Most of the time I can only follow Mariners games on sattelite radio, and online. t gives a pretty complete picture, but there are nuances that are missed. Body language, expressions, little things that you really need to see to get the whole picture. I was somewhat looking forward to the Mariners being on national TV, even if it was the equivalent of a death trap, going into St Louis to take a crack at Adam Wainwright, the best pitcher nobody has heard of...
In honor of Bill Simmons, who is one of my favorite writers to read (although I won't be able to read him for a while if the Celtics beat the Lakers, I get so tired of his teams winning everything...I even have written a chapter in my book called "I hate Bill Simmons" based on the fact that it is NOT FAIR that he has watched all of his teams win multiple championships in the last 10 years) I decided to do a running commentary of the game. He does these a lot, while watching games, the draft, reality shows, etc. I didn't have high hopes for the Mariners, but I thought I would give it a shot. This would also keep me from walking away in frustration. I hope. I have transcribed it below exactly as I wrote it, with any later comments added in parenthesis. You will see it go from somewhat optomistic to not so much.....
Wainwright V French
T1
Wow, 2 pitches in, 1-0 Seattle
1st pitch to Figgins, infield single
Gutierrez - too many K's, steadily dropping average (is he trying to do to much? Not sure what is going on here)
NICE 1st to 3rd by Figgins on a steal/groundout. Very good baserunning runner on 3rd, 1 out
LOOONG first inning so far, making Wainwright throw a lot of pitches. so far so good.
RBI groundout by Lopez, 2-0 Seattle.
Bradley...grrrrrrrrrr he is getting a little better, but Silva is 8-1 2.89 ERA
B1
Walk to Holliday, bad idea with Pujols on deck
3-0 luckily kept Albert in the yard
3-1 GONE Just like that, 3-2 Cards. Game over.
T2
terrible AB by Johnson. looks lost.
Johnson doesn't look as bad as French, wow, that was ugly
B2
3-2 How many pitches has he thrown?
2B by the goddamn pitcher
2-0, 3-2 CONSTANTLY behind.
T3
another infield hit for Figgins
this one was wasted, no runs.
B3
pick pick pick pick
Kept Albert in the yard again, lucky to have only given up 4 runs so far. Tough draw for Luke's first start of the year.
T4
Bradley SMOKED a line drive, but it is an out.
1,2,3
B4
WALKED THE PITCHER!! are you kidding me?
E6, Wilson took his eyes off the ball, should have ended the inning (luckily, it didn't cost them more runs)
T5
1,2,3
Wainwright is just carving them up, they look helpless
B5
Snell. Crap.
2nd 3rd, no outs.
now it is 6-2
8-2
Embarrasing display
Wow! an out!
Nearly a HR to the PITCHER!
another 3-2 count
T6
A walk! A baserunner! Figgins on base 3 times so far
1st and 2nd no outs
GIDP. Of course.
B6
3-2 walk to Pujols
3 K's by Snell in the inning. (He has it in him, he has good stuff, I don't know why he can't seem to put it together. After each horrid outing, I keep waiting for him to be DFA'd, but innings like this are too tantalizing. It's like golfing. You hit that one nice shot, so you go golfing again, hoping to repeat it, even though you suck)
T7
1,2,3
B7
3-0 AGAIN
leadoff walk
Nice DP to end it
T8
Saunders is looking better. ( I was not a fan last year, he looked overmatched, but I am starting to get on board. Might was well let him play, the team isn't going anywhere)
2nd, 3rd, nobody out
ONLY ONE RUN
B8
And....gave it right back
T9
out with barely a whimper
I gave up on the game in the 1st inning. I knew it was over. 3 runs on Wainwright is not bad, but it seems whenever the M's decide to score a couple, it happnes on the nights when nobody can get the other guys out.
I want to keep blogging, but this is so frustrating, and there is literally nothing interesting to write about. They are painful to watch, and booooring. I have shifted gears into waiting to see what they get for Lee....and waiting for next year.
'till nex time...
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Random Depressing Thoughts
I can not bring myself to write about the Mariners too much these days, it is just too depressing. I have had a bunch of random thoughts wander through my head, so lucky for me, and maybe not so lucky for you… I have this outlet for them. Remember, I don’t get paid for this, so this is all free….and you get what you pay for!
