Saturday, April 08, 2006
GAME 78: CANUCKS 3, FLAMES 2 (OT)
Canucks 3, Flames 2 (OT)
[initial partial post]
The Canucks were in dire circumstances. They had five games remaining, all against teams either assured of a playoff spot or in the hunt for one. Most accounts say the Canucks need to win four of these five remaining games to get in. Before a home game against Anaheim, a home game then a road game against San Jose, followed by a final home game against Colorado, the Canucks first had to host Calgary and beat them. That's never an easy task these days. One thing the Canucks did have going for them was the return of defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who had played in only two games since New Year's Eve and who'd had abdominal surgery. Jovo has missed 38 games this season.
1st period
»» 1, VANCOUVER, powerplay, Brendan Morrison 17 (Todd Bertuzzi, Markus Naslund) 5:28
»» 2, VANCOUVER, powerplay, Mattias Ohlund 12 (unassisted) 18:59
2nd period
none
3rd period
»» 3, CALGARY, powerplay, Mark Giordano 1 (Jamie Lundmark, Tony Amonte) 10:06
»» 4, CALGARY, Byron Ritchie 3 (Daymond Langkow, Jarome Iginla) 12:09
overtime
»» 5, VANCOUVER, Ed Jovanovski 7 (Naslund, Morrison) 2:27
Three stars -- (1) Calgary's Jarome Iginla, (2) Ohlund, (3) Jovanovski
skater, goals-assists-points
Morrison 1-1-2
Naslund 0-2-2
Jovanovski 1-0-1
Ohlund 1-0-1
Bertuzzi 0-1-1
The necessary win leaves the Canucks with a record of 41-30-7 (4-4 shootout, three overtime losses), good for 89 points. The Canucks have dug themselves down so far that they can't be picky about where they want to be seeded should they make the playoffs. They just to make the playoffs period. The fact that Colorado and Anaheim won and that Calgary got a single point out of this game (and clinched a playoff spot with it) is irrelevant. The Canucks needed two points, and they went out and got the two points. As of now, the Canucks are tied with San Jose for eighth in the West, but the Sharks have two games in hand. The two teams square off in a home-and-home on Wednesday and Thursday. With only eight possible points left to get, the Northwest Division title is out of the question since the Flames now have 98 points, as are Nashville, who is fourth in the West with the same amount of points. Anaheim is fifth in the West and five points up on Vancouver with a game in hand. Colorado is three up on Vancouver in sixth in the West with a game in hand. Edmonton is two points up on Vancouver with no games in hand and is seventh in the West.
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GAME 5: ATHLETICS 5, MARINERS 0
In 25 words or less: Somehow the Mariner arms walked eleven batters and the game still only lasted two hours and thirty-six minutes.
This game featured Joe Blanton going up against Felix Hernandez, a day before the 20th birthday of the latter. Though we'll always be looking forward to any game involving Felix this season, he had not thrown in game action in 14 days. In addition, his stamina wouldn't be midsummer form or anything since it's the beginning of the season, but more so since he had to stop running a while to rest off the shin splints. How would Felix do in the first game After Shin Splints (ASS)?
What's hilarious is that if you go back into the archived MLB.tv feed, you get the Houston Rockets/Golden State Warriors game on FSN Bay Area until the 1:21:53 mark of the feed.
TOP 1ST
Mark Kotsay got ahead 3-0 and walked on five pitches. Mark Ellis took two strikes, fouled one off, then singled into leftfield, advancing Kotsay to second. Eric Chavez fell behind 0-2 and whiffed on a 2-2 curveball down and in for Hernandez' first strikeout of the season. Frank Thomas got ahead 2-0 and whiffed on a very low full-count breaking ball. Milton Bradley had the hitters' counts and rolled the 3-1 pitch out to second. Hernandez threw 25 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro grounded out to second. Willie Bloomquist got ahead 2-0 but later took strike three on a pitch he thought was down and in. Raul Ibañez got behind 0-2 and later whiffed on a full-count breaking ball in the dirt. Blanton threw 17 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Dan Johnson popped foul to Beltre in foul ground along the leftfield line. Antonio Perez had the hitters' counts and ended up holding his swing on a low pitch (full count). Jason Kendall bounced a 2-2 pitch to the left side, where Betancourt charged a bit, but it was a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play. Hernandez threw 14 pitches and had 39 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Richie Sexson reached and popped high to Bradley in rightfield. Adrian Beltre put the ball off the end of the bat and flew out to shallow leftfield on a 2-2 pitch. Carl Everett popped a 2-0 pitch high to Bradley among a cluster of three A's in foul ground near the seats in rightfield. Blanton threw 12 pitches and had 29 through two.
TOP 3RD
Nick Swisher hit a healthy fly ball to Ichiro on the first pitch. Kotsay bounced out to Sexson for a 3-1 putout. Ellis worked a 1-2 count full before rolling out to short on a full count. Hernandez threw 11 pitches and had 50 through two.
BOTTOM 3RD
Kenji Johjima popped out high to Swisher in shallow left. Jeremy Reed rolled a ball through the hole on the right side for a single. After Blanton made a few pickoff attempts to first, Yuniesky Betancourt rolled a 1-2 pitch softly into a 6-4-3 double play. Blanton threw 11 pitches and had 40 through three.
TOP 4TH
Chavez bounced a 3-1 pitch to the right side, where Hernandez came off the mound and underhanded to first. Thomas grounded an 0-2 pitch hard to third. Bradley fell behind 0-2, took a 1-2 change barely off the plate (umpire opinion), then later walked on a full-count pitch barely inside and low on the twelfth pitch of the at-bat. Johnson bounced a 3-1 pitch to Bloomquist on the rightfield grass. Hernandez threw 26 pitches and had 76 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Ichiro reached high and flew out to Ellis drifting backward into shallow centerfield. Bloomquist was ahead 2-0 and later popped high to Johnson on the infield grass. Ibañez bounced the 1-2 pitch into the hole on the left side, where Perez backhanded the ball but didn't glove the ball cleanly (scored as a hit). Sexson whiffed on a 2-2 slider about six inches off the plate. Blanton threw 18 pitches and had 58 through four.
TOP 5TH
Perez took a lethal 1-2 curve for strike three. Kendall got the hitters' counts and walked on a 3-1 pitch up and away. Swisher flew out to Beltre near the stands in foul ground down the leftfield line. Pitching coach Rafael Chaves visited the mound. Kotsay drove the second pitch into the gap and to the wall in rightcenter for a double, scoring Kendall.
