Lookout Landing

Seriously

My guess would be Chavez to ninth and Lopez to second if they were going to panic with the order.

I dont think they'll give up on Franklin that easily

He was the “centerpiece” of the trade that jettisoned J.J.

oneseasoncom - April 13, 2009 reply

No one said anything about giving up on Gutz.

He’s a freak out there in center. It just might be a good idea to move him down in the order if we have better options to hit second.

If we were facing us it would be a tremendous strategy.

Well he does like to bunt a lot

but I’d rather just let him and Yuni fight between 8 and 9.

Jeff Sullivan - April 13, 2009 reply

Since they're kind of a wash in terms of hitting ability

I’d prefer Yuni 8th because it’s at least theoretically possible for him to get an extra-base hit. I also like the idea of Chavez and Ichiro being on base at the same time.

I think he's annoyed

because he feels good enough to playalready , but he can’t come off the DL until Wednesday.

Rollo Tomasi - April 13, 2009 reply

More Ichiro quotes of goodness

from Stone.

appleshampoo - April 13, 2009 reply

"Of course, I got to see the results, and it made me very happy. I guess I'm a little upset we lost two games."

Ichiro, I love you as much as a heterosexual man can non-creepily love another man playing a professional sport for their hometown team can, I think.

lemonverbena - April 13, 2009 reply

Under normal circumstances I would put

Betancourt at 8 and Chavez at 9, give Gootch some time to settle in at #2. But…yeah I dunno, with N D raking it’s hard to bump him down that far. But then, looking at their career numbers and projections, it’s tough not to do that. Endy is just unsustainably hot right now. I guess if they want to go with the “hot hand” argument, for what that’s worth.

appleshampoo - April 13, 2009 reply

His BABIP is .400. His LD% is 16%.

He’s not hot in the sense that he’s hitting the ball well, he’s just getting lucky.

Even the balls he hasn't hit on a line he's hit hard though

I’d argue that he’s been lucky, but not overly lucky. It’s certainly not sustainable, but he looks pretty decent up there at the plate.

seattlebruin - April 13, 2009 reply

I don't think Endy is as bad as he's looked the past few seasons, honestly.

He has looked good and I think that he’s a lot closer to being a .315 wOBA hitter than a .295 wOBA hitter. But the fact still remains that his BABIP is .103 higher than his career average.

Dead Meme

Or should be, anyway.

baderiscient - April 13, 2009 reply

Is it a meme if he actually has been unlucky?

BrettJMiller - April 13, 2009 reply

Yeah, I don't get this.

Talking about how horribly unlucky Beltre has been isn’t a meme. It’s fans analyzing and trying to find answers to the way this game works. If pining for Beltre to get his due is a dead meme, then kill me now, for my soul is also dead.

He meant the "See:" part

At least I hope he did. Otherwise, I have no idea.

Mariner John - April 13, 2009 reply

Yep, the "See:" part.

pdb - April 14, 2009 reply

Ah, OK.

ATleast it wasn't: See Beltre, Adrian

That annoys me so much more.

I love that he's annoyed by his good health. Oh Ichiro, you hysterical bastard.

royalcurve - April 13, 2009 reply

That reminds me

i have to get some of those Ichi-rolls when I come up to a game this year…Naw, I love the guy, GO M’s!

skywaker9 - April 13, 2009 reply

One of the world's most entertaining jobs: Ichiro's translator.

I’d leave Gutierrez in the 2 hole as he has shown a greater willingness to be patient, and Ichiro deserves as many chances as possible to gauge the pitcher’s delivery. I’d leave this way as long as if Endy does no better than only slightly out-wOBAing Gutz.

I actually know Ken Barron

And have talked with him at length over beers about his glorious job. Needless to say he knows he has it damn good.

Willie Mays Haze - April 13, 2009 reply

Can we settle the Guitierez nick name problem once and for all?

Gooch, Gutz (Pronounced “guts”), Guitz, F-Gut, Porn Star, Gazelle, Guitar Hero….

johnbai - April 13, 2009 reply

Death to Flying Things

rtang - April 13, 2009 reply

DFT?

or Ferguson.

