Seattle: 11-14
Tampa Bay: 18-7
| MARINERS | Δ Ms | RAYS | EDGE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HITTING (wOBA) |
-24.8 (29th) | -8.0 | 15.6 (7th) | Tampa Bay |
| FIELDING (?) | 18.4 (1st) | 3.0 | 14.8 (2nd) | Seattle |
| ROTATION (tRA) |
-6.1 (22nd) | 2.8 | 5.6 (11th) | Tampa Bay |
| BULLPEN (tRA) |
-5.6 (28th) | 0.4 | -2.9 (22nd) | Tampa Bay |
| OVERALL(RAA) |
-18.1 | -1.8 | 33.1 | TAMPA BAY |
Reeling a little bit we get to welcome the Rays into Seattle in a classic mismatch.
In wacky movie land this is where the team would rally behind their positive outlook and come out kicking butt in the first game. Then the Rays would regroup behind a menacing montage and would even the series in game two. The odds would look long for the scrappy Mariners and the audience would be further prepared for defeat by being given a sneak look into the Rays behind the scenes devising an unethical plot to make sure they won the final and deciding game. Alas, things would go awry and at the last second the foil, moved by the pluck of Seattle, would change sides and the Mariners would win and hooray cake and ice cream for everyone!
In the real world, oh god oh god oh god we are so bleeping screwed. Just lie back and think of England.
Also, this is just a three game series in May that decides nothing.
Cliff Lee! Wooo!
We are tossing three straight lefties at the Rays which plays our strength against their weakness. Of course their "weakness" is like a slightly off colored cuticle to our gasping for breath while buried alive "strength". Meanwhile, they counter with three straight righties which gives us a very quick glimpse into seeing if Wakamatsu will actually utilize Ryan Langerhans in left to give Milton Bradley time at DH. While that might sadden those in the Griffey challenge, people who should be preparing for the inevitable zero home runs this entire year anyways, it would be potentially beneficial to the team.
Of course, James Shields' best pitch is his change up and the change up is a pitch best thrown to opposite-handed (read: left) hitters so it's not like we're scoring runs off him no matter which lefty DHs and which lefty plays left field.
Matt Garza is only partially jealous of how much Doug Fister relies on his fastball, but Garza's version actually misses bats so we're pretty screwed there. He also has a wicked slider which would be bad news bears if Adrian Beltre were still on this team but instead we have the better-glove, worse-bat Jose Lopez at third now so he'll pop out instead of strike out. Yay?
Jeff Niemann doesn't do anything particularly noteworthy except have a pulse but double blind studies have shown that to be enough to avoid giving up runs to the Mariners and RRS gets to face Evan Longoria so I'm expecting to lose this game negative 3 to 14.
| Jason Vargas | Cliff Lee | Ryan Rowland-Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
| James Shields | Matt Garza | Jeff Niemann | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
1 recs | 101 comments
If the M's get swept here, I hope we don't hear from Geoff Baker that its because we threw 3 lefties in a row.
And only because they are the Rays.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
You know there's a foolproof way of not hearing that from Geoff Baker, right?
Matthew - May 4, 2010
Yes and now that I think about it I've not been there in awhile.
Hmm… didn’t even notice.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
I'm also pretty much through with it. He has breaking news, but his commentary is
getting absurd. He goes out of his way these days to build an entire blog entry around the idea that Mike Sweeney is not to blame for anything, and that he’s hasn’t gotten a fair shake this year in regards to at-bats.
If I have to see him mention ST stats and Sweeney’s second half from 2009 again, while ignoring his overall numbers from the last 4-5 years, I just might boycott that site for good. Seriously, two of his last three or four blog commentary thingies seem to just be an attempt to chastize those like Dave Cameron for being hard on Sweeney.
Rudy4three - May 4, 2010
I wont turn this into a Geoff Baker thing
But it always seemed like the only job he wanted was to write for the Blue Jays and the only job we wanted him to have.. was to write for the Blue Jays.
I don’t know what team Dave Niehaus rooted for when he grew up, but I know that we endeared ourselves to him because to us he is only about the Mariners.
