Game 61, Mariners at Cubs
Dave · June 12, 2007 at 4:54 pm · Filed Under Game Threads
Washburn vs Hill, 5:05 pm.
M’s go with their standard non-DH line-up, which includes Lopez hitting 2nd and Turbo banished to the bench.
Hill’s a good arm, but he’s not as good as his ERA would have you believe. Plus, he’s a lefty. And the wind is blowing out. Expect run scoring.
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Why does our non-DH lineup look smarter than our DH lineup?
Necessity is the mother of invention.
(Just one more reason to join the NL West…)
What’s odd is, Hargrove’s been crying like a baby about playing in the NL. “We’re the AL; we’re built around a DH.”
And yet, oddly, Grovey, we win in the NL….what could this mean?
was that a balk by hill? he committed to home it seemed like for sure.
Nice. I love the anger Guillen swings the bat with.
At least there’ll be no more starts for Bloomquist … he’s needed to fill the role of Designated Scorer of Ninth-Inning Game-Winning Runs, as he’s done for each of the last three days.
So, now that a newspaper reporter has been ejected from a game for Blogging about the game at the stadium, is MLB close to follow suit? Can “officially licensed blogs” be dar behind?
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070611/SPORTS02/706110450/1028
[QUOTE]A Courier-Journal sports reporter had his media credential revoked and was ordered to leave the press box during the NCAA baseball super-regional yesterday because of what the NCAA alleged was a violation of its policies prohibiting live Internet updates from its championship events.
Gene McArtor, a representative of the NCAA baseball committee, approached C-J staffer Brian Bennett at the University of Louisville’s Jim Patterson Stadium in the bottom of the fifth inning in the U of L-Oklahoma State game. McArtor told him that blogging from an NCAA championship event “is against NCAA policies. We’re revoking the credential and need to ask you to leave the stadium.” [/QUOTE]
Grover is better at using his bench and getting the most out of his 25 man roster in the NL format, bringing in Vidro for the late inning designated walk and then replacing him right away with Bloomie to run.
Someone broke Richie’s trigger.
“Hill’s a good arm, but he’s not as good as his ERA would have you believe. Plus, he’s a lefty. And the wind is blowing out. Expect run scoring.”
I’m curious to see if this statement holds true. He’s been pretty good in his last 3 outings and is probably the best pitcher the M’s have faced over the last 5 or so games, IMO of course. I’d like to see Hill get a bashing but he fits the prototypical no name pitcher who hasn’t quite established himself in the league but has a knack for making the M’s lineup look bad.
That wasn’t a productive out, Raul.
The NCAA: Both feet firmly planted in the twentieth century.
That *really* wasn’t a productive out, Richie.
Fangraphs says Ichiro’s first at bat lasted twenty pitches and included six strikes.
At least we worked him for 22 pitches.
Hill’s nothing like Matt DeSalvo. He’s not a no-name pitcher but he’s more of a good young starter who ESPN hasn’t oversatured in coverage yet.
Yeah!
Richie “Rally Killer” Sexson.
According to Gameday, all Washburn’s pitches have been up.
Every time I watch Washburn, I just scratch my head and wonder how he gets anyone out. His stuff blows.
Fangraphs says Ichiro’s first at bat lasted twenty pitches and included six strikes.
Actually it included seven strikes. But only eight pitches.
18: To be fair, Ibanez killed most of the rally by striking out with one out. Sexson just finished it off.
#19. Yeah, up but still in the strike zone.
The ump’s personal strike zone probably looks like a jigsaw puzzle piece.
DeSalvo is a good example, Blanton would be another, I could probably name a couple more.
That didn’t take long.
Now that pitch #2 was right at the belt in the middle of the plate according to MLB.com’s GameDay, and it was called a ball, too.
To be clearer, Fangraphs said there were six strikes, three balls, and ten foul balls. I wonder if they were counting throws to first or something.
Ibanez has the range of a sloth.
I doubt Hill was throwing over to first with Ichiro batting, seeing as he was leading off the game and all.
This ain’t the way to do it fellas
You might as well start getting some outs Washburn, because methinks that you’re going to be out there for a while…
Joh to Wash, “Has your arm fallen off? Please let me know.”
Everyone is drilling Washburn’s crap, and Barrett tries a bunt? I don’t miss Lou at all.
Washburn in Wrigley is not looking like a good idea.
Listening to the commentary after the game yesterday on KOMO, Someone (I forget who) said looking forward to Washburn coming and going deep into the game to give our bullpen a rest.
Barrett’s trying to get his lights punched out again…this time by the opposition instead of his own pitcher.
According to Gameday, of Washburn’s 17 pitches, all but 3 have been fastballs between 84-88. It’s no wonder they’re pounding him.
29: He was loosening up for the pickoff. Yeah.
Heh…four more batters this inning, and maybe Washburn can get the pitcher out?
Is it Felix’s throw day?
39. I don’t know about that. As a young guy, he probably still remembers how to bat. And it is BP after all…
The NCAA: Both feet firmly planted in the twentieth century.
The early twentieth century. Dumb as a box of rocks. You really think an organization representing institutions of higher learning would be smarter.
But then college presidents haven’t been covering themselves with glory lately either.
Neither has Washburn, this inning.
Washburn’s pitches to Theriot:
88-88-87-87-87-89-88
I hope Chaves is suggesting an occasional breaking ball.
