Game 17, Rangers at Mariners
Joel Pineiro brings his 88 MPH fastball to face Vicente Padilla and the Rangers. While we’ve said our peace about Pineiro and his new junkballing ways, it is worth noting that he’s posted a 1.79 G/F rate during his first three starts, a 40 percent improvement over his 1.29 G/F last year. The three keys to pitching success are throw strikes, miss bats, and keep the ball on the ground. If you can do two of those three, you’re probably okay. Right now, Pineiro’s throwing strikes and keeping the ball on the ground, offsetting his inability to make anyone swing and miss at the crap he’s throwing up there.
For the Rangers, Padilla is pretty much the opposite; recently, his strikeout rates have gone up a bit, while his control and G/F rates have gotten worse.
This is a battle of pretty mediocre pitchers whose reputations outweigh their abilities. So, after slagging them both, expect a pair of perfect games.
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I was hoping for a witty link for “slagging!”
Where is everyone? Ms are only 1/2 game out of first place.
A pair of them? That’d be rather impressive.
Great double play.
yes it was and even better the game’s on AFN…first one I’ve been able to watch!
Maybe everyone went to the game because of the excitement last night
Looks like it’s as empty here as it is at SafeCo.
must be depressed because of Carl
he’s back!
“That’s why they call it an average, because it averages out.”
– Dave Henderson
Good to see that Ichiro is indeed trying to hit .750 the rest of the month …
DMZ you forgot to throw in the “people” there, that Hendu stuck in after the first average.
So he is aware he’s talking to people and not rabbits, apparently.
now I see what you guys mean about Henderson…sorry it took me more than half an inning
Oh, now I see Dave. The reason they send the runner is to get him to second base. Thanks for clearing that up.
Both perfect game bids lost in the first inning!
Had to register so I could add to the discussion numbers….
“If you’ve got is, flaunt it.” I love it.
**got it**
Sexson struck out. Shocking.
Boy it is quiet in here, where is everybody?
I wonder, what happens to the extra bobblehead dolls after all the fans at the game get theirs.
What amazes me isn’t that Sexson strikes out a ton, it’s that he strikes out on fastballs basically right over the plate. I see more pitchers challenge him with hard stuff in, up, and away for that swinging third strike. For someone who has so much power, Sexson doesn’t get a ton of respect from the pitchers.
Makes me wonder if he’s more a guess hitter then we think.
Oops… Dave (Hendu) is talking about averages again.
#21
Probably at Safe..oh wait.
Why didn’t the “lifetime batting average” trick work for Jeff Cirillo, Hendu?
Boy Hendu is a vast well of knowledge tonight..
/sarcasm
“So, after a hundred at bats or so, your batting average levels out to where it’s going to be at the end of the season. It averages out to your career batting average”.
2.0IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2SO, 4 Groundball outs, 1 Flyball out (infield pop fly).
Pineiro has turned into Chien Ming Wang.
Remember, the last 500 ab’s in a season just don’t matter.
26: Because Jeff Cirillo was the start of the “Black Hole,” which has lead to a tremendous amount of sucking over at 3rd base.
“Walk off home run, you hit one and go to the dugout”
-hendu
Oops… 1SO. Was looking at Padilla’s numbers.
I think we should stick Hendu at 3rd base and Beltre in the booth. Eh? Eh?
I’d rather have Hendu go play out on I-5 for the duration of the game.
You know, I have heard it called PFP for years, but isn’t it really Pitcher Covering Practice?
Hey, it’s between innings, so I think I’m allowed to ask trivial questions.
2. I am in a hotel in Silver City New Mexico. To my delight, this is part of FSN’s Ranger coverage area. The Rangers announcers would make all of you long for Rizzs and Hendu. Maybe even for Valle. They are kind of Buhner-like. There’s no doubt about it.
I recall travelling through the Dallas area and thinking how awful the announcers were. Ryan Franklin came out of the bullpen and lost a lead, and they must have said he “blew a save” 12 times. They were loving it. The Mariners still won it. Maybe it had something to do with Franklin coming out of the pen…
I think the real attendance test is Sunday. Supposed to be sunny and near 70, the King on the mound, AND a giveaway. 20k will be a bad sign
37: I see a lot of out-of-market games, so I know what you mean. The Mariners announcers, believe it or not, are better than most. I dare you to try to sit through an Angels game without yelling at the TV. Seriously, Rex Hudler is unspeakably horrible, and Physioc can’t go one game without pointing out that Garret Anderson “is the most overlooked player in the game.”
They (Rangers announcers) are unbelievably vapid.
I’m headed to the game Sunday.
OK, it’s true, the M’s guys are better than Hudler and Physioc, but I’ve got my XM Radio, and I’ve listened to a lot of broadcasts from around the country, and I’d say that the M’s guys (after Rizz, whose voice I find soothing) are below average. Fairly has never been any good, and Hendu comes across as dumb as a box full of hair. Now he might be really, really intelligent, but he doesn’t come across like that.
I could only hope Hendu and Valle were Buhner-like. Kreuger would be the best choice
Wow there is no one in the top deck.
I’m thinking about going Sunday.
