Game 71, Marlins at Mariners
DMZ · June 17, 2008 at 6:05 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Olsen v Felix.
Day 2 of the Pelekoudas Era/Strasburg Hypothesis.
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So it sounds from Baker like Kenji’s out and Clement’s in (though not tonight), and Burke is somewhere other than at the end of the Bedard battery. Along with the Ichiro change to RF, does this mean Bavasi was keeping a rein on Mac? Or does it mean that Mac knows his managing career is over at the end of the season and is expanding the dart board he’s using? I’m guessing the second one.
Maybe – just maybe – Vidro will be out for good? If that happens, then both Clement and Kenji can play 5+ games a week.
This reminds me of a great line from James Hilton:
“There’s nothing worse than a scared optimist.”
Although not explicitly said in Baker’s entry, it looks as if Johjima is the primary DH once interleague play ends.
With the way things are happening, though, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to hear that Johjima is working out in center field.
New outfield configuration: Reed – Joh – Ichiro!
Awesome! Reed and Ichiro! would have to play in left-center and right-center respectively, but hey, uhm, well,…
Also from Baker’s blog, it sound like Mac is talking like a real manager finally.
I don’t know if you can bury a game thread with just one post, but that fantastic analysis on GMs made this one at least close.
Vidro drags his .327 slugging average into the three hole again tonight. It is to laugh.
Lineup (per Baker):
51 Ichiro RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
3 Jose Vidro DH
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
28 Raul Ibanez LF
44 Richie Sexson 1B
2 Kenji Johjima C
16 Willie Bloomquist CF
5 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
Auto-optimization of the lineup, in three easy steps: Swap Vidro and Yuni, swap Bloomquist and Vidro, swap Betancourt and Ibanez.
51 Ichiro RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
28 Raul Ibanez LF
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
5 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
44 Richie Sexson 1B
2 Kenji Johjima C
3 Jose Vidro DH
16 Willie Bloomquist CF
Still stinks. Second three step optimization: Swap positions of Ibanez and Vidro, swap Reed with Vidro, swap positions of Reed with Bloomquist.
51 Ichiro RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
28 Raul Ibanez DH
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
5 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
44 Richie Sexson 1B
2 Kenji Johjima C
3 Reed CF
16 Willie Bloomquist LF
Even after six adjustments, still not very good.
Sorry that was really long.
It was good
Ugh. Dave Valle.
Sounds like we need to get some of that “chemistry” stuff.
So why not put Clement in the lineup? Left handed pitcher?
Oh god. Shut the hell up, Niehaus.
He just spent 30 seconds explaining how the Marlins are doing well because of ONE THING.. ONE! That’s right. Chemistry.
So why not put Clement in the lineup? Left handed pitcher?
That is the thinking (to the extent that word applies to any of the lineup decisions McLaren has made)
would a bunt attempt by Turbo be better then him trying to hit the ball?
… did our number 3 hitter just try to bunt with 1 out with a runner on second base?
Ahhhhhhhh yes, the Bunsen Burners are working early…
Enjoy the sweet smell of Imaginary Chemistry, M’s fans!
Ichiro + Happiness + Lopezitude = First Inning Run
You know, a lot of the time it is the same guys who like WFB who like chemistry. Maybe we could just constantly quote WFB against everyone who praises chemistry?
did I hear laughter in the background during the bunt attempt?
yes then laughter after Turbo flailed at that last pitch
Vidro, The prince of DH….
Tree, as you know, laughter and tears sound very similar…
yeah, I wonder who those people are.
A hitter in the 3 hole bunting. Where have you gone, Salvador Dali?
He just spent 30 seconds explaining how the Marlins are doing well because of ONE THING
He kind of went off on interleague play on the radio last night, complaining about (among other things) the fact that unless you have a cross-town rival, you often get bad matchups. Which left me wondering what all the NL East teams think about facing the M’s this year (especially the Phillies, who don’t get a shot at three easy wins), and what we’re supposed to think about all those games against the Rangers and Kansas City over the years.
