Game 151, Mariners at Royals

DMZ · September 17, 2008 at 4:10 pm · Filed Under Mariners 

RRS v Meche.

It’s a little funny that the day after we find out Bedard is going under the knife to correct a shoulder problem that’s probably made pitching close to agonizing, the Mariners will face Gil Meche, who the team overworked and operated on a couple of times. The M’s and many fans felt that many of Meche’s post-first-operation problems were due to his general lack of testicular fortitude, right up to and past the point where it turned out his shoulder would need surgery again. No one ever went back and apologized for telling him to pitch through the pain, or for saying he was a coward for complaining of pain when he’d go deep into games. And in Bedard’s case, we’re seeing the same thing — faced with evidence that they didn’t know anything about what was going on with him and they should have refrained from making character judgments, you can head over to other blog comment sections and see people doubling down on Bedard-as-wimp.

I look forward to the day when we’re past this kind of thing and pitchers can be honest about what they’re experiencing and their health, and teams and fans will listen to them.

Comments

31 Responses to “Game 151, Mariners at Royals”

  1. Zeem on September 17th, 2008 4:18 pm

    I still am bewildered that the M’s didn’t move Meche during the 2006 season. He was 3-0, 1.60 in June that season, and the club never showed any interest in keeping him.

    The 2009 schedule is out. Season opener is at Minnesota April 6. Home opener is against the Angels on April 14.

  2. Slurve on September 17th, 2008 4:38 pm

    Did we ever find out what Batista was injured with?

  3. milquetoast on September 17th, 2008 4:45 pm

    Did we ever find out what Batista was injured with?

    Lack of talent.

  4. joser on September 17th, 2008 4:51 pm

    The AL Master Schedule is also available as PDF.

    Season opener is at Minnesota April 6.

    Think about that for a second. Now fast forward to 2010, when that game is being played at the brand new Target Field (yes, that’s what it’s going to be called) which is an open air stadium. Outdoors. No roof. In Minnesota. In early April.

    Remember that Cleveland series last year?

    Yeah.

  5. Slurve on September 17th, 2008 4:51 pm

    16 game winners don’t turn into 16 game losers…

  6. joser on September 17th, 2008 4:57 pm

    In other news, Kenji checks in at #4 on ESPN’s “Back to the Drawing Board All-Stars”

    Of course they could’ve filled the whole list with Mariners and ex-Mariners (where is Sexson these days anyway? A guy that big doesn’t just disappear — no matter how much we wished for it the past couple of years)

  7. JerBear on September 17th, 2008 5:28 pm

    That’s a good question – what is Sexson up to these days?

    Man, the Rays are sticking it to the Sox, 8-3 going into the 4th.

  8. Breadbaker on September 17th, 2008 5:29 pm

    The schedule actually looks much saner than last year’s, in part because we’re playing the NL West and thus won’t have to make cross-country trips for Interleague. But they bunched a lot of the road trips logically (e.g., Detroit/Cleveland) rather than bouncing us all over the place, and there’s no outdoors snowbelt trip until Chicago at the end of April.

  9. msb on September 17th, 2008 5:50 pm

    my, Blowers is feeling feisty tonight

    what is Sexson up to these days?

    hanging out, playing with the kids?

  10. JerBear on September 17th, 2008 6:16 pm
    what is Sexson up to these days?

    hanging out, playing with the kids?

    Collecting a fat paycheck…

  11. msb on September 17th, 2008 6:19 pm

    aced with evidence that they didn’t know anything about what was going on with him and they should have refrained from making character judgments, you can head over to other blog comment sections and see people doubling down on Bedard-as-wimp.

    not just blog comments– on the radio last night and today…

    I didn’t hear whether Furness took back his pre-announcement “Bedard quit on his team” rant, or not …

  12. pgreyy on September 17th, 2008 6:21 pm

    Seattle Times reporting the obvious–that they’ve shut down Washburn for the year.

    I do love the quote from Wash, talking about the trainers explaining the decision to him,

    “They’re smarter than I am. They said ‘no more.’ I guess I’m done for the year,”

  13. Steve T on September 17th, 2008 7:07 pm

    The attacks on Bedard for being a “quitter” made me angry all year. And people wonder why Bedard doesn’t want to talk to the press. He should spit in their faces.

  14. msb on September 17th, 2008 7:07 pm

    oh, Yuni.

  15. Tom in Edmonds on September 17th, 2008 7:09 pm

    Bedard has had issues with his ability to pitch for some time now. How long do you suppose he has suspected he has issues? Yet he went forward with a very convenient multi-year multi-million dollar contract. Maybe he knew, maybe he didn’t.

    Let the buyer beware!

    I also look forward to a more honest time.

  16. msb on September 17th, 2008 7:12 pm

    Slaughter Roy hasn’t been hisself of late.

    tired? worried about the folks at home?

  17. msb on September 17th, 2008 7:13 pm

    Bedard has had issues with his ability to pitch for some time now. How long do you suppose he has suspected he has issues?

    huh? are you talking about last year?