Agree wholly on Hudler and the Angels broadcast. Hudler always gives me the impression he’s preaching. Even his interview on BP radio, he sounded preachy. Of course, the White Sox have the bar set for truly horrible. Have you heard the 1st hour baseball theory from Hawk?
The Mariners announcers drive me crazy, and make me roll my eyes, but don’t generally make me want to throw things at the TV like a few others.
DMZ-What are you going to do if Russ sets you up for free pre-game beers as he did last year at your place oif choice?
#40 – On my lunch break, I dialed up MLB.TV and was watching the Angels/Twins game, and it was the Angels TV feed, they were horrible. It was too much so I switched over to Oakland/Detroit, that was a little better.
I’ll be hiding in the Olympics this weekend. It’s going to be so beautiful.
What is the first hour baseball theory?
I know people are going to start yelling at me for continually mentioning the attendance but based on the attendance tonight it looks to me like the Mariners may be in danger of relocating to Iraq. Is there something wrong with the economy in Seattle? Should I take this as an indicator that I should sell my stocks and invest in gold and silver?
The thing that Hawk and DJ (White Sox announcers) do that annoys me is refer to the White Sox as “we.” That drives me nuts.
I wonder if they’ve closed the top deck off. Give everybody swap tickets for the 2nd deck. They did that to us at Qwest once, for a soccer game. Answering the usher’s question “what’s your favorite team in the Premiership?” correctly (Tottenham Hotspur) got us even better seats.
51 – The people making baseballs in sweatshops fingers get tired after the first hour of their shift. MLB uses the baseballs only from the first shift, and bingo, we have juiced baseballs. That’s why we still have so many homeruns this year.
#53: White Sox as “we.â€
Also “good guys.”
53 And their whole “Put it on the board — YES!” thing makes me think “unprofessional” every time.
Yesterday on my driveby, you could see a little cluster of people right behind home plate in the UD but no one anywhere else.
Oh, I have heard that stupid theory before.
#10 Gotta love Hendu. When I was a kid I was at a game where he hit a grandslam against in the first inning and the Mariners ended up getting blown out. I was also at a game when Lou Piniella was with the Yankees and he was playing drunk or high on something. He was stumbling around all over the place practically falling on his face but he never missed a play. My dad was laughing his ass off.
57: Yes, but it’s fun every time the Mariners hit a home run against the White Sox to yell out at the TV, “You can put it on the board…YES.”
Pineiro’s turned into Mr. Groundball Machine.
Attaway to get around the lead off double!
“what’s your favorite team in the Premiership?†correctly (Tottenham Hotspur)
That is never the correct answer to that question.
I remember when the Yankees used to come to the Kingdome and Oscar Gamble played in left field. All these bearded drunk guys would be yelling “I wish I were an Oscar Gamble wiener”
Ok, there are some people in the UD visible in the shot they showed coming back from the break.
true, it’s Arsenal
I would rather listen to Carl Everett read me Michael Creighton novels out loud than listen to the White Sox announcers.
Not only do they mention Winn, which makes me long for him, but Niehaus rubs salt in the wound by reminding us how well he’s doing.
I did think the trade was reasonable at the time they did it, but it looks worse every month.
RE:Attendence
Am I correct in thinking that announced attendance is PAID attendance ? Example: Not one season ticket holder is at the game, but they all get counted PLUS everyone through the turnstiles.
This would explain the Yankees figures for early season games when I hear the numbers and think, ‘Wow, they must have huge bathrooms/beerlines!’
true, it’s Arsenal
That is always the correct answer to that question. Bring on next Tuesday.
I can’t decide which will be more satisfying – denying Spurs fourth place in the table, or forcing them to court in order to get their European place by winning the European cup. It’s the BP tacos v. beer argument – they’re both so tasty!
I wonder if they’ve closed the top deck off.
What do you think this is, Oakland?
No way! … our team’s not as good as that.
I prefer rugby union but watch what’s on when I drink…lucky guess on my part.
67. Bolton Wanderers
68. LOL
69. I agree. Winn always batted pretty well. It would be nice to have him in Left still and Ibanez as DH
RAUUUUUUL!
thanks Raul
RAUUUUUUUL
Ibanez loves going into that slide
That’s the best catch I have ever seen Raul make. Wow.
How did he not drop that. He didn’t seem to have a decent grip on it.
That was an abysmal defensive play. Sorry Raul, but that’s not even worthy of being called a route to the ball.
The Rangers announcers, of course, think its “one of the better plays you’ll ever see”.
If the Mariners had this kind of attendance in the owners mode on MVP Baseball 2005 for the X-box their owner rating would be going down and they would probably lose so much money that they would lose the franchise at the end of the season.
Good to see Raul put that huge hunk of dead cow on his hand to good use.
Just chiming in on the announcers, pablo is right, listening to The Wonder Dog (Hudler) and Phiz (Physioc) call the Los Angeles Angels of Hemet is pure torture. I do have to say that Hudler has settled down a little bit since getting busted for possession of weed (either last year or the year before). Still brutal though.
They are really making Joel work this inning.
