Seattle: 16-26
Padres: 15-26
Game 1: Miguel Batista vs Chris Young
Game 2: Erik Bedard* vs Randy Wolf*
Game 3: Felix Hernandez vs Shawn Estes*
Well, I was right about the one game. Yay! I had a whole paragraph written about Washburn and what the Mariners might do and then they went ahead and already announced they were skipping his start. So, shoot. On the plus side, I get to see Felix for the third time this year instead of that asshole Bedard and his regressing self.
Randy Wolf was a pitcher I desperately stumped for this offseason. The Padres signed him for one year and $4.75 million guarenteed with some performance bonuses for games started and innings pitched that could push his salary to a maximum of $8.75 million. That's three less years and at leat $40 million less than Carlos Silva. Randy Wolf is better than Carlos Silva and is also left-handed. Padres = smart. Mariners = dumb. This is the sort of thing that fills me with confidence for our shot at first overall in 2009.
Likely Starters:
C Josh Bard
1 Adrian Gonzalez
2 Tadahito Iguchi
3 Kevin Kouzmanoff
S Khalil Greene
L Jerry Hairston
C Jody Gerut
R Brian Giles
D Probably someone who sucks
Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff were acquired in trades much in the favor of San Diego. Besides those two, the Padres have developed exactly one half of an offensive asset, that being Khalilbot. They are scoring 3.38 runs per game, worst in the bigs while the Ms are at 4.07 runs per game, 25th in the bigs. This is either going to be one incredibly boring series or it's going to one amazingly boring series. TUNE IN TO FIND OUT!
This freefall has inspired a lot of self-examination by all of us between LL and USSM and thus, most every topic of the Mariners have been covered over the past few days. I know it sounds like a copout, but I'm just not sure what else there is to bring up. Jeremy Reed's OPS is still hovering about 1.000. He's probably a better bat than Griffey at this point and his glove is approximately 
runs better.
An Ibanez-Ichiro-Griffey outfield would be so stupid as to cause time itself to collapse in on itself. Acquiring Griffey only makes sense if it's as a DH, of which both Ibanez and Sexson already need to be and which Clement currently occupies because Kenji Johjima, who should be biding his time to Type A free agent status, is locked here for the next 3.75 years.
I'd like to continue pulling for the team to sign Bonds but they'd probably put him at 2B, so you know what? Screw you Mariners. Grow a clue.
Old Rasputin Imperial Stout
North Coast Brewing Company. Fort Bragg, CA
Pours with a delicious looking 3-finger tan creamy head that sticks around for quite awhile. It's muted on the nose with mellow chocolates and a little smoke. Little bits of coffee, oat and cocoa come through on the taste and the palate is both creamy and filling, as you'd expect from how it looks.
I cannot give this beer enough justice in words. It might be the perfect imperial stout so if that's a genre that you enjoy, you are only hurting yourself by not drinking more of this beer.
0 recs | 152 comments
Bird?
OlSalty - May 15, 2008
if anyone gets the connection i was going for, i'll be impressed.
graham’s dad might have the best shot
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Looks like a heiroglyph.
100000?
JY - May 15, 2008
durrr... Hieroglyph.
I before E and all that.
JY - May 15, 2008
you are on the right track
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Infinity?
Edanger6 - May 15, 2008
closer
but perhaps no longer on the right track
Matthew - May 15, 2008
1,000,000,000?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
brrrrrrrrrrr
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Closer to infinity, huh?
1,000,000,000,000?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
you're not getting it.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Is it i?
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
*not serious
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
What am I not getting?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
...glottal stop?
Graham’s dad should get a real job.
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
FWIW, I'm pretty sure the only person who might know what I mean
by saying Graham’s dad might get it, is Graham and if Graham gets /that/ than I am officially scared about our brains being too similar.
In other words, that hint was helpful to nobody.
Do I enjoy obscure? Yes; yes I do.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
I know
I think
runs = 3 runs
Fin - May 15, 2008
Why?
