Saturday, May 15, 2004
HANGING IN
Well, if they don't take something out of this win, they might as well fold up shop. Of course, when I saw the Mariners build that 13-7 lead in the 13th, I thought at that point that if the Mariners found a way to blow the lead and lose it, there was no reason to play the rest of the year.
But they held it. Eddie Guardado got a win and felt useful for once. The Yankees lost their first game this year when scoring five runs or more. The Mariners ran their record in such situations to 6-11. Sparkling.
Of course, this win, though they blew some leads in the game and Jamie gave up four bombs, is something. At the very least, it's something. It was a long battle, and they beat the Yankees. If this doesn't spark them, nothing is.
The Mariners' problem? They're facing Kevin Brown tomorrow. Here's my bet of $50 of fun money that Raul Ibanez strikes out at least twice. The slider should be NASTY.
This recap is going to be short. I've got a ten-page project draft due Monday, and, well, I'm still sort of in the data acquisition stage and I think "conclusions" is a section required in the draft. Not good.
Anyway, I've still got the abridged game notes, followed hopefully by some wizardry and commentary on my part, then the standard gameball and goat.
top 1 -- Ichiro 1-1 1B CF; (Mariners 5-11 when scoring 5+) Winn 0-2...1-2 FC 5-4; Edgar 0-1 8; Spiezio 1st-pitch 8 -- Ichiro left on
bot 1 -- Jeter 1st-pitch 1B CF; Williams (lineup has hit 15 HR off Moyer) 1-1 DP 5-4-3; Rodriguez 0-2...2-2 1B LF under Spiezio; Giambi 1-1 (Rodriguez SB, Wilson throw into CF)...full 4-3 -- Damage control. Double play helped.
top 2 -- Cabrera 1B LF; Ibanez 2-0 2B RCF gap (SEA 1-0); Wilson 1-0 6-3 (could have had Ibanez on the play); Olerud 1-1 HBP; Aurilia 0-1 broken-bat bloop 1B LF (SEA 2-0); Ichiro 2-0...2-1 diving 1-3; Winn 1st-pitch E5 (ate up Alex, SEA 4-0); Edgar (Winn PO 1-3-4) -- Four runs?? Holy crap!!
bot 2 -- Sheffield 1st-pitch HR LF line inside pole (Jamie's 10th HR this yr); Matsui 1-0 4-3; Sierra 3-0...3-1 1B LF (Spiezio somewhat eaten up); Flaherty 2-0...2-2 look K; Cairo 2-0...2-2 1B CF (E8, Winn overuns, tries to barehand, Cairo to 2nd); Jeter 2-0...2-2 5-3 -- Damage control again. Only the Sheff homer. Is Moyer getting squeezed?
top 3 -- Edgar 1-0 lineout 6; Spiezio 1-2...6; Cabrera 2-0...2-1 1B RF (7-for-16 on road trip); Ibanez 1-1 7 -- Commerical break music starts before the fly ball is caught.
bot 3 -- Williams 2-2...full BB (Moyer talks to 2B ump after pitch); Rodriguez (1-0 and Wilson gets ticked on way to mound, Melvin gets tossed) 3-0...3-1 HR dead CF (SEA 4-3); Giambi 3-1...full swing K; Sheffield 2-0...3-1 BB; Matsui 2-0...2-2 DP 3-6-3 -- Only the Alex bomb. And some stuff where Melvin got ejected.
top 4 -- Wilson 0-2 (Dan doesn't use bad language --Niehaus)...2-2 6-3; Olerud 0-1 1B CF; Aurilia 0-1 DP 5-4-3 -- Olerud got a hit.
bot 4 -- Sierra 1st-pitch 5; Flaherty 1-0 4 shallow CF; Cairo 2-1 5-3 (nice play Olerud, staying on bag) -- low-pitch inning for Jamie
top 5 -- Ichiro 1-2...2-2...5-3; Winn 0-2 8; Edgar 2-2...full 8 -- Nothing
bot 5 -- Jeter 1-2...2-2...swing K; Williams 2-2...(Moyer ticked) full 4-3; Rodriguez 3-1 HR LCF (TIE 4-4); Giambi 1-0 1-3 -- Tie game!!