I already have tickets to Sunday’s game and I’m thinking about not going. If Felix wasn’t pitching I’d already have made my decision. Forget the Eddie Guardado shirt, forget the weather and after Felix’s opening to the season I may just forget about this game.
(That ought to generate a no hit bid into at least the 8th inning with 15K’s to spite me).
One of the funniest stories I have ever heard is that during a game not long after Hudler’s possession of marijuana arrest, he was commenting on some statistical anomaly and said,”If you would have told me that before the season, I would have asked you what you were…” and then realizing that saying “smoking” would be inappropriate given his arrest, he stuttered and then said “I would have asked you what you were thinking when you said that.”
“The way you walk and the way you talk has a lot to do with the way you’re going to perform”.
gawd…they are still reliving last night’s game…
Arsenal=shit.
great…that’s what we want out of Beltre…Let’s turn him into a contact hitter that slaps balls to the opposite field. That’s worth $54 million.
Arsenal=in the Champions League semi finals.
Oh, I agree they’re a good team. No one can not enjoy watching Theirry Henry. I just believe that they are the embodiment of evil.
Hendu looked smart that time – talked about walking Carl to get to Beltre, and bam, Beltre GIDP.
I love that story about Hudler, pure comedy.
wow. carl has walked twice and both times beltre has doubled him up.
maybe 7th is too high in the order for adrian.
Beltre is starting to get booed now by the normally vapid hometown crowd each time he grounds out.
What was the scouting report on ESPN I think — his routes make you think he’s being chased by angry bees? Something like that.
Steve T -
A very fair and rational analysis, that contains an essential truth.
(the Henry part, not the embodiment of evil part…
)
I’m just impressed that Seattle fans can boo someone that actually sucks, instead of saving those boos for the useless booing of A-Rod.
“what’s your favorite team in the Premiership?â€
Starting in August, Reading. Only took them 135 years to get into the Premiership.
Beltre…yeech. Can’t we just sit his butt down for a couple weeks. Playing him every day isn’t doing us or him any good. Any way we can get Leone back from the Pads?
skip (#70), you are correct. They report paid attendance, a/k/a tickets sold, but not the number of people who actually enter the park. I wish they’d give us both numbers, or even just the actually fanny count, but this is the MLB standard.
ouch
bam
96 – oh, I missed the first GIDP. That’s too much.
Oops. 1-0.
Those 86mph fastballs aren’t fooling them this time around….
Reading is going to be the Plucky Little Wigan of next year – I hope they do well. I’m always glad to see the small teams survive in the Premiership.
They can’t do any worse than Sunderland – 12 points from 36 games? Eccccchhh.
The Rangers are going to score every now and then. Would be nice if we could do the same.
The M’s used up their allotted runs for the week last night.
Listening to Henderson go through a sentence is like watching Ibanez take a route to a fly ball.
At least Ibanez has a chance of completing his task successfully.
time for a DP joel
Let’s get that groundball here, Joel.
That would require a strike, though.
So far this season, you can just about set your watch on when M starters will start to fold up.
And this is where it will begin to unravel.
Thank you G-Man.
Any connection to the Jacksonville G-Men minor league team in Florida (Circa: 1930’s)?
eh I don’t know. Sherrill is the Angel of Death to lefty’s, so lets hope he can get us out of the inning.
Wigan were great fun to watch this year. They’ve fallen back but they were third or fourth earlier on. This from a team that doesn’t even have souvenir jerseys available on the internet (I checked). I will be pulling for Reading next year as well. But the priority right now is beating out Arsenal in the Prem and laughing hysterically when they get knocked out of the Champions next week.
“I thought this maid thing was about sex.” FUNNY!
I know this sounds weird, but I’m glad the thread’s slower tonight: I haven’t seen the server go down all night, which is always nice.
You’re the first Spurs fan I’ve encountered that hasn’t hoped that Arsenal make the final, just to lose on penalties. You must be a moderate Spurs fan.
Why Spurs picked this season to play consistently good football is beyond me. But (he says grudgingly) it’s good to see…breathe some life back into the rivalry, finally.
“Listening to Henderson go through a sentence is like watching Ibanez take a route to a fly ball.”
I’m trying to be sympathetic and compassionate in regard to Hendu tonight. Wanting to sew his lips together with titanium wire, wrap his head in duct tape and put him on a slow boat the Siberia may have been a little harsh last night. Particularly in all caps.
So I’m looking for redeeming qualities and trying to see the good in Hendu.
Uh… can anyone help me with this? I appear to be stumped.
trying to see the good in Hendu. Uh… can anyone help me with this?
His mother’s probably quite proud of him.
Sherrill’s in, and his K fastball is called at 90 mph by Dave and Rizzs; when I was there on Tuesday, that was George’s velocity as well. Now, that’s well down from what he was throwing a season and a half ago, when it seemed like he was sitting at 93. Anybody know what’s up with this?? Sherrill has been getting away with putting an awful lot of guys on base this year, largely because he keeps getting just enough Ks, largely because of his slider. Hmmm
—Mench just hits a ball of the base of the LF wall. *ugghh* Would a reasonable (i.e. non-Ibanez) LFer have gotten it?
sherrills mother though at this momment is not
Don’t worry guys. Carl Everett is going to win it with a walk off homerun tongight. I can feel it and I am going to stay awake tonight to see it.
