This is as good as baseball get’s to me. 5-2, and everyone of these games has got the adrenaline pumping. I just have a hard time seing this bullpen continue to get lucky with their bad control.
I’m not just talking about what i’ve seen so far on their control. I guess i’m one of the guy’s that hasn’t boughten into the bullpen being ok. But hey, maybe if I hang out here long enough I won’t have any opionons for myself…
I love that pitching and defense are getting it done for the M’s. I feel that this team could continue to do well with Erik and Felix at the top of the rotation, but I don’t think that the pitchers in the 3, 4, and 5 spot will hold up over the season. Could the Mariners go out and get another quality arm? It could really be a fun year if they did.
no one is playing out of their mind right now (except Endy) and we’re missing our best player. There’s reason to believe in the optimistic 2009 scenario once we get Ichiro back and if Clement gets back up with the big club.
I don’t think it is like 2007, where Bavasi pretty much half-assed building a team and got lucky. I think we should see some sustainable improvement this season. If they don’t go far this year, I think they will next year.
RRS not getting raped? Stranding oodles of batters? There’s been some good luck here, but I hope that as the luck swings away from the team other things settle down – Ichiro back on board, Silva regresison, bullpen control, RRS etc. If Gootch can hit anywhere near league average and the rotation stays healthy these guys can play over .500, I think.
I'm actually pretty sure RRS not getting raped was the logical outcome of the way he pitched
It’s hilariously unorthodox and unsustainable, but he allowed zero line drive and zero homers, and half of the balls in play he allowed were popped up.
I don't really have a lot of faith that RRS is going to work out all that great, but that's just me
Maybe he’ll build up his arm strength over the course of the season and start throwing at the velocity he needs to, but it was kind of just a serviceable fastball when he was throwing it at 88-91 out of the pen….as a starter it’s not really even a major league caliber pitch.
I just like the strategy of trading prospects for prospects generally, which I think is underutilized, and I’m sure GMZ is thinking about ways to pull off the next Garza trade. Although it’s not something you can count on, obviously.
He was doing his usual level of excitement when Cust lined the ball into left field, then there was a noticeable pause as he let the crowd roar and then die quickly before saying .“..but right at Cedeno!”
I thought for sure we were boned. Dave is very good at making the game sound intense up until the very last second.
Bedard looks pissed at being pulled from the game. From the heart attack comments above, I guess I will find out what happens next with Aardsma. I am just glad I know we won already.
Rob Johnson was saying how Bedard told him he was getting tired, but that Rob was pushing for him to get the complete game. Didn’t sound like he was too upset.
Sure, Bedard is happy after we won the game.
He didn’t look too pleased when he was being taken out of the ballgame. Bedard is a pretty easy-going guy, so I don’t think we will ever hear him express disgust to the media.
What a boring game, but great pitching from Bedard.
I was also impressed with Cahill and unfortunately I foresee many games like this in the years to come against him.
M’s – please continue to do well so Erik and Adrian don’t go away early. :(
EnglishMariner - April 12, 2009
Boring game?
This is as good as baseball get’s to me. 5-2, and everyone of these games has got the adrenaline pumping. I just have a hard time seing this bullpen continue to get lucky with their bad control.
Bedard’s curveball is amazing!
ChaseB - April 12, 2009
I agree, it was a great game
In the age of mediocre pitching throughout the league, it was fun to see 2 quality starters go at it.
xavier42 - April 12, 2009
The control has been an issue, but don't take it super seriously...yet
A lot of the balls we’ve gotten were because of umpires squeezing the zone. Also, control seems to be found as the season goes along.
One thing we can take seriously is our defense. It’s rockin’.
cwel87 - April 12, 2009
Heart Attack is so right.
This chart is 100% factual.
I enjoyed the game, a tense close pitching duel, we’re going to see a boat load of these this season.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
It's like the deadball era all over again.
.Taylor - April 12, 2009
Wow how old are you?
I wasn’t born then sorry.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
Taylor H once hit an opposite field grand slam off of Pete Alexander.
EnglishMariner - April 12, 2009
That is the greatest thing in history.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
I am honored to be a part of this glorious comment
.Taylor - April 12, 2009
None of us were.
It was in the early 20th century.
Mariner John - April 12, 2009
I know.
Dry jokes don’t come through well on the internets.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
I should've guessed.
Mariner John - April 12, 2009
It's very likely that I'm younger than you are.
.Taylor - April 12, 2009
I wanted to put a smiley in so it was obvious I was joking
but I thought that would kill the effect.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
Blah Blah Blah
Mariners are in first. If you like fireworks you can alway’s watch the Rangers.
ChaseB - April 12, 2009
That's the most curious apostrophe I've ever seen
cwel87 - April 12, 2009
Yeah it is
You got me there.