»» ATHLETICS 1, MARINERS 0
Ellis fell behind 0-2 and later took a 1-2 pitch to the back elbow, though he looked like he dove into it. With 96 pitches already in the book, Hernandez was left in to face Chavez, who took a sick curve for strike three. Hernandez threw 23 pitches and had 99 through five (something obviously changed with the MLB.com statcounters or something, who ended up giving him 100 total pitches).
Hernandez' line: 5 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts, 100 pitches (56 strikes)
BOTTOM 5TH
Beltre popped high to Johnson in foul ground near the plate. Everett whiffed at a high 0-2 pitch. Johjima popped a healthy 0-2 fly ball to Bradley in fairly deep rightfield. Blanton threw eight pitches and had 66 through five.
TOP 6TH
Julio Mateo came in for Hernandez. Thomas took a high 3-1 pitch for a walk. Bradley walked on four pitches, moving Thomas to second and bringing Chaves out to the mound for a chat. Johnson got ahead 3-1 and ended up flying out to Ichiro running toward shallow centerfield as the runners held. Perez whiffed on the 1-2 pitch in the dirt, but it got away from Johjima as the runners moved up to second and third. Kendall had a 3-0 count go full before holding his swing on a low full-count pitch to load the bases. Swisher doubled off the wall in centerfield to score Thomas. Oddly, Bradley missed the bag coming around third and suddenly two runners were at third base. The relay came in and Bradley was hung up and tagged between third base and the plate. Mateo threw 25 pitches.
»» ATHLETICS 2, MARINERS 0
BOTTOM 6TH
Marco Scutaro came in at shortstop for Perez. Reed popped the 1-1 pitch along the stands in foul ground down the leftfield line, but Chavez couldn't catch it. Reed rolled into a 3-1 putout on the next pitch. Betancourt flew out to fairly deep centerfield. Ichiro bounced out to second on the first pitch. Not sure why the Mariners kept swinging early in the count at this stage...guess they wanted Blanton to stay in the game longer. Blanton threw eight pitches and had 74 through six.
TOP 7TH
Kotsay took Ibañez just short of the warning track in leftfield. Ellis popped a 1-2 pitch lazily to rightfield. Chavez splintered his bat on a nubber to Mateo, who had the ball go off of him and toward first, but he shoveled it over in time. Mateo threw 12 pitches and had 37 total.
BOTTOM 7TH
Bloomquist fell behind 0-2 and took a 1-2 pitch for strike three. Ibañez broke his bat on the second pitch, a low popup to Chavez on the left side. Sexson took two strikes and whiffed for the third. Blanton threw 10 pitches and had 84 through seven.
TOP 8TH
Thomas got ahead 2-0 and later popped high to Betancourt in shallow leftfield. Bradley walked on a full-count pitch up and outside. On the second pitch to Johnson, Bradley took off for second and Johjima's throw tailed into the runner and sailed away into the outfield, enabling Bradley to scoot to third. Already with a 2-0 count, Johnson was intentionally walked. Chaves visited the mound again as manager Mike Hargrove got onto the bullpen phone. Scutaro drove a 1-2 pitch into the gap to break the game open with a triple to the wall in the rightcenter gap to score Bradley and Johnson.
»» ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 0
Kendall was intentionally walked.
George Sherrill came in for Mateo. Swisher fell behind 0-2 and whiffed on a 1-2 fastball. Kotsay dumped the first pitch into shallow rightfield for a single, scoring Scutaro and moving Kendall to second.
»» ATHLETICS 5, MARINERS 0
Ellis walked on four pitches. Chavez took a 2-2 fastball over the outside corner. Sherrill threw 14 pitches.
Mateo's line: 2 1/3 innings, 4 runs, 2 hits, 6 walks, 1 strikeout, 59 pitches (24 strikes)
Sherrill's line: 2/3 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 14 pitches (7 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Beltre worked a 1-2 count for a walk. Everett grounded the first pitch to second for what looked like the beginning of a 4-6-3 double play. Scutaro's throw from second base was blocked by Beltre's raised arm, but the second-base umpire ruled Beltre out of the baseline. Beltre was ruled out by the force play, and Everett was ruled out on the interference. Beltre's arm, if extended, would have been able to touch second base. Johjima bounced to a charging Scutaro. Blanton threw 14 pitches and had 98 through eight.
Blanton's line: 8 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, 98 pitches (68 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Jeff Harris came in for Sherrill. Jose Lopez came in for Beltre, whose hand was affected by the Scutaro blocked throw to first base on the double play from the last half-inning. Bloomquist moved to third and Lopez took second. Thomas popped the first pitch high to Sexson. Bradley fell behind 0-2 and worked the count full before grounding to Bloomquist on the left side. Johnson flew out on a full count to Reed a few steps in front of the track in centerfield.
Harris' line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Justin Duchscherer came in for Blanton. Reed took a 1-2 breaking ball over the outside corner. Betancourt bounced the second pitch back to the mound, which made for an easy play for Duchscherer. Ichiro whiffed at a low 1-2 breaking ball.
Duchscherer's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 10 pitches (8 strikes)
---
Gameball: Jeff Harris.
Hooray for the only Mariner pitcher today that didn't walk anybody. I know pitching with your team down five runs in the ninth with your 8-9-1 hitters due to the plate isn't exactly a pressure situation, but after what we'd seen from the previous Mariner pitchers in the game, all he had to do was put the ball over the plate with some regularity and maybe something would happen, be it homers or outs. Of course, if you start walking people, you're not giving yourself or the defense a chance to get any outs.
Goat: Julio Mateo.
I know it was Felix Hernandez that set the tone with all the walks, but Julio Mateo's been throwing with this team for a while at this level, and to see him get seven outs and walk six hitters is nearly unfathomable. The good news is that I think we can reasonably expect him to never do that again for the rest of the year. We've seen Julio Mateo do some great things in long and middle relief in a Mariner uniform, and I think he'll continue to do just that. It might take him a few more appearances, but I don't think we have to worry here.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 4-1 .800 -- W3
2000 3-2 .600 1 L1
2002 3-2 .600 1 L1
2006 3-2 .600 1 L1
2003 2-3 .400 2 L1
2005 2-3 .400 2 L1
2004 0-5 .000 4 L5
Felix seemingly set the tone for the game by walking four batters, which from last year we know isn't very Felix-like. Thus, at that point it was pretty easy to suspect the shin splints or the layoff right away as a cause to the lack of control. It's still a bit shocking, though, to see that despite the four walks, only two Oakland hitters managed to collect hits against him. He faced 21 batters. The first hit against him was a Mark Ellis single in the first that followed a walk, and the Mark Kotsay RBI double which drove in a walk and which I thought would drive Felix from the game. Simple math says two divided by 21 would make for a very small batting average (.095). The best inning for Felix was the third, a 1-2-3 inning in which he got three groundouts on 11 pitches. He walked a batter in each of his four other innings. He got a double-play ball behind him in the second, his second-easiest inning. In the first, he let the first two batters aboard, then got back-to-back whiffs from Eric Chavez and Frank Thomas followed by a Milton Bradley groundout. Bradley ended up doing the most damage to Felix's pitch count with his 12-pitch at-bat that ended in a walk in the fourth. His final walk came around to score in the fifth on the Kotsay double. The next hitter was Mark Ellis, who Felix beaned on a 1-2 count. Again, not very Felix-like. Neither were the nine three-ball counts Felix got into.
