Game 62, Mariners at Cubs
After last night’s game, the M’s could really use an innings-eating performance from… Miguel Batista? Uh oh. Making this even worse: tomorrow is Jeff Weaver, also not known for working deep into games. It makes me wish for Ryan Franklin who, for all his faults, could always be sent out to the mound in these situations with instructions to go nine innings and could pull it off: pacing himself, giving up runs as he went but taking one for the team.
Anyway, yeah — Batista v Marshall.
John Hickey’s blog entry over at the PI notes that the M’s didn’t make a roster move for reinforcements and brings up the specter of Julio Mateo, pitching in Tacoma.
So the bullpen:
Jason Davis (threw last night)
Sean Green (threw last night, and the 11th)
Brandon Morrow (threw last night, and the 11th)
Eric O’Flaherty (threw last night, and the 11th)
JJ Putz (threw last night, and the 10th)
Jake Woods (ding ding ding ding ding!)
I’m betting one of the “keys to the game” will be the need to go deep in the game and save the bullpen.
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You know things are bad when you’re wishing for Ryan Franklin.
Here’s the thing, though – Batista’s going to go at least 6 innings no matter what, and probably more like 7 or 8.
If it takes him 130-140 pitches to do so, well, so be it. That’s what he’s going to be told ahead of time.
I agree with Dave. It may hurt in innings 5-8, but he’s got to go out there and do this for the team.
Luckily, this is the Cubs we’re facing. Here’s hoping the wind is blowing in again.
Um. Yeah, well. I guess that maybe a “saving grace” is that at least Jake is well versed in the art of long relief. Better him than…uh…me?
Can you imagine if its a blowout and even Woods sucks badly in long relief? Who would be the first “volunteer” from the position players to come in?
My guess is definitely NOT Ichiro…commercial notwithstanding
This seems to be one of those times where it would be really good to have a knuckleballer on your staff.
Here’s to our offense having enough energy to squeak out 10 runs while Miguel is allowing 6-8 in his 9 inning CG.
Burke’s not a bad choice, but I’d bet they go for Ellison. Bloomquist would probably have his hand up, bouncing up and down on the bench, yelling “Me! Pick me! Oooh! Oooh! Me!”
Seems like every day the ‘keys to the game’ on the Ms broadcast includes the starter going 7+ innings. Yet they keep winning when it doesn’t happen. Guess it’s not so key.
I hope Lou blows a gasket for us tonight.
DMZ got to the Bloomquist joke before me.
There’s also George Sherrill (threw last night, and the 11th).
Send in Willy Boom-Boom
Holy shit they’re talking about the Ms on ESPN during a Yankees game. And it doesn’t involve extensive use of the word “suck”
Unfortunately, Batista only pitched once against the Cubs last year, but the result was a win:
He gave up 8 hits, 1 run (earned), 4 walks, and pitched seven innings.
13. If not for Cairo fucking up the hit-and-run and Matsui getting thrown out, they might have talked about the M’s for an ENTIRE minute!
I say unfortunately, for the small sample size problem…not because he won the game.
Wow, ESPN is talking about how great the middle is for the Ms, and how it would be a crime if Betancourt wasn’t a SS for the all-star team.
We have power at all the corner positions? Really?
He’s only faced the Cubs three times from 04-06, and only once in a starting role. The good news is that he’s kinda owned them in that limited time.
18 Steve Phillips pulled out that canard on baseball tonight. Apparently, he reads “Sexson” in the lineup and thinks power…he’s obviously not looking any deeper than that.
Uhh, Betancourt doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near the all-star game this year. He’s had a horrible first half defensively, and he’s no better than an average hitter for an SS.
It’s the defensive reputation lag
Lopez is closer to being an All-Star than Yuni is, and he’s not that close unless he gets hot.
Actually, Lopez has a pretty good case, if you’re going by deserving players.
Ryan Franklin had value. He wasn’t a good pitcher by any means, but his durability had value. I genuinely miss him.
And really, wouldn’t you rather have had Franklin this season than Weaver. Or HoRam?
Why are those our choices? Are we just not allowed to have major league pitchers in our rotation?
Cubs bloggers, inspired by the fact that someone figured out an anagram for Miguel Batista is “I am Beluga Tits”, have begun creating anagrams for their own players. Check out Michael Barrett.
