Biggest Contribution: King Felix, +50.8%
Biggest Suckfest: JJ Putz, -64.5%
Most Important AB: Betancourt single, +23.4%
Most Important Pitch: Hamilton homer, -65.4%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): -48.0%
Total Contribution by Hitters: -70.4%
Total Contribution by Opposition: +68.4%
(What is this chart?)
You know what's my favorite part of Felix Day? The part before the game. The buildup. Life affords few pleasures quite like the anticipation of Felix Day. "This could be the day he finally throws that no-hitter," we keep telling ourselves from sunup to sundown. It's an exercise in fantasy and fully-blown optimism, the likes of which no other Seattle-area athlete could ever hope to beget. Felix Day is enough to make us punt our concerns with the promise that, by nightfall, we could be witnessing something extraordinary.
Then the game starts and too often it's a colossal disappointment. Not even necessarily because Felix was struggling, but because when you allow the breeze of hope to unlatch the gates and free your imagination, your standards become almost unrealistic. Few humans - even humans led by Felix - can consistently meet the level of expectations set by the Felix Day hype. It just isn't possible.
Today was no exception, although it took us all game to find this out. In fact, for the first little while, this looked like something pulled from our daydreams. Through three innings, Felix had three strikeouts, a walk, and eight groundballs. The Rangers weren't putting anything in the air or getting great swings, and Felix had the tempo and efficiency of someone who wanted to go all nine. This wasn't quite on par with Opening Day 2007 - that performance was truly exceptional - but this was still absurdly terrific, and Felix was even doing a reasonable job of mixing his pitches for good measure. The lone blemish was that a Felix throwing error wound up leading to a Ranger run, but speaking as a pitcher who has a lot of experience darting off the mound and fielding bunts, those throws to first are never as easy as you'd think they'd be. For one thing, you invariably feel more rushed than you actually are, and for another, it's tough to make an accurate throw on a flat surface when you've spent the whole game working on the mound.
So while Texas was on the board, after three innings I was feeling pretty confident. Felix wasn't taking guff from nobody, and you had to figure that even our sorry pack of losers called a lineup would eventually be able to scrape together a second run against Vicente Padilla. The odds were absolutely in our favor, no matter what the scoreboard would suggest.
Then Felix went south. It sounds silly to say that considering he ripped off four consecutive scoreless innings before calling it a night, but somewhere between the third and the fourth he decided to get lazy. Felix started allowing fly balls, and while I wasn't watching closely enough to pinpoint exactly why, that's a symptom. People getting air under the ball against Felix is a sign that he isn't on top of his game. Over his final four innings, Felix's line read as follows:
6 groundballs
5 fly balls
5 line drives
2 walks
0 strikeouts
That's not Felix. That's not even Carlos Silva. The King wasn't in a groove anymore, and while we managed to escape unscathed thanks to some timely grounders and Felix helping his own cause with wacky acrobatics (wackrobatics), I looked to the horizon and saw the familiar cloud of negativity approaching with haste. This game wasn't in the bag. Not anymore. Not with our offense standing around lighting its own farts on fire while Padilla weaseled his way to a quality start and Eddie Guardado made his triumphant return to a place where he'll forever be remembered more for what he did for somebody else than for what he did on the field.
Still knotted at one, we got to the eighth in time for what we can only hope was an homage on Eric O'Flaherty's part to Guardado's enduring memory. O'Flaherty faced five Rangers in the inning - three of them left-handed - and only retired the two righties, putting the Mariners in a 3-1 hole that felt entirely too deep. Watching from home, George Sherrill chuckled to himself before turning the TV off, crawling under his team-issued Oriole bedspread, and weeping into his pillow. I like O'Flaherty's potential in the lefty setup role, but he is a substantial downgrade, and this is one of the drawbacks of the Bedard trade that we'll just have to deal with. I'll miss those slurves.
Just as we prepared to surrender all hope against the underrated Joaquin Benoit, though, we were reminded of a big reason why no one's picking the Rangers to win anything in 2008: their team defense is bad. Sure, Hamilton had already made some dazzling catches in center, but he's only one guy, and the rest of the group looked more uncomfortable than Michael J Fox in a paint-by-numbers competition. The inning got started when the defensively pathetic Michael Young short-hopped the defensively pathetic Ben Broussard, putting Jose Vidro on second base. Then three batters later - with a run in and men on the corners - Ichiro hit a roller to second that Ian Kinsler fumbled on the transfer, leaving everyone safe and the ballgame tied. Improbably, not only had the Rangers let the Mariners back into the game, but the Mariners suddenly found themselves in position to actually take the lead. Having seen the first seven innings of attempted offense, this was beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
Then came the sequence that I think pretty much convinced everyone watching that each team was trying its damndest to make the other team win. Following a Lopez sac bunt and Ibanez intentional walk, Richie Sexson came up with the bases loaded, needing only a fly ball to drive in the go-ahead run. Benoit promptly uncorked five consecutive balls, but Sexson somehow willed his way into a full count. Thwarted, Benoit tried again to give the game away, but on a 3-2 low and away fastball that I swear traveled in slow motion, Sexson lunged for an off-balance swing and a miss. I swear to god, every one of these at bat just tickles my spine in all the wrong ways. Richie and Beltre swapped places, with Beltre giving him a quick glance of disgust.
