11-18, Quick Thoughts While I'm Mad
by Jeff Sullivan on May 8, 2010 2:49 AM PDT
in Seattle Mariners Game Recaps
- Felix was terrible. His velocity was okay and he was missing some bats, but his location was all over the place and he couldn't keep the ball down in the zone where he wanted. I think his back's still bothering him. Wak thinks his back is fine, but his mechanics were off. Shannon thinks he may have lost his swagger. I don't know what the proper explanation might be, but while you can kind of shake it off when Felix is bad once, it's alarming when Felix is bad twice. Something's clearly not right.
- We are the reason that Ryan Budde has a future. Which is fitting, since we're also the reason Jeff Mathis has a job.
- With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Ken Griffey Jr. broke up Jered Weaver's no-hit bid with a groundball single to right. Griffey ruins everything. If we have to watch a team suck, it might as well be historic.
- In the bottom of the second, the camera cut from a shot of Griffey batting to a shot of the Hit It Here Cafe, which is like cutting from a shot of Matt Hasselbeck to a shot of something 25 yards downfield.
- The M's are 11-18, and are losers of seven in a row. Many of the people closest to the team are expressing concerns about the clubhouse. Wasn't this the sort of thing leaders like Griffey and Mike Sweeney were supposed to prevent? Remember what happened the last time this organization tried to manufacture its chemistry? It comes from winning. It comes from winning. If Griffey and Sweeney can't keep things together, then they literally serve no purpose. It's not like they're producing or drawing many fans.
- In case you think I'm trying to pin too much on our designated hitters, then let me say that a bunch of other people have sucked too. It must be awkward for Franklin Gutierrez when Wak addresses all the position players. He'll tell them that they're all failing as a group and have to work to get better together, but Guti knows the truth.
Wakamatsu: Guys.
Wakamatsu: We've scored 31 runs in 13 games since Chicago. I'm not happy with any of you. I'm not happy with any one of you.
Wakamatsu: When I write out the lineup card every day, I look it up and down, and I'm disappointed in every single name.
Gutierrez (in his head): Except me.
Gutierrez: Except me.
Wakamatsu:
Wakamatsu: Beg pardon?
Gutierrez:
Wakamatsu:
:everybody turns:
Gutierrez:
Wakamatsu: Are you playing dead?
Gutierrez (in his head): dammit brain
- Not that it matters, on account of we lost 8-0, but in the top of the first, Rob Johnson blew another play at the plate when he couldn't handle a strong Ichiro throw on a sac fly. They say that catchers develop slower than anybody else. I get that Johnson hasn't been catching as long as most backstops his age. It shows. Rob Johnson, right now, is nothing short of terrible.
- The only kudos of the day go to Michael Saunders, who, in the sixth inning, turned an 0-2 count into a walk, and, in the eighth inning, turned an 0-2 count into a 2-2 count and a line drive double. The fact that Saunders fell behind 0-2 in all three of his plate appearances, of course, is bad, but two of three times he battled back, which is impressive. A year ago, he fell behind 0-2 24 times, and went 5-24 with a triple and zero walks.
I want Saunders to succeed so badly. Lefty? Walks? Gap power? Defense? Speed? Homegrown? Personality? Hockey fan? Saunders is a wonderful overall package, and he comes with enough flaws to keep him likable.
- 37,602 fans. 30,000 Griffey bobbleheads. 7,602 Mariners fans just had the most pointless Friday night they'll ever have.
- Why do bobblehead nights draw so well, anyway? Are there really that many collectors? I think it has something to do with the bobblehead's mass. When you're giving something away, the more it weighs, the more people will like it. It doesn't really matter what it is. More weight means more bang for the buck. Keep your eyes peeled for giveaways featuring Mariner-branded cinder blocks, and Mariners-branded five pound bags of brown rice.
- Here's your obligatory reminder that yada yada yada we're still only 4.5 out. Every game is but a single game, even when it feels like a thousand. The thing about a losing streak like this is that it feels like it should cost us more than 3.5 games in the standings, but it hasn't. Baseball's kind of a miracle like that.