Where does that come from again?

The first (second!) person nicknamed Death to Flying Things.

marc w - April 13, 2009 reply

I firmly believe Safeco's centerfield should be called "The Valley of Death"

although if I keep talking about this I will probably be mocked and shouted down.

I really like this one, even for the whole outfield.

College friend called them the Flying Circus the other day, as in the WWI German air group. That one clicked and led to us calling the bullpen the Ministry of Silly Walks.

Kermit. - April 13, 2009 reply

I kinda like the Flying Circus.

ONE THOUSAND RECS FOR "MINISTRY OF SILLY WALKS"

Holy Christ on a shoestring Kermit, you’ve just come up with the most awesomely perfect nickname for the bullpen EVER.

I will be brutally disappointed if this nickname has been used on relief staff before, but still…we gotta make this stick.

Don't forget to mention that the skit was all the awesome.

BrettJMiller - April 13, 2009 reply

This goes without saying.

But again…man, that nickname is JUST SO PERFECT in capturing what Mr. “BRB Gotta Go Walk The World” and The Aaaaaard and Lowe, et al., have been up to so far.

I had to hunt this down. Hilarious.

For being the Mr. Show fan that I am, I am embarrassed to admit how little Python I’ve seen.

You seriously had never seen the Ministry Of Silly Walks sketch before now?

AND you’re a huge Mr. Show fan? Weird. That’s like saying you’re a huge fan of Paul McCartney & Wings but you’ve never really heard anything by his earlier band….what was it called again?

That sketch in particular is like one of the most famous pieces of television comedy in history.

esoteric - April 14, 2009 reply

My standard disclaimers:

- I’m 26 and grew up on a tiny island with very little culture outside of marijuana and hippie paintings. I missed out on a lot of stuff.

- The little bit of Python I saw as a kid went over my head, so I never had the impetus to continue exploring it.

But yes, Mr. Show is so obviously influenced by Python that I owe it to myself to go watch some stuff.

Did you guys set fire to a giant wickerman on this island???

The bees!!! They’re in my eyes!!!

Great Monty Python site, this guy has links to all the great bits, and cuts from the movies.

Site. Ministry of Silly Walks, I’m trying to make a GIF of this thing from the 3:20 mark. Not quite as good as the weirdo walking around with an egg on his head, but pretty good.

Recommendations: Lumberjack song, sit on my face, dead parrot skit, spanish inquisition. I prefer some of the live stage versions quite a bit more.

That's right - I remember you saying you were able to relate to Jesus Camp...

I’ve got that movie on my Netflix Roku cue, I’ll have to watch it.

I’m certain you’d get a kick out of Life of Brian…

PositivePaul - April 15, 2009 reply

GENIUS

royalcurve - April 14, 2009 reply

Let it be so.

Limerickx - April 14, 2009 reply

I approve of all things Monty Python related

OlSalty - April 14, 2009 reply

Awesome!

Also, the Thumbs Up is a new touch.

I really hate it.

Aaron Campeau - April 14, 2009 reply

As do I

Just noticed it yesterday. I miss the ol’ green splotch that used to be there

I think the thumbs up would work better if most of highly rec'd comments were of the informative nature.

The thumbs up is dopey and does make any sense next to a single one of Robert’s insanorama threads

You can adblock the thumb.

Eyebrows - April 14, 2009 reply

Thinking about doing it on my home machine

But I’m stuck with IE here at work so it’s not an option.

Better than the green bunghole, but still goofy looking. The highlighting alone would be sufficient.

lemonverbena - April 14, 2009 reply

Oops, just realized my phrasing didn't work, "I really like this one", I meant Valley of Death.

Good nickname for centerfield, tucks in nicely next to Area 51.

Death to flying things

was a nickname first given to Bob Ferguson. Niehaus has used it (sparingly) for others, including an early Ichiro catch

Fergie?

Ezzra - April 13, 2009 reply

It's an oldie, IIRC, but a goodie. Very appropriate for Frankie.

I've always been a fan of Gootch

But do we really need to standardize it? It’s not like anyone’s going to be confused if you use any of the above (although I hadn’t heard Guitar Hero and I don’t think it really fits).

appleshampoo - April 13, 2009 reply

I like Gootch too.

although it reminds me mostly of a three legged dog in a trailer park.

