Seattle: 13-9
Oakland: 8-11
| MARINERS | ATHLETICS |
EDGE | |
| HITTING (wOBA) |
-22.9 (29th) | -27.3 (30th) | SEA |
| FIELDING (UZR) |
7.4 (4th) | -1.2 (18th) | SEA |
| ROTATION (pRAA) |
21.0 (2nd) | -2.2 (18th) | SEA |
| BULLPEN (pRAA) |
1.6 (11th) | 13.0 (1st) | OAK |
| OVERALL(RAA) |
7.1 | -17.7 | Seattle |
The As just lost Mark Ellis and Nomar Garciaparra to the DL with calf injuries. Ellis is of course always a positive with his glove (+1.1 UZR). Garciaparra's injury probably isn't too big of a deal drop off-wise, but with Eric Chavez already banged up (but expected back) it could be one hell of a revolving door at third base this season for Oakland. Ellis' impact could be meaningful if he has to miss a chunk of time.
As infuriating as it was, the Mariner offense went up a tick in value during this past series, gaining 0.4 runs over average. The starting rotation also jumped well up thanks to a pair of outstanding starts by Chris Jakubauskas and Felix Hernandez. Yeah, Erik Bedard's start was pretty bad, but it wasn't bad enough to prevent the rotation from gaining 2.9 runs. The bullpen lost a touch more than the rotation gained though thanks to some dreadful relief yesterday. Amazingly, the bullpen lost 3.1 runs to average over just four innings pitched in the entire series. Not a great series for them.
Still, all in all, the team came out 0.2 runs ahead which is the key to take away from this disappointing series with Chicago I feel. Keep playing at average or slightly above and I like our chances in this division given our pole position. .500 baseball the rest of the way gets us an 83-79 record. If I offered you that right now, would you take it?
Game 1: Carlos Silva vs. Dana Eveland*
Game 2: Jarrod Washburn* vs. Trevor Cahill
Game 3: Chris Jakubauskas vs Josh Outman*
Going up against the Athletics' offense in Oakland, this is a big opportunity for the back end of our rotation to shine. Silva, if you were ever going to face a team susceptible to the Jakubauskas strategy of piping in strikes and forcing them to beat you, this is it. Learn from your better who we picked off the scrap heap's scrap heap.
Dana Eveland is another lefty in the no-strikes-but-gets-ground-balls mold that Oakland seems to use to make up 50% of their Major League and Triple-A rotations. He puts less than half of his pitches in the strike zone. For the love of god, take some pitches Mariner hitters.
Last time we met up with Trevor Cahill:
Trevor Cahill made his Major League debut in an expected fashion earlier this week, with lots of walks. Five walks to just one strikeout and a majority of batted balls going in the air is not a recipe for success. Cahill ran good to great ground ball rates in the minors so we'll assume that skill will show up, but he's never been much in the control department.
Against the Ms, he did record those ground balls, and also recorded eight swinging strikes (of course!), but he also issued four free passes and lasted seven innings mostly thanks to a .111 BABIP. On the season he has walked more than twice as many as he's struck out and the ground balls still are not readily visible. Right now, Trevor Cahill would be mediocre in Triple-A. For the love of god, take some pitches Mariner hitters.
Josh Outman doesn't throw strikes either. He's allowed three home runs in 8.1 innings in the rotation. Outman spent the majority of last season pitching in Double-A where he was barely above average. He actually has some zip on his fastball, and splits its usage with a slider and change, but he's got lousy control. For the love of god, take some pitches Mariner hitters.
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0 recs | 72 comments
Maybe the A's could trade for Schumaker to fill the void
Seems win-win!
JI - April 30, 2009
I'd rather have 89 wins or 79 wins.
89 wins will likely put the M’s in the playoffs. 79 wins is out of the playoffs. 83 wins is no-man’s land.
A.J. Coltrane - April 30, 2009
I don't see any other team in the West capable of pushing much past .500
Graham MacAree - April 30, 2009
If the Ms win 89 games this year and miss the playoffs
then I will eat Aaron’s nacho hat.