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2007/6/13/125051/859#commenttop
So, what do you make of Billy Beane getting a SEVEN-YEAR contract extension? I’ve never heard of such thing before.
He got a two year extension. He already had a contract through 2012.
He’s got an ownership share, too, which is exceptionally rare for a GM.
Time to bring back the Sodo Mojo ad campaigns and all that because for whatever reason the magic is back in Seattle. Whether it is divine intervention or just dumb random luck who knows but it seems the Mariners are overcoming the sabermetric probabilities at this point.
So Beane must be off to Boston, then?
Oh wait, already tried that…
If Marshall does his job and covers the bag in a timely fashion, do the Cubs have a shot at Ichiro?
Given the choice between bathing in sewer runoff, skunk oil, or fish guts, I’d rather have fish guts.
You know, Lopez really needs to work on hitting the ball to the second baseman.
Is Theriot an overplayed version of Bloomquist, or is there something more there?
Why does only the first half of the current season count towards All-Star status?
There’s also this rather sad news item.
Some very sad news was delivered to Mariners second baseman Jose Lopez today when he was told his brother had died in a car accident in Venezuela. Lopez is still going to play in tonight’s game. His family has told him he wouldn’t be able to make it home in time for the funeral and wants him to stay with the team and keep playing.
Several Mariners went up to Lopez to offer condolences in the clubhouse, including closer J.J. Putz, who wrapped him in a huge hug.
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mariners/index.html#016942
Wow, how can Lopez possibly be able to concentrate on the game? I would be a wreck if I was told my sibling had died. My prayers are with him.
Felix “Apple” Pie
It’s too bad he can’t make it home, but why is that?
They often have funerals extremely quickly in South America due to the lack of ability to keep the body preserved for very long.
But yea, definitely, condolences to the Lopez family.
Looks like Pie took one in the apples.
HA! That’ll learn you to run on Kenji!
Oh no lol.
My brother died in a car wreck the day after Thanksgiving, 2006. Age: 22. I was back at work on Monday. I needed to stay working, because if I didn’t, I was fucked. You can’t let grief subsume you.
Everyone handles it differently. Some people need to take the time out and recover. Others shouldn’t, but do, and it gets them in trouble. Some people work through it. That helped me. (I didn’t get much done those first couple days, but the continuation of normalcy helped me.)
My prayers go out to Jose and his family. That’s awful. I hope he’s able to keep his concentration on the field if that’s where he needs to be. Vaya con Dios.
Pretty funny for everyone but Pie.
Come on Batista! Suck it up.
wheeewww
Wow, that inning was a lot harder to get out of then it should have been.
Good to see Miguel keep his pitch count less than 40.
Lordy, wiggles off the hook again. sheesh
#47 I totally understand.
I hope being in the game works as a distraction for Lopez.
Right-handed sock!
Oh hell yes.
Even if the wind is blowing in, Sexson can hit it out.
Sure be nice for him to do that with men on. But at least this we’re not going to have the whining about him hitting them after the game is already decided.
I love it that, according to Baker, Beltre is available for pinch-running duty. It would be utterly comedic to see Beltre sent out to run for Bloomquist in the late innings.
After Richie’s non-screwed up defense in the bottom of the first, I said to my dad: “Let’s see if he can do something good offensively and go yard.” Good work, Richie. It’s almost time to start actually hitting well on a regular basis, right?
Mr. Funk Bust with a Funk Blast!
The Devil Rays have sidelined Elijah Dukes after it was revealed that he impregnated a 17-year-old. That would be his fifth or sixth kid, I think.
“The Devil Rays have sidelined Elijah Dukes after it was revealed that he impregnated a 17-year-old. That would be his fifth or sixth kid, I think.”
He also threw a Gatorade at her when she informed him she was pregnant. Hate to laugh at that, but I can’t help myself.
Maybe someone told Sexson that ESPN claimed he was a power hitter and he had to back it up….
speaking of bombs, I flipped on that Yankee game in time to see A-Rod crush one. That man has a sweet-looking stroke.
Another proud moment for Mr. and Mrs. Dukes, for sure.
one run, batista and woods, that should hold up…
Why are those our choices? Are we just not allowed to have major league pitchers in our rotation?
Dave, you’d have to direct that question to Bavasi. But based on the evidence, apparently not.
