Game 148, Devil Rays at Mariners
DMZ · September 16, 2007 at 12:17 pm · Filed Under Game Threads
Here’s a game the M’s should have a chance at: Sonnanstine v Washburn.
Losing resets our second baseman to Lopez, or possibly it’s just giving Bloomquist a chance to regenerate his magic pixie dust or whatnot.
I have nothing new to say about the new Jones-to-winter-ball comments.
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Derek, what do you think the odds of Mac coming back next year are?
Why do they feel the need to send AJ to Venezuela? Because Raul is going to get 100 RBIs, of course…
“He’s learning every day, even though he’s not playing,” McLaren said. “He gets individual instruction in the cage. He’s refining his game.
“In all honesty, when you bring a top kid like him up, you’d like to get him some playing time, but the situation just hasn’t presented itself. If you break it down, I just don’t know where he’d play. Raul [Ibanez] is going to have 100 RBIs, [Jose] Guillen is going to have 100 RBIs. Replace Ichiro? Not right now.”
That quote was from the Times Notebook today.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2003887023_marinotes16.html
DMZ,
Do you mean that you have nothing else to say on the subject, or that the ineptitude of the M’s FO infuriates you to a degree that typing on a keyboard becomes a physical impossibility? As for me, I had to fight through the anger to type this post.
WTF does AJ need to prove in winter ball? Mac, your ineptitude has flushed the season down the proverbial crapper. Do you really think that you can make up 5 1/2 games against the Y*nks in 16 frigging games? Why isn’t Ibanez playing first base at this point? let Vidro be the DH he’s being paid to be and stick AJ in left.
Anger rising…
McLaren should have already been let go. Hell, put in the Mariner Moose, he’d be a better manager.
Depends on what they’re asking him to work on. If it’s his batting, that IS stupid. If it’s his left field defense, that’s a little more sensible, given that he’s hasn’t played all that much in left.
I’m choosing to believe that in sending AJ to winter ball, it means in the back of someone’s teeny little mind, there’s a commitment to start him next year. It’s the only spin I can put on it.
The kid has only missed the majority of August and September (he’s been used less than the Red Sox have used Jacoby Ellsbury, BTW), after a pretty successful stint in TripleA, right?
The only thing winter ball is going to do for him is open up an opportunity for him to get injured in surroundings not quite as closely monitored as in a major league ballgame. He could get all the experience he needs in left field playing next spring in B games.
I think the Cardenales de Lara is about as close as you can get to a Mariner farm team
looks like Washburn is getting ready for that post-season hunting trip, letting his beard grow out …
Does everyone have to be so negative?
Really…
Here’s what I do when I’m down. I make a list of five things that make me smile. A good talk with an old friend; a crisp refreshing cola when I’m overheated; that special Vanillaroma scented candle on a rainy day; HoRam going to Bank of America tomorrow and finding out a stop-payment has been put on his Mariners paycheck… that kind of thing.
Remember, you could be Charlton Jimerson. He was sent in to pinch run and got nailed by drifting too far from second on a fly ball. That was his one chance… and it’s gone. He bought himself two weeks of pine with that play, and then he goes home, crossed off the list. He has ceased to exist in the eyes of Johnny Mac.
Well, hopefully he’ll at least shoplift some premium big league sunflower seeds before he goes. In the bush leagues, they don’t come double wrapped for freshness.
maybe Willie B just needs a rest today, what with having grittily thrown all that energy and charming good luck onto the field the last few nights.
Larry Stone looks at the sad state of free agent pitching this off season
um. here.
Who knows if they’re going to bring John back. They’ll probably be torn between organizational loyalty, aversion to taking risks in making changes, and a strong desire to bring a name in.
Who knows. We can hope.
w/r/t Jones: what am I going to say that’s new? It’s ridiculous garbage, the product of the team’s shallow, inconsistent thinking, it won’t help and everything they’ve done since calling him up seems designed to screw him.
That sucks. It makes me angry.
I don’t think it matters all that much if they do fire McLaren. I’m confident the Mariners can find an even bigger stork.
I’ve heard Harry Canary’s name being thrown about as a candidate.
This organization is fucking stupid.
arrrghhhh
My feeling is that they are taking a huge risk. The organization is simply delusional to think that they can make up for AJ’s missed opportunities by sending him to winter ball. He should have been a regular months ago, and now this… lunacy. But we’re beating a horse here that’s just as dead as this team. How much longer are the Mariners going to force their fans to endure all this bullshit?
