Ryan Franklin throws simulated game

DMZ · August 9, 2005 at 3:11 pm · Filed Under Mariners 

From the PI:

FRANKLIN THROWS: Ryan Franklin threw 84 pitches to a lineup of big-league hitters, iced his arm, and spoke with the media on Monday.

A typical start, right? No. The stadium was empty, and the batting order consisted of his teammates: Gonzalez, Yuniesky Betancourt, Dave Hansen, Mike Morse, and Jeremy Reed.

As Franklin’s 10-day suspension under Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program passed its midpoint, he threw a final simulated game before being activated.

[…]

Franklin allowed only two hits during his outing — Hansen had both — and seemed encouraged. He also began developing a rapport with new acquisition Yorvit Torrealba, who caught the session.

Wait, wait, wait. With no fielders behind him, Ryan Franklin only allowed two hits to Dave Hansen? How is that possible? When I initially read that it was an 84-pitch simulated game, my reaction was “He probably only went five simulated innings, and gave up six simulated runs on eight simulated hits, two of them home runs, including a 485-foot simulated blast to center field, striking out two and walking one.”

But really? Two hits?

Comments

40 Responses to “Ryan Franklin throws simulated game”

  1. Aaron on August 9th, 2005 3:13 pm

    Two hits is pretty bad if you consider that the guys were probably only offering simulated swings.
    Or maybe they were using wiffle bats.

  2. Roger on August 9th, 2005 3:15 pm

    Does this say more about Ryan Frankin or more about our lineup?

  3. simon on August 9th, 2005 3:17 pm

    They probably only count it a hit if it goes off the wall or out of the park.

  4. Mr. Egaas on August 9th, 2005 3:17 pm

    How do they consider what is a hit and what is not? Some ground balls can be beat out, some balls can be misplayed, etc.

    Maybe non-simulated Franklin can turn his simulated pitches into non-simulated situations for some non-simulated victories, for a change.

    Simulated or not, I still hope Franklin is non-tendered or dealt after the year is over.

  5. Grizz on August 9th, 2005 3:20 pm

    How does Franklin have time to throw a simulated game? Was he on furlough from Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program Center?

  6. Ralph Malph on August 9th, 2005 3:22 pm

    I think during a simulated game a coach just eyeballs the hit and makes a judgment about whether it would have been a hit.

    I wonder if this was with a simulated Betancourt or a simulated Bloomquist playing short.

  7. Nick on August 9th, 2005 3:24 pm

    “Gonzalez, Yuniesky Betancourt, Dave Hansen, Mike Morse, and Jeremy Reed.”

    Sad to consider the “big league hitters” referenced consists of three rookies, one career pinch hitter and one so-so, oft-injured, catcher trying to get his feet under him…and four of those five guys are at least semi-regulars in our everyday lineup.

  8. Mike Snow on August 9th, 2005 3:24 pm

    Has Hansen gotten as many as two hits in any real games this year?

  9. goodbye baseball on August 9th, 2005 3:34 pm

    Hansen is actually 8 for 42 (.190). Hardly anything to sneeze about. Actually, it is something to sneeze about; I’m allergic to bad hitting.

    Wonder what a Speizio-Franklin matchup would’ve looked like.

  10. Mike Snow on August 9th, 2005 3:37 pm

    That’s too bad, Spiezio could have doubled his season total today.

  11. Mike Snow on August 9th, 2005 3:39 pm

    Or yesterday, I mean. He really should have been in the “lineup,” he needs the BP just like the rest of that group.

  12. Mat on August 9th, 2005 3:41 pm

    How many walks did he have? Did Jeremy Reed swing at any pitches, or did he just stand there watching pitch after pitch miss the strike zone?

  13. Aaron on August 9th, 2005 3:48 pm

    Wonder what a Speizio-Franklin matchup would’ve looked like.

    Good pitching beats good hitting, so bad pitching probably beats bad hitting, right? The three-pitch hypothetical at bat sees Franklin throw three in the dirt, and The Speez swings at them all and strikes out.

  14. MarinerDan on August 9th, 2005 3:52 pm

    I would have allowed one hit against this lineup:

    Gonzalez, Yuniesky Betancourt, Dave Hansen, Mike Morse, and Jeremy Reed

  15. Evan on August 9th, 2005 4:04 pm

    They should have had Franklin pitch his simulated game against Ichiro, Sexson, and Doyle. That would have been a better test.

  16. Russ on August 9th, 2005 4:14 pm

    Others words for simulated: pretend, conjured, imaginary, fake.

    I’m just saying.

  17. j on August 9th, 2005 4:18 pm

    Rick Rizzs’ simulated call: “The simulated Mariners only gave Franklin three runs of simulated support!”

  18. Ralph Malph on August 9th, 2005 4:20 pm

    So you’re saying they faked the results of Franklin’s simulated game…for what reason? To sell more tickets to his next start?

    “You know what, Marge? I’m gonna buy tickets to see that Ryan Franklin pitch tonight. I heard he only gave up 2 simulated hits in his simulated game last time out.”

  19. ray on August 9th, 2005 4:21 pm

    Does this mean the SIMS have come out with new expanded software to go with their main SIMS?