Undeterred, Benoit took things into his own hands and bounced a wild pitch. Almost before we could express to Richie our innermost desires to experience the rush of vehicular homicide, the game did a 180 and the Mariners had the lead courtesy of three runs that were for all intents and purposes handed to them on a dish. Armed with a 4-3 lead that the team didn't deserve, I sat here laughing to myself and clapping in a reserved fashion so as not to wake the neighbors. Wilkerson made an out to end the inning, but so what? With JJ, a lead in the ninth is a win in the standings. The Texas Rangers had given us this game.
Then, like assholes, they took it back.
On the one hand, you could kind of see it coming. JJ had neither his usual command nor his usual velocity, and as soon as the pitch to Hamilton left his hand you knew it was going straight to Hamilton's wheelhouse. But on the other, this is JJ Putz, and even though I say I could see it coming, based on my dumbfounded reaction, I couldn't really see it coming. I honestly don't remember anything that happened between that swing and Yuni's double in the bottom of the ninth. It's just a gap in my memory, a gap left unfilled because while the rest of the game was taking place, I was sitting here blankly staring ahead wondering how I was ever going to come to terms with this.
The answer is: I'm not sure yet. I mean, it's early, and we had no right to so much as even be in the game. But it's not the fact that they lost; it's the way that they lost. I hate it when JJ blows a save because every single bad outing of his rattles my core and makes me think that he could revert to what he used to be just as quickly as he ascended to awesomeness. It's stupid, because he's a different pitcher now than he ever was before the splitter, but it's a feeling I can't shake, and it's incredibly unpleasant. This will not be a comfortable sleep.
But I'll get over it, and so will JJ. If Texas has to be the team that has his number, better them than the Angels, I guess. Tomorrow's a new day. And while Carlos Silva and his ocean of grease may not be quite as exciting as Bedard or King Felix, he's a hell of a lot better than the nothing we've seen for six months.
0 recs | 226 comments
Padilla
Made me think my internet was causing problems.
Slica - April 2, 2008
I feel unclean...I left after the 8th...
Because I KNEW J.J. meant Game Over.
...
Fuck-edy fuck fuck.
SethGrandpa - April 2, 2008
Clarification: Left my dorm because I had a practice...but still...
SethGrandpa - April 2, 2008
Yes, Bonds please.
Patrick517 - April 2, 2008
it sickens me to admit
but yes, incredibly, i can see rooting for Bonds in an M's uniform. did i seriously just write that? fuck things must be bad. but seriously:
Vidro, or
Bonds.
it's not even close.
Richie Zisk
Gorman Thomas
Jeffrey Leonard
there is precedent here.
lemonverbena - April 2, 2008
I want Bonds.
Patrick517 - April 2, 2008
I keep finding myself pulled back
To that ESPN/Jonah Keri 100 Stories to Watch in 2008 article. #2?
Get him now. Want.
thejew4u - April 2, 2008
So that fucking sucked.
A few things from the game:
1.Holy fucking shit it was cold. This was a miserable night at the ballpark.
2.Hahaha the Rangers MIF is horrid.
3.Felix was meh, but the results were there.
4.I blame JJ's blown save on the fact that they kept playing parts of Thunderstruck after each pitch. It was annoying.
5. Fuck Richie Sexson. Die in a Fire you miserable piece of monkey shit.
6. I got warned by an usher, because while I was screaming obscenities at Sexson, this lady in front of me turns around and says "Don't you ever shut up?" So since I'm already pissed because of Sexson I responded with "No I don't fucking shut up. I'm gonna scream all fucking day woman. I don't need the fucking scoreboard to fucking tell when the fuck I should make some noise like the rest of you stupid idiots. Richie Sexson sucks, and you see Willie out there at 2nd base? He sucks too. What does that piss you off? Well suck my dick."
5 minutes later an usher taps me on the shoulder and tells me if I don't calm down, I will be asked to leave.
Seriously, I hate going to Mariner games sometimes.
Goose - April 2, 2008
sorry but
if you tell a lady to suck your dick, you deserve to be thrown out.
vj - April 2, 2008
The point was is that she is a shining example of what is wrong with this retarded fanbase.
Goose - April 2, 2008
visit Petco Park
Padres fans make M's fans look like Liverpool
lemonverbena - April 2, 2008
I think it's different
because I really don't care about the Padres - it's only a bonus if they do well.
seattlebruin - April 2, 2008
GTE doesn't actually work at the game
because not everybody shares the same opinions.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Umm!