Agnes Gooch.

Don't forget Frabklin

Phil Hatzenbuehler - April 13, 2009 reply

This needs to be his nickname.

I didn't love it originally, but it has certainly grown on me

Where does the B come from?

From a typo:

Link

Phil Hatzenbuehler - April 13, 2009 reply

'B' is right next to 'N' on the keyboard.

May as well go for

Grabkill. But no, Frabklin is actually kind of nice

The solution is to buy one of those keyboards with split home row.

BrianL - April 13, 2009 reply

Jobin.

Fin - April 13, 2009 reply

Why does everything I say sound Irish?

pdb - April 13, 2009 reply

Slappin' the bass, man.

Fin - April 13, 2009 reply

Fantastic

seattlebruin - April 13, 2009 reply

Dr. Zoinks stuck so I don't know why these wouldn't

Bahaha

royalcurve - April 13, 2009 reply

I call him Lance Buttermilk

Vatinius - April 13, 2009 reply

That's a good one.

I’ve also heard Lance Hardwood.

I say either Gunther or Brandon St. Randy.

Needs more dong

Guitar Hero seems like a stretch.

Plus Joel Zumaya has the market cornered on that.

Mariner John - April 13, 2009 reply

Whatever the nickname

I think his official song needs to be “It Ain’t Easy Being White or Brown”

In the interest of balance

It makes the most sense to bat him eighth, especially against RHP. Then when you come around to to the 7 spot you could theoretically see something like

7. RH Johjima
8. LH Chavez
9. RH Betancourt
1. LH Ichiro
2. RH Lopez
3. LH Griffey
4. RH Beltre
etc.

Andersean - April 13, 2009 reply

excuse me

…
1. LH Ichiro
2. RH Guitar Hero
3. LH Griffey
…

Andersean - April 13, 2009 reply

Guitar Hero?

.Taylor - April 13, 2009 reply

Look up

Mariner John - April 13, 2009 reply

Right.

.Taylor - April 13, 2009 reply

No, up

A few more quotes

here

This is good

“I do know that Griffey has been playing right field, but I also heard that he is not threatening to me. That’s what I heard,”

I guess it’s out in the open then.

How much more can I love the guy? Good grief.

royalcurve - April 13, 2009 reply

He wields the understatement just as deftly as he wields the bat.

Big Jared - April 13, 2009 reply

What I loved was that he even cracked up Ken Barron with that line.

Goddamn, Ichiro

This is wonderful

tootthekazoo - April 13, 2009 reply

Most gnomic Ichiro quote:

In retrospect, was going on the DL the right decision: “I don’t feel that way at all. I wish I would have played. Now the team owes me. Now I can get a favor in the future from the team.”

Anyone want to venture a guess as to what that one means, exactly? So going on the DL was a favor to the M’s? But Ichiro’s not a gamer!

Ichi for Vendetta

Ichi the Killer?

johnbai - April 13, 2009 reply

Somebody photoshop GMZ's body in to where the ump is standing:

This has always been one of my favorite shop jobs to come from this site.

Goose - April 13, 2009 reply

Photoshop this?

johnbai - April 14, 2009 reply

In other random news, Raul made a sliding catch today at Nationals Park.

Since I wasn’t watching, I can’t tell you whether it was actually a good catch or whether it was another statuesque shamble towards a ball that any other LF would have had easily. But you can guess how I’d bet on the matter.

He made the routine look really cool.

SeaFan - April 13, 2009 reply

DFT makes the routine look cool.

Raul fucked up the routine more often then was needed.

DFT makes the routine look far too easy, not cool.

That’s why defensive players are underrated. He makes the hard look routine, and the impossible look hard. :o

BrettJMiller - April 13, 2009 reply

Statues cannot shamble...

But I applaud this thought anyway. If anyone can become a real-life, living and breathing mixed-metaphor of awfulness, its Raul.

Photoshop this?

The Swampthing shambles.

johnbai - April 14, 2009 reply

In other random news, HOLY FUCKING SHIT I had no idea how great a start Evan Longoria has gotten off to.