  20. Russ on August 9th, 2005 4:24 pm

    I’m saying simulated games are craptastically worthless in most regards other than throwing pitches and working around the plate.

    Everything is easy with no pressure.

  21. Zero Gravitas on August 9th, 2005 4:34 pm

    You guys are being a little harsh don’t you think? I, for one, am willing to give Ryan Franklin some simulated credit for his efforts.

  22. Ira Sacharoff on August 9th, 2005 4:37 pm

    What they didn’t say was that two simulated hits also resulted in three simulated runs, and that he got zero simulated runs in his support.

  23. Jon Wells on August 9th, 2005 4:38 pm

    What pisses me off is that bigmouth Franklin came out and told the media that he’s starting this Saturday. Meanwhile, manager Mike Hargrove, the one who will actually make the decision on who will start that game, says he hasn’t yet decided between Franklin and Jeff Harris.

    Considering that Harris has pitched well in his two outings and he has a better chance of being on Seattle’s ’06 roster than Franklin, I would think that they should let Harris start and stick Franklin back in the ‘pen. That is unless Pineiro pitches well tomorrow and the desperate for pitching Yankees (currently waiting on news on Pavano and RJ) trade us a prospect for Pineiro and take on his guaranteed money for ’06… then we could have both Harris and Franklin in the rotation for the rest of ’05…

  24. Long Suffering on August 9th, 2005 4:39 pm

    The more important question is whether Ryan wearing his jersey with Franklin on the back on the one with Franklero on the back.

  25. Aaron on August 9th, 2005 4:41 pm

    “I, for one, am willing to give Ryan Franklin some simulated credit for his efforts.”

    I think you mean his simulated efforts.

  26. Xteve X on August 9th, 2005 4:44 pm

    #23 I thought the same thing. I’ll be very disappointed in the Mariners if Franklin gets another start for the rest of the year. Franklin’s got quite the mouth on him for a guy who’s barely 5th starter quality.

  27. JMB on August 9th, 2005 4:46 pm

    Kramer: So Elaine, in your movies is the sex real or is it simulated?

    Elaine: Oh. it’s always simulated… except with George, that’s in my contract.

  28. David J Corcoran on August 9th, 2005 4:50 pm

    23: Why I like Harris better than Franklin, and that angers me as well.

    Harris: “I wish I hadn’t walked three guys and hit another,” he said, “but like I said, I made a few mistakes. I’ll learn.”

    Franklin (not actual quote, but he always says it): “I was great except for four or five mistakes. I’m mad they bumped my start.”

  29. J.R. on August 9th, 2005 4:53 pm

    “and I never get any run support”

  30. Dave in Palo Alto on August 9th, 2005 4:57 pm

    Was Ron Fairly giving simulated advice about keeping the ball down?

  31. David J Corcoran on August 9th, 2005 4:58 pm

    Nah, he was giving simulated advice to Dave Hansen to not swing at the first pitch, no matter how good it was, because one time when he faced a pitcher he had never faced he did and he got in trouble by a veteran teammate.

  32. Paul on August 9th, 2005 5:11 pm

    Ron Fairly was just pretending to say “There’s no question about it.”

  33. mark from Oly. on August 9th, 2005 5:34 pm

    #23
    I don’t think the Yankees even have anyone in their farm system anymore… At least that is what I keep hearing.

    anyone hear anything different?

  34. Ralph Malph on August 9th, 2005 5:41 pm

    Fortunately #33 is just a simulated troll.

  35. Ralph Malph on August 9th, 2005 5:44 pm

    Do you suppose they could have been simulated steroids?

  36. David J Corcoran on August 9th, 2005 5:46 pm

    35: $50 says that’s Franklin’s next simulated excuse.

  37. Dave on August 9th, 2005 6:05 pm

    Nothing against Jeff Harris, but his fielding independant ERA is 5.91. I could care less if Ryan Franklin ever pitches for the M’s again or not, but let’s not act like not giving Harris another start is a travesty of justice.

  38. RickL on August 9th, 2005 6:50 pm

    Not to oversell Franklin, but he seems to be the third best pitcher on the staff to me. I’d rather see him than Meche or Piniero. Harris was great for three innings, then pitched worse than Franklin.

  39. Steve on August 9th, 2005 10:41 pm

    Maybe this is just a simulated thread. We’ll wake up tomorrow and recognize it as just the product of a Borgian collective consciousness.

  40. Gomez on August 9th, 2005 10:43 pm

    Rizzs 9000: There’s the pitch from Franklin, and a drive to deep right center, back to the wall, GOODBYE SIMULATED BASEBALL!

    Valle Beta v0.75: Franklin hanging another pitch up in the zone, and the simulated batters let the first 15 hanging fastballs go by just to be nice and save us from some of Frankie’s simulated whining, but Wiki was just too lazy to fake it and he just killed that pitch. Heck, Scott Spiezio on sedatives would have killed that pitch.

    Rizzs 9000: No simulated doubt about that, Val, as Wiki heads past a napping Mike Morse in the on deck circle to the dugout for some water, and THAT… is our Simulated Magnolia Moment.