39. I hope Washburn didn’t take you seriously…
Washburn’s New Nickname: Regressing to the Mean with a Vengeance = > “Revengeance”
YUNI!
That’s a hell of a play. Geez.
Yu-betcha saves us from further inglory this inning
Why did that inning feel like he was giving up 12 runs, not two?
Has the chaos of the Cubs’ clubhouse shut up the Bring Back Piniella crowd at all?
Over the last week or so, Cool Standings has been fascinating in a couple of areas: First, they’ve been far more optimistic about the A’s and Yankees’ chances of making the playoff than the Mariners’, despite the Mariners being several games ahead of the Yankees. I assume that’s some combination of schedule and the Yankees underperforming their run differential by so much.
But it’s been even weirder in the NL Central, where they have had the Cubs not only having a better chance of making the playoffs but a better chance of winning the division than the Brewers. Remember Dave explaining how much of a deficit five games was a couple weeks ago? Right now the Brewers have 5 and a half games on the Cubs, and Cool Standings still gives the Cubs a better shot. And the Cardinals, who are also 5 and a half games out, Cool Standings gives almost no chance.
#41 and 44: I hate it when I’m almost right…
So….Wash’s next challenge is to get the first batter of the NEXT inning out! Yeah, the pitcher. I’m going to start giggling uncontrollably if you’re right, juneau_fan…
51. Zambrano’s probably dared all the other pitchers to outhit him.
I still remember the game where he broke his bat over his thigh when he struck out. Something tells me skinny boy’s not going to be able to match that.
Cubs broadcast is showing the umps telling the pitching coach that they’ll call a balk–do they have the guts to call it?
ok, let’s get it going… nice rip, AB
you’ve got to be kidding me
Ha Ha
53: There’s your answer
Lousy call.
i guess he had the guts….
wow, a throwing error and a balk by the pitcher in the first two innings… me likey…
finally balk
Sounds like the umpires are leaving a lot to be desired in this one already…
Let it hit you, Jarrod. It’s a curveball. Take the base and be a man.
Too early for a pinch hitter?
At least he worked him for 6 pitches.
geez, he might as well have gone up there without a bat…
if he had bunted maybe the pitcher would have thrown it away again
Fo those of uson gamedayonly, what happend with the Yuni at bat.
[sic} Yuni grounds out, third baseman DeRosa to shortsop Isturis to first baseman Lee.
And the runners hold?
I’d be interested in knowing what Ichiro’s ratio of pitches taken to pitches swung at. I swear, he’ll swing at (and foul off) just about anything…
Groundball of DeRosa’s glove, Izturis picks it up, throws, doesn’t get him, ump calls him out anyways.
*on edge of seat for Hill’s AB*
To the Cubs, we have “Steve Niehaus, the longtime Mariners announcer”
Beautiful J-Wash!
That was quick.
Yeah, I can’t explain why Joh didn’t go — I guess when the ball went off the 3rd baseman he was afraid he was going to get doubled up.
Kind of sad — men on 2nd and 3rd, nobody out, and they only get one — and that was a gift.
that was a huge inning for washburn, hopefully he settles down for the rest of the game
Gotta like the 1-2-3 inning rebound after the rough first.
70. That’s okay, we have Rizz on the radio, who’s becoming Dave.
“And it’s a flyball to center!!…that’s caught by Yuni behind 2nd base.”
Show ‘em the anger Jose!!!
Funk Bleacher Blast!
NICE.
Guillen Funk Blast!!!
Great time for Guillen to get his bat going again. I was wondering if we were going to start thinking he was the guy who needed to be replaced by Jones.
They’re saying that was into the wind? It’s blowing in?
74 – you new around here… with that moniker?
Didn’t take long for Guillen to figure Hill. Nice to see Beltre start the night off with a double. Hopefully this is the return of the prethumb injury Beltre. I miss that guy already.
Can “officially licensed blogs” be dar behind?
They’re trying to catch water with a sieve. It won’t be long before every person in the stands with a cellphone will be able to blog the game, complete with photos. It’s possible now; it’s just that the phones cost over $100, but that won’t be true for long.
diamond dave,
ichiro has swung at the first pitch 19% of time (52 of 274 plate app.
overall he swings at 45.3% (468 of 1034)
Guillen was admitting this morning that he was feeling the travel lately, and wondering if that was why his bat had gone cold
Ole! Adrian!
Setting up the double play!
Verlander throwing a no hitter in Detroit, in the 8th…
flags on tv show the wind is blowing in at a pretty good pace.
Go JOH! A Real Mariner Hero!
More Kenji awesomeness. In other news, Pudge is first with voters.
Verlander into the 9th wit a no hitter
We rock at unproductive out-making.
J-Wash!
Holy crap, our pitchers are hitting better than Sexson.
WTG Washburn!
oooh, pitcher RBI!
putting aside the whole ‘newfangled blogger’ mentality for the moment, Bennett was asked to leave because he ignored both the NCAA memo on the issue “that any blog containing action photos or game reports would be prohibited” and a pre-game warning that “he was violating NCAA policy by filing periodic reports for The Courier-Journal’s Web site”
LOVE watching our pitchers hit. Particularly right now. Yay!
Yeah Jarrod! Too bad he can’t teach the rest of the team something about hitting
Wow. Awesome!
First pitch swinging not always a bad thing
Holy cow. Zambrano’s hitting .310?!