Talk about a walk party, though. Shin splints and Adrian Beltre coming out of the game aside, that was still a very tough game to watch. Felix had four walks attached to his name, but to see Julio Mateo walk six was a bit much, and Mateo already got his own paragraph. That leaves George Sherrill, who walked one batter in finishing out the eighth inning. Aside from letting one of Mateo's runners score, Sherrill wasn't horrible. He did get Chavez looking to end that inning. Of course, that Kotsay single effectively ended the game. The Scutaro triple earlier in the inning put the game out of doubt, but the Kotsay single ended it and paved the way for Jeff Harris to do his thing in the ninth with little to no pressure. Back to walks, though, they're not good. Aside from not giving the defense a chance to make outs, another byproduct is that your defense is just standing around. That's only good if a Felix-type pitcher (or the guy we thought Gil Meche would one day be) is busy striking out 12 batters a game or something. This brings to mind a hockey analogy -- you don't want your goalie to be in the game for a long time without facing a shot. If he doesn't face the first shot until fifteen minutes have come off the clock, you're probably going to be pretty nervous watching him face the shot than if he gets tested early and sharpens as the game goes on. Granted, defense in baseball is way different with nine guys fielding the object of play rather than one (you can't grab the baseball on defense and rush to the offensive end with the same baseball), but I think I had a point there somewhere.
The story on the other side, of course, was Joe Blanton rendering the Mariner offense quite Blandon. A Jeremy Reed single in the third and a Raul Ibañez infield hit in the fourth were the only two hits he gave up before he rolled until he didn't come out for the ninth. He set down ten straight Mariner hitters after the Ibañez hit. The last 13 hitters he faced went hitless. Eighteen of the 25 Mariners faced by Blanton saw first-pitch strikes or swung at the first pitch. As the innings went on, the Mariners decided since Blanton was getting the first-pitch strikes, they shouldn't even try to work the count, so they started swinging early in the count, which I didn't necessarily agree with. I know Blanton was rolling, and his control was way better than that of Felix, but it could have been the difference between Blanton throwing seven innings instead of eight and getting into the Oakland a bit more. The whole early-count swinging mentality just reminds me of those games against Tim Hudson or Carlos Silva where the opposing pitcher would get into the eighth because the Mariners were swinging early and not getting anything to show for it.
Still, this leaves a split in the series with two more games against Oakland to close out the weekend.
Zito. Moyer. Tonight.
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Friday, April 07, 2006
GAME 4: MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 2
In 25 words or less: The jury's still out on Gil Meche, but I sure didn't think we'd be looking at a 3-1 team after four games.
This one featured new Oakland acquisition Esteban Loaiza going up against the much-maligned Gil Meche. The Mariners were fresh off a series win against the Angels. This game was the first of a four-game series against the rival Oakland A's. For the more fickle fan, this game was merely the game before the game that involves Felix Hernandez.
TOP 1ST
Marco Scutaro drove a 2-2 pitch into the gap in rightcenter, where Jeremy Reed dove for the ball and just missed, letting Scutaro aboard with a triple. Mark Kotsay fouled off four straight pitches before grounding off the mound and up the middle to Yuniesky Betancourt, who threw in time to first as Scutaro scored.
»» ATHLETICS 1, MARINERS 0
Mark Ellis whiffed on a 2-2 low breaking ball. Eric Chavez bounced a full-count double into the rightfield corner. Dan Johnson popped a high 2-2 pitch up to Yuniesky Betancourt on the outfield grass. Meche threw 31 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro slapped a high 2-2 pitch into leftcenter for a single. Then the graphics came back when Jose Lopez was up, but they switched to FSN Bay Area feed. Lopez whiffed over a 2-2 offspeed pitch down and in. Raul Ibañez watched Ichiro nab second base on the 2-0 pitch. Ibañez ended up bounced out to second on a full count, moving Ichiro to third. Richie Sexson bounced the first pitch to short. Loaiza threw 19 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Milton Bradley was punched out on a 2-2 pitch that he thought was inside. Jay Payton popped the second pitch to Lopez on the rightfield grass. Nick Swisher whiffed on a 2-2 pitch low and away. Meche threw 14 pitches and had 45 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Adrian Beltre drilled a single into leftfield on the tenth pitch of his at-bat when Loaiza dropped down sidearmed. Carl Everett golfed a 1-2 pitch about twelve rows into the rightfield seats for his first homer as a Mariner. Truly dinosauric. Beltre scored on the play, of course.
»» MARINERS 2, ATHLETICS 1
Kenji Johjima popped a full-count pitch to Bradley a few strides short of the rightfield warning track. Jeremy Reed stroked a pitch into the rightcenter gap, where Kotsay took a weird banana route to the ball, and it rolled to the wall. Reed had a stand-up triple out of it. Yuniesky Betancourt blew a squeeze bunt on the 2-1 pitch, fouling off the low-and-away pitch. Betancourt smacked the next pitch into leftfield for a single, easily scoring Reed.
»» MARINERS 3, ATHLETICS 1
Ichiro lasered a ball right into the glove of Bradley in rightfield, and Betancourt held at first. Betancourt nabbed second base on the first pitch to Lopez, who rolled the 0-2 pitch to second. Loaiza threw 35 pitches and had 54 through two.
TOP 3RD
Adam Melhuse poked a single up the middle past a diving Betancourt. Marco Scutaro fell behind 0-2, took 1-2 and 2-2 pitches that should have been strike three, then eventually walked on a low pitch. Kotsay whiffed on a 1-2 pitch that had a good deal of lateral movement (two-seamer, probably). Ellis popped out high to Lopez in shallow centerfield. Chavez had both hitters' counts before walking on a low 3-1 pitch to load the bases. Johnson scooted a 1-2 pitch to Lopez, who briefly bobbled the ball but had more than enough time to get Johnson at first and end the threat. Meche threw 27 pitches and had 72 pitches through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Ibañez smoked a 1-2 pitch into the rightcenter gap which rolled to the wall. Ibañez rounded second and headed for third and got the triple, which probably wasn't the right call since the relay and the tag looked to have had Ibañez beat. Sexson was ahead 3-0 and took a 3-1 pitch low and away for the walk. Beltre was ahead 2-0 and wound up grounding into a 5-4-3 double play, scoring Ibañez (no RBI, of course).
