Game 158, Athletics at Mariners
Rich Harden v Jake Woods.
Soooo wait, I thought the A’s were happy they’d be able to celebrate in front of their home fans. And then they dropped two to the Angels and one to the M’s. Two more and they’ll be forced to try and do it against the Angels again. Go team! Stick it to ‘em!
Hargrove puts out an astonishingly bad lineup.
CF-R Willie “The Ignitor” Bloomquist
2B-R Lopez
3B-R Beltre
LF-L Ibanez
1B-R Sexson
DH-L Broussard
SS-R Betancourt
RF-L Snelling
C-R Rivera
Anyone who bats Bloomquist leadoff, no matter what the circumstances, should immediately have their pulse checked, because there’s no blood getting to their brain.
Time to play “Would You Swap ‘em?”
C – No
1B – Yes, if only because Swisher is sooooo much cheaper for a long time yet
2B – No
SS – No
3B – Here’s an interesting question. I say yes.
LF – No
CF – No
RF – No
DH – Wellll…. no.
And yet the A’s are trying to win the division and the M’s are playing spoiler.
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But.. but… but… Willie won the game last night! He should always bat first!
Wow, Jake Woods has 6 wins? Wait, Mateo has 9. Nevermind.
I would definitely swap Beltre for Chavez. The contracts are similar; they’re also close in age (Beltre being younger by 16 months); they’re both awesome defensively. All other things being close, Chavez would hit better in Safeco than Beltre does, which is why I’d rather have him. Yeah, he’s having a down year, but he’s been playing hurt.
I’d swap ‘em in a jiffy.
I’m not sure the Mariners are trying all that hard to play spoiler with that lineup… although I thought I read on here that Joh was having some back trouble, and Ichiro did get hit by that ball as well, so what else is there to do?
In any case, go Seattle!
Good thing I decided against going to this game, last night’s lineup was wonderful, I would have had to leave the ballpark if I saw this lineup posted on the big screen (Or escorted out kicking and yelling gibberish).
Okay, let’s posit, for a second, that you want to rest both Ichiro and Johjima. There are better choices for those positions and better ways to arrange it.
I’m not so sure about swapping 3B. Chavez seems to be hurt a lot, or underproducing because he’s recovering from being hurt, or getting ready for next year when he won’t be hurt.
I sure as heck would’ve rather had Frank Thomas than Carl Everett, in retrospect, but how many people would’ve expected Thomas to regain his form as well as he has? Though I wouldn’t be on the hook with him for multiple years, either.
For example, allow me to offer this off the top of my head
RF-L Snelling
2B-R Lopez
LF-L Ibanez
1B-R Sexson
DH-L Broussard
3B-R Beltre
SS-R Betancourt
CF-R Jones
C-R Rivera
And if you’re hell-bent on speed in the #1 slot, swap Snelling for Jones, then move Snelling up behind Beltre. Jones can run.
I do like that better.
…I thought I read on here that Joh was having some back trouble…
Tell me, again, please. Why o why do we not have a different backup catcher? Ugh.
I still can’t believe that Rivera is a Major Leaguer. JTFC.
I would put the chances that Ichiro gets into this game somehow at 100%
My lineup would be:
RF-L Snelling*
3B-R Beltre
LF-L Ibanez (This is just obvious)
1B-R Sexson
DH-L Broussard
SS-R Betancourt
2B-R Lopez
C-R Quiroz#
CF-R Jones
*Looking past recent K’s, has OBP, pitch selection, contact ability in his favor above the rest of lineup
# A guy can dream… I mean, why the hell is he still with this organization if he isn’t going to get a chance at the MLB level again? Why is Rivera still on this team? What does it hurt having three catchers on the 40 man roster?
You never know, maybe Bloomquist will have a good day!
Jake Woods control + Oakland A’s plate discipline = This is gonna be a long game.
Willie reminds me of Jar Jar Binks from the Star Wars episodes… He was clumsy, but somehow made a few things happen, and they gave him rank of General, Ambassador, representative. He still sucks.