Elijah Dukes is seriously confused. Does he really not know he’s not in the NBA?
Who does this Dukes guy think he is – Shawn Kemp?!
MLB TV has Batista throwing 93-95?
69: I was wondering where Moyer’s radar gun went to.
“The Devil Rays have sidelined Elijah Dukes after it was revealed that he impregnated a 17-year-old. That would be his fifth or sixth kid, I think.”
Fascinating.
You setup and closer have pitched a lot lately = your team is probably doing well.
Your middle relievers have pitched a lot = your starters suck.
And yet the Nationals are supposedly interested in taking Dukes off the Rays’ hands. Kind of a shame Frank Robinson isn’t still the Nats manager. Robinson really more than deserves a quiet retirement, but if anybody could whip Dukes into shape…
I wonder if you could field a team with Dukes, Al Martin, and Carl Everett.
I think Mr. and Mrs. Duke may both be in prison. Not joking.
Dukes, I mean.
Dukes went to the same highschool in Tampa as Gary Sheffield, Carl Everett, and Dwight Gooden. What the heck do they put in the water there? And what does it do to the heads of people who aren’t athletes?
#77: Don’t forget the immortal Vance Lovelace.
Yikes Ron is coming back for 3 games this weekend.
Ichiro, Johjima and Putz should all be chosen for the All Star team. 3 players from a team with this good a record seems a little light, but I can’t justify anyone else somehow.
Lopez should be considered a borderline All-Star candidate. Not a very strong 2B group for the AL this year.
Lately, when I miss the first inning, come in at the second, Mariners always seem to be leading 1-0. Finally, finally, finally, someone’s been getting Ichiro home when he gets on base. And the team keeps winning by one run. Co-wink-a-dink? I think not.
Not to be morbid, but haven’t there been a run on baseball-related folks dying in car crashes in the Caribbean/South America this year? Remind me to never get in a car south o’ the border.
Time for another 9 pitch inning.
Beltre should be the reserve 3b.
#78. And Rich Puig. Here’s the full list.
Classic Raul.
Oh bloody hell.
Thank god the wall’s so close in Wrigley, or Pie would be home.
Same again. Settle down, guys!
And I didn’t wish ill of Raul’s hammy. I didn’t.
Earlier this year I joking predicted Dukes would spend prison time during his playing career. Does vegas have a line on this yet?
My mlb.tv is messing up. Anyone else have that problem?
Just curious. Do we have any strat players here at ussmariner?
My MLB.tv has been OK. But last night it was giving me hell, cutting out every five minutes.
Last night it was fine for me. Weird.
Wouldn’t it be prudent to bring back Feierabend for tomorrow’s game in case Weaver gets knocked out before 5?
Oh Joh.
Welcome back above the Sexdoza line!
mine crapped out all night last night… I have the 700k, but had to switch to 400k for it to run without cutting out…
tonight it seems to be fine.. we’ll see though
Well, at least this game is going fast enough that I might be able to eat today.
If you had to bet $100 …….. Would you take the over or under on Sexson hitting .245 this year?
Under.
Damn! That was a nice shovel!
Sexson bails like it was a grenade.
Sit down!
Hes going to have to throw 126 to get through 8 at this rate. Hopefully we can jump ahead and he takes us through the 7th and Woods can clean up the last 2 innings.
Gotta say, Batista’s doing his job so far.
Reds escaped a huge jam in the 8th inning, but still need two runs to tie it up.
94 – I believe he’s been optioned.
So, when does the home run derby start? (i.e. both starters are taken out and the dregs of the bullpen take over)
Kenji dig it???
Tomorrow:
We lose.
4 walks so far. Not good. Soriano and Lee are scary. The rest of these guys are not.
Richie, you got lotsa ’splain’ to do.
#21
prescient
So how much of that was Yuni, and how much was Sexson?
Yuni the All-Star… huh?
For being the greatest defensive shortstop in a generation as I heard one scout call him, Yuni sure does have a lot of trouble throwing to first base.
Batista is just testing Hargrove’s bullpen skills.
uhhhh.
Is anybody else seeing FSN dead?
Yes
Today, we lose.
They gotta lose sometime.
I keep thinking they’re going to lose, and they don’t.
But maybe today.
Like, right there, the Cubs lead.