Matthew - April 30, 2009
I would be worried that the liquid cheese would burn my scalp.
JI - April 30, 2009
At least three teams have made the postseason with fewer than 85 wins in the last 5 years.
JI - April 30, 2009
NL is JV
kentroyals5 - April 30, 2009
Your point?
JI - April 30, 2009
EVERY TEAM IN THE NL IS WORSE SO THAT'S WHY THEY ALL WIN LESS GAMES
Graham MacAree - April 30, 2009
I can't remember the name of the specific team
but recently a team from the National League dominated a team from the Amercian League in the World Championship even though the NL team had victorious in a noticeably lower total of Base Ball matches.
JI - April 30, 2009
I wiped that out of my memory
Since Philly fans are straight retarded
Mariners116 - April 30, 2009
While this is one example
I believe another team did it with a historically low total of victories
JI - April 30, 2009
Did the 2005 Padres get swept in the NLDS?
Goose - April 30, 2009
*Didn't
Goose - April 30, 2009
Yes
Matthew - April 30, 2009
You honestly think I would forget about that?
Dude, the played the Cardinals.
JI - April 30, 2009
Five years ago maybe.
Aaron Campeau - April 30, 2009
79 wins won't get you a first round pick so I'd like to win as many as possible.
JI - April 30, 2009
This is the point I was just typing up.
If the difference between 79 wins and no playoffs and 89 wins and playoffs is something like 5-10 draft spots toward the last third of the round, who cares? Playoffs baby.
abender20 - April 30, 2009
I would point out that no matter how many wins you have, you get a first round pick.
Matthew - April 30, 2009
You think after following baseball obsessively for 20 years I would have realized this.
JI - April 30, 2009
Not if you sign a type A FA
Robert - April 30, 2009
Your pitiful attempt to correct my straight humor has completely failed.
For one, you neglect to mention the provision that half of teams have their first round pick protected against loss even if they sign a Type A free agent. Secondly, even for teams that do have an unprotected pick and sign a Type A, while they do lose their first round pick, they did, in fact, still receive one at the conclusion of the season. They had to be awarded the pick before they could lose it.
I know you prefer this type of joke at times, but you should really put more effort into making sure your facts are in order before trying to deadpan correct somebody. I am sure you will take this humiliating reproach and come back better for it.
Matthew - April 30, 2009
My only worry is that the new, funny, Matthew will become somewhat unfunny when the eventual regression comes
JI - April 30, 2009
!
d0nkey - April 30, 2009
I would prefer to win the most ganes possible.*
Preferring to have a sub-.500 to a winning season seems quite bizarre to me.
*With the notqable exception of the last series of last year of course.
Aaron Campeau - April 30, 2009
I accept your offer of 83 wins. Thank you very much.
Sec 108 - April 30, 2009
If we lose 70+ games I'm going to end up self harming.
EnglishMariner - April 30, 2009
What's 162-70?
abender20 - April 30, 2009
So if the Ms go 91-71, you won't be happy with that?
Eyebrows - April 30, 2009
I am too involved to savour the bigger picture!
I support day to day and put too much stock on single defeats, probably because I am used to football where even a shitty team will only lose around a dozen games all season. Accepting that your team will lose 80 games but still be average is strange.
EnglishMariner - April 30, 2009
Yup, baseball is a long long season.
I would be thrilled if this team ONLY loses 75 times. Unless someone gets super hot, 87 wins would get the M’s to the post season for the first time since 2001. And once you get to the post season… any stupid thing can happen.
But really, just making it to the post season would make this team a winner.
mark sobba - April 30, 2009
This team has been in first place from the get-go
They are winners in my book already.
d0nkey - April 30, 2009
No they haven't.
