M’s at Rangers, 9/24 game thread
Go Ichiro! Another chance to see Madritsch try to end the season tied with Moyer for the most wins. If someone had told me before this season that no Mariner pitcher would finish the year with more than ten wins, and one of the most valuable pitchers would be Madritsch, I would have said “what, did the team all get crippling season-long bouts of chicken pox?”
And sort of, yeah, they did.
But if I may suggest another game to watch… Yankees at Red Sox, 4:05 our time, Mussina versus Martinez. I know Mussina hasn’t been himself this year, but this is potentially a great game in the making, and in Boston, late-season, I think this could be good. And if it’s not good, it’s only an hour before the start of the M’s game.
And if you’re one of our Jewish readers and observing Yom Kippur, you could watch the first game, drink beers, gorge yourself on nachos, wings, and whatever else you wanted, keep going through most of the Mariners game (at 5:05) and be happily contented to start your fast at 7:01. Actually, beer’s probably a bad idea, because you’d get much thirstier later. But you get my point.
Comments
21 Responses to “M’s at Rangers, 9/24 game thread”
I’m trying to understand why Shawn Green went back and forth in his decision to take Yom Kippur off. Either you’re a Jew who practices your faith, or you’re not. Where your team is in a pennant race is not covered in the Scriptures or old Hebrew texts, as far as I can tell.
I’d give Green the benefit of the doubt. As a Christian, I went back and forth over the years about working on Sundays as a teenager. Now, I’m totally okay with it, as long as I can still attend church at some point during the week. I know this isn’t exactly the same thing, but my point is there are often alot of gray areas within religious practices, and unless someone proves themselves to be insincere, I think you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Just my two cents.
I thought the M’s/Rangers were on at 5:00-ish PST, not 7.
I get to see them on UPN tonight.
Am I greatly mistaken?
Many other Jewish players wrestled with the same questions of whether to work on important holidays. Like Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax, for instance — Koufax didn’t pitch a World Series game in 1965 because it fell on Yom Kippur. Others have decided they can go ahead and play on Shabbat, or on a holiday.
I can certainly understand where this would be an issue where you’d want to give it a lot of thought.
Troy, I see your point. I went to a Seventh-day Adventist boarding school for high school, and most of us students worked for a percentage of our tuition and room and board. However, our elders were dead-set against us working on the Adventist Sabbath — Friday sundown to Saturday sundown — UNLESS the work was deemed “essential,” such as cafeteria workers who needed to prepare the days’ meals for dorm students. I remember being smartassed enough to look for this in the Bible and not finding it to my satisfaction and pointing it out to one of the elders. I wish I could remember how he responded, other than rightfully putting me in my place.
So, I wonder, if one prayed to the Lord for divine wisdom, and believed in his heart of hearts that the Lord replied, “Barry Bonds had his shot at The Series … it is your time, good and faithful servant,” that it would be okay to play through the weekend?
(As you can see, I’m not much of an Adventist anymore … though I go to church now and again for the social element. As for the Sabbath … well, I have two prep football games to cover tonight for the local daily paper, so I guess I’m going to spend an eternity thrashing in torment in the Lake of Fire, or something.)
I know this– the Dude may bowl on a Sunday, but Walter sure as hell isn’t.
err… i mean on Shabbat. I really do need to proofread before posting. I’m way out of my element!
My reply to the comment on Shawn Green and celebrating Yom Kippur. One of the interesting things about being Jewish is that the practice of the faith is not dogmatic….this is not a situation where you either “do or you don’t.” My understanding of Shawn Green is that he is not particularly religious, but because he is a high profile player he feels an obligation to take Yom Kippur off as a religious holiday as a recognition of the importance to him of being Jewish and acknowledging his faith. He is also a team mate, and feels an obligation to the Dodgers to play when he is physically able. My GUESS, and that is all that it is, just a guess, is that he is trying to satisfy both his obligation to his faith, and to his team, by taking one day off instead of two.
I like that guess RCC
Sounds good to me. I honestly didn’t realize the decision would be that nuanced. Most devoutly religious people see black or white, not shades of gray. But RCC’s explanation fits … and just feels right, based on what I’ve read. Sorry if I offended any Jewish folks with my oversimplified inquiry.
SHOMER SHABBOS!
Hey, I actually get to watch the M’s tonight on Fox Sports Southwest (Rangers feed). Will Bob Melvin put out his “best team” in the spirit of the “pennant race”? I can’t begin to explain how big of a joke this is.
Just to elaborate on RCC’s comments, there are different branches of Judaism. An Orthodox Jew wouldn’t dream of playing baseball on Yom Kippur (or on any Friday night or Saturday afternoon) and adhere strictly to the letter of the law. Reform Jews take a more liberal/modern approach to the religion, trying to balance religious obligations with modern reality. For example, it’s not practical to walk 3 hours each way to synagogue, so driving is permitted.
My sense is Green would like to take both games off but feels like he’s letting his team down if he does. Unlike most people, he can’t “make up” a missed day of work. To his credit, he is taking off ONE day and I suspect most of the other ten Jews in the league (Ausmus and Youkilis being the most notable) will play both days if needed.
FWIW, Ausmus and Lieberthal both are from mixed marriages, and were not raised in the faith….
In reply to 11, do you consider a lineup of:Ichiro
Winn
Boone
Ibanez
Cabrera
Reed
Spiezio
Wilson
Lopez
The Mariners “best” lineup?
On one of the few nights I actually get to see Mariner baseball in Arkansas, it’s not on here. Instead, we have Vanderbilt-Arkansas women’s soccer. Ugh.
And for Matt, at least that lineup doesn’t have Willie Bloomquist. We should all be happy about that.
Somethings out there. (whistle) Somethings in the air. (whistle)
Don’t know how, don’t know why, got a feeling
tonights the night, I’m actually gonna try.
Not going to phone it in tonight,
not going to go through the motions tonight.
This time I’m really gonna do the best I can.
Mr. Cue Card Man put those cards down over there,
but for some reason tonight I care!
(link for the rest of the song)
I just dont understand. The 4 spot hitter gets to second base to lead off the inning, and melvin feels the need to bunt. This is his team that is producing 20 singles a game or whatever. The runner is in scoring position. Does he really have so little confidence in the 5/6/7 hitters that he needs to bunt? Only one of them needs to hit one single in order to plate a run.
And why is cabrera the 5 spot hitter? Seriously. Are we TRYING to lose?
Did anyone catch Reed’s diving catch? I only heard about it on the radio while driving home from work.
I couldn’t imagine playing baseball while fasting. My softball team has a pickup game tomorrow and the no drinking rule would seem like a bad idea just with that.
FWIW Part 2: I believe Bob Melvin is a Jew.
(And no cracks about him not managing tonight anyway since the M’s won.)
And those of you watching the NY/Boston game per DMZ’s recommendation got to see the Return of Grady Little. (Obligatory M’s content: But I doubt that Theo Epstein will be calling Bob Melvin to offer him a job this winter.)