FSN is working for me via Directv
What did I miss? (Besides the two scoring runs)
Must have been Comcrap.
Hell of an error.
Wasn’t that a Troy McClure movie? “Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die”
123- The greatest defensive shortstop of the generation according to a scout and All-Star according to ESPN and a guy who can’t throw it about 110 feet according to Mariners fans throw it in the dirt for two unearned runs.
Ichiro runs like a machine!
*murmuring* Oh fleet one, Ichiro, running like a deer…..
I like to see no quit out of the team.
126… I was always fond of “The President’s Neck is Missing”
Is it me, or is there some odd camera work during this game.
First the close up of Soriano’s foot, now of the 1 on the scoreboard.
Yes, they got 1 run. Thank you.
My favorite will always be “Locker Room Towel Fights: The Blinding Of Larry Driscoll” ….
Hey Griffey’s coming back! I hadn’t heard.
Today it’s “Theriots Of Fire” ….
I wish they’d show Junior in a Reds uniform just once on those promo spots.
What? Griffey is coming back?
Griffey coming back: All part of a diabolical plan to drive me mad.
And it’s working.
Enough of this inning ending DP crap…
Oh well. I bet the Griffey game series was sold out long ago.
Too bad Griffey couldn’t help us out tonight.
Uh, why is Batista pitching carefully around the pitcher? Strike out on three, please!
92 pitches, and still pitching to Marshall. 6th inning. How long can he go?
8th pitch to pitcher.
9th pitch.
O. M. G!
*banging head on keyboard*
Arrrrrrrrrrggh!
John Lackey, Cy Young winner for 2007.
Note to Batista:
You were supposed to pitch deep tonight.
Your pal,
Joe
NICE
Walk the pitcher to set up the Dp for Soriano. Must have been planned.
Thank god for Soriano!
Wonder if Marshall will give him some hitting tips in the dugout.
Not too bad there
Sweet job on eating innings!
100 Pitches with 2 outs in the 6th!
(Thanks Soriano for the 1 pitch DP)
(Thanks PIE!)
Ok 99 Pitches, didn’t expect the last two batters to take 2 pitches.
How strange. . .I still feel we win this game. Been a while since I have had that kind of confidence in the M’s.
Wow, what was that? 11 pitches to walk the pitcher and then 2 more pitches to retire the side? Sweet.
If you don’t have the confidence your team can beat the 07 Cubs you have an awful team and no hope anywhere. These guys seem to lose games on purpose, see last night.
Can we get Marshall to put on a Mariners’ uni? He’d only had 65 pitches at the beginning of the inning.
155, but then he wouldn’t be pitching to the Mariners [i]hitters[/i] – that’s the secret.
Lets hope Batista gets through this with no runs and we send Woods out for two innings. It would be a moral victory if we did that. Then start kicking ass again tomorrow.
I still think they got a W in them tonight. Marshall will make a mistake here soon.
That was sort of ungritty, Willy. At least if you’d dived for that ball, you would have gotten dirty.
And I though that Willy’s chief asset was a willingness to get his uniform dirty. Oh, that, and knowing how to play the game right.
Ernie Banks is on the WGN broadcast. They asked him if he had seen much of Ichiro. Banks said he saw him when he first came over from Japan playing down in Anaheim. Banks said he went over to introduce himself and Ichiro responded “Let’s play two!”.
mlb.com headline about the “Red Hot Mariners” with Sexson’s picture.
Good game at least in terms of outcomes for Batista. I assume he is done since we would still like to win this game.
Lopez just trying to get on Web Gems to get votes for the All-Star game. It’s cool with me.
114 pitches, 7 innings, 3 runs. Nice job. Can we have a round of applause for Batista?
Whew!
Not taking out a struggling pitcher because he’s coming up to bat is a good way to give up a few runs.
160. Much like Homer Simpson reading the Far Side, I don’t get it.
Think that had everything to do with them being the Cubs and our bullpen being about as healthy as a 3rd world child. Not actually thinking Batista is still a shut down pitcher at this point of the game.
But it is Grover…
Dave Sims on Vidro: “Vidro doesn’t have the speed he had years ago”…
Damn it … Ichiro can’t do everything himself, guys.
Speaking of Cubs’ catchers, did anyone else see that Rich Hill got into it with Barrett in the dugout during the game? Don’t know if it was before or after the Vidro shuffle….
