Game 70, Padres at Mariners
Chris Young vs. Tyson Ross, 7:10 pm
The last time we saw Tyson Ross was in relief on May 27th of last year, but we also saw him plenty before that as a member of the A’s. He’s the best player involved in that weird A’s/Padres trade in which he was sent with A.J. Kirby-Jones in exchange for Andy Parrino (55 career OPS+) and Andrew Werner (0.3 WAR over 40.1 innings in 2012, hasn’t pitched in the majors since). Proof that even Beane can make a stinker of a trade every now and then.
Ross’ new thing this year is that his groundball rate is higher than ever at 61.1%. He’s also had his HR/FB higher than ever because groundball pitchers tend to miss up and so it goes. He’s the same fastball/slider guy that he’s ever been except that the two-seam is back now after last year’s hiatus.
The radio was trying to play this up as a big deal, referring to the Padres as “pesky,” when the Mariners have a 47-43 record against them all time, a better winning percentage than they have facing most teams. They were also trying play up that this is the first time Chris Young has faced his former team. Sure, that’s a narrative, but I don’t think that many people are all that invested in how High Mariner feels about facing the hated Padres for the first time. This isn’t Cano returning to the Bronx territory. One might say that it’s good that Young is pitching at home during this split series, but Petco plays like Safeco anyway so who cares. This is a game being played between two baseball teams. There doesn’t need to be a narrative going in.
Let’s talk about other things. Like how yesterday we played John Buck at first where he had never played professionally before. About how Lloyd said that he was the only option because Ackley was needed in left and I may be the only person who remembers that James Jones has nineteen minor league starts at first (I thought it was more!). About how Jesus Montero appears to never be an option as anything but a DH. About forfeiting that same DH, to get Cano back on the field, so that Jesus Montero does not need to be on the field.
Also, LoMo is back after accidentally injuring himself by transforming his bat into spinning wooden death fragments. When will players learn how unwise it is to take things out on inanimate objects? LoMo got lucky this time, but Tyler O’Neill gets to sit ten weeks for punching a wall and he’s hardly the first. I don’t know why this organization doesn’t do more to instill fear/respect of inanimate objects in their players.
RF Endy Chavez
CF James Jones
2B Robinson Cano
3B Kyle Seager
DH Jesus Montero
1B Logan Morrison
C Mike Zunino
LF Dustin Ackley
SS Brad Miller
Go ‘Ners!
Comments
19 Responses to “Game 70, Padres at Mariners”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Montero at first base makes Dick Stuart look like Gil Hodges. That said, I opined a couple three months ago that Montero was next year´s DH. I still think there´s a very good chance that he will be, but please keep him away from first (unless he has a stick in his hands).
It’s a first, I really like Lloyd’s lineup today… but then I have Tyson Ross in my NL Strat league.
Still… baseball is a weird game, ya never know.
Maybe the Mariners should invest in padded dugout walls.
We’re stupefied already.
Great start M’s!
I love Zunino…but he swings at some really shitty pitches
Miller is alive!
Brad Miller now! Feels like he’s slightly turning it around lately.
That a boy Jonesy!!
Cano redeems himself after swinging at two horrible pitches. Jones with 3 SB so far today. Nice to see the M’s be more aggressive.
C’mon Fat Boy!!
Does he understand where the strike zone is? I don’t think Ross threw one ball over the plate.
Just throw it at the plate and Montero will swing away…. add that to the scouting report.
Woodcutta – The only pitch over the plate according to gameday was pitch 5 for a foul.
That breaking ball in the dirt still looks like kryptonite for Montero.
I’m still trying to figure out how Chavez managed to walk. It goes against everything he stands for.
I love teams that suck worse than we do
It is a tonic, isn’t it, Eastside? Just sad on this day, but I think Gwynn would understand.
I got a little teary listening to Krueger talking about him. What a class act. We’ve had Tony’s Hitting Machine poster in our baseball clubhouse for the last 20 years. Very sad to see him go. Now The Lord can see if he can strike him out.