top 6 -- Spiezio 0-1 2B LCF; Cabrera 0-2 1B CF (Spiezio to 3rd, hit too hard); QUANTRILL IN; Ibanez 1st-pitch HBP; Wilson 0-1 2B LCF gap (SEA 7-4); Olerud 4-pitch BB; Aurilia 1-0 SAC 1-3; Ichiro IBB; Winn 1st-pitch 6-3 -- One clutch hit, with another non-clutch Winn at-bat.
bot 6 -- (HASEGAWA WARMING) Sheffield 3-0...full IF 1B (Spiezio hit ground, nearly had him); Matsui 1-2...2-2 HR RF (13 for Moyer, off upper deck facade, SEA 7-6...Moyer shaking head); Sierra 0-2...1-2...look K; HASEGAWA IN; (Bob Sheppard has Hasegawa in top 5 all-time fun pronounced names) Flaherty 1-2 7; Cairo 0-1 5-3 -- Mariners somehow ahead.
top 7 -- Edgar 1-2 track 9; Spiezio 1-2 6; Cabrera 1st-pitch line 9 -- no groceries for Janice Pelletier
bot 7 -- Jeter 1-0 near-track 8; Williams 2-0...(MYERS, GORDON WARMING) 3-1 HR RF (TIE 7-7); Rodriguez 1-2...2-2 near-track 8; Giambi 2-1 U3 -- It's tied again.
top 8 -- GORDON IN (PUTZ WARMING); Ibanez 2-0 4-3; Wilson 0-2...2-2 8; Olerud 4-pitch BB; PH HANSEN 1-2...swing K -- nothing
bot 8 -- SANTIAGO AT SS; Sheffield 3-0...full 9; MYERS IN; Matsui 1-2 swing K; Sierra 2-1 4-3 -- Nothing much.
top 9 -- Ichiro 0-1 1B CF under Cairo's glove; Winn 1st-pitch SAC 1-4; Edgar IBB; (GUARDADO, PUTZ WARMING) Spiezio 2-2 swing K; Cabrera 0-1 5 (no groceries) -- two left on base.
bot 9 -- PUTZ IN; Flaherty 1st-pitch 2B LF line; Cairo 1st-pitch bunt IF 1B (Wilson's throw to 3rd not in time); Jeter 1st-pitch 1-3; Williams IBB; (announcers note that Ibanez and Winn are playing way too far back; Niehaus "couldn't throw ME out") Rodriguez 1-1 IF fly 6; Giambi 2-2...(CLOSE)...full 4-3 -- Putz gets out of it. Hats off.
top 10 -- RIVERA IN; Ibanez 1-1 6; Wilson 0-2...full 9; Olerud 0-1 1-3 -- Way to rally!
bot 10 -- Sheffield 0-1 5-3; Matsui 1-2...full deep 8; Sierra 2-0 track 8 -- end the game already...
top 11 -- Santiago 1-1 1-3; Ichiro 0-2...IF 1B (Alex barely late); (GUARDADO WARMING) Winn 2-0...(Ichiro SB#7) 2-2...hard 1-3; Edgar IBB; Spiezio 0-2...1 -- Ichro and Edgar stranded
bot 11 -- MATEO IN; Flaherty 1-2 6-3; Cairo 0-1 1B LF; Jeter 0-2 swing K; Williams 1st-pitch U3 -- ARRGGHH!!!