Hey, were you in section 135, about row 35? I remember those guys were pretty rowdy against Sexson and the mom with her kids got pissed off and left while I was taking pictures of the 8th and 9th.
batura - April 2, 2008
And in my defense(well not really but oh well)
I had the support of these three guys who were sitting next to me who were pretty cool to talk to the whole game(and who made some noise themselves.)
Goose - April 2, 2008
Agreed
Have some tact man. There's a nice retort and there's just being vulgar for the sake of being vulgar.
phil333 - April 2, 2008
No offense, but this story makes you seem like an asshole.
Cursing is one thing, but if a woman tells you to pipe down, then for fuck's sake pipe down. I don't care how many of your fellow men agreed with you - you were acting like a boor, and your response to her redounds to your discredit.
esoteric - April 2, 2008
I'll tell you good job
Somebody who tells you to shut up at a sports event deserves to hear it no matter who they are.
Edgar for Pres - April 2, 2008
Disagree
I'm not mr. family-friendly ballgame atmosphere guy, but if someone asks me to quiet down, my first response would definitely not be "suck my dick" (if I was sitting around where this happened and somebody in my section ripped the shit out of some random woman for no real reason, I probably would have popped him, just on general principle. There's no need to go off on the person like that - just ignore them and go about your business, or move sections.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Technically his first response was "No I don't fucking shut up."
"Suck my dick" was his last response.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Pedant.
But yeah, either response would have drawn fire from me, probably. There's no reason to react like that, especially in a stadium with lots of empty seats that can be moved to easily.
pdb - April 2, 2008
would have drawn fire from me as well
simply say, ma'am I paid for my tickets just like you paid for yours and that gives me the right to boo and heckle the team just like it gives you the right to cheer for them.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
Correct response in Seattle is to go passive aggressive
Nod as if you agree with what they say and then continue to do what you want.
Sec 108 - April 2, 2008
ding!
Matthew - April 2, 2008
I prefer to tell women
to shut their blowholes. It's at once more polite than saying 'suck my dick' but so much more rude when you think about it.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
lol, the outcome of the game was worth reading No.6
It's one game, totally worth reading No.6
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
Cockpunch
After reading the Boxscore, I totally expected to see that picture here. Oh well, here's to Jeff's reviews not being predictable.
The pen and J.J. had to blow a game eventually.
vj - April 2, 2008
I hate the fact that Putz has a blown save already.
But this was a game we deserved to lose. There were a bunch of momentum-generating plays by Felix (the throw home, the throw to 2nd, catch'em-out, throw-em out double-play). The offense responded each time by not getting a runner past 2nd base. Heck, they could barely GET a runner into 2nd.
This offense is looking as weak as feared so far, unfortunately. Not to mention this is the type of game that we used to win on a regular basis last year causing us to over-perform our pythag. Regression to the mean?
But whatever, it's only one game. I actually can't wait to see what Silva brings to the table for this team. Pitching has been as good as expected. Offense...eehh...whatever, it's still early.
ThundaPC - April 2, 2008
This was indeed the kind of game they won last year
and I think expecting potatoes to repeat Sherrill's performance is a bit far-fetched.
The offense is almost as pathetic as the 2004 iteration. Sure, Beltre will provide some hope from time to time, but I'm starting to fear that Wilkerson may end up being Player B.
Bonds indeed, Maybe someone can slather Lincoln in barbecue sauce and leave him in Vidro's locker.
discovolante - April 2, 2008
Expecting Sherrill to repeat Sherrill's performance is far-fetched
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Precisely why it's far-fetched to think this team can win 88+
discovolante - April 2, 2008
Oh good. Dogma
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Well I'm glad I wasn't awake for this bullshit
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Also, holy crap Felix made some nice plays out there.
Goose - April 2, 2008
That Sexson at bat
I know shit about baseball, but was screaming at Richie to hold off swinging at that pitch. Benoit knew that he couldn't drop in a strike and risk clearing the bases so had to throw something funky.
Jesus Richie, just watch it go past you man and walk in the run. Aaaaaaargh!! :o(
MarkE - April 2, 2008
And the up and down season begins
phil333 - April 2, 2008
Dear Lord I want Bonds as our DH
Fett42 - April 2, 2008
If you will reference Jeff's opening day pregame post
You will find this...
"1. Josh Hamilton - Im sure you guys have already shit your pants minimum of 5 to 7 and 3/4ths times thinking about this beast. He drank his first sip of alochol and did his first line of cocaine..IN THE SAME NIGHT. He was like "Marijuana is a gateway drug? FUCK THAT. BAM I KICK THAT GATE RIGHT DOWN, STRAIT TO THE YAYO." I mean a man with that kind of commitment, you can only imagine what he is going to do on the baseball field."