I’m drinking a shiraz today, trying to mix it up from yesterday’s 1554, a purchase inspired by the generous donation of a Mothership Wit by Mssr (E)DS on Friday.
Here’s the thing, too — situations like this constantly demonstrate that the team doesn’t think two-steps ahead. They brought up Jones because they thought he could help the team, and no one asked “what if Ibanez and Vidro start hitting again, then what do we do?” or “What if Jones doesn’t get a hit in his first two games?”
So Jones sat while they all looked around and wondered what they should do.
Does anyone seriously think that their plan was “bring Jones up, then if Ibanez catches fire we’ll let Jones not play at all and then send him to winter ball?”
It’s ridiculous, symptomatic of what’s wrong with this team and what drives me insane.
Here’s the thing about Beane, if I may, for a second — Beane’s got backup plans for his backup plans. You’ve got to take out three, four players before you might catch him with pants down, and even then he’s been working on that plan since the first guy went down.
Really — that’s why they have guys like Scutaro around, and backups to Scutaro stashed elsewhere, because they sat around one day and said “hey, if we lose a middle infielder, what then? And then what if…”
The M’s seemingly never, ever do that. “Let’s get a veteran reliever!” No one ever asks if that’s the right move, if there are internal alternatives, and on and on and on.
It has taken Wash 70 pitches to get through four innings. Now, if he pitched to the M’s lineup, I assume that he could work four innings and use up only, oh, I don’t know, 22 pitches.
Ahhh Beltre
That was an interesting sequence.
Who hit and runs with a guy with 92% steal success rate? Johnny Mac, has no feel for a game…
I’m surprised at how many USSM commenters seem to have abandoned the team for the Seaahawks-Cardinals game.
That should be a punishable offense.
Put yourself in the M’s FO position. One the one hand, you can demonstrate loyalty and rehire the likeable John McLaren. On the other hand, you can dump him and hire the big named Dusty Baker. What to do, what to do?
Of course, if you were in the M’s FO, you might be asking yourself questions like “what are the characteristics of a good manager” or “who can we hire to give the team the best chance of winning?” That’s why you’re not in the M’s FO.
28. they will be back
#28 The Seahawks aren’t doing any better. I’m a Seahawks fan living in AZ, so it’s basically a must that I watch the game (of course, I have the Mariners game on MLB.TV).
#31 — Who can resist watching Wash work an 11 pitch walk to one of the weakest hitters in all of baseball? Not me.
(pouring myself more wine)
i’m watching both . . . washburn is painful
Why does it seem that the Ms have always had issues with walking batters? I know it used to drive Lou crazy, and year after year it’s the same thing.
Tiger has an 8 stroke lead with two holes left. I think Tiger wins on a more consistent basis than the Mariners.
Washburn made it 4 1/3. For an Ms starter that’s pretty darn good.
How is the wine, DMZ?
Mmmmm, House season premiere…
RIZZZZZZZZZS NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo
Compounding my agony
The M’s starters made a 4 1/3 inning improvement in innings pitched from Sat. to Sun. Maybe Batista continues the trend and pitches 8 and 2/3 tomorrow.
what did Rizzs say?
And what did he say yesterday that made you react the same way, DMZ?
Hey, the white sox just came from behind and smacked the Angels… fun fangraph
We just saw a rare and beautiful thing.
Seriously, are we leading the league in GIDPs yet? It seems that we hit into 3 or 4 every game.
Rizzs doesn’t have to say anything. Just seeing him in the booth doing his little intro spiel is enough.
Good grief, that was ugly.
Are the M’s trying to drive me to watch the Seahawks?
The Mariners do lead MLB in DPs now, but they are also fifth in MLB in AB with runners on base. It’s frustrating to be sure, but hard to say that it’s really been holding the offense back considering that they’re 10t in MLB in runs scored and play in a pitcher’s park.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
I’m sure glad AJ isn’t playing in left.
AJ would of got to it. Muwhahahahahaha.
If only the M’s could field a lineup with a LF who could have made that catch.
I am convinced that nobody on this team cares anymore.
Will the Ms finally admit that the season is over after this game?
56… remember 1995!
PARRISH! YES!
Give Mac a chance. He’s a rookie manager.
/Bill Bavasi
This is fun. TB has 6 more outs!
What’s the under/over on how many runs Parrish gives up?