top 12 -- WHITE IN; Cabrera 1st-pitch 9; Ibanez 0-1 1B RF; Wilson 1st-pitch 7 deep; Olerud 0-2...(Ibanez 2nd on PB) look K -- nope
bot 12 -- GUARDADO IN; Rodriguez 2-2...full BB; Giambi 2-0...2-2 swing K; Sheffield 1st-pitch 1B LF line (Rodriguez to 3rd, Sheffield to 2nd on E8); Matsui (Winn/Ibanez still too deep -- Fairly) 0-2 FC 4-2 (Alex out at plate even with jump, Dan blocks); Sierra 1-2 swing K -- Eddie being Eddie
top 13 -- CLARK AT 1B; Santiago 2-1 2B LCF gap; Ichiro IBB; Winn 0-1 SAC 1-3; Edgar IBB; Spiezio 0-1 2B LCF gap (SEA 9-7); PR MC CRACKEN (Edgar); (MECHE WARMING) Cabrera 4-pitch BB; Ibanez 0-2 HBP (SEA 10-7); Wilson 2B CF (SEA 13-7); Olerud 1-2...full 7; Santiago 1st-pitch 7 -- WHAAT??!
bot 13 -- Flaherty 1-2 4; Cairo 2-0...2-1 1B RF; Jeter 1-2...2-2...FC 1-4 (Jeter beats out DP); Williams 0-2 swing K (put the Sinatra record on -- Niehaus)
Did anyone else get that feeling when the Mariners had their four runs in the early innings, they were still behind? I felt this way as Jamie was laboring out there on the mound, and I do believe he was getting squeezed out there, or at least squeezed compared to what he's used to. Every time Jamie doesn't get calls, I think immediately of whether QuesTec is negatively affecting Jamie. Granted, it usually doesn't happen this badly, but today it was pretty bad. There's certain pitches that Jamie absolutely has to have to be successful, and in this game, he certainly wasn't getting many of them, if any at all. I'd have to watch game tape to see whether Jamie was establishing (or getting the opportunity to establish) his strike zone in the first couple innings, but in a sense, one could argue he was completely helpless out there. So what does Jamie have to do if he can't nibble on the corners? He's got to come in to the hitter. What happens when you have to do that against the Yankee lineup when your best fastball is 88? Four home runs.
As for the Mariner offense, they made mince meat out of Donovan Osborne early, and out of Gabe White late, and capitalized when Alex got eaten up on a ground ball in the 2nd, letting two runs in on a ball that should have ended the inning. On a day in which Jamie faltered, the offense kept the Mariners in it, and ultimately won them the game. Of course, JJ Putz getting out of his own jam in the 9th didn't hurt either. He pulled the rabbit out of the hat in the 9th.
I haven't surfed the blogosphere yet, but I am guessing that the more esteemed David was fuming when Randy Winn was bunting against the lefty with nobody on in the 13th.
I need to see some replay because I'm not so sure Alex's foot didn't push Dan Wilson's foot out of the way in the 12th.
Gameball: Dan Wilson. The dude got six RBIs. Savor this. The guy is going to drop off eventually, so savor this for what it is.
Jamie only got through 5 1/3 innings the day after Gil Meche couldn't get out of the 1st. The bullpen then had to bail him out, then pitch four more innings when the game went to extras. With the day off tomorrow, part of me wants Gil Meche to be the first guy out of the pen. Whether it's his fault or not, Jamie has sort of put the Mariners in a place where they're depending on Joel Pineiro to get deep into the game so that the bullpen can get some shred of rest from the last couple days, though they do have an off day Monday.
But Jamie's still not the goat. No way.
Goat: Randy Winn. Two bunts today are all he was good for. 0-for-5 otherwise, stranding 5. It's days like this that make it so Ichiro can have a 3-for-5 day, walk twice, and score only once (Edgar's 0-for-4, but with 3 walks also a culprit to a lesser extent).
Stranger things have happened, but I'm all but chalking up an L for tomorrow with the Mariners facing Kevin Brown. Why? For one, it's Kevin Brown. Furthermore, the Mariners just had a big win that they should use to try to right their ship. It's a scenario they've had work against them a few times this year. I'm betting on them losing tomorrow, in what will probably be a low-scoring game. All bets are off if Kevin Brown gets hurt in the early going though.
If the schedule makers were nice enough and scheduled the Yankee/Mariner series a little later, maybe there'd be a chance the Mariners could face Tanyon Sturtze, who sucks, but was picked up by the Yankees for some very odd reason. The way it goes, though, he'll probably light it up for them. Everyone's better in pinstripes (except Chuck Knoblauch).