Matthew - May 15, 2008
0 maybe?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
Why what?
Fin - May 15, 2008
why do you think that?
Matthew - May 15, 2008
This
is why Plus it’d make sense Reed’s defense would be about 3 runs above Griffey’s.
Fin - May 15, 2008
Look at the sentence construct
why would “3” make sense?
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
Because didn't you guys say Reed's glove
was overrated?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
Griffey is arguably the worst defensive player in baseball
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
Why can't scientists invent a time machine
already? Then we could go back in time and take back 1994 or 1995 Griffey.
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
You want broken wrist Griffey?
I suppose he’d be more productive than Cairo…but still.
Frosty Raptor - May 15, 2008
So you're saying that Griffey would not Aumont the team's abilities?
Surely he would Lind a hand somehow
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
Fail.
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
I'm not sure you get to judge humor.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
In twenty years, when you're 60 years old,
you’ll finally see how my humor shines.
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
I won't make it that long
because of all the drunk driving I do after every drink. Speaking of which, I just had some Rogue Chocolate Stout, time to go cut my brake line and go joyriding.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
SCOTT NOT JERRY HAIRSTON
Corco - May 15, 2008
You better be smoking, dammit
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
LOFA?!
OlSalty - May 15, 2008
Somehow I think that statement is entirely full of crap
OlSalty - May 15, 2008
Well, seeing as how you'll be dead
of old age by then, it doesn’t matter.
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
I'm no expert at wit nor will I claim to be
but you’re just not saying anything funny
Corco - May 15, 2008
Who says I'm trying to?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
You wouldn't be making remarks like that
if you weren’t attempting to make people laugh
Corco - May 15, 2008
Who said that?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
I can't really respond to this without violating the TOS
so fill in the blanks with whatever you want
You’re a ___ individual
Corco - May 15, 2008
So, tell us, what was your purpose?
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
I'm going to start writing this site in wingdings
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
I hope you mix and match the various wingding fonts
because otherwise it’d be too easy to translate.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Well I know it means a very large number
I’m just not real caught up on my egyptology.
OlSalty - May 15, 2008
Frosty Raptor - May 15, 2008
Remind me to use this one
next time I want to obfuscate the number 6.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
This is driving me crazy....
Okay… my guess is Graham’s number? Right track?
G1? From the gardiner number?
marc w - May 16, 2008
Three cheers for Old Rasputin!
And everything else North Coast makes.
John Morgan - May 15, 2008
I don't make enough money to afford enough Old Rasputin
):<
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
I don't think it's too pricey.
I pay about 9 for a 4 pack, but given Rasputin is 9% and an average beer is about 4.5%, I think it’s pretty reasonable. Beer is one of my only real expenditures, but I’ve gotten to where I can’t drink crap, I swear it tastes like industrial effluent.
John Morgan - May 15, 2008
you should come up in June for the ussm/ll event.
we can make it an all-awesome seattle sports blog summit and amongst you jeff derek and myself we might be able to destroy bars with our beer snobbiness alone
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Dateline: Seattle
Three local watering holes ‘Destroyed’ in snobbishness attacks. Police are reportedly looking for a group of men whose scattershot attacks felled bartenders, patrons, distributors and waitresses.
A bartender at downtown Irish bar Fado said that the perpetrators began by insulting the selection of taps. “I told them we didn’t have Old Rasputin on draft, but that we had Guiness. The guys went nuts; one of them said he’d have one if he could pay in monopoly money – another one said that this is like offering a Languedoc white to a man who’s ordered Haute Medoc; I don’t know what that means, but I don’t think it was a GOOD analogy. Finally, another guy just started repeating everything I said all annoying and shit, like, “No thir, I’m thooo thorry, we don’t have that – would you like a Guinneth?”
Patrons who tried to intervene were felled by verbal blows demeaning their intelligence, appearance, alma maters, knowledge of the show ‘House’ and ancient history. “It was like a tornado of snob, man. Normally, you just shut that out, but this was… this was too much. First they go for the beer – I was having a bud. Whatever, it’s hot out. Then they’re insulting my shirt, car and my WSU hat. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise; there were just too many.”