I love Jeff.
As unchanging as Grover is with his starting lineup, he doesn’t mind sitting dinged-up guys. But then, I don’t really know how bad they are hurt and how hard they tried to talk themselves into the lineup.
I wonder if Joh’s seething. Handful of games left, the team out of it, two home runs away from 20/4 RBIs short of 80. Let the guy play already. What’s he bring rested *for*?
Dave’s New Offseason Plan:
Send Hargrove, Bloomquist, and Rivera on a three hour tour.
The end.
The Angels must be happy with Bloomie playing center instead of Ichiro.
Joh’s got back spasms.
Bloomquist doesn’t have Ichiro’s arm. Bummer.
Another early defecit? Well, it worked for us last night.
#22. Joh – didn’t know that. Bloomquist definitely doesn’t have Ichiro’s arm. Ichiro’s at his best when he’s airing out a throw to home.
I’d say Wood’s starting rotation try-out is going just swell.
20- I’m sure Willie could build another boat out of grit.
Given the kind of game this lineup portends, it’s worth checking out LookoutLanding for the game graph from last night, and for this line (in talking about the M’s bullpen)
#22– and you know they have to be good ones to keep him from behind the plate.
Ichiro got a blow when he & Doyle took their tumble, and then had that ball go off his scap, and completely deaden his arm for a time. Hargrove wasn’t sure that if they’d gone 11, if Ichiro could have gone back out.
Rizzs just might asplode, what with Willie vs Harden (PortOrchard!BC!
PortOrchard!BC!PortOrchard!BC!PortOrchard!BC!)
Willie does seem more inclined to walk than some of our other players.
If Willie would do that more often, I’m sure we’d complain about him less.
Hargrove is the skipper. Willie is the little buddy. Rivera is Mary Ann.
Hey, I don’t have a problem with guys getting rest when they are dinged up. I mean, 162 games looks easy on T.V., but lord knows that after my 16 game softball schedule I’m spent as hell.
The problem I have is that this ballclub refuses to play the guys that are more likely to contribute now, and in the future. Let’s put it this way, if Willie Bloomquist were a Yankee… He would be the backup batboy, and Rivera might get a couple starts as ballgirl. Damn Yankees.
It does seem weird to me that this is supposedly a time for some of the younger guys to get some experience, and yet Bloomquist gets the start over Jones.
31- Personally I think Joel makes the best Marry Anne.
I’m with the other posters, I would have put Jones in CF.
Might as well give the kid another start, the experience might be good for him. And it’s not like if he made an error it would keep the M’s out of the playoffs. And 250 AB’s for a utility middle infielder is way too many outs given up in a season.
Well, Joh needs a rest and Willie gets a reward, or something, I guess. But I wonder if Hargrove had rested Joh a little more regularly during the season it wouldn’t be an issue? Of course that would require you to have a backup catcher who can at least bunt or otherwise outperform an NL pitcher at the plate.
20 – RDF, Dave. Failing that, maybe we could send them some bagged spinach.
Meche is Ginger, always a teasing with his talent and never getting close to delivering. Carl Everett was Ms Howell, who cost a lot and didn’t seem to do anything in particular.
Some of those NL pitchers hit pretty damn well. Some don’t get a lot of credit.
I LOVE the Everett analogy!
Maybe Bavasi is the professor. He comes up with these schemes, but you just know the rest of the goofballs will mess it up in the end.
Freddy Garcia wasn’t bad with a bat in interleague play, either. My point was that you don’t really have any expectation of production from the pitcher’s spot in an NL lineup, and you’d like your backup catcher to give you more hope than that.
you know, Jake doesn’t have to help the As out like that….
There are 8 NL teams that have scored more runs this season than the M’s.
Even after that wild road trip.
If Bavasi can figure out how to make something useful out of coconuts (like, say, a starting rotation), the team might have some hope. Does the Professor (or rather the actor who played him) still live on Bainbridge? I saw him speak at something years ago and he joked that he still hadn’t found his way off the island.