Once the Edgar stuff came out last year, then I knew for sure he could just go fuck himself. But I was still checking in when I was waiting for breaking news and I don’t use twitter.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
Careful, you might get yourself a starring role in his next post.
Also, I don’t use twitter either, but I still have This bookmarked.
Eyeball Kid - May 4, 2010
I don't know that the Blue Jays was the job he always wanted. He goes
out of his way to say that he’s from Montreal and doesn’t particularly like Toronto.
My issue is that he holds himself up as a “real writer” because he works for a newspaper, and he’s condescending towards the blog writers, who have more baseball knowledge than he does, and express is just as eloquently.
Rudy4three - May 4, 2010
You're right, it was the Expos, he just never shutup about the Blue Jays.
I worked at the Seattle Times sports section for about 6 months. I never saw him once and nobody in there had anything good to say about him.
Danny O’Neil on the other hand is the man and I do respect his blogging.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
His BS about the NL
You could smell his NL-bias in the explanation for not voting for Edgar. He’s covered AL teams for how long now? And he still can’t get over the DH?
short - May 4, 2010
Now that you mention Baker, did he and USSM have a falling out or something?
i noticed that Dave or whoever took Baker’s blog off of the blog list.
JLProck - May 4, 2010
In a ways.
It’s not really worthy of being talked about here.
Matthew - May 4, 2010
Got it.
JLProck - May 4, 2010
I predict we sweep them
Yippie ki yay motherfuckers
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
Is Felix slotted to go Friday against the Angels then?
Lee is going with 4 days rest, is Felix getting that extra day because of his back?
Mataya - May 4, 2010
On the GriffLent topic you mentioned.
Glad I’m not one of the suckers participating in this.
What happens when Griffey hits 0 home runs this year (which he probably will)? If he never hits another home run in his life, are the participants ever off the hook?
ARock - May 4, 2010
I'm thinking I'll resume cookie-eating the day after the WS if it comes to that.
Others can make their own decisions on the topic.
RunningFool - May 4, 2010
Seems logical to give up after the last day of the regular season if we don't make the playoffs
Or, if he pulls a Mike Schmidt (oh please oh please oh please oh please) y’all should be release immediately. Now if he just goes on the 60-day DL…well then that’s a gray area.
appleshampoo - May 4, 2010
I'm giving up on the bet after this homestand.
Mariner John - May 4, 2010
I will smell like bacon flavored lube for 3 days after Griffey homers
d0nkey - May 4, 2010
you could always just wait for the grease to cool off
Aaron Campeau - May 4, 2010
I can't believe there is an offense worse than ours.
Our team wOBA is worse than 2009 Josh Wilson’s and our ISO is less than 2009 Ichiro’s.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010 via mobile
Something tells me we won't be 29th for long when Lee, Berkman, Pence bounce back.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
You don't think we'll pick up a bit when Ichiro, Chone and Bradley bounce back?
Eyeball Kid - May 4, 2010
Wouldn't that even out with a pitching adjustment?
I’m not sure I’m interpreting this correctly, but our bullpen is god awful and our rotation is middling to bad according to tRA?
Drew_D - May 4, 2010
The rotation has been below average overall, but that's almost entirely RRS.
And I have to think the bullpen would be fine if it were used better.
Teej - May 4, 2010
Fuckin RRS
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
I'm not sure what you mean
Pitching has nothing to do with wOBA
Eyeball Kid - May 4, 2010
Right
Pays to read the post before the reply you’re replying to.
Drew_D - May 4, 2010
Of course I don't if Houston is really going to finish ahead of us in wOBA
But those 3 players you mentioned for us don’t have as far to climb as Houstons hitters. And aren’t as good as what Berkman is and what Lee was and could still be partly.
Ichiro is 32 points below his career wOBA
Figgins is 30 points below his career
Bradley 45 points below
Berkman is 75 points below
Carlos Lee is 147 points below
Pence is 106 points below
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
The Astros are also 43 runs below average while we are "merely" at -25 runs.
That amazes me. Our offense, as putrid as it has been, has been worth almost two wins more than Houston’s offense. Two wins!
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
Would still love to have Pence in left, Lee at DH, and Berkman at 1st.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
Okay so I didn't know those guys were doing that badly.