Whaaaa—aaaahhhhh???
That makes up for the first inning.
Who (and when) was the last Mariners’ pitcher to hit a home run?
Washburn to Hargrove, “Now that I have the lead, can you pull me?”
105. has only happened in batting practice, never in a game
103 – Let’s trade Vidro for him.
The NCAA should be happy anyone is covering college baseball in Louisville. Aren’t they trying to grow interest in the sport?
Pull Washburn? After a hit a pitcher’s arm feels like it is made out of titanium
I would be happy to trade Zambrano for Vidro.
Oh, wait. You probably weren’t serious.
Er, V for Z, that is.
Possibly my favorite part of baseball is watching the pitchers hit, and it’s even more fun when they’re AL pitchers.
Washburn’s arm seems ok so far.
Computer room finally opens up at my base camp and I log in just in time to hear the pitcher get an RBI. Sweet.
Top of the 9th in Detroit with Verlander no-no
Freddy hit .300 in interleague with the M’s at least once.
Zambrano hits HRs though. Just a couple a year (though 6 last year) but the dude has power. That’s what’s impressive. His OPS so far this year is .862
the cubs announcers just joked about the scouting report mentioning that the m’s leftside of the infield doesn’t need leather…heh…
1 out for Verlander
washburn’s looking pretty good since the first, especially with the RBI.
Verlander just made Craig Counsell look like a rookie, it was embarassing.
espn has broken in for bonus coverage
Base camp? Where the heck are you, K2?
I just noticed Joh isn’t listed as one of the top 5 vote getting catchers in the American League for the All Star Game. What an absolute joke.
two straight strikeouts to start the ninth
that pitch was just filthy
Tony Graffanino also…
102 mph heat on the first pitch to Hardy
121. Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Makin’ BP some money.
“Possibly my favorite part of baseball is watching the pitchers hit, and it’s even more fun when they’re AL pitchers.”
This is why I enjoy inter-league play. It can be hilarious, or cringe-worthy or shockingly amazing, like Washburn’s RBI.
As much as I’d love to have Zambrano or Dontrelle Willis*, I’d hate to lose their batting for my viewing pleasure.
Wow, this game’s flying by.
Just saw over at mlb.com that our favorite former 2nd basman and suspected over-frisky anmalyst Harold Reynolds has joined mlb.com as an analyst. Oh, and Verlander is 1 out from a no-no.
No-no for Verlander!
nice no hitter for verlander but he did walk 4 including Bill Hall 3 times. Do you really need to walk Bill Hall 3 times?
Verlander’s no-no is complete…wow what a performance!
Well done Verlander
Verlander: 4BB and 12Ks. It’s a no hitter, but of the wild and sloppy sort.
I suppose we can hope to see Morrow do that one day. If he ever becomes a starter, sigh.
Actually, Verlander just finished off the no-no.
wow, what a night for verlander…11 ground outs and 12 strikeouts.
[raises the question]
Great No-No, I can’t remember batters looking that bad all the way into the 9th during one.
“Verlander just made Craig Counsell look like a rookie, it was embarassing.”
As one of the whee-whiddle gritty players, he’ll always have the fresh-faced look of a rookie.
There go your high pitch counts. The first inning is such a bad predictor.
137 – my point exactly. He must be pretty dangerous
134-
4 walks over 9 innings is hardly ’sloppy’…and I am sure any pitcher would LOVE to have that performance on their resume.
So the travel schedule is brutal, but there’s something to be said for playing every day while you’re hot.
I wonder if that snowed-out series in Cleveland is going to turn into a blessing in disguise. The way the team was playing then, they probably would have lost 3 of 4. Or all 4. The way they’re playing now, they could win 3 of 4. If the wild card comes down to a couple of games, as it often does, that could be huge.
Plus all these makeup games throw a small wrench into Cleveland’s machine, too — they don’t have to travel, but they lose off days and that can mess up the rotation and tire out the bullpen. That doesn’t help the M’s directly, but it might make a difference in the WC if the Tigers go on a tear and end up winning the Central.
Anyone remember when this was Washburn’s breakout year? That seems like 10 years ago. Man, he blows.
Nice gift.
Good to be lucky (and bad baserunning helps)
just how they drew it up
For those of you who like seeing the pitchers hit…it brings back hte question….if we are going to have this interleague play crap, why not use the DH in the NL parks and don’t use it in the AL parks so the fans can get a true idea of what baseball in the other league is like?
Uh oh, Blowers just inadvertently made an anti-chemistry argument.
Griffey helping the M’s with a sac fly to go ahead.
148-
I hate seeing the pitcher hit, and it forces the manager to remove a pitcher who may be pitching well in lieu of a hitter if they are losing.
What did Blowers say?
if we are going to have this interleague play crap, why not use the DH in the NL parks and don’t use it in the AL parks so the fans can get a true idea of what baseball in the other league is like?
Ugh, I hate this canard. What, you think the NL fans don’t ever watch AL games, or AL fans don’t watch NL games? They don’t watch the WS or interleague? What is so special about seeing the DH in person, or seeing pitchers hit at your home park? What possible magic insight will that supply?
Angels tied, As losing, come on Washburn
thank god for double-plays erasing meandering outfielder’s miscues…
@153
Couldn’t that same argument be made about interleague play in general? It would make things more interesting and fun for American League teams, less so for National League Teams.