First responders were unsure how to counteract the attackers. One was seen sobbing on the street outside of the Nitelite, describing how he hadn’t had a lot of ‘advantages’ as a child, and was still trying to be proud of himself, ‘Damn it!’
Police are worried that these attacks are co-ordinated in minute detail, and warn seattle drinkers to slowly exit a bar if you hear anyone order a beer you’ve never heard of. “The most important thing is to avoid eye contact. Oh, and leave any and all Yankee or Red Sox apparel at home. We’ll solve this, but for now, we need people to take some precautions,” said police chief Gil Kerlikowske.”
marc w - May 15, 2008
I sense a "smug" cloud on the way.
Thingray - May 15, 2008
if I could rec something more than once, I would.
I mean, I can, by logging into other accounts, but that’s too much work for me.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Epic
OlSalty - May 16, 2008
Absolutely delicious beverage.
Even better on tap.
CapSea - May 15, 2008
I like stouts okay...
This was very good. Any heavier though and I’ll have to start chewing…
GhettoBear04 - May 15, 2008
This series brought to you by Henry Weinhards Root Beer!
I’m a teatotaler.
PhilKenSebben - May 15, 2008
*good
PhilKenSebben - May 15, 2008
uh-oh Coach is a hacker
JI - May 15, 2008
_PhilKenSebben?
redwolf75 - May 15, 2008
You mean a "teetotaler"?
redwolf75 - May 15, 2008
i fail at spelling, sorry.
PhilKenSebben - May 15, 2008
Need more beer
Sec 108 - May 15, 2008
Not as good as Kemper, dumbass.
BrianL - May 15, 2008
Most root beer is too sweet.
If you’d pimped some ginger beer I’d have been more impressed.
Llewdor - May 15, 2008
We know.
Phil Hatzenbuehler - May 15, 2008
Again with the beer?
Graham MacAree - May 15, 2008
Have you tried some KCN?
It’s got a nice almond smell you might like, and it’s non-alcoholic.
eponymous_coward - May 15, 2008
What's with all the Potassium Cyanide references? I don't get it.
Llewdor - May 15, 2008
I love beer - this is well known
but I actually love this root beer. I’d rather have this than many beer beers (like the beers Weinhard’s makes).
marc w - May 15, 2008
I l ove it, but ooooooooooommmmmmmmmgggggggg it's so expensive.
OlSalty - May 15, 2008
If no one wants to win, wouldn't the games play on to an enternal draw?
JI - May 15, 2008
almost
Eyebrows - May 15, 2008
well, looks like I fucked that one up
link try again: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN200804170.shtml
(You guys block links to espn, don’t you? It was just a game recap.)
Eyebrows - May 15, 2008
Wold you believe me if I told you that the gamethread here for the last 6 innings drew 300 comments?
JI - May 15, 2008
Why should he?
It sure beats talking about our craptastical team.
thewyrm - May 15, 2008
Why should he doubt you I meant.
I are smart.
thewyrm - May 15, 2008
5 innings ;)
CapSea - May 15, 2008
If by Jerry Hairston you mean Scott Hairston, then yes you are correct
Corco - May 15, 2008
JI - May 15, 2008
I believe this is the first suggestion of its type:
I want the Mariners to hire a Japanese manager who can’t speak English. Reason: not being able to talk to the players, the manager would judge players only on their performance and could hide behind the language barrier to, effectively, not give a fuck what anybody has to say about any of his moves.
It’s ok for the coaches to speak English.
Of course, you’d want that manager to be an effective judge of talent. For the team’s owners & management, that’s definitely a move that puts butts in seats and garners international attention. It also brings the team together: got a problem with the manager, ask Johjima or Ichiro to interpret.
Washburn to manager: “Johjima sucks at calling pitches.”