I’m not just talking about what i’ve seen so far on their control. I guess i’m one of the guy’s that hasn’t boughten into the bullpen being ok. But hey, maybe if I hang out here long enough I won’t have any opionons for myself…
ChaseB - April 12, 2009
Wow.
royalcurve - April 12, 2009
Dear Mr. Grammar
I appoligize. I trade stocks, I don’t write about them.
ChaseB - April 12, 2009
This really could be a brilliant piece of sustained irony
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
Mrs.*
And she said pretty much all that could be said.
cwel87 - April 12, 2009
What can I say?
I like to make friends. I’m not going to use up anymore space Graham. I’m sure someone has something very important to say.
ChaseB - April 12, 2009
Wha?
If I wanted you to shut up I’d have said so. Now I’m just confused.
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
Just saying so many people ramble on here I don't want to become that.
Sorry for wasting space.
ChaseB - April 12, 2009
Why are you being a d-bag over nothing?
Woodinville_12thMan - April 12, 2009
Aand recced for inadvertent awesomeness.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 12, 2009
Benjamin Graham was impressive.
Kunkoh - April 12, 2009
Double wow.
Woodinville_12thMan - April 12, 2009
I said I enjoyed the game
Texas? No thank you. I love this team.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
It's been a great week
I love that pitching and defense are getting it done for the M’s. I feel that this team could continue to do well with Erik and Felix at the top of the rotation, but I don’t think that the pitchers in the 3, 4, and 5 spot will hold up over the season. Could the Mariners go out and get another quality arm? It could really be a fun year if they did.
xavier42 - April 12, 2009
I would advise against it this is still a ballclub that needs to rebuild not "do a 2008".
And I am sure Jack knows that. I am also sure we will start to regress quite painfully soon anyway.
EnglishMariner - April 12, 2009
Rebuilding as a concept is vastly, vastly overrated.
Aaron Campeau - April 12, 2009
I'm not entirely convinced of this
no one is playing out of their mind right now (except Endy) and we’re missing our best player. There’s reason to believe in the optimistic 2009 scenario once we get Ichiro back and if Clement gets back up with the big club.
seattlebruin - April 12, 2009
I agree.
I don’t think it is like 2007, where Bavasi pretty much half-assed building a team and got lucky. I think we should see some sustainable improvement this season. If they don’t go far this year, I think they will next year.
Fin - April 12, 2009
There's also the fact that Oakland and Texas terrify me going forward.
Aaron Campeau - April 12, 2009
The funny thing is that the division could come full circle in a few years
from 10 years ago or so.
Fin - April 12, 2009
Washburn?
RRS not getting raped? Stranding oodles of batters? There’s been some good luck here, but I hope that as the luck swings away from the team other things settle down – Ichiro back on board, Silva regresison, bullpen control, RRS etc. If Gootch can hit anywhere near league average and the rotation stays healthy these guys can play over .500, I think.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 12, 2009
Washburn is going to have the same awesome defense behind him all season
seattlebruin - April 12, 2009
It's only going to get more awesome with Ichiro back.
Fin - April 12, 2009
The stranding is really the only genuine luckbox mishap that you bring up
The other two are attributed to defense or the stranding – and we’ve already covered that. And, need I remind you, we had a pretty shitty Tuesday.
cwel87 - April 12, 2009
I'm actually pretty sure RRS not getting raped was the logical outcome of the way he pitched
It’s hilariously unorthodox and unsustainable, but he allowed zero line drive and zero homers, and half of the balls in play he allowed were popped up.
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
I don't really have a lot of faith that RRS is going to work out all that great, but that's just me
Maybe he’ll build up his arm strength over the course of the season and start throwing at the velocity he needs to, but it was kind of just a serviceable fastball when he was throwing it at 88-91 out of the pen….as a starter it’s not really even a major league caliber pitch.
OlSalty - April 12, 2009
I think we should wait until the All Star break before we should decide whether or not we're a contender.
If we are go ahead and trade for Peavy or Lincecum or whoever is on the table at the time.
Slurvey - April 12, 2009
What, Lincecum?! How the hell do we get him?
Felix, Morrow, Aumont, Fields and cash???
EnglishMariner - April 12, 2009
That is an odd name in there.
And I remember it was Cain/Sanchez on the block not Lincecum on the block.
Slurvey - April 12, 2009
Don't forget Truinfel....
Woodinville_12thMan - April 12, 2009
What if we offered to swallow Zito's contract?
Tempting, isn’t it, Sabean?
Decatur - April 12, 2009
Could the Mariners go out and get another quality arm?
No
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
Does quality arm mean a Felix or Bedard?
Or could it mean someone like Ted Lilly that is a solid 3/4?
Fin - April 12, 2009
Right
no one to trade and no room in payroll = play with what you got.
Bearskin Rugburn - April 12, 2009
What about trading for a young starting pitcher?
In the high minors or just into the majors, like there was rumblings about after Morrow went to the pen? Not thinking of names so much as strategy.
