If there's anyone who deserves a month in which he hits .400 with 8-10 homeruns and has every single dink fly fall in, it's Adrian Beltre in September. The man has been a beast at the plate all year long; drawing walks and squaring up the ball with great frequency and has just been flattened by bad luck.
I wrote that on the afternoon of August 26th. Since then, Adrian Beltre has gone 14 for 25 with three doubles, a triple and three homeruns. That's a .560 / .538 / 1.120 line and he's raised his season OPS from .741 to .785 in those six games.
Lost season that it is, I will forever* find joy in Adrian Beltre having the success he deserves.
* unless he leaves and signs with the Angels.
0 recs | 68 comments
If Adrian Beltre pulls a Mike Cameron and refuses to sign with a division rival
he officially becomes my most favorite Mariner ever.
On the other hand, I hate it when Beltre gets hot like this and makes me think he’s finally discovered that delicious 2004 secret that made him flip out and turn into a MVP-caliber player.
JLC - September 1, 2008
2004 secret was bone spurs in his back foot.
It made hit hurt to chase a low outside slider, so he didn’t chase them and only swung at pitches it didn’t hurt to swing at—which happened to be better pitches to hit.
At least that’s what I’ve heard…I have no way to back that up. He may have swung at the same amount outside the zone, but not as much at the low outside pitch, or at least that’s what Dodger fans say.
BrettJMiller - September 1, 2008
That is hilarious and sad at the same time.
batura - September 1, 2008
This is exactly what I heard in 2004 from every LA outlet I could find.
misterjonez - September 1, 2008
That was my belief as well
But Beltre gets fooled badly on breaking balls no matter where in the zone they are. And on high fastballs. And on pitches that he thinks are more inside than they actually are. I just can’t see how bone spurs in a foot would save him from all of that (based on the premise that the spurs improved his pitch recognition, and not on some part of his hitting mechanics).
I also don’t buy the “fluke season” argument either. Luck may explain a portion of it, but not most of it, especially the power output.
Maybe I’m just holding onto that last string of hope that buried deep within Beltre’s swing-at-everything mentality is that golden key which unlocks Adrian’s potential, transforming him into a gold glove caliber, 48 homerun hitting beast, all of which occurs after we sign him to a 5 year contract extension.
Because that would be the most awesome thing ever.
JLC - September 2, 2008
Woo Beltre!
I knew he was 4-4 earlier and just checked to see if he got that triple. I did a dance! Go Beltre!
Eyebrows - September 1, 2008
Seriously,
when are you going to be baptized into the Mariner faith?
Wilder. - September 1, 2008
It's a Beltre thing, not a Mariner thing.
Eyebrows - September 1, 2008
No you cannot have him.
BrianL - September 1, 2008
I don't believe you.
BrettJMiller - September 1, 2008
Congrats to Beltre
Well deserved.
CapSea - September 1, 2008
Also, only Beltre is awesome enough to hit for the cycle and not realize it.
CapSea - September 1, 2008
Adrian, really, that was amazing.
I love it when I remember why I love this game.
Kirsten Schlewitz - September 1, 2008
Beltre apparently had no idea he hit a cycle.
BrianL - September 1, 2008
So Adrian Beltre and Stephen Drew hit for the cycle on the same day.
Today has been all kinds of awesome!
Goose - September 1, 2008
ESPN said last time it happend was 1920.
I was trying to explain how rare cycles were to my wife when they announced the Drew cycle..I don’t think she understands how awesome that was.
Hopefully my hooting and hollering helped to clarify.
Montucky - September 1, 2008
He's alright, I guess
Dewey N - September 1, 2008
Congrats to KING FUCKING AWESOME!
RafaelCarmona22 - September 1, 2008
Now, there's twice as many things on the 2008 top 10
as there were 24 hours ago. I hope there’s 8 more things to be found by the end of Sept. Would avoiding 100 losses make the Top 10 Mariner Moments?
pdb - September 1, 2008
It depends if you enjoy
going from the 2nd overall pick to the 6th.
Montucky - September 1, 2008
Don't much care about the 2009 draft, to be honest
I want to watch the Mariners win ballgames. In the short term. I want to have 2008 leave a not-bitter taste in my mouth, and if they win a few more games in September they’ll do that. Call me short-sighted if you will but I want to watch the Mariners and be happy about it.
pdb - September 1, 2008
Fair enough.
Other than prospect evaluation/clement seasoning, this season is over for me. Well, that’s not totally true. BELTRE was AWESOME TONIGHT!!! I do still enjoy his massive contributions to our team.
Montucky - September 1, 2008
It's annoying, I actually missed the game today
Normally I’m not annoyed at missing M’s games these days, but I’m rewatching it right now because I wanted to see all the awesome. He does not disappoint.
pdb - September 1, 2008
I also want to see the M's win.
It’s not that I’m ignorant, but if I’m going to watch a game I don’t want to see them lose. Now, if I can’t catch the game, I am more than fine if they lose (this season)
JonBBT - September 1, 2008
Jeff will have to amend the criteria to include particularly shitty moments, which will lead to
1. Torii Hunter
Gomez - September 1, 2008
Bill Bavasi's only triumph.
seatownsports - September 1, 2008
Pretty much.
