Sunday, July 09, 2006
GAME 88: TIGERS 2, MARINERS 1
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less: Can you really call it a pitchers' duel if neither of the starters get deep into the game?
This one featured Zach Miner going up against Jarrod Washburn. Possibly giving him a break for the All-Star Game, Ichiro was moved into the designated hitter slot. The bad thing about that was the accompanying move, since Hargrove started Carl Everett in rightfield instead. Absolute yuckdom. Willie Bloomquist made a start in centerfield, and there wasn't even a lefthander starting on the mound for Detroit. Someone needs to tell Hargrove that Washburn is a Mariner now and therefore Bloomquist can't hit well against him. The Mariners were trying to avoid losing their sixth straight game and their seventh of their last eight. I'd also like to bring up that the last time the Mariners won the first game of the month of July and lost all remaining games leading to the All-Star Game was only two years ago. Those mythical 2004 Mariners won the first game of July and lost the next nine up to the break. So far this July, the Mariners won the first game and have lost five straight since. They can only bottom out at seven straight losses heading into the break this season due to the All-Star Game being at an earlier date in the month. Also, the Mariners' opponents have gotten the first lead in six of the first seven games on this homestand. Finally, the news came that Gil Meche would start instead of Felix Hernandez on Sunday as a part of the whole keeping-his-innings-low thing for Felix. There are also rumblings that Meche may start the first game after the break as well.
TOP 1ST
Omar Infante bounced out to short. Placido Polanco chopped the second pitch to a charging Beltre at third. Ivan Rodriguez drilled a single over the glove of Betancourt at short. Magglio Ordoñez punched the second pitch for a single past a diving Lopez on the right side, moving Rodriguez to second. Carlos Guillen whiffed on a first-pitch breaking ball, but it got past Johjima behind the plate (passed ball) and Rodriguez and Ordoñez moved to third and second. Guillen chopped a 2-2 pitch high to short. Washburn threw 17 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro whiffed badly on an 0-2 breaking ball in the dirt. Adrian Beltre got ahead 2-0 and was jammed on a full-count and bounced to third. Jose Lopez rolled to the feet of Miner, who threw to first. Miner threw 13 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Craig Monroe grounded a 1-2 pitch hard behind the bag at third, but it ate up Beltre and went down the leftfield line for a double. Marcus Thames worked a 1-2 count full, fouled a ball off his left foot, then flew out to Bloomquist in leftcenter on the next pitch as the runners held. Chris Shelton nearly dropped a double down the rightfield line, but it went foul. Shelton ended up punching a 1-2 pitch into rightcenter for a single, scoring Monroe.
»» TIGERS 1, MARINERS 0
Brandon Inge foul-tipped a 2-2 pitch into Johjima's glove behind the plate. Infante rolled to short for a 6-4 force on Shelton at second. Washburn threw 26 pitches and had 43 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Raul Ibañez golfed the first pitch just over the wall inside the rightfield foul pole. That's a round 20 for Ibañez.
»» TIGERS 1, MARINERS 1
Richie Sexson fouled the first pitch and it went off of Rodriguez' left knee behind the plate, necessitating a visit from the trainer. Sexson worked a 1-2 count full before bouncing to Shelton on the right side (3-1 putout). Carl Everett got ahead 2-0 but was horribly fooled, whiffing on a slow curve down and away. Kenji Johjima fell behind 0-2 and bounced a 2-2 pitch to short. Miner threw 19 pitches and had 32 through two.
TOP 3RD
Polanco lined out to left on the first pitch. Rodriguez took a 2-0 pitch and saw it fly to the backstop. Rodriguez walked on four pitches. Ordoñez grounded to short, but Betancourt bobbled it (error), but flipped to second thinking he'd get that out (looked like he did), but Rodriguez was called safe at second. Guillen shot the first pitch up the middle where Betancourt stopped it a bit, but it rolled into center for a single, scoring Rodriguez and moving Ordoñez to third.
«« TIGERS 2, MARINERS 1
Monroe grounded the second pitch deep into the hole on the right side, where Lopez threw to second to start a 4-6-3 double play. Lopez had to make a pretty long throw to start the twin killing. Washburn threw 11 pitches and had 54 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Willie Bloomquist chopped to a charging Inge at third. Yuniesky Betancourt whiffed on a full-count pitch down and away. Ichiro worked a 1-2 count full and served a ball barely foul down the leftfield line that would have been a double. Ichiro walked on the next pitch, down and in. Beltre got ahead 3-1 but ended up foul-tipping a low pitch over the inside corner into Rodriguez' glove behind the plate. Miner threw 26 pitches and had 58 through three.