Matthew - April 30, 2009
I guess by get-go, I meant after the first 7 games
Or after their first road stretch.
d0nkey - April 30, 2009
Well, how about a sport where you can score 171 runs and lose (to the Aussies, even)?
abender20 - April 30, 2009
I suppose a Test would have been a better illustration. Oh well.
abender20 - April 30, 2009
Nobody gives a shit about cricket.
Matthew - April 30, 2009
Cricket is awesome.
Naught better than going to the real Old Trafford on a sunny day with a few beers.
EnglishMariner - April 30, 2009
Never been to OT but I have been to
the County Ground in Northamptonshire and I can attest that you are correct. I don’t know a goddamn thing about cricket except you can get three Foster’s oil cans for £5. At least you used to be able to. And that makes for a good day out.
pdb - April 30, 2009
So do a ton of fans chanting "Alooooooooo" at Inzy.
abender20 - April 30, 2009
The lack of exclamation points fills me with quite a bit of worry,
Robert - April 30, 2009
How is that Pike Double IPA?
I like a good IPA, but some have a little too much bite for me. And the whole “Double” part makes me think it will be a tad on the harsh side for my tastebuds.
d0nkey - April 30, 2009
If regular IPAs are occasionally too bitter, IIPAs are probably not for you.
Not to say you shouldn’t give one a try, but just so you can adjust your expectations.
Aaron Campeau - April 30, 2009
Presented without context
Source
Matthew - April 30, 2009
Hooray!
Jeff Sullivan - April 30, 2009
All desktops must go!
Jeff Sullivan - April 30, 2009
Gload is sad now :(
Jeff Sullivan - April 30, 2009
I heard he broke his elbow
JI - April 30, 2009
But he's still apparently pro-rape
abender20 - April 30, 2009
Rape of your funny bones!
Jeff Sullivan - April 30, 2009
This depresses me also
Kirsten Schlewitz - May 1, 2009
This makes me hungry for tacos.
Is it because of Gerald Laird? I do not know.
Matthew - April 30, 2009
I still like my Gload one the best
tootthekazoo - April 30, 2009
Dreamy!
royalcurve - April 30, 2009
Did Billy Beane assemble this pitching staff specifically to mock our free-swinging ways?
It sure feels like it.
Llewdor - April 30, 2009
Mock the Mariners and the Angels at the same time.
He is aware of what division he plays in.
Eyebrows - April 30, 2009
I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher that looks like he's yawning while he pitches.
Faux - April 30, 2009
I think that's his O-face
JI - April 30, 2009
Eric Chavez may not be back after all.
Likely heading to the DL tomorrow.
Goose - April 30, 2009
Griffey has been DHing for too much for my tastes.
JI - April 30, 2009
I regret this comment.
JI - April 30, 2009
That's better than me.
I don’t even understand that comment.
Faux - April 30, 2009
It's better you didn't
cwel87 - May 1, 2009
There are a lot of Chavez's
BrettJMiller - May 1, 2009
The 2 worst offenses so far in a pitcher's park, should be fun....
for the pitchers.
Ziegler and Bailey are really shinning in the pen this year, good thing Devine is injured.
tdot mariner fan - April 30, 2009
Good thing for everyone but Devine
jtopps - April 30, 2009
Are you sure Jakubaukas will be pitching Sunday?
I mean, technically, him and Felix are almost on the same rest.
Fin - May 1, 2009
I heard Wak say they are planning on never bumping Felix forward this year.
They want to keep his arm fresh and not overwork him. So my guess is Felix stays in the Monday slot.
Sec 108 - May 1, 2009
Dammit.
Fin - May 1, 2009
Johnbai has me down for 80 wins.
I think everyone else he noted went under 80.
So I’ll take 83, thanks.
Kirsten Schlewitz - May 1, 2009
Should be a nice day for the game, even though "The Ch(i)ef" is on the mound...
However, on crappier fronts, given the breakup with the girlfriend this afternoon, I could really use an M’s game to get my mind off of things. Going alone seems lame, so any ideas of somewhere good to watch the game tonight?
Rachmaninoff - May 1, 2009
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