Thursday, September 04, 2003
QUICK LAST STAT
Once again, a Locke stat. The Mariners have scored first once in the last 14 games. As I've argued earlier, this does in the Mariners because they are a get-ahead-and-hang-on team and are definitely NOT a come-from-behind team, especially in the late innings. As Locke said, this has a direct correlation to Ichiro getting on base to lead off the game.
As I remember from the Mariner telecast today, Ichiro and Melvin had a "heart-to-heart" chat (forgot if it was Rizzitello or Niehaus that said it), Ichiro suggested he might be mentally off, Melvin suggested a day off, and Ichiro agreed. Would you want Ichiro up instead of Sanchez in the 9th with a runner on? At this point, I think it's a wash.
As I remember from the Mariner telecast today, Ichiro and Melvin had a "heart-to-heart" chat (forgot if it was Rizzitello or Niehaus that said it), Ichiro suggested he might be mentally off, Melvin suggested a day off, and Ichiro agreed. Would you want Ichiro up instead of Sanchez in the 9th with a runner on? At this point, I think it's a wash.
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