Game 51, Mariners at Yankees
Washburn the Sucktastic Jerk and his Personal Catcher against Wang. 10:05.
Look, I’m not going to lie to you — there’s almost a 100% certainty that this is going to be another ugly shelling, with Washburn testing his 85-87mph batting practice-quality fastball against a Yankee lineup that’s tasted blood twice in two games. Our only hope is that they’re exhausted after scoring 25 runs in two games.
25 runs in two games. Yeah.
Why not take a minute, walk over to the nearest well-stocked beer vendor in your neck of the woods, and help out in the quest to locate some fine SP Brewery beverages, official beer companion to your booing since Ichiro mentioned it?
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according to Drayer, Wash’s Special Perk of Personal Catcher is over; Joh is catching.
Career 2.78 ERA at Yankee Stadium. I know, Small Sample Size Theater. But it is a reed.
I haven’t been looking ahead to anything lately, but I just pulled up the schedule.
Today – @Yankees
Next 3 – Red Sox
Following 3 – Tigers
Following 3 – Angels
Following 3 – @Red Sox
I agree with Derek, today isn’t looking so good for a win. Over the course of the next 12 games, and with Felix starts in uncertain territory, my highly-questionable projection method has us going 4-9 with those series and today’s game. 22-41 — good lord.
Ignore the terrible-ness of the outcome for a second. My question to those who have been doing this — how do you make data-driven, short-term projections on schedules?
“Hey, Skip, you got Joh in the line-up catching me today. I thought we had that settled?”
“Well, Wash, we’ve taken another look and we see a couple of problems with that approach.”
“Really? Like what?”
“Well, first problem is, you can’t pitch. Second problem is Burke can’t hit.”
“Jeez, Skip, I thought we were the kind of team that didn’t get involved in finger pointing.”
“Normally that’s true, Wash, but you know how we’ve been calling for guys to step up? Turns out that kid with the spread sheet’s the only one who’s responded so far. And he claims numbers don’t lie.”
“Cold, Skip, really cold. I’m not sure I want to play for a team that thinks like that.
“Not to worry, son. We’re looking for your replacement as we speak. Now go out there and sell some of that Papuan beer for us. Bavasi just bought all their breweries and he’s expecting a big jump in demand for some reason or other.”
According to Baker, the Mariners are looking at taking the ‘Joba Chamberlain’ approach with Morrow. Converting Morrow to a starter would be the first smart thing the Mariners have done all year.
Thats said, believe it when you see it.
#4-
That was truly the funniest thing I’ve read in weeks.
The best humor rises from pain.
What is the official position on starting M’s opponents starting pitcher on your fantasy team, every single game. Is that allowed? No SP Lager, so I’m settling for a 10:05am Rainier. I only have twelve, so I hope Washburn lasts five.
If the Mariners seriously try to force Morrow into a starting role without sending him back down to the minors…
I cringe every time I see Vidro out there. Slowly getting closer and closer to his 400 at bats. So what he hit a HR yesterday…that does not make up for anything else, I dont think I can deal with another year with this “professional hitter” as our DH.
Didn’t make it… 9:52 Rainier. The Pepe Vidro commercial put me over the top.
I have a question for the USSM gurus. During the retrospectively insanely optimistic newly brushed show pony pre-season prediction era it was expected the Mariners could exploit an early weak opponent schedule to sit atop the AL West before facing a much tougher schedule. The next couple of weeks includes likely brutal encounters with Boston, Detroit and the Angels over the next 13 games. Would you have been happy to be a .500 ball club at this point, that is, were the Mariners expected to compete over this stretch with the AL East?
So is anyone goin to watch the game today? i think im gonna switch back and forth between the game and the indy 500, unless it gets out of hand then its all indy today.
I want to see a few Yankees hit for the cycle, so I’m watching. With Washburn on the mound, the Yankees could also score 20 runs.
25 runs in two games. Yeah.
55 runs in the last 5 games. How many teams give up an average of ELEVEN RUNS A GAME for FIVE CONSECUTIVE GAMES?
Fifty-five runs. Yeah.
Meh, hope that’s not a harbinger of how today’s going to go…
Wang. We need more guys named after Johnsons. Like the glory days. The Sheriff, The Big Unit, A Rod, and my personal and adopted favorite – Doug Strange.
I will be surprised if Washburn doesn’t have a good game, at least a quality start, and surprised of the Mariners don’t win. It’s just the way these things work – the players will treat every pitch like the seventh game of the World Series.
were the Mariners expected to compete over this stretch with the AL East?
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the Yankees are presently the M’s of the AL East. Ok, they’re not that bad — nobody outside of the Padres is — but even with the two wins the M’s have given them they’re still under .500 (trivia question: when was the last time both NY teams were under .500 during the regular season?) Those of us who thought the M’s might manage a .500 season with normal luck expected them to beat up, if not sweep, Baltimore and Texas. Instead they got swept. That’s 17 games right there, during which the M’s went 5-12. Had they gone 12-5, and split this Yankees series (or just gone one game better against some of the other teams they’ve faced, such as the Padres or KC) they’d be sitting at 25-25, right at .500. The next stretch might’ve knocked them down a bit, but there would be more Texas and KC to feast on. That, I think, is how those of us with rosey predictions of a .500 season were expecting things to go. I have no idea what the “contend for the division” people were thinking.
I can already hear Washburn’s post-game quotes:
“I don’t know what happened. I made good pitches and hit my spots. They just got good wood on everything.”
Having heard this from both Bedard and Washburn lately, I wonder why they don’t get called out on this more clearly. It’s as if they accept a false fundamental imbalance in baseball — that good hitting always beats good pitching.
Yes, in Washburn’s case, “good” is an excruciatingly relative term. But still. He does manage to have a good start against a good team every once in a while, and it would be nice if he had any understanding of why that happens.
And I find it interesting, too, that he says he rarely watches video.
Rizzs on Wash:
“he likes to pitch up in the strike zone”
Awesome, the game is on TBS so I get to watch it today. I’ve been avoiding the MLB.TV broadcasts but I can’t avoid Sunday baseball on TV. All I have to drink are left over Bud light limes from a couple of weeks ago, because they aren’t that good. But in honor of Ichiro and his horrible first AB I’ll be drinking them.
The Mariners can give up 20 runs, but as long as Derek Jeter get hits or RBI’s, this game is a success in my mind.
one of the things that McGrath does do well is a fine imitation of Jeff Fassero explaing that he ‘just threw one bad pitch’ …
Wow, nice play Yuni
Alright!!!! One for One!!!!
#22, let me guess, hes on your fantasy league?
so what does Skip Carey think is the problem with the Mariners?
“Perfect bottom of the half for the first.” Way to jinx the perfect game TBS announcers…
The Yanks announcers spent their time praising Sexson on the play by Yuni. Said he was a “fine first baseman” who could “certainly field his position”…I hope Bavasi’s not listening to these analysts.
I sure hope Jeter’s on zvazda’s fantasy team, because the idea of cheering for him for his own sake just doesn’t compute.
would they like him? we’d send him over for one of Giambi’s thongs ….
Maybe Jeter will also catch a pop-up, run twenty more feet, dive into the stands, get a fat lip, and then have everybody say it was the greatest play of all time. Will it be a success than too. Pass me an SP so I can boo Jeter, and 22.
Screw that — they can have Sexson and keep the thongs too.
wonder if Bugs Bunny would like to come out of retirement.
Now there is a ballplayer, one with character and fire.