I mean...did you guys think I was kidding? Did you think it was a joke?
This is not playtime.
Also, Goose. I like your style with the lady, lets hook up, and by that its not what you think, I mean sexually.
SaltyGoesYard - April 2, 2008
At least....
...you didn't praise the virtues of Fukumori.
GhettoBear04 - April 2, 2008
I'm really not sure what to do about you
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Ponies.
pdb - April 2, 2008
OK, but no banning
this is the funniest shit I've read on here in a long time
johnbai - April 2, 2008
After two games out of 162
is definitely the best time ever to boast of how superior your team is.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Hamilton did look like the best player for either team yesterday.
All those drugs did something terrible to his hair - he looks like he stole Richard Simmons' balding white-fro.
Jed MC - April 2, 2008
Hamilton actually looked like he was trying to win
which is different from most of the guys last night. But still. Not sure that level of braggadocio is warranted after two games.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Hamilton is extremely good
there's a pretty good chance he ends up being the best position player in the division.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Better than Michael Young?!
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
A smidge
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
I assume you're including defense in that?
TheOptimist - April 2, 2008
Naturally
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
You know what's funny?
Cincinnati started the offseason with both Hamilton and Jay Bruce in the organisation, and have managed to come up with an outfield of Dunn/Patterson/Griffey.
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Can't quite get behind your boygasms
is that Hamilton looks shakey in the field... that "amazing catch" that Sims raved about was a routine warning track fly that he slowed down for, stumbled slightly (no doubt fearing a collision with the wall) and caught over the shoulder... Ichiro would have just run under it and caught it non-chalantly.
And as for the homerun... yeah he stroked a mistake. JJ looked off from the first pitch though. The mistake pitch was supposed to be outside, but wound up a low inside 92 mph fastball, just the sort of pitch that lefties love. It had "meat" written all over it.
johnbai - April 2, 2008
That was not a routine catch
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
That catch couldn't hold Jim Edmond's jock
He was actually barely jogging the last 3 steps under the ball...
only his inability to keep his footing made it difficult.
johnbai - April 2, 2008
I don't think Ichiro and Edmonds are really appropriate benchmarks here
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Very few things are worthy of holding Jim Edmonds' jock.
JI - April 2, 2008
HA HA APRIL FOOLS
I was just kidding that game was total bullshit it didn't count.
-god.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
About the MIF Defense...
I said this in the gamepost, but wanted to throw this out again: Young and Blalock had caught the bug that Kinsler has and were under the weather. That's why Blalock was subbed out. I know their defense isn't good, but they're better than they showed last night (especially Kinsler).
GhettoBear04 - April 2, 2008
Beltre has a bad thumb that is still bothering him from tearing a ligament last June.
I will give you that it was cold last night. Having the flu is a lame excuse, unless it keeps you out of the lineup.
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
A few things I noticed
Padilla threw ~110 pitches, about 100 of them fastballs. And he couldn't spot it for shit, either. And he came away with one run. Fuck.
Felix had great location with his breaking stuff at times, but wasn't getting the calls. Too bad, but I think a big part of that line for the last four innings was just that.
We have 3 major rally killers very nicely spread through the lineup for maximal damage.
Felix got through the left handers pretty easily yesterday, which is sweet. Generally speaking, how much of his splits can be accounted for by Sexson's shittiness, do you think?
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
Oh and the best color comment of the young season
"... Ichiro taking a lead out there, standing very still, like a mannequin in attack position"
Did something bad happen at a department store?
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
Pretty cool staying up until 1:30
East Coast Time for this bunch of ballyhoo. I agree, though, they had no business being in this game after the 8th, especially when the Rangers themselves tried to give us as many insurance runs as we wanted to take.
BHP - April 2, 2008
It is sort of funny how
the M's have played to expectations so far. I know short sample theater, but still.
1. Richie looks D.O.N.E. Slow bat & terrible in the field - it looks like his reaction time is just too slow for MLB.
2. King Awesome & Ichiro! are easily the best position players on the team - nobody else is even close.
3. Felix & Bedard are great - even when they aren't at their best.
4. The defense and offense are mediocre at best when King Awesome and Ichiro! aren't involved.
5. The bullpen isn't as good as last year.
Jed MC - April 2, 2008
Having watched the majority of both last couple M's games
I'm kinda surprised more venom's not being directed Brad Wilkerson's way. I mean at this point, you might as well stick Morse in RF and see how much of a fluke that .500 spring training batting avg really was. He literally can't do worse than Wilkerson has so far at the plate.
TheOptimist - April 2, 2008
*both M's games
I need to actually read what I type more often. -_-;
TheOptimist - April 2, 2008
Have you seen Mike Morse play defense?
