Friday, June 11, 2004
VACATION SPOT: TWENTY-NINE PALMS
Yuck.
From an offensive standpoint for the Mariners, the only positive thing was that they scored more runs than the Expos to end the scoreless drought at 29 innings. That's about the only thing you can take out of this 1-0 clunker of a game between two positively horrid teams.
With the way the Mariners were having their runners erased from the basepaths, I thought there was no way they would win this game.
Cases in point:
-- in the 1st, Ichiro was trying to score from second on a base hit by John Olerud to leftcenter, and he was gunned down by Brad Wilkerson.
-- in the 2nd, Scott Spiezio drew a one-out walk, but was erased with Rich Aurilia on a strike-'em-out/throw-'em-out double play.
-- in the 3rd, Jolbert Cabrera was moved to third after Ichiro grounded out for the second out. Cabrera was caught napping too far off the third base bag and was picked off between third and home plate.
-- in the 4th, Edgar hit a fly ball to centerfield with one out, and Randy Winn tagged up from third. Endy Chavez rared back and fired toward the plate. Winn claimed that he reached over the tag, though the umpire claimed catcher Brian Schneider had tagged Winn on his arm.
-- in the 8th, Dan Wilson led off with a single. Willie Bloomquist was brought in to pinch-run, with Ichiro due up. Did I say pinch-run? I meant pinch-get picked off. Ichiro would then single as a big cloud of South Kitsap Wolf pride hung over the Safe.
What you just read were five instances (count 'em, five), where the Mariners had some unconventional ways of getting their runners out on the basepaths. This wasn't futility here, folks. This wasn't Olerud grounding into an inning-ending double play. This was a smattering of pickoff plays and guys getting nailed at the plate. How do you think the fans felt in the ballpark watching those first four plays happen in four consecutive innings?
I know Ryan Franklin was great out there and everything, but that Expo team is just brutal at the plate. They had three runners in scoring position in the entire game. One instance was where Brad Wilkerson was moved to second on a more-than-likely idiotic 1st-inning bunt call by Expo manager Frank Robinson. Frank would get a dose of Mariner tonic, as Jose Vidro bounced out to move Wilkerson to third, and Tony Batista also grounded out (third out). Another runner in scoring position was stranded on a double play in the 2nd. Brad Wilkerson was left standing on second after his one-out double in the 8th.
Though Franklin got absolutely zero run support, his line was sparkling: 8 innings, no runs, five hits, two walks, four strikeouts, 99 pitches. Sure, it's the Expos he was facing, but it's something. Bonus points to Bob Melvin for putting in his best bullpen arm (Ed Guardado) to hold the game scoreless in the top of the 9th.
Did anyone almost shed a tear when Edgar was caught looking in the 9th (runner on first, nobody out)? Was I the only one that yelled "wring him up!" as the pitch from Livan flew into Brian Schneider's glove? I'm telling you, Edgar's just making me sad.
As for that 9th inning, the kudos have to go to John Olerud for actually getting the hit, and Hiram Bocachica as the pinch-runner, stealing second and getting himself into scoring position. An intentional walk to Rich Aurilia followed, and an unintentional walk to pinch-walker (wasn't a pinch-hitter here) Dave Hansen followed that. Pat Borders then got something he could catch up to, which I hope he would because it was Livan's 135th pitch of the game. Bases juiced, old guy, tired pitcher, game over. I know he's used to throwing a lot of pitches, but man...anything over about 125 is pretty ungodly.
Gameball: John Olerud. 3-for-4 with a double, and he got the ball rolling for the run in the 9th. He is now up to .262.
Goat: Bret Boone. 0-for-4 striking out twice and stranding three. The Boone is now at .227, and I wish I was talking about the TV show, and not Boone's average.
I'm bitter, but this series could have been Reds/Mariners. Instead, we got the game we saw tonight. Gakk. Now I don't even get a worthwhile diversion from cleaning out my apartment and apprehensively anticipating a six-week field camp.