31… sure, I think we could work out a trade of Sexson and Triunfel and cash for Giambi.
oh, god, please….no….at least sexson is off the books after this season (unless the idiots in the FO offer him arbitrations)….
#36, didnt sexson say something about retiring with seattle…..:(
I’m guessing there won’t be a perfect game today.
On June 14th, 2005, the Mets were 32-32, and the Yankees were 31-32. The next day the Mets lost and the Yankees won. So if the Mets game finished before the Yankees game, they would have both been under .500 at the same time. However, the Mets were in Oakland and the Yankees were hosting Pittsburgh and they were both night games, so even though the Mets game was an hour shorter than the Yankees game, it probably wasn’t over first.
So the answer is probably May 3rd, 2005, when the Mets were 13-14 and the Yankees were 11-16.
(Yes, I’m bored.)
Now the Yanks announcers are talking about Washburn’s likeness to Kiefer. Guess there’s not much else to say about him at this point.
at least sexson is off the books after this season (unless the idiots in the FO offer him arbitrations)
We can hope even they are not that insane (especially since we hope it won’t be the same FO). But there’s something we fans can influence. If we boo the guy mercilessly, he’ll probably want to turn down their arbitration offer to “explore free agency” in some other city where he can “get a fresh start.” Of course, that would require us to actually go to games.
I don’t mind if Sexson retires with Seattle. As long as it’s at the end of this year.
Wow, scraps, you were bored. I had no idea it was that recent.
speaking of fresh starts, the other day one of the columnists (Rosenthal?) was idly proposing a Sexson/Delgado swap of suckitudeness
well, that was unexpected.
Watching this team play, makes me long for the days of ‘Red’ in he booth telling his stories about those Dodger teams of the ’60’s. What used to be boring would be so damn entertaining now………
42… end? Why not now? I think we’d not have to pay the rest of this year’s contract if he retired mid-season.
that’s worth an SP!!!!!
Papua Ichiro!
Ichiro’s been drinking his South Pacific health drinks, clearly.
ICHIROOOOOOO, i guess he must of found some good beer this morning before the game and had some, or Bugs bunny must have given him that “secret formula” from space jam.
26 – NO! I meant… doesn’t get any hits or RBI’s.
I hate that he just caught the ball.
And somewhere in a Bristol Connecticut a phone rings. “Got your obligatory Jeter Webgem, you can stop worrying.”
boy, between Blow & Danny, if you drank everytime the phrase “no question” was uttered, you’d be snockered by the end of the first.
Pepe almost beat that out.
The Ichiro HR ties him with HOFer Mickey Cochrane on the all time hit list in 431st place.
Ichiro going back into the dug out after his run around the bases: “There’s your one run lead, Washie. That should be enough for a pitcher who hits his spots, right?”
I! CHI! RO!
If you want the last time the Yankees and Mets were both under .500 after fifty games, that would be 1995, when the Mets were 19-31 and the Yankees were 21-29. Both teams were under .500 as late as September 5th, at which point the Yankees had a finishing kick and ended up 14 games over. The Mets were just bad.
Sims has started picking up the “no question” earworm too. Thank goodness Niehaus is too old a dog to pick up that particular flea. For all its negatives, aage is a firewall against mental viruses. Like, you know.
Urgh. Jeter with an RBI oppurtunity.
#61 u jinxed it.
I truly hate him.
I apologize. This probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t made that really unfortunate typo.
That’s our Wash.
It probably wouldn’t have happened if New York Vinnie was in right field on Damon’s ‘double’ either.
Yeah, the Mets were really good at the end of the 80s and really bad for the first half of the 90s (which, coincidentally, exactly matches the interregnum between the Davey Johnson era and the Bobby Valentine regime).
Sigh. As much as I hate the Jeter Hype, the guy is dangerous at the plate.
Just be happy its tied 1 – 1 right now compared to what we have seen the past 5 days.
I was going to say something about doubting that the 1-run lead would hold up, but didn’t get arund to it by the time it was tied …
Another vote of confidence from Chuckie for Billy and Johnny Mac. No one could have foreseen this team’s struggles! NO ONE!!!11!!1!! ITS THE PLAYARS FAAUULT!!!!11!!
Mariners made the front page of ESPN
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3411649
That’s just GREAT news :-/
#63 Washburn’s 82 MPH “fasball” down the middle of the plate against a right hander probably had something to do with it as well.
Wlad wasn’t slow, like Vinnie. He was going the wrong way, like a little leaguer.
Even so, he probably still got to that ball faster than any RF the M’s have had since Ichiro. Though I kind of miss Wilkerson’s bizarre “slap the top of the wall seconds after the ball has passed beyond it, as if you were anywhere near it and had a chance to steal a home run”
That’s recycled news from yesterday, not new today.
well, everyone knows Pepe is the fast Vidro, kinda like the Molina’s Yadier
Not a managerial problem. Of course, the F.O. did hire those players that suck, but that’s obviously not their fault. How could they know?
lord, from the quick facts of that story, the last team to give up this many runs over a 5-game streak was the Orioles last year when the rangers spotted them for 30 runs in a game. That’s what we’re playing statistically similar to?
surely an infield single by Joh must signal a turn of events? surely?!!
No offense to Burke, but every hit by Kenji is doubly sweet today.
This is a crucial at bat in the fight with the Mendoza line.
IS THIS THE DAY??????
HUH??
IS IT????
71 – Jamie wouldn’t have called for that “pitch.”
Kenji’s always calling for fastballs right down the middle.
bases loaded, no out, so what?
I smell a new advertising slogan
crap. bases loaded with nobody out.
this never ends well.
Hurrah for old player skills.
Sims – “5 game losing streak, make it end”
Blowers – “Why not?”
Blowers did the same “Why not” the other day when it was suggested that the Mariners put up an 8 spot to get back in the game.
Last year both teams finished under .500: 1992 (the first Buck Showalter year for the Yankees; Jeff Torborg for the Mets).
Yadier is the fast Molina? Can’t keep them straight. Seriously, they just need to combine with another confusing family and form the Molina-Marsalis jazz orchestra and slow-pitch softball team.
What’s espanol for ‘take’?
More Bavasi:
This right after he said “the buck stops here”.
You’re a liar, Bill Bavasi.
cmon wlad!!!!!!
Ugh at least it wasnt a double play i guess….
Gotta love when the radio caller has to say that NOT grounding into a double play is a “really big play!”
Whatever keeps your denial happy.
Trade Yuni! The sacks are full!
I don’t think Wang has thrown a strike this inning.
- molina to wang
“Hey wang, great pitch, lets do it again, these guys swing at everything, no seriously just toss it any where, ill throw up some fake signs and u just throw it like you knew what you were doing.”
You have to throw it 40 feet or less to get Yuni to take.
In my face.
What happened to our team?
Who are these guys and what have they done with the Mariners?
Unfortunately we got Sexson clogging the base paths so many of Ichiro’s usual hits lead to the end of the inning.
Love to see them taking pitches, though.
Bruckner!
Is that Miguel Cabrera at 1st?
wow, this is a very Marineresque inning for the Yanks.
Duncan pulled a Richie on that play.
Every quote Armstrong makes just further undermines whatever shred of credibility he had left.
“What’s espanol for ‘take’”
Tomar is the infinitive verb.
Shelley Duncan? I haven’t seen her since she was doing Wheat Thins commercials…
and a very Marineresque inning for the Mariners.
