Tuesday, September 09, 2003
MY NOTES ON KJR'S "BASEBALL'S BEST POSTGAME SHOW" FOLLOWING THE MARINERS' DEVASTATING 5-4 10-INNING LOSS TO TEXAS
Okay, my full game summary is coming Wednesday after I get off work. Until then, I took notes on the KJR postgame show.
Today's host was Steve Sandmeyer, a veteran postgame host, handling duties since Seth Everett left for MLB Radio after the 2000 season.
Sandmeyer: "This sucked."
-- They get the runs, and seem to get back to their recipe of winning games until the 8th.
-- The irony is sick when the Ranger bullpen throws 4 innings of scoreless ball and the MARINERS pen blows the game.
Caller: Benitez is always gonna groove it and blow it. Melvin didn't do anything different against Palmeiro. Would have cussed Benitez out if he was Melvin.
(-- Note: my dad says Benitez reminds him of Slocumb)
Sandmeyer: Franklin was cruising and had only 103 pitches, and had exceeded that (>105) in the past few starts -- count wasn't an issue. Also, where the hell was Soriano? He threw EIGHT pitches on Sunday, and was well-rested. Three, Benitez hadn't pitched in 6 days and was day-to-day yesterday with a stiff back. Four, Hasegawa doesn't need to only pitch one inning only to get a save (re: bringing him in for the 8th).
Sandmeyer: How do you come back from this? Devastating. They had this game in the bag.
Brian in Bothell: used to Lou's strategy, why not Soriano or leave in Mateo for the 9th? Walk Palmeiro in the 8th?
Sandmeyer: Blalock 0-for-2 against Rhodes, 6-for-9 (2 HR) against Franklin. Blalock up with BASES EMPTY, however. Even if he gets on, Franklin faces Rodriguez without a chance to tie the game.
Jim on a cell phone: (plays a recording of "Taps").
(That may have just been the greatest moment in Seattle sports radio. I know I was laughing)
Tim: second lefty in the pen for the second year in a row?
Sandmeyer: Mariners have no one to blame but themselves for this (second lefty situation).
Sandmeyer: This team is tired, old, and pressing. A loss like this has extra "stank" on it. Tomorrow: Pedro v Jason Johnson. Ted Lilly v Washburn. Thu: Shields/Harden.
Floyd: Cameron. Put McLemore in CF (this guy is nuts).
Kip: Starting pitchers facing the Mariners have sucked. New name: the Seattle Submarines.
Willie: bunting -- can anyone bunt on this team (Guillen in the 8th), pitching change, does this team not want to play for Bob Melvin (worthy question). Conspiracy theory: management says "don't win anymore. You've got 90, that's good enough."
Sandmeyer: they wanna play for this guy. Bunting is a worthy question. Fundamentals are lagging. They're tired/old. They'd rather not play for mgmt than Melvin. What will it take for mgmt to realize it should make an extra commitment? Even EDGAR said BEFORE the deadline that they could really use another bat. Players, owners, and fans want a move, only the owners don't.
Caller: once the score went 4-4, had no confidence in the Mariner bats to get another big hit when it's needed.
Mike: Where was Soriano?
Sand: (see above).
Melvin clip: this one hurts as much as any one this year. Benitez: "it happened." Franklin: wanted to pull with <110, had bad numbers against Blalock. Palmeiro hits better against lefties, so Rhodes wouldn't have pitched to him. Benitez "gets lefties out" but got behind the hitter and had to come in. Shig: tough sometimes for closers to come into tie games, but best option. Hits: we got them. Soriano: afraid Soriano would get tired, Benitez was rested. Need another lefty: not sure if you'd bring in another lefty to face Raf.
Norm (B-town): Franklin just got a hitter out on 2 pitches, and NOBODY'S ON!!
Sand: agrees. He'd given up only 2 XBHs all game long. Pitched >105 in over 15 starts this year. You don't worry about using guys too much -- THERE'S ONLY EIGHTEEN GAMES LEFT, DAMMIT! Shig hasn't forgotten how to go >1 inning.