I see the Ms are saving their aMazing comeback for the 9th again… just setting them up by going so dang weakly in the 7th and 8th…
170. It was after Hill hung that slide-piece and Wash singled in a run.
It was after the Washburn hit.
166 – Sorry. I’ll try to stick with Simpsons analogies from now on.
Speaking of the Devil! Pitch-hitting Barrett!
the argument was about pitch selection
If the M’s manage a walk in the 9th we will win or at least tie.
A run one lead means nothing against the Jet City Jolters
Nice inning Woods.
The Cubs are smart, they got all the outs the exact way so Gritty Willie isn’t due up. Toushey Lou Pinella, Toushey!
Soriano is my favorite Cubs player.
If Yuni can throw the ball to first were up 2-1, just reminding everyone.
What if Griffey gets to Seattle and says he’d rather have a punch in the face? (I dream, in all my over-exposed to ads bitterness.)
cmon jose just get on
From Wikipedia: “Ernie Banks … is well known for his catch phrase of, “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame… Let’s play two!”, expressing his wish to play a double-header every day out of his pure love for the game of baseball.”
I’m really beginning to question leaving Guillen at the #3 spot.
185. Thanks!
186- The slump will end eventually. And who else do you put in there?
Lets go SEXSON!
damn. oh well. could not win all the one run games.
Poor Cubs fans. They’re so pathetically grateful for that win.
I blame USSM, the Mariners only win with over 200 posts. GOOD JOB “MARINER FANS”!
Man, what is wrong with Yuni this year? 15 errors before the All-star break…?
Gotta wonder where the bats have been the last 2 days, grinding out just a few hits and fewer runs against a suspect Cubs pitching staff.
Let’s hope tomorrow brings a win and a series win, and get back on the winning track.
#186 Guillen is not responsible for this loss.
This is just another typical example of the M’s overaggressiveness making a so so pitcher like Marshall appear to have pitched a gem of a game.
Obviously Yuniesky’s error didn’t help. His fielding this year is frustrating to watch. At least he’s swinging the bat well.
Yuni’s offense, like Vidro’s, is mostly in his batting average.
And the Angels won again. Hate!
The Cubs pitching isn’t great but by no means suspect. They rank in the middle to top half in most categories, 3rd in K rate. Marshall hasn’t allowed more then 2 runs in any start this year. Small sample size I know, but since being called up he has now had 5 very good starts.
The bats will be back soon, they just faced touch pitching.
#195, I agree, but I’m sure you and I would both agree that after almost two full seasons you never expected Yuni to have a career .285 average.
Peter Gammons thinks the Mariners are looking for a starting pitcher.
Really.
And are looking at the White Sox.
Should be tough pitching in post above.
Red Sox only scored 2 off Josh Fogg, it’s baseball it happens. Numbers regressing to means and whatever else Dave has taught us just in effect here. Still only a game off the WC.
This game was lost when Guillen did not get the job done driving in Ichiro from third in the top of the first, or when Yuni bounced the ball to Sexson to keep the Cubs rally alive. If either player came through, we are no worse than tied. Oh well, you can’t win them all.
This is the yang to the ying of the cubs not being able to score with the basses loaded yesterday. But we have Weaver going tomorrow.
Basses, Idiot.
“Lead Paint: Delicious But Deadly”
Someone on the postgame called to ask why Mateo hadn’t come up yet, based on the inning he saw him pitch in Tacoma– Glasgow wondered aloud if Mateo would ever see the big club again …
oh, and Drayer says Lopez is not going home, his family told him that he wouldn’t make it in time for the funeral and to stay here and play in memory of his brother.
Drayer ran into Bob Christofferson at Wrigley (busman’s holiday?) who said he had a nice visit with the Cubs groundskeeper. No word on if he also went to the South Side to meet with Roger Bossard …
at least the bullpen got a good rest today. Losing sucks, but Batista did his part today. (though a lot of luck was involved) Hoping for another winning streak from tomorrow!
Another great Ichiro quote after the game today: when asked if the rowdy fans changed his personality he said:
“I have many different Ichiros inside me,” the center fielder said. “I’m always one of them. At different times, I have different personalities.”
That quote makes me think of those little Russian nesting dolls.
Ichiro! rocks.