This game is why ERA is useless. That’s 5 walks in 5 2/3 innings against a bad line-up. Washburn doesn’t have any command of below average stuff, he’s not fooling anyone, and he’s putting guys on base every inning. That he’s only given up 2 runs has a lot more to do with the Cubs than Washburn.
153: That’s a pretty silly arguement. Going on that theory, than no one should EVER go to a game in person. Because we’ve all seen them play, so what’s so special about going in person?
I guarantee there is a small percentage of MAriner fans who have EVER seen a pitcher bat in person. So, in that sense, it is a little different and therefore “special”. If you want to argue that pitchers hitting takes away from the game and the DH is “good”, that’s a whole different arguement. I am saying, if we have to have it, which I am not for, why don’t we at least go all out and make it a whoel different experience for the fans?
Uh oh, Blowers just inadvertently made an anti-chemistry argument.
I thought he graduated college. Didn’t he take any chemistry classes? I’m sorry, but these luddites with their anti-science attitude and…
Oh.
That kind of chemistry.
Sorry.
What did he say, anyway?
156: Speaking as an American League fan, it wouldn’t make things more interesting to me to see pitchers hitting in my home park. Quite the contrary.
160: How about speaking as a Mariners fan…we wouldn’t have to see Vidro hit! Addition by subtraction!
It was much more fun to watch Edgar swing a bat than any pitcher who ever lived.
Well, Babe Ruth just occurred to me.
Jason Ellison, live action. Live action, Jason Ellison.
At what point does Hargrove pull Washburn? I know the bullpen needs all the help that it can get, but he has been pretty shaky each inning walking 5…
well nevermind then…
165: Ellison batting = Washburn Done.
Vidro-esque!
aw, heck, Jarrod could have done THAT.
isn’t ellison supposed to be fast?
Excellent pinch hit.
And that’ll be the last we’ll see of Mr. Ellison until September.
Ellison isn’t really doing much to get playing time lately.
6 innings of not great pitching only allowing 2ER, I will take that. If its the Angels we are screwed but its only the Cubs.
I thought Ellison had speed? That was not a great turn by any means.
Had Washburn sacrificed there we just got a run. Awesome.
oh, Sims had asked him if he’d ever seen a rhubarb in the dugout, and Blow said yes, that you didn’t have to like everyone you played with to win
I guess Hargrove is saving Vidro for a 9th inning double play instead of a 7th inning one…OR, with Ichiro up next, why not just let Washburn (or one of the other scrubs) bunt the runner over?
Or Ellison could have bunted and used the speed we thought he had to try and beat it out.
Hey Jose let make it a 3 for 4 night!
J. Guillen looked lost there.
If you have Washburn bunt, they walk Ichiro, and go after Lopez/Guillen with Marmol. Bunting isn’t a good move there.
According to Gameday that pitcher was throwing trash at Guillen…no wonder it went badly.
The Cubbies have the stupidest person alive doing the 7th inning stretch. Now she’s in the booth, being stupid, and talking. Stupidly.
M’s = studly
Nice DP.
High risk play by Lopez there. It worked, but in that case, I think you’re better off just getting the lead runner out, keeping the tying run on first base, and not taking the chance of a big inning in a one run game.
I’ll take my chances with 2 out runners at 1st and 2nd over 1 out, runner at first and a bad hitter (pinch hitting, where averages are much lower no less) up to bat.
I come in from mowing, and we seem to have another one run lead. I’ll take it =)
Please hold the lead! Only one more inning before we unleash Putz on them.
If he doesn’t get the out of the baseline call (very borderline) and spends too much time, losing out on getting Soriano, you’re at 1st/2nd with no out, and Win Probability favors the Cubs at that point.
It was a big risk.
Lopez did the right thing by not chasing the runner and making sure he had time to get the play at first once he went for the tag.
Dave, I’m sure Green was agreeing with you up until the double play was completed.
If Richie bangs 30 HR and 100 RBI but only hits .210, is he worth the dollars?
There was some muttering about Putz having a stomach flu thing in the pre-game on the radio. That’s why he didn’t go last night, apparently. Has only heard his status tonight? And who would go in if not he?
Well… one day Sexson will get his swing back. Just not today. Looked pretty terrible on that at-bat.
Richie looks lost….still.
I’ll answer that question once I see where the Mariners stand after the season over.
kenji looked like he pulled an ichiro there, hitting the ball that almost bounces (before the single).
When do we start renaming the Mendoza line the Sexson line?
I feel quite proud that we’d be renaming batting (not even) .200 after another Mariner.
yay, insurance run for the Reds
Ugh.
OK, I admit I’ve been banging on Richie Sexington. Go Yuni!
Ah, nuts.
Why wouldn’t you have Sexson bunt Ibanez over? The way Sexson’s been playing, I would think that would be the ideal thing to do. Any reasons not?
woohoo Cincinnati up 5-3 after 8….damn Escobar struck out 14 in six innings for the Angels
Angels and As BOTH losing. Be a good win
199, how about the gordon-sexson mendoza line? heh…
Reds up by 2 going into the 9th.
Because Sexson can’t bunt?
That should be a fundamental skill.
The Sexdoza line?
Good to see Green get to stay in the game here. I’m glad to see him getting a shot to show he’s better than he’s been treated so far.
No, it shouldn’t. Bunting is generally a terrible idea, and there’s no reason to have your power hitters do it.