»» MARINERS 4, ATHLETICS 1
Everett got the hitters' counts and walked on a 3-1 pitch. Johjima creamed a high second pitch into leftfield for a single, moving Everett to second. Reed popped a 2-0 pitch to centerfield. Loaiza threw 22 pitches and had 76 through three.
TOP 4TH
Bradley popped out high to Betancourt in shallow centerfield. Payton failed to hold up on an 0-2 pitch outside and took a seat. Swisher whiffed over a full-count pitch inside. Meche threw 12 pitches and had 84 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Betancourt took three balls followed by two strikes before flying out to left. Ichiro popped the second pitch to left. Lopez flew out to Kotsay in centerfield on the second pitch. Loaiza threw eight pitches and had 84 through four.
TOP 5TH
Melhuse popped the first pitch high to Ichiro on the warning track. Scutaro popped a full-count pitch and took Ibañez to the leftfield wall, where he made the catch. Kotsay popped the first pitch to Ibañez as Meche had set down seven straight hitters. Meche threw eight pitches and had 92 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Ibañez banged the second pitch down the rightfield line for a double. Sexson grounded the first pitch hard to third as Ibañez held. Beltre drove the ball to Kotsay on the centerfield track and Ibañez moved to third. Everett was intentionally walked. Johjima stuck the first pitch through the hole on the left side for a single, scoring Ibañez and moving Everett to second.
»» MARINERS 5, ATHLETICS 1
Brad Halsey came in for Loaiza. Reed bounced out to second to end the threat.
Loaiza's line: 4 2/3 innings, 5 runs, 9 hits, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, 98 pitches (57 strikes)
TOP 6TH
Ellis had a 3-0 count go full before bouncing out to short. Chavez blasted the 2-0 waist-high fastball to the back few rows of the rightfield seats. He had to do it sometime. He always does.
»» MARINERS 5, ATHLETICS 2
Jake Woods came in for Meche. Johnson roped the full-count pitch toward the first-base line, but Sexson dove and gloved the line drive. Bradley popped the 3-1 pitch high to Sexson in foul ground on the right side. Woods threw 11 pitches.
Meche's line: 5 1/3 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts, 101 pitches (61 strikes)
BOTTOM 6TH
Betancourt popped the second pitch high to Ellis near the mound. Ichiro was jammed on the second pitch, but fisted a dribbler toward Ellis, who couldn't throw in time to beat Ichiro. Lopez grounded the 1-2 pitch softly to Scutaro on the left side, who had no chance at Lopez but tried to throw across anyway and was horribly late (Ichiro moved to second). Ibañez floated the second pitch to leftfield and had Swisher drifting back, who made the catch.
Kiko Calero came in for Halsey. Sexson put the first pitch through the hole on the left side, scoring Ichiro and moving Lopez to second.
»» MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 2
Beltre popped the second pitch to rightfield.
Halsey's line: 1 inning, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 13 pitches (9 strikes)
TOP 7TH
Payton grounded to the left-side hole, but Betancourt plugged up the hole nicely and made the play. Swisher whiffed on a 2-2 pitch about a foot high and a foot outside. Melhuse dribbled the 1-2 pitch into centerfield for a single. Scutaro walked on four pitches. Kotsay sliced the first pitch into shallow leftcenter, where Reed called off Ibañez and made the catch.
BOTTOM 7TH
Everett fell behind 0-2 and badly whiffed over a 2-2 pitch over the inner half. Johjima popped the first pitch high to rightfield. Reed took a four-pitch walk. Betancourt didn't take a pitch as Reed was blatantly picked off of first.
Calero's line: 1 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 13 pitches (6 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Ellis was up 2-0 but flew out on a full count to leftfield. Chavez walked on four pitches. Johnson reached on a 1-2 pitch and rolled it to the right side, where Lopez made the 4-6 putout, which Betancourt dropped on the transfer, nullifying a double play chance. Bradley mashed a 3-1 pitch into the stands in the leftfield corner, and someone got hit. He laid off a low pitch for a walk.
JJ Putz came in for Woods. Payton grounded the second pitch to second.
Woods' line: 2 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, 48 pitches (22 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Jay Witasick came in for Calero. Betancourt drilled a 2-2 pitch through the left side for a single. Ichiro pounded the 2-0 pitch right back to Witasick, who put his glove up in self-defense and came up with the ball, then threw to first to finish off the double play. Lopez took a 3-1 pitch low, outside, and to the backstop for a walk. Ibañez whiffed on a 2-0 breaking ball and later whiffed on a 2-2 pitch.
Witasick's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 21 pitches (11 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Swisher got ahead 2-0 and later whiffed on a full count, the fourth whiffer for him in the game. Melhuse whiffed on some high 2-2 gas. Scutaro whiffed on some 2-2 heat down and in as Putz struck out the side for the save.
Putz' line: 1 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts, 19 pitches (11 strikes)
---
Gameball: Yuniesky Betancourt.
On a night where every Mariner hitter collected at least one hit, Yuniesky Betancourt got a couple of hits out of the ninth slot in the order. He made a good play or two, as he often does, with his only misstep being the bobbled transfer on what could have been a double-play ball. Still, he delivered an RBI single that brought home Jeremy Reed in the second inning to make it 3-1 for the Mariners. Reed had gotten aboard with a triple before Betancourt, making somewhat of a mini-rally in the same inning where Carl Everett had homered to give the Mariners their first lead of the game. It was a bit of add-on in the same inning after getting the lead. The point is, any time the Mariners can get a multi-hit game from whoever's the number nine hitter in the lineup, that's almost cause for celebration -- how many times in the recent past have we seen tonight's kind of contribution from a number-nine hitter? Pretty much never. Will Betancourt pan out as a .290 hitter or something? Probably not. But what I do know is that we're not having to watch Wilson Valdez going out to the plate on a daily basis.
Goat: Gil Meche.
It was quite hilarious to me when I read the wire article to this game an hour or so after it was over with, calling this outing by Meche a "strong outing." Are you kidding me? It was a miracle he got out of the first inning having only given up the one run. His start reminded me of some of the starts Freddy Garcia would put up in April before he warmed up with the weather. He threw 72 pitches in three innings, for goodness' sake. For all the stuff in spring training we heard about him maybe gaining some confidence in his stuff and the two-seamer addition and everything, he still looked very much like a work in progress out there. I guess the question is whether you're satisfied with all those pitches being thrown in the span of five or so innings if it's coming out of your fourth starter. Do you take this outing every time out if you know it's coming from your fourth starter?