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Admittedly,
no. But in that case, the same comment mostly applies to Jose Vidro. >_>
TheOptimist - April 2, 2008
Yeah, I mean we just don't really have a choice
obviously there are options out there to improve our outfield and offense... But if the F.O. and coaches are intent on sticking with this roster, then we are just fucked.
thenatural - April 2, 2008
Yeah.
There's no really elegant way to fix the roster right now.
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
At this point,
it really looks like a mistake to not have kept Guillen. I mean, I don't know if he was still causing problems in the clubhouse like he was with the Angels, but no one can say the guy doesn't have a decent bat and a great arm from the OF.
TheOptimist - April 2, 2008
it looked like a mistake last July
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
Well, at the time they thought
Adam Jones would step in, but obviously he was traded. I guess Wilkerson wasn't a terrible patch on short notice. Ah well, it;s only 2 games in. David Ortiz doesn't have any hits yet either, maybe Wilkerson's just started slow.
TheOptimist - April 2, 2008
never a bad idea
to hold on to undervalued talent, Jones or no. Jones could have stepped in for Ibanez just as well. Sigh.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
I don't think Guillen is undervalued at all
His defence makes him a barely above average player.
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
The venom will come in time
we just have to get used to Wilkerson before we blast the crap out of him.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
rangers fans
already seem plenty used to broussard enough to blast him
ab03 - April 2, 2008
That's not fair
his first awful game was against a lefty. Ben shouldn't play against lefties.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
you're still feeling protective
that's sweet.
pdb - April 2, 2008
I just want us both to be happy
I meant it when I promised Ben we'd remain good friends.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Wilkerson
Is probably the closest player to hit a homerun so far so I'm giving him some time.
ThundaPC - April 2, 2008
Anyone else see this?
There was a ball hit by a Ranger (I was too angry to remember who) to the right side and Richie actually stepped the wrong way and dove back to his right and missed it. RICHIE went the wrong way...fucktard
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
I think that was on his error that should have been a DP.
He also reacted comically late to a line drive that went over his head. He didn't have a shot to catch it, but it was already in RF before he left the ground. I really want Richie to do well, but the magic 8 ball says "all signs point to no".
Jed MC - April 2, 2008
I'll be the first to say it:
FREE BARRY BONDS!!!
Seriously. Get Sexson the hell away from this team. Boo his ass out of town. Vidro, too, for that matter. Ugh!
PositivePaul - April 2, 2008
That's not very Positive, Paul
but you're right.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Oh, and nice dead meme.
pdb - April 2, 2008
I'm POSITIVE it's not "positive"
But I'm at least still positive!
Seriously -- the fans really need to boo Sexson. His bat speed is gone, and isn't coming back. He shouldn't be the cleanup hitter, and he shouldn't be anywhere near this team at all. Having the fans boo might actually help -- it'll stir the pot and make things worse, hopefully causing Bavasi to use his "give this guy a shot elsewhere" button and get him the F out of town...
PositivePaul - April 2, 2008
If GM's made moves based on fan sentiment
GM's would be an awful lot stupider.
Booing Richie isn't going to accomplish anything. I'm not saying I'm against it, but let's not pretend like it'll make any kind of positive difference.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Actually, it is accomplishing something
it's making him commit more errors because he's pressing. I'm not naive enough to say that if the booing stops, he'll improve, but at this point dude's completely lost and he's trying waaaaaaay too hard because he's trying to make the boos stop. It's only getting worse.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Great, he's the second coming of Jeff Cirillo.
BrianL - April 2, 2008
That's what makes me sad
and again, I don't think he'll miraculously get better if the boos stop, but at this point it's just piling on.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Booing helped run player A out of town a few months quicker than expected.
I'm not saying they'll cave, but if management is thinking about 86ing him, if he's getting booed at home it's only going to help speed the process along.
JI - April 2, 2008
Thank goodness it's the last year of his contract
bondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbondsbonds
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
JI - April 2, 2008
!!!
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
Win.
seattlesundevil - April 2, 2008
Player A wasn't making $14 million
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
Nor was he a Beloved Local Boy.
pdb - April 2, 2008
Willie makes $14 million?!
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
I hate
Sexson, Raul, and the Joses. I hate our bull pen minus JJ. May they all die slow painful deaths.
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
I hear the Orioles need fans
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
excuse me
i hear you need a new face
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
oh snap!
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
Lay off RRS
He'll choke you with goggles.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
I think he'll just choke
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
He hasn't even pitched yet
Mariner John - April 2, 2008
Richie's at the point where all he has to do is not swing
and he'll be worlds more effective than he is right now.
If that isn't an indicator this organization needs to move on, I don't know what is.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
I woke up this morning still feeling depressed
Baseball is back.
seattlesundevil - April 2, 2008
me too
I am in a super pissy mood, and it will likely make as bad at my job and Richie
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
it's already affecting your sentence structure
pdb - April 2, 2008
that's never been good
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
Dramatically so
On the one hand, we get to watch Felix and Bedard 2 of every 5 nights. On the other, we have to watch this lineup every night.