They get a double play because Ichiro! is a good baserunner and they can’t play defense?
wow…….wow……that was……hmmmm.
Looks like another “highlight” on espn tonight.
WTF was that?
(Also, how was that scored a hit for Ichiro?)
Interesting that the M’s scored two runs without even hitting a ball out of the infield there …
Wow, serendipitous suckitude from Duncan
111: Back in the day, we’d call that their gutty tenacity. Now, it’s just another sad addition to their season.
There goes Washout hittin’ his spots again.
Have to wonder the last time the Mariners had allowed a run or less going into the 5th inning…
Thanks a lot Bill!
The players really seem to be “stepping it up” today.
Even Ichi “the drunk” ro!
#115 or better yet, whens the last time we had a lead going into the 5th inning.
I have a friend with season tickets in New York (yeah, but I still like the guy). He’s definitely in the stands today, and I’m going to give him credit if the M’s pull out a win today. He’ll be my good luck charm (god knows they need something).
111 – Betancourt RBI single to left.
Pepe!!
so, if Wash continues to do ok working with Joh today, will the papers attribute it to the visit by Roger Hansen– which they seemed to treat as a special event, rather than the normal visit of several that Hansen makes to the big league catchers?
#120 in the words of the kid from the shinning “pepe isnt here any more mr. dreeze”
I love how one of our announcer kept calling him Wong.
Ask that kid if he wants to meet Doug Strange.
The last time we game up less than five in five as last Sunday….brutal
Okay, time to turn off the tv.
I was under the impression that “wong” is closer to the correct pronunciation of his name than “wang”.
#126, you’re under the correct impression.
Gritty veteran!
Yankees guys say “wong” too. So it’s probably right.
119 – I stand corrected.
If the Yanks only end up scoring 1 run in this game I want to see one of the beat writers ask Washburn how he liked pitching to Johjima today.
I heart Beltre.
Beltre saves one for the Angry Beaver!
I can’t believe Bill Ford (Chuck Armstrong) is still giving his vote of confidence to Matt Millen (Bill Bavasi). It’s rough being a Lions (Mariners) fan.
Washburn pitching well,
Vidro hitting well,
Adam Jones hitting poorly,
Chris Snelling, on the DL again,
Soriano, 4 IP this season, on the DL…
Oh, am I the only person who thinks that Hernandez’s start was pushed back in order to draw a big crowd on the Monday holiday?
Postgame wrap up -
It’s easy to look at the Mariner’s increase of playing on the field and give the credit to the players making the plays, like Ichiro! with his home or Sexson and Beltre with their gloves. But the real hero today was sitting in the dugout. Willie Bloomquist, after Bill Bavasi’s statements, decided that it was time to step things up and started being a leader in the clubhouse. One could say that Bloomquist singlehandedly ignited this team from the bench.
if you google “sucktastic jerk” this thread is result #1
YES!!!!!!!!!!! Off the glove of Derek “the sub-par” Jeter!
Haf white men can’t jump.
It should be obvious why they’re winning today. Ichiro! switched out the Gatorade in the jug with SP Lager.
VIDRO!!!
I DON’T BELIEVE IT!!!!
I dont really care right now that vidro is hitting, i just really want a win in NY, please god, if there is a god, or baseball god, or baby jesus, or jesus in a ninja suit or a homeless jesus i dont care, let us win today.
What a professional hit.
Even the Yanks announcers were just calling Vidro a “professional type hitter” who “knows what needs to be done in this situation” and who – inspite of his low BA can “dial it up in situations like this.” I think I’m gonna throw up.
Ripped!
Tell you what I can’t believe about this game: we lost two games to the Yanks in horrible fashion, then we knock around their best SP. This a funny game.
Hey, maybe the team read about Bavasi’s remarks and said to each other, “Gee, I guess maybe we SHOULD start playing like we care.”
If the mariners make any sort of run, I’m buying a case of SP and I’ll keep buying the cases until they stop playing well.
So I’ll never be drinking it.
And that hot kid Vidro keeps doing everything to stay out of the minors (and vest his option).
I love how one of our announcer kept calling him Wong.
That’s former M’s catcher Dan Wilson, who also calls the current M’s catcher “johJEEMa” And doesn’t have anything beyond the obvious to say even when he is pronouncing names correctly. Dan, you were a fine catcher, but unless you can add actual “color” — like, something other than repeating what the play-by-play guy just said, you need to keep your day job (which apparently is “sitting around New England eating his wife’s apple pies”).
What exactly makes a hitter a professional hitter? Is it because a professional hitter knows when he really needs to hit the ball and get a base hit?
As opposed to all of those other at-bats, where those other, non-professional hitters waste their time getting base hits?
Thats the only bug i have about Beltre, it seems like you just throw it to the outside and beltre swings for it, low and away belt high outside, i mean the really only right that hits those damn pitches is Vlad.
I can’t believe these guys just chased Wang. I don’t remember that ever happening before.
I am Jive Odors, and all my hits are “professional grade.” (I sell trucks in the offseason).
(FWIW, the only guy I’ve known named “Wang” pronounced it more like Wong, and he insisted that wasn’t just because because of the obvious “Sum Yung Gai” humor potential)
142, even if you don’t like vidro, it’s worth acknowledging that he has hit well with RISP. Yes, i realize this is not an indicator of future performance. But it’s a fair compliment.
Wang’s winning streak (7/7, as repeated by the announcing crew) comes to an end as well.
I can’t believe these guys just chased Wang. I don’t remember that ever happening before.
You must’ve missed this game (or this one).
This pronunciation thing is a huge gift. Not only can we get headlines like “Yanks’ Wang Crushed by Tigers” but we can also make jokes like “He’s doing it Wang.”
The Yankees haven’t come back from a 3 run deficit this year? (According to Dave N… of course, that’s just begging for a jinx now.)
All my regression predictions are coming true. (Silva: Will give up more homeruns; Washburn: will give up fewer runs).
Okay, so here’s the next one: Felix’s number of fastballs thrown, up to 65% from 58% last year, will be the next regression!
Please!
“Tigers chew up Yanks’ Wang”
“Yanks’ Wang Pulled Early”
“Mariners take one from Yanks’ Wang” (wow, the slang interpretation runs exactly opposite to the actual meaning)
“Yanks’ Wang Injured While Warming Up”
Ok, I’ll now return to my actual, post-adolescent age.
I should’ve probably emphasized the these in “these” guys, as in M’s — seeing as though he was 7-0 lifetime against us coming into this game.
Bingo. I love Beltre, but the low and away pitch is his Kryptonite.
155-
Well played, especially the second one.
Oh God! Not Arthur Rhodes in Yankee Stadium!
im suprised that ball isnt bouncing around in the stands at this point.
Why did I just know something like that was going to happen?
And the floodgates opened, and Rhodes sayeth, “let there be a late-inning meltdown.” And Rhodes saw that it was good.
They need to send this Putz kid down to the minors, and replace him with some veteran presence. I wonder what Ray King is doing right now.
This week, the guys from Arson Squad: Seattle visit the Big Apple for a
showdownmeltdown at Yankee Stadium…if stottlemeyer is technically a mariner, does that mean we can put him in?
Giambi gonna GIDP and it will be later rembered as one of the biggest comebacks in a history of sport, M´s climbing all the way.
OK, Matsui, I was wrong
What happened to JJ’s biting split. That thing he throws know is begging to be hammered.
thank god the mariners we all know and love are back
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Mariners!
What in the world was that decision? I appreciate the dive, but good lord man, make sure you make a good throw.