Eyeball Kid - May 4, 2010
Mariners Offense.........
Given they way the M’s have played offensively lately I will be happy if we take one game out of this series, but I will be praying for a sweep.
hugh w - May 4, 2010
From which side of the broom?
d0nkey - May 4, 2010
Now would be a good time to tweak the lineup a little bit.
ThundaPC - May 4, 2010
This post
is both hilarious and depressing at the same time. -3 to 14…we can only hope.
Sass - May 4, 2010
I like it, I'm feeling mentally prepared to anticipate the M's getting swept again.
If they win, it’ll be a pleasant surprise!
sanford_and_son - May 4, 2010
I like that we are playing the Rays here. This team needs to get it's focus and collective
act together. Having a day off and now having the best team in baseball (record wise) coming in, I would expect the guys know they are gonna have to bring it if they don’t want to get embarrassed.
Although I suppose you can argue that even if we “bring it”, if they “bring it”, they will sweep us.
Rudy4three - May 4, 2010
At least now, when we lose, I can just shrug and say "hey, it's the Rays"
Rather than throw up my hands and say “how the fuck did we lose to the Royals?”
Benne - May 4, 2010
Well, at least we're seeing Niemann instead of Price.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010
We really don't talk about the Rays here enough.
Sec 108 - May 4, 2010
Lineup posted.
Ugh.
Question: Are we allowed to avidly boo Griffey yet? Has anyone done this at Safeco?
hova9 - May 4, 2010
Go top 4!
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
Seriously.
Why the fuck is Griffey batting 5th?
wyte_lightning - May 4, 2010
Why the fuck is Griffey batting?
Fixed it.
the other side - May 4, 2010
If I record myself yelling the word RETIRE
could someone play it at Safeco when Griffey and Sweeney are up?
Eyeball Kid - May 4, 2010
I'll yell it for you tonight. I will give it my best and hope you hear it.
Sec 108 - May 4, 2010
If you give it your best, he'll hear it.
Aaron Campeau - May 4, 2010
I did it all last year so I don't see why not
Aaron Campeau - May 4, 2010
Why is Kotchman batting 7th against a righty?
OlSalty - May 4, 2010
Seriously.
Swapping Kotchman and Griffey would make this bearable until Jr plays his way out of the lineup.
hova9 - May 4, 2010
I wonder how low Griffey's ever hit
since he was a rookie? Would it be a huge deal if Wak put him seventh?
short - May 4, 2010
According the baseball-reference
He has hit in every spot in the order in his career..
seattlesundevil - May 4, 2010
Never STARTED below 7th though
seattlesundevil - May 4, 2010
Well, it's a start.
Glad Bradley is back batting 4th. Kotchman really needs to be hitting higher up in the order, especially ahead of Griffey and Lopez. Griffey should be pretty low in the order if they’re really trying to get him going. Hey, Jack Wilson got promoted everybody!
ThundaPC - May 4, 2010
Wilson's got the third highest batting average on the team! At .243!
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
Unless I'm missing something, Kotchman has actually been our best hitter so far this year against RHP
OlSalty - May 4, 2010
Actually nevermind, Ichiro has been better
Second best.
OlSalty - May 4, 2010
Ichiro is kind of a given.
the other side - May 4, 2010
Bradley hitting clean up, yes please.
Switch Griffdawg and Kotchman and we’d be set……that is if they insist on Griffdawg being in the lineup tonight.
sanford_and_son - May 4, 2010
At least the top 4 are correct.
Sadly, it doesnt continue:
5 Kotchman
6 Lopez
7 Langerhans (with Bradley DH)
ARock - May 4, 2010
Seconded
tait644 - May 4, 2010
I'd like to start seeing a lineup with Sweeney leading off as catcher.
I give it til the 2nd inning until he hits the DL. Hard to get hurt when you’re a backup, part-time DH.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
Well
The guys sitting with me at the games have been regularly shouting “Retire!” after each time Sweeney and Griffey make an out. oscartehgrouch even yelled something about a fat piece of shit and got some dirty looks from the people around is.
appleshampoo - May 4, 2010
Yes
Graham MacAree - May 4, 2010
I booed Sweeney when he came up to pinch hit in that awful 12-inning game...