JI - September 1, 2008
Huzzah!
thenatural - September 1, 2008
So, what are the chances Beltre actually goes to the Angels?
The only thing I’ve really heard on the subject was Drayer’s hunch.
JonBBT - September 1, 2008
If I had it my way 0%
Humongo - September 1, 2008
I only watched about two innings of the game
…but totally saw Beltre hit the triple! I had the sound off but noticed they were showing Beltre hitting a single…a double…a home run. “Hey maybe he’ll triple for the cycle.” BOOM!
That makes three of the M’s cycle’s I’ve seen as they happened. I wouldn’t let this pizza joint in Berkeley close until the 14 inning M’s, A’s game was over and got to see Buhner hit the first one, and was watching when Olerud hit his. Funny, but I don’t remember A-Rod’s. Probably blocked it out.
short - September 1, 2008
I don't remember Buhner's
but I remember A-Rod and Olerud’s. I think A-Rod finished off the cycle by hitting a little flair into the outfield. Olerud’s triple simply was amusing.
BrianL - September 1, 2008
There are like two ballparks where that triple happens.
misterjonez - September 1, 2008
I don't remember Buhner's cycle very well because I was pretty young
But I’m pretty sure my dad got me out of bed to tell me it had happened.
Schaefer - September 2, 2008
I was there for that game.
I worked a graveyard shift in college and I showed up waaaay late because I refused to leave the game early.
Getting in trouble at work was worth being able to see Buhner’s triple. One of the ugliest slides ever, but still beautiful.
Sec 108 - September 2, 2008
I watched the game through his 4th at bat
And got to listen to his triple on the radio on the way to dinner. Hearing Dave call it was awesome, I was freaking out like a happy ass retard. The people in the car next to me got a free show.
In the words of Ice Cube (back when he was cool), today was a good day.
RED29 - September 1, 2008
God I wish we could have gif'd your reaction.
BrianL - September 1, 2008
I'm looking for the call right now!
I was taking a lunch break having a beer (turned into a few) and a sandwich, only me and the bartender in the joint. We were jumping up and down like kids, I could here the kitchen staff yelling from the back, pretty cool doesn’t do it justice.
dpseadv - September 1, 2008
Ice Cube isn't cool anymore?
Humongo - September 1, 2008
After "Anaconda", it started to get a little weak.
oc - September 1, 2008
What, you don't like Are We There Yet?
(He’s sliding into Eddie Murphy territory)
Gomez - September 2, 2008
His fate was sealed after Torque.
Wilder. - September 2, 2008
...Probably isn't allowed to cruise the hood anymore.
oc - September 2, 2008
Yeah, Anaconda to start
Then films like…
-Torque
-Are We There Yet?
-Are We Done Yet?
-First Sunday
-The Longshots (Back in the day he woulda capped that bitch for wanting to be his quarterback)
He has a chance to redeem himself a little in the A-Team movie coming out. If he REALLY wants to slide into Eddie Murphy Territory all he has to do is get caught with a tranny.
What am I talking about…that would make him cool again
RED29 - September 2, 2008
He did not checkity check his career before he wrecked his career
Gomez - September 2, 2008
He might as well change his name to Eddie Murphy
and make a movie about talking animals
JonBBT - September 2, 2008
I was being sarcastic with the Cube thing.
Humongo - September 2, 2008
I totally couldn't tell.
oc - September 2, 2008
Because I refuse to watch him in any non-Friday movies,
I still think Ice Cube is the shit. He’s on the chorus of a song on Game’s new (bad) album. It’s pretty fun to hear him angry again, even if it’s manufactured.
Teej - September 2, 2008
His album that Lil' Jon produced wasn't very good.
But, I saw him live in concert a year ago. He rocked it.
oc - September 2, 2008
Lil' Jon produced 3 songs on that.
But, yeah, it sucked.
Humongo - September 2, 2008
Yeah, that album is ...
Terrible.
Humongo - September 2, 2008
Makes me realize how much I enjoyed the first two.
Teej - September 2, 2008
True that.
Humongo - September 2, 2008
I wonder if this gets the casual fan off his back
Robert - September 2, 2008
Probably not
because now they can all say “where has this been all year? He still sucks”.
pdb - September 2, 2008
The only way to get the casual fans off his back is to have Beltre put up a .330/40hr/100+ RBI season.
If not, then Beltre is being overpaid because defense and park factors don’t matter.
BrianL - September 2, 2008
Attention:
If you think Adrian Beltre is bad and/or overrated, I hate you and think you are stupid.
Jeff Sullivan - September 2, 2008
I think this should replace "Felix is ours and you can't have him" at the top of the browser for a few days.
BrianL - September 2, 2008
Done
Jeff Sullivan - September 2, 2008
That is awesome.
BrianL - September 2, 2008
Sweeeeeeet.
Humongo - September 2, 2008
Adrian Beltre is now average!
Dewey N - September 2, 2008
Hm.
BrianL - September 2, 2008
Dewey N - September 2, 2008
Just like Mike Morse
JI - September 2, 2008
I will give you props for quoting Hendu and making sense.
BrianL - September 2, 2008
Somebody's about to somewhat dislike you and find you of below-average intelligence.
pdb - September 2, 2008
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