Vlad, you jinxed it. The rest of the season is on you.
Your 2008 Seattle Mariners: Finding new ways to lose every day. >:(
Disaster.
This isn’t going well.
Bingo!
I knew they could find a way to blow it.
Is anyone else rooting for the Yankees, in the hope that it will force some front office changes?
Holy crap.
183. Not me.
According to FSN, the Yankees have yet to win a game when they’re trailing in the seventh. Here’s your free gift, Yanks: the 2008 Mariners.
Ichiro gave up, you see that?
183 – Even if i would be tempted to do that… I cannot do it for the yankees.
Our meltdowns seem to be coming later and later in games.
thanks god i live over the ocean so there is really nobody i can talk with about how much this team plays beyond the limit of a absurdity
How could anyone not see that coming?
This team is nothing but B.S.
That’s all it is.
It was like watching the Free Safety take the worst route to a ball, then get there, give up and let the other team score the TD.
Not the last two games, when you give up 25 runs in two games, there is no late meltdown sir.
hmmmm so did they give out rally fries?
188… I’m a Red Sox fan. But “we need to do something”, and that something happens with Chuckie.
Haha FSN put a hilarious merengue song to show JJ’s error.
Is it just me or has Putz lost velocity and therefore using it less?
I liked the upbeat fiesta music during the freeze cam replay of JJ’s error.
They keep saying this is the final meeting between these two clubs at Yankee Stadium. But if both the M’s and the Yankees reach the playoffs–
Ok, I can’t continue with a straight face.
Seriously, FIRE EVERYBODY. Screw stability. This is the worst team in the American League and as Bavasi even admitted yesterday, it isn’t because of bad luck.
and Dave says– since 1998, Mo is 21 for 21 against the Ms.
JJ is not throwing hard at all.
Should they change the name of “Mariners Live” to “Mariners Death”?
I’d love to find out how they let that Molina fly ball drop in for the go ahead run. Suzuki looked like he backed off at the last second then looked upset. I’m getting the yankees broadcast from MLB extra innings which just took it for granted with their customary sense of yankee triumphalism.
Rivera’s actually overdue for a clinker. I’ve seen him a few times this year and seen him get away with some less than “nasty” pitches. Oh well. Let’s see what happens.
This team makes you wish for the days of North Korea or East Germany “re-educating” athletes who embarrassed their country in international competition.
Not true. Yesterday, the worst inning was when we gave up five runs in the 7th which turned a 3 run deficit into an 8 run deficit. The day before we gave up 8 runs in the fifth. During the Tigers series we usually gave up most of the runs in the first four innings. Hence, the meltdown is occurring later and later.
Unless, by “meltdown” you require that we be in the lead?
Sims is getting on my nerves.
so what happend pre.1998 that they had to start that save stat from that year…
The team’s body language couldn’t say it any louder: we have lost the will to win.
I hate this team.
I think this is a problem of chemistry.
please do not tell me that ichiro did that
God. Sometimes Rivera throws first pitch fastballs straight as a string down the middle that guys just watch.
210… I disagree, it’s the lack of clubhouse leadership.
if it were true, could you blame them at this point? when nothing they do goes right?
ah, a special Mo strike zone. how nice.
YES network overhead view showed the 3rd strike to Vidro was clearly outside.
When will FSN realize that Joe’s tracer sucks.
I hate Vidro more than I hate Bobby Ayala.
If you are going to have a wreck…
If this goes on much longer, fans of other teams are going to begin staring like traveler’s on the freeway passing a six car pile-up.
“Nasty.” “Hope no-one was hurt.”
I know regression to the typically mediocre is more likely, but in the mean time, keep the jaws of life handy.
no, it is obviously a lack of fire in the belly.
I’m not trying to be a provocateur. I repeat. I’m not trying to be a provocateur or get anyone mad. But, [no good comment has ever begun like that]
so, lessee, that would now be 61 runs given up in 6 games.
gosh, just imagine for a seocnd that those guys still really care about the 2208 season. Could you imagine hte atmosphere in the locker room now? Maybe we can add some cameras there to do a reality TV, would be definitely more amazing than watching them play
It all started with that lead-off walk in the bottom of the eighth inning.
M’s relievers come into games unprepared over and over and over and over again.
Why is that? (And it isn’t merely a talent issue).
Game Ends.
“Bartender, an SP Lager please. Hurry! And keep another four cold for me.”
“I’m sorry sir, but we don’t carry that beer. I’ve never heard of it.”
“Never heard of it? It’s Ichiro’s favorite beer! You better get some in!”
“Ichiro, sir? Oh, you mean the outfielder for the WORST TEAM IN BASEBALL??”
(hangs head, voice drops to whisper). “OK, just give me a Bud Light or whatever. Thanks.”
(heavy, heavy sigh)
It takes more then clubhouse leadership to win games, how bout a competent front office?
please make that 2008 season, of course
It all started with a lead-off walk in the bottom of the eighth inning.
How many times have we seen that?
And what the hell goes on out in that bullpen where these guys come into games unprepared to throw strikes?
And why the hell is it allowed to happen?
I’m not trying to be a provocateur. I repeat. I’m not trying to be a provocateur or get anyone mad. But, as a Red Sox fan, I despair that the Mariners will play totally differently against the Red Sox back in Safeco.
I don’t think that is likely. The Ms will probably send Balentien down and bring up LaHair, or some other inexplicable move.
Why would the Mariners do anything but suck in Safeco or anywhere else? They don’t play “differently” anywhere or at any time. Rest assured, your precious Red Sox will get batting practice just like everyone else.
We have 18 wins with a 117 million dollar payroll. Oakland has 27 wins with a 48 million dollar payroll. Tampa Bay has 29 wins with a 44 million dollar payroll.
How could the ownership not be pissed off about this?
Take two Mariners and call me in the morning, just what the doctor ordered. Tigers feel better, Yankees feel better.
Ugh. Horrible way to end that game. On a lighter note, I went searching for SP Lager–sadly, came up empty-handed, but i did find another appropriately themed beverage, that is quite tasty–Laughing Dog Pale Ale.
Some entreprenuerial spirit should come up with Sinking Ship Ale or something and sell it outside Safeco. It would do well, since nobody could watch this mess in-person sober.
Seriously, every time I see someone saying they see things in the team’s “body language” or crap like that, I know this is a person projecting their frustration and looking for a target for their anger. At that point I know I can stop reading; it’s just a map of the inside of an angry fan’s mind, irrelevant to what’s going on the field.
It pains me to say it, but.. I like it. Keep them losses coming. Only way it will get better.
#17, you were spot on.
how do you prepare to throw strikes?
Because were a “professional” team with “professional” players, and our “professional” fans keep paying to see these “professional” games.
Interesting analogy…especially in light of the now-quite-obvious failure of “Chairman” Bill’s Five-Year Plan.
Ichiro ran by the ball, it looked like the ball hit him on the way to the wall. Balentien had to change direction to get to the ball, he thought Ichiro would at least pick it up after it hit the ground.
224: In the case of Rhodes, it’s because he’s clearly washed-up.
now be serious and tell me, how many players would you keep if you would be the GM and have a GO to do anything you want?
Headline over at MLB.com: “Yanks stun Mariners to sweep series”.
You mean this was a SURPRISE to the Mariners?
Why does anyone thunk it’s a compliment to say a hitter knows when to “dial it up”? Why can’t he “dial it up” all the time, if he knows how? A professional hitter should have top focus all the time.