Pineiro. Brown. Ten hours.
But they held it. Eddie Guardado got a win and felt useful for once. The Yankees lost their first game this year when scoring five runs or more. The Mariners ran their record in such situations to 6-11. Sparkling.
Of course, this win, though they blew some leads in the game and Jamie gave up four bombs, is something. At the very least, it's something. It was a long battle, and they beat the Yankees. If this doesn't spark them, nothing is.
The Mariners' problem? They're facing Kevin Brown tomorrow. Here's my bet of $50 of fun money that Raul Ibanez strikes out at least twice. The slider should be NASTY.
This recap is going to be short. I've got a ten-page project draft due Monday, and, well, I'm still sort of in the data acquisition stage and I think "conclusions" is a section required in the draft. Not good.
Anyway, I've still got the abridged game notes, followed hopefully by some wizardry and commentary on my part, then the standard gameball and goat.
top 1 -- Ichiro 1-1 1B CF; (Mariners 5-11 when scoring 5+) Winn 0-2...1-2 FC 5-4; Edgar 0-1 8; Spiezio 1st-pitch 8 -- Ichiro left on
bot 1 -- Jeter 1st-pitch 1B CF; Williams (lineup has hit 15 HR off Moyer) 1-1 DP 5-4-3; Rodriguez 0-2...2-2 1B LF under Spiezio; Giambi 1-1 (Rodriguez SB, Wilson throw into CF)...full 4-3 -- Damage control. Double play helped.
top 2 -- Cabrera 1B LF; Ibanez 2-0 2B RCF gap (SEA 1-0); Wilson 1-0 6-3 (could have had Ibanez on the play); Olerud 1-1 HBP; Aurilia 0-1 broken-bat bloop 1B LF (SEA 2-0); Ichiro 2-0...2-1 diving 1-3; Winn 1st-pitch E5 (ate up Alex, SEA 4-0); Edgar (Winn PO 1-3-4) -- Four runs?? Holy crap!!
bot 2 -- Sheffield 1st-pitch HR LF line inside pole (Jamie's 10th HR this yr); Matsui 1-0 4-3; Sierra 3-0...3-1 1B LF (Spiezio somewhat eaten up); Flaherty 2-0...2-2 look K; Cairo 2-0...2-2 1B CF (E8, Winn overuns, tries to barehand, Cairo to 2nd); Jeter 2-0...2-2 5-3 -- Damage control again. Only the Sheff homer. Is Moyer getting squeezed?
top 3 -- Edgar 1-0 lineout 6; Spiezio 1-2...6; Cabrera 2-0...2-1 1B RF (7-for-16 on road trip); Ibanez 1-1 7 -- Commerical break music starts before the fly ball is caught.
bot 3 -- Williams 2-2...full BB (Moyer talks to 2B ump after pitch); Rodriguez (1-0 and Wilson gets ticked on way to mound, Melvin gets tossed) 3-0...3-1 HR dead CF (SEA 4-3); Giambi 3-1...full swing K; Sheffield 2-0...3-1 BB; Matsui 2-0...2-2 DP 3-6-3 -- Only the Alex bomb. And some stuff where Melvin got ejected.
top 4 -- Wilson 0-2 (Dan doesn't use bad language --Niehaus)...2-2 6-3; Olerud 0-1 1B CF; Aurilia 0-1 DP 5-4-3 -- Olerud got a hit.
bot 4 -- Sierra 1st-pitch 5; Flaherty 1-0 4 shallow CF; Cairo 2-1 5-3 (nice play Olerud, staying on bag) -- low-pitch inning for Jamie
top 5 -- Ichiro 1-2...2-2...5-3; Winn 0-2 8; Edgar 2-2...full 8 -- Nothing
bot 5 -- Jeter 1-2...2-2...swing K; Williams 2-2...(Moyer ticked) full 4-3; Rodriguez 3-1 HR LCF (TIE 4-4); Giambi 1-0 1-3 -- Tie game!!
