Week 2
6-7. 6-7 after facing two really good teams in Cleveland and Boston. That’s not bad at all. It’s still early, and of course last year’s team hit 6-7 (and took three from KC to get there!), but this isn’t bad.
The good news is the offense has been vastly improved by some new players. Jojima’s the best hitter on the team right now. I don’t remember seeing Ibanez get those hits, but there they are. Jose Lopez is rewarding us faithful with some great power.
The bad news is the offense is much, much worse. Everett’s hitting .154 and looks horrible. Beltre looks like a worse version of last year’s Beltre, which I hadn’t thought possible. I’m not sure how many times I can say his approach is broken before I stop bothering. Ichiro’s off to a horrible start, and Ichiro makes the world turn.
Soriano’s been lights-out and the rest of the staff’s been. Not so good. Pineiro’s looked like good and bad versions of himself, sometimes in the same game.
Most worrisome, King Felix has been abdicating the throne, wandering the earth in peasant’s clothes, traveling incognito, walking the opposition and… man, that’s only two starts, but that is just ugly.
Aggressive base running is exciting and frequently quite dumb.
This team is strange to watch. I don’t know how else to say it. There’s a weird vibe.
I know, that’s the kind of insight you come to USSM for. Sorry.
Up this week: one last game in Boston, then a long homestand with Texas and Detroit (and Chicago, but that’s Week 3).
Actually it is the insight I have had the privilege to read for 39 months mas or minos..
The authors and posters comments are always appreciated if not always with agreed.
I believe Beltre is among the best third basemen in either league(top three).. Certainly wonder if hitting problems are able to be corrected????? Anyone???
Really great job by all…Except Corcoran as even though baited did not post much.
Putz, Sherrill, and Soriano have been stellar. Moyer has actually been quite good despite being 0-2 to start the season. Meche is Meche and Pineiro is Pineiro. Washburn is about as consistent as a pollster.
Woods is doing well, but somehow I get the feeling it wont last. He’s got decent K-rates but bad BB-rates and is an extreme flyballer. He’s gonna get pasted eventually. It’s nice that, at least for now, he’s helping quite a bit. Mateo and Guardado suck.
King Felix is still the King until otherwise dictated by him. How dare you blasphem.
Is that an argument that Felix as God (or a god)? I didn’t think expectations for him could be much higher, but it appears I was badly wrong.
Unless you believe that Felix’s position as regent is divinely ordained, and criticism of him is criticism of God’s larger plan.
Both seem unlikely. I don’t believe God intervenes in sporting events at all, and I don’t see a divine hand in his ascent to be the team’s best starter.
It is not for us to decide, and nor is it God who hath given him divine province. Nay! It was fate and destiny that did guide this to be. Was it not the young beardless Felix Hernandez who dideth pull out the sacred pitching glove El Cartuela from the stone?!
Have ye forgotten the miracle we all witnessed yon years ago Christmas morn at Winter Ball in Venezuela?
I agree with the strange vibe. This group of players is the manic depressive of the league.
Some parts are so compelling and exciting to watch (Sherrill making Papi looking absolutely lost, God I loved that AB yesterday) and other pieces make me die a little death at each AB (see Beltre, Adrian).
All of our starters managed to work out of some pretty rough innings, keeping the games close. When they walk batters and nibble the way they do, I want to just scream. They somehow wiggle out of it and I think that fate must catch up the next inning. Yet, they somehow manage to sneak away fairly unscathed.
Chavez just may be a miricle worker. In Saturday’s game Joel had himself buried. Chavez came out and must have told Pineiro how to dig or something. To think of what Chavez could do with a group of starters who are not headcases.
No matter what, at least I can watch this team…so far. Last year I just couldn’t bear day after day. I bet (read hoping) we see some moves this month in regards to our DH.
Quick numbers through Week #2
“Bad” Starters (Ichiro, Beltre, Yuniesky, Crazy Carl)
165/256/238 in 203 PA
“Good” Starters (Sexson, Lopez, Kenji, Reed, Raul)
269/345/498 in 249 PA
Wow. 6-7, I think we’re pretty lucky
#6: Though I would agree about Ichi, Beltre, and Jurassic Carl having bad starts, I can’t really say I expected too much more out of Yuniesky. Hell, he’s our 9 hitter and he’s doing better then all the other guys you’ve grouped him with. If he can stay above .220 and keep generating those XBHs, I’ll be quite happy.
You know, with regards to Carl, maybe he ought to stop switch-hitting and just pick a side.
Lawton, Meche, and Guardado for Dontrelle. Soriano becomes the closer, Everett becomes a utility outfielder (never to be heard from again), and Pettagine takes over at DH.
#8: Lawton, Meche, and Guardado for Dontrelle. Soriano becomes the closer, Everett becomes a utility outfielder (never to be heard from again), and Pettagine takes over at DH.
That ought to be good for some laughter paroxysms in the Marlins front office. Shoot, a dentist could use that line in lieu of nitrous oxide during extractions and root canals.
8: While your trade is just funny to me, when you work the numbers ($10 mil for $4 mil to a team looking to cut its $4 mil payroll) it begs the question: what would it take to get D-train? His competitive edge would be a great addition to the clubhouse, oh and did I mention the guy could win 4-5 Cy Youngs.
My thinking is: Nageotte, Foppert and Choo or something like it. They would need 3 minimum wage guys who have huge upside or could potentially make it to the Majors this year or next.
My bad: FLA has a $14 million or so payroll not 4
Nageotte, Foppert, and Choo doesn’t even get you a Dontrelle rookie card.
There’s no point speculating on offers for a guy who isn’t available, but if you really want to dream, you’re looking at something like Reed, Clement, Jones, and Feierabend just to get them to talk to you.
Hasn’t Felix always been a slow starter? I know he always had a bit of adjustment time after he moved up a level, but isn’t it possible that he’s just one of those guys that start slow but dominate at the end?
Searching for clues dept., curious stat of the week (through 4/16):
Ichiro, first pitch, 4-8, .500
Ichiro, after first pitch, 6-46, .130
Nageotte, Foppert, and Choo doesn’t even get you a Dontrelle rookie card.
I really want to laugh at this…
9. and 10., get lives. I was kidding about the trade. In the immortal words of Charlie Brown, “Don’t you know sarcasm when you hear it?” We couldn’t unload Guardado and Meche now for the guy who washes Dontrelle’s jock straps, nor do I think we have anywhere near the prospects the Fish would want in exchange for D-Train.
What I’m not kidding about is getting Overweight Eddie out of the way so Soriano can close, and sitting Carl the Snarl in favor of Pettagine. Never gonna happen, but I can dream.
13- I was wondering the same thing. Aren’t pitchers (and even young players) often slower in the colder months? For instance would he pitch the same if he spent all his time in Texas or another southern/warmer state? Does anyone know the numbers on Felix during the spring months playing in other leagues?
Idahowriter, if your comment was truly sarcastic, you need to work on conveying facetiousness in your writing. It wasn’t apparent sarcasm at all.
Beltre really concerns me. He is supposed to be the biggest bat on the team, or at least that is what his contract implies. So far he doesn’t even have one RBI. How can the 2004 Beltre and this guy be the same person? How can this team be competitive can’t even carry his own weight, much less put the team on his shoulders?
I realize this contract seemed good at the time, but it’s starting to look like a real albatross now. It certainly doesn’t make Bavasi look good right now. The Everett contract is kind of small potatoes in comparison.