I went in to this season with high hopes. I thought the World Series hopes were a little far-fetched, but 88 wins was do-able. I was excited to start writing this blog. I believe in Z. I thought Figgins was a great addition.
Ugh. 100% wrong so far. (maybe 90%, I still believe in Z…for now) Figgins just isn’t hitting, and although I have always thought the “He is adjusting to his place in the order” was as much of a load of crap as “He needs to know his role in the bullpen to perform well”. Well, maybe I am wrong about that too. He is hitting in a different spot, and playing a new position to boot. (to boot, get it…..error, boot….ah, whatever. I thought it was funny). Those things, combined with the pressure of living up to the $$$$$$$$ may be the reasons, although I think “living up to the contract” is a load of crap as well….you have just been rewarded for doing your job well, what makes a player think they need to change how they do things?
I do not understand switching Lopez and Figgins. My first thought was they were teaching Jose a new position to increase his trade value, in anticipation of bringing up Ackley, who is busy in the minors learning to play second base. (I was having a brain cramp as I was writing this, and couldn’t remember his name, so I went to Google and typed in “Mariners # 1 draft pick” and I half expected to see a page full of laughing emoticons) but Ackley is not going to be ready this year, so I guess I just don’t understand the move.
How about Doug Fister? At this moment, 4th in the AL with an ERA under 2.00! He impressed me last year, and I expected him to be good, but not this good. I was actually stunned to see a 3 spot on his line the other day! Let’s hope that he doesn’t pull a Fleming on us.
We are certainly not giving Lee much reason to stay, he has a great ERA, is pitching very well, and has exactly 2 wins to show for it, as well as a nice view of the AL West from the cellar. Probably not what he had in mind.
I am seriously concerned about Wak’s handling of his pitchers. Leaving pitchers in an inning too long, using relievers in situations where they have, so far, shown that they can not do the job. It almost feels like Colome has incriminating pictures of somebody, because he has not shown me any reason that he deserves to get trotted out there any other time than mop up duty.
There is more, including the fact that 13 players on the All Star ballot were originally signed or drafted by Seattle…..and the fact that Seattle has given up the most last at bat wins of any team in MLB….and. and, and. I could go on, but believe it or not, I am trying to be positive. Really, I am. No, seriously, this is me trying to be positive.
I went in to this season with high hopes. I thought the World Series hopes were a little far-fetched, but 88 wins was do-able. I was excited to start writing this blog. I believe in Z. I thought Figgins was a great addition.
Ugh. 100% wrong so far. (maybe 90%, I still believe in Z…for now) Figgins just isn’t hitting, and although I have always thought the “He is adjusting to his place in the order” was as much of a load of crap as “He needs to know his role in the bullpen to perform well”. Well, maybe I am wrong about that too. He is hitting in a different spot, and playing a new position to boot. (to boot, get it…..error, boot….ah, whatever. I thought it was funny). Those things, combined with the pressure of living up to the $$$$$$$$ may be the reasons, although I think “living up to the contract” is a load of crap as well….you have just been rewarded for doing your job well, what makes a player think they need to change how they do things?
I do not understand switching Lopez and Figgins. My first thought was they were teaching Jose a new position to increase his trade value, in anticipation of bringing up Ackley, who is busy in the minors learning to play second base. (I was having a brain cramp as I was writing this, and couldn’t remember his name, so I went to Google and typed in “Mariners # 1 draft pick” and I half expected to see a page full of laughing emoticons) but Ackley is not going to be ready this year, so I guess I just don’t understand the move.
How about Doug Fister? At this moment, 4th in the AL with an ERA under 2.00! He impressed me last year, and I expected him to be good, but not this good. I was actually stunned to see a 3 spot on his line the other day! Let’s hope that he doesn’t pull a Fleming on us.
We are certainly not giving Lee much reason to stay, he has a great ERA, is pitching very well, and has exactly 2 wins to show for it, as well as a nice view of the AL West from the cellar. Probably not what he had in mind.
I am seriously concerned about Wak’s handling of his pitchers. Leaving pitchers in an inning too long, using relievers in situations where they have, so far, shown that they can not do the job. It almost feels like Colome has incriminating pictures of somebody, because he has not shown me any reason that he deserves to get trotted out there any other time than mop up duty.
