I blame Jason for not having a birthday every day.
I hate it when there’s an afternoon game and nobody tells me. I was home all day with nothing to do and could have been listening to the game. I couldn’t have watched the game, but who am I to complain? I didn’t even check the schedule. Instead, I found it by accident about the 7th. Oh well.
In any event, it’s too bad for the rain delay — sounds like Freddy was pitching well once again. Since he started working with Pat Borders, he’s put up the following line: 19 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 BB and 15 K.
As for the part of the game I did catch, I don’t understand why Box Melvin refuses to use Rafael Soriano for longer stretches. He hasn’t worked longer than 1 2/3 innings since August 14th, when he held the Blue Jays to one hit in three innings. Melvin should have been able to get three innings out of him again today, meaning Hasegawa — who pitched last night — wouldn’t have had to pitch a second inning (the 10th). It’s a small sample size, sure, but Shiggy’s ERA this month now sits at 5.40. He also seems — I don’t have numbers to back this up — to fail when Melvin leaves him out there for a second inning.
In the end, though, none of this should matter. You’ve got to score some freaking runs against Texas pitching, particularly down in Arlington. Any time you hold the Rangers to a lone run over nine innings, that should pretty much be an automatic win, no questions asked. Ugh.
Baseball’s the only part of my life where I’m superstitious at all, which is why I’m reluctant to post this but… maybe the M’s should take Freddy to arb, kick his butt this time, get a 10% pay cut, and then spend the Useless Roster Spot on Borders, who gets signed for not a whole lot.
In divisional rival news, by watching the A’s-Angels game today I managed to see the entire AL West in one day. Sweet game, too:
Zito: 8.3 IP, 2H, 2BB, 6K
Shields: 8 IP, 4H, 6K
Shields really looked good — so far this year he’s been badly roughed up as he gets deep into games after converting from relief. And Zito’s got that huge-breaking curve ball that looks like something out of a cartoon.
And then I watched a bit of the Braves v. Expos game, and saw something extraordinary. The team was getting pounded by the Braves, and in the 7th if I remember, Alou pulls Vlad Guerrero from the field. The crowd loudly applauds Vlad at length — it may be the last time he plays in an Expo uniform, and 17,000 people showed up for the last game of the season. Then they start booing and chanting “Guerrero” and they’re loud. Later in the inning Frank Robinson comes out to pull the pitcher and the crowd just gives it to him. I called Jonah Keri (“Official U.S. Mascot of the Montreal Expos”) and he said they’ve got the loudest small crowds in the league, and I have to believe him. Those fans were nutty. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, MLB should be ashamed for so utterly failing to support baseball in Montreal.
Also, for all the talk about what a great job Frank Robinson does, the one thing he has not been able to drill into that team is baserunning acumen. They make more mistakes running around the diamond than a high school team should.
Thanks for the win guys. I appreciate it. M’s win, I had nice dinner out* with the wife… all in all, a good birthday.
By the way, Dave, as long as we’re talking about guys Gillick wanted, don’t forget Gookie Dawkins.
(*) If you haven’t already, check out the Library Bistro. It’s at the Alexis Hotel on 1st and Madison; used to be the Painted Table. Good food, good atmosphere, great desserts. I also know they’re baseball fans (or at least someone there is), because they advertise in the Grand Salami.
And they come through for Jason on his birthday. Nice job, Jamie.
Can anyone else believe we’re only 1 1/2 games out of the wild card? Does anyone really think this team could win a playoff game right now? Would Justin Leone be on the roster if he was born in Port Orchard? These are the things that keep me up at night.
In other news, a pretty weird “Bob Melvin may be fired” rumor is apparently circulating. Besides the fact that he deserves to come back next year (as shocking as you may think that is, I actually kind of like The Box), there is no way ownership is going to pay him to not manage. If they won’t cut bait on Jeff Cirillo’s contract, they certainly won’t pay someone to take Melvin’s job next year. Lest we forget, Melvin is a rookie manager, and despite his warts, I think he’s done a decent job. He has some flaws, but he improved as the season went along, and I don’t think anyone could have managed to make the playoffs with Ichiro turning into Roger Cedeno in the second half.
Speaking of Roger Cedeno, I find it amusing how people forget that he was a guy Gillick wanted. How many moves has Gillick been saved from by someone else? Cedeno, Juan Gonzalez, Jose Contreras, Aaron Boone. Even the guys that Gillick doesn’t get suck. But, he’ll be leaving shortly, so we can finally bury that hatchet. Hooray.
And, to answer the most commonly asked question I hear, no, I don’t think there’s even the slightest chance that the M’s hire Paul DePodesta. Personally, he wouldn’t be my top choice anyways. Give me Chris Antonetti (Cleveland’s Asst. GM), Tim Purpura (Houston’s Asst. GM), or Derek Zumsteg (USS Mariner’s President, CEO, and Hall of Fame writer).
Alright, lets all chime in:
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birhtday to You
Happy Birthday to Jason
Happy Birthday to You
OK.
I don’t do this very often, but here goes — I’d like a win today for my birthday. Is that too much to ask?
Thanks,
Jason
Although it’s only postponing the inevitable, I will say “thank you” to the Angels for scoring three runs in the bottom of the 9th tonight to beat the A’s.
Particularly embarassing: Oakland may use the last series against the M’s to re-set their rotation going into the division series, gifting Seattle with some mercy wins against the Sacramento Rivercats.