Game 72, Mariners at Padres
Kevin Millwood vs. Clayton Richard
A few weeks ago, I described Clayton Richard as a near-replacement level starter, whose decent ground ball rate helped cover for his poor strikeout rate and gopher ball problem. That night, of course, he shut down the M’s – allowing 1 run in 7 innings and kicking off the Padres sweep of the M’s. He followed it up with 7 2/3 shutout IP at Oakland. Uh, no hard feelings, eh, Clayton?
Despite the recent run of form, he’s still below average in park adjusted FIP (or ERA). He’s always had large platoon splits (for his career, he’s got a 2.90 FIP against lefties and a 4.60 FIP against righties), and right-handed hitters have punished mistakes: 50 of the 56 HRs he’s yielded have been hit by righties. He’s had a great road trip in part because he pitched in two of the most difficult parks for righties to hit HRs in all of baseball, Safeco and Oakland’s WhoeverThisYear’sCorporateSponsorIs Coliseum. Tonight, though, he doesn’t have Safeco to erase any mistakes; he’s got to pitch in San Diego’s PetcAWWWWWW WE’RE BONED.
The line-up does NOT contain Jesus Montero, a big RH bat that would seem well-suited to Richard. Instead, Miguel Olivo gets the nod at catcher after not playing in the Arizona series. If Montero/Jaso are being blamed for the HRs hit in Arizona’s bandbox, that’d be silly. Honestly, Miguel’s well-suited to Richard too, and he hasn’t played in a while. But this is Montero’s third straight day off, and NL-rules be damned, the guy needs ABs.
1: Ichiro (RF)
2: Gutierrez (CF)
3: Seager (3B)
4: Smoak (1B)
5: Wells (LF)
6: Olivo (C)
7: Ackley (2B)
8: Ryan (SS)
9/SP: Millwood
In the minors today, interesting RHP Rigoberto Garcia starts for Pulaski in the Appy league; South African control-artist Dylan Unsworth starts in Everett against high-ceiling, er, wildness-artist David Perez; Forrest Snow makes his 2nd start for Jackson in AA, and Brian Sweeney gets the ball for Tacoma as they host Reno and AZ mid-level prospect Charles Brewer.
Comments
46 Responses to “Game 72, Mariners at Padres”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I’m glad to see Casper Wells getting the start and hitting in the 5 spot. I really hope Wedge puts him out there as much as possible.
Ha! I read your comment about David Perez as being a “wilderness artist” and thought “man, that’s a weird hobby for a baseball player”.
(laugh)
Maybe when he gives up a homerun he watches it sail away and thinks “happy clouds… happy clouds”…?
There’s always a “Wedgie” to deal with, it seems. Olivo may be a decent catch and throw guy, but he’s a lousy receiver, and not nearly up to Montero’s standards as a natural hitter. Maybe Jesus has an owie that we’re not aware of. In any case, Eric Wedge is starting to be an issue. Seems like the Mariners always have to have an issue.
Wells and Seager will be the reasons I watch tonight.
Ichiro on base!
Guti bomb!!
Nice rip!
Gutilicious.
DTFT!!
Dave Sims & Dave Valle commentating – worst combo ever?
Valle’s an easier listen for me than Blowers. Sims is Sims. Richard is gopher prone, but if Gutierrez is truly evolving into that 18-homer guy, it could be interesting.
I much prefer Blowers over Valle.
Sims is Sims lol.
If the Mariners are hitting .252 with risp, and Seager is hitting .390-.400 w risp, uh………..
Miggy bomb!
Ichiro!
Dang it’s good to have Guti back!!
I am in great seat behind home in petco..yankee scout next to me..think they r on millwood who should i ask is a fair trade?
Guti another hit.
M’s should score again here!
1st and 3rd with none out.
Nice Smoak.
C’mon Ackley!
Isn’t Zunino done with the CWS now? Anybody here anything about him signing soon?
NOT an E5….. That aw a really bad hop.
An error, keeps “it” alive. Will be a few innings before it gets exciting.
Ah, well.
Poor Brendan Ryan.
Here goes the lead.
Nice catch, Miguel. Not.
Milwood meltdown.
How did this guy throw a no hitter?
Seager having a horrible game.
The throw to third on the double steal gave Seager no chance to make a tag.
Sigh! It was nice while it lasted. Come on we just need a grand slam to win it!
Come on we just need a 3 dinger to win it! Or a hit and 6 more errors!
Finally, they pull him.
Why is Millwood still in the game? What is Wedge doing? He didn’t even have anyone warming up.
Why is Rizzs saying we can’t use our bullpen tonight? We haven’t played a game since Wednesday morning. If they needed a pitcher to go long, bring one up from Tacoma for a game.
No they leave him in? Shades of Grady Little.
Rizzs is an idiot that’s why he is saying that.
Wedge is an idiot also.
Out.
Did I ever say that I’m glad Guti is back in CF? Now if the pitching would stop throwing BP for 6 innings!
Amen!
Guti again!
It would sure be nice to see Smoak not make the last out, here. Get on base and give Montero a chance to tie it up
I was afraid of that.
I love the fact that Street gets a save for that one out.
This is why the save stat is so bad.
Well, I went out and DVR’d the last four innings, so this is a late post. The most significant aspect of this one for me – aside from the multi-hit games from Ichiro and Gutierrez – is that Wedge resisted the urge to pinch hit for Wells against a right handed reliever in the 7th. If he had gone with Saunders, I would have reamed him, so props are in order. Casper Wells, at 27, is not the sort of player you hit for, so thank God Wedge might actually see the guy for who he is. Hope this doesn’t change.
This team has showed some possitive signs this year and there’s a few things to be excited about. However there isn’t any progress that shows that there moving in the right direction. It’s a team struggling to remain ten games under 500. Hopefully that changes but…………….