Life isn't fair.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
and should be as
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
I agree
This is why tonight's game can't get here soon enough. We need to see some sweet redemption to make last night go away.
Is it too much to hope we score 10+ runs?
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
um yes?
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Damn
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
If Sexson is hitting 4th, yes.
That's far too much to hope for.
BrianL - April 2, 2008
Damn
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
In one game?
pdb - April 2, 2008
Damn
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
I think one FB would make me feel better
InSpokane - April 2, 2008
This is exactly what Jeff was talking about
when he discussed the 'fantasy land' state of mind we get into before games.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
In regards to Sexson
I understand the backlash after last year...
but its 2 games and when you look at it, he's been no worse then
Wilkerson-Raul-Vidro....
We don't have a better option right now anyways.. and if this team is going to stay out of third in the division its going to need Sexson to provide some ofense.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
I think that's the problem
is that nobody in their right mind thinks Sexson can provide some offense. At least not in a baseball sense.
pdb - April 2, 2008
he may or may not
but two games is hard to tell....
Wilkerson is just as bad if not worse and he didn't provide much offense last year either and alot was expected of him coming into this year.
Frankly speaking this whole offense was expected to do alot, and its not going to get it done... and there really are no good options waiting in the wings.... so this team is going to remain a what you see is what you get team.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
Bonds is waiting.
Matthew - April 2, 2008
I'd rather be a fan of this team
then ever see Bonds in a Mariner jersey.
I'd probably stop following this team if Bonds was ever signed.... which thank god that fucker won't be.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
When the deal's done
we'll see you after the 5 games in which you stay away, when you won't be able to resist...just once....checking the score, which leads to watching the game.
Face it, you drank the Kool-Aid with the rest of us. You're a Mariners fan. You have to admit that Bonds would be a tremendous improvement over what's currently there, and that's all that matters. If you want a babysitter for your kids, sure, you might look elsewhere, but for a DH you'll struggle to find a better one than Bonds.
pdb - April 2, 2008
actually no I wouldn't
I've met Bonds... and if he's a Mariner, I won't be a fan of the team until he's gone.... that's the truth. I don't give a shit about his baseball skills.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
What is it about Barry that you hate?
Is it the arrogance? The probable steroid use? The perjury? The personality? I'm curious.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
Bonds is the only player to have ever upset the media by using steriods.
...besides Mark McGwire. And I think race may play into the public's perception of him too.
JI - April 2, 2008
The person
like I said... met him in person by accident .. hope he spends the rest of his life in jail or worse.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
All right, that's fair
but me, never having met Bonds myself, I'm inclined to believe that I've unwittingly rooted for much worse people at some point. So as long as he could help my team, I'd be happy to live in willful ignorance.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
It's funny the wife beaters get off clean
But Bonds? Nah. He might've committed perjury!
Oh, the horror!
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
and he raped our childhoods when he broke the homerun record
JI - April 2, 2008
my childhood was asking for it
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
Your childhood shouldn't have dolled itsself up like a whore.
JI - April 2, 2008
I know
childhoods these days...
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
my hatred of him
has nothing to do with steriods or perjury.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
What'd he do, rip on Juneau?
I mean, a man like Bonds I'm more inclined to think would completely ignore the average person as opposed to go out of his way to demean.
But, I haven't met him. So what do I know.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
I rip on Juneau
I don't want to get into details, so lets just leave it as I have my reasons and none of them are baseball related.
MfaninAlaska - April 2, 2008
They why bring it up if you don't wanna takl about it?
JI - April 2, 2008
You were a fan of the team
When we had Carl Everett and Julio Mateo. By all accounts, they're much worse people than Barry Bonds. So Bonds is an arrogant prick and took steroids. At least he didn't neglect his kid or punch his wife. Plus, he can hit.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Maybe he needs to clean up his reputation
and use his hitting abilities on the female population...
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
I think he used them on Pedro Gomez
That's why he picked Nick Swisher to win the AL MVP. The dude's completely lost all use of his frontal cortex.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
I'm guessing theres a reason why he doesnt mention it here.
Robert - April 2, 2008
By accident?
What did you crash into his Lexus or something? Yeah, I'd probably think he's an a-hole, too, if the first time I met him was after I crashed into his Lexus...
PositivePaul - April 2, 2008
Yes, a 1.000 OPS bat and a winning team is a terrible idea.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Wilkerson is NOT bad. He's NOT bad.
Dude ran a .786 OPS last year with a hard luck BABIP for his line drive rate. He walks more than almost any other hitter on the team and he absolutely crushed one last night that Hamilton just made a nice play on. Wilkerson is NOT as bad as Sexson or worse. Why doesn't anybody like the guy? I don't get it.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Wilkerson is not bad
but we could do so much better with Balentien and/or Bonds.