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2000 3-1 .750 -- W3
2001 3-1 .750 -- W2
2002 3-1 .750 -- W3
2006 3-1 .750 -- W3
2003 2-2 .500 1 W2
2005 2-2 .500 1 W1
2004 0-4 .000 2 L4
Did you think this team would be 3-1 after four games? I know I thought maybe 2-2, but not a winning record. My goodness. It hasn't been scorching-hot baseball by any means, and I can hardly tell after just four games what kind of real identity this team has. Right now no one in the lineup is really slumping horribly, so that definitely helps. The starting pitching has been good to okay. The bullpen's been a bit sketchy, though JJ Putz threw all right in this game, which was a bit of a worry after his past couple appearances. The appearance by Eddie Guardado wasn't in a save situation, so we can only take so much from that, but that non-save appearance was truly Sasakiesque. George Sherrill got the save in the final game of the series against the Angels. Rafael Soriano has looked good, and it looks like he's got the pop back on his fastball.
Despite the fact of being quite enamored with the fact this team is 3-1, it's a bit tempered by the fact that Meche was pretty shaky. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't one-fifth of the starting rotation and everything, but he is, and let's just hope the shakiness doesn't carry itself too far forward. I just wish there was a way for him to be more efficient with his pitches. They need this guy getting into the seventh on a nightly basis, especially so if they're going to coddle Felix to the extent of which we've been hearing.
Four Mariners had multi-hit games in this one. Ichiro was 2-for-5, Raul Ibañez was 2-for-5, everybody's favorite catcher Kenji Johjima was 2-for-4, and the gameball pick Yuniesky Betancourt was 2-for-4. How many times have we been able to look at a Mariner boxscore the past few years and see that the 7-8-9 hitters combined to go 5-for-11 with a couple RBI in a game? This isn't to say it could happen every day for an entire summer, but if that happens on a semi-regular basis, we could be looking at some fun stuff in the coming months. I'm not getting my hopes too far up, since I know I've had them stomped on before, but I just want for once for things to be good for the Mariners again. I know it might be a lot to ask after the Seahawks did that whole Super Bowl thing last winter, but I need this baseball team to be relevant again.
I've only seen a couple of MLB.tv telecasts live this year, and I've seen the others on archive feed, but there have been a couple of broadcasts that have been free of on-screen graphics, and I just feel that since I paid for the season subscription and stuff to MLB.tv, could I at least have those graphics at my disposal? The feed for this game started with the Mariner feed, except with no graphics before they switched off to FSN Bay Area feed that did have graphics. I know there was a time before we had score constants on screens, but if I walk away from the screen for one second, I'd like to know what the count is. Especially for MLB.tv, if I'm scrolling back through the feed to see a certain play, I might need to know how many outs there were or what the count was when the play happened so I can get a better grip on what happened.
The Eric Chavez homer was so requisite it wasn't even funny. It had to happen at some point in the series. I guess since Ryan Franklin isn't around anymore, it had to be off of Meche. Hopefully he's gotten it out of his system.
You know who goes tomorrow. Cancel your evening plans and watch some baseball.
Blanton. Hernandez. Tonight.
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Thursday, April 06, 2006
2006 SEAHAWKS SCHEDULE
2006 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS SCHEDULE
Sun, Sept. 10 at Detroit (10:00 a.m., FOX)
---Two straight road games in Ford Field. Oh, and Jerome Bettis is from Detroit.
Sun, Sept. 17 ARIZONA (1:00 p.m., FOX)
---The NFC Championship banner will be raised before the so-called 2005 NFC West champs.
Sun, Sept. 24 NEW YORK GIANTS (1:00 p.m., FOX)
---What has happpened to Jay Feely? Seriously, why is this not a prime time game?
Sun, Oct. 1 at Chicago (5:15 p.m., NBC)
---First prime time game for the 'Hawks in 2006, but it is at Soldier Field. Of course it is.
Sun, Oct. 8 BYE (WEEK FIVE BYE, WHAT A BIG SURPRISE!)
Sun, Oct. 15 at St. Louis (10:00 a.m, FOX)
---No more Mike Martz.
Sun, Oct. 22 MINNESOTA (1:00 p.m., FOX)
---Steve Hutchinson will know how Luke Petitgout feels.
Sun, Oct. 29 at Kansas City (10:00 a.m., FOX)
---Hmm, does Jeremy have to make the I-70 trek from St. Louis to Kansas City? I'll be in St. Louis that week for a convention...
Mon., Nov. 6 OAKLAND (5:30 p.m., ESPN)
---Finally, a prime time game in Seattle! And it's against the Raiders! Wow.
Sun, Nov. 12 ST. LOUIS (1:00 p.m., FOX)
---I'm absolutely shocked the NFL didn't have the Seahawks go on the road here.
Sun, Nov. 19 at San Francisco (1:05 p.m., FOX)
---Julian Peterson makes his return to San Francisco.
Mon., Nov. 27 GREEN BAY (5:30 p.m., ESPN)
---Will Brett Favre be under center for the Packers in 2006? We shall see.
Sun., Dec. 3 at Denver (1:15 p.m., FOX)
---This will be the Seahawks' first trip to Denver since 2001.
Sun., Dec. 10 at Arizona (1:05 p.m., FOX)
---I'd love to see the Seahawks clinch the NFC West (again) in the Cardinals' new digs.
Thu., Dec. 14 SAN FRANCISCO (5:00 p.m., NFL Network)
---Why do I get the feeling that cable systems across America will have the NFL Network by September? Of course, that won't matter here in Arkansas, but I digress.
Sun. Dec. 24 SAN DIEGO (1:00 p.m., CBS)
---Tomlinson! Alexander! Only on CBS! Welcome home!
Sun., Dec. 31 at Tampa Bay (10:00 a.m., FOX)
---Wow, what a way to end the regular season. Here's hoping that the Seahawks already have their playoff spot clinched by New Year's Eve.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
So there you go, folks.
The Seahawks open up the 2006 season in Detroit, the home of the Lions and Jerome Bettis. Since the Steelers play the Dolphins on Sept. 7, I'm expecting the Lions to have The Bus be their special guest of honor. Why not? (Yes, I'm fully aware that Bettis will be working for NBC that night, since he's now with the Peacock Network. But that won't stop him from making himself the story in Detroit, again.)
The season can't start soon enough.
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GAME 3: MARINERS 6, ANGELS 4
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less:
This one featured new Angel and guy that should have been a Mariner back around 2002 or so Jeff Weaver going up against new Mariner and former Angel Jarrod Washburn.
