A game tonight! On TV! Against the hated Padres!
DMZ · March 20, 2008 at 8:52 am · Filed Under Mariners
Woo-hoo! At seven!
Other then that, a couple random cuts. This will only really get interesting when we get down to the decisions like Dickey v Baek, Norton v Morse.
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109 Responses to “A game tonight! On TV! Against the hated Padres!”
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Kazinski, shoot me an email at jeffnye@ussmariner.com and we can talk about it.
Let me assure you that nothing mean-spirited was meant though.
Willie is a better fielder at the positions he plays, but his bat is useless. Morse’s bat isn’t terrific but he can work a count and can consistently make solid contact. Of course, there is the flip side of him looking lost in the OF as mentioned above, but he’s not completely terrible in the corner infield spots.
That said, I don’t think the debate here is between Willie and Morse, but Morse and Norton. Norton’s probably even more useless in the field as your typical 1B/DH type, so the question comes down to your opinion on his power bat. Yes, he hits for power, but is his power lefty bat enough of an asset to overcome his defensive limits and the flexibility limit he puts on that bench spot? Basically, does McLaren have enough of a use for another Petagine?
And in advance, I don’t think the “McLaren Won’t Use His Bench” line has any place in this debate, as it’s a separate issue.
I’d definitely agree that it’s all pretty much splitting hairs at this point.
If the M’s went with Morse over Norton for a bench spot, my response would be an underwhelmed shrug, but my response would be the same if they went with Norton over Morse.
Defense is the least consideration for the last bench spot. With Bloomquist and presumably Cairo around, Morse would rarely play the field anyway. The regulars at the corners are going to play virtually everyday, and McLaren would use Bloomquist as their pinch runner or defensive replacement. McLaren, however, is going to need a pinch hitter for Lopez/Cairo for every game that is not a blowout. McLaren is not going to use a right-handed hitter like Morse in that situation (nor should he). Norton, however, can fill that role.
I think Morse’s curse is that he ‘looks like a ballplayer’. It sucks because he’s not actually any good, but everyone thinks he’s got potential based on his size and how he carries himself. If he looked and swung like Raul Ibanez, he’d never have got out of AA.
I attended Friday’s matchup of Meche and Bedard.
Observations:
Meche had a great outing, and went deep into the game. He looked like the pitcher we wanted him to be for the M’s.
Bedard was thoroughly unimpressive. The Royals’ lineup is filled with lefties, and they raked Bedard. Bedard wasn’t Royals hitters (1 SO), and everything seemed to be hit hard. It is getting late in the spring to have a crappy outing like Bedard did yesterday.
Morse had solid AB’s, with another double. Morse is quiet at the plate, has an excellent eye, and he puts the ball in play. Some will say 150 AB’s is a small sample size, but Morse hits well at Safeco (previously posted). Morse’s ability to go the other way, and hit the gaps, is most likely the reason he likes hitting at Safeco. That in of itself is valuable to the M’s.
After seeing Morse in person today, I have to say he is a liability in LF. He bungled a ball or two without committing an error, but he allowed a runner to turn a single into a double.
Having said that, Morse should still make the team.
Meche looked great yesterday. The Royals signing him to that 55m contract seemed foolish to me at the time, as I’d considered him to be yet another “promising M’s pitcher turned bust”–so, the question that nags me is…is there something about how we develop our prospects that makes us unable to receive their full value when they play for us?
Or did Gil just have a good outing yesterday, indicative of nothing beyond that?
(I’m typing this from row K in section 106 in sunny Peoria, where Feirabend is pitching batting practice against the Rangers and Ichi’s in FINE form. Wish you all were here.)
Ouch man. I’d have him over Willie anyday.
It might have been a coincidence, but McLaren had Norton and Morse bat back to back in the order today. Both had good days, but Morse absolutely crushed a double to deep right center, and that was just after almost being plunked. Morse was solid in RF today. Norton had a bad base running mistake today, but hit the ball hard.
Reitsma and Rhodes turned in solid outings.
Beltre continues to heavily tape his left wrist and hand.
Buhner’s head grew redder with each passing inning today.