IceStormV1 - April 2, 2008
Wrong
Balentien would not post a better season than Wilkerson this year
johnbai - April 2, 2008
I agree with you bat wise.
But I think Wlad's a better defender. Wlad should be on the team right now, but he should be batting behind Wilk. If I were to guess, I'd figure Wlad and Wilk would do this
Wlad: .250/.315/.450
Wilk: .240/.330/.470
Wlad should be playing with the big club though.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Wilk LF, Wlad RF, Ibanez 1B is the best option we probably have in-house.
I'm for signing Bonds but it won't happen. Ideally on May 1st our lineup (barring a trade or free agent signing--please kick the bucket Lincoln so we can sign Barry) will look like this (vs. RHP anyway):
CF Ichiro
2B Lopez
1B Ibanez
3B Beltre
LF Wilkerson
RF Wlad
DH Clement
C Kenji
SS Betancourt
That's probably the best "in-house" lineup we can field.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
I haven't lost hope yet
fact is most of the offense has looked pathetic. But Sexson's absolutely on the shortest leash.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
In the fanshots
was Red's Beltre face on a stick really like four feet tall?
seattlebruin - April 2, 2008
That sentence is wrong in so many ways.
seattlebruin - April 2, 2008
Wow.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
Yes
It was beautiful!
thejew4u - April 2, 2008
It looked photoshopped.
So it was real?
redwolf75 - April 2, 2008
I was sitting about 10 sections down from him
But from where I was sitting, and from the up-close shots they kept putting on the big screen, it definitely looked real. From the markings on the back of the board I think he probably had it professionally done at a Kinkos or Staples or something. Hopefully he'll drop by sometime and let us know the details.
thejew4u - April 2, 2008
Well, of course Red didn't
"photoshop" it, lol. I thought the guy who took the picture might have enlarged it.
But good to know it's real. Awesome.
redwolf75 - April 2, 2008
He took it to Kinkos
it measures three feet by two feet. Could've had it up to 5x3 but decided that was too cumbersome.
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
A lineup I could root for
Ichiro (cf)
Betancourt (ss)
Bonds (lf)
Beltre (3rd)
Ibanez (1st)
Kenji (c)
Wilkerson (rf)
Vidro (dh)
Lopez (2nd)
johnbai - April 2, 2008
Gotta DH Bonds
Reed plays left until Wlad is ready.
JI - April 2, 2008
That's fine with me
Dump Vidro and plug Reed in... then swap Lopez and Reed in the lineup.
johnbai - April 2, 2008
Or yumpin' yimmerson
johnbai - April 2, 2008
I'd rather keep Loafie in the 2 spot.
I want to see him get an extended try there one last time before I lose all hope in him.
Matthew - April 2, 2008
They'd probably move Wilkerson to first though
because Ibanez has hardly played there
JI - April 2, 2008
Wilk to 1B
Ibanez to RF, someone with an iota of mobility to LF
BrianL - April 2, 2008
I'd go with
Ichiro (CF)
Lopez (2B)
Bonds (DH)
Beltre (3B)
Ibanez (LF)
Johjima (C)
Turbo (1B)
Balentien (RF)
Bentacourt (SS)
Lopez is not as good a hitter compared to Bentacourt, so stick him infront of Barry so he sees nothing but fastballs.
IceStormV1 - April 2, 2008
In that scenario, I'm actually happy to see Slampig
if only because it means I don't have to see Richie.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
Atleast Slampig
puts the ball in play
IceStormV1 - April 2, 2008
Sexson's D
2 prefaces:
-I was at the game and didn't have the best angle of view for some of these plays.
-Hi, dead horse. I brought an aluminum bat today, so I wouldn't accidentally crack the wooden one on a stubborn rib.
I'm surprised I haven't seen any comments about how awful Sexson's defense was in the 8th. His jump on that first ground ball (that he dove for) was horrid. His footwork on the error was even worse. EOF wasn't looking his sharpest, but in his defense those 2 hits should both have been easy outs. There was another play - the one where he tried to get the 3-unassisted and dove for 1st unsuccessfully - where he got an abysmal (I'm running out of adjectives here) jump on the ball. Not only did Sexson tank at the plate last night, he gave this one away in the field. On the extremely off chance there's anyone out there who isn't yet a disbeliever, I'd put last night's game as Exhibit A for dropping his ass before tonight's game. Small sample size be damned... It's not like he's making the right moves and just not pulling off that something extra. His mechanics are shot to hell.
thejew4u - April 2, 2008
By now, it sort of goes without saying
that his defense is bad regardless of the inning or situation.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
Come to think of it
bad would be a remarkable upgrade.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
agreed
but the high bouncer wasn't his fault... by the time the ball came down, diving toward first was his only option... the pitcher wasn't covering.
johnbai - April 2, 2008
BUT HE'S SO TALL
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
But he picked the ball up on the short hop, not high in the air on the way down.
