Better News

Dave · April 6, 2009 at 7:15 am · Filed Under Mariners 

Yea, the Aumont thing was a pretty big wet blanket, but still…

Happy Opening Felix Day!

Comments

33 Responses to “Better News”

  1. Carson on April 6th, 2009 7:26 am

    I was bout to go off topic in the previous thread..

    HAPPY KING FELIX DAY!!!

  2. JLP on April 6th, 2009 7:30 am

    I really need him to put on a good show today. I need some good news.

  3. wabbles on April 6th, 2009 7:37 am

    Felix Day AND Opening Day! What a wonderful cosmic coming together of stuff!

  4. bakomariner on April 6th, 2009 7:48 am

    Drove 13 hours yesterday from Bakersfield to Portland for Spring Break…woke up this morning to read all the mess about Aumont…what a downer…

    But I’ve got my Felix jersey and am all on board for tonight…let another season begin…

    Happy Felix Day!!!

  5. Soonerman22 on April 6th, 2009 8:07 am

    THIS TIME IT COUNTS!!!

    *in the cheesy All-Star Game promo voice*

    For real though this is awesome, Happy Opening Day to everyone!!!

  6. RoninX on April 6th, 2009 9:03 am

    I wish I could think of something more insightful or contemplative to say than “Woohoo!”

    …but I can’t. Happy Felix Day!

  7. akmarq on April 6th, 2009 9:13 am

    Stuck in the middle Cubs/Brewers/Twins country here. I drew a lot of dirty looks today walking around campus in my Yuni jersey and BP cap.

    GO M’s!

  8. argh on April 6th, 2009 9:21 am

    I’m ready for baseball.

    It’s interesting that this business of rushing promising starters to the show in reliever roles has happened (and threatens to happen again) multiple times under different managers and general mangers. Does that suggest some owner influence being exerted? Because coincidental stupidity doesn’t seem to be a very satisfactory answer.

  9. robbbbbb on April 6th, 2009 9:21 am

    It’s opening day. I watched Field of Dreams last night, to get myself in the right state of mind. Just remember:

    “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh… people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.”

  10. AdamN on April 6th, 2009 9:29 am

    Umm, I can’t find the story, what happened to Aumont?

  11. Cole F on April 6th, 2009 9:43 am

    Umm, I can’t find the story, what happened to Aumont?

    Scroll down.

  12. wabbles on April 6th, 2009 9:58 am

    “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh… people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.”

    But my favorite part will always be the voice of Darth Vader (Edward Earl Jones) coming after Costner with a baseball bat at first.

  13. wabbles on April 6th, 2009 10:02 am

    James Earl Jones (Sometimes I miss the two minute warning to make corrections.)

  14. robbbbbb on April 6th, 2009 10:56 am

    “You’re a pacifist!”

    Hey, baseball may be a religion full of magic, cosmic truth, and the fundamental ontological riddles of our time, but it’s also a job.

  15. joshfromjapan on April 6th, 2009 10:57 am

    No Ichiro, but still…it’s nice to have baseball.

  16. Luc on April 6th, 2009 11:35 am

    “Hello out there all you candy-fans in wahoo-land. In case you haven’t noticed, and judging by the attendance you haven’t, these guys are pretty damn good. Anyway, today’s show is brought to you by…ah, christ. I can’t find it. To hell with it!” – Bob Euker

  17. pgreyy on April 6th, 2009 11:45 am

    (Uecker, actually, Luc. Your spelling off his name was just a bit outside.)

    SPEAKING OF WHICH…I’m watching the Mets/Reds game on ESPN and they’re discussing the AL West and the chances that the Angels win the West by as many games as they did last year…and this is what I hear.

    “But, Steve Phillips, you think that all of the other AL West teams will be better this year.”

    “Well, Oakland and Texas will be better…I think Seattle will be worse than their record last year.”

    And if ANYTHING can warm my heart, it’s knowing that our team is putting itself back together in a way that Steve Phillips doesn’t agree with.

    Let’s win 81 this year, M’s!

  18. pgreyy on April 6th, 2009 11:47 am

    Or rather “spelling OF his name was just a bit outside”.

    Sucks to make a joke about someone else’s spelling mistake and include a spelling mistake in it.

    Oops!

    Regardless…HAPPY FELIX DAY, GO M’S!

  19. robbbbbb on April 6th, 2009 12:15 pm

    I own The Natural, Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, and Eight Men Out on DVD. Luc reminds me that I need to add Major League to my list.

  20. bronmaderine on April 6th, 2009 12:22 pm

    Maybe Z wants to pioneer a new kind of pitching staff. Rather than go with 5 designated starters and 7 bullpen guys, go with 10 half-game pitchers with 2 guys who are true back up pitchers: decent enough to pitch the 9th if needed, can go long in extra-innings, etc.

    You get 5 soft tossers to start and keep you in the game, then bring on the heat. For example, Washburn starts and only has to go 4 or 5 innings. Morrow comes on for the next 4. Aumont, or whomever the designated closer, is wraps it up if needed.

