Angels at Mariners, September 13th

DMZ · September 13, 2004 at 6:21 pm · Filed Under Mariners 

Escobar versus Baek.

Baek looked bad last time I saw him pitch. His stuff wasn’t working and he didn’t seem ready to be starting.

Mariners hitters at home: .255/.323/.432, 68 home runs
Opposing hitters at Safeco: .252/.338/.431, 101 home runs

Part of that is opportunity: because the M’s don’t bat in the ninth sometimes, their AB total would be lower anyway.

So far, Anahiem has whupped up on the Mariners: 5.76 ERA, 3-10 record, 24 HR in 13 games.

I’d like to see Jeremy Reed get a serious hit, Ichiro! to get a couple, and Baek.. well, I’d like a pony, too, and I’m not going to get that either.

7:30 — Escobar’s not supposed to go to his mouth and blow on much less lick his fingers before touching the ball. Pitchers can’t even blow on their hands unless they’re received prior permission from both managers before the game and it’s a cold game, which it isn’t. You’re never supposed to lick your fingers. If I was managing the M’s, I’d be all over that — every time he licks his fingers the umpire is supposed to immediately call a ball. It’s in 8.02(a)(1) — why Melvin doesn’t want his players getting every advantage he can squeeze out of this escapes me. Doesn’t he want to field a competitive team and try to win as much as possible to preserve the integrity of the pennant races? That’s what he says he wants, after all.

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Comments

16 Responses to “Angels at Mariners, September 13th”

  1. Nate on September 13th, 2004 7:35 pm

    Nobody likes a kid who has a pony…

  2. Pat Gillicks Hemorrhoids on September 13th, 2004 7:41 pm

    Why the huge discrepancy in home runs, when slugging is basically the same?

  3. DMZ on September 13th, 2004 7:45 pm

    Dunno. I pulled them off STATS and rechecking…
    M’s @ home… 2428 AB, 618 H, 117 2B, 8 3B, 68 HR, 230 TBB
    then in the Batters v M’s pitchers section…
    2562 AB, 645 H, 149 2B, 4 3B, 101 HR, 260 TBB

    Lines match, too.

  4. Jeff on September 13th, 2004 8:21 pm

    Can we officially declare the Cha Seung Baek audition over?

  5. Pat Gillicks Hemorrhoids on September 13th, 2004 8:54 pm

    So much for all those great young pitchers in Tacoma. Excepting Madritsch.

  6. johnb on September 13th, 2004 9:12 pm

    It think Baek has pitched fine tonight. Here he is in the seventh inning trailing 5-0, but he hasn’t given that much up. He has thrown over 100 pitches tonight and ate up 7 innings. I wouldn’t get too concerned about the youth auditions. These guys were all brought up to take their lumps. They are getting experience that will help the team in the future. Madritsch and Meche are locks for the rotation next year, thats not too shabby. The biggest concern to me is Moyer and Franklin. I don’t think Moyer has another good year in him, and Franklin just needs to move along. Bottom line we need to bring in some FA pitching this winter.

  7. Jeff on September 13th, 2004 9:16 pm

    I does look like Baek is better the longer you leave him in the game. Is he really a viable long relief candidate for ’05?

  8. eponymous coward on September 13th, 2004 10:14 pm

    Is he a candidate? Sure, why not? You want to see Franklin give up a zillion homers next year while striking out 3 guys a game?

  9. eponymous coward on September 13th, 2004 10:19 pm

    Oh, and if Melvin was concerned with the integrity of the pennant race, he’d have someone who wasn’t hitting .172 since the All-Star Break at 1B. Why Spiezio deserves ANY playing time at this point in the year beyond maybe defensive sub for Ibanez at 1B is beyond me. Play Reed every day and tell Spiezio he can go work on his guitar chords or something until spring training.

  10. Sandfrog on September 13th, 2004 11:18 pm

    We don’t need to work on our guitar chords!

  11. bob mong on September 14th, 2004 7:56 am

    I see pitchers licking their fingers all the time – like, every time I see a game on TV I see pitchers licking their fingers. Not while on the rubber, but while walking around the mound before getting on the rubber.

  12. Evan on September 14th, 2004 9:15 am

    That’s because they find Mariners hitters so tasty.

  13. Ralph Malph on September 14th, 2004 9:39 am

    That’s because the rule allows pitchers to go to their mouth when they’re off the mound. Here’s the rule:

    The pitcher shall not_ (a) (1) Bring his pitching hand in contact with his mouth or lips while in the 18 foot circle surrounding the pitching rubber. EXCEPTION: Provided it is agreed to by both managers, the umpire prior to the start of a game played in cold weather, may permit the pitcher to blow on his hand. PENALTY: For violation of this part of this rule the umpires shall immediately call a ball. However, if the pitch is made and a batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a hit batsman or otherwise, and no other runner is put out before advancing at least one base, the play shall proceed without reference to the violation. Repeated offenders shall be subject to a fine by the league president.

  14. DMZ on September 14th, 2004 12:19 pm

    Escobar was on the mound when he was doing it! That’s my whole point!

  15. Ralph Malph on September 14th, 2004 2:44 pm

    I was with you Derek.

  16. Troy Sowden on September 14th, 2004 2:45 pm

    Funny stuff Evan!