Jed MC - April 2, 2008
Didn't u miss also in the 8th, I believe
when his first step on a ground ball towards the hole was towards the line..the man stepped the wrong way! how is that possible?!
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
Seriously, even I saw that was going for the hole off the bat, I was shocked when he moved to his left.
Because I knew the ball was going in the hole before Richie did. Me for 1st!
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
But you'd still have to hi...
oh wait. Never mind.
Mariner John - April 2, 2008
Barry Bonds
Do. Want.
IceStormV1 - April 2, 2008
In other news:
World Series favorite Detroit Tigers is about to lose two straight to KC.
Maybe our offense caught whatever the Detroit offense caught. :-/
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
Or maybe their pitching past Verlander sucks
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
Verlander's not even that good. Way overrated.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Verlander is good.
Overrated? A touch. But still very good.
Matthew - April 2, 2008
4.39 tRA, 4.44 tRA*
He's a #2 starter maybe (at best), but not an ace despite his 100 MPH stuff. Still got potential to improve but as it stands, he's not an ace by any means.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Yeah, that's still good.
Matthew - April 2, 2008
I didn't say he wasn't good. Just not "that" good.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
Bannister pwns
johnbai - April 2, 2008
He is cheats.
He keeps using those ridiculous stats to rate his performance.
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
He's not regressing!!
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
That article is truly facsinating,
I think because I don't believe that sabermetrics were ever really intended to be used by players as opposed to by GMs and the guys putting teams together. On the one level, it makes sense, because as we've seen with Bannister it's just further reinforced the concept that he needs to pitch ahead in the count to be successful.
On the other hand though, I could easily see this negatively affecting a pitcher in terms of confidence - I can't see a guy doing well if he's say, expecting himself to regress to the mean of the BABIP curve.
seattlebruin - April 2, 2008
Cabrera hitting 5th? Huh?
JI - April 2, 2008
Magglio won the batting title last year! He's clearly better than Cabrera!
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
on the other hand Leyland is using Inge in CF to give Granderson a day off v. a LHP
...it could be worse
JI - April 2, 2008
Granderson's hurt.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
I hereby retract that comment.
JI - April 2, 2008
Their announcers said something about this
on opening day. I'm almost positive it had to do with Sheffield and Ordonez being veterans and more comfortable with the AL.
bluemax - April 2, 2008
Watching Magglio dramatically regress to the mean
Is really something I suggest. What a blast.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
"By the diving Cabrera!"
Get used to saying that, Tigers announcers.
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
More like "By the rolling Cabrera!"
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
"bouncing"
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
"plopping"
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
"munching"
...wait a second...
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
"splattering"
Robert - April 2, 2008
Hey look it's Yorman Bazardo
BrettJMiller - April 2, 2008
That's Bazar...crazy
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
Is Detroit seriously getting 2-hit by the Royals?
Oh, this is fun.
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
I have one thing to say about this season so far:
Small sample size.
Don't get too worked up just yet.
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
Our offense is pretty bad
I'm afraid to see the large sample size
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
Me too if I'm honest
But I'm willing to wait until it gets there.
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
I'll enjoy it while it lasts, at least
cwel87 - April 2, 2008
This morning fucking sucked.
Last night really fucking hurt. To go up in the 8th and then see a cockpunch at fucking 6.15AM when you have to get up at 11.30AM [off work this week so I can watch baseball] is very painful.
And to top it all, this game was shown on a PPV channel here in the UK and my brother in law and father said that they wanted to watch it with me today. But I couldn't bare to watch a replay of the bullshit, so I missed the chance to introduce the game to others [believe me, it's bloody hard work when no one you know shares the same main interest as you].
I am still fucking hurting from that bullshit yesterday. I need to see some cool shit in tonight's game to make up for what happened. :(
EnglishMariner - April 2, 2008
Maybe you'll get to see 48 million dollars of suckage
And Richie too
kentroyals5 - April 2, 2008
DON'T MENTION THAT MAN'S NAME HE IS DEAD TO ME.
EnglishMariner - April 2, 2008
No pussy for Sexson
Graham MacAree - April 2, 2008
He'd just drop it anyway
pdb - April 2, 2008
hah
there's a bad joke here about swinging and missing, but I'll spare you
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
I had great morning fucking today
really helped me get over yesterday
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
Which hand did you use?
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
You know,
asking questions like this is a good way to hear things you don't really want to hear, particularly on a baseball blog.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 2, 2008
That ship has sailed
Jeff Sullivan - April 2, 2008
I am glad you are taking it well.
Wilder. - April 2, 2008
Ziiiiinnnnng
Dead meme?
redwolf75 - April 2, 2008
That's what I was doing when Padilla was pitching.
Mariner John - April 2, 2008
Can we just call up Clement? Please?
chaney - April 2, 2008
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