Damn, almost had him.
Hendu was a really good player once. He used to be the MLB champ at accidentally flinging his bat into the stands behind him. He was also very happy to chat with early bird fans when I used to go to games in Oakland back in the mid-80s. He hit that homer in the ALCS in ‘86. He’s got a cool gap in his teeth. Uh, he’s never killed anyone?
skipj, no connection.
Is the home plate ump the Bob Davidson who got fired after the union debacle and was working Single A games a year or two ago?
Is anyone having trouble with GameDay Audio from mlb?
he’s never killed anyone….allegedly
Just for good measure, kevin mench vs. LHP, 3 year average: .315/.383/.601. 101 hits, 31 2B, 2 3B, 19HR.
Lach on Mariners! Oops, sorry i just had a flashback to the 1980’s.
He’s got a cool gap in his teeth
Yeah, well so does Lauren Hutton but I don’t want *her* to be run over by a bus.
#133 Some say that homerun made Donnie Moore lose it but you can’t blame Hendu for that.
My only specific memory of Hendu as a Mariner is of him hitting a double, walking off the base to brush off his pants…and then calling for time. He got tagged just before the ump gave it to him.
Hendu is also incapable of frowning.
“The pitch . . . Deep to left and (Brian) Downing goes back. And it’s gone! Unbelievable! You’re looking at one for the ages here. Astonishing! Anaheim Stadium was one strike away from turning into Fantasyland! And now the Red Sox lead 6-5! The Red Sox get four runs in the ninth on a pair of two-run homers by Don Baylor and Dave Henderson.” — Al Michaels, ABC-TV.
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Speaking of the Lach years, Howard Schultz is doing a real good impression of George Argyros these days.
Fight! Fight!
Most excitemnet at Safeco all year.
Look at ‘em sprint in from the dugout!
Heh heh heh.
Holy crap, Neihause says theres a brawl happening! What happened?
Good to know that Lopez know’s his curse words in English.
I know everyone hates Hendu as an announcer but I like him a lot, wouldn’t want anyone else. He is a great man.
Texas empties their bullpen, but we only send two pitchers?
All Gameday says is “On-field Delay”…. why oh why isn’t my damned audio working
I watched that game standing in a cap-and-jersey store in the Pruneyard, Campbell, California, jaw hanging open. I was supposed to be working next door but ended up taking a LONG break. Unbelievable.
Lopez was completely in the wrong there. You can’t shove the guy off the bag.
#139 – My friend had already bought his Series tickets, and I was good to go to a couple of games that year. Closest I ever got to the Series, for sure… that’s my Hendu memory. Ouch.
I will give him points tonight, after watching the close-up shots of the epithets hurled by Matthews and Lopez, for saying, “they’re speaking English right there.” heh.
And Paul Allen is doing his best to destroy any civic good will the Seahawks generated in his favor.
This is a good thing.
According to Neihause there was some ‘blue language’. According to Fairly there were words used that he can’t repeat for us.
I have preferred Hendu in the past, relative to the other guys. I still think he has the most interesting insights. His filler material now seems to be less — filling.
We only sent two because Hargrove is saving the rest for tomorrow night’s brawl.
come on Raf…
I thought Hargrove had a 12 man brawl pen just for this reason?
like that….
154 – Yeah, Matthews wasn’t speaking to kindly about Jose’s mom.
Raul!!!!
LOL G-man.
RAUUUUUUUUUUUUL!!!
Niehaus. No e.
Quick off-topic poll:
Who hates their broadcast nickname more, “Hendu” or “Rico?”
BTW, go Ibanez! And I still haaaate Henderson *because* of his homer in the ‘86 ALCS. I was an Angel fan back then.
Hey guys, I wasn’t exactly paying attention to the game at the time, was there some sort of brawl?
So, for those of us with not but gameday, what was that all about?
Wow, he just yanked that ball. That’s nice to see — it’s easy to get worried about Ibanez tinking those singles out all the time.
Uh… Lopez shoved a guy and they exchanged words.
“Hendu” began to jump for joy, even running backwards for a few steps, while making his way down the first baseline as he watched the ball sail over the outfield fence, having just smacked possibly the most stunning clutch homer since Bobby Thomson in 1951. The Angels were able to tie the score up at 6-6 in the bottom of the 9th, but in the 11th inning, Henderson hit a sacrifice fly that would go on to be the game winner.
DMZ–Please nuke, erase, put me in moderation for #48. It could read wrong as I have read some posts late or early A.M. Thankyou
Jose gave Matthews a little shove with his glove, applying a way too late tag, and the two exchanged pleasantries. Bullpens emptied but nothing came of it.
Gary Mathews Jr felt that he was wronged by Jose Lopez and demanded satisfaction. Lopez chose pistols; the dugouts brought them in. The umpires then reminded the players that dueling is no longer allowed in the baseball rulebook. So everyone shrugged their shoulders and headed back to the dugouts.
Setting up the third GIDP for Adrian…oh, 2 out.