Ah, Gilligan’s Island references on a game thread.
Ichiro kinda reminds me of Gilligan in that they are both skinny, though Willie is also a good fit cause he seems like the type to tag along behind an older authority figure.
Oh, I totally agree. But that’s the problem, Hargrove has an expectation of production, because he’s a lousy talent evaluator and an idiot without any creativity . NL hitting pitchers are useful when the Manager has a brain, and uses him effectively.
The only one left is Mrs. Howell….Travis Chick?
#48, see #38
Mrs. Howell = Mr. Howard Lincoln?
49- Got it!, that’s a good one
A’s are about to clinch
So much for Woods and his squeaky clean ERA.
Jake Woods sucks. I like the way Milton Bradley took his time getting out of the box. Very classy.
I always kind of liked Milton Bradley, even with his attitude. He always made Everett seem like the pope, and hits a lot better.
and then apparently he & Swisher had a little dance in the dugout
Who hit better, Everett or the pope?
54: I do not believe Carl Everett ever threw a bottle at a fan. You know who did? That’s right, Milton Bradley. The guy is a dick; he’s a much bigger dick that Carl Everett.
Did I miss something? I thought Campillo’s arm fell off? Weird, I was just looking at the 40 man and saw Jorge on there, and thought “If only he had an arm left, he would be in this game.”
Milton Bradley has had severe anger management problems, but since seeking help last year he’s been a model citizen.
Of course, with the hellish youth he had, he does have a bit of an excuse….
They just showed the replay of the little A’s dugout dance.
A real stomping slap dance, it was.
I wonder how many innings we’ve ended with the lead vs Oakland since game one
Seems like we feel compelled to get behind as soon as possible when we play them this year.
I miss the pre-Wild Card days when the playoffs wouldn’t start until the Wednesday after the season was over.
Pablo, I don’t defend violence, but I wouldn’t go as far to call him a bigger dick than Everett. A dick is a dick, it’s what squeezes your nerves that makes all the difference. But it’s obvious Bradley is a better baseball player. Bradley wouldn’t have a position on this team anyway.
You don’t really think that someone who has had a bad childhood gives them the excuse to treat people like shit, do you? I know people who have had awful childhoods and the vast majority of them are good people.
Oops, 64 is directed at 59.
You really don’t know if Bradley is a good person do you? You are right, there is no excuse to treat other people like shit, but there’s also really no excuse to call someone a bad person when you don’t know and understand them, expect for what you read from the Media.
Sweet throw
Snelling has a bit of an arm, yes?
That was a nice play by Snelling.
And leads off the next inning with a single!
Sweet hit
Mad props to Hargrove for putting the best OBP guy in the lineup in front of Rene Rivera, Major League Catcher.
… Rivera just got a hit. Woohoo!
My God, that uni is so dirty.
Such a gritty fly-out.
66: I do know he’s a bad guy. I have heard stories (not from the media).
Do you greenlight Ibanez here?
And mighty Raul had struck out.
Owch.
Milton=Stalin, case closed.
Does anyone have the M’s win/loss record when Willie get’s his uni dirty versus when he doesn’t? I think it’s important data we need to know.
Oh, wait, he always get’s it dirty. Nevermind.
Ok Pablo, you’ve “heard stories”, but you still don’t personally know the guy.
#58– they glued it back on, he went to Az rehab, he finished up and was sitting at home getting ready for winter ball when the Ms called & said help.
ok, we know Bill understands OBP, heck, some of the broadcast knows it exists… has anyone told Hargrove how some guys get on base bater than others?
ok, Hendu obviously doesn’t get the whole OBP/walk thang.
ok, we know Bill understands OBP, heck, some of the broadcast knows it exists… has anyone told Hargrove how some guys get on base bater than others?
Hargrove would tell you no stat measures intangibles.
Speaking of OBP, was there ever a Hargrove explanation of why Doyle was moved to the #8 slot against RH starters, too?
bater? sigh, better.
#86: Yes, the explanation is that Hargrove, as an idiot, doesn’t like moving guys around in the lineup.
that’s right, dig that whole juuuuust a little deeper, Jake.