top 6 -- Spiezio 0-1 2B LCF; Cabrera 0-2 1B CF (Spiezio to 3rd, hit too hard); QUANTRILL IN; Ibanez 1st-pitch HBP; Wilson 0-1 2B LCF gap (SEA 7-4); Olerud 4-pitch BB; Aurilia 1-0 SAC 1-3; Ichiro IBB; Winn 1st-pitch 6-3 -- One clutch hit, with another non-clutch Winn at-bat.
bot 6 -- (HASEGAWA WARMING) Sheffield 3-0...full IF 1B (Spiezio hit ground, nearly had him); Matsui 1-2...2-2 HR RF (13 for Moyer, off upper deck facade, SEA 7-6...Moyer shaking head); Sierra 0-2...1-2...look K; HASEGAWA IN; (Bob Sheppard has Hasegawa in top 5 all-time fun pronounced names) Flaherty 1-2 7; Cairo 0-1 5-3 -- Mariners somehow ahead.
top 7 -- Edgar 1-2 track 9; Spiezio 1-2 6; Cabrera 1st-pitch line 9 -- no groceries for Janice Pelletier
bot 7 -- Jeter 1-0 near-track 8; Williams 2-0...(MYERS, GORDON WARMING) 3-1 HR RF (TIE 7-7); Rodriguez 1-2...2-2 near-track 8; Giambi 2-1 U3 -- It's tied again.
top 8 -- GORDON IN (PUTZ WARMING); Ibanez 2-0 4-3; Wilson 0-2...2-2 8; Olerud 4-pitch BB; PH HANSEN 1-2...swing K -- nothing
bot 8 -- SANTIAGO AT SS; Sheffield 3-0...full 9; MYERS IN; Matsui 1-2 swing K; Sierra 2-1 4-3 -- Nothing much.
top 9 -- Ichiro 0-1 1B CF under Cairo's glove; Winn 1st-pitch SAC 1-4; Edgar IBB; (GUARDADO, PUTZ WARMING) Spiezio 2-2 swing K; Cabrera 0-1 5 (no groceries) -- two left on base.
bot 9 -- PUTZ IN; Flaherty 1st-pitch 2B LF line; Cairo 1st-pitch bunt IF 1B (Wilson's throw to 3rd not in time); Jeter 1st-pitch 1-3; Williams IBB; (announcers note that Ibanez and Winn are playing way too far back; Niehaus "couldn't throw ME out") Rodriguez 1-1 IF fly 6; Giambi 2-2...(CLOSE)...full 4-3 -- Putz gets out of it. Hats off.
top 10 -- RIVERA IN; Ibanez 1-1 6; Wilson 0-2...full 9; Olerud 0-1 1-3 -- Way to rally!
bot 10 -- Sheffield 0-1 5-3; Matsui 1-2...full deep 8; Sierra 2-0 track 8 -- end the game already...
top 11 -- Santiago 1-1 1-3; Ichiro 0-2...IF 1B (Alex barely late); (GUARDADO WARMING) Winn 2-0...(Ichiro SB#7) 2-2...hard 1-3; Edgar IBB; Spiezio 0-2...1 -- Ichro and Edgar stranded
bot 11 -- MATEO IN; Flaherty 1-2 6-3; Cairo 0-1 1B LF; Jeter 0-2 swing K; Williams 1st-pitch U3 -- ARRGGHH!!!
top 12 -- WHITE IN; Cabrera 1st-pitch 9; Ibanez 0-1 1B RF; Wilson 1st-pitch 7 deep; Olerud 0-2...(Ibanez 2nd on PB) look K -- nope
bot 12 -- GUARDADO IN; Rodriguez 2-2...full BB; Giambi 2-0...2-2 swing K; Sheffield 1st-pitch 1B LF line (Rodriguez to 3rd, Sheffield to 2nd on E8); Matsui (Winn/Ibanez still too deep -- Fairly) 0-2 FC 4-2 (Alex out at plate even with jump, Dan blocks); Sierra 1-2 swing K -- Eddie being Eddie
top 13 -- CLARK AT 1B; Santiago 2-1 2B LCF gap; Ichiro IBB; Winn 0-1 SAC 1-3; Edgar IBB; Spiezio 0-1 2B LCF gap (SEA 9-7); PR MC CRACKEN (Edgar); (MECHE WARMING) Cabrera 4-pitch BB; Ibanez 0-2 HBP (SEA 10-7); Wilson 2B CF (SEA 13-7); Olerud 1-2...full 7; Santiago 1st-pitch 7 -- WHAAT??!