One nice thing about being out of it before June is that the loses don’t really seem to sting when I watch them.
231: Don’t worry, they will be — once ticket sales are down to 5k (or less) per game.
The M’s Man of Team Strategy on the Field doesn’t get his allusive and mysterious “clean game”. Another awkward post game interview no doubt follows; another sign of what a *weak* group this is — weak thinking from the top, weak leadership by the manager, weak play. Pathetic.
I thought this was a young man’s game? Mariners don’t really have alot of young men.
Ichiro’s route on the ball that landed on the center field grass for a double was the worst I have ever seen from him. Really makes you wonder. Looked like he made almost no real effort to catch it, a la a Jim Edmonds.
It looked on the replay that he got a bad read, then didn’t run full-out, and actually was decelerating when the ball fell with no attempt at a dive. That is messed up. And then he passes the ball as it drops, and Balentien, a bit stunned, saunters over to pick it up and throw it in.
If Ichiro is giving up on this team, it is really going to be a long summer en route to 103 losses.
Or maybe that’s football, oh well.
Why would Ichiro bother to pick up the ball? He knew that was the game right there. He probably skipped the ninth and went into the clubhouse to throw back a few SPs…
Well, when they get back to safeco, at least this will save the “moose man” some money this year, he should give the FO some pointers on money saving techniques.
#17, great call – almost got it 100%.
Maybe they need to give out Rally Fries twice a game.
ok, here’s a post-game caller theory.
the Mariners have stopped listening to McLaren because he says “and, um” too much when he talks.
Kruger is beating out Washburn in the asshole category with his stupid rant about how bad Ichiro! looks in center.
Ichiro’s defense hurt the team today.
Dave/Derek –
Any way we can get rid of the Baker’s Blog button…
I always saunter on over… and then because I’m just that stupid I click on the comments.
It’s like watching a train wreck… but I can’t stop reading!
Will rhymes with skill.
Logged in after hearing Kruger…are you kidding me? I’ve always thought he was an idiot, but now he’s talking shit about ICHIRO!?
Maybe ICHIRO! is out of position because he has to cover left AND center field…
Haven’t been this mad in a long time…
Anyone think Raul or Carlos is going to do that silent, pull-the-guy-aside thing and say “Ichiro, why are you tanking out in center field?”
Yeah, Bill — you’re little pep-chew yesterday worked out just great.
I bet Bill’s phone starts ringing soon.
#218:
I hate Vidro more than I hate Mike Schooler!
I’m surprised. Mentik and Krueger are pillorying Ichiro’s CF play. Never seen FSN go at Ichipimp before. He didn’t look too Ichrio-esque on that play but he’s one of the few players on the team performing up to his ability. This mess isn’t his fault.
This looks like how it’s going to go. Winning baseball is like a tripod: Hitting, Pitching and Defense. They consistently do 2 out of 3 pretty well, but do the third so poorly it costs them game after game.
San Diego is currently leading 3-0 in the fourth against the Res. If they can keep it up, we’ll be the Worst Team in Baseball again. Huzzah!
260
Um Ichiro is good…but his defense has been unacceptabke the past 6 games. He hasn’t been taking good routes to the ball. He is still playing short short center, when he should be taking steps back. Ichiro has cost us as alot of outs during the road trip
I can’t believe people are trying to pretend Ichiro was giving up on the play.
One of the surest signs of an awful team: stupid people start blaming the best players.
ICHIRO! doesn’t get to the ball and you say he didn’t try…
Face of fucking franchise, NO range, WORST LEFT FIELDER IN THE LEAGUE Ibanez doesn’t get to it, he’s applauded for his hustle…
Ridiculous…
Oh, and we are on track for a 57-115 record. That would be the second-worst record in Ms history, but only by a single game.
Mariners Baseball: The Mojo’s Rising, and it stinks
264- Ibanez’s defense has been unacceptable for the last THREE SEASONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Has douche-bag Kruger taken pot-shots at him?
God-damn I’m so pissed right now…
jro: before I stop bothering to read you, I just want to be sure that I haven’t misread you: when you say Ichiro is “tanking”, you’re, like, parodying a KJR caller or something, right?
Ichiro is not perfect (as much as some of you want to believe so) and makes mistakes. Don’t go ape-shit just because someone calls out a bad play. You act like Kruger is blaspheming a god.
I think most of us are past anger. I’d say Dave has firmly moved into testing, but a lot us are still wobbling near depression. The SP Lager post was a nice effort to combine these two stages.
268… not only that, but Ibanez has complained about being the DH, saying he wanted to play the field. Not exactly being a team player.
I love Ichiro as much as the next USSM reader (and would love to drink some SP with him), but that was a _horrible_ read. We all know that if that same play happened with Ibanez we’d be all over him.
Piss poor play by Ichiro (whose OBA is killing us now too). One of the many to be underperforming… sigh, way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Well, only a few more months until Cougar basketball starts.
270-
I’m going ape-shit because we have SOOOO many problems, and Kruger always fills us with so much BS and tries to make everything all fine and dandy…so the one time ICHIRO makes a bad play, he gets called out on it?
If Kruger will do that the next time Raul does what he does best in left, or when Silva gives up 10 runs in three innings, I’m okay with it…
But to call out the only player on the team that is worth a damn (hyperbole), and not call out the other wastes of oxygen (again hyperbole) on this team when they totally suck (I swear if I hear about Vidro being a “professional hitter” doing a “nice piece of hitting” again) is ridiculous…
Noth, pay attention. No one said Ichiro’s perfect, or doesn’t make mistakes. There’s a difference between making mistakes and “tanking”. And it’s not a subtle difference.
I swear, the most irritating thing in comments here is when you defend someone from a bullshit criticism, and someone else will always come by with the You Guys Can’t Listen To Any Criticism crap. It’s grade school debate level.
#272: If that is a true statement, then Ibanez needs to be traded tomorrow.
273 – And there’s always the Storm!!!
What? They are going to force us to watch 10 extra games of this?
A freak show Padres-Ms undercard before playoff games?
The outfield expertise of GREAT PITCHER Bill Krueger was truly insightful and enlightening! Of all the people and all the things he COULD be spouting off about……….he picks Ichiro’s defense?
Obviously Ichiro pretty much tanked it the whole game. He doesn’t care and he’s given up. He contributed nothing positive toward trying to win. He’s also been stealing bases like Vince Coleman this whole month. Another indicator of lackadaisical effort.
Griffey threw himself around the outfield, got every ball he possibly could, every time, no matter what! What happened to him when he was about the age Ichi is now? How about Edmonds, Buhner, Dykstra, Erstad just to name a few.
scraps – I think you meant to address dang at #270.
278… yeah, they’re actually introducing the World Suckage this year.
I didn’t interpret Kruger as saying Ichiro is dogging it. To me he criticized a poor play by Ichiro. I agree that Kruger singles out Ichiro for criticism, but I don’t think this particular example is “bullshit” criticism”. To #275 – I can’t remember a case that Ichiro was criticized on this blog and the overwhelming reaction was not ape-shit and bordering on hysterical.
Noth, you sure are right.
#277:
Ya, no kidding.
Nothing against women’s sports or anything like that, but my god. That’s what Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong have acheived the last 7 years. The Seattle Storm, the women’s pro basketball team, has not only won a championship, but they are now 10 times more interesting to watch than the Mariners because they win and are committed to winning a championship.
And plus the Mariners have a $115 million payroll which probably is much more compared to the Storm.