His slash line: .481/.481./1.185.

Yes, that’s right, Longoria is currently slugging 1.185, with 4 doubles and 5 homers. Good for a middling-to-mediocre OPS+ of 320. His ISO is a mere .704.

Yeah, when he hit his 5th home run yesterday I was like "what, when did this happen?"

Dude is on fire.

Wilder. - April 13, 2009 reply

Same here.

I just read on FG that he hit 5 HR during the opening week. I don’t know how I missed that. Longoria is a beast.

Zwakamatsu - April 13, 2009 reply

I read that as "Longoria is a breast."

But regardless of whatever form he takes, 1.185 slugging…holy crap!

Frosty Raptor - April 13, 2009 reply

dead meme alert

pdb - April 13, 2009 reply

Out of the loop on that one

Sincerest apologies

Frosty Raptor - April 13, 2009 reply

No worries

~~in three weeks everyone will forget it’s a dead meme and you’ll be good to go.~~ The dead meme list just came out.

pdb - April 13, 2009 reply

This?

Not dead

Miguel Cabrera's not far off Longo's efforts.

He’s hit five HR too.

Holy pandas, that's ridiculous. Even for SSS.

.Taylor - April 13, 2009 reply

Count me among those who missed this.

This morning I was thinking to myself, “I wonder how Longoria is doing.” And then I find out about the 5 HR on fangraphs.

Eyebrows - April 13, 2009 reply

Hmm... not considering salary,

Would you rather have Pujols or Longoria for the next five years?

sammy - April 13, 2009 reply

Both

seattlebruin - April 13, 2009 reply

Pujols

Longoria at his best is maybe a 7 win player. He simply isn’t in the same class of a hitter as Pujols. His fielding is incredible though. Pujols has been a 7+ WAR player for 5 years and has been 9 WAR in two of those. You shouldn’t trust me to be unbiased though.

vivaelpujols - April 13, 2009 reply

That could be right...

…it’s not exactly clear to me what Longo’s ceiling is as a hitter. Or at least what a realistic ceiling is for him. His OBP’s gotta be much closer to .400 than .350 if he’s really going to give Pujols a run for his money.

If you’re asking the question over the next five years, I guess you also have to consider whether or not Pujols’ elbow is going to be a problem.

ubelmann - April 13, 2009 reply

I think if you assume that both will stay healthy,

you gotta go with Pujols. That’s a big assumption though. I think the decision comes down to how large a production gap you project between the two and weighing that against Pujols’ greater injury risk.

sammy - April 13, 2009 reply

And age.

I think I’d still take Pujols, but the six-year age difference is enticing.

Then again, I expect Pujols to be a monster for the next five years anyway.

We'd turn them both into closers anyway.

I'd like to nominate this for dead memedom

BrettJMiller - April 14, 2009 reply

It's aready n the thread

Bearskin Rugburn - April 14, 2009 reply

Barry Bonds 2004 makes him look like Bad Beltre

Pshhhh

No walks. Scrub.

Radical suggestion:

1. Endy (until he cools?)
2. Lopez
3. Ichiro!
4. Beltre
5. Griffey/Branyan (RHP/LHP)
6. Sweeney/Griffey (RHP/LHP)
7. Gutz
8. Kenji
9. Yuni

The thing is

hot streaks don’t mean anything about how the player is going to play in the next 1 or x number of games.. So for me personally, I want Ichiro at the top of the lineup when he comes back, right away.

Zwakamatsu - April 13, 2009 reply

This is fascinating

I’ve just scratched the surface on probability theory, but as I understand it, what could be defined as “hot” and “cold” are actually random fluctuations and have no bearing on future performance. Endy Chavez will be Endy Chavez in his next at bats, he won’t be “hot” or “cold” Endy Chavez.

Frosty Raptor - April 13, 2009 reply

I approve of this

because couldn’t Ichiro be a good 3rd spot hitter, since he could be good at driving in runs rather than focus on getting on base?