I don’t do requests.
In watching that Ibanez blast on tivo, it was cool… it looked like his eyes lit up with the pitch about halfway to the plate… like he knew the second he started to swing that it was his meatball and he was going to feast on it.
I dunno about any other pitcher in baseball but Carl sure seems to have Padilla worried. 3rd walk tonight.
Also, why would I… mod… I’m confused.
It’s carl’s vesting contingent on ABs or PAs?
LOL@dw
It’s?
Or more correctly, Padilla just hungers to feast on the carcass of Adrian Beltre.
Meant late night, early A.M. Please relete this and previous #171 Thankyou
Huh…Baseball Tonight just called Ibanez’s catch the number one web gem of the night so far…
Beltre A-Train promo.
How’bout C- train. A:defense F:offense
Hendu should keep it up. The M’s will yank him out of the booth after tonight. Mostly because he’s displaying a sort of nasty streak that he hasn’t shown before, it’s like Carl calling the game. Kick them while they’re at foot level has come out 3 times, guidance on how to clear the benches properly, etc.
M’s management will have a chat with him after this, they have little stomach for announcers who generate complaints and I guarantee some of the M’s fanbase will be opposed to his commentary tonight. Geez, even Valle is better than this.
Also I think we may need to drop Johjima’s rating from teh post a few days ago just a notch, that’s the 2nd time I’ve seen him sail a throw to 2nd, last time he pulled Lopez off the bag. I still love him, just making him an A- until he figures out how to keep the ball down. Guess that’s what happens when you are around Meche too much.
Soriano is a stud!
Soriano is a pleasure to watch.
Soriano is good.
Right on, Hendu — Wilkerson was “in big trouble.” Hey, Soriano, if you’ve got it, FLAUNT IT!!”
At least we get to see Soriano doing his thing.
MOJO TIME
Hooray! The Ranger bullpen rides to our rescue!
181 that should read “is”. the first and last letters are correct, give me a break
Apologies for the mispelling in my earlier statement…..and there’s that infamous Texas defense. M’s rally anyone?
Do you think Benoit has the balls for this?
(Apologies, couldn’t stop.)
Raul would have had that.
Come on Petagine, gotta get back to .500
Relete?
Derek, could you go back through all the USSM posts and delete all the ones where I say stupid or profane things that will negatively impact my reputation, sexual attractiveness, or job prospects at the Christian Coalition?
Oh wait, that’s all of them.
I charge $20/comment.
How do you expect me to come up with $20,000 at this late hour?
You could go rent “Run Lola Run” for inspiration.
Wait: I thought he wasn’t a young kid?
Ah, screw it then. I ain’t gettin’ killed over any damn blog comments.
Ichiro got caught napping on that one.
Now that’s one I have never seen. Runner from first forced, but runner from second scores.
Ichiro was right. That was a good catch.
Oh, I don’t agree, that was not a catch.
I think we caught a major break.
If Brown really thought it was a catch, he would have throw to first…
That is not in the glove.
Someone please explain what just happened.
I’ve hit rewind a million times, it bounced before the glove.
It was Texas who was involved in a disputed catch play a few years ago, wasn’t it? Something with David Delucci?
totally was a catch.
I’m freeze framing it on tivo… it never hits the ground it lands on the glove, which is on the ground.
no catch
Showalter could have made that change at any time on the field…
wow, the rainiers are getting killed. 7-2 top of the 8th.
Rauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul!
YEAH RAUL!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Sweet cakes!
Hells yeah!
Raul is a badass.
Hooray Raul!
Rauuuuuuuuul!!
Go Ibanez! And that was no double play, sorry TiVo fans. A bounce is a bounce…
Wow, these games are really starting to get exciting… Though I still think I’d prefer all these runs early on.
Okay, THAT is fun.
Wow..
Anyone think Richie scores there?
Lopez: Dude, quit touching my face.
that was a little weird, watching carl stroke lopez’s face
Phoenician Todd -
Runners on 1st and 2nd. line drive to the outfield that the rfer runs forward and manages to snag the ball by getting the webbing of his glove between the ball and the ground…
The ump, however, rules that he trapped it and Ichiro, who was running back to first, doesn’t make it back to second. Reed ran all the way home from second.
OOPS.
Sorry DMZ. Guidelines. Violated the letter, but not, I hope, the spirit.
Will never use the term P//// again in this forum. Even in jest.
Did anyone else just see Everett stroking Lopez’s face to get his attention for a high five? Please explain.
If it bounces in a glove its still a catch. It is too close to really tell, anyone who is sure one way or the other should go get a job as an NFL ref.
Rizz just said it’s Deja Vu all over again. Does anyone simply say “it’s Deja Vu” anymore?
alright….time to mute
If the M’s pull this off I’ll go to a game this weekend, just to reward them. I can get behind a team that fights back and keeps it interesting.
me thinks carl protests too much…he really is a dinosaur
Raulllll! Nice hit, too. Holy cow, this is awesome.
“Sorry Tivo fans, a bounce is a bounce.”
Are you watching it freeze framed? If not, why on earth are you more certain than someone who can watch it over and over, frame by frame?