"37,602 fans. 30,000 Griffey bobbleheads. 7,602 Mariners fans just had the most pointless Friday night they'll ever have. "
I’m generally that guy and I stubbornly stick it out because I’m not there for the giveaways, Goddammit, I’m there to watch baseball and blah blah blah.
In short, I’m an idiot.
Aaron Campeau - May 8, 2010
You might be an idiot, but you're an idiot that loves this team and I would be that way too.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
I doubt there were 37,000 people were there.
A few hundred people showed up just for the bobbleheads. They get 10-20 cheap seats and then walk in and out until their tickets are done or the team is out of bobbleheads. It is kind of stupid when you see a guy trying to hold on to 10 bobbleheads thinking he is going to sell them on ebay.
My bet 30,000 real people were there for the first pitch. By the time the team stopped selling beer the number went down to under 5,000.
mark sobba - May 8, 2010
The attendance actually was pretty good until Griffey emptied the place with his single
I had to listen to some guy cheer rabidly for him all game and curse about how bad Saunders was too. Ugh.
zachw10 - May 8, 2010
The man and his wife in front of me went crazy went Griffey broke up the no hitter
Fucking asshole.
Stormton - May 8, 2010
yes heaven forbid somebody actually root for their favorite player to do something good in an otherwise barren desert of suck
pdb - May 8, 2010
No-hitter >>>> Griffey GB to right side
tait644 - May 8, 2010
Not when it's Jered Weaver against us.
I don’t want to say I was there for that game.
Hopefulmsfan - May 8, 2010
You kept it together quite well here.
I will scour the game threads for my daily dose of GTE.
Omerta - May 8, 2010 via mobile
We got some msb GTE this time.
JY - May 8, 2010
What's unique about baseball
is when streaks like this happen, it literally feels like “I can’t imagine any realistic scenario that would result in the M’s winning a game for the rest of the year”, even though that’s obviously ridiculous. When the opposite happens and the team goes on some crazy winning streak, it feels like “I can’t imagine any realistic scenario that would result in the M’s losing a game for the rest of the year.”
This is the only sport where I get these types of feelings with teams I follow. Something about that there’s a game every day and I, like a sucker, can’t seem to not listen to every single one of them. I tell myself “just walk away for a week, when you come back, they’ll be out of the losing streak and things will be back to normal”, but then I listen anyways…
I thought for sure today would be the day it all turned around… I mean… Felix. I blame the non-working Felix song. Things can’t be sunshine lollipops on the field when there is no sunshine lollipops song available to lift everyone’s spirits.
hiskeyd - May 8, 2010
I was at the game
My section started the wave that lasted a full inning, and the “Angels suck!” chant, go section 116. But the game itself was horrible. I’m very nearly fed up with this team.
dp04 - May 8, 2010
I hate the wave.
Fuck the wave.
dkulich - May 8, 2010
You ought to be ashamed, sir
Bearskin Rugburn - May 8, 2010
Do not ever be proud of starting a wave
pdb - May 8, 2010
Angels suck?
tait644 - May 8, 2010
No one likes the wave.
No one!
katal - May 8, 2010
This was the only game where I actually understood the point of the wave.
Fans were bored, the game was depressing, and there was nothing else to cheer about except the wave.
Was it just me, or was there also a multitude of dancing last night? I mean, it was between every inning and at every pitching change.
eflegen - May 8, 2010
Definitely. This one 11 year old was doing break dance moves you wouldn't believe out in the aisles
I can’t believe he didn’t get on the big screen
Stormton - May 8, 2010
I hate you.
I can hardly speak today due to booing myself hoarse at that wave.
redwolf75 - May 8, 2010
SHAME.
royalcurve - May 8, 2010
Gah
Fucking wave. It always starts a section or two away from me. KILL IT WITH FIRE.
appleshampoo - May 8, 2010
I like the wave.
skwid206 - May 8, 2010
Ugh.