Decatur - April 12, 2009
Teams aren't generally itching to trade club controlled talented pitching.
Aaron Campeau - April 12, 2009
True enough.
I just like the strategy of trading prospects for prospects generally, which I think is underutilized, and I’m sure GMZ is thinking about ways to pull off the next Garza trade. Although it’s not something you can count on, obviously.
Decatur - April 12, 2009
If it were possible,
I would so buy stock in Seattle-area heart doctors.
craig3410 - April 12, 2009
Dave Niehaus was awesome on the last out.
He was doing his usual level of excitement when Cust lined the ball into left field, then there was a noticeable pause as he let the crowd roar and then die quickly before saying .“..but right at Cedeno!”
I thought for sure we were boned. Dave is very good at making the game sound intense up until the very last second.
The Typical Idiot Fan - April 12, 2009
That sounds great,
makes me wish I was using the radio feed. Dave is the best in the business.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
Except at pitch recognition
Scruffy Lefty - April 12, 2009
And fly-ball recognition.
Phil Hatzenbuehler - April 13, 2009
I just noticed that the
Padres are also 5-2. Hmm.
marinerdan - April 12, 2009
The most heated interleague rivalry will only intensify this year.
Can’t wait to take out those Padres!!
DKCecil - April 12, 2009
So I am watching the bottom of the 9th archived.
Bedard looks pissed at being pulled from the game. From the heart attack comments above, I guess I will find out what happens next with Aardsma. I am just glad I know we won already.
Wilder. - April 12, 2009
From the post game comments
Rob Johnson was saying how Bedard told him he was getting tired, but that Rob was pushing for him to get the complete game. Didn’t sound like he was too upset.
Garces - April 12, 2009
Sure, Bedard is happy after we won the game.
He didn’t look too pleased when he was being taken out of the ballgame. Bedard is a pretty easy-going guy, so I don’t think we will ever hear him express disgust to the media.
Wilder. - April 12, 2009
Ya, I noticed the same.
Woodinville_12thMan - April 12, 2009
He's competitive, why would he be happy?
lemonverbena - April 12, 2009
I made the observation because I think Bedard wanted the fate of the game in his hands, not the bullpen.
Wilder. - April 12, 2009
Bravado I imagine, he has to act the 'warrior' because that is what people expect.
EnglishMariner - April 13, 2009
Well that wasn't ugly, but I could see that last at-bat against Cust being nerve-wracking.
Especially that swing by Cust. Looked like that ball was going to drop when it came off the bat.
Wilder. - April 12, 2009
This could go down as one of Yuni's best games.
Also, now I’ll be able to say that, at one time, a manager thought Yuni was more useful than Griffey.
yuniform - April 12, 2009
Holy shti what a catch by Reed Johnson. Took away a Grand Slam from Prince Fielder.
Prince even tipped his cap to Reed. Amazing.
kentroyals5 - April 12, 2009
Great great great play by Johnson there
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
Funny thing is I bet Bradley doesn't make that play*
*without tearing his ACL
kentroyals5 - April 12, 2009
Bradley comes nowhere close, I don't think
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
It was probably hit as high as it was far though. But I don't think Bradley times the jump as well. Just perfect.
kentroyals5 - April 12, 2009
That tip of the cap was so classy, great to see.
I can’t figure out if Prince is a douche or a top bloke.
EnglishMariner - April 13, 2009
Prince seems awesome to me
based mainly on his totally-anti-jockish decision to become an outspoken proponent of nutrition and whole foods.
Aaron Campeau - April 13, 2009
Not to mention his oft-stated desire to be nothing like his father
pdb - April 13, 2009
If we're a true talent 79 win team
all it would take to win the division is one lucky month
JI - April 12, 2009
Seems like forever since this team had a 20 win month. Completely arbitrary period of time I'm sure, but it's fun to see one.
Kermit. - April 12, 2009
They've only won five so far. Let's wait on some chickens here.
Two Rs and Two Ls - April 12, 2009
Eric Bedard is a sexy, sexy beast
That was quite a performance, this is the Bedard we sold our future for.
OlSalty - April 12, 2009
It still isn't worth it, but that's not Bedard's fault
Now watch the local media fall over themselves to <3 Erik while we maintain the same position on him we always have.
Graham MacAree - April 12, 2009
Not really even close to worth it, especially now that Tillman has emerged as a top tier prospect
But I’d be a little bit more satisfied with it if he keeps pitching like this and stays relatively healthy.
I’m still not really sure how the Elias rankings work, is there any chance he pitches well enough to warrant type A consideration?
OlSalty - April 12, 2009
He needs to pitch like he did in 2007
Jeff Sullivan - April 12, 2009
Dont get used to it
We’re about to sell our Current in about 3 months for prospects.
oneseasoncom - April 12, 2009
Not if we're winning
JI - April 12, 2009
I'm cool with that
The better he pitches, the better the return we get.
OlSalty - April 12, 2009
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