Then he backed up a bit. And a little while later he was musing about going to Atlanta, a place he said he’s never seen a ballgame.
But we gets the emeritus slack, so I won’t go any further. (I’m kind of looking forward to his next “SWUNG ON AND BELTED!….and it’s caught just short of the warning track.”)
I think it’s safe to tune out now, we already got our two runs.
According to Niehaus, two runs is a “party.”
2 more days until playing in NL park…No DH less chance Turbo is in the lineup
No DH less chance Turbo is in the lineup
On the contrary, Lopez is already getting ready to pick the slivers out of his ass.
WFB that is “chemistry”
Felix is looking loverly this evening.
Does the new GM get to pick new announcers?
I could kiss him.
But I’m not at the game…
Got that right. The Royal Curve makes an appearance.
(Hey, Lauren sighting. Feeling better?)
No need to distract him, ewok. He’s busy striking out the side and all.
Yup, thanks. Well enough to drag myself into work, at least.
He’s on fire tonight! Mixing his pitches well – I love watching him pitch like this!
Felix = stud.
omg Felix!
Sweet Felix.
9 pitches – 3 Ks. Freaking awesome.
Ooohhh…gotta talk about Willie getting his uni dirty now. Cuz that’s what it takes to play in the bigs.
There’s only one thing that could possibly make a game where Felix is pitching hard to watch, and that is Dave Valle announcing the game. He is terrible. I never thought I’d say this, but bring back Blow!!
Oh yeah, long live King Felix!!
God we just have singles hitters. It’s hard to watch even when they are hitting.
Ok Valle, if WFB couldn’t hit shit all season, then why in the world would the M’s give him “consistent at-bats”?
A McLaren non-negotiable: If we’re lucky to get two guys on in a row w/no outs – Bunt.
No, we have single hitters and the new improved J Lo!
Love the way that Lopez has been hitting all year, if he could only learn to be a adequete defensive second baseman he would be amazing.
Felix is just dealing tonight….wow.
I don’t really know what Felix’s contract looks like, but if we are now building for the future, could we go and offer to lock this guy up long term? Please don’t let a talent like this go.
Felix is holding out. It’s not a foregone conclusion we can keep him.
Crap, I was afraid of something like that. Do you know when his current contract is up?
Well I shouldn’t say he is holding out. But he has been coy about signing a long term contract.
That’s some pretty wild speculation to be bringing into a game thread.
hey, bad fielding results in a run and it’s not against the M’s!
It was mentioned on KJR. So if it is speculation it’s not my speculation.
55
Sorry Jeff, my fault for bringing it up. I was trying to voice my opinion that we need to do all we can to hold on to this guy.
Yeah! More of those run thingys. I like those. Naturally, they score a bunch of them for Felix on a night when he hardly needs them.
When Felix pitches, it never seems to matter what the M’s record is, or that post seasons hopes were squashed 2 months into the season. It’s just great to watch a master at work.
Every 5th game M’s fans have something to look forward to, and it’s games like this that makes it worth being a hopeless M’s fan.
When Felix pitches, it never seems to matter what the M’s record is, or that post seasons hopes were squashed 2 months into the season. It’s just great to watch a master at work.
Completely agree. Felix is the most entertaining pitcher to watch since Pedro in his prime with the Red Sox. I don’t care that this team is shit, watching Felix mow down the opposition is a lot of fun. Also, it is fun to drink beers and cheer once and a while too.
Felix is under team control for another three years, IIRC. I think he goes to arbitration either this offseason or next (depending on whether he’s in the top 17% of service time amongst all the two-three year “tweeners”). But it shouldn’t come to that: these days most teams with a player anywhere close to Felix’s talent will lock him into a longer contract, buying out at least a few of those years. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bavasi firing puts the breaks on that. Ultimately he’s important enough to the team that it probably doesn’t matter — Lincoln and Armstrong should be smart enough to make sure the deal gets done regardless — but if I was Felix (or his agent) I think I’d be waiting to see if I liked the looks of the new regime before I decided on years and dollars.