I wonder if it would be easier to see the un-catch in hi-def? Another plug for getting some games in hi-def…
Things are setting up nicely for C. Everett baby. I can feel it the Mariners team chemistry is really starting to come together.
OMG, its not a save situation and we see Eddie at home?!?!
Regarding the non-catch…give the umps a break. After all, he hit it at a Ranger.
There it is again… Fox teaser: “Deja Vu all over again”
Sheesh…it’s like Deja Vu!
Oh god…make it stop….I can’t take it any more. “Deja vu all over again,” is worse than WFB hitting instead of Petagine.
I was about to type happily of tying the game before it got rained out… before I remembered that we are not in L.A. and they have that nifty roof.
Guardado in a tie at home! Woo-hooooooooooooo
I see Eddie brought his A game tonight.
And guess what, its exciting again!
oh come on eddie please don’t suck today.
Eddie? NOW? Holy smokes.
Someone please change the rules to let Soriano come back out.
RE:236
Many sight impaired people recognize others by stroking their faces.
Based on Carl’s BA, does this make sense to you now?
Why is it Betancourt that we keep pinch hitting for? I ask, of course, because it means we get Willie for the rest of the game.
To take my mind off Eddie’s performance, a random thought. What’s with the odd red-streaks at the elbows of the Rangers’ undershirts? What are they, mood shirts?
YuBet has a higher avg than Reed right now, go Betcha!
Now its even more exciting!
I just had a Bobby Ayala flashback.
Oh, of course. This is so Eddie can forget about Monday in Boston. yeah. That’ll work.
Bring in Putz!
Oh man. Three identical pitches. The first two didn’t tell Eddie to try something else?
257. – Those are the new style of sleeves that players are wearing. The more they stretch, the more you see the secondary color. They pretty much suck. It’s time for the 3/4 sleeves to make a comeback.
DP coming…
They’re wearing those hideous Nike dot undershirts. A couple of pitchers have been made to take ‘em off this season. Really, really awful.
Good lord, in the spirit of WFB I propose EFG…
I can see a new commercial- “Come watch the M’s play ball. Ecitement all around, why our stud closer Eddie Guardado makes a tie game seem like a 3 run deficit. A 3 run lead??? Thats a tie game!!!!!!
Does Eddie’s contract say he gets paid by the pitch?
You can hope.
My grief Guardado looks shakey.
He’s had two strikes on both hitters he’s walked. His control looks shot.
Did the Rizzz just call Eddie a slope . . .?
How is WFB a defensive replacement for Betancourt?
Get him out of there.
I see a bases loaded walk a-comin’
Sigh.
Pull.him.now.
OMFG, Can someone please tell Eddie that walking the bases loaded is a bad thing?
Man if Guardado gives up 2 runs in this inning there is no way Carl Everett can win it in the bottom of the inning.
It’s times like these I miss Sasaki and hate his “luggage”
Oh, the life of a closer…
Dave probably feels sorry for Eddie, whereas Hendu doesn’t and would kick him while he’s down at foot level.
Well, Eddie’s a proven vetran (sic) closer and you can’t expect him to be sharp when it’s not a “save situation.”
Grr…
Belay that ‘A’ game comment. Make it the A++ game.
#273 petagine PH’d for betancourt in the 8th.
guardado looks like crap tonight
Eddie is not looking like a closer this year. This is embarassing and proving not to be an isolated incident.
Oh, nevermind.
Bring in Putz. It can’t possibly be worse than watching Eddie rant and still fail to throw strikes.
Tex is about to rip the buttons off his jersey . . .
272 – Thanks, I needed a laugh right about now.
(You were joking, weren’t you?)
My vote was with the Clapper two hitters ago.
That’s not close to being a strike but he keeps throwing it. High and wide. Jesus, a swing and a miss!
Someone please remind me why we didn’t trade Eddie last year?
matthew… if you’re being literal, he’s in at short. If you’re talkinf about quality, he sure isn’t.
matthew… if you’re being literal, he’s in at short. If you’re talkinf about quality, he sure isn’t.
Eddie has had exactly one swinging strike.
Hendu hasn’t said that closers have trouble pitching in a non-save situation.
K!
We have a heartbeat…
wow
W….T….F????? Where did that come from?
Nice to see that Every-Once-In-A-While Eddie is continuing to bring his late-inning high wire act to the Safe day in, day out.
Oh, and in a move sure not to back-fire, Mr. Automatic, Julio Mateo, is warming up in the bullpen.
Yay.
There you go!
289. Well, Rizzzz did use the words Eddie and slope in the same sentence . . . maybe he was talking about the mound.
I’m as shocked as Teixiera. It was a strike all right, but Eddie hasn’t been throwing many of those.
Was 1 1/3 innings too much for Soriano? Or what? Seriously, what rationale, besides Niehaus’s speculation that Eddie needed a chance for success to forget about the game in Boston, could there possibly be to not leave Soriano in for the inning?
I guess that’s a rhetorical question. Oh well. 2 down at least..
this is…the third time the bases have been loaded for the 3/4/5 hitters in texas’ lineup?
recipe for success. bigtime.