Eyeball Kid - May 8, 2010
A legitimate not snarky question:
Why?
pdb - May 8, 2010
It's visually impressive when it's done right
DrunkAmerican - May 9, 2010
Wouldn't that require a full stadium though?
7,000 people doing the wave is just sad.
Sec 108 - May 9, 2010
It's pathetic no matter what if the home team is losing
But if you’re ever there and the M’s are blowing out the Rangers, say, 8-1, having a wave that makes over 10 rounds with the roof closed is really, really fun.
DrunkAmerican - May 9, 2010
Well let us just say that I could not disagree more.
Sec 108 - May 10, 2010
Awww, leave Hasselbeck out of this :(
Nate Dogg - May 8, 2010
By 'this', you mean the huddle, correct?
kentroyals5 - May 8, 2010
Well, the truth does hurt.
seattle_since_81 - May 8, 2010
That was worse than 9/11
Fett42 - May 8, 2010
Jeff, you're a genius. That Guti sequence was pure gold. Thanks.
Sam Regens - May 8, 2010
This, you make losing bearable.
I had to rec just for the Guti/Wak section. Lord knows there isn’t much else to recommend about the M’s right now.
I know, I know, but ugh it’s hard.
(About the giveaways: Personally I’m waiting for Rob Johnson Jigsaw Puzzle Night, complete with missing pieces where the glove should be.)
jwolf0 - May 8, 2010
Don't forget the bat!
Sportszilla - May 8, 2010
The thought of Guti laying there pretending he's dead while everybody stares at him made me laugh.
Goose - May 8, 2010
Hernandez 5/4 and 5/9/09
gave up 6 earned runs at home against Texas and 6 runs and 5 earned at Minnesota, with 2 homers allowed in each game. Even 2 rough outings in a row shouldn’t give too much concern, but results like last year shouldn’t be expected. His e.r.a. was about a run below his xFIP. This year the e.r.a. is about half a run higher. He’s basically pitching about the same, 3.50-3.85 xFIP. But he does have some control issues for now..
wobatus - May 8, 2010
It could be just a bad bout of random occurence, nothing more.
All players, all teams, have good spells and bad. It could be just one of those things. Same goes for the Mariners as a team right now.
nathaniel dawson - May 8, 2010
yes
I think it is random. A coincidence. He had a couple of bad games early May last year and was fine. I see nothing to suggest he isn’t fine now. He is going through a bit of spotty control. But he threw a lot of innings last year, and had some luck go his way.
wobatus - May 8, 2010
....except
He went on the DL after that Minnesota game with elbow problems. So it should give us A LOT of concern.
appleshampoo - May 8, 2010
No he didn't
Your thinking of the Minnesota game in 07.
Robert - May 8, 2010
Whoops a doodle
Didn’t look closely at the dates.
appleshampoo - May 8, 2010
More good news
The As aren’t going to be winning any time soon, the rays are bloodthirsty
benderbrodriguez - May 8, 2010 via mobile
The Ranger and the Royals on the other hand...
ThundaPC - May 8, 2010
Appreciate the Seahawks reference, Jeff.
katal - May 8, 2010
I would go to 5lb bag of brown rice night.
sigalert - May 8, 2010
This was the only game I've ever left early in my life.
It was just disgusting.
BrettJMiller - May 8, 2010
I sold the first Griffey bobblehead this year for $22 + $8 shipping.
It’s like going to see a game for free and having $20 leftover to spend on food… For each person there.
lailaihei - May 8, 2010 via mobile
Thought that the bullpen and Saunders did ok last night,
otherwise a pretty dismal outing. Starting to feel like I am watching the Seahawks.
Bart's Evil Twin - May 8, 2010
That was bad.
Only good part was trying to sneak into the Suite level and find the Huskies basketball team.
WestCoastBias. - May 8, 2010
Did you find them?
eflegen - May 8, 2010
Sorta.
We could see them from our seats, but I’m pretty sure they left right after the 4th inning, but none of the door guard people knew if they’d left.