bot 13 -- Flaherty 1-2 4; Cairo 2-0...2-1 1B RF; Jeter 1-2...2-2...FC 1-4 (Jeter beats out DP); Williams 0-2 swing K (put the Sinatra record on -- Niehaus)
Did anyone else get that feeling when the Mariners had their four runs in the early innings, they were still behind? I felt this way as Jamie was laboring out there on the mound, and I do believe he was getting squeezed out there, or at least squeezed compared to what he's used to. Every time Jamie doesn't get calls, I think immediately of whether QuesTec is negatively affecting Jamie. Granted, it usually doesn't happen this badly, but today it was pretty bad. There's certain pitches that Jamie absolutely has to have to be successful, and in this game, he certainly wasn't getting many of them, if any at all. I'd have to watch game tape to see whether Jamie was establishing (or getting the opportunity to establish) his strike zone in the first couple innings, but in a sense, one could argue he was completely helpless out there. So what does Jamie have to do if he can't nibble on the corners? He's got to come in to the hitter. What happens when you have to do that against the Yankee lineup when your best fastball is 88? Four home runs.
As for the Mariner offense, they made mince meat out of Donovan Osborne early, and out of Gabe White late, and capitalized when Alex got eaten up on a ground ball in the 2nd, letting two runs in on a ball that should have ended the inning. On a day in which Jamie faltered, the offense kept the Mariners in it, and ultimately won them the game. Of course, JJ Putz getting out of his own jam in the 9th didn't hurt either. He pulled the rabbit out of the hat in the 9th.
I haven't surfed the blogosphere yet, but I am guessing that the more esteemed David was fuming when Randy Winn was bunting against the lefty with nobody on in the 13th.
I need to see some replay because I'm not so sure Alex's foot didn't push Dan Wilson's foot out of the way in the 12th.
Gameball: Dan Wilson. The dude got six RBIs. Savor this. The guy is going to drop off eventually, so savor this for what it is.
Jamie only got through 5 1/3 innings the day after Gil Meche couldn't get out of the 1st. The bullpen then had to bail him out, then pitch four more innings when the game went to extras. With the day off tomorrow, part of me wants Gil Meche to be the first guy out of the pen. Whether it's his fault or not, Jamie has sort of put the Mariners in a place where they're depending on Joel Pineiro to get deep into the game so that the bullpen can get some shred of rest from the last couple days, though they do have an off day Monday.
But Jamie's still not the goat. No way.
Goat: Randy Winn. Two bunts today are all he was good for. 0-for-5 otherwise, stranding 5. It's days like this that make it so Ichiro can have a 3-for-5 day, walk twice, and score only once (Edgar's 0-for-4, but with 3 walks also a culprit to a lesser extent).
Stranger things have happened, but I'm all but chalking up an L for tomorrow with the Mariners facing Kevin Brown. Why? For one, it's Kevin Brown. Furthermore, the Mariners just had a big win that they should use to try to right their ship. It's a scenario they've had work against them a few times this year. I'm betting on them losing tomorrow, in what will probably be a low-scoring game. All bets are off if Kevin Brown gets hurt in the early going though.
If the schedule makers were nice enough and scheduled the Yankee/Mariner series a little later, maybe there'd be a chance the Mariners could face Tanyon Sturtze, who sucks, but was picked up by the Yankees for some very odd reason. The way it goes, though, he'll probably light it up for them. Everyone's better in pinstripes (except Chuck Knoblauch).
Pineiro. Brown. Ten hours.
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