TOP 1ST
Shortly after Steve Physioc mentioned Chone Figgins strikeout woes of last year, Washburn got ahead and got him to whiff. Orlando Cabrera reached outside to ground out to Betancourt in the hole on the right side, who made the play. Garret Anderson got the second pitch up in the zone and stroked it into centerfield for a single. Vladimir Guerrero took an 0-2 pitch barely off the outside corner before whiffing at the next pitch in nearly the same spot. Washburn threw 17 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro ripped Weaver's first pitch down the rightfield line and into the corner for a double. Jose Lopez chopped the first pitch deep into the hole on the left side, where Cabrera had no play at first, double-clutched, then threw to second where Ichiro hurried back. Raul Ibañez whiffed on a 1-2 pitch a few inches off the plate outside. Richie Sexson smacked a ball the other way off the word "Mutual" on the Washington Mutual advertisement on the rightfield fence. This scored Ichiro and Lopez.
»» MARINERS 2, ANGELS 0
Adrian Beltre took three balls, then two strikes before chopping a ball toward the mound which Weaver reached up and grabbed, then threw to Edgardo Alfonzo, who ran down Sexson heading back to second. Carl Everett watched as Beltre stole second thanks to a throw from Jeff Mathis that went over Cabrera and into centerfield; Beltre took third on the error. Everett took the next three pitches for a walk. Kenji Johjima grounded the second pitch hard to third for a 5-4 fielder's choice. Weaver threw 22 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Tim Salmon whiffed on a 1-2 fastball. Darin Erstad grounded a 2-0 pitch hard to second. Edgardo Alfonzo splintered his bat on a 2-2 pitch that rolled to short. Weaver threw 12 pitches.
BOTTOM 2ND
Joe Borchard laced a single into centerfield. Yuniesky Betancourt fell behind 0-2, ending up bouncing a pitch back to Weaver, who underhanded to first as Borchard moved to second. Ichiro put a charge into a 2-2 pitch, hitting it to fairly deep centerfield, but it was caught, and Borchard stayed put at second. Lopez hit a 2-2 broken-bat 'tweener that landed in shallow leftfield with Anderson and Cabrera giving chase. Lopez took the single and Borchard scored on the play.
»» MARINERS 3, ANGELS 0
Ibañez fell behind 0-2 and had the count 1-2 when Weaver picked Lopez off of first. Thank goodness for that, since Rex Hudler and Physioc were making factually questionable references to Ibañez. Hudler said that Ibañez came up with Kansas City, though Physioc did point out he was brought up as a catcher by Seattle. Then Physioc said Ibañez has been the starting leftfielder ever since signing in Seattle. Weaver threw 25 pitches.
TOP 3RD
Kotchman got ahead 2-0 and eventually reached to fist a ball toward the right side that Sexson elevated to spear. Jeff Mathis showed some 1-2 warning-track power to rightfield. Figgins bounced the first pitch right back to the mound. Washburn threw 13 pitches.
BOTTOM 3RD
Ibañez grounded the second pitch to the right side for a 3-1 putout. Sexson took an 0-2 pitch just above the left hip and took his base. Beltre punched a 1-2 single through the right side to move Sexson to second. Everett popped an 0-2 pitch high to centerfield. Johjima rolled the first pitch back to Weaver, who came off the mound to make the play. Weaver threw 14 pitches.
TOP 4TH
Cabrera popped the second pitch high to Lopez just on the outfield grass. Anderson rolled to the right side, where Lopez went quite a way to his right and tossed to Sexson. Guerrero flew out high to Sexson in front of the camera well on a 3-1 pitch. Washburn threw 12 pitches and had set down nine straight Angels.
BOTTOM 4TH
Borchard took a 1-2 pitch down the pipe about thigh high and then took a seat. Betancourt popped the second pitch high to centerfield. Ichiro fell behind 0-2 and ended up slicing a flyout to leftfield. Weaver threw 10 pitches.
TOP 5TH
Salmon clubbed the first pitch into the Mariner bullpen in leftcenter. I'm tired of Hudler's fishing references a long time ago.
»» MARINERS 3, ANGELS 1
Erstad scooted an 0-2 pitch up the middle which Lopez barehanded and threw over to first, but Erstad beat the throw by a stride. Alfonzo popped high into foul ground in rightfield, where Lopez ran over to make the catch. Kotchman sliced a single the other way into leftfield to move Erstad to second. Mathis fell behind 0-2 and later whiffed on a full count, and Erstad was dead meat at third as Johjima had him easily trying to steal. Washburn threw 17 pitches and had 71 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Lopez roped the first pitch the other way into the gap in rightcenter. Though the ball never reached the wall, it turns out the Angel outfield is slow. Lopez got a triple out of it. Ibañez took a 1-2 pitch barely inside before lasering a single through the right side to score Lopez.
»» MARINERS 4, ANGELS 1
Sexson got a bit under an 0-2 pitch, flying out high to leftcenter. Beltre took an 0-2 pitch way outside and in the dirt. Ibañez moved to second on the 0-2 wild pitch to Beltre, who later grounded out to short. Everett flew out high to leftfield on the first pitch. Weaver threw 14 pitches.
TOP 6TH
Figgins fell behind 0-2 and later foul-tipped a 1-2 fastball into Dan Wilson's glove. Cabrera bounced the second pitch hard along the third-base line, where he cut the ball off from being a double down the leftfield line. Beltre made the nice play and the nice throw to first. Anderson whiffed on a 1-2 pitch just above the dirt and near the outer half of the plate. Weaver threw 12 pitches.
BOTTOM 6TH
Johjima drove a single into leftfield. Borchard lined a ball into rightfield that Guerrero let drop, but then Guerrero gunned Johjima down at second as Cabrera tagged the bag. On the first pitch, Betancourt put something extra behind the ball, making Erstad drift back to nearly the track before catching it. On the first pitch to Ichiro, Borchard tried to nab second, but was nabbed by McDonald's anyway. Weaver threw 10 pitches.
TOP 7TH
Guerrero absolutely bashed a line-drive single that bounced off the leftfield wall. Salmon shot a double over Beltre's head and down the leftfield line, moving Guerrero to third. Erstad rolled the first pitch to short, where Betancourt took the sure out as Guerrero scored.
»» MARINERS 4, ANGELS 2
Alfonzo took three balls, then two strikes, then he bounced out to short as Salmon held at second. Kotchman whiffed at a 2-2 high offspeed pitch. Washburn threw 19 pitches and had 100 through seven.
Washburn's line: 7 innings, 2 runs, 6 hits, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts, 100 pitches (64 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Ichiro worked an 0-2 count for a walk. Lopez bounced a ball to a charging Cabrera in at short, who threw over to first in time. Ichiro moved over to second.
