Game 112, The King Arrives At Home

August 9, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 432 Comments 

It’s Felix’s debut in Seattle. This is, by far, the most anticipated Mariner home game in years. I bought my parents tickets just to make sure they didn’t miss it.

All Hail the King. Long Live the King.

Edited to add: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. Groundball machine. He’s awesome.

Game 111, Twins at Mariners

August 8, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 332 Comments 

RHP Carlos Silva v RHP Gil Meche. 7:05.

Ichiro, RF-L
Ignitor, 2B-R
Ibanez, DF-L
Sexson, 1B-R
Beltre, 3B-R
Reed, CF-L
Morse, SS-R
Snelling, LF-L
Torrealba, C-R

Doyle’s 8th? 8th? I don’t get it.

If the Mariners continue on this pace, they’ll go 69-93. This would bring their two-year mark to 132 wins. It would be the worst two year stretch (over full seasons) since 1979-1980, when they went 67-95 and then 69-103. Close stretches include 83-84, 82-83.

Even bad stretches like 86-90 were better than this.

Game 109, Mariners at White Sox

August 6, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 167 Comments 

LHP Jamie Moyer v LHP Mark Buehrle. 4:05, FSN.

This lineup… wow.
Ichiro, RF-L
The Ignitor (Bloomquist), CF-R
Ibanez, DH-L
Sexson, 1B-R
Beltre, 3B-R
Morse, SS-R
Betancourt, 2B-R
We Call Him Doyle (Snelling), LF-L
Torrealba (“JoeJessica”), C-R

Doyle plays against a lefty, which is good news, since he’ll hit against anything. Four-armed aliens could beam down and throw at him from left/right or up/down and he’d rake doubles off them.

Sunday’s pitcher has finally been announced as SP-R Jeff Harris, who you’ll remember from his “into the breech” performance relieving Jorge Campillo after Campillo left with an elbow twinge.

The M’s press notes include a Bloomquist booster: he’s raised his average from .197 on July 2 to .268. I cheer for Bloomquist when he’s in the game, but despite this prolonged hot streak, that .268 carries an on-base percentage of .310 with almost no power at all. There’s no position on the field where that’s above average (even catchers in the AL hit .252/.309/.384).

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Game 108, Mariners at White Sox

August 5, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 171 Comments 

RHP Joel Pineiro v RHP Freddy Garcia. 5:05, KSTW.

Bloomquist the Ignitor at second. Betancourt at short. Doyle in left, moves Ibanez to DH. Torrealba catches.

Roster moves: Snelling up, Jamal Strong down. Nelson returns from bereavement and Kida was optioned to Tacoma.

I would like now to discuss the myth that Garcia has blossomed since leaving Seattle. Using park-adjusted stats

BB/9
2004 Sea: 2.5
2004 Chi: 2.6
2005 Chi: 2.8

K/9
2004 Sea: 6
2004 Chi: 7.7
2005 Chi: 5.2

HR/9
2004 Sea: .6
2004 Chi: 1.0
2005 Chi: 1.1

Game 104, Indians at Mariners

July 31, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 321 Comments 

RHP Jake Westbrook v RHP Joel Pineiro. 1:05, FSNW.

Last chance to avenge Ichiro the old-fashioned way. But then, Ichiro’s been avenging himself pretty well.

OF: Ibanez-Reed-Ichiro, Hansen’s the DH of the day.

If deals are filed but don’t get cleared for a couple of hours, this game might be good for, if nothing else, trying to figure out who’s been punted by who’s missing from the game, or the bullpen.

Game 103, Indians at Mariners

July 30, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 214 Comments 

The approaching trade deadline is the talk of the comments. The below thread’s for that, while this one you can use to to talk about the (non-televised) battle between C.C. Sabathia and Ryan Franklin.

Alternatively, you can gleefully watch the Yankees’ bullpen vaporlock against the Angels. Who knows? You might even see someone get pulled out of the clubhouse and sent to the airport.

Game 102, Indians at Mariners

July 29, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 454 Comments 

RHP Kevin Millwood v RHP Aaron Sele. 7:05, FSNW.

Morse at short, Betancourt at second. Wiki catches. The Ignitor sits. I’m still baffled by the Betancourt-at-second thing. I wish they’d say something about it, because having a tremendous defensive shortstop play at second is weird.

Sele’s DERA (Defense-adjusted ERA) since leaving the Mariners:
2002, 4.88
2003, 5.68
2004, 5.33
2005, 5.41

Hardball Times stats have his fielding-independent ERA at 5.23.

Anyway, he’s not pitching really well, is what I’m saying.

Game 100: Tigers at Mariners

July 27, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 210 Comments 

LHP Mike Maroth vs. LHP Jamie Moyer. 7:05pm, FSN and KOMO.

I’ve touched on this before, but how misleading are won-loss records? Maroth, pitching for a .500 club, has a decent 4.42 ERA but an 8-10 record. Moyer, pitching for a bad club, has a nearly identical 4.47 ERA but is 8-3. Boggle boggle.

Moyer doesn’t show up on Maroth’s list of similar players, which surprised me a bit. They’re both left-handed, they both give up homers, they both use the changeup as their out pitch… and neither guy strikes out many hitters. Maroth is listed at 6-0, 190, and Moyer is listed at 6-0, 182. I’m telling you, they might as well be the same pitcher.

Now that I’ve said that, it’ll probably be 15-0 today with one getting shelled and the other pitching a no-hitter. Game on!

Game 99, Tigers at Mariners

July 26, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 190 Comments 

RHP Jason Johnson v RHP Joel Pineiro. 7:05.

As noted in other threads today, Snelling turned up in Tacoma today, though there’s no evidence yet of a transaction. On the other hand, since there’s really no public resource for transactions that is also timely, he could well have been optioned. Or traded to the Cubs, who assigned him to Iowa, for all anyone knows officially. Generally we’ll a broadcaster will say something during the game, but they might not, so… we wait for Doyle.

Bloomquist starts at short again, his fourth straight start.

Game 96, Mariners at Indians

July 23, 2005 · Filed Under Game Threads · 124 Comments 

RHP and 10-game winner Gil Meche v LHP Cliff Lee

Bloomquist at second.

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