Bad pitchers are more interesting when they’re getting crushed, not just walking people…
57. screw ‘95, been there, done that
2.4 run expectancy!
Gritty veteran strikeout right there.
#57 I believe in ‘95 we started our comeback in August, not the end of September. I also believe we had at least one good pitcher (Randy Johnson with his 18-2 record) and a couple guys that could hit pretty well. By the way, we only allowed 708 runs that year (already over 750 this year).
Cards kick 52 yarder to tie it. Damn.
66- that year was strike shortened, but yeah whatever we’re screwed.
The AJ thing is very simple. Bavasi said that “rookies get managers fired.” So Mac does not play rookies, thereby protecting himself from being fired for that reason. Of course, there are plenty of other reasons . . .
Parrish is using his veteran poise to intimidate the young Rays lineup.
Rookies get managers fired. McLaren refuses to play rookies. McLaren gets fired (I hope).
meh, His ERA suggested he’d give up a run, he gave up a run.
#68 You’re right, forgot about that. Ok, our pitching really sucked that year. Would’ve been 791 RA over a 162 game season, but we’re still on pace to give up 823 this year. And at least in ‘95 we had guys that could put the ball in play without hitting into double plays and could hit with some power. Only 109 GIDP that year (again strike shortened, but still) compared to 140+ this year.
oh, 2 runs scored on that single. yeah.
At least the blowout means we get to see AJ.
2 minute warning, tie game, Hawks at the Arizona 40, first down.
#76 Wow, that was one of the worst handoffs that I’ve ever seen!
That Seahawks fumble makes the Mariners look good.
#77 – I’m blaming McLaren for that one. Bavasi too.
The Seahawks rush defense has really sucked this game. And yeah, I’ve gotta feel that this is somehow McLaren’s fault as well.
Bloody hell. How can you lose to the Cardinals?
Not the best sports weekend ever in Seattle.
Fan Appreciation night? Do you think they’ll fire McLaren on that night?
That would be awesome.
Meyer must have a high walk rate or give up a ton of home runs. His ERA is 8.18 with a BAA lower than any of the Ms starters?
Fumbled handoff at Arizona 35, recovered by Arizona, Gamewinning FG kicked by Arizona, 23-20. GFDamnit
Not the best sports weekend ever in Seattle.
At least Durant didn’t go down with a micro fracture.
Wow, now that’s how you make substitutions.
sigh
I just noticed, Ichiro has been giving us lessons this month on how to hit .355 with an OPS under .8
That was kind of cool.
Has anyone pre-ordered their Jimerson replica jersey, or will I be the first?
I’m still waiting on my Jaime Bubela jersey.
You gotta go for the Charles Gipson or Hiram Bocachica or variety.
Give Mac a chance. He’s a rookie manager.
Perhaps they should send him to Venezuela for Winter Ball.
‘It’s an uphill battle for sure,” Seattle manager John McLaren said. ”We need a lot of help and we need to help ourselves. My main thought is to finish strong and see what happens.”
….
Washburn, similar to the rest of the starting rotation, has struggled over his last several weeks. He failed to record an out past the sixth inning for the fifth consecutive game.
”I made good pitches,” Washburn said. ”The only mistake I made the whole game was the home run to (Carlos) Pena. But it’s frustrating. I thought I threw the ball well and didn’t have anything to show for it.”
See, here’s the problem. Mac is delusional, and now it’s spreading to everyone else. Memo to Washburn: there is a thing called throwing well. Then there’s this thing called pitching. As much as you may think you are doing the former, you are most definitely not doing the latter.
#96 And when he says “the only mistake I made the whole game was the home run to Pena” does he realize that walking 3 batters in one inning is a mistake as well? Not every mistake has to leave the ballpark.
”Until we’re mathematically eliminated, we have a chance,” Washburn said.
Well, yeah. And I have a chance of convincing Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel to join me in a little menage a tout les Jessicas… but you know what? I’m not stocking up on the edible body paints.
Ok, this is pretty cool. Thome hit a walkoff HR today at home in Chicago, and it happened to be his 500th. So:
The ball was retrieved by 28-year-old Will Stewart of Austin, Texas, who was in town for an accounting convention and didn’t know until he came to U.S. Cellular Field on Sunday morning that he had a chance to see baseball history.
For returning the ball, Stewart got two White Sox season tickets for next season, the use of Thome’s suite for a Cubs-White Sox game and some signed items by the slugger. Stewart donated the season tickets back to Thome’s charity since he doesn’t live in Chicago.