TOP 4TH
Thames bounced a 2-2 pitch to third. Shelton rode the first pitch to deep center, where it was apparent Bloomquist had trouble with it right away, turnning and getting too far to one side as the ball went off the end of his glove and off the track as Shelton ended up on third with a triple. There's no doubt in my mind that Jeremy Reed has that ball cleanly, but that'd be crying over spilled milk at this point. Inge fell behind 0-2 and ended up whiffing on a 2-2 fastball up and away. Infante popped the 0-2 pitch to Sexson in foul ground in front of the first-base dugout. Washburn threw 15 pitches and had 69 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Lopez bounced an 0-2 pitch to the left side past Inge, but Guillen was backing up and made the backhand stop and hard throw to first to get Lopez. Ibañez roped a base hit into leftcenter that ended up being a double once Thames bobbled it, but it still went as a double. Sexson fouled off two pitches and whiffed on the third, a slider down and away that probably caught the corner. Everett whiffed on a 3-0 change before walking on the next pitch down and away. Johjima tapped a 3-1 pitch right back to the mound. Miner threw 19 pitches and had 77 through four.
TOP 5TH
Polanco got ahead 3-1 and walked on a full-count pitch up and away and to the backstop. Rodriguez slapped the second pitch into rightfield for a single, mvoing Polanco to second. Ordoñez popped the second pitch high to center and Bloomquist threw to third to try to catch Polanco tagging and going to third, and Polanco did get his left foot to the bag barely in time. Hargrove came out and had some words with third-base umpire Tim Tschida. Guillen popped foul to Johjima in front of the first-base dugout. Monroe flew out to Everett near the rightfield corner on the first pitch. Washburn threw 14 pitches and had 83 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Bloomquist worked an 0-2 count full before lining out to center, the first flyout recorded in the game by Miner. Betancourt dumped a 1-2 pitch into left for a single, but Thames, who at this point is a zoo with the glove, had it go past him and to the wall and Betancourt got to third (ruled a single and a two-base error). Ichiro whiffed badly on a low 1-2 breaking ball that Ichiro thought he fouled, and then Ichiro argued with plate umpire Ted Barrett. Hargrove came out to argue as well, and the umpiring crew ended up conferring, but the call stood and Hargrove walked back to the dugout. Ichiro stood and glared at Barrett for a while, and Barrett glared back until Ichiro finally walked back to the dugout, and I'm kinda surprised Barrett didn't run him from the game. Beltre walked on four pitches. Detroit manager Jim Leyland came to the mound for a visit. Lopez rolled an 0-2 pitch to third for a 5-4 force at second on Beltre. Boos hailed down from the crowd.
Miner's line: 5 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, 100 pitches (59 strikes)
TOP 6TH
Thames fell behind 0-2 count full before whiffing on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. Shelton dumped a 1-2 pitch into shallow center, but Bloomquist dove headfirst and made the catch. Inge flew out to deep center on a 3-1 pitch.
Washburn's line: 6 inning, 2 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, 102 pitches (66 strikes)
BOTTOM 6TH
Jamie Walker came in for Miner. Ibañez fell behind 0-2 and was ruled to have fouled a 2-2 breaking ball down and away into Rodriguez' glove as opposed to a checkswing, called ball, and a full count. Ibañez couldn't believe the call and Hargrove came out and was tossed in a close face-to-face argument with plate umpire Barrett. Not a bad ejection effort by Hargrove, probably the best thing he's done in months. Sexson popped the first pitch to Ordoñez in shallow right. Everett whiffed on a 2-2 pitch.
Walker's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 12 pitches (8 strikes)
TOP 7TH
Rafael Soriano came in for Washburn. Infante whiffed on a 1-2 slider. Polanco rode a highish 1-2 pitch to the wall in center for a double, but he tried to stretch it into a triple, and the relay to third beat him by a few feet. Rodriguez bounced the second pitch to short. Soriano threw ten pitches.
BOTTOM 7TH
Jason Grilli came in for Walker, Alexis Gomez came in to play left for Thames, and Curtis Granderson came in to play center for Infante. Johjima bounced the first pitch to third. Bloomquist bounced out to second. Betancourt lined the second pitch into left for a single. Rodriguez came to the mound for a visit to stall, then Leyland came to the mound.
Wilfredo Ledezma came in for Grilli. Ichiro bounced an 0-2 pitch through the middle for a single, snapping an 0-for-14 funk and moving Betancourt to second.
Fernando Rodney came in for Ledezma. Beltre threw a 1-2 pitch way outside and to the backstop, moving Betancourt and Ichiro to third and second. Beltre whiffed on the next pitch, a 2-2 breaking ball down and in. Rodney threw five pitches.