Can Balentien play 1B? j/k
You want Sexson to bunt? Richie Sexson, of the 0 career sacrifice bunts?
#205
indeed, though they are only losing by 1-2 runs so we do not know yet. Cleveland lost, so now they are tied with the Tigers in the AL Central.
I agree Dave, the double didn’t help but Derrick Lee swings a decent stick.
Seems a better option than what he’s doing this year so far… but if he can’t bunt, he can’t bunt I suppose.
Past a diving Boone!
Well, so much for Green ever getting a high leverage opportunity again.
If you are going to call on Sexson to bunt you might as well just replace him. If you don’t think he can hit, get him out of the lineup.
Angels lose, lets end this right here M’s!
Glad Greene’s getting a chance to show us what he can do.
AARRRGGHHHH!
This isn’t good.
These close games suck when you work in a dry borough. I could really use a drink right now.
Okay, I don’t like the intentional walk here. Morrow can’t throw strikes – you’re just removing his margin for error.
What a great idea, what with Morrow’s great control and an umpire with a wacky strike zone.
That first strike was rather…generous.
225. Prudhoe Bay’s dry!?? The humanity! First no FSN, now no booze!
Agree on that one Dave. There is no point in forcing a DP, they get a run anyways. If you get the GB just hold the runner back and go to 1st.
Green = Mateo
1 down
In general, the intentional walk increases the chance of an opposition win in that situation. But with Morrow it’s got to increase it a lot more.
well that worked out about as well as it could
I’ll play the M’s Legless Ron Santo:
“A double play gets us out of this jam”
How many DP’s has Sherill induced?
I love hearing Dave say, “Pee-A” for Pie.
Well, if we got a guess who insists his name is Pooo-tz when it’s spelled putz, Pie can be Pee-A.
mmmmmmmmmmm….pie……………
Well, Sherrill has a good K/BB ratio at least.
229. Well, in their defense, when people get drunk up here they get their co-workers killed.
This game is opposite day. Washburn pitches horribly, but only gives up two runs. Smart decision to leave Green in, but he struggles and it costs the team the lead. Bad move to IBB Floyd, but it works out perfectly for Morrow.
Nothing like seeing every move go counter to the right decision.
Could that Fox montage be any longer?
I’ll be extremely impressed if it stays tied at the end of the 8th.
0 GDP in 2007 and much higher flyball ratio.
Felix Pie?
That doesn’t sound very tasty
Pee-ay is how you would say that name. Although as a word, at least, you’d put more emphasis on the ee than the ay.
Many other people who took Spanish in high school are about to chime in with the same thing.
242- Thanks and ugh.
ok, that was strike three… crappy ump
To quote the real Legless Ron Santo:
“Boy, we really need a hit here”
And Legless Ron Santo pronounces it: Pee-A
K – Zowie! Nice help.
Awesome pitch. Way to go George.
I’ll take that SO but I don’t like this ump.
Wow, wasn’t sure if he was going to call a strike on that last one or not. I was jumping out of my seat but he gave a delayed call.
*WHEW* Pie didn’t lift the bat off his shoulder.
244, i was seriously about to, had it all queued up, but thought better of it, ha…
Ump tried to give everyone a heart attack!
Clutch strike-out!
Out of those pitches, there were easily 3 strikes.
Gorgeous.
Tie score going into the 9th? Advantage Mariners
So…..wonder who pitches next.
woohoo, gorgeous george!
god bless this bullpen…
can we pull it out in the 9th ONE MORE TIME??
the odds say no, but this team is on a freakish run of late game heroics… can I get a Funk Blast?? Amen, my brothers and sisters!! Testify!!
No shit. That was *awesome*.
this sets up well for the designated go ahead pinch runner guy
I Heart Sherill!!!!! Makes me miss Memphis.
M’s! Still have life! If the M’s win, Sherrill’s gotta be the player of the game.
Quick, name a better LH reliever in baseball than George Sherrill.
rock on!!!!! Wow, that was exciting, nervewracking and scary all at the same time.
George Sherill cementing his legacy as my favorite lefty specialist of all time.
George rocks.
Fangraphs goes insane…
Apparently Felix Pie thinks any pitch not on the outer half of the plate is about hit him and he needs to jump three feet. Nice to see the ump finally punch him out despite the acting job.
Gorgeous George?
Dave couldn’t remember his name. “Great work from……….George!” Sometimes radio is more entertaining than TV.
239. I guess drunk driving with a drill would be dangerous.
1st pitch out, just like they draw it up.
Ichi shoulda swung…and took off runnin’
way to look at strike three, Ichiro. Come on, you’re up there to swing…
How does Pie not swing at that pitch!!!!!!
Uhh bases loaded full count tie game… uh I think you should be swinging at anything close…
goes down looking… hilarious.
Was that last strike to Ichiro as far outside as it looked on gameday?
Brad Lidge blows another save 4-4 A’s tie it up.
Gameday showed crazy stuff for that Ichiro at bat. What the heck happened?
#276 Nah, it was outside corner. Definitely a strike.
It very borderline at best.
I don’t think Ichiro is unclear on the concept of being up there to swing. You know? Sometimes the best hitters misread a good pitch.
was someone actually chanting ‘Ozzie, Ozzie’ when Guillen was up to bat?
Darn, gotta hate the 1-1-3 putout.
