Tuesday, April 20, 2004
PELIGRO!
-- Raul Ibanez will be worth his money only if he makes commits under 5 errors, hits 35 bombs, drives in 110 and hits at a .290 clip or better.
-- Raul Ibanez does NOT have an awesome arm; don't let that play on Vlad fool you.
-- Raul Ibanez is NOT chasing Dale Long, Don Mattingly, and Ken Griffey, Jr. I think you all know what I'm talking about. (If not, comment box...I'll get to you.)
-- Raul Ibanez will be 34 at the end of his contract, regardless of what he does.
-- Raul Ibanez was shipped out of Seattle originally because HE SUCKED. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
-- I could hit a home run out of Kauffman Stadium.
-- If you do a Ctrl+F search right now and type in Cruz, you'll eventually find the link to my Jose Cruz vs. Raul Ibanez argument. Cruz is a year younger, I think, but let's make no mistake: no one else was even CLOSE to bidding what the Mariners did for Raul Ibanez. How about if they paid sensible market value for Ibanez and then overpaid for Tejada instead? Nice thought, no? And yeah, the last point somewhat segues into this one, with the parks.
I'll fire up the recap, then give my thoughts afterward...
top 1 -- Kotsay 1B RF; Kielty 9; Chavez 0-2...full BB; Dye 0-2 swing K; Hatteberg 3-1 BB; Durazo track 8
bot 1 -- Ichiro 4-3; Olerud 0-2...look K; Boone 1-2 swing slider K low/away
>> Ryan Franklin walked two, but got out of the jam. Rich Harden sliced through the
top third of the Mariner order with ease.
top 2 -- Crosby 2-0...full swing K; Miller 2-0...2-2 HR LF bullpen (stayed inside the ball); Scutaro 0-2 fly shallow 8; Kotsay 6-3
bot 2 -- Spiezio 1-2...2-2 6 sprinting LF injury; Ibanez (swung through 1-1 change) 1-2...2-2 8; Aurilia 3-0...3-1 BB; Winn first-pitch 7
>> Franklin made his only hiccup of the game that resulted in a run. Damian Miller hit a homer that I hope every father told their child/children to pay extra attention to. It was nothing short of beautiful how Damian Miller stayed inside the ball and drove it into the bullpen. Great stuff. Nothing much happened for the Mariners in this inning, but the Bobby Kielty/Bobby Crosby collision was noteworthy at the very least. I just heard John Kruk on Baseball Tonight say that if that happened in the Kingdome, Crosby could have had a career-ending injury.
top 3 -- Kielty 3-1 BB; Chavez 2-0...3-1 BB; Dye 8; Hatteberg FC 6-4 (near DP, beat Franklin at 1st); Durazo 3-1 BB; Crosby track 8
bot 3 -- Davis first-pitch 1B CF up middle; Bloomquist 4-pitch BB; Ichiro 2-2 4-3 (runners advance); Olerud 3-1 charging 7 (Fairly says crucial counts, high fastballs to Mariners, high flies); Boone 0-2 swing K (letterhigh fastball in)
>> Franklin somehow walked three and got away with it. The Mariners had Ben Davis AND Willie Bloomquist get aboard and had Ichiro, Olerud, and Boone set to drive them in. None succeeded. Rich Harden set up both of his first two strikeouts very nicely -- in the first strikeout, Harden blew a fastball past Boone before striking him out with the slider low and away. In the second strikeout, he threw the slider low and away to get the second strike, then busted Boone in with a letter-high fastball that he swung through.
top 4 -- Miller 5-3; Scutaro 0-2 tomahawk LF 2B; Kotsay 0-2...1-2 swing K breaking ball; Kielty 1-2 swing K
bot 4 -- Spiezio hard 1B CF; Ibanez 3-1 FC 6-4 (swung at ball 4); Aurilia 6-4-3 DP
>> Franklin didn't walk anybody, as he was finally settling into a groove. The Mariners gave the A's two chances to turn a double play and did it the second time on the Aurilia grounder. Dave and Ron were talking about the AFLAC trivia question which asked what town was in the video montage, and it was Spiro, Oklahoma, Ryan Franklin's hometown. Dave was bored and asked Ron whether he'd ever been in Norman, Oklahoma for football Saturday. Ron said no, but that he had been in Lincoln for one. Something really needed to happen in this game.
top 5 -- Chavez F5; Dye 0-2 9; Hatteberg 0-2...6-3
bot 5 -- Winn bunt 6-3; Davis 0-2 swing K; Bloomquist 9
>> Franklin finally threw a 1-2-3 inning. Then Harden had probably an even easier inning.
top 6 -- Durazo 1-2 6-3; ESTEBAN GERMAN 3-1 4-3; Miller 0-2...1-3
bot 6 -- Ichiro 1-2...full BB; Olerud (ICHIRO STEALS) 2-0 (Harden steps off twice)...2-2...full look K; Boone 0-2 swing K; Spiezio swing K
>> Franklin went 1-2-3 again, one victim being Esteban German, who came into the game as a result of Bobby Crosby being shelved with a knee contusion. At this point, Franklin had set down 8 straight. This inning actually saw Ichiro steal, which was amazing, and I hope veryone out there was able to see this rare occurrence. Then Harden struck out the side, including Boone for the hat trick.