Then that bastard grounded into a double play.
I think if Griff starts getting booed and then does bad things people might start to think “hey wait maybe that booing guy has something right going on there.”
Or not.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010
I never boo players when it's close with RISP
Way too good a chance I’ll look retarded
Graham MacAree - May 4, 2010
That's a good point, and I was in some ways fortunate that he GIDP'd.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010
I booed Dan Wilson once when he was used as a late inning pinch hitter.
He proceeded to hit a home run to CF. I may have looked retarded but I rather enjoy players proving me wrong when it helps my team win.
Sec 108 - May 5, 2010
1st in fielding bitches.
the other side - May 4, 2010
Franklin?
Eyebrows - May 4, 2010 via mobile
Why is that a question?
Sex is Sex, no need for an insulting question mark.
the other side - May 4, 2010
LOPEZ!!
d0nkey - May 4, 2010
What does tRA hate about our rotation?
Even with Hyphen, thought we’ve looked pretty solid.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
Hyphen
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
It's not just Hyphen, it also didn't like Snell.
Which, hey, I didn’t think much of Snell’s performance in the rotation either.
Everyone else has been above average.
marc w - May 4, 2010
And even with the added performance of Lee from this point on, we get the back to earth performance of Fister.
Ugh.
Kenny Knows Sports - May 4, 2010
In my dreams
I imagine Fister going all Jamie Moyer circa 2000 this year. Completely hittable stuff that no one can seem to hit.
Drew_D - May 4, 2010
God what is he like 70 now?
I can’t help but love the guy.
the other side - May 4, 2010
He's 47
Which, amazingly, is 11 years older than Mike Sweeney. And he drew a bases-loaded walk against Johan Santana on Sunday.
appleshampoo - May 4, 2010
*Sigh*
moyerLIVES - May 4, 2010
Funny coincidence about Moyer, someone recently posted a graph of the M's defense versus league average
Check out the point where Moyer left town. I cannot locate this graph, criminy.
Kermit. - May 4, 2010
Snell is just the worst.
Mariner John - May 4, 2010
Can't speak for the Statcorner guys
But I’d guess the poor K/9 (28th in MLB), middling K/BB (13th-best), and high LD% (9th-highest) have something to do with it.
tait644 - May 4, 2010
It's mainly Ryan Rowland-Smith's fault
Graham MacAree - May 4, 2010
So when Bedard comes back, he's the guy to go, eh?
tait644 - May 4, 2010
I'm not ready to give up on him yet
Cantu Easley Winn - May 4, 2010
Eeesh
I just checked. That’s not good
tait644 - May 4, 2010
I can't wait to watch Griffey strike out 3 times against Shields.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010
The worse he plays, the sooner he is benched.
Right? … Right? RIGHT?!?!
Cantu Easley Winn - May 4, 2010
Based on last month? No...no cigar.
But hey no Rob Johnson!!!
the other side - May 4, 2010
That's mostly it.
Also I love Jamie Shields.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010
Jamie?
Dewey N - May 4, 2010
I'm showing that I'm an old-school fan from when he went by Jamie.
lailaihei - May 4, 2010
He decided to go by James after he got called up to the show.
Thought it sounded more distinguished. Pretty sure everyone who knows him still calls him Jamie.
Tyler - May 4, 2010
No matter how much they suck, I will always root for them to succeed when they play for our team.
I’d rather he hit 3 home runs.
MT Olson - May 4, 2010
That changeup is going to make him look silly
tait644 - May 4, 2010
God damn the Griffey Challenge was a bad idea
I’m pretty sure at this point that he either plays all year and doesn’t hit one, or just retires mid season
Griffin Cooper - May 4, 2010
Accepting the Griffey Challenge was a bad idea
pdb - May 5, 2010
Continuining to participate in the Griffey challenge is a terrible idea.
Sec 108 - May 5, 2010
There's no reason to think the Mariners will stand a chance in any of these games
I told my coworkers 5-1 Rays this morning for today’s game. Looks like I was pretty close. 2-1 Rays tomorrow, 6-2 on Thursday.
Aly Edge - May 4, 2010
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Lookout Landing to post a comment.