Kevin: uses a broken boat and paddling to shore with oars analogy. Melvin played the numbers too much. Play the intangibles. No excuses.
Ryan: Can’t our starters be stretched out now? Isn’t it that late in the season?
Sandmeyer: Overreaction by Melvin to pitch counts. Ref. Game logs for proof. Again, why not leave in Mateo for the 9th? Do YOU trust Benitez out there? I don’t as far as I can throw him.
Stuart: Fate is killing us. Ichiro on with nobody out, not confident in his coming to score. Franklin in the dugout, head buried in towel even before Palmeiro homer.
Sandmeyer: players losing patience just like we are? They're human; they're seeing it and LIVING it. We gotta steal Raf's Viagra. I don't care what the players say tomorrow, but this one stings and this one will linger EVEN IF THEY WIN.
Caller: second guess Melvin, but Ichiro gets on, and the Mariners had 1-2-3 hitters up.
Sand: team can't move guys over. Guillen's gotta put the bunt down. Guillen and Cameron go 0-fer. Cam last RBI on Sept 9.
Caller: chin music to Palmeiro. You can't let him come into our house and tear us up.
Sand: you got two guys on, you can't afford to do that.
Dre: Piniella mismanaged this team last year too, ref. the sweep in Texas. The Jose Mesa of the AL is Wilford Benitez.
Puckett and Sandmeyer cross-talk...
Jason Puckett: I almost took a nap down there (clubhouse). Team mtg (35 mins) after game, just reiterating the point: 18 games left. Just friggin do it.
Sandmeyer: Cameron called, he's looking for his bat.
Puckett: Benitez hadn't been put in a pressure situation for the first time in a while. Rhodes has GOTTA get Blalock out. Nothing is wrong (injured) with Soriano or Mateo. Benitez "felt bad for the team" afterward, didn't mention any injuries.
Sandmeyer: Franklin knew (body language) that he shouldn't have been pulled out at that time.
Puckett: Colbrunn will be ready for spring training.
Sandmeyer: that really does us a lot of good RIGHT NOW.
Today's host was Steve Sandmeyer, a veteran postgame host, handling duties since Seth Everett left for MLB Radio after the 2000 season.
Sandmeyer: "This sucked."
-- They get the runs, and seem to get back to their recipe of winning games until the 8th.
-- The irony is sick when the Ranger bullpen throws 4 innings of scoreless ball and the MARINERS pen blows the game.
Caller: Benitez is always gonna groove it and blow it. Melvin didn't do anything different against Palmeiro. Would have cussed Benitez out if he was Melvin.
(-- Note: my dad says Benitez reminds him of Slocumb)
Sandmeyer: Franklin was cruising and had only 103 pitches, and had exceeded that (>105) in the past few starts -- count wasn't an issue. Also, where the hell was Soriano? He threw EIGHT pitches on Sunday, and was well-rested. Three, Benitez hadn't pitched in 6 days and was day-to-day yesterday with a stiff back. Four, Hasegawa doesn't need to only pitch one inning only to get a save (re: bringing him in for the 8th).
Sandmeyer: How do you come back from this? Devastating. They had this game in the bag.
Brian in Bothell: used to Lou's strategy, why not Soriano or leave in Mateo for the 9th? Walk Palmeiro in the 8th?
Sandmeyer: Blalock 0-for-2 against Rhodes, 6-for-9 (2 HR) against Franklin. Blalock up with BASES EMPTY, however. Even if he gets on, Franklin faces Rodriguez without a chance to tie the game.
Jim on a cell phone: (plays a recording of "Taps").
(That may have just been the greatest moment in Seattle sports radio. I know I was laughing)
Tim: second lefty in the pen for the second year in a row?
Sandmeyer: Mariners have no one to blame but themselves for this (second lefty situation).