top 7 -- Scutaro (VILLONE WARMING) 2-0 F5; Kotsay 8 (over-shoulder basket catch); Kielty F5
bot 7 -- Ibanez HR RF; Aurilia 0-2 swing K; Winn 2-2 swing K 2-3 (9th for Harden); Davis 1-2...full BB; Bloomquist first-pitch diving U3
>> Franklin ended the game on a tear, setting down 11 straight. It was too bad he couldn't get the win, and I was surprised in a way that Melvin trotted him out there for the 7th, though when I considered the state of the bullpen after the night before, I wasn't so surprised. He ended with 105 pitches. Raul Ibanez hit the solo blast, then Ben Davis reached base for the second time in the game.
top 8 -- VILLONE IN; Chavez 6; Dye 4-3; Hatteberg 4-3
bot 8 -- RINCON IN; Ichiro 4-3; Olerud 4-3; Boone 0-2...1-2 F2
>> Ron Villone came in and mowed through the 3-4-5 hitters of the A's lineup. Somehow. Ricardo Rincon came in and sliced through the top of the Mariner order. Clutch.
top 9 -- Durazo 8; German 2-2...full BB; Miller 3-6-1 DP
bot 9 -- MECIR IN; Spiezio 1-2 swing K sinker; Ibanez HR RF
>> Villone was able to get a key double play after he walked Esteban German to put the go-ahead run on base. Jim Mecir came in, whiffed Scott Spiezio, and then Raul Ibanez won the game.
Gameball: Ryan Franklin. Found himself after struggling early, gave the team a chance to win exactly the type of game that they're supposed to win. I could gameball Ibanez, but come on, you read the first part of this post, didn't you? Honorable mention here to Ben Davis, who went 1-for-2 with a walk. Baby steps, Ben. Baby steps.
Goat: Bret Boone. Got the strikeout hat trick tonight, and generated enough wind with his bat to be classified as a Category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Bret also stranded 3 runners on the basepaths.
You know, we're really damned either way. If the Mariners win (especially with people like Ibanez or McCracken making game-breaking or winning plays), then the management has enough to convince themselves that what they're doing is fine and dandy and correct. If they lose, maybe management thinks again about its idiotic philosophies, but that means we'd have to sit through losing baseball. As you can see, we're screwed both ways.
The Mariners won the two games in this series that they had the best chance to win. Luckily for them, they lucked out and don't have to face Barry Zito in this series. In any event...
Hudson. Meche. Tomorrow.
-- Raul Ibanez does NOT have an awesome arm; don't let that play on Vlad fool you.
-- Raul Ibanez is NOT chasing Dale Long, Don Mattingly, and Ken Griffey, Jr. I think you all know what I'm talking about. (If not, comment box...I'll get to you.)
-- Raul Ibanez will be 34 at the end of his contract, regardless of what he does.
-- Raul Ibanez was shipped out of Seattle originally because HE SUCKED. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
-- I could hit a home run out of Kauffman Stadium.
-- If you do a Ctrl+F search right now and type in Cruz, you'll eventually find the link to my Jose Cruz vs. Raul Ibanez argument. Cruz is a year younger, I think, but let's make no mistake: no one else was even CLOSE to bidding what the Mariners did for Raul Ibanez. How about if they paid sensible market value for Ibanez and then overpaid for Tejada instead? Nice thought, no? And yeah, the last point somewhat segues into this one, with the parks.
I'll fire up the recap, then give my thoughts afterward...
top 1 -- Kotsay 1B RF; Kielty 9; Chavez 0-2...full BB; Dye 0-2 swing K; Hatteberg 3-1 BB; Durazo track 8
bot 1 -- Ichiro 4-3; Olerud 0-2...look K; Boone 1-2 swing slider K low/away
>> Ryan Franklin walked two, but got out of the jam. Rich Harden sliced through the
top third of the Mariner order with ease.
top 2 -- Crosby 2-0...full swing K; Miller 2-0...2-2 HR LF bullpen (stayed inside the ball); Scutaro 0-2 fly shallow 8; Kotsay 6-3
bot 2 -- Spiezio 1-2...2-2 6 sprinting LF injury; Ibanez (swung through 1-1 change) 1-2...2-2 8; Aurilia 3-0...3-1 BB; Winn first-pitch 7
>> Franklin made his only hiccup of the game that resulted in a run. Damian Miller hit a homer that I hope every father told their child/children to pay extra attention to. It was nothing short of beautiful how Damian Miller stayed inside the ball and drove it into the bullpen. Great stuff. Nothing much happened for the Mariners in this inning, but the Bobby Kielty/Bobby Crosby collision was noteworthy at the very least. I just heard John Kruk on Baseball Tonight say that if that happened in the Kingdome, Crosby could have had a career-ending injury.
