Bill Kroger said “This team, talent wise is about the sane as last year.”. How can we get this ass clown off the air? He is just killing me. Who hires these guys?

Actually Krueger is not completely wrong in at least one critical area, the offense. The M’s are 28th in runs per game this season at 3.95. Last season they scored 4.14rpg(26th).

Now obviously the defense is much better (UZR wise, but not error wise), and the pitching is better. But Krueger has a definite point looking at the offensive lineup.

The M’s haven’t done as bad against texas as the record indicates. They lost one because the bullpen was shot and Felix was about halfway conscious with a serious case of the flu and only pitched because of the afore mentioned shot bullpen (still almost won that game). They then lost one in extras, giving up the runs after Kelley hurt himself. They then lost two more in Texas because of two Morrow blown saves. Odds are if Aardsma had been our closer at that point those two would have been victories.

I realize this is a woulda-coulda-shoulda type post, but my point really was just that the M’s have played Texas pretty well, though the record hasn’t indicated it. I’m very optimistic with Bedard and Felix going (who wouldn’t be?) and at home, that we can take that series easily.

This is the Saito I knew and loved in Japan – lead the leagues in walks a couple of times.

Except of course, he didn’t.

His worst year for giving up walks (total) was 69 (in 181 IP) in 1994, far less than the [Central] league “leader” Kaz Kawaguchi (again) who had 93 – Irabu led NPB with 94.

His worst BB/9 was only around 3.7 in ‘93, still well behind Kawaguchi.

Overall his BB/9 in Japan was right around 2.6 as well.