There is more, including the fact that 13 players on the All Star ballot were originally signed or drafted by Seattle…..and the fact that Seattle has given up the most last at bat wins of any team in MLB….and. and, and. I could go on, but believe it or not, I am trying to be positive. Really, I am. No, seriously, this is me trying to be positive.
M's Lib
A great outing by _____________ was wasted again as the Mariners failed to score any runs in support. There were multiple scoring chances, but a key ________ by ______________ killed one rally, and a poorly timed strikeout by ____________ let another opportunity slip away. Once again, a runner was thrown out at_________ and by the time it was all said and done, the Mariners were ______ games below .500 and ______ games out in the division.
An open letter to the greatest Mariner ever
Ken,
I don’t have to tell you how much you mean to this team and their fans. You are more responsible than any other single individual for the fact that we still have a team to cheer for in this city, and we have such a wonderful ballpark. Even with all the injuries and missed time, you are a first-ballot Hall of Famer, the first “homegrown” player with that status. Most of us can look past the awkward way you left because of what you did while you were here. You came back this season because you wanted to help the Mariners be winners again. This hurts to say, and my brother in law will probably be in tears when it happens, but right now, the best way to help the Mariners is to walk away. Retire with your legacy intact, and go home to spend time with your family. Not that we want to see you go, but none of us want to keep watching you struggle like you are. It is painful to watch, especially so for those of us who have been following you since that double in 1989. We remember the soaring home runs, and the way you would glide over to catch what looked like a sure extra base hit. I, for one, don’t want my last memory of you to be a strikeout on an 92 MPH fastball. This team desperately needs production, and it seems that no matter how much you want to (and how much we want you to) you can’t give them what they need. You have earned the right to call your own shots, without a doubt, I am just asking you to consider, in your heart, what is right.
Tim
I don’t have to tell you how much you mean to this team and their fans. You are more responsible than any other single individual for the fact that we still have a team to cheer for in this city, and we have such a wonderful ballpark. Even with all the injuries and missed time, you are a first-ballot Hall of Famer, the first “homegrown” player with that status. Most of us can look past the awkward way you left because of what you did while you were here. You came back this season because you wanted to help the Mariners be winners again. This hurts to say, and my brother in law will probably be in tears when it happens, but right now, the best way to help the Mariners is to walk away. Retire with your legacy intact, and go home to spend time with your family. Not that we want to see you go, but none of us want to keep watching you struggle like you are. It is painful to watch, especially so for those of us who have been following you since that double in 1989. We remember the soaring home runs, and the way you would glide over to catch what looked like a sure extra base hit. I, for one, don’t want my last memory of you to be a strikeout on an 92 MPH fastball. This team desperately needs production, and it seems that no matter how much you want to (and how much we want you to) you can’t give them what they need. You have earned the right to call your own shots, without a doubt, I am just asking you to consider, in your heart, what is right.
Tim
If you can’t say anything nice…
I will just put this out there right away. I don’t begrudge anyone their right to make money. This is a capitalist society, and if you are good enough at your job to make $250,000,000, then good for you. I wish I was accomplished enough to make one hundredth of that paycheck, which I would gladly take right to the bank. Or more likely RJ Race Cars and John Kaase….sigh. Sorry, back to the subject at hand.
Athletes make ridiculous money, I think most of us can agree on that. They don’t make that money in a vacuum, though, if you are reading this, then you are at least partially responsible for making their Bentley payments. I’m guessing you have at least one MLB hat in your closet (or on your head) and I bet you have gone to at least one game in your lifetime. All these things contribute. Even if you just watch on TV, you are helping the station sell advertising, which helps them make payment to MLB to broadcast the games….which then helps pay salaries, which brings us back to your favorite outfielder’s Bentley. What I do not like about athletes and their fat bank accounts, is the involvement of agents. I am sure that there are good agents out there, some that can see past their own needs, and occasionally make decisions keeping in mind the long term health of the industry that made them stinking rich, but I rarely or never hear about them. I seriously wonder about the motives and thinking behind the decisions that get made by these agents.
I bring this up because of the comments made by Darek Braunecker, Cliff Lee’s agent.
