A review of the first week
Seven games is still a ridiculous sample size, and what follows probably doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but it could be interesting anyways.
The Mariners as a team are hitting .273/.319/.395, which isn’t good. However, they are averaging 5.57 runs per game, which is very good. Why the disparity? They’re hitting .347/.392/.537 with runners on base and .404/.452/.667 with men in scoring position. Overall, they’re hitting like a roster full of Willie Bloomquist’s, but with runners on base, they’re more like Adrian Beltre, and with men in scoring position, they’re Ted Williams.
This is all just sample size noise. The M’s will hit better than they have with the bases empty, but they’ll hit worse than they have with runners on. Where they meet will determine if this team can keep scoring runs at the current pace. The smart money leans towards no.
On the pitching and defense side, the M’s have held their opponents to a .251/.316/.348 line. They’ve issued 22 walks against just 32 strikeouts, which isn’t very good, but they’ve held teams to just 14 extra base hits, or 22 percent of total hits allowed. Last year, 36 percent of their hits allowed were extra base knocks. The batting average allowed isn’t hugely different from last year, but that masks the fact that most of the hits off the M’s so far have been singles.
Interestingly, the pitching has been the the inverse of the offense, pitching very well with no one on base and getting torched with runners on. As a result, the team is still giving up 5 runs per game despite keeping other teams from hitting well. Again, this is noise, and it will even out as the year goes on.
Other random individual notes:
Ichiro leads the team in walks. That’s never a good sign.
Richie Sexson is hitting .259. Ichiro is hitting .464. Sexson has more total bases, 16 to 15. The long ball is still the most efficient way to score runs.
Ryan Franklin has faced 47 batters and 43 of them have put the ball in play. 8 of those have gone for hits, for a BABIP of .186. League average is generally .300. When that comes back to earth, watch out.
Jamie Moyer has twice as many strikeouts as any other pitcher on the staff. He has 28 percent of the team’s strikeouts in 17 percent of the innings. Jamie Moyer, strikeout king.
We’re 3-4. If you want to be optimistic, we’re only one game out of first place. If you want to be a pessimist, we’re tied with six other teams for the worst record in the American League.
M’s adjust rotation
From MLB.com:
Gil Meche, who has been bothered by a sore right elbow in his first two starts, will start on Saturday, instead of Friday. Right-hander Joel Pineiro, who began the season on the disabled list with a tender shoulder, will be activated and start on Friday.
Um… wow.
The Mariners had Meche’s bothersome elbow X-rayed after he left the game on Sunday.
“It was absolutely and purely precautionary,” Hargrove said of the X-rays. “Everything was normal on it. We decided to give him an extra day because of the stiffness. Other than that I don’t think we are really that concerned. I think it’s just one of those things.”
In the event the Mariners have to put Meche on the DL, they anticipate calling up both Baek and Campillo, anticipating that one of the two will explode or otherwise injure themselves badly enough such that they can’t pitch before they’re able to report (not really).
Car, anyone?
I’ve asked once; I’m asking again. We’re leaving on Wednesday and I really need to unload my 1997 Jetta before then, as we can’t afford to have two cars in New York. KBB.com says $5,555 — I’m asking $5500 and will listen to any reasonable offer. Here’s the craigslist listing. Thanks.
Lou Piniella’s Winning Ways
Folks, for only $8 you can see a 1991 version of Lou Piniella talking about hitting fundamentals. It’s on eBay.
How much will Lou Piniella’s instruction help you? Check this out:
Year: AVG OBP SLG
2003 Devil Rays: .265 .320 .404
2004 Devil Rays: .258 .320 .405
Oooooh yeah. Weirdly, I came across that listing while attempting to answer the question “how big did Lou’s gut ever become before he started to shape up?” as part of an argument today.
Game 7, Mariners at Royals
Just one question: have Steve Bartman and Jeffrey Maier taught us nothing? Can’t the ruined shreds of a Cub fan’s life turn into an object lesson of what not to do when a foul ball comes your way?
The M’s get a refreshing change today. This time, they’re facing a pitcher coming off of major surgery instead of sending one to the hill themselves. Runelvys “Don’t Walkelvys” Hernandez vs. Ryan “Where’s My Home Town, Again?” Franklin, 1:10 p.m., PDT.
Madritsch has torn ligament
MRI reveals a “small tear in a ligament behind the shoulder” according to the team. Article at MLB.com and elsewhere.
Now, there’s no way to directly blame this on Bob Melvin. Indirectly, of course, one might argue that Melvin’s late-season pointless riding of Madritsch might have something to do with it. No way to know, though. Fortunately, in Hargrove we have a manager well-known for his concern– uh oh.
Who?
Just saw this headline on ESPN.com’s baseball page: “Mariners’ Young on 60-day DL.” Uh, who? Oh, Eric Young. Of the Padres. Right.
Game 6, Rangers @ Mariners
Have you recovered from yesterday’s stomach punch yet?
After two wildly exciting games featuring late-inning comebacks and dramatic errors, this afternoon is the rubber match: Ryan Drese v. Gil Meche, 1:05 p.m.
The next time I start to draw conclusions about where the season is headed based on these first few games, I’m going to remind myself that Ben Molina has more home runs than Hank Blalock, Wilson Valdez has a better batting average than Mark Teixeira and Johan Santana’s ERA is over 7.00. If a baseball season is a marathon, a week is one city block.
Moves
In case you missed it —
Bobby Madritsch is on the 15-day DL. Ryan Franklin will assume his spot in the rotation. Justin Leone was recalled from Tacoma.
Game 4, Rangers @ Mariners
Chan Ho Park v. Aaron Sele, 7:05pm, KSTW
Over/under on total home runs given up: 3.5, and I’d take the over.
Last Mariner position player to pitch in a game: John Mabry in 2000. When was the last time an active Mariner position player* threw a pitch in a game**? Please show your work. Winner gets a year’s subscription to the site.
* 25-man, DL included
** exhibition and charity games don’t count, but minor league and college or high school games do