  18. gk91 on September 17th, 2008 7:18 pm

    Bedard had issues with the press from day one here. Who knows how his communication skills are with the coaches and trainers. It was another stupid McLaren thing to anoint him as a ‘number one’ starter also. That put more pressure on him with the media I think.

  19. msb on September 17th, 2008 7:20 pm

    Ichiro!

    and he hit where they ain’t.

  20. MattThompson on September 17th, 2008 7:34 pm

    Bedard has had issues with his ability to pitch for some time now. How long do you suppose he has suspected he has issues? Yet he went forward with a very convenient multi-year multi-million dollar contract. Maybe he knew, maybe he didn’t.

    You do know that Bedard isn’t signed to a multi-year contract, right? He’s arbitration-eligible for next year (his final year before free agency), but is not under contract for 2009 as of right now.

  21. msb on September 17th, 2008 7:36 pm

    and in fact turned down the chance of a multi-year multi-million dollar contract with the O’s, who offered him an extension last year after his oblique injury.

    last year Bedard had gone 9-0 in 12 starts, & had been unbeaten since June when he got hurt; in late August he had two sub-par games, and admitted he had been trying to pitch through a sore side … as you may recall, by that point, he was about the only experienced pitcher the O’s had left in the rotation.

    He was sent for an MRI, and before the exam O’s manager Dave Trembley was quoted as saying: “he wants to pitch again before the season is over,” Trembley said. “I wouldn’t expect anything different from Bedard. A class act.””

    as the Baltimore Sun put it, when the FO decided to DL him:

    “An MRI exam revealed a strained right oblique muscle. Bedard has not yet ruled out returning this season, but with three weeks left and Baltimore in the midst of a terrible skid [it was that horrifying 30-3, 11-3, 15-8, 10-0, 17-2 loss stretch] it seems pointless. “I don’t know how long it would take for him to start resuming his throwing program and being able to pitch,” manager Dave Trembley said. “Obviously, there comes a point in time where common sense has to take over.” The injury could cost Bedard a shot at the AL Cy Young Award. The left-hander is 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 221 strikeouts in 182 innings. Opponents are batting .212 against him.”

  22. Steve Nelson on September 17th, 2008 7:39 pm

    Having Miguel Batista in your bullpen is like being allowed to place a bet on the Strasburg Sweepstakes after the horses are on the backstretch. If I were a fan of the Nats or Pads I would petition the Commish to void all games in which the Mariners use Batista for creating an unfair advantage.

  23. Steve Nelson on September 17th, 2008 7:46 pm

    Think about that for a second. Now fast forward to 2010, when that game is being played at the brand new Target Field (yes, that’s what it’s going to be called) which is an open air stadium. Outdoors. No roof. In Minnesota. In early April.

    Remember that Cleveland series last year?

    Yeah.

    I grew up in the Twin Cities, within bicycle riding distance of the old Met stadium. One big difference between Cleveland and Minneapolis is that Minneapolis does not get lake effect snows in March and April as does Cleveland and other Graet Lakes Cities.

    Nope, in April Minneapolis gets real snow, the stuff the comes down from the Canadian praries.

  24. JerBear on September 17th, 2008 7:51 pm

    7 in a row…

    Give Pinch Hitter Miguel Cairo some credit, though – he almost got that ball out of the infield.

  25. msb on September 17th, 2008 7:53 pm

    yeah, I’ve wondered about that no-roof idea.

    wonder if Ichiro! decided he’d rather get the record in KC, than in Oakland, where it might not be quite so appreciated …

  26. scott19 on September 17th, 2008 9:34 pm

    yeah, I’ve wondered about that no-roof idea.

    wonder if Ichiro! decided he’d rather get the record in KC, than in Oakland, where it might not be quite so appreciated …

    Unfortunately, I think skipping the retractable roof was probably the only way the deal was gonna get done in Minny (which, inevitably, will make for rather harsh playing conditions early in the season at times). At least they have a thermal-heated field (a la Coors) to melt the snow, though.

    I agree on the Oakland point, too, MSB. For some reason, Ichi still gets booed way worse there than he does in NY or BOS.

  27. Kazinski on September 17th, 2008 9:34 pm

    Well said, I too am tired of gutless wonders like JR Richard, stealing the owners money, cheating the fans, and complaining about phantom injuries like a “dead arm”.

    RRS, on the other hand is a gamer.

  28. scott19 on September 17th, 2008 9:46 pm

    Re JR Richard, I wonder if circulatory problems related to high blood pressure might’ve qualified as a “phantom” injury?

  29. Dave Hall on September 17th, 2008 10:53 pm

    Hey, along with the good news about Ichiro’s record-tying performance, it was very nice to see Shannon Drayer handling his post-game interview for FSN. How long has she been back?

  30. msb on September 17th, 2008 11:23 pm

    sadly, she’s just filling in for Brad Adam on the road trip

  31. Dave Hall on September 17th, 2008 11:27 pm

    Thanks, msb…but that’s a bummer Shannon isn’t on permanently.

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