Sandmeyer: This team is tired, old, and pressing. A loss like this has extra "stank" on it. Tomorrow: Pedro v Jason Johnson. Ted Lilly v Washburn. Thu: Shields/Harden.
Floyd: Cameron. Put McLemore in CF (this guy is nuts).
Kip: Starting pitchers facing the Mariners have sucked. New name: the Seattle Submarines.
Willie: bunting -- can anyone bunt on this team (Guillen in the 8th), pitching change, does this team not want to play for Bob Melvin (worthy question). Conspiracy theory: management says "don't win anymore. You've got 90, that's good enough."
Sandmeyer: they wanna play for this guy. Bunting is a worthy question. Fundamentals are lagging. They're tired/old. They'd rather not play for mgmt than Melvin. What will it take for mgmt to realize it should make an extra commitment? Even EDGAR said BEFORE the deadline that they could really use another bat. Players, owners, and fans want a move, only the owners don't.
Caller: once the score went 4-4, had no confidence in the Mariner bats to get another big hit when it's needed.
Mike: Where was Soriano?
Sand: (see above).
Melvin clip: this one hurts as much as any one this year. Benitez: "it happened." Franklin: wanted to pull with <110, had bad numbers against Blalock. Palmeiro hits better against lefties, so Rhodes wouldn't have pitched to him. Benitez "gets lefties out" but got behind the hitter and had to come in. Shig: tough sometimes for closers to come into tie games, but best option. Hits: we got them. Soriano: afraid Soriano would get tired, Benitez was rested. Need another lefty: not sure if you'd bring in another lefty to face Raf.
Norm (B-town): Franklin just got a hitter out on 2 pitches, and NOBODY'S ON!!
Sand: agrees. He'd given up only 2 XBHs all game long. Pitched >105 in over 15 starts this year. You don't worry about using guys too much -- THERE'S ONLY EIGHTEEN GAMES LEFT, DAMMIT! Shig hasn't forgotten how to go >1 inning.
Kevin: uses a broken boat and paddling to shore with oars analogy. Melvin played the numbers too much. Play the intangibles. No excuses.
Ryan: Can’t our starters be stretched out now? Isn’t it that late in the season?
Sandmeyer: Overreaction by Melvin to pitch counts. Ref. Game logs for proof. Again, why not leave in Mateo for the 9th? Do YOU trust Benitez out there? I don’t as far as I can throw him.
Stuart: Fate is killing us. Ichiro on with nobody out, not confident in his coming to score. Franklin in the dugout, head buried in towel even before Palmeiro homer.
Sandmeyer: players losing patience just like we are? They're human; they're seeing it and LIVING it. We gotta steal Raf's Viagra. I don't care what the players say tomorrow, but this one stings and this one will linger EVEN IF THEY WIN.
Caller: second guess Melvin, but Ichiro gets on, and the Mariners had 1-2-3 hitters up.
Sand: team can't move guys over. Guillen's gotta put the bunt down. Guillen and Cameron go 0-fer. Cam last RBI on Sept 9.
Caller: chin music to Palmeiro. You can't let him come into our house and tear us up.
Sand: you got two guys on, you can't afford to do that.
Dre: Piniella mismanaged this team last year too, ref. the sweep in Texas. The Jose Mesa of the AL is Wilford Benitez.
Puckett and Sandmeyer cross-talk...
Jason Puckett: I almost took a nap down there (clubhouse). Team mtg (35 mins) after game, just reiterating the point: 18 games left. Just friggin do it.
Sandmeyer: Cameron called, he's looking for his bat.
Puckett: Benitez hadn't been put in a pressure situation for the first time in a while. Rhodes has GOTTA get Blalock out. Nothing is wrong (injured) with Soriano or Mateo. Benitez "felt bad for the team" afterward, didn't mention any injuries.
Sandmeyer: Franklin knew (body language) that he shouldn't have been pulled out at that time.
Puckett: Colbrunn will be ready for spring training.
Sandmeyer: that really does us a lot of good RIGHT NOW.
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