OK, classy behavior by everybody. So far distant from what we saw surrounding certain other milestone balls. I doff my hat to misters Thome and Stewart. Nicely done, gentlemen.
What a day to choose to drive up from Portland and watch the game. At least the Jimerson home run let the game end on a high point, so I didn’t leave completely depressed.
83:
I’ll take that one step further. Firing Mac should be staged like something from WWF or WWE however you want to call it.
Before the acutal game starts, the PA guy announces Mac as the manager. Afterwards cue some evil sounding music then Bavasi slowly walks down the aisles towards the pitchers mound with mic in hand.
He calls out Mac about something. Mac walks out. Bavasi then puts his arm over him and says, “Mac we appreciate as an organization what you have done under tough circumstances with hargrove resigning and all but we feel you don’t cut as Mariner’s manager; you’re fired!” Mac gets this scared look on his face then Adam Jones comes out onto the field. Jones then gives Mac a clothesline decking Mac to the ground. Finally Bavasi and Jones looking down on him and giving an evil laugh.
That’s not quite evil enough for me, I think. I’d like something 50% evil-er.
Man, dissapointing day in Seattle sports. Seahawks choke in the last minute to the lowly cardinals. And more importantly looks like the Mariners split a 4 game set with one of the the worst teams in baseball. It looked like a team effort giving up 9 runs to them, as well as not getting any run production. I am just looking at the box score since i was watching football, but man. I am ready to start looknig forward to next season now. Also, mlb.com pointed out Washburn is 1-8 in his last nine starts. Seems pretty bad, while last year it was lack of run support is what did him in, this year it seemed like he didn’t pitch of to his potential. He has quite a hefty salary next year doesn’t he? He wouldn’t be considered as lowly as Weaver or HoRam yet would he?
102: How about Jones, instead of clotheslining Mac, hits him in the back with a chair. Then Bloomquist could grittily run out to help Mac, but is speared by Wlad. Then Mac is dragged in front of the dugout, where Clement delivers a five star frog splash off the dugout roof. Then all three continue to kick Mac as Bavasi taunts him on the microphone and the crowd jeers him?
…
I just realized I watched way too much wrestling as a kid.
I’m
sadrelieved to say that I saw neither game today, aside from a botched play here, a failed pitch there.I did however finally see Shaun of the dead
I actually did hear Bill point out that there was no way to prepare for the situation that Mac walked into– and that he is working under the handicap of no longer having the best bench-coach in the league on his bench….
so, with HoRam (finally) officially banned to the bullpen, can they also take Weaver out of the rotation? Do we get to watch him “duel” with Hardin in Oakland?
Too much wrestling?
Well, that’s what he HAS to say….and I always regard it as a good thing not to be stabbed in the back in public. Common decency and all that…which we see far too little of. I pay far less attention to what Ms management SAYS….focus on what they DO.
104:
Not to continue the wrestling theme but instead of Willie shouldn’t be eitehr Richie or HoRam?
either I mean sorry
109: That’d work just as well. But I just wanted to make a gritty Bloomquist reference in the post, because I don’t think I ever have before.
108 – Well they haven’t done much good either, well not as much as they could do that is. I am worried that Mac won’t be fired, but at the same time. Its like this, (this is a metaphor) the players are the tools, Bavasi is the one that ‘purchases’ and provides the tools to Mac, and Mac is the one that uses them. In the case of Rick White and John Parrish, all three are to blame. Rick White and John Parrish obviously are rusty tools (whatever you tool want to call him is fine with you), Bill Bavasi shouldve known better than to purchase them, but thought they were just used and apparently have done the job in the past, lets put it that way. Now tools have certain uses, and Mac should’ve known better than to use the rusty tools at the times he did, when he had newer better ones to use. All 3 companents were messed up. I am hoping Bavasi and Mac get fired, but my prediction is John Mac and John Parrish won’t be here for next year, well Mac might be demoted back to Bench coach or some type of coach, but Bavasi will still be here unfortunately.
Well, the rot in the Ms front office spreads far further than the GM (IMAO). If you get rid of McLaren and Bavasi, it’s a job only a quarter done.
#113 – I agree completely.
104: Ya know, as much as Fox and ESPN have skewed the game in recent years so that their “favorite” teams always seem to be the ones “in contention”, it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the direction the game’s going in the future.
Vince McMahon as the next owner of the Yankees? Sad, but also, TOO FUNNY!