    Benefits:
    1) Nobody will ever go more than 75 pitches which means their recovery time is shorter. Keeping guys fresh through a long season is important.
    2) The opposing team has to readjust in the middle of every game to a new pitcher, and they don’t get a chance to see a pitcher for the third time in a game which is where a lot of pitchers get burned.
    3) Guys can go high effort knowing they only need to get 12 or 15 outs and their day is done.
    4) The manager can mix and match the style of pitcher to start the day based on who he is playing and where.
    5) Guys who are effective over 4 or 5 innings should be easier to find than “starters” who have a shot at going 9 innings night after night.
    6) Jamie Moyer can pitch forever.

    I guess the downside is that it takes away the manager’s ability to make seemingly endless pitching changes. Then again, the upside might be that it takes away the manager’s ability to make seemingly endless pitching changes.

    Given how the Ms have pitched lately, with hardly anyone getting out of the 5th or 6th inning anyway, I don’t see how this is that big of change. Why not pioneer the half-starter and be done with it?

  21. Paul B on April 6th, 2009 12:32 pm

    I guess the reason that hasn’t been done would be that you would be giving as many innings to your 6th through 10th best pitchers as you are giving to your 1st through 5th best pitchers.

  22. Logger on April 6th, 2009 12:40 pm

    Although Felix looked good in the WBC, has anyone expressed concern about his spring training performance, albeit the small sample size?

  23. Paul B on April 6th, 2009 1:11 pm

    Pravda has the lineup:

    The first lineup during the Wakamatsu era starts with Chavez at the top, followed by center fielder Franklin Gutierrez, designated hitter Mike Sweeney, third baseman Adrian Beltre, right fielder Ken Griffey Jr., second baseman Jose Lopez, first baseman Russell Branyan, catcher Kenji Johjima and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

    Hmm, Sweeney and Griffey and Branyan all three in the lineup.

  24. wabbles on April 6th, 2009 2:00 pm

    Interesting lineup. I would have thought Branyan would be higher and Beltre at fourth is interesting as well but potato, potatoe. It sure is an improvement both in personnel and construction.

  25. Eleven11 on April 6th, 2009 2:12 pm

    bronmaderine, boy you would have a fire storm on your hands with that!! Starters get paid by ERA and wins relievers by lord knows what system. You run a season with your starters running up nothing but no decisions or losses you kill their market value. Bet the union would have a screaming fit over it. It also might actually reveal some pitchers true value!!!!

  26. wabbles on April 6th, 2009 2:24 pm

    Hey! We’re playing the Twins! Silva’s old Maybe we could put a Twins jersey in his locker and make him think he’s playing for the wrong team! Then he goes over to the other dugout and we’re rid of him! Maybe?

  27. Jack Howland on April 6th, 2009 2:26 pm

    Adam Jones hits a nice two run triple off C.C. starting his season off right.

  28. thebigp708 on April 6th, 2009 2:27 pm

    We need Rene Rivera back, he and Mike Morse are still the future of the M’s

  29. Colm on April 6th, 2009 2:30 pm

    Ah, Jack, you beat me to it. Jones triples in two, and then scores himself against the Yankees in Baltimore. Some day every Mariner fan will bemoan that trade.

    Unless Bedard wins game seven of the World Series this year.

  30. Evan on April 6th, 2009 2:51 pm

    Speaking of that Yankees game, who the hell is Brett Gardner?

  31. Bullpen Joe on April 6th, 2009 3:14 pm

    Line-ups:

    The Twins are wearing their 1982 throwback uniforms tonight as they commence their final Metrodome season.

    MARINERS

    1. Endy Chavez, LF
    2. Franklin Gutierrez, CF
    3. Mike Sweeney, DH
    4. Adrian Beltre, 3B
    5. Ken Griffey Jr., RF
    6. Jose Lopez, 2B
    7. Russell Branyan, 1B
    8. Kenji Johjima, C
    9. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

    Starting pitcher: RH Felix Hernandez

    TWINS

    1. Denard Span, LF
    2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
    3. Michael Cuddyer, RF
    4. Justin Morneau, 1B
    5. Jason Kubel, DH
    6. Joe Crede, 3B
    7. Carlos Gomez, CF
    8. Mike Redmond, C
    9. Nick Punto, SS

    Starting pitcher: LH Francisco Liriano

  32. cheeseheadtransplantmax on April 6th, 2009 5:03 pm

    We had the trifecta of awesome former M’s bullpen arms today: Sean Green and JJ for the Mets, and Sherril for the O’s.

  33. John D. on April 7th, 2009 12:11 pm

    I guess the reason that [partial pitching]hasn’t been done…

    IIRC, it has been done–at least tried–a few years ago.
    With a starter frequently not going the five innings required for a win, the pitchers would have less leverage at the bargaining table.
    (e.g. “You had only nine wins last year, and you want a raise?”)

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