Game 117, Royals at Mariners
RHP Runelvys Hernandez vs. RHP “King” Felix Hernandez, 7:05pm. FSN & KOMO.
When these two Hernandezes (or is that Hernandi?) get together, you may as well throw out the record books — they flatout do not like each other.
Runelvys, who I still think of as a “young pitcher” despite that we’re the same age, is eight years older than Felix. When he was Felix’s age, he hadn’t even signed his first professional contract with the Royals yet. Think about that. After signing in December 1997, he spent three years in the Dominican Summer League before breaking into full season ball in 2001, at the age of 23. By the time Felix turns 23, he’ll probably have 50 big league wins under his belt.
RF Ichiro
3B The Ignitor
LF Ibanez
1B Sexson
DH Beltre
CF Reed
SS Morse
2B Betancourt
C Torrealba
One of the weirdest lineups of the season, for reasons we’re beating to death in the comments.
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Pregame wake and festivities
If you want to meet up with fellow USSMers, check out today’s unofficial USSM pre-game. We’re going to meet up tonight about 5:30ish, maybe a little earlier at the King Street Bar and Oven.
You get two USSM authors and a BP guy:
- I’ll be there, trying to compose drinking songs about how depressed I am about Doyle.
- Jeff will be there, helping with rhymes and meter. He’s the handsome one.
- Jonah will be there, smiling, happy, and generally sociable, since it’s unlikely he’ll have another really bad day. Unless Jeff and I drag him into our Doyle-related despair.
Jonah’s trying to negotiate for a reserved table, so RSVPs if you’re going or will attempt to go would be helpful.
Foppert Makes Debut
Though most of the story is devoted to the return of Bucky Jacobsen, the TNT notes that last night marked Jesse Foppert’s first start for the organization. He was on a strict pitch count, hence threw just one inning.
Pitching prospect Jesse Foppert, coming off an injury, started for Tacoma but was on a limit of 25 pitches or one inning. Foppert threw 16 pitches – nine strikes – and allowed one hit, a line-drive single, before turning the game over to right-hander Rich Dorman (4-4).
Despite my good wishes for Mr. Foppert‘s health, we will refrain from referring to him as “William.” It seems that wasn’t working anyway.
Game 116, Angels at Mariners
Today’s lineup:
I. Suzuki RF
W. Bloomquist 2B
R. Ibanez LF
R. Sexson 1B
A. Beltre 3B
J. Reed CF
Y. Betancourt SS
S. Spiezio DH
Y. Torrealba C
I offer you, gentle reader, the Top Ten Reasons I Am Glad Scott Spiezio Is Our Designated Hitter.
10. Successive 0s in box score offer zen-like relaxation effect
9. Lulls Angels into false sense of security, distracting them from Thunderstick Yorvit
8. Gives hope to all minor leaguers that they, too, can fail to hit Eddie Gaedel’s weight and yet keep a job in the show
7. Sets stage for Krispy Kreme stock rebound as all Mariners begin to do the opposite of Spiezio’s routine
6. Increases likelihood of Ichiro teaching teammates Japanese synonyms for “suck”
5. If Betancourt gets a knock, no one can say “of course he’s getting pitches to hit, Spiezio‘s protecting him”
4. Keeps him in running for “worst facial hair by a regular major leaguer” award
3. Raises possibility of a Mariner using a Babe Ruth replica bat in a game
2. Sets stage for his new career: Jared Fogle’s personal trainer
1. Showcases him for inevitable trade to Padres
Game 115, Angels at Mariners
While bemoaning the fate of Doyle, consider reading this article, which raises profound questions about the nature of karma in an unjust universe. Also consider blaming Evil Rick Rizzs.
The debate camp went great, thanks for asking, and supreme gratitude to all those who donated. Also, thanks to everyone at the blog for holding it down while I was gone. Today, the triumphant return of Ryan “Roider” Franklin comes against Bartolo Colon.
Fun fact about your Designated Hitter, Scott Spiezio: Ichiro has more than 40 multi-hit games this season. That means, more than 40 times, Ichiro has equalled Spiezio’s season hit total (two) in one game.
Mass suicide scheduled for Wednesday
I’ll be leading the Cult of Doyle into the Puget Sound at noon, where we’ll all drown, cold and miserable. The Church of Bloomquist the Ignitor is invited to attend and applaud or boo as they feel fit, after which they will go see the M’s play the Royals at 1:35.
Light snacks and punch will be served.
Update: it has been brought to my attention that killing myself, while possibly a welcome relief from despair, would prevent me from heading to Australia, and Doyle would have wanted me to go.