Two games in a row Niehaus has made my heart explode.
If J.J. is available to pitch, the M’s should use him here in the 9th. Forget trying to protect the save situation – get the next three outs.
Yay wind.
Jason Davis? Really? Yikes.
Wow, thought that was gone by everyone’s reaction.
Yay Ichiro.
Just what our BP needs, an extra innings game.
if you are going to do a double switch anyways, why not use the ignitor as a pinch runner when guillen was batting.
ugh, As caught up
O’Flaherty warming up. I wonder if JJ is available.
Jason Davis isn’t fooling anyone. Thank God for hitting balls where fielders are.
I saw putz warming up before the ninth
i wish they’d just walk lee
Barrett is a little bitch, I hope he K’s on 3 pitches
Davis now with 12 K and 19 BB for the M’s.
Where’s John Halama when we need him?
Davis can barely pitch out correctly.
But, he gets the outs! Scary and lucky, but its still tied.
Luck you are a good friend.
What happens when we run out of relievers? Do we just start using the starters and then pitch them on short rest for their starts?
Murderer’s Row, coming up
I sure hope Davis isn’t coming out for another inning.
If this was last season I would have turned off the computer and figured we lose… Somehow these M’s have me holding on to hope, even with Davis throwing in the bottom of the 9th! Can I get a Funk Blast?
The dregs of our BP are better than the dregs of theirs.
I hope.
The M’s won’t run out of relievers – Jake Woods could go 7 or 8 innings if needed. They’d just burn through Woods until the game ended.
hopefully
Did you catch that little slam by Sims about Cubs’ fans. They were showing the guy who got the bat shard that flew into the stands and the guy’s seat neighbor (buddy, likely) arrives back at his seat and Sims says: “Hey pal, see what you missed when you went for your 18th beer?” That Sims is gonna pull a real boner sometime this season.
didn’t exactly recall the ‘27 Yankees, did it?
So I am choosing the game over dinner, as the cafe is about to close for the night. I hope we win.
305: Here, have these easy-listening groundouts instead.
Anecdote: Shuttle back from the airport last night had the radio tuned to some horrific station that was all smooth jazz, all the time. Hell is much like this.
“We’ve had a fire. In our home.” is a very annoying commercial. But.
The RedHook “copycat boy” spot makes me want to drink anything but a Redhook.
Lauren, If the Ms lose you have to go back to CA so we can start a new winning streak.
Must we so tempt the law of averages?
Our bullpen is going to be a pile of smoldering rubble if we keep putting them out there four and five innings in close games. I wonder how many prospects we’ll be trading at the deadline to get some starters up in this biotch.
311 – I had a similar situation last night, watching the game in the bar when I should have been attending a networking group meeting. Just couldn’t leave… and was rewarded with the W.
Good call. Wendy’s is open late
All in all a pretty good performance by Davis (better than his outing against the Padres at least).
Davis was by no means doing awesome, but I didn’t see the Cubs scoring a run off of him.
Is Grover trying to keep everyones pitch count down so they can all throw a inning each day?
#319 I think he’s just going for the lefty-lefty, righty-righty combos.
E5
Better be setting up the DP with that error.
They ruled that a hit? What’s with these scorers lately?
Man. It’s such a nice feeling to know that no matter what, Hargrove can’t go to Mateo.
These National League games turn into a war of attrition.
I swear, every time we’re tied in extra innings, Grover thinks it’s a great time to put in the worst pitchers, because (I guess), what if it lasts a bunch of innings? You don’t want to waste your best pitcher! What if you don’t score? Then you’ll have to use your worst guys for a bunch of innings!
I think. I mean, I don’t understand what he’s thinking.
If I were O’Flaherty, I’d throw softly to first 10 more times, imagine how uncomfortable that would make the hitter, especially being a rookie.
Jesus. Those two fly balls looked scary off the bat, to the point that I was hiding my eyes.
The Killer B’s comint up.
Is the wind blowing in at 100 MPH? Theriot and Pie both looked like they got all of it, and both hit routine flyouts.
Best Jose Guillen move ever!! Faking the after inning toss to the outfield in Wrigley. I love that guy!
I thought a couple of those flyouts were hit pretty well, glad my judgment was wrong.
Ha, guess I wasn’t the only one that thought that way.
No, it must be blowing out because that’s what it said at the start of this thread.
I just have to say, what the hell was Denny’s thinking licensing an Air Supply song for a TV ad…
This is a bad idea, putting Vidro in for Beltre. The slavish devotion to the Leefty-righty thing has always irritated me.
326 – Isn’t this only the 2nd extra innings game of the year?
Boy, Wrigley looks a lot different on TV.
Damn you Soriano. At least he’s not a Yankee anymore.
Oakland tied in the 10th.
I don’t get it. Is Beltre injured?
Umm, Vidro just pinch-hit for Beltre. I will now light myself on fire.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought Theriot and Pie looked to have ended the game.
#339
There MUST be some explanation…. or maybe not.
Hargrove is such an idiot.
Turbo’s on the field of play! Lookout!
This may be a bit premature, but it just popped into my head: the only time I’ve ever been to Wrigley, they played 15 innings (day game) and we finally had to bail after the 14th to meet the wives. So I’ve never seen a complete game at Wrigley.
Sure hope this one doesn’t go 15….
Beltre had to of re-injured himself or something. That just doesn’t make sense…even for Hargrove.