Vargas. Moyer. Tomorrow.
From an offensive standpoint for the Mariners, the only positive thing was that they scored more runs than the Expos to end the scoreless drought at 29 innings. That's about the only thing you can take out of this 1-0 clunker of a game between two positively horrid teams.
With the way the Mariners were having their runners erased from the basepaths, I thought there was no way they would win this game.
Cases in point:
-- in the 1st, Ichiro was trying to score from second on a base hit by John Olerud to leftcenter, and he was gunned down by Brad Wilkerson.
-- in the 2nd, Scott Spiezio drew a one-out walk, but was erased with Rich Aurilia on a strike-'em-out/throw-'em-out double play.
-- in the 3rd, Jolbert Cabrera was moved to third after Ichiro grounded out for the second out. Cabrera was caught napping too far off the third base bag and was picked off between third and home plate.
-- in the 4th, Edgar hit a fly ball to centerfield with one out, and Randy Winn tagged up from third. Endy Chavez rared back and fired toward the plate. Winn claimed that he reached over the tag, though the umpire claimed catcher Brian Schneider had tagged Winn on his arm.
-- in the 8th, Dan Wilson led off with a single. Willie Bloomquist was brought in to pinch-run, with Ichiro due up. Did I say pinch-run? I meant pinch-get picked off. Ichiro would then single as a big cloud of South Kitsap Wolf pride hung over the Safe.
What you just read were five instances (count 'em, five), where the Mariners had some unconventional ways of getting their runners out on the basepaths. This wasn't futility here, folks. This wasn't Olerud grounding into an inning-ending double play. This was a smattering of pickoff plays and guys getting nailed at the plate. How do you think the fans felt in the ballpark watching those first four plays happen in four consecutive innings?
I know Ryan Franklin was great out there and everything, but that Expo team is just brutal at the plate. They had three runners in scoring position in the entire game. One instance was where Brad Wilkerson was moved to second on a more-than-likely idiotic 1st-inning bunt call by Expo manager Frank Robinson. Frank would get a dose of Mariner tonic, as Jose Vidro bounced out to move Wilkerson to third, and Tony Batista also grounded out (third out). Another runner in scoring position was stranded on a double play in the 2nd. Brad Wilkerson was left standing on second after his one-out double in the 8th.
Though Franklin got absolutely zero run support, his line was sparkling: 8 innings, no runs, five hits, two walks, four strikeouts, 99 pitches. Sure, it's the Expos he was facing, but it's something. Bonus points to Bob Melvin for putting in his best bullpen arm (Ed Guardado) to hold the game scoreless in the top of the 9th.
Did anyone almost shed a tear when Edgar was caught looking in the 9th (runner on first, nobody out)? Was I the only one that yelled "wring him up!" as the pitch from Livan flew into Brian Schneider's glove? I'm telling you, Edgar's just making me sad.
As for that 9th inning, the kudos have to go to John Olerud for actually getting the hit, and Hiram Bocachica as the pinch-runner, stealing second and getting himself into scoring position. An intentional walk to Rich Aurilia followed, and an unintentional walk to pinch-walker (wasn't a pinch-hitter here) Dave Hansen followed that. Pat Borders then got something he could catch up to, which I hope he would because it was Livan's 135th pitch of the game. Bases juiced, old guy, tired pitcher, game over. I know he's used to throwing a lot of pitches, but man...anything over about 125 is pretty ungodly.
Gameball: John Olerud. 3-for-4 with a double, and he got the ball rolling for the run in the 9th. He is now up to .262.
Goat: Bret Boone. 0-for-4 striking out twice and stranding three. The Boone is now at .227, and I wish I was talking about the TV show, and not Boone's average.
I'm bitter, but this series could have been Reds/Mariners. Instead, we got the game we saw tonight. Gakk. Now I don't even get a worthwhile diversion from cleaning out my apartment and apprehensively anticipating a six-week field camp.
Vargas. Moyer. Tomorrow.
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