Another ex Padre!!! EGADS!!!
Why is he still pitching?
So how long before Soriano becomes the closer? Or is it more likely Putz? I want Soriano tho, just so he can get some saves for my fantasy team..hahaa..
3-0.
Kenji isn’t thrilled with these balls.
Oh you have to be f’in joking.
anyone remember what “daimajin” means?
If I was Nevin, Id take till I was out on a called STrike 3
$@#$@#%@%#@%@!!!
Why is he still pitching?
Because the Rangers won’t swing.
Great. Eddie. Way to blow a save.
Back to the dark corner for me.
And there goes the server.
WFT is Eddie pitching????? DAMN.. i would expect attendence to be
The giant who saves the people… or somethiing like that.
for Bog’s sake, Eddie.
Maybe Blalock will foul off a pitch and knock Hargrove out of the game so someone can make the decision to bring in a new pitcher.
Where’s Kazu when you need him?
That’s it…bring out the pooper scoopers!
Let’s bring the bulldozers in here…and turn this place into a parking lot!! Back up the truck…back it up!!
Fire Hargrove before he reaches the locker room.
Bavasi should meet him in the tunnel with a cardboard box and a recommendation.
Come on, Hendu: give us ONE more “oh, the life of a closer.” Grove: my 71-yr.-old mom just said “come on, take him out” so I think it’s time…
Eddie can only pitch in a save situation. He has that closer mentality so he can’t keep his concentration in these types of situations.
What the hell has Eddie got against pitching inside? It’s not like he has no control. It’s outside, outside, outside. That pitch to Blalock is the first he’s missed inside.
Well, we had 11 strikeouts tonight.
Something tells me C-Rex won’t be stroking Eddie’s face…
322: Probably on the disabled list or retired.
Well, on the bright side he only gave up one run.
Remind me to send Hank a Christmas card this year.
I was thinking Kenji could end it with a jack, saving us all C-Rex and Train Wreck, but thanks to Eddie’s control problems…
Anyone else remembering Jose Mesa?
There’s your database crash.
Nice inning, Eddie. 4 walks, 2 Ks, and the out they handed you.
Great. Eddie. Way to blow a save.
Not to worry, it was a tie game, so there’s no save for him to blow.
Remember, he’s the guy who keeps the clubhouse loose: shaving-cream pies in the face, hotfeet, scissors-paper-rock with King Felix. You can’t put a price on that.
Fire Hargrove before he reaches the locker room. Bavasi should meet him in the tunnel with a cardboard box and a recommendation.
Amen.
DMZ… does USS Mariner have a paypal account yet? Or any of the authors? I don’t want a t-shirt, but I’d like to pitch in.
Strike??? Hey…isn’t that the ref from the Super Bowl…he looks familiar.
goddamnit carl do something here. everyone will forget the fact you made it on base 3 times if you dont do something good here.
and then everyone will still hate you if you do.
So who is this Francisco “Cordora” guy Hendu keeps slurring about?
Swinging at ball 4. Way to go Carl.
Cmon Beltre, hit your first HR of the year.
What a shitty way to lose the game.
Thanks Eddie.
I don’t think Eddie’s going to be setting anybody on fire tonight.
I think Hendu’s referring to the guy who invented that really heavy-duty nylon pack cloth.
Bye-bye.
ha ha ha ha bunch of losers.
Fantastic. Just wonderful. Two blown whatevers in two appearences by Eddie, maybe he and Grover can go to the same team, or purgatory, whatever.
No homerun. No hit. Eddie stunk it up for one inning, but Adrian pretty put in a full game tonight.
#336 LMAO
Correra?
Anyone think Guardado is injured?
yeah, i think i’m getting bored of seeing beltre fail.
maybe we can work out a deal with the league where beltre bats on a timeshare basis with a real hitter. like he plays the whole game but someone who knows how to hit takes most of his at bats.
329: LOL
That was a freaky scene and I just hope that wasn’t Carl’s “adjustment” hand if you know what I mean. Night all.
It isn’t just tonight but all April so far: Guapo’s location has been very poooor. He depends upon working pitches in from the corners, particularly sinker and slider, but he has no consistency at all, misses as much as more as he picks up the zone. No rhythm on the mound. Presumably, he’ll get in more of a groove later, but it’s No Fun At All watching him on the mound at present.
On a more satisfying subject, Soriano seems to have added a third pitch; anyone have the lowdown on what it is, exactly?? He’s got the fastball sitting at 92-3 (but up to 95 when he goes upstairs out of the zone). There’s the slider at ~84, not a big biter like I remember, but he works the corners with it with fair location. Then there’s a third pitch at 82 with a different break, straight down; looks like a change, but he wasn’t using one in the game the last I heard. Any solid info on that?
How did Beltre hit 48 homeruns a couple of years ago? Is it really that difficult to adjust to pitchers from a different league or is it Safeco effect?
353 – Was that “fail” or “flail?”
Bucket-foot Beltre does it again . . . way to pull the outside breaking ball, chump.
.352 – Eddie does look like he’s holding back . . . it’s either that or his mechanics are a complete mess.