WestCoastBias. - May 9, 2010
A thought
This offense isn’t scoring runs. The offense is currently bad on legendary levels. Everyone talks about it. Offense is clearly a problem. Unfortunately, what gets lost in all of this is that it’s not the only problem. This team was built on pitching and defense. This knowing full well that this isn’t a very strong offensive unit.
In terms of preventing runs, however, in the seven game losing streak we’ve only held the opponents to 3-runs or less in only two of those games. The rest of the time…at least 5 runs…including 8 runs in the last THREE games. If it’s not the pitching that sucked it’s the defense or, in some cases, both at the same time.
We have 11 wins on the season. We’ve scored an average of 3.75 runs in eight of those wins. Only in three wins have we scored over 5 runs.
This is reminiscent of the Cleveland series that effectively ended our season. Between Cleveland and Toronto, we lost four straight games. We stopped losing after we stopped allowing at least 9 runs a game.
Yea, it sucks that we have to rely on pitching to keep games close but this is what the team was built for. It’s almost certain that the one win we do get will not be an offensively impressive one.
ThundaPC - May 8, 2010
Jeff's last point is the one thing that gives me hope.
It’s too early on in the season. No one is going to run away with the division at this point.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
The Nats just won a gritty game where they blew a lead late in the game and then clawed back to win.
That’s more inspiring play in a few innings than I’ve seen from the Mariners in two weeks.
I know I keep hammering on this, but it’s only because it’s beginning to be the only thing I can think about when I turn to the M’s. And that’s an awful sign. This really does feel like crap.
And Griffey ruins everything, even opposing-team no-hitters.
esoteric - May 8, 2010
It's not like Weaver was actually going to accomplish the no-hitter.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
I see plenty of evidence that he was.
Namely, our lineup.
Fuckmikereilly - May 8, 2010
Yes, but the odds are still against him.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
Is it bad?
That I have lost confidence in this front office. Like this ongoing DH situation, I feel like that they’ll make the excuse or that they are. That since this whole team is struggling why give up Griffey? When obviously, he is a problem and we are gaining nothing from his bat. I was holding on to Griffey and Sweeney for the reason they were holding team together, but can’t the front office create another job for them that involves them not being on the field?
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
So what's the panic button? 5 out? 7 out?
What’s weird is that I still have confidence that we’re going to win today.
Two Rs and Two Ls - May 8, 2010
I have confidence in Fister too.
But he is due to suck, unfortunately.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
Why wouldn't we?
It’s Doug Fister.
Eyeball Kid - May 8, 2010
And we're going up against someone who has performed about as awful as RRS thus far.
lailaihei - May 8, 2010
This skinny fuck has more HRs than any Mariner.
So does this guy
And even this guy!
lailaihei - May 8, 2010
Even Placido!??!!
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
Yep.
And this guy has as many homeruns as all Mariners combined!
lailaihei - May 8, 2010
So does Andre Ethier and Ty Wiggington.
Paul Konerko leads us and the majors with 12.
Goose - May 8, 2010
Every single DBack regular, with the exception of Stephen Drew(.366 wOBA) has more home runs than any Mariner.
Goose - May 8, 2010
John Buck had as many homeruns in one game as any Mariner has had all season.
lailaihei - May 8, 2010
This guy has been worth as much as the Mariners position players combined.
lailaihei - May 8, 2010
I would tell you to make that smaller, but it's Livan Hernandez -- I don't think you can GET a picture of him any smaller than that.
esoteric - May 8, 2010
Dammit, if we had bats like those we'd be the Rays.
Eyeball Kid - May 8, 2010
If that picture was blown up and put on a fathead. It could scare little children.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
Would be the only fathead I would buy.
w00tah - May 8, 2010
Love the Gutierrez part
That was always something that pissed me off when I was playing baseball. We’d lose a game, and our coach would go out of his way to say that literally everyone fucked up. I would always just want to burst out “uh, actually I had 2 hits and played great defense”.
Griffin Cooper - May 8, 2010
Saunders isn't in the lineup tonight.
Langerhans instead.