Manager (through Johjima): “Eat my shorts.”
wysiwyg - May 15, 2008
With Good Natured Nerdy Smugness
I threw a comment up at USS Mariner timestamped 10:55 AM favoring Sadaharu Oh as the new manager.
I think it’s a super idea. It takes a bit of wishful thinking vis-a-vis MLB player attitudes- but how awesome would it be to bring in a Japanese manager who creates an atmosphere that naturally draws in hard working, dedicated players and repulses cry-baby whiners. The mantra would be “All we’re trying to do here is win a championship- everything else is secondary.” If you can get a bunch of guys buying into that theory- they may not pull it off right away, but it would make for really entertaining baseball and, I think, give the team a completely unique aura that would reignite Seattle’s passion for baseball.
mkd - May 15, 2008
Why'd Akira Ohgi have to die?
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
I predict I will be drinking
eponymous_coward - May 15, 2008
Padres = Smart?
Padres = worse than us.
BlueBaron - May 15, 2008
No, they're not.
The Padres know how to spend money wisely. We know how to spend insane amounts of money on washed up 1B/DH/RF players and BOR pitchers.
BrianL - May 15, 2008
They are a lot smarter than us
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
So were were smart in 2007?
Graham MacAree - May 15, 2008
Were were indeed.
CapSea - May 15, 2008
Oops
Graham MacAree - May 15, 2008
Mariners 2008 payroll: $118M
San Diego 2008 payroll: $73.7M
Phil Hatzenbuehler - May 15, 2008
USSM: Organizational Rankings
Stll one of my favorite posts. Dave hit a homerun with this one. Worth checking out since it’s right on the money.
8) San Diego = B
23) Seattle = D
Padres are smarter than us.
ThundaPC - May 15, 2008
Angels are a C+?
Really?
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
Well,
The Angels did trade for John Garland and lock up an aging Torii Hunter on a 5-Year deal.
ThundaPC - May 15, 2008
A)This was made 10/17
So neither of those had happened yet.
B) We traded an aging Orlando Cabrera for Garland in order to make room for our multiple SS prospects, Erick Aybar being the one who stepped up and won the job with his ridiculous range. Aybar has also been perfectly serviceable with a bat thus far. Garland was pretty much expected to eat innings and put up an okay ERA, which he has done so far. Cabrera has meanwhile blown chunks on Chicago. So far, we’re net winners on this one. Garland is also only here for one season.
C) Torii Hunter isn’t really that bad a deal. You guys gave Ichiro the same amount of money, and he’s the same age, and that was supposedly one of the better deals you’ve made.
But like I said, those two hadn’t happened yet, so the only real problem you could have with us is the deal with GMJ, which was admittedly bad, but I don’t see how it was bad enough to drop a team that has been a perennial playoff contender for four straight seasons and has good young talent to a C+.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
Sorry, make that 10/12
My mistake.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
Actually,
This isn’t a ranking for who has done a good job so much as it’s a letter grade for who’s going to do a good job going forward based on the organization they have in place. If it was about the former, Tampa Bay wouldn’t gotten an A.
A C+ indicates that you have an above average Front Office. Only Dave could tell you specific strengths and weaknesses. It’s because the grade was made before the Garland, Hunter moves that makes it VERY relevant. Your organization could’ve EASILY done better than Garland and Hunter.
The Tampa Bay Rays get an A, certainly not because of their past. They’ve fielded +90 loss teams year in and year out. But with a new organization in place that nows how to build a baseball team there’s reason to have high hopes for this club. And sure enough, after the offseason they had where they focused in improving their defense they’ve quickly become a force to be reckoned with. It’s so funny to see so many casual observers be surprised by the Rays yet a number of people who know better knew that this team is on the rise.
And as you can plainly see, our organization sucks at free agency and trades. This time, signing up Carlos Silva for $12 million a year for the next 4 years. There are guys like him floating around that earn a fraction of that and they’re not that hard to find. Also, yet another year where we pick up a bat or two that’s on its last legs (Brad Wilkerson).