I’ve been listening to the Cub’s feed and during the half-inning the crowd has been chanting: “Guillen sucks”
If Beltre wasn’t having apendicitis, then this might be my least favorite managerial move of all time.
Hitting for Beltre isn’t the worst part…
I was assuming he did a double switch to put off the pitchers spot for a while but I guess he is just an idiot.
I am going to make like Ichiro wanting to go to Cleveland and punch my self in the face! Thanks Grover
Cubs have used 4 pitchers, M’s are on pitcher number 6. Vidro and Willie in the field. Awesome…
I’ve been listening to the Cub’s feed and during the half-inning the crowd has been chanting: “Guillen sucks”
Legless Ron Santo: “We should win a game at home . . . at the bottom . . .”
Zambrano! Weirdest extra innings ever.
I hope I’m wrong but this game has 15 innings written all over it … unless of course PH CARLOS ZAMBRANO parks one.
Zambrano: Batting 1.000 right handed.
Pinch hitting Zambrano–wow. I was just thinking except for Soriano and Lee that Cubs lineup is not scary.
So, two questions: Who’s playing third, and why is WFB in the game?
O’Face!
Ichiro is saying to himself “I’m tired and I want to go back to the hotel. I’m going to end the game right here.”
Jeff Weaver is about to PH! Yowzah!
damn!
I’m gonna call the O’Flaherty Funk Blast.
Why not use Burke?
oops!
This is Felix’s throw day. Maybe they could use him in the 13th.
His first time ever batting in the big leagues. Amazing.
Running out of pitchers if you switch now
“My bullpen is all burned out, so I’ll just pour gasoline on them and light a match”.
Nice going, Grover.
Or not … false alarm (about the Weaver PH)- note to self: don’t believe all that Blowers says.
I spell Ibanez, H-E-R-O
what happened to Lopez? Also, from the Cubs feed, Guillen faked like he was going to throw the ball into the stands, and then didn’t. That’s why they were chanting.
[Rizzs]
Dear Freakin’ God. I get back and it’s the 12th?
Who is going to pitch tomorrow?
Whoever it is should get ready for the “you’re out there for 9, don’t even think of looking towards the ‘pen…” speech
A’s lost… we can make up some good ground tonight in the standings!
Mariners, A’s, basketball, all going down to the wire.
371 – Thanks, somehow I missed that even though I’ve been listening to the Cubs feed. By choice for some reason, not because I’m listening via XM, which sounds much better than the Internet feed.
I’m too tired to have another heart attack at this point.
What would be O’Flaherty’s max pitch count/innings for this game?
They have to get a starter ready. Remember that game a few years back when Moyer came in to relieve?
I say bring up Feierabrand, maybe Rowland-Smith? Who do they have?
Man.
Geoff Baker surmises that Beltre hurt his hand fielding a grounder. I want Beltre to be healthy, but at least Vidro’s appearance would make sense.
A’s lose.
O’Flaherty is looking pretty good here. How long can he go?
Whatever happens, props to O’Flaherty
This is exactly what we didn’t need…. somebody’s going down to Tacoma after this game… They need to get a couple of arms out there that aren’t toast.
O’Flaherty threw at least 50 pitches in a game earlier this season.
Win or lose, bang up job by Sherrill and O’Flaherty today.
If one of pitchers get “hurt”, can we call up someone during the game?
Yeah, I know, Tacoma, but they’d probably get here in time.
O’Flaherty growing hair on his chest pitch by pitch!
I like O’Flaherty’s energy. The last 2 innings he’s been fired up going into the dugout.
Richie’s 0 for 5… is it too much to ask for him to end it right here? I’m late for Scrabble…
We have four guys who can end this with one swing. One just made an out. Another is at bat now. The other two are on the bench
This is it boys, Johjima’s gonna crank it outta here
Glad to see the Cubs announcers are asking the hard hitting questions here at 11:44PM.
Where’s Kelly Pickler?!
0-6 now.
Joh just needs to hit a fair ball that far. Holy crap.
Bad call in Spurs game, Lebron was fouled.
VIDRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurbo.
Frick. Vidro showing some power at least.
Darn, how did that ball by Vidro not get out?
I wish Bloomquist was on the bench.
Oops, no one to pitch run for Vidro.
I guess that’s why he hit a double, not his usual single.
Nice! Would’ve liked a double, but thanks for the double Turbo!
That was almost the craziest fucking thing all season! And I was thinking it in my head before it happened. How crazy for Vidro to end the game?
Nice! Would’ve liked a homer, but thanks for the double Turbo!
I wonder if Gallagher will hit a watermelon with his bat.
It’s Ignitor time.
Oh man, they are going to PA for disrespecting the Boom-quist.
“Vidro does not have good speed at second base.” – Dave Sims
Hrmph. I haven’t been able to load USSM since comment 333, but everyone else has been commenting away. dammit.
Gritty go ahead RBI coming up…
HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sweet!
*head explodes*
OMG, server melts
Some are born to greatness, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
what the f-ck was that
TURBO! Look at him fly!!
Sims: “He was MEAT at the plate”. How fucking wild was that?
You still wish Bloomquist and Vidro were on the bench? Hell yeah!!!
Holy shit. If the Cubs were a Japanese team all 25 would have to commit ritual suicide to atone for that play.
Hot damn!
Way to go Ignitor!