And Sweeney.
JY - May 8, 2010
Well, shit.
lailaihei - May 8, 2010 via mobile
This doesn't bug me as much as it should.
Langerhans and Saunders obviously can’t platoon; they’re both lefties. And Saunders is a southpaw, so we had to expect Sweeney to be DH’ing. Too bad Byrnes was scapegoated; he could legitimately platoon LF with Langerhans or Saunders.
I wish this made me angry, but it doesn’t. It just seems so small, so predictable, so…just another hurt. It doesn’t even register on my threshold. Fucking pain gatekeepers.
harkening - May 8, 2010
I'd say Saunders is more likely to be a big part of the team's future than Langerhans.
But meh.
JY - May 8, 2010
If Saunders is up, he should be starting 80%+ of games
lailaihei - May 8, 2010 via mobile
Yup.
Even if it’s at DH.
Eyeball Kid - May 8, 2010
Hey didn't they mess with him last year?
All I remember is Roy Halladay, a bunch of left handed pitching, high leverage situations and oh god he’s going to be better when he leaves isn’t he
Kermit. - May 8, 2010
A bit, yes.
They also didn’t play him the last month or so, claiming that they took him aside to work with him on his own, and when he finally came back from that, he was actually pretty good. He also hit .353/.421/.529 in Venezuela over the winter, so the slow start was a little surprising.
JY - May 8, 2010
Was anybody else in the CF bleachers?
If so, I was the loud asshole in the purple huskies sweatshirt in section 192 who booed and wave and everything else going on during the game.
redwolf75 - May 8, 2010
Just ran some quick numbers to figure out what the chance is that we get no hit this season
Used the log5 method to estimate the chance of a team getting out 27 times in a row. (The log5 method looks like it might overestimate the chance a team gets a no hitter for bad teams aka us but its at least kind of close)
Just caught that this figure should read Pitcher Avg = League Avg = .255 but I’m too lazy to go back and change it.
We probably won’t get no hit but whenever our bad lineup faces a good pitcher there is definitely a chance.
Edgar for Pres - May 8, 2010
For us,It seems that case against some bad pitchers as well.
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
Hasselbedk could please a woman from 25 yards more than you could ever hope to in your entire life.
Robert - May 8, 2010 via mobile
I think being 7 games under .500 is pretty bad
because that can become kind of a mountain to climb. If we lose a few more now and get down near 11-22 I don’t think that can be salvaged. If we had a lot of hitting it might be a different story, but it’s gonna be extremely hard to 2-1 and 3-2 everyone while on the road etc. This is a weak weak lineup.
ignacio - May 8, 2010
The thing that bugged me the most about this game
was the fans booing Felix. He is our franchise player you fuckwads. If he gives up 10 homers you don’t boo him, for fuck’s sake.
appleshampoo - May 8, 2010
Oh yeah
My bobblehead was broken when I took it out of the box. I hate these things.
appleshampoo - May 8, 2010
They did WHAT?
As if I wasn’t glad enough about abandoning that game. Fuckers.
Eyeball Kid - May 8, 2010
I applaud you Jeff for not taking to Dave approach and actually doing recaps
Takes a lot of patience. Also the Guti/Wak exchange was freakin hilarious.
JBell523 - May 8, 2010
Hooray!
The rest of the team should watch too I think.
JY - May 8, 2010
I love it!
M'sFanatic - May 8, 2010
I think Griffey decided that the rest of the team should watch Meet the Spartans.
ThundaPC - May 8, 2010
Felix: Not likely to have any run support...M's can't get 2 hits in a row at BP.
Might as well give up a few runs and get out early. Save the arm for the games where the team BA has moved above the Mendoza line.
Reggae Rob - May 9, 2010
Hitting
AdvancePeguero to Tacoma, if he keeps good ave. (we know he has pop) then what have we got to lose giving him a try in the bigs? We can always send him back down and even that, after a taste, would give him incentive. If his Triple A average is average he’ll probably advance just as well there as at AA.
undeterredphil - May 9, 2010
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