Dave still doesn’t know what ironically means.
88, but he’s had more #2 hitters in the last month than wins.
#91: See what a bad idea it is to juggle the lineup?
ok, I cannot spell tonight.
you know, there have been times the last week or so (as the rumoring has gone on) where I tell myself that I could deal if Hargrove does comes back — there would be some continuity, the players haven’t given up on him, they’ll end the season around where we thought they might — and then he has a game where he sends out this batting order, and handles the pitching as he does, and just drives me insane.
Harden sure looks like crap tonight…
#94: Yeah, how did our guy look?
#95 – like a batting practice pitcher.
#96: Maybe that gig can get him to his pension.
No one says there’s no such thing as a breaking ball, Hendu. You dork.
Yeah, Hendu, and those East Coast scientists fabricate dinosaur bones in their free time, too…
#98: Hendu’s no dork; he just got hit with a baseball.
Meet “Willie” Snelling, Rick.
How dare he call Doyle “Willie”
SOB
I mean, you can understand the confusion. Snelling’s a left-handed batter with a great sense of the strike zone and a future as an MLB starter, Willie’s a right-handed “hitter” who swings at anything the pitcher is kind enough to let go of.
Booyah!
Beltre hit the snot out of that ball…
I like Beltre’s Angry Man Swing
He looked like he was ready to go after Harden for hitting him.
Well hey, look at that…
Ladies and Gents, our new Centerfielder, guy in the white shirt in section 102
I love Angry Adrian.
I spell RAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL with 32 “U’s”!
Nice hustle Perez.
Oakland Landscapers. Everyone rakes.
Man. Uhhh… anyone got a good article request for this week? Because I need something else to talk about. “Evaluating managers” is in the queue.
Although it was touched on in another article’s comments thread, divulge your point of view on the idea of “popular” players vs. “good” players, and how it benefits the organization as a whole. The context revolved around not trading / releasing guys who haven’t performed well even though they’re popular fan favorites. Could harken back to examples of Bret Boone, Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Junior, Edgar Martinez, etc.
how about something on the topic of the A’s (and others’) approach to baseball, and how it works to win a division but does not work so well in playoffs, due to the SSS and the need for, basically, being clutch? Another way, what makes a team succesfull in a series as opposed to a season.
Actually just wondered if you had a review in the wings for Raffy Chaves and how he did as pitching coach this year.
Speaking of “being clutch”, how about you do an article on how overrated being clutch/unclutch is.
If we hadn’t given away Yorvit because he “deserved the chance to start” we would have had a backup catcher this year. We get only 25 men on our roster, why should a GM give away a valuable member of that 25? Every team needs a backup catcher.
how about something on the topic of the A’s (and others’) approach to baseball, and how it works to win a division but does not work so well in playoffs, due to the SSS and the need for, basically, being clutch? Another way, what makes a team succesfull in a series as opposed to a season.
You should check out “Baseball between the numbers” edited by Jonah Keri, which has an excellent chapter about this very topic. I recommend the book anyway, but the chapter will make you quite happy.
So does Ichi pinch hit for YuBet in the bottom of the 9th?
#120: What would the point be?
consecutive games played
Wow, it looks like there are fewer people there than yesterday.
Boy, that’s an empty ballpark in that shot.
See Derek’s comment #12
#122: He’s said before it’s not a big deal.
I would not allow those empty stadium shots if I were the M’s.
I don’t think Ichiro would be the one pushing it, probably Hargrove thinking he owes it to him or something.
He looks pretty relaxed standing in the dugout.
Or the organization thinking they want to keep him happy
Dobbs has been on fire. Has has at least 3 hits in his last 4 AB’s, if not 4?
There are more players than fans.
The Angels aren’t going to the playoffs. Whew!
On one hand, I wish he kept his streak going. OTOH, I think Cal Ripken’s streak hurt the team after awhile, so I wouldn’t want Ichi’s to come to that down the line.
