Game 135, Mariners at Blue Jays
10:07 again, Weaver v Burnett. M’s roll out the standard lineup with Broussard.
Since the 25th, the M’s odds of making the playoffs, as calculated at Baseball Prospectus, have almost been snuffed. We all knew the series against the Angels was critical to their hopes of winning the division, but the wild card’s rapidly slipping away, too.
Division chances went from 29.6% on August 25th to today’s 2%
Wild card chances went from 30% on August 24th to today’s 10%
It’s possible they can come back from this, but they’ve got to win, and win, and win. When Ramirez lost, some people said he pitched well enough that he deserved the win, but that’s got to be Batista yesterday, and it wasn’t enough. We need Good Weaver today, with the good offense, because there isn’t time left to keep losing.
Game 134, Mariners at Blue Jays
10:07? What the heck is that. I don’t want to be making coffee before a game.
Batista v McGowan.
The M’s lineup is 50% back to the old one for a day-after-night:
CF-L Ichiro
DH-B Vidro
RF-R Guillen
LF-L Ibanez
3B-R Beltre
1B-L Broussard
2B-R Lopez
C-R Burke
SS-R Betancourt
Lopez, it appears, found his way out of the doghouse.
Game 133, Mariners at Blue Jays
Washburn vs Marcum, 4:07 pm on the West Coast.
In what I expect to become something like the new standard line-up for a little while, at least, we have the following:
1. Ichiro, CF
2. Vidro, 2B
3. Guillen, RF
4. Ibanez, DH
5. Beltre, 3B
6. Broussard, 1B
7. Johjima, C
8. Jones, LF
9. Betancourt, SS
Jones essentially replaces Jose Lopez. The outfield defense gets better, the infield defense gets worse. On a night with Jarrod Washburn starting, that’s the right way to do it if you’re going to punt defense somewhere.
Game 132, Mariners at Indians
LHP Ramirez vs. LHP Aaron Laffey, 4:05pm, radio only?
Ramirez, 2007 road: 8 G, 38.1 IP, 61 H, 45 R, 6 HR, 20 BB, 17 K, .363 BAA. That’s almost an unfathomably bad line.
Laffey, making his fourth major league start, is a groundball machine. First time out, he was 11:5 GB:FB. Second start, 14:2. Last start, 15:0. That’s not a typo. I’m sure Dave loves Aaron Laffey.
I’m going to go grab some BBQ, watch the game, and contemplate staying up to watch USA Hoops vs. Argentina at midnight.
CF Ichiro CF Sizemore 2B Vidro 2B Cabrera DH Guillen DH Hafner LF Ibanez C Martinez 3B Beltre 1B Garko 1B Sexson SS Peralta C Johjima RF Gutierrez RF Jones LF Michaels SS Betancourt 3B Gomez
Game 131, Angels at Mariners
Felix day! Felix versus the currently-better of the two Weavers! With Broussard at first!
1:35, FSN
Get ’em! Get ’em Mr. B!
Game 130, Angels at Mariners
Santana v Weaver. 7:05. Bloomquist at second to ignite a struggling offense.
Game 129, Angels at Mariners
Lackey, who is awesome, against Batista, who is Batista.
M’s lineup is standard. Angels:
DH Willits (.400 OBP)
SS Cabrera (.349 OBP)
RF Guerrero (.399 OBP)
LF Anderson (.306 OBP)
3B Izturis (.333 OBP)
CF Matthews (328 OBP)
1B Morales (.305 OBP in ~60 PA)
2B Kendrick (.338 OBP)
C Mathis (.257 OBP)
Dave notes: Angels #9 hitters are hitting .231/.284/.298 this year. Can you imagine if we blogged the Angels? Holy moly.
If you wished McLaren was more creative, well, sometimes that’s not good. Wow.
I’m going to continue to frown at my stupid USB Flash drive until game time in the hopes it stops crapping out on me weirdly, so… play nice while I’m furrowing my brow.
Game 127, Mariners at Rangers
Horacio Ramirez vs Jamey Wright. HOOOO BOY. 5:35 our time.
Interesting lineup:
CF-R Jones
DH-B Vidro
RF-R Guillen
LF-L Ibanez
3B-R Beltre
1B-R Sexson
C-R Johjima
2B-R Lopez
SS-R Bloomquist
On the other side, we get a AAA-worthy lineup, with Saltalamacchia at first.
Game 126, Mariners at Rangers
Felix Day! 5:35 our time, FSN. Felix faces once-greatly-desired free agent pitcher Kevin Millwood!
Over at the PI, John Marshall names his top picks of this year’s baseball books. I’m of course disappointed The Cheater’s Guide to Baseball isn’t on there (No love for the local? Really?), though it does look like they’re almost all hardbacks, and particularly — and there’s really no way to say this, having a book in competition, but I thought Shaughnessy’s book was just baaaaad, so it doubly hurts. Feel free to twist knives in the comments if you’re so inclined – it might distract from today’s standard lineup.
Game 121, White Sox at Mariners
Felix Day! It’s Felix Day!
Standard lineup except with Burke catching.