ThundaPC - May 15, 2008
Such as?
I don’t think we actually could have. They’ve both been pretty solid moves so far, especially considering what we gave up to get Garland (nothing).
And as far as organization goes, Arte Moreno may be the best owner in sports in terms of running it like a business and staying the fuck out of the way of the baseball people when it comes to the team. Tony Reagins is new, but Stoneman was a solid GM who stuck to his prospects, and was generally good at evaluating talent. Scioscia is a top 5, maybe even top 3 manager. We have a great farm and scouting system.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
Torri Hunter is a terrible deal
he won’t age anywhere near as well as Ichiro well
JI - May 15, 2008
Meh.
He’s got about the same build as Jermaine Dye, and Dye is still doing pretty good at 34 (year three).
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
they're not three years apart in age
and Dye >> Hunter as a hitter.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
I think he meant year three of Dye's contract.
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
which, if true, would be amazingly irrelevent
since player’s don’t break down based on their contract length.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
Dye is 34. When Hunter is 34
He’ll be in year 3 of his contract. Dye is a 111 career OPS+, Hunter is a 105 OPS+. There’s not that much difference between them. Considering defense, Torii is probably the better overall athlete and player.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
they're 18 months apart in age. That's far more accurate.
and there are better measures of hitting ability, especially when it comes to aging, than OPS+.
Matthew - May 15, 2008
I was going off Baseball References Top Similar Batter
Through age 31 actually.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
Plus they don't play the same postion, and Dye has had the craziest career path there ever was
I don’t know how you could seriously compare the two.
JI - May 15, 2008
Read above
And they both play outfield it’s not that much of a stretch to compare them.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
One is a centerfielder and one is a rightfielder.
and it’s not like Dye could just slide over to center if he wanted to.
Dye’s career has had many peaks and valleys (mostly due to his broken leg), where as Hunter has been fairly steady. Other than that they don’t walk a whole bunch and have some power (Dye has/had a lot more) I don’t see why a comparison of the two makes sense.
JI - May 15, 2008
Well
Given the following:
Similar build
Similar hitting
Similar position
Similar career path
Two years ahead of Torii.
I have to say they looked pretty comparable to me, at least as far as projecting Hunter goes. Dye has had better power, Torii plays a tougher position/is a better athlete. I really don’t see what the problem is. It’s not like I compared him to Jim Edmonds or Gary Sheffield here.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
The big problem to me is that
center field is further on the up defensive spectrum… and not just by a little bit. Dye only started three games at center in his career.
But if you’re going to compare them as hitters I think that’s faulty too. I really don’t think they are too terrible similar. Sure their career numbers are somewhat similar, but they’ve taken vastly different paths to get there: Hunter has basically been a steady 105-115 OPS+ guy since he became a regular, Dye is all over the map: formidable peaks and horrific valleys. If it weren’t for the broken leg, Dye’s numbers would be even further away.
The main things that worry me about Hunter is that he played on turf his entire career, his defense has been in decline for some time, and that he really doesn’t have any plus hitting skills besides power ( he doesn’t hit .300, and he doesn’t walk), when his skills decline it’s going to be ugly.
JI - May 15, 2008
Well, he's not playing on turf anymore
and while he didn’t break a leg, he did have a fairly down year with Minnesota. Dye has had exactly one off the charts bad year, and one off the charts good year. Otherwise, he’s been in the same range as Hunter his whole career.
And doesn’t the fact that Torii has been healthier, while playing a tougher position, on turf, only speak to his durability? Dye is in the same boat as far as skills go- again, that’s part of why I compared them in the first place.
Despite the weirdness of Dye’s career, he’s still the closest player to Torii in terms of career comparison.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
We're gonna have to let this one go
because I don’ really think they compare very well on offense or defense, plus, Dye compares to hardly anyone because he’s had one of the oddest career paths ever.