Grilli's line: 2/3 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 6 pitches (5 strikes)
Ledezma's line: 0 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 3 pitches (3 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Ordoñez rolled the first pitch to short. Guillen singled through the right side. Monroe popped the second pitch high to Lopez behind second and in shallow center. Granderson had the hitters' counts and walked on the 3-1 pitch, moving Guillen to second.
JJ Putz came in for Soriano. Shelton bounced a 3-1 pitch up the middle to Lopez, who tagged Granderson as he went by. Putz threw five pitches.
Soriano's line: 1 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 21 pitches (14 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Lopez ripped the first pitch into left for a single that was nicely cut off from the corner by Gomez. Ibañez reached a bit and popped the first pitch to right as Lopez held. Sexson popped to Polanco running just past the rightfield line. Everett popped the second pitch high to third.
Rodney's line: 1 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 12 pitches (9 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Inge tapped the second pitch back to the mound, where it hit Putz on the leg and bounced away, but Putz didn't find it right away. He found the ball between first base and the mound and quickly got to it and tossed barely in time to first. Gomez fouled off four straight 2-2 pitches before whiffing on the fifth, a low splitter. Polanco flew out to Everett in shallow right on the first pitch.
Putz' line: 1 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 17 pitches (11 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Todd Jones came in for Rodney. Johjima jumped on the second pitch, but didn't get enough of it and flew out to left. Roberto Petagine, hitting for Bloomquist, drove a 1-2 pitch to Granderson on the track in center. Betancourt got a bit too much under the second pitch, flying out high to Gomez on the track in left.
Jones' line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 8 pitches (6 strikes)
---
Gameball: JJ Putz.
It wasn't a save opportunity for him tonight, but this isn't just about giving him the gameball, it's about reflecting on what he's done this season. He has stepped in as the closer and done so well, it made it that much easier to give Eddie Guardado the change of scenery that he so badly needed. The highlight of his season so far has undoubtedly been the strikeout of Barry Bonds to end the game against the Giants at the Safe last month. My, how the splitter can split! About the only question that has arisen from Putz taking over the closer role is who takes over Putz' old role, the eighth inning. For now, I'll guess that's more Rafael Soriano than anyone else. Julio Mateo's faltering of late raises more questions about the middle relief situation of the bullpen as well. All in all, we're nearing the All-Star break and JJ Putz is the most stable member of the bullpen for your Seattle Mariners. The closer role is solid, but some of the younger arms are going to have to fit into some roles here. No doubt about it, it's a bullpen in transition.
Goat: Kenji Johjima.
Afterward I found that the Mariners were letting him leave for Japan a day early so he could see his third child that was just delivered, so congratulations to him. Still, I hate to see a good goat entry go to waste, so it proceeds as planned... The seatwarmer for Jeff Clement has been a pretty solid hitter for the Mariners this season. Like quite a few of the Mariner hitters, he had a great month of June. He hit .345 with eight doubles, a triple, five homers, and 16 RBIs. He had a .382 on-base percentage and slugged .643. With the team-wide collapse so far this month, Johjima's hitting has gone by the wayside as well. Johjima is 3-for-20 for the month, good for a .150 average. He has exactly zero extra-base hits among his three hits, and he hasn't driven in a run this month. Of course, the Mariners as a whole have only scored 20 runs this month while the opposition has scored 44. The Mariners have played seven games this month, so they're getting outscored by an average of about 6-3 every game. Referring to a stat in the very first paragraph, the Mariners' opposition has scored the first run in seven of the last eight games. That's not a good way to spur up the crowd during a homestand. I'm so hung up about the team's performance that I don't feel like hammering on Johjima for his eighth passed ball this year or how Felix Hernandez usually sucks with him behind the plate.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 64-24 .727 -- W2
2003 56-32 .636 8 W1
2002 55-33 .625 9 W1
2000 52-36 .591 12 W1
2006 42-46 .477 22 L6
2005 39-49 .443 25 L1
2004 33-55 .375 31 L1
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 57-for-149 (.383), 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 17 walks, 14 strikeouts
Beltre 43-for-145 (.297), 13 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 21 RBIs, 13 walks, 26 strikeouts
Lopez 37-for-136 (.272), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 18 RBIs, 7 walks, 19 strikeouts
Ibañez 42-for-128 (.328), 7 doubles, 1 triple, 12 homers, 38 RBIs, 16 walks, 23 strikeouts
Sexson 32-for-133 (.241), 5 doubles, 10 homers, 32 RBIs, 13 walks, 30 strikeouts
Everett 18-for-92 (.196), 1 double, 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 7 walks, 23 strikeouts
Johjima 35-for-113 (.310), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Choo 1-for-11 (.091), 1 double, 4 strikeouts
Betancourt 34-for-121 (.281), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 14 strikeouts
Robertson. Meche. Today.
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