’s the only thing I’ve got on my scorecard under “scorer’s notes”. I’m not sure that there’s much else to be said.
Hernandez looked amazing, flat dominating. He came out throwing fastballs, changed up, then went back later, and all game the Twins batters would walk back to the dugout with expressions that read “I can’t believe I’m going to have to face this guy for the next five seasons. Maybe I should switch leagues.” His stuff is flat wicked, and there’s something about seeing it in person, too, that’s electric — a batter whiffs on something and I’d think “What the heck was that?” (and Jonah, out loud, would say “What the heck was that?”)
The crowd was the most excited I’ve been to a game with in a year, easily — and part of it goes beyond the hype. Because, honestly, a fair portion of the crowd doesn’t know who the kids are (fan to Snelling as he chased down one of the few well-hit balls: “Go get it, Raul!”). It was because after being beat down for two years, watching start after start after start of pitch-to-contact garbage outings, where a highlight would be a quality home Moyer start, we saw something entirely different. And it made us think of Randy Johnson and other pitchers from years back who could dominate a game like this, keeping the ball in the infield, striking hitters out, seeming to leave them no option but to go down in order.
We could stand up and cheer with two strikes, because two strikes didn’t mean an almost certain ball in play — it could be a crazy breaking pitch or some wicked inside heat for the strikeout. It was worth paying attention and becoming emotionally invested in the game and in the pitcher, because unlike Meche, or Pineiro, or Franklin, if Hernandez can stay healthy he’ll be leading the next Mariner charge for a pennant. It was more than a pleasant evening at the ballpark.
I haven’t been as involved and happy to be at a game in years, and I get too worked up about four hour 8-9 dirges. This was something else, and I’m glad I was there.
Game 112, The King Arrives At Home
It’s Felix’s debut in Seattle. This is, by far, the most anticipated Mariner home game in years. I bought my parents tickets just to make sure they didn’t miss it.
All Hail the King. Long Live the King.
Edited to add: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. Groundball machine. He’s awesome.
Ryan Franklin throws simulated game
FRANKLIN THROWS: Ryan Franklin threw 84 pitches to a lineup of big-league hitters, iced his arm, and spoke with the media on Monday.
A typical start, right? No. The stadium was empty, and the batting order consisted of his teammates: Gonzalez, Yuniesky Betancourt, Dave Hansen, Mike Morse, and Jeremy Reed.
As Franklin’s 10-day suspension under Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program passed its midpoint, he threw a final simulated game before being activated.
[…]
Franklin allowed only two hits during his outing — Hansen had both — and seemed encouraged. He also began developing a rapport with new acquisition Yorvit Torrealba, who caught the session.
Wait, wait, wait. With no fielders behind him, Ryan Franklin only allowed two hits to Dave Hansen? How is that possible? When I initially read that it was an 84-pitch simulated game, my reaction was “He probably only went five simulated innings, and gave up six simulated runs on eight simulated hits, two of them home runs, including a 485-foot simulated blast to center field, striking out two and walking one.”
But really? Two hits?
Tonight’s game
Not official USSM but USSM-related pre-game warmup at the King Street Bar & Oven. Come by, chill, have a beverage. Gawk at the boundless energy and contagious optimism of Jonah while you get Leonard Cohen-style depressed by being around my antisocial self.
Fun facts for Tuesday
Random small sample-sizey goodness on Doyle heading into tonight’s game (with pre-game USSM-related food and beverages), because here at USSM labs, we’re filled with “irrational love for Snelling and irrational hatred for Bloomquist” or so we’re told.
Chris Snelling, by rate stats, all M’s:
7th in batting average
1st in on-base percentage
3rd in slugging percentage
Chris Snelling, by counting stats, all M’s:
20th in at-bats (21)
Tied for 17th in hits (6, with Dobbs)
Tied for 16th in doubles (2, with Betancourt)
Tied for 9th in home runs (1, with Borders-Hansen-Rivera-Spiezio)
Tied for 15th in total bases (11, with Betancourt, Hansen)
11th in walks (5)
1 RBI
Game 111, Twins at Mariners
RHP Carlos Silva v RHP Gil Meche. 7:05.
Ichiro, RF-L
Ignitor, 2B-R
Ibanez, DF-L
Sexson, 1B-R
Beltre, 3B-R
Reed, CF-L
Morse, SS-R
Snelling, LF-L
Torrealba, C-R
Doyle’s 8th? 8th? I don’t get it.
If the Mariners continue on this pace, they’ll go 69-93. This would bring their two-year mark to 132 wins. It would be the worst two year stretch (over full seasons) since 1979-1980, when they went 67-95 and then 69-103. Close stretches include 83-84, 82-83.
Even bad stretches like 86-90 were better than this.
King Felix pre-game tomorrow
Anyone who wants to go, Jonah Keri (of Baseball Prospectus) and I (of this site and not BP) will be chilling pre-game tomorrow if you fine USSM readers want to hang out.
Updated Future Forty
A few days later than I had hoped for, but we have a new Future Forty. A ton of changes on this one, for obvious reasons, as the M’s acquired four new players, moved several around, and I’ve adjusted the risk and reward ratings for players who have changed my mind recently. Among the activity:
As always, use this thread as a catch-all for any minor league questions you may have. I’ll try to answer as many as humanly possible. If I miss something, feel free to email it to us.
The manager’s fault
“A good defensive team gets licked 1-0 or 2-1 and you know what the fans say? They say, ‘They played so good and still they lost. It’s got to be the manager’s fault.'”
— Mike Kelley, who played various roles on the Minneapolis Millers, in 1965 on prefering players who can hit even if they can’t field
Game 110, Mariners at White Sox
Jeff Harris makes his first major league start against Jon Garland. Garland, by the way, was a first round pick by the Cubs and then traded away a year later for Matt Karchner. Karchner pitched a grand total of 32 innings with the Cubs over two years, and hasn’t pitched in the majors since. Jon Garland has 61 wins and is 25-years-old. That’s a pretty nice trade, right there.