JI - May 15, 2008
The same is true of Hunter though
Look him up. Dye is the closest through 31 at 969 (not that all that close, overall)
I guess if you really want a CF though, I could always go with Steve Finley. I mean seriously, if Dye is so bad, suggest someone. Dye was the only guy I could find who matched up.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
Finley was actually the guy I was thinking of
but his career took off after 30 and he took more walks
JI - May 15, 2008
I know
Plus Finley was a smaller frame and 25 lbs lighter.
I wouldn’t particularly object to Hunter still being a decent offensive player to age 39, but that seemed unfair. Dye is a lot closer.
Zu Long - May 15, 2008
"Screw you Mariners. Grow a clue."
I suggest new co-GMs capable of getting huge raging clues:
DCMariner - May 15, 2008
I've got an Old Rasputin in my fridge
think I’ll drink it tonight.
JohnPeterson - May 15, 2008
I expected this to go more off topic.
JI - May 15, 2008
Cameron > Cuddy.
There, it’s off-topic.
BrianL - May 15, 2008
I'm NOT Corco.
JI - May 15, 2008
I am happy that for once it didn't
Jeff Sullivan - May 15, 2008
I am expressing my shock, not reccommending it as a course of action.
JI - May 15, 2008
Idaho Ford Highways Hippies Prius Cheap Beer (Lack of) Sex
Corco - May 15, 2008
Craigslist
Thingray - May 15, 2008
What is "Things Discussed at Gate B-11," Alex?
PositivePaul - May 15, 2008
I'm so very sorry.
JI - May 15, 2008
Anybody know what the story is with Triunfel?
I saw on PI earlier today that he had reported to Peoria for some reason.
BrianL - May 15, 2008
Apparently it's "nothing to worry about".
But I haven’t heard any details.
Thingray - May 15, 2008
I was kinda hoping we'd have a Felix/Peavy matchup
Then I would have a chance to watch two terrible offenses get no hit at the same time!
joof - May 15, 2008
Both pitchers throw 12 inning complete games until Raul's 4 base error loses the game.
Llewdor - May 15, 2008
Good off-day.
Rays = First Place
Yankees = Last Place.
ThundaPC - May 15, 2008
Today would have been a good invade day of DRaysBay
ColeFitz - May 15, 2008
I 'm way ahead of you...
JI - May 15, 2008
I stopped in with 1 out in the ninth.
ColeFitz - May 15, 2008
I'm already there
phil333 - May 15, 2008
In all fairness I was talking about the Cardinals with RJ
and not acting as an LL ambassador.
JI - May 15, 2008
needs more reply button
JI - May 15, 2008
Would you like fries with that?
Hehe!
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
You just made my day
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
Yippee! Sarcasm!
Or laughingatmeism!
Coach Owens - May 15, 2008
Jesus Christ Coach
Are you drunk?
BrianL - May 15, 2008
Come on now. He's been on the wagon for 16 years now
Last Fan Of Jose Lopez - May 15, 2008
I love it when peole laugh at their own internet jokes.
JI - May 15, 2008
If by Jerry Hairston you mean Scott Hairston,
then yes, you are correct
Corco - May 15, 2008
Gaslamp must be in need of some good posters.
For fuck’s sake, Coach had a diary front-paged there.
To be fair to GB, CO really didn’t use any of his own ideas, but instead mashed up the works of Graham with some old-style Coach optimism and bad word choice. (“sweep us so we can have the #1 overall pick in next year’s draft and pick Stephen Strasburg!”)
Faux - May 16, 2008
Ugh.
CapSea - May 16, 2008
Gaslamp Ball is awesome
they just aren’t as familiar with Coach as we are.
Jeff Sullivan - May 16, 2008
I agree that they're cool, in a low-key way.
I just don’t understand the Coach FPing. I’m sure you read what he wrote. Would you really FP that, even coming from another site?
Also, I think someone over on McCovey reads here, or at least reads the same stuff Graham reads, because there were a couple conversations about the Strasburg standings.
Faux - May 16, 2008
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