Wednesday, August 20, 2003
DOG OF A GAME
Well, The Mariners looked like they were going to have another fairly easy win after scrong 2 runs off Josh Towers and it looked like the same thing was unfolding that did the night before. Gil Meche pitched four great innings. The 5th inning came, and Gil Meche lost his mind, his control, and possibly lost control of his mind. Rey Sanchez had an error, sure, but the way I see it, (1) the double play that was intended right there should have gotten the Mariners out of the inning, and (2) since the throw was off, all that Meche had to do was get in front of the damn ball. It's a basic rule of first-basemen and anyone who has to temporarily play first (i.e., the pitcher or 2nd baseman). So since the ball may be getting away -- and being a pitcher, I wouldn't be anticipating Gil to have a scoop of a glove -- you have to COME OFF THE DAMN BASE AND BLOCK THE DAMN BALL. If Gil blocks the ball, the score at that point would be Seattle 2-1 with 2 out provided Gil can give himself a chance to nail the tying run at home or hold it at third. Ugh. Then Gil put the game out of doubt by giving up the dong to Vern Wells.
But the end result is that Josh Towers is Pedro Martinez, and the Mariners like facing a Pedro every once in a while and when they're itching for a Pedro-like shutout, they'll pick some young crappy pitcher to do it against, and that's what they did tonight. I could kind of understand if this would have happened two years ago when Towers was with the Orioles and was sort of good, but he's not good anymore. The Mariners offense just sucked horridly.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, Oakland rallied for the second day in a row against the white-flagging Boston Red Sox, whose fans are getting heart attacks back there because they've fallen two games back in the wildcard. Worse yet, the Mariners lead in the West is only 3 games again. Dammit. What in the friggin hell. Now the Mariners have Pineiro and Meche doing their best impersonations of crappy Freddy for the past four or five times through the rotation. Meche sandwiched the Yankee domination outing with four or five horrible and unsharp starts. He's never throw this many innings in his life, either, so maybe it's time for a Julio Mateo spot start or two. Ugh. Three game lead. I wanna be sick.
Well, the Mariners better get it back to a 4-game lead tomorrow. Moyer against Hendrickson, though the Mariners made Hendrickson look like Pedro when he was in Seattle. The real Pedro is facing Oakland tomorrow.
But the end result is that Josh Towers is Pedro Martinez, and the Mariners like facing a Pedro every once in a while and when they're itching for a Pedro-like shutout, they'll pick some young crappy pitcher to do it against, and that's what they did tonight. I could kind of understand if this would have happened two years ago when Towers was with the Orioles and was sort of good, but he's not good anymore. The Mariners offense just sucked horridly.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, Oakland rallied for the second day in a row against the white-flagging Boston Red Sox, whose fans are getting heart attacks back there because they've fallen two games back in the wildcard. Worse yet, the Mariners lead in the West is only 3 games again. Dammit. What in the friggin hell. Now the Mariners have Pineiro and Meche doing their best impersonations of crappy Freddy for the past four or five times through the rotation. Meche sandwiched the Yankee domination outing with four or five horrible and unsharp starts. He's never throw this many innings in his life, either, so maybe it's time for a Julio Mateo spot start or two. Ugh. Three game lead. I wanna be sick.
Well, the Mariners better get it back to a 4-game lead tomorrow. Moyer against Hendrickson, though the Mariners made Hendrickson look like Pedro when he was in Seattle. The real Pedro is facing Oakland tomorrow.
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