Game 11, Athletics at Mariners
Dave · April 15, 2012 at 12:33 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Godfrey vs Beavan, 1:10 pm.
Hey, you’ll never guess who is catching today. Even in a day-game-after-night situation, even with a right-handed pitcher on the mound, even with John Jaso sitting around screaming “hey, coach, over here!”… Olivo’s quickly reaching Jose Vidro territory at this point. I guess we can count our blessings that he’s not hitting cleanup. Now, we’ll just have to wait and see how long it takes Eric Wedge to figure out that he doesn’t belong in the line-up at all.
Figgins, LF
Ackley, 2B
Ichiro, RF
Smoak, 1B
Montero, DH
Seager, 3B
Saunders, LF
Olivo, C
Ryan, SS
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Things on my “don’t like” list…
Missing HIGH with a sinker. Brandon, settle down…
And remember that catchers get hurt A LOT. Hell, last year TWO M’s catchers got hurt in one game, and three in two game stretch, if I remember right.
I actually think that Seagar might have had to double clutch that because Ackley couldn’t get to second base fast enough.
Thumbs up, boys. I’m off to enjoy the strange bright light in the sky.
WE won but League was only so so at best.
Bright shiney thing burns Mr Z. Be careful.
Brendan Ryan interviews are awesome.
“We’re enjoying having the yogurt machine back.”
If you’re going to base an analysis on 10 plate appearances, I think you might be trying to define small sample size.
No, you misunderstand. I merely used that as a sorting device. Then, I looked at projections amongst that group. The projections are based on what projections always are–the last several years, etc–am not judging them on 2012 stats.
Mathis’ projected offensive value is identical to Olivo’s, and Paulino and McKenry’s are both quite a bit higher (as in 30-40 points of wOBA). So unless Mathis is somehow worse defensively than Olivo, which I seriously doubt, none of these players project to be worse going forward.
On another note, did anyone else note that Root Sports couldn’t even spell the winning pitcher’s name right in the final line score? Their production is just awful…
(Hey, the M’s won: have to find something to bitch about, right?) 😉
Well – when you’re a not-good team like the Mariners, you’d like the Manager to not be actively making it harder to win by insisting on running Olivo out there to catch every single game.
And, responding to a much earlier comment… as of the end of this game:
Ichiro: .289/.313/.378
Figgins: .250/.298/.341
I’m not posting this to “trash” Figgins so much; but we’ve been hearing two narratives.
One is fair, and is about Ichiro and getting older and diminished production. There’s always a chance he’ll catch fire; but what he’s doing now is consistent with what we saw last year. Also, note that dropping 2 spots in the order apparently hasn’t affected him.
But the other narrative is ridiculous. It’s about Figgins and how hitting in the lead-off spot has reinvigorated him and is largely based on his BABIP over the first few games of the season being close to .500. And it’s the one Wedge is actively trying to dispense, even though Figgins has, for MOST of this short season, been playing as badly as before. Maybe he’ll do okay over a larger sample size, and maybe he won’t – but the narrative people are using makes very little sense even if you look at what little data we have right now!
But in any case – it’s not logical to believe Ichiro is doing badly if you believe Figgins is currently doing well!
(Hey, the M’s won: have to find something to bitch about, right?)
Well – when you’re a not-good team like the Mariners, you’d like the Manager to not be actively making it harder to win by insisting on running Olivo out there to catch every single game.
Hey Westside —
That was directed as much toward me as anything else, since I have a long history of finding fault and quickly with the M’s: it just wouldn’t seem right for me not to pick on something!
As for Olive Oyl behind the plate (and for you youngsters, that’s an ancient reference to a scrawny, female cartoon character) — and she could probably hit the ball with more authority at the moment — I couldn’t agree more with you, Dave, and everyone else who would like to see the M’s just dump him. I don’t have time to go back and find it now, but I’ve always hated that signing and registered my displeasure with it at the time. This is one of those many instances where I would have been delighted to be proved wrong…alas.
Is Smoak hurt? Or does he really run that slow?
Is Smoak hurt? Or does he really run that slow?
Is Smoak hurt? Or does he really run that slow?
Smoak has always been known as a slow runner. That’s part of the reason why no one has really tried to move him to LF. 1st base is a good fit for him.
Hey GarForever,
Sorry about immediately proving you right and finding something to complain about there! 😉
But as maddening as all these other issues are – Olivo, Figgins, veterans et. al. – I’m finding this team watchable. Maddening at times, but watchable. Ackley is a stud, Montero’s talent is undeniable, and Seager seems to be trying to set the world on fire. I can live with Brendan Ryan’s bat, given his glove – and Ichiro(!) may be in decline but it’s not like he’s really blocking anyone. I still believe Smoak is going to come around, but he’s worrisome.
Now Condor… he’s the one I just don’t get. He doesn’t look lost at the plate like last year; but the results still aren’t there, and probably will never be. Hopefully Guti will come back soon (and I mean that in more ways than one – I want the “old” Gutierrez back!). If not, Z may need to bring in a whole new outfield next year or the year after.
I went to the game today. Was a great day to just sit in the sun and not think too much! I was disappointed to see Olivo in the line-up, even with a RHP on the mound, but I’m at the point where I don’t expect Wedge to make logical decisions 1 through 9. It was great seeing Ryan and Smoak put a charge into some balls! But some of the best entertainment came from foolish fans, feeding the gulls, who in return, constantly crapped on fans along the 1st base line in the outfield. I was in left field:)
Does Ichiro retire after this year? Will Guti ever be the same as he was before his illness? I guess plenty will depend on those. I could live with Saunders in CF and maybe a Josh Hamilton at one of the corners 🙂
But some of the best entertainment came from foolish fans, feeding the gulls
They were actually feeding them? Wow.
Tourists on the ferry usually try that, with a french fry. We go inside and watch, usually they either get bit on the finger or else they get dozens of gulls in short order mobbing them.
Speaking of Root Sports, is it just me, or does Jen Mueller saying, “Go inside, (ballplayer X), and enjoy this one with your teammates” at the end of EVERY SINGLE post-game interview bug the shit out of you?
I’m so tired of the Root crew’s canned/scripted interviews. They’re really horrible. “What does this win mean for you guys” is another staple. Ugh. Heady journalism right there…
*sigh* Maybe it’s just me.