Way to go Chuck and Howard, way to go.
Anyone who saw the game, how the HECK does Jarrod throw what he throws and give up only four hits to the Yankees?
I know he’s a well-established major league veteran with a stand-up personality and tons of grit and hustle who knows how to pitch to win games and gives 110% every time and puts up quality starts with a good ERA by staying ahead in the count, pitching to contact, never giving up on an at-bat and challenging the hitters, all while staying within himself yet coming through in the clutch…. but still. Are the Yankees now not able to hit 86 mph fastballs or what?
@ 123, Very late, but “Wong” is how “Wang” is actually pronounced. Most people mispronounce it with a hard “A.” Just so you know.
#285, see post #17.
I missed the game (sometimes I get lucky). So, did Ichiro give up on that ball after he realized that he couldn’t catch it? That’s not so bad, but if he gave up when he still had a shot, that’s unacceptable.
So Dang (287), you think that when hitters see that fat fastball in the middle of the zone, their adrenaline starts going, they get all jumpy and can’t swing as well as normal? Hmm…. maybe Wash is a genius in disguise.
In all seriousness, seeing Wash out there makes me sad that we don’t have Jamie anymore. Washburn is like a Jamie Moyer with 5-8 mph more velocity who doesn’t know how to change speeds. Eek…
Dang, well,it would be an interesting test, perhaps, to try criticising Ichiro in some waty that wasn’t pure talk-radio motive-bashing. Something real. Since Ichiro is indeed not perfect, it shouldn’t be hard. For example, his questionable bunting. Hey, that’s right, it has been questioned here! And people didn’t go apeshit! What can this mean?? Could there be a real difference between criticism and saying someone’s tanking?
I expect you’ve got another dodge in reserve, and will again avoid defending saying Ichiro’s tanking by saying no one can ever hear criticism of Ichiro. Or I guess you could surprise me and actually respond.
The way the Mariners have played this year, I think their “curse” may actually have been caused by an old Superfund cleanup site which Safeco Field was built on that nobody told us about.
FWIW…ALL of the outfielders have been playing in at McLaren’s instruction. He said that a week or so ago. He said he was tired of balls dropping in, and he was making all the outfielders play very shallow. Ichiro already plays a shallow CF (because he can.) If Mac is forcing him to play even more shallow, his defense is going to suffer some. Go figure.
You’re joking, right? The Storm payroll is probably under ONE million, maybe including all the coaches and administration.
As for Ichiro, it’s ridiculous to assert that he “gave up on it”. You know nothing about his mental state. From watching the play, I’d say he was having trouble tracking that ball, which appeared to hold up much more than everyone, including Krueger, thought it would. That’s why Ichiro’s route looked a little off, and he corrected himself. The part where he “gave up” was when he realized that he wasn’t going to get to it, which meant that Balentien had a better angle to pick it up. Big deal. Not the greatest play in the history of the game, but it’s NOTHING compared to the hailstorm of balls falling in over in left.
FWIW, McLaren thought Ichiro lost the ball — he was doing a lot more looking up than running toward the wall than usual …
#290 how do you know he wasn’t tanking on that play? Maybe he lost focus, or was pissed-off about another game about to be blown. Look, Kruger singles out Ichiro for scrutiny, there’s no doubt about that Why not, he’s the best player on the team, and one of the highest paid? Kruger almost always acknowledges that Ichiro is a great player. You and I will never agree – you will accuse me of supporting Ichiro-bashing, and I’ll believe that the reaction on your part(and most on this site) is not due to the criticism in general but to the fact that it is directed at Ichiro.
I didn’t even watch the game today. I’m glad.
Maybe he was hallucinating bees, or calculating his return on his mutual funds, or receiving a download of instructions from his alien overlords, or dreaming of pie. You haven’t got a clue what his mental state was, and speculating is pointless.
Excuse me, but you’re the one makin the character assassination. The burden of proof is on you to argue that Ichiro is tanking.
I notice – to the surprise of no one – that you ignore the point about Ichiro being criticized on this weblog, and just repeat what you said before. When refuted, pretend it never happened. Maybe no one will notice.
By the way, you don’t seem to know what the word means. “Maybe he lost focus”? Tanking is deliberate; it’s just about the most serious accusation you can level at a competitor.
You’re fond of saying that Ichiro’s defenders can’t hear criticism. Tell me, honestly: you didn’t already have it in for Ichiro before you started reading his mind?
You’re right that we’re probably never going to agree; I’m watching what’s going on, and never forgetting that these are people, while you’re watching a cartoon script in your head that soothes your anger.
OK, I have found two people more stupid than Bavasi….amazing.
Listening to the KOMO post-game show (which may make me one of these two people) and one called and said he was going to go out an be a Red Sox fan now because the M’s suck. He was even going to go out and buy a bunch of Red Sox gear and blend in the all the Sox fans at Safeco this week. Thats a true fan, jump ship today, when they eventually win again (yes, it will happen sometime)he will talk about what a great fan he is.
Second guy said that since Mac and Bavasi use “um” and “uh” so much in interviews, and now smart guys like Ibanez are doing the same thing, clearly the management is failing to communicate their message.
That is clearly the guy advising the M’s front office!
I think he was wondering if he’d remembered to put the fermentation lock on the carboy of lager he was brewing.
Cracks me up that people are so anxious to slag on Ichiro. Everyone makes a bad play ever once in a while, even Ichiro. Nothing to worry about, but seems like a few folks who want to jump on one bad play by our best defender as an excuse for the routine bad plays by the rest of our defense.
Weird. I don’t know if the M’s clubhouse is dysfunctional, but their fanbase sure is.
scott19 said: “The way the Mariners have played this year, I think their “curse” may actually have been caused by an old Superfund cleanup site which Safeco Field was built on that nobody told us about.”
Actually, I think Safeco’s (and Qwest Stadium, and the old Kingdome) foundation is built on a sluiced-down-to-waterfront-level hill.
“Seattle began filling in the vast tideflats south of Pioneer Square in the early twentieth century, producing Harbor Island and the area now occupied by Union Station, King Street Station, Seattle’s sports stadiums, and much of the city’s industrial base.”
mlb.com’s headline about the Yankees “stunning” the Mariners, I think referred to it in the sense of using a stun gun on them. After all, Mariners don’t know how to play in sunshine.
#294:
FYI, I only said it was “probably” much lower because I don’t know the exact amount of the Storm payroll. But you get my point.
Here is Ichiro’s quote after the gam
Asked if he was playing too shallow, Ichiro said: “If I had spiritual powers and knew the ball was going to be landing there, I would have positioned myself better, but I don’t have those spiritual powers.”
http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080525&content_id=2767156&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea
I didn’t mean “tanking” I meant “dogging it”, my mistake. And I didn’t say that he was dogging it, I said you don’t know whether he was or not – neither do I. I also wasn’t speculating as to his mental state, I threw out possibilities as to why he may have been dogging it but was not endorsing them. The bottom line is that it is not acceptable (for some on this site) for Kruger to speculate that he was dogging it, but it is acceptable to speculate that he wasn’t dogging it. Seems one-sided to me.
At least this team’s been through the wars now.
That is the correct way to pronounce Johjima’s name, not “Joe-jim-uh”, as virtually all the broadcasters and commentators do.
273:
While it’s true that Ichiro’s OBA is below what it usually is, he’s not incredibly far off of what should be expected for him.