top 3 -- Kielty 3-1 BB; Chavez 2-0...3-1 BB; Dye 8; Hatteberg FC 6-4 (near DP, beat Franklin at 1st); Durazo 3-1 BB; Crosby track 8
bot 3 -- Davis first-pitch 1B CF up middle; Bloomquist 4-pitch BB; Ichiro 2-2 4-3 (runners advance); Olerud 3-1 charging 7 (Fairly says crucial counts, high fastballs to Mariners, high flies); Boone 0-2 swing K (letterhigh fastball in)
>> Franklin somehow walked three and got away with it. The Mariners had Ben Davis AND Willie Bloomquist get aboard and had Ichiro, Olerud, and Boone set to drive them in. None succeeded. Rich Harden set up both of his first two strikeouts very nicely -- in the first strikeout, Harden blew a fastball past Boone before striking him out with the slider low and away. In the second strikeout, he threw the slider low and away to get the second strike, then busted Boone in with a letter-high fastball that he swung through.
top 4 -- Miller 5-3; Scutaro 0-2 tomahawk LF 2B; Kotsay 0-2...1-2 swing K breaking ball; Kielty 1-2 swing K
bot 4 -- Spiezio hard 1B CF; Ibanez 3-1 FC 6-4 (swung at ball 4); Aurilia 6-4-3 DP
>> Franklin didn't walk anybody, as he was finally settling into a groove. The Mariners gave the A's two chances to turn a double play and did it the second time on the Aurilia grounder. Dave and Ron were talking about the AFLAC trivia question which asked what town was in the video montage, and it was Spiro, Oklahoma, Ryan Franklin's hometown. Dave was bored and asked Ron whether he'd ever been in Norman, Oklahoma for football Saturday. Ron said no, but that he had been in Lincoln for one. Something really needed to happen in this game.
top 5 -- Chavez F5; Dye 0-2 9; Hatteberg 0-2...6-3
bot 5 -- Winn bunt 6-3; Davis 0-2 swing K; Bloomquist 9
>> Franklin finally threw a 1-2-3 inning. Then Harden had probably an even easier inning.
top 6 -- Durazo 1-2 6-3; ESTEBAN GERMAN 3-1 4-3; Miller 0-2...1-3
bot 6 -- Ichiro 1-2...full BB; Olerud (ICHIRO STEALS) 2-0 (Harden steps off twice)...2-2...full look K; Boone 0-2 swing K; Spiezio swing K
>> Franklin went 1-2-3 again, one victim being Esteban German, who came into the game as a result of Bobby Crosby being shelved with a knee contusion. At this point, Franklin had set down 8 straight. This inning actually saw Ichiro steal, which was amazing, and I hope veryone out there was able to see this rare occurrence. Then Harden struck out the side, including Boone for the hat trick.
top 7 -- Scutaro (VILLONE WARMING) 2-0 F5; Kotsay 8 (over-shoulder basket catch); Kielty F5
bot 7 -- Ibanez HR RF; Aurilia 0-2 swing K; Winn 2-2 swing K 2-3 (9th for Harden); Davis 1-2...full BB; Bloomquist first-pitch diving U3
>> Franklin ended the game on a tear, setting down 11 straight. It was too bad he couldn't get the win, and I was surprised in a way that Melvin trotted him out there for the 7th, though when I considered the state of the bullpen after the night before, I wasn't so surprised. He ended with 105 pitches. Raul Ibanez hit the solo blast, then Ben Davis reached base for the second time in the game.
top 8 -- VILLONE IN; Chavez 6; Dye 4-3; Hatteberg 4-3
bot 8 -- RINCON IN; Ichiro 4-3; Olerud 4-3; Boone 0-2...1-2 F2
>> Ron Villone came in and mowed through the 3-4-5 hitters of the A's lineup. Somehow. Ricardo Rincon came in and sliced through the top of the Mariner order. Clutch.
top 9 -- Durazo 8; German 2-2...full BB; Miller 3-6-1 DP
bot 9 -- MECIR IN; Spiezio 1-2 swing K sinker; Ibanez HR RF
>> Villone was able to get a key double play after he walked Esteban German to put the go-ahead run on base. Jim Mecir came in, whiffed Scott Spiezio, and then Raul Ibanez won the game.
Gameball: Ryan Franklin. Found himself after struggling early, gave the team a chance to win exactly the type of game that they're supposed to win. I could gameball Ibanez, but come on, you read the first part of this post, didn't you? Honorable mention here to Ben Davis, who went 1-for-2 with a walk. Baby steps, Ben. Baby steps.
Goat: Bret Boone. Got the strikeout hat trick tonight, and generated enough wind with his bat to be classified as a Category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Bret also stranded 3 runners on the basepaths.
You know, we're really damned either way. If the Mariners win (especially with people like Ibanez or McCracken making game-breaking or winning plays), then the management has enough to convince themselves that what they're doing is fine and dandy and correct. If they lose, maybe management thinks again about its idiotic philosophies, but that means we'd have to sit through losing baseball. As you can see, we're screwed both ways.
The Mariners won the two games in this series that they had the best chance to win. Luckily for them, they lucked out and don't have to face Barry Zito in this series. In any event...
Hudson. Meche. Tomorrow.
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