I'm trying - I really am - but these start times are a total killer, and it's a hell of a readjustment to make. I'm thinking that, for the final month of the season, games that start at 7pm west coast time will have to be recapped the following day, rather than during the night hours immediately after the last out.
Biggest Contribution: Ichiro, +60.4%
Biggest Suckfest: Jose Lopez, -27.0%
Most Important Hit: Ichiro single #1, +29.1%
Most Important Pitch: Anderson single, -10.8%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): +36.2%
Total Contribution by Hitters: +11.6%
A pitcher who goes to contact against a lineup that thrives by putting the ball in play, and the result, surprisingly, wasn't horrible. Franklin was his typical self, walking as many as he struck out while allowing 25 of the 29 batters he faced to put the ball between the lines, but some defense and a few big pitches to Vlad Guerrero helped him escape major damage. And really, that last part is the only difference between this and one of Franklin's frequently-witnessed off nights; if he serves up a cookie to Vlad in the bottom of the third, it becomes a 4-1 game (instead of 2-1), and Hargrove's calling the bullpen pretty early. It sounds both incredibly dumb and strikingly obvious to point out that a poorly-timed home run can ruin any pitcher's night, but as far as Franklin is concerned, I think it's worth considering. The result of that one big pitch he makes in a critical situation during any given game will determine whether, the next day, the media praises his gutsy effort or people call for his head. He's always walking a tightrope.
Since tomorrow's game has an earlier start time, I'll be able to toss up a better recap. It's Jeff Harris' turn to be the "When's Felix pitching next?" starter of the day, as he goes up against the physical manifestation of Taco Del Mar's worst nightmare. 1:05pm for most of you, 4:05pm for me.
(Special note: Adrian Beltre has drawn six walks in his last 11 games, after drawing 22 in his first 118. Also, a very enthusiastic looking Scott Atchison has been activated from the 60-day DL and added to the expanded September roster.)
0 recs | 10 comments
Don't worry Jeff
no one will be mad just because you move the recap to the next day. I think there's a lot of people that see it the next day anyways.BeltredNOT - September 4, 2005
Ichiro
60%. Seems like the biggest contribution for him this year, maybe even by anyone.phil333 - September 4, 2005
I don't know
if it's the biggest of the season, but it's certainly close. I vaguely remember somebody else being up there around 60% at some point.By the way, just because it's fun to tinker with, the biggest possible contribution anyone can make: grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, trailing by three. +90.4%
Jeff Sullivan - September 4, 2005
You could
theoretically contribute more than that in total if your pitching kept blowing leads and you gave them back with a GS every inning. It would be interesting do see what is the largest total contribution to a game from a single player in the history of these stats.BlueBaron - September 4, 2005
I meant
the biggest contribution you could make on a single play.A few days ago, Jim Edmonds put up a +0.649 rating when he went 3-5 with a pair of homers.
Jeff Sullivan - September 4, 2005
Biggest positive contribution
It's close. But per the WE I did for it, I remember the biggest single game negative contribution being Eddie's two-homer meltdown on 4/9 against Texas. That was around -80%.Gomez - September 4, 2005
It's all good, Jeff
What sort of pathetic loser would I/we be if we were to get upset at not reading a post-mortem of a 20 under .500 team IMMEDIATELY after the game?Did you really think you were going to be able to do it in the first place? I can just imagine you were thinking this was really going to test your loyalty as an M's fan...
peterpeter - September 4, 2005
Dobbs
You gave him negative for letting that ball drop?BlueBaron - September 4, 2005
You better believe it.
I gave Putz credit for an out, and charged Dobbs for allowing the single. That was a really easy play to make.Jeff Sullivan - September 4, 2005
What's this I hear about Ichiro being overrated?
FSN says he's the #8 most overrated player in baseball. Really?This is a guy who, in what's a down year, is still hitting around .300, has 15 homers and has swiped 28 bases while playing stellar defense in right.
I can hardly call that overrated. Two thirds of baseball's leadoff men wish they could do that, and that for Ichiro is a down year.
Gomez - September 4, 2005
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