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than fast.
WOW vidro, expression by Ichiro was priceless just smiling there.
I love the angle where you can see Ichiro cracking up laughing at what a horrible play that was.
This game is insane. Turbo scores on a single by Bloomquist. The world is ending.
Wow… way to go Turbo… excellent execution.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Grit + Suck by Barrett + Suck by Garcia= Go Ahead RBI
412- Nice Call!
Three big late inning moments for Bloomquist in a row.
Vidro does the worst possible job of base running.
And Burke continues to be Gold!!!!!
Oh my fucking God
And Burke gets involved! All this game needs is a Piniella explosion to make it perfect.
Come on, Guillen, grand slam time.
Ichiro looks like he’s ready to punch himself in the face just to get this game over with.
Putz time.
/game
Firable offense by Vidro on that play. Sacked, gutted, hung out to dry. What an embarrassment.
But I’ll take it.
Those are what I call Mariner fans
Whenever Putz gets in the game during a save situation Fan Graphs should just give us the win.
So, what’s happening in the game now? Sorry, got distracted about 8:55 or so by Jesus Christ appearing in my front yard riding a flying pig.
what in god’s name is going on? Gameday and Gamecast are froze up.
Fangraph looks like OJ Simpson taking a lie detector test
2 outs runners first and second… Soriano up to bat *crosses fingers*
Putz is pitching for the last out to Soriano..
Bases juiced on a 4 pitch walk.
It’s almost like some saddistic intelligent force is driving this game.
Aw, shit.
o holy christ. 2 on against Putz.
god i hate watching a game on a computer. f-ing WGN for not showing this game!!!
I have no fears, its JJ Putz.
M’s win! M’s win! I can’t take all this stress
To steal from Sullivan:
Putz Wooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
WOOOOOOOO! M’s win, now Grover and the coaching staff get to try to figure out how to piece together a couple of extra arms for tomorrow.
ballgame!!!!! USSM melts!!! M’s fans go apeshit!!!!!
shades of ‘95 baby!!!
Who’s pitching tomorrow if Batista needs a bail-out by the 5th? Chaves?
God is a Jose Vidro fan, no doubt about it.
I need more lithium because this team has got me on a manic high.
Hey … it wasn’t a 1-run win
Best game ever?
This had everything except well executed baseball…
13.5 games ahead of Texas
Who’s pitching tomorrow if Batista needs a bail-out by the 5th? Chaves?
The M’s Pythagorean Expected Win% total for end-of-season has been raised to 88 wins…
imagine my surprise tuning back in, in the 13th, to find the game not only still going, but that I arrived back just in time to see an example of that weird strange gritty scrappy mojo of Willie’s that causes lucky hops to happen, and so further build his mysterious legend …
#457– wouldn’t it be Jake Woods?
What a game!
So much for catching up on Sopranos
But I’ll take a late win for penance. Keep ‘em coming!
I can’t take much more of this.
I, on the other hand, can take a great deal more of this. Go M’s!
I can take all the winning in the world…
Now if only those lame yanks would start another losing streak.
Freddy is probable for shoulder surgery, so sayeth ESPN. That sucks, I was always fond of Freddy and his awesomeness and lack of run support.
3 Games from the Angels and 1 from the Wild Card. Great season so far!
It’s late here.
And I thought I might get to bed early for a change.
What a win.
Good night.
Sometimes it’s tough being a M’s fan in the east.
“Who’s pitching tomorrow if Batista needs a bail-out by the 5th? Chaves?”
Why, Ichiro! of course.
Hilarious game thread. I left to go watch (and drink) at Big Time (where quite a few folks were living and dying through the extra innings) but coming back and reading this after the fact is like getting to watch the game twice. With a bunch of very funny people. Man, what a game.
I don’t know who you call up. Woods last pitched on the seventh, but his line was:
5IP, 13H, 10R, 10ER, 3BB, 0SO, 3HR.
OK, maybe he was having a bad day, but that is a REALLY BAD day.
Feierabend pitched on the ninth:
6IP, 11H, 8R, 5ER, 1BB, 4SO, 1HR
Which I guess is better, and he could do long relief on four days rest, I think.
You want someone on the 40 man? Mateo, Feierabend, Woods, Rowland-Smith. That’s it.
Woods and Feierabend last pitched at Colorado Springs, which is like pitching at Coors Field with the fences brought in to little league depth.
OK. I’d pick Feierabend simply because he sucked marginally less.
We can get by with two pitchers as long as the game doesn’t go into 14 innings, in which case we bring in the next starter – which would be Weaver. At least it would end the game!
I want to see Jose Vidro on Dancing with the Stars.
“I want to see Jose Vidro on Dancing with the Stars.”
They probably will be looking for a baseball player for the next season, and god willing, Vidro will have retired. Right? Right!?
Go read the Cubs recap on their mlb thread. Barrett’s recounting of The Dance is fabulous.
Heh, Barrett pulled a Romo.
I want to see Jose Vidro on Dancing with the Stars.
His baserunning did kind of remind me of John Ratzenberger.
This last week has fucking ruled. It’s like someone sprinkled pixie dust on us. We are The Team of Destiny (TTOD).
Yeah, just remember this when the breaks all seem to go the other way. We’ve seen it before (for seemingly entire seasons) and we’ll see it again. But for right now, let’s enjoy it while it’s here.
ErikG803….LOL!