Fin - April 13, 2009 reply

Ya

I think that this lineup does not have one stand alone number 3 guy and since Ichiro is the best pure hitter on the team I would like to see it at least as a test. The worst thing that can happen is Endy falters and when/if that happens Wak can just tinker the line-up again.

Endy will get on base less frequently than Ichiro, and the leadoff man sees the most ABs overall.

Ichiro is the better choice.

Exactly.

Kunkoh - April 13, 2009 reply

I don't see Endy continueing as lead off.

The problem with “until he cools” is like selling a stock before it starts to go down. You never REALLY know if you’re selling too early or too late. So you base your buy/sell on how good the company is, not whither it’s a hot/cold streak (or at least that’s what I get from Benjamin Graham).

As such, Ichiro is the far superior player/lead off, and it should help us more to play him lead off every chance we get.

Kunkoh - April 13, 2009 reply

I am not a fan

The most important part of a lineup is the 1-spot.

I want Ichiro! in the most important part of my favorite team’s lineup.

cwel87 - April 13, 2009 reply

Via LS on Baker's blog

Wakamatsu said, by the way, that Ichiro will hit leadoff, despite the hot start by Endy Chavez.. He’s mulling over whether to bat Chavez second or ninth.
Link

If Endy bats second, I wonder if Gutz gets bumped to 9th, creating a track-meet-on-the-basepaths sort of situation at the 9-1-2 spots (which would be preserved even if Endy bats ninth). So what we end up with is:

1. Ichiro
2. Endy
3. Beltre
4. Griffey/Branyan
5. Sweeney/Griffey
6. Lopez
7. Yuni
8. Kenji
9. Gutz
?

sammy - April 13, 2009 reply

I can definitely see the points that you guys are making.

It just seems to me that Wak is not afraid to change around line-ups and it would be interesting to see Ichi in the 3 hole and to see how our order functions with him there as opposed to leading off.

Interesting? Sure.

But it would be a poor decision. Being unafraid of hitting Endy Chavez leadoff is not a good thing. He simply does not get on base. He’s no better today than he was two weeks ago. He has a .407 BABIP despite not hitting any line drives.

I like Wakamatsu’s flexibility in setting lineups, but maximizing the number of at-bats Endy Chavez gets would be bad for the team.

Ichiro prefers to hit lead off.

Matthew - April 13, 2009 reply

It looks like Gutz is this year's main #2 hitter.

Wak might leave Endy the 2 spot for a series or two to try to ease Gutierrez into the sport mentally, but I think Wak has a pretty good sense that “going with the hot hand” is like betting on a low-probability red spot in roulette wheel because the last three turns came up red too.

*spot, not sport.

Despite citing the reviled BA stat, Baker makes a pretty good case for Endy in the 2 spot

while sliding Gutz down in the order.

lemonverbena - April 13, 2009 reply

I agree.

Plus we’re only talking fraction of a run here, so whatever makes people feel loose and confident is probably paramount, as unmeasurable as that is.

I guess I fail....

Just throwing the idea out there. But I guess Endy in the lead-off spot long term might not be the greatest thing for the team.

No, you didn't fail.

It’s almost always worth it to explore how to make the team better (with reason, unlike F’nA’s – and you contributed a worthwhile thought). It’s just that the M’s blogosphere has been over both the line-up and the hot hand issue pretty exhaustively, and almost everyone here agrees about the conclusions. But don’t be scared to ask questions and make suggestions here that get shot down. It happens to everyone. Even the “Sexy People” (see bottom of the page) are usually nice to people who present a stupid thought if the thought is expressed respectfully and coherently.

Oh wait, you're not new.

I saw April 7 and then April 13 and somehow didn’t process the 2008 and 2009, so I assumed this was your first week, so you probably already have a sense of this. But no worries.

Woodinville_12thMan - April 14, 2009 reply

It's all good!

Thanks for the support.

Trading selfish Ichiro! is not an option? ;-)

He’s going to bat leadoff and I don’t see a situation where he doesn’t bat lead off in a game that he is playing in.

Slurvey - April 13, 2009 reply

Did we say "selfish Ichiro" was a dead meme?

I could’ve sworn it was, because I felt sad and guilty as hell a couple days ago for saying “Selfish Matthew hurts the team” during his and JIs Gutierrez GIF wars because I thought I’d violated the meme rules.