Plus, considering he has the highest OBA on the team, I wouldn’t say that his is the one that’s killing us right now.
“acceptable to speculate that he’s not dogging it”? How awful of me — how presumptuous — to assume he’s giving his best!
You live in a strange world, dang. Guilty and no guilty are equal assumptions, and it’s equally valid to “speculate” either way.
I note that you still won’t respond to my pointing out that people do criticize Ichiro — for things he actually does, not mind reading about his motives — without people going “apeshit”.
And that when you’re called on accusing him of tanking, you say you just meant he was “dogging it”. Like that’s not a mind-reading insult.
You did nothing of the kind. You said he was tanking, and now you’re saying he’s dogging it. For the love of Edgar, take responsibility for your own words. Bavasi’s weaseling is bad enough.
In general: Any time someone says “You can’t say [blank 1] without everyone saying [blank 2]“, either it’s demonstrably untrue that everyone reacts that way and the speaker is simply uninterested in hearing disagreement with [blank 1]; or [blank 1] is stupid.
Often both.
#309. Please point out to me where I said that I thought he was dogging it or tanking.
This isn’t a case of guilty and not guilty being equal assumptions – something happened on the play in question (this is acknowledged by posts on this site “slowed down when he knew he could not reach the ball”, etc.) and Kruger speculated, suggested, whatever that Ichiro dogged it.
I’m not dodging your issue about criticism of Ichiro on this site. It does happen, and in one case I remember DMZ pointing out that Ichiro needs to hit for a very high average to be effective since he does not draw many walks – at the time Ichiro’s average was around 300.
I’m trying to have a reasoned discussion, not “weaseling” around to make my point. Maybe my logic is flawed, maybe I’m “wrong” – wouldn’t be the first time – but I try to listen to counter arguments and not be offended when faced with differing opinions.
Hey, Scraps and Dang–not to interfere or anything, but this “debate” is getting really, really silly. You guys are obviously angry about this game (it really was a huge mental blow) and this season and you need to vent. OK, you did that (ad infinitum). Let’s just relax and move on. Who cares what the hell Krueger says anyway?
As to what Safeco might be built on, you are right about the fill. It’s one reason why they are very worried about the aqueduct coming down. In a big quake the ground could literally liquefy, so they say. I’m sure, however, that Safeco is built to high earthquake standards.
I was gonna say, though, rather than a Superfund site we should be worried about an ancient Indian burial ground (this season is turning out an awful lot like “Poltergeist”). I have read several books that mention that Chief Seattle’s daughter lived in a shack down in that area for many years early this century. The question, how did we suddenly disturb the spirits?
Also: I’d object the same way if you said Washburn was tanking, and I can’t stand him. It’s not about Ichiro; it’s about talking crap about people’s motives.
Dang, I have conflated you with jro — who made the “tanking” accusation — and I apologize for saying you used that word.
Kenshabby
You are correct. In japanese his name is Jo- H – Ji – Ma. I=e. e=a. a=ahh. So it is Joe Gee Maaaah.
Just coming from a guy from Hawaii hehe.
Feeding on your own….mmmmmmmmmmmm……yummiest dish of venting possible…. another helping please (who cares if it makes me look like a pig to eat so much)….
scraps. I did use the word tanking in connection with Kruger’s opinion but later corrected myself because it was not the word I intended to use. Anyway thank you for an enjoyable, sometimes frustrating, discussion.
Really?
What do you mean by “now”?
He has the highest OBA on the team, and in the month of May his OBA is .413.
How is that killing the team?
I wish the M’s had a half dozen players with a .413 OBA this month.
Check your facts before shooting off your mouth.
by the way.
it is Krueger.
#300. I think I reflect the opinion of every diehard Red Sox fan when I say, we don’t want him. Take him back! It would be especially terrible if he ever took up a seat at Fenway that could be going to a real fan.
Being a Red Sox fan used to be a badge of loyalty. We got crapped on constantly by the Celtics fans her in new england who laughed at rooting for a team that could get over the top. The vichy french yankee fans living among us were particularly exasperating. Now weasels like the guy you heard on the radio want to switch to being Red Sox fans.
We don’t want ‘em. There must be some way to refuse him admittance like a country closing its borders.
#318.
Its to bad people arent branded when they choose a team to follow that way we could tell the real fans from the fake.
All you have to do now a days to claim that you’ve been a fan for years is go to your local mall/walmart and buy the hat of the team that you’ve supposedly been a fan of all your life. Its going to be sad when next year if the mariners are a winning team again, (and i used the word “if” because we have no clue at this point if we will ever be good any time soon) and this fan boy puts his mariners hat back on and is like “i knew it all along, ive never let my team down, always been there, through thick and thing”
I see so many bandwagon red sox/yankee/ now celtic fans it makes me sick. Living in arizona all i see is red sox/yankee fans, once in a while theres a few dbacks fans and they are in first place. Its becoming more of a fashion statement to be a fan rather than actually liking a team. But of course theres nothing we can do about that stuff.
Well heres looking forward to Felix Day tomorrow!! i hope!!!
What in the world is going on in this comment thread?
we were talking about the fan that called in to the radio station after the game claiming he was gonna convert to being a red sox fan because of how horrible the mariners are.
so, lessee, that would now be 61 runs given up in 6 games.
Which, amazingly, means with this game they’ve actually lowered their average runs against from 11 to just over 10.
Some entreprenuerial spirit should come up with Sinking Ship Ale or something and sell it outside Safeco. It would do well, since nobody could watch this mess in-person sober.
Already done. The Diamond Knot Brewery in Mukilteo is named after a ship that sank in Puget Sound (with a sizable portion of that year’s Alaskan canned salmon production). Thus any Diamond Knot beer would be appropriate to drink while reading USSM or while watching the team; but especially with this team this season I think we need something a little more experimental.
Well, unless somebody finds South Pacific somewhere.
#319:
Still, I wish we were more like the Red Sox.
#319
Why do you want to be like the red sox? Do you want to be like the team it self or do you want our front office to be like the red sox. I personally dont care for the red sox, im tired of all the hype they always get, and manny bugs the crap out of me. Ill take thier management but thats about it, and i guess maybe a few of thier pitchers, but wouldnt everybody at this point.
#323
Why do you want to be like the red sox? Do you want to be like the team it self or do you want our front office to be like the red sox. I personally dont care for the red sox, im tired of all the hype they always get, and manny bugs the crap out of me. Ill take thier management but thats about it, and i guess maybe a few of thier pitchers, but wouldnt everybody at this point.
oops had to change the number on that and it posted twice sorry!
Having our announcers mispronounce Joh’s and Bedard’s names drives me nuts. I mean, I’m just a geeky user of the interwebs and I know how to say them. It seems like the least you can do is get the names of your own guys right.
327 Responses to “Game 51, Mariners at Yankees”
Will there ever be this much interest again?
Ok bakomariner you need to chill and get your facts straight.
First of all Billy K. has been dogging Raul’s defense for a WHILE now. He is dogging the hole team’s defense and he should be.
Ichiro deserves to be dogged on after this road trip defensively. Is the the main culprit? Hell no. But his defense has been unacceptable the last 6 games. Our entire outfields defense has been.
It’s weird how people differ in their fandom. Manny Ramirez is one of my very most favorite players. I can’t even articulate the entire reason, though his recent ‘climb up the outfield wall, rob a HR, high-five a fan in a Boston jersey while playing on the road, drop back down with the ball’ was classic Manny.
mlb.com:
Oh Ichiro, we still love you.