Braunecker says that Lee is unlikely to re-sign in Seattle, and (paraphrasing here) that the clock to free agency is ticking, and he will become a free agent and go shopping for a blank check after the season. This is an incredibly damaging and irresponsible statement. It has the potential to hurt the Fans, the Mariners, Cliff Lee, and even the agent himself (who makes $$$$ off the contract that his players receive).
As a fan, do you want to hear that a player you have been deliriously happy to have on your team, one who’s debut you have been eagerly anticipating, doesn’t want to be here? Do you want to cheer for his player? I am certain that a percentage of Mariner fans have now washed their hands of Lee, and see him as a temp, trade bait, or even a mercenary. He is not going to get the support and love he was getting right up until the moment that his agent stated his intentions. He may even get some boos, and his agent has alienated him to the fans. Remember the last time a stud lefty felt un-loved in Seattle? He pouted and quit on the team until he was traded, then suddenly remembered how to pitch.
If Lee is un-motivated, and un-loved, his pitching could suffer, which damages his trade value, hurting the Mariners organization, and brings up another problem. Do you trade him? If so, when? Now, after one brilliant start? At the trade deadline, provided the M’s are not in the race? What if they are? Do you wait until the off season, let him leave (further alienating fans) and take your compensatory picks? If Lee’s pitching suffers, he will not get the same contract he would if he has another Cy Young season, and that hits Mr Braunecker in the wallet. I see absolutely no reason for Braunecker to make these statements, especially when Lee has said repeatedly that he does not want to discuss these things during the season. I suppose agents are a necessary evil in the game, but I fail to see how this one is doing his job to the benefit of anyone involved.
As for the 3 game series with Texas, there were some outstanding pitching performances. Beyond that, please refer to the title of this post.
Athletes make ridiculous money, I think most of us can agree on that. They don’t make that money in a vacuum, though, if you are reading this, then you are at least partially responsible for making their Bentley payments. I’m guessing you have at least one MLB hat in your closet (or on your head) and I bet you have gone to at least one game in your lifetime. All these things contribute. Even if you just watch on TV, you are helping the station sell advertising, which helps them make payment to MLB to broadcast the games….which then helps pay salaries, which brings us back to your favorite outfielder’s Bentley. What I do not like about athletes and their fat bank accounts, is the involvement of agents. I am sure that there are good agents out there, some that can see past their own needs, and occasionally make decisions keeping in mind the long term health of the industry that made them stinking rich, but I rarely or never hear about them. I seriously wonder about the motives and thinking behind the decisions that get made by these agents.
I bring this up because of the comments made by Darek Braunecker, Cliff Lee’s agent.
Braunecker says that Lee is unlikely to re-sign in Seattle, and (paraphrasing here) that the clock to free agency is ticking, and he will become a free agent and go shopping for a blank check after the season. This is an incredibly damaging and irresponsible statement. It has the potential to hurt the Fans, the Mariners, Cliff Lee, and even the agent himself (who makes $$$$ off the contract that his players receive).
As a fan, do you want to hear that a player you have been deliriously happy to have on your team, one who’s debut you have been eagerly anticipating, doesn’t want to be here? Do you want to cheer for his player? I am certain that a percentage of Mariner fans have now washed their hands of Lee, and see him as a temp, trade bait, or even a mercenary. He is not going to get the support and love he was getting right up until the moment that his agent stated his intentions. He may even get some boos, and his agent has alienated him to the fans. Remember the last time a stud lefty felt un-loved in Seattle? He pouted and quit on the team until he was traded, then suddenly remembered how to pitch.
If Lee is un-motivated, and un-loved, his pitching could suffer, which damages his trade value, hurting the Mariners organization, and brings up another problem. Do you trade him? If so, when? Now, after one brilliant start? At the trade deadline, provided the M’s are not in the race? What if they are? Do you wait until the off season, let him leave (further alienating fans) and take your compensatory picks? If Lee’s pitching suffers, he will not get the same contract he would if he has another Cy Young season, and that hits Mr Braunecker in the wallet. I see absolutely no reason for Braunecker to make these statements, especially when Lee has said repeatedly that he does not want to discuss these things during the season. I suppose agents are a necessary evil in the game, but I fail to see how this one is doing his job to the benefit of anyone involved.
As for the 3 game series with Texas, there were some outstanding pitching performances. Beyond that, please refer to the title of this post.