Roster construction and the Mariner bench
We’ve ranted at times about the 13-man pitching staff, but with Doyle down, this is worth talking about again. This team’s 25-man is thin and doesn’t offer Hargrove a lot to work with. Not that he might work with it anyway, as he’s a set-lineup kinda manager, but there’s almost no flexibility here. Really:
SP: RHP Franklin, RHP Hernandez, RHP Meche, LHP Moyer, RHP Pineiro.
Bunch of guys, several of which are likely to get shelled or leave a game early (which helps, unfortunately, to justify a 7+man bullpen).
RP: RHP Harris, RHP Hasegawa, RHP Mateo, RHP Nelson, RHP Putz, LHP Sherrill, LHP Thornton
As a unit, they’ve done well, though they all seem to have their flaws. Nelson still can’t get lefties out, for instance, and has looked erratic even against righties. Thornton’s walked too many guys and is home-run prone. Putz is home-run prone too. Still, there are a bunch of guys who can handle multiple innings effectively. Even with the starting rotation they could get away with fewer relievers.
Closer: LHP Guardado
Yup.
Outfielders: LF-L Ibanez, CF-L Reed, RF-L Suzuki.
Backup? Um… well, you’d think you would want a right-handed 4th OF who can sub defensively for Ibanez in the late innings, give any of these guys a day off without killing the team, maybe play center if you want to sit Reed versus lefty starters. Jamal Strong’s right-handed, hitting .293/.371/.393 with 25 steals in Tacoma. He doesn’t help with power at all, but a high average guy who can get on base and swipe on — stick him in the #2 slot, heck. Or bat him ninth and let him get on and terrorize the bases ahead of Ichiro, stay out of double plays.
Here’s the other problem here — if Ibanez is in the field, and Bloomquist is at second, your nominal backup outfielder’s already in the game. Move him to left to replace Ibanez and then you have to stick someone at second, which creates its own problem.
And anyway, I’d argue that while part of Bloomquist’s value in being on the roster is that he could play the outfield, that’s not really where you’re getting your best Bloomquist value. Having a true outfielder out there, even if it’s another guy without pop like Strong, has value.
Choo, btw, .252/.358/374. Ugh.
With a roster crunch, though, who do you move to get a Strong up here?
Infielders: 1B-R Sexson, 3B-R Beltre, with two of SS-R Betancourt, SS-R Morse, UT-R Bloomquist.
If Bloomquist plays second every day, one of Betancourt/Morse sits. Since Morse has spent the last year becoming an adequate defensive shortstop, moving him seems silly. Since Betancourt is a natural crazy ball-vacuuming short, moving him seems silly.
Morse (and this was in one of the papers recently) may end up the righthanded 4th OF… but that’s not going to happen tomorrow. Right now, any middle infield lineup leaves a shortstop on the bench who could be starting. Not having Lopez or a straight 2B means Bloomquist can’t be the super-sub where he earns his keep by giving random dudes days off at the manager’s discretion.
Catchers: C-R Gonzalez, C-R Torrealba
Bench: 1B/3B/but really PH-L Hansen, 1B/3B-B Spiezio
Ugh. There could be utility to having Hansen in the right roster, but a left-handed pinch-hitter who isn’t hitting when called off the bench and can’t carry a glove on a team that desperately needs a DH or an extra outfielder to move Ibanez back into DHing doesn’t make sense. Spiezio offers a little more glove at the same positions, but those are positions played by Sexson and Beltre, neither of who need replacement defensively. And while you’d like to think that Spiezio can’t hit ~.050 forever, what’s the upside here — he DHs a lot and goes on a hot streak where he hits .250/.300/.350?
Two guys who are on the roster, essentially, to pinch-hit for the catchers, when both of them make you want to give up the DH and let the pitchers swing away. At the same time, they’re running without a true second baseman, seemingly tying Red Hot Bloomquist down to the position, without a good 4th OFer, or a decent DH.
The good news is we’re only two weeks and change away from roster expansion, when the team can call up everyone from Tacoma for Hargrove to not use.
“Snelling Likely Done for Season”
PI’s got the story up. We won’t really know until they crack it open and look.
Game 114, Angels at Mariners
LHP Jarrod Washburn v LHP Jamie Moyer. 7:05.
I don’t understand how the Angels were able to change their name so quickly and have everyone accept it. If the Mariners were tomorrow to change their name to the New York Mariners of Seattle, would we really see NYS on the scoreboards the next day?
Your Doyle-less lineup:
Ichiro, RF-L
Bloomquist, Ignitor/2B-R
Ibanez, LF-L
Sexson, 1B-R
Beltre, 3B-R
Reed, CF-L
Betancourt, SS-R
Spiezio, DH-B
Torrealba, C-R
Q: How do you know when you need a new DH?
A: When your DH bats 8th and hits .057
Doyle to the DL
15-day, “sprained left knee” is the listed reason.
Also, Ryan Franklin’s back. Contain your enthusiasm, please.