Bobby Kielty has Red #4 hair.
70¢ on the dollar. They’re going to the playoffs spending 70¢ for every dollar we spend on payroll. You watching this, Howard? Chuck? Or are you guys still upset that Billy Beane wrote Moneyball?
Really Hendu? The Mariners need to watch the celebration to learn how to win next year?
131: Dobbs is 5 for his last 5.
Steve Swisher?
Has anyone ever been injured in a playoff-clinching party? You could slip and break a bone, take a cork in the eye, get a nasty cut…
140. Yeah this guy who pitched for the Giants when they won their division in 1989 Dave Dravecky who’s arm was recovering from surgery to repair his humerous bone in his arm had someone bump into him and his arm broke again. Only they were celebrating on the mound and were going to the World Series.
The game is long over, so it’s OK to me to add a “fuck you, get the fuck away from the club I love!” to that inexcusable idiot ass manager still beyond belief wearing away each Mariner fan’s sympathy.
WHY is he still there! Is there going to be a special fan’s event, where we get to tar and feather him? I’ll fly in for that, but I’ll need some advance notice.
Why did “Knee-House” sound excited about the A’s winning the divison?
140: In 2002, when the Twins clinched, Denny Hocking got his hand “cleated” by a team-mate during the celebration on the mound. He was unable to play in the play-offs, which included a first-round trouncing of the frickin’ A’s.
I feel that history will repeat itself in ‘06 (minus the whole hand-cleating thing….)
Bah, humbug. Bloody A’s
They’ll be lucky to win a single game.
#145: If past performance is indicative of future results, they will actually win two — the first two. Then they will choke with stupid baserunning and bizarrely bad defense. Maybe one of their star pitchers will even get into a fistfight in a bar the night before his start in the away city.
But every prospectus I’ve seen for any investment tells me that past performance may not be indicative of future results, so never mind.
I wonder: will they take the tarp off the upper deck in the Coliseum for the playoffs, or leave it on to create an artificial shortage of tickets? I don’t think they’ve sold out a playoff game in recent memory.
re #140 the Padres’ best starting pitcher (Jake Peavey ?) last year comes to mind. Started game 1 of the division series with a broken rib and got bombed.
I went to the game last night, so this is a little after the fact:
I would imagine Bloomquist got the start because he scored the winning run in the previous game. When M’s won that game all the kids on the team acted like they’d won the World Series or something, mobbing Willie. It looked a little odd, and kinda pathetic, given that they were still in last place after the game.
Just a guess, Willie is the “emotional center” of the clubhouse, and the start was a reward for being in the right place at the right time the previous evening. It will serve as inspiration for all the M’s organizational filler, cause if Willie can do it, “Dammit, I can do that too.”
Three other things:
1. Many great seats were available. Plenty of arm and leg room to stretch out too.
2. By the end of the game there we a couple of hundred A’s fans clustered in front of the A’s dugout. 95% of the rest of the “crowd” was gone.
3. You know the A’s fans actually spontaneously start organized cheers? I don’t remember the last time I heard that from M’s fans without scoreboard prompting.
…or was it winning hit…same difference I guess.
#148. um, no, and no.
#148: You know the A’s fans actually spontaneously start organized cheers? I don’t remember the last time I heard that from M’s fans without scoreboard prompting.
Careful. buddy. Yankee and Red Sox fans get a lot of grief around these parts for going to games at Safeco and having the audacity to do just that.
You could be labelled a fellow traveller before you know it.
(And the last time you heard that from M’s fans at Safeco was “never.”)
As an A’s fan, I can confirm that we only have one chant:
Let’s Go Oak-land!
Yep. Neither original, nor exciting, it still makes the most of those four syllables. I’m sure the Oakland Coliseum will be rocking at 55% capacity with that chant ringing off of the empty seats during the ALDS, baby.
I was at the game. My first at Safeco. The good news was I bought a 7$ bleacher seat and then sat a few rows behind the dugout. Bad news was a not very good game and watching the A’s celebrate. Still glad I changed my air ticket.
dare