Game 5, Mariners At Rangers

Dave · April 5, 2011 at 2:47 pm · Filed Under Mariners 

Pineda vs Oganda, 5:05 pm.

Just like last night, all eyes are on the M’s starting pitcher tonight, as Michael Pineda makes his big league debut. And, just like last night, I really wish we had an easier landing for the kid, but this is hand that Pineda is being dealt, so he’s going to have to get over his nerves while also shutting down an offense that is destroying the baseball right now.

The nice thing about this match-up is that the Rangers line-up leans pretty heavily to the right side, especially their power hitters. Yes, they have Josh Hamilton, but Nelson Cruz, Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler, and Michael Young all hit right-handed, and Pineda won’t need his change-up to get those four out. He can pitch around Hamilton and Mitch Moreland to some degree, knowing that there’s a right-handed bat not too far away if he needs to get an easier out.

Still, I’d imagine he’ll be plenty amped up for his first Major League start, so we’ll have to see how his command is. That’s his biggest strength, after all, and if he’s not throwing strikes, he could be out of the game by the 5th inning. I’d like to see Pineda dominate, but given the competition, I’ll settle for just okay tonight.

Ichiro, RF
Figgins, 3B
Bradley, LF
Cust, DH
Smoak, 1B
Olivo, C
Kennedy, 2B
Wilson, SS
Saunders, CF

Comments

122 Responses to “Game 5, Mariners At Rangers”

  1. Chipanese on April 5th, 2011 7:10 pm

    Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy!

  2. et_blankenship on April 5th, 2011 7:10 pm

    Jack’s been hitting well.

    He’s moving better, too. Looks more agile at short, better footwork. Is he finally healthy? In better shape? Off the gluten? He always looks like an insomniac with mono, but that’s just his face . . .

  3. wabbles on April 5th, 2011 7:11 pm

    Bases loaded, only one out, down by just one. Breathe.

  4. Chipanese on April 5th, 2011 7:13 pm

    Please, just a flyball at least

  5. juneau_fan on April 5th, 2011 7:13 pm

    And…that wasn’t one of the good options.

  6. mlathrop3 on April 5th, 2011 7:14 pm

    Not the worst possible outcome. Barely

  7. Chipanese on April 5th, 2011 7:14 pm

    So much for Figgy’s improvement

  8. Paul B on April 5th, 2011 7:15 pm

    Rats, for a second I thought that would curve enough to fall in.

  9. Edgar4Hall on April 5th, 2011 7:17 pm

    Can we swindle someone to take Figgy and then we just put Kennedy at 3rd?

  10. Paul B on April 5th, 2011 7:17 pm

    When Ichiro reached base on an error, the M’s WE actually reached 50%. So for a brief moment there was hope.

  11. Sports on a Schtick on April 5th, 2011 7:18 pm

    Now this team is incredibly frustrating instead of incredibly awful. It’s almost worse.

  12. jephdood on April 5th, 2011 7:18 pm

    I hate Figgins with such a damn passion, it makes me want to kick puppies.

  13. OffensivelyChallenged on April 5th, 2011 7:19 pm

    Their average with the bases loaded has to be terrible. Would love to have just one big bat in the line up. Safeco kind of ruins that.

  14. Chipanese on April 5th, 2011 7:20 pm

    Shtick-
    I know, right? They always fall short…

  15. jephdood on April 5th, 2011 7:20 pm

    Figgins = subtraction by addition

  16. Hopmacker on April 5th, 2011 7:20 pm

    While reading some of the comments, I wonder how many moves would be made if a GM looked only at one game or one at-bat results and based decisions on same…..

  17. Edgar4Hall on April 5th, 2011 7:23 pm

    I hate Figgins with such a damn passion, it makes me want to kick puppies.

    I am of the serious opinion that while we signed him for 36 mil, the Angels are paying him more to ruin us cause that’s how much they hate us. It also might be the reason they didn’t pay enough money for Crawford this year

  18. Chipanese on April 5th, 2011 7:31 pm

    Hopefully tonight ends like the Mariano Rivera night… It’s set up perfectly.

  19. msfanmike on April 5th, 2011 7:37 pm

    I have seen this movie previously and I do remember how it ends.

    Second verse same as the first.

    Two things: Figgins had a better start last season and Jack Cust … Jack freaking Cust! $1.5M of value … no doubt about it. Getting what we paid for – and less.

    Pineda looked great. Nothing but an upside there. Jack Wilson looks like the player we all thought we were supposed to be getting (please stay healthy). Gutierrez would have caught that second inning fly ball – that was hit to the base of the wall – in his hat and Milton Bradley still gets it done … until it actually matters.

  20. juneau_fan on April 5th, 2011 7:40 pm

    A HR would be nice here, but…

  21. OffensivelyChallenged on April 5th, 2011 7:42 pm

    Man that 7th was a good shot. Especially with 2 and 3 hitters but it was the stuff we saw all last year. Wish they had someone who could drive these guys in. Everyone chokes in the clutch it seems.

  22. Sports on a Schtick on April 5th, 2011 7:48 pm

    Welcome to Moral Victoryville. Population: us.

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