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Lookout Landing

Series Preview: Texas Rangers @ Seattle Mariners

Seattle: 56-86
Rangers: 70-74

GAMES

Game 1: Felix Hernandez vs Vicente Padilla
Game 2: ? vs Kevin Millwood

Vicente Padilla was a headcase his entire career and had a reputation as being somewhat dim. He came to Texas and finally had one year of moderate success (104 tRA+) and landed himself a lucrative three year deal. Now into the second year of that deal, Padilla has posted tRA+s of 87 and 86.

Kevin Millwood was a solid enough pitcher in his 20s while with the Atlanta pitching juggernaut. He moved to the Phillies in 2003 and the good luck began to slip. While Millwood continued to pitch well, his ERAs rose and he suffered health issues in 2004. Unable to land himself the multi-year deal his agent thought he worth, Millwood took a one year deal with the Indians and proceeded to rock the house in ERA and grabbed hisself a nifty five year deal.

Now, Millwood had a legitimately good season in 2005 (116 tRA+), but he got paid for his 146 ERA+. Millwood gave the Rangers what they hoped for in year one with a full season of 111 tRA pitching but since then he's suffered more injury problems and posted consecutive tRA+s of just 91.

Star-divide

Likely Starters:
C TTaylor Teagarden/Gerald Laird
1 Hank Blalock
2 Joaquin Arias
3 Chris Davis*
S Michael Young
L Marlon Byrd
C Josh Hamilton*
R Nelson Cruz
D Milton Bradley^

The Rangers will likely mix the lineups a bit more as they're now in the same position we are, playing for 2009.

CONTEXT

I have no idea who's starting the second game of the series as the Mariners probable pitcher list still says Ryan Feierabend and I have my doubts that he's going to be making that start. Could be Carlos Silva, could be Jarrod Washburn, could be who the hell knows.

Adrian Beltre clearly loves me back and expresses his affection by hitting line drives and homeruns.

Jose Lopez, first half: .298/.318/.412
Jose Lopez, second half: .285/.325/.478

Ichiro: 185 hits and counting.

Well Felix, Morrow has thrown down and bettered your no-hit mark by two outs. Maybe it's time to remember what it's like to be transcendent?

THIS SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Great Pumpkin
Elysian Brewing. Seattle, WA

The first ale that I tried that managed to pull off the delicate balance between having enough pumpkin spice flavor to not cause a let down from the usually potent spice aroma and not having so strong a flavor as to taste like something beside a beer.

0 recs  |  33 comments

Comments

Would you rather have Millwood or Washburn?

Also nice work over at Fangraphs!

Millwood's skills.

Washburn’s contract.

I wonder what such a man would look like?

Creepy.

Looks like he’s rocking out.

I hope Felix rises to this challenge.

And I still want pumpkin beer.

Millwood > Wash

Millwood > Batista
Millwood > Silva

Saltalamacchia’s out for the rest of the year, so Taylor Teagarden is spliting time with Laird.

Everyone loves Jose Lopez
Well Felix, Morrow has thrown down and bettered your no-hit mark by two outs. Maybe it’s time to remember what it’s like to be transcend

He’d have to face an all right handed lineup.

Toronto?
Lind, Overbay, Snider, Inglett, and Zaun (once a week) beg to differ
He meant an all white-handed line-up.
I forgot about the new guys.

I thought it was just Overbay and Zaun.

Wow, Lopez has acctually been better in the second half then.

It seemed like he was slipping, but his OPS has improved by 73 points.

Yeah, but it's a small sample.
He's also young enough to have improvements like this be sustainable.

I think .290/.325/.475 is reasonable for Loafie’s skillset. I’m not sure yet how much I’d take him past that, but…

Loafie, career through age 24 so far: .270/.302/.394
Tejada, career through age 25: .240/.310/.413

Loafie, age 24 year so far: .294/.320/.434
Tejada, age 25 year: .251/.325/.427

Lopez may still have some growth potential left (and the fact that Tejada was a year older counts as well, though I don’t think Loafie will ever walk like Tejada did, and his GIDPs will always be higher as a result, which brings his value down). He still may be able to be a .500+ SLG player when it’s all said and done (especially if he ever leaves Safeco).

The Times says somebody else is starting toMorrow
I was hoping they wouldn't be that dumb.
Fuck the future
Sure, let's not give a day of rest to someone who went over his pitch count on his first MLB start.

It’s not like we have extra arms aplenty and guys like Dickey who can get tossed into the rotation, as well as a bunch of meaningless schedule.

Once again, no floor.

Its finally that time of year again....A national brand Beer Ill actually drink again

And is there a way both our teams can lose and just get the better draft pick?

It's almost Jubelale time, too

which makes me happy.

Good call.
Yummm, Jubelale.

Now I am salivating.

I am actually very excited to go grab a couple pints and watch Felix tonight. Something tells me he will try to outdo Morrow.

Which means, hello fastballs.
Good thing the Rangers have such a weak lineup
Why do you hate me and my little fantasies?

I am hoping he goes the other direction of course, but we shall see.

The Mariners website now says Cesar Jimenez will get the start

It’s unlikely that he will pitch the necessary five innings to qualify for a win because the game plan is to make this a “Bullpen Day,” with relievers needing the work getting to pitch one or two innings apiece.

Maybe they are actually being smart about Morrow

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