RE: The ICHIRO thing -
No one has mentioned the sun.
Was it a factor?
318 & 324: I, too, get annoyed by all the over-hype that teams like the Yanks and Red Sox get…however, James T, I do agree with you that the bandwagon jerks who call themselves “fans” tend to be the most annoying. Generally speaking, they are the surliest, stupidest, and most obnoxious fans in attendance…and the true die-hards can usually spot them a mile away and don’t want anything to do with them.
Yep…gotta love the “I’m from Federal Way, but I LOVE my Red Sox!” guys — even though they’ve never been to Fenway Park, never lived in New England, do not have family there, and have no ties to the NE whatsoever. They’re usually the same schmucks who, 10 years ago, proclaimed themselves “die-hard Yankee fans.” >:(
I have a friend who is exactly like that.
If a team is doing good he goes out and buys thier hat, but once they fall apart, here comes a new hat, from a new team.
330: Hey, I’ll give Manny this much: if you’re gonna brainfart your way around left field, at least do it with style and look like you’re having fun!
334: Let me guess…he’s probably on either the D-Backs or Rays bandwagon these days, right?
i think he’s still toting around his boston hat at this point, because thats the current trend of being the cool guy.
I am a lifelong Mariners fan and I am finding it very enjoyable to root against this team and I will unashamedly jump right back on the bandwagon if they ever become contenders again. I am not a Rays fan at all but I did become a minor Devil Rays fan because I started a Devil Rays legacy on MVP 2005 for the Xbox and decided to buy a Devil Rays hat as a result and I gotta tell you it is a nice hat.
#338 they arent the devil rays anymore, bandwagon boy
hehehe they are the Rays now.
339
No Duh, that is why I said I am not a Rays fan, I am still a minor Devil Rays fan because in MVP 2005 they will always be the Devil Rays unless you have a modded Xbox then I think you could change them but not for sure. I started a Devil Rays Franchise on the Xbox because on the Xbox rosters they are the worst team and have the lowest payroll so I wanted the challenge of trying to build them into contenders and they in some way reminded me of what the Mariners used to be, an unknown team playing in a domed stadium. Now the Mariners have become just nauseating and I don’t feel one bit bad about rooting against them and still considering myself a true fan.
I am not rooting against the Mariners because they are losing. I can handle losing no problem as I really enjoyed the losing teams of the 70’s and 80’s. I root against the Mariners because they are just boring and I hate their commercials now!
The other funny thing about the whole bandwagon fan thing is that, I don’t wear a Sox jersey or Sox hat. Only very seldom, to games, do I ever wear Sox stuff. and I don’t think it’s that unusual among the diehard fans. At last year’s Sons of Sam Horn get together at Fenway park, only a minority of even the SoSH people were wearing Sox jerseys or hats.
And, for what it’s worth, I’d be perfectly happy if the Sox were never shown on ESPN, other than postseason games, ever again. I completely understand fans of another team being sick to death of seeing the Red Sox.
What is the least bit exciting or interesting about a group of mediocre to bad overpayed veterans that have no hope of becoming contenders? The only excitement you guys can drum up is to get all hyped up about Felix days and get all excited when Ichiro says something funny. The only way I would start rooting for the Mariners again this year is if they sent their whole Major League roster to AA and called up all their AA roster to the Major Leagues.
I don’t understand how somebody can say that they are going to root against the M’s and then turn around and say that they are a die hard fan. Isn’t the whole point of being a “die-hard” fan to stick with your team no matter what? I’m upset with the FO, McLaren, more than half of our roster, but you know what? I still want them to do well. I’m not going to wait until they become a contender again before I start rooting for them.
344
Have fun. I can respect sticking with your team through thick and thin but I have already done that with the Mariners through the 70’s and 80’s and this team now is so lame the only sensible thing to do is root against them but whatever floats your boat and if you feel you are going to have some great sense of accomplishment in that you rooted for this team if and when they turn it around then more power to you.
I did that with the Mariners in the 80’s too. It’s not so much that I’d get a sense of accomplishment by rooting for this team, it’s more like I just can’t abandoned a team that I have been cheering for since the mid 80’s. It seems like there is a difference in opinion on this with many that read this site. I just happen to fall on the side of sticking with my team no matter what.
346
That is fine. Its just the general approach of this team has become so lame that I feel no shame in rooting against them. This is not a loveable group of losers like the 70’s and 80’s teams but I can respect the fact that you don’t want to abandon them. I personally don’t feel like I have abandoned them at all, just more or less have become so nauseated with the bill of goods the Mariners as an organization sell that I feel just in rooting for their impending implosion.
What sucks is having to lower your expectations.
What sucks is having the organisation’s leadership draw parallels between the ‘01 and ‘08 rosters as if predicting reasonable performance is impossible.
What sucks is having no real hope that things will improve.
That really takes the wind out of the sails…
347
So what would it take to get you interested in the team again? Does it have to be a full season where they are competing for a AL West title? A World Series? Or would it take a FO overhaul and the understanding that some MAJOR changes were on the way. I’m just curious what it would take for the fans that have stopped cheering for the M’s to come back. I am talking about fans that weren’t just fans in 95,97, and 2001. Like I said, there seems to be a pretty big split from people who think like I do and will just keep cheering for the M’s no matter what and people that think like you do, and have just lost total faith in the direction of the organization. I’d just like to understand the other side.
I am going to go to a few games this year and it is not because the Mariners have funny commercials. It is simply for the fact that batting practice balls are going to be easier to get with lower attendances.
[see comment guidelines]
Well, it is.
For them.
349
The only thing that could make this years team intersting to me is if they sent the whole Major League roster to AA and called up the AA roster to the Major League roster. Then I could consider them loveable losers instead of overpayed mediocre veteran losers.
oops meant to address post 350 and I got interesting spelled wrong in 354
This is a hard choice.
I want to see My Beloved Red Sox (TM) play. (And before you say “bandwagon”, I was born in Providence and cursed at Calvin Schiraldi for his rotten performance in ‘86. I own MyBelovedRedSox.com. But I digress.)
But – I really don’t want to put money into the pocket of a front office staff that is giving fans the finger.
Do I go, or find a nice bar full of Boston refugees and watch Colon make the Ms look silly?
So what is the proper pronunciation of our new pitcher’s name?
I thought it was
b-DARD.
or is it
b-DAHR.
I suppose it could be any of these:
BED-ard
BEE-dard
bed-ARGH matey.
I spent seven years in New England. I hated the Red Sox before I moved there, I hated them while I lived there and it has only gotten worse in the meantime. The idea that they still think they’re entitled to some kind of lovable losers tag while winning two World Series in four years is mindboggling to me. I told the guy who does my ticket group that this year I didn’t want any Red Sox or Yankees tickets. I prefer to avoid their fans.
Acoording to Jon Heyman, McLaren to be gone soon.
I don’t care much for Heyman as a writer, so I’m not putting much stock into this story but I thought I would throw it out there anyway.
357… hoist on his own Bedard?
356 … hope springs eternal. The piece reads a little bit like “managers of teams that are doing poorly may be fired soon” (duh) … but we can always hope.
Would that be the answer to all the problems? No, but it would be a start. If the M’s have “motivational” problems then that’s part of McLaren’s job. Remove him, and if things don’t improve then it’s that much easier to ask “ok…now what?”
#359. From where do you draw the inference that the Sox feel they’re “entitled to some kind of loveable losers tag”. Does that claim exist anywhere but your imagination?