Cactus League Game 19, Red at Mariners (Plus B Game vs. Cleveland)
Joe Saunders vs. Homer Bailey, 1:05pm
Ok, Saunders. The last time we saw you in Peoria you were throwing 82mph gas. Let’s see something a little more April-ready from you today. James Paxton starts the B game, and while we won’t get any velocity data, and while the results don’t matter, I’d sure like to hear that he looked like himself again.
In the cactus league game, Casper Wells gets a rare start in CF. I’m glad he’s getting an opportunity to demonstrate his utility. Carlos Triunfel moves around to 3B today for much the same reason – he’s got an outside shot at the utility infield job we’ve all assumed was Robert Andino’s. Yesterday’s homer probably helped Carlos’ cause.
Line-up vs. Cin:
1: Seager, 2B
2: Wells, CF
3: Morales, DH
4: Morse, RF
5: Smoak, 1B
6: Peguero, LF
7: Sucre, C
8: Triunfel, 3B
9: Ryan, SS
SP: Saunders
Dustin Ackley’s at 1B in the B game, with Nick Franklin at SS (Brad Miller shifts to 3B) and over-slot 2012 draft pick Timmy Lopes at 2B.
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20 Responses to “Cactus League Game 19, Red at Mariners (Plus B Game vs. Cleveland)”
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I forget, do we want Triunfel to win the utility infielder job?
I actually thought Stephan Romero had the best shot until he got hurt.
I don’t think “Homer” is a good name for a pitcher.
Balfour, either.
According to MLB Gameday, Saunders is hitting 85-87 in the 1st. I have no idea how accurate this actually is, but it’s better news.
Yes, definitely. There’s real velocity improvement from Saunders, though I think it’s still down from where he was a year ago. That said, the trend line points up, so that’s good.
Brutal day for M’s defense between the two games though.
While I’m sure he’ll be brutal in the field, I can’t get too upset about the Morse signing.
In and of itself, having Morse is not really a bad thing. But, giving up Jaso to get him? That’s the questionable part.
And giving up 3 years of Jaso for 1 of Morse.
Just a thought – would there have been an alternative trade that would’ve landed Morse without giving up Jaso?
Still loving the musical interludes… not sure there’s a radio station this side of the Atlantic that plays Lurleen Lumpkin!
deadman,
Yes, of course. The team trading Morse didn’t want a catcher, which is why the A’s needed to be involved. So clearly the M’s could’ve explored something like a Morse-for-SP prospect thing.
It’s possible that the Nats, knowing what the M’s had, kept asking for Hultzen or Walker and the M’s shut it down, I have no idea. But a pitcher-for-Morse thing was more than a possibility, as that’s exactly what the Nationals pulled the trigger on.
I suppose the naturally optimistic side of me hopes that all three of the young pitchers get through and become the 2,3,4 behind the King, but realistically one or more will not make it… I guess if they’d have traded one then it would’ve had to be with view to Morse on a longer term contract (like RA Dickey moving to the Blue Jays and signing an extension) although from everything Morse is saying, that’s a realistic possibility.
All things being even, then trading a C/DH that the manager didn’t rate for somebody who does seem to be getting it done and may hang around for the long term may not be so bad, but then when you add Ibanez and Bay to the mix, and look like putting one or other on the 25 man I despair!
Maybe with a couple of other pitchers coming through and showing well, then the M’s can afford to part with one of the big three…but I’d hope it is for something big….
Nice outing by Maurer – he continues to impress (much more so than Paxton).
Pet peeve – have dialled in 710 radio, the station that actually broadcasts Mariners games at least 10 times this week. Nine times they have been having the exact same Seahawk football discussion. One time they were actually broadcasting a Mariners game but absolutely no M’s information. Un-listenable if you are a Mariners fan – and just amazes me they invest in broadcasting M’s games but invest nothing back in covering the team.
Maurer was great, and it’s nice to see Zunino hit a bomb.
casey – the NFL sells. It’s just the sporting culture we’ve developed. Even out of season, the NFL is king. Some of that may be due to the Seahawks good year, but a lot of it is just the fact that pro football is the 900 pound gorilla of US sports.
do football blogs have 5 / 10 times more hits than baseball blogs at this time of year? I find football boring but have been a baseball nut since I was 5 year old.
Again seems a weird business model to pay to broadcast 170+ baseball games per year, not to mention all the airtime and advertising you sell, but then invest nothing in promoting the product you are broadcasting.
another naive me one – I look at Zunino and just think M’s should hand the job to Buster errr Mike right now – his to keep for the next 12-15 years.
Marc,
I have to object to your ‘900 pound’ comment in reference to the NFL.
Baseball is FAR more popular.
From the standpoint of number of people attending games…number of people watching on TV…it’s not even close.
The NFL likes to talk about their ratings…but that’s because they play just once a week. Let them play six times a week and then we can talk apples to apples.
Willie B started at third for team USA and just made an error.
Seeing Adam Jones always makes me sad.
Hmmm Diderot-
There’s an angle there, sure. But PER game, the viewership and attendance are far higher in the NFL than the MLB.
And shall we compare the Super Bowl to the World Series?
Nah. Not close.
I don’t like it either, but kinda hard to ignore.
NFL TV Deal: $3 billion/per year (16 game season)
MLB TV Deal: $800 million/year (162 game season)
(sigh)
Of course the US lost. They pinch hit for Willie!
Seeing Adam Jones has been killing me every single at bat.
@diderot
I don’t think Marc was suggesting football is more popular, but rather that it’s more profitable. Gross revenue from the NFL’s over 9 billion, MLB is somewhere around 7.