Let me add that I hope Selfish Ichiro hurts the team is not blackballed.

I feel like one day soon calling out dead memes

is going to become a new dead meme. Only on LL!

I actually agree with this

BrettJMiller - April 14, 2009 reply

That's fine.

I asked not because I was trying to be a dick but because I genuinely couldn’t find the answer to this. Zap my above comments if you like.

It's already a dead meme

Graham MacAree - April 14, 2009 reply

Dead meme is an actual term and not a meme

JI - April 14, 2009 reply

Calling them out in response to something that annoys you is a(n annoying) meme though

Graham MacAree - April 14, 2009 reply

This is often true

JI - April 14, 2009 reply

NIck Swisher relies too much on his changeup.

See: Gameday.

Paytheline - April 13, 2009 reply

I know no one reads FanShots,

but here you go.

Well if anyone is up at 12:30 am, and has mlb network.

There is a Cathedrals of the Game about Safeco Field.

Fin - April 14, 2009 reply

Generic clueless hottish is covering it IIRC

Mariner John - April 14, 2009 reply

IIRC?

Fin - April 14, 2009 reply

If I remember correctly

appleshampoo - April 14, 2009 reply

Funny how the no chatspeak rule does not apply to things like

IIRC, WRT, FTW etc. Not that I mind, and I do also find LOL very annoying but all the same.

Bearskin Rugburn - April 14, 2009 reply

We rarely say any of those

and exceptions are generally made for simple abbreviations

seattlebruin - April 14, 2009 reply

GIDP is the worst.

It usually means Kenji or Yuni are involved.

Wilder. - April 14, 2009 reply

2008 GIDP by Mariners, 139. Right in the middle of the AL, this surprised me.

Rangers/Indians tied for last with 160, Yankees/Blue Jays the fewest with 111.

Mariners 2007, 140! Consistency! Here’s the biggest culprits, and Beltre surprised me. Probably because I like him, he plays 3rd base, and he produces with the glove, vs. Ritchie who was just a 1b, and was just Ritchie.

’08 ’07
Kenji 12 22
Yuni 23 10
Ritchie 8 12 (career high 20 in ’01 with the Brewers).
Raul 13 14
Lopez 14 16
Beltre 18 11

Should read 'here were', not here's.

Is there info on GIDP per opportunity?

Not sure it would be an analysis tool, but my guess is we would rank high on that list in 2008.

Sec 108 - April 14, 2009 reply

Yeah, not sure how to sort that one out.

I feel lucky to have found GIDP by team and players. Seems like Ritchie always pulled it off when we were down, never when we had the lead. My perceptions of that guy were so biased there was no chance of him ever recovering.

I am JUST now figuring out what IIRC means. I have seen it forever, all over, just never wanted to ask

d0nkey - April 14, 2009 reply

IIRC irks me

Iirc from that tv show?

Tony S - April 14, 2009 reply

*Urks

We probably have too many OF with Ichiro back now

but Delwyn Young was DFA by LAD. He’s hit pretty well through out the minors and never really had a chance in the crowded LAD OF.

Edgar for Pres - April 14, 2009 reply

The Dodgers are insanely dumb.

Aaron Campeau - April 14, 2009 reply

No they aren't they signed Manny Ramirez

They should have signed Derek Lowe instead

vivaelpujols - April 14, 2009 reply

Good thing we got to him second.

joof - April 14, 2009 reply

Ned Coletti and the Juan Pierre signing strike again

The reason Delwyn never got any consistent playing time was because of Juan Pierre, and yet before Manny came over the Dodgers needed another RH OFer so for some reason it became Delwyn. Terrible short sighted Ned Colletti roster management strikes again.

Still not as bad as Casey Blake for Carlos Santana though.

bluemax - April 14, 2009 reply

Lastings Milledge was just optioned to AAA Syracuse by the Nationals

Want a lazy, defensively-incompetent CF with a lot of raw talent and an entitlement complex?

esoteric - April 14, 2009 reply

I want Dukes.

Craziness and all.

That just makes him more appealing.