Brendan Donnelly came in for Weaver. Ibañez ripped the first pitch past Kotchman and into rightfield for a single to score Ichiro. Guerrero tried to get Ichiro at the plate even though he had no chance, enabling Ibañez to move to second.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 2
Sexson bounced the second pitch to a charging Alfonzo, who made the play just in time on the run, moving Ibañez to third. Beltre reached at an 0-2 pitch and rolled out to short. Donnelly threw six pitches.
Weaver's line: 6 1/3 innings, 5 runs, 9 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 104 pitches (72 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Julio Mateo came in for Washburn, and Jeremy Reed replaced Borchard in centerfield. Mathis popped the second pitch high to Betancourt near the mound. Figgins shot the second pitch past Lopez' backhand side and into centerfield for a single. Cabrera mashed the second pitch, hitting the facade of the upper deck in leftfield, scoring himself and Figgins.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 4
Anderson took three balls before the count went full. Anderson ended up whiffing over a low splitter before taking his seat. Guerrero got behind 0-2 before taking a 1-2 offering off the top of his helmet. Undaunted, Guerrero merely got up, shook off the cobwebs, and headed to first base. Salmon hit an 0-2 pitch for a hard line drive that Reed caught in centerfield.
Mateo's line: 1 inning, 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 22 pitches (17 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Everett fell behind 0-2 and eventually whiffed at a 2-2 fastball over the outer half. Johjima walked on four pitches. Reed dropped the second pitch perfectly inside the third-base foul line, and the Angels had no chance as Reed got aboard and Johjima went to second. Betancourt bounced a ball to the right side that Kotchman knocked down, but it got away from him. The ball went to Figgins, who barehanded and threw barely in time to get Betancourt as the runners advanced. Ichiro took four wide ones to load the bases. The second pitch to Lopez got away from Mathis, who didn't get his body in front of the ball that was low and away, enabling Johjima to score and the runners to move up 90 feet.
»» MARINERS 6, ANGELS 4
Lopez grounded hard to third.
Donnelly's line: 1 2/3 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 27 pitches (16 strikes)
TOP 9TH
George Sherrill came in for Mateo. Erstad flew out high to Beltre, who onehanded and snowconed the ball in front of the camera well on the left side. Juan Rivera, hitting for Alfonzo, worked a 1-2 count for a walk. Kotchman busted out the pitching wedge flying out to right on the second pitch in the rightfield corner. Mathis worked an 0-2 count full before rifling a single through Sherrill and into centerfield, moving Rivera to second. Figgins battled a while with two strikes on him, but worked the count for a nine-pitch at-bat, flying out to short.
Sherrill's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 26 pitches (15 strikes)
---
Gameball: Raul Ibañez.
Goat: Carl Everett.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2000 2-1 .667 -- W1
2001 2-1 .667 -- W1
2002 2-1 .667 -- W2
2006 2-1 .667 -- W2
2003 1-2 .333 1 W1
2005 1-2 .333 1 L2
2004 0-3 .000 2 L3
Loaiza. Meche. Tonight.
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Wednesday, April 05, 2006
GAME 2: MARINERS 10, ANGELS 8
[initial partial post]
Well, folks, I thought when I got home that I'd have more than enough time to crank out the ol' game piece until I saw an urgent problem taking place involving bathroom plumbing that was attempting to flood stuff out. Thus, the full recap will come sometime soon. Richie Sexson was great. JJ Putz was, well, he had stretches like this last season. It's also a great day when all of your hitters cross the plate at least once.
Unfortunately, life won't wait for me covering Mariner games, as much as I'd like it to do. This saddens me.
Again, the game piece will come as soon as I get around to it.
[in-game stuff gotten around to on 19 June]
In 25 words or less: The Mariners should have been nowhere close to having this game get close.
This one featured John Lackey going up against Joel Piñeiro.
TOP 1ST
Chone Figgins bounced the first pitch to second. Orlando Cabrera had the hitters' counts before walking on a full-count pitch up and away. Vladimir Guerrero flew out high to Beltre on the foul side of the third-base line. Garret Anderson flew out on a 3-1 pitch to Beltre along the stands on the third-base side. Piñeiro threw 14 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro flew out to left on a 3-1 pitch. Jose Lopez grounded the second pitch hard to short. Raul Ibañez grounded hard off the right heel of Lackey on the mound, and Cabrera picked it up off the carom, but Ibañez barely beat it out. Richie Sexson lined the first pitch near the leftfield line for a single, moving Ibañez to third. Adrian Beltre fell behind 0-2 and took a 1-2 pitch over the inside corner. Lackey threw 16 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Juan Rivera took the second pitch off his left elbow pad on an uncontrolled breaking ball. Darin Erstad knocked the second pitch through the right side for a single, moving Rivera to second. Casey Kotchman bounced a 1-2 pitch to first to start a 3-6-1 double play, moving Rivera to third. Jose Molina grounded to second on an 0-2 pitch. Piñeiro threw 13 pitches and had 27 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Carl Everett took an 0-2 curve barely outside and ended up hitting a sinking liner to Anderson in left on a 2-2 pitch. Kenji Johjima fell behind 0-2 but mashed a 1-2 pitch into the leftfield seats.
»» MARINERS 1, ANGELS 0
Jeremy Reed had the hitters' counts before sliding a 3-1 pitch past Cabrera and through the left side for a single. Yuniesky Betancourt watched as Reed was nearly picked off of first. Betancourt ended up singling the second pitch into shallow right, where Guerrero came up throwing trying to get Reed at third, but he threw wide and short as Reed was safe and Betancourt moved to second. Ichiro took a 2-2 pitch to the foot, loading the bases as opposed to a run scoring on a wild pitch that got away from Molina. Lopez rolled the first pitch through a drawn-in infield on the left side for a single, scoring Reed and Betancourt and moving Ichiro to second.
»» MARINERS 3, ANGELS 0
Ibañez grounded a 1-2 pitch to first, where Kotchman bobbled it a bit, but he was able to shovel off to a covering Lackey as Ichiro and Lopez moved to third and second. Sexson worked a 1-2 count full before roping the ball into the rightcenter gap, scoring Ichiro and Lopez. However, Sexson tried to take second on the play and was gunned down by Erstad. Lackey threw 38 pitches and had 54 through two.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 0
TOP 3RD
Adam Kennedy whiffed on an 0-2 fastball. Figgins was down 0-2 and lined out to third on the 1-2 pitch. Cabrera worked a 1-2 count for a walk. Guerrero took a 1-2 fastball over the outside corner. Piñeiro threw 18 pitches and had 45 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Beltre fell behind 0-2 before pounding a single through the left side on a 1-2 pitch. Everett popped an 0-2 pitch to Cabrera in shallow left. Johjima whiffed on a 2-2 breaking ball away in the dirt. Reed bounced the second pitch back to the mound. Lackey threw 14 pitches and had 68 through three.