#354 LMAO
They’re giving away Ichiro bobbleheads on the post game show. Do they think 25,000 is too many for tomorrow night? I suppose it’s expected attendance-everyone who saw THIS game.
WHEN did the Geico frog turn into a Cockney?
Of course Hargrove still stands by Guardado . . . at the urinal.
#360 Yeah you used to be able to sell those on ebay for big bucks, now they look like they might end up going the way of cabbage patch kids.
eh, it’s not a frog, it’s a gekco. lol
Eddie’s been pitching with a fucking torn rotater cuff for like 3 years…its a miracle that he made it past last year
Monday morning in Boston… out with a bang (Loretta HR).
Tonight… out with a whimper (4 BB’s).
But Hargrove will stick with him just like he’ll stick with Everyday Everett as his DH.
It’s not a gecko, it’s a crime against humanity.
#356 – in the context of his entire career – small sample size. If you look at his entire body of work – it’s pretty lousy.
oh, w/r/t donations — I’m probably going to have a post on the state of USSM in the next… week or so.
Last year in Boston, Alan Embree stopped being able to get guys out and his manager stuck with him anyway until his GM DFA’d him.
What are the chances Seattle’s GM steps up here in similar fashion at any point this season (now that his trade value is nil)? Or do we count on seeing this version of Eddie for the next five months?
It’s not often you mistake a cockney for a frog.
38 pitches in the 9th inning, and he missed bats only 3 times. 3 swinging strikes. He says Mark Loretta’s not in his head. Who knows?
Re: #357, I think the word was “frail.”
Bela, Soriano is indeed throwing a change, which has been hit and miss so far.
Re: #356,
Soriano’s new pitch that he’s working on is a splitter. That’s what Blalock hit for a basehit…I don’t know if that is necessarily the pitch that you’re referring too. He does also throw a change from time to time.
Piniero’s game is all but forgotten given Eddie’s unsteadiness, but Joel actually had a decent game, and is dead on Dave’s remarks to open this thread: 9 groundballs, 4 groundballs, 3 Ks, 1 big HR when he began to run out of gas. Joel the Finesser is now a refined product; the downside is that he he’s pitch-_in_efficient in this modality, so that with a high pitchcount he’s done early. The other key, to me, is consistency, all of Joel’s starts have been pretty much the same, same game, same location, same results. I never had that much faith in Piniero, Power Pitcher, but he’s made the conversion to a useful finesse guy. If he’s able to sharpen up his control just a little bit over this year and next, he can stay in the game for years.
And #374, thanks for the info: splitter. I’d been hoping to hear that (I love the split). The ones I’ve seen have had a consistent break, but he’s not locked into the lower part of the strikezone with it, more looking off the plate a little for a swing-and-a-miss. Given the location, I’m not that surprised that Blalock got a basehit off one (I’m at work = no TV). Still, I like this repertoire for Soriano. Rafael had never previously mastered a solid change-up, so maybe Chaves put him onto the split. (Price it was who taught Putz the split in the summer of ‘04.) Hmmmm . . . interesting.
[Or Gomez, what's your follow-up opinion, was he throwing the split or the change??]
I’m a good friend of Soriano’s. I talked to him after the game… He said it was a split.
Wilymo, thanks for the inside on it, then. Tell Rafe “I love him, and he’s gonna be a BIG star!”
9 groundballs, 4 flyballs
Okay, so usually I think Hendu’s pretty worthless, but his reply to Niehaus feeling sorry for the Royals was hilarious. To paraphrase a bit, “No, I don’t feel sorry for them, that’s not how baseball works. The best time to kick a man is when he’s down–that’s when he’s closest to your foot.”
That alone was worth watching the game tonight. I’m putting it in a novel some day.
And for all the growling and howling about Grover’s supposed flailings in bullpen usage, let’s stop and review the issue: a) Putz and Soriano have the best stuff in the pen, and they have consistently been deployed in the 7th and 8th innings when the threat of opponents scoring has been at the max; b) Sherrill _is_ being used as a LOOGY (which is not a bad thing since he kills lefties), but he has also been used for an inning plus when availability issues in the pen implied that this was best; c) Mateo isn’t throwing that well, but he’s coming in at the right times, early but not to put out fires, while Woods has been used more as the long man than anyone, and generally pitched OK; d) Eddie has been brought in for cushy bases-empty ninth innings, but tonight he was brought in—as recent arguments suggest—for a ’save’ in the 8th, to hold the fort for a comeback, with Putz ready to go a couple if the game went into extras (Guapo’s poor performances have undermined the result, but the intent has been obvious and sound). I’m not saying this to defend Hargrove, of whom I don’t think all that much. Maybe the mind behind all of this is Chaves, and Grover is swallowing his long-term tendencies, shown last year also, to different purposes. All that notwithstanding, there’s nothing at all to gripe about personnel usage in the pen: it’s been quite good.
a ’save in the [top of the] 9th [with the score tied]
I didn’t get the watch the game last night…did Eddie’s left arm simply fall off and he tossed right handed?
I’m sure that Grover would feel much better about a proven vetran tossing regardless of his physical condition over a young pup so that must explain this.