What a brutal start to a road trip
A 162 game season certainly has a roller coaster feel to it, especially for a fan base as starved for a winner as Seattle is. A 2-6 to start, a nice 7-1 stretch, then 3 consecutive heartbreakers late. Ugh.
So, Aardsma blew a save. I think he is allowed. He had converted 16 in a row before Saturday night in Chicago. No doubt some of you reading this remember Bobby Ayala. Some have been trying to forget, I know (sorry about bringing him back into your consciousness. Really, I’m sorry, but if I have to think about him, so do you). For those of you fortunate enough not to remember, Ayala did some serious, long term damage to the psyche of M’s fans. Utterly frustrating and unreliable, he was good for a spike in antacid sales every time he went out there. Probably cost someone a TV at some point. Anyhow, I bring him up just to tell a story about going to the Oakland Coliseum to watch the M’s play the Oakland. There is a communications company called Avaya, which, out of the corner of your eye looks waaaay too much like Ayala……and that name is all over the place. Bobby scarred me so deeply that it took many, many trips to that stadium for me to stop jumping every time I saw one of those stupid signs. I guess my point is, be glad we have Aardsma, not some crappy closer with a name that sounds like a phone company.
So, back to my point about too many runners left on base….
Three games tied in the late going, three times the M’s lose. As I started to look at the numbers (instead of just going off my assumption/gut feelings which I tend to do sometimes, a good way to look like an idiot) something interesting came to light. The Mariners left 31 runners on base in the series with the White Sox. That seems to be too many (especially since they were swept) but the White Sox left 38. The difference being, the Sox were hitting bombs when it counted. They can get away with that. They are built that way, Seattle is not. There are a million ways to win or lose baseball games, I don’t want to dwell on this on too much, but it just did such a good job of helping illustrate my point from the other day that I thought it warranted a little attention.
Lets hope the M’s can get healthy in KC, and keep the roller coaster going.
So, Aardsma blew a save. I think he is allowed. He had converted 16 in a row before Saturday night in Chicago. No doubt some of you reading this remember Bobby Ayala. Some have been trying to forget, I know (sorry about bringing him back into your consciousness. Really, I’m sorry, but if I have to think about him, so do you). For those of you fortunate enough not to remember, Ayala did some serious, long term damage to the psyche of M’s fans. Utterly frustrating and unreliable, he was good for a spike in antacid sales every time he went out there. Probably cost someone a TV at some point. Anyhow, I bring him up just to tell a story about going to the Oakland Coliseum to watch the M’s play the Oakland. There is a communications company called Avaya, which, out of the corner of your eye looks waaaay too much like Ayala……and that name is all over the place. Bobby scarred me so deeply that it took many, many trips to that stadium for me to stop jumping every time I saw one of those stupid signs. I guess my point is, be glad we have Aardsma, not some crappy closer with a name that sounds like a phone company.
So, back to my point about too many runners left on base….
Three games tied in the late going, three times the M’s lose. As I started to look at the numbers (instead of just going off my assumption/gut feelings which I tend to do sometimes, a good way to look like an idiot) something interesting came to light. The Mariners left 31 runners on base in the series with the White Sox. That seems to be too many (especially since they were swept) but the White Sox left 38. The difference being, the Sox were hitting bombs when it counted. They can get away with that. They are built that way, Seattle is not. There are a million ways to win or lose baseball games, I don’t want to dwell on this on too much, but it just did such a good job of helping illustrate my point from the other day that I thought it warranted a little attention.
Lets hope the M’s can get healthy in KC, and keep the roller coaster going.
OK, so maybe the sky isn’t falling
Two weeks into the season, things have evened out a little bit, after the 2-6 start had a lot of people either looking to hand out pink slips or looking for a really tall bridge. In the immortal words of Lloyd Dobler, “you must chill!” This is not to say everything is rosy, far from it, but that is kind of my point. There are still a disturbing number of runners left on base, including more than one wasted leadoff double. Runs are at a premium. The Griffey/Sweeney DH routine is not exactly scaring anyone, yet the M’s have worked their way back to around .500. We still have yet to see Cliff Lee or Erik Bedard. Milton Bradley (who inexplicably has 5 hits, yet is tied for 2nd on the team in RBI with 8) is going to start hitting better (he is, right?....right?). Ichiro is just getting going. There are a lot of positives to look for, and I am still hopeful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