Thanks for the info Joe. I’m with you, I think that Lincoln and Armstrong are going to have to show Felix that there is a damn good reason to stay with this team. That being said, I hope the moves that they make do prove to him that they are moving in a better direction.
He is supposed to be eligible for arbitration next week. What was said on KJR (it might have been Larry Stone) was that he was approached by Mariners but was not interested right now.
Argh. Sorry not next week, next year.
come on felix… get back to the groove
With this game Felix is over 100 innings pitched for the season, is on pace to do better then last season. It seems he has been more consistent this year.
It has seemed that way, but aren’t his peripherals down from last year? I seem to remember reading that his GB% was way down near or below league average in 2008.
whoops, meant to ask if he is on pace to do better this season.
Maybe we could hire someone from the Celtics. They might not know baseball, but at least they understand that defense is actually part of the sport they play.
He’s at 49% GB, which is below average for him, but not below average for qualified starters (which is currently ~45%). The trend is worrying, however.
I had a feeling Bloomquist wasn’t gonna get to that.
bloomquist is pathetic. jeremy reed would’ve caught that.
Attaway Richie. Way to move the runner. . .
Can someone just tell Willie to crowd the plate, and pull a Don Baylor/Biggio.
Why is Reed sitting on the bench while Bloomquist is out there, anyway?
They are showcasing Willie for a blockbuster trade. . . duh. . .
I’m guessing Ichiro is going to beat Paul Waner’s record.
Somehow the guys who put that last graphic together failed to list Vidro’s achievments in this game.
Is this the first save situation we’ve had since JJ went on the DL?
Vidro getting a slew of boo’s. Then again I guess they are easier to here when no one is at the ball park.
Is this the first lead we’ve had since JJ went on the DL?
WOW
Morrow is ridiculous.
Morrow was awesome. I hope that doesn’t mean they will try to keep him as a closer.
Nice job, Brandon.
Morrow! That was brilliant!
My hopes of Morrow starting die inside as Morrow closese
.
Then again…that was just jaw dropping.
Okay, WTF @ that Ibanez interview. It takes 4 seconds to see he’s decidely worse against LHP.
my goodness.
leave the country for two days, and everything goes to hell in a handbasket.
or, gets a lot better, depending.
TV media for you…
The Morrow after-game (radio) interview was hilarious.
Question (paraphrased): “So how is it different coming in as closer, as opposed to being a setup guy? Is it different mentally for you? Do you have to prepare differently coming in in the 9th?”
Morrow: “Yeah… I start warming up about half an inning later.”
(He went on to actually answer the question, sort of, but that was brilliant)
msb! I was getting worried. All this press and no linkages from you. Out of the country, that explains it. But between that and Lauren being sick, everybody was having to pull double pithy commentary duty.
“Where are we going? And what are we doing in this handbasket?”
What is this win thing?
I went to Victoria.
Oddly enough, there was very little coverage of this in the papers or on the news.
Well, everybody in Victoria gets all the Seattle channels so anybody who wants to follow the M’s can do it that way. With hockey season over and the CFL not quite started the Time-Colonist and the TV stations are going to focus on, well, not much of anything. It’s summer!
well, not at our hotel– besides, there was that fascinating story about the rehabbing Eskimos player to cover, not to mention TigerTigerTiger ….
Victoria is the retirement capitol of Canada. Golf is huge.
I know this is slightly pathetic and poor timed, but the individuals laughing at Turbo were my friends and I. We had gotten 3 tickets behind home plate from my friend’s brother’s ex-girlfriend and we just couldn’t contain ourselves after witnessing such a poor excuse for a bunt attempt. The next day at school, we discusses how we obviously were heard on the radio. One of us was going to register on here and claim the fame, but for some reason we never did. So for some reason, if anyone is looking back at old posts and is still wondering who the culprits are, now you know.