TOP 4TH
Anderson grounded out to second. Rivera bounced the second pitch to short. Erstad chipped a 1-2 pitch down the rightfield line and off the angled part of the stands for a double as the ball skipped away from Ichiro. Kotchman bounced the second pitch to the right side where Piñeiro picked it up and blocked Kotchman from getting to first (tag). Piñeiro threw 11 pitches and had 56 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Betancourt bounced a 1-2 pitch hard to third, but Figgins threw high to first and pulled Kotchman off the bag (error). Ichiro dumped a single into shallow center, moving Betancourt to second. Lopez bunted the first pitch in front of the plate and Figgins threw in time to first, but he threw high to Kennedy covering first, who had to leap to make the out as Betancourt and Ichiro moved to third and second. Sexson took an 0-2 pitch over the inner half. Beltre appeared to have whiffed on a 1-2 breaking ball down and away, but plate umpire Larry Vanover ruled it a foul ball. It was moot anyway as Beltre had an outside fastball blown by him on the next pitch as he whiffed.
Lackey's line: 4 innings, 5 runs, 9 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, 90 pitches (61 strikes)
TOP 5TH
Molina popped to Reed in shallow center. Kennedy grounded hard to third on the first pitch. Figgins fouled off three 0-2 pitches before flying out to Ichiro on the track in right. Piñeiro threw 11 pitches and had 67 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Hector Carrasco came in for Lackey. Everett worked a 1-2 count for an eight-pitch walk. Johjima flew out to right on the first pitch. Reed bounced an 0-2 pitch to first, but Kotchman's throw to second to start a double play wasn't caught by Cabrera (error), and Everett scooted along to third. Betancourt grounded an 0-2 pitch to second, where Kennedy tossed to Cabrera for the force, scoring Everett.
»» MARINERS 6, ANGELS 0
Ichiro grounded to short on the second pitch. Carrasco threw 17 pitches.
TOP 6TH
Cabrera doubled to the leftfield wall on a 2-2 pitch. Guerrero shot a first-pitch single into center, moving Cabrera to third. Anderson got a hold of a 2-2 pitch, putting it about eight rows into the rightfield seats, scoring Cabrera and Guerrero.
»» MARINERS 6, ANGELS 3
Rivera flew out high to Betancourt on the infield grass. Erstad bounced the second pitch to second. Kotchman bounced the second pitch to short. Piñeiro threw 19 pitches and had 86 through six.
BOTTOM 6TH
Lopez tapped an 0-2 pitch back to the mound. Ibañez whiffed on an 0-2 pitch down and away. Sexson popped very high to shallow center. Carrasco threw 12 pitches and had 29 total.
TOP 7TH
Molina fell behind 0-2 and bounced a 2-2 pitch to Beltre behind the bag at third. Kennedy was ahead 2-0 and ended up rolling a single up the middle. Figgins dumped the first pitch into shallow center for a single, moving Kennedy to second.
Rafael Soriano came in for Piñeiro. Cabrera popped a 3-1 pitch way down the leftfield line, but Beltre did that over-the-shoulder catch thing that he does a lot. Guerrero fell behind 0-2 and ended up popping a 2-2 pitch to Johjima behind the plate.
Piñeiro's line: 6 1/3 innings, 3 runs, 7 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 97 pitches (65 strikes)
Soriano's line: 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 12 pitches (7 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Beltre took a 1-2 pitch over the outside corner. Everett doubled to the wall in rightcenter on the first pitch. Johjima bounced the first pitch to short, moving Everett to third. Reed was ahead 3-0 and walked on a 3-1 pitch. Betancourt fell behind 0-2 and took a 2-2 pitch over the outside corner.
Carrasco's line: 3 innings, 1 run (unearned), 1 hit, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, 44 pitches (31 strikes)
TOP 8TH
JJ Putz came in for Soriano. Anderson drilled the first pitch into right for a single. Rivera got ahead 2-0 and ended up cranking one into the mass of inebriation to the left of the hitters' backdrop, scoring Anderson.
»» MARINERS 6, ANGELS 5
Erstad whiffed on an 0-2 pitch outside. Kotchman whiffed on a 1-2 splitter away. Molina threw his bat at a 2-2 pitch and tapped back to the mound.
Putz' line: 1 inning, 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 17 pitches (12 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Esteban Yan came in for Carrasco. Ichiro served a 2-2 pitch into center for a single. Lopez bunted the second pitch out in front, and Molina went to first for the out as Ichiro moved to second. Ibañez was intentionally walked. Sexson rocketed the second pitch into the Mariner bullpen in leftcenter, scoring Ichiro and Ibañez.
»» MARINERS 9, ANGELS 5
Beltre bounced to second, where Kennedy fielded and threw a bit wide of first, pulling Kotchman off the bag at first (error). Everett took a 1-2 pitch that nearly hit him in the feet, but it bounced to the backstop, moving Lopez to second. Everett worked the count full before grounding hard to first. Johjima bounced a second-pitch single past Cabrera and into center for a single, scoring Beltre.
»» MARINERS 10, ANGELS 5
Reed foul-tipped an 0-2 pitch into Molina's glove behind the plate.
Yan's line: 1 inning, 4 runs (3 earned), 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 29 pitches (18 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Eddie Guardado came in for Putz. Tim Salmon, hitting for Kennedy, got ahead 2-0 and roped a ball five pitches above the manual scoreboard in left.
»» MARINERS 10, ANGELS 6
Figgins was ahead 3-0 and walked on a 3-1 pitch. Cabrera watched as Figgins took third without a throw on the second pitch. Cabrera ended up foul-tipping a 2-2 fastball into Johjima's glove behind the plate. Guerrero chipped the second pitch down the rightfield line for a single, scoring Figgins.
»» MARINERS 10, ANGELS 7
Anderson was up 3-1 and fouled off three full-count pitches before grounding out to third, moving Guerrero to second. Rivera was ahead 2-0 nefore doubling to the wall in rightcenter on a full count, scoring Guerrero.
»» MARINERS 10, ANGELS 8
Erstad was up 2-0 before popping high to right.
Guardado's line: 1 inning, 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 41 pitches (25 strikes)
---
Gameball: Joel Piñeiro.
Goat: JJ Putz.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2000 1-1 .500 -- W1
2001 1-1 .500 -- L1
2002 1-1 .500 -- W1
2005 1-1 .500 -- L1
2006 1-1 .500 -- W1
2003 0-2 .000 1 L2
2004 0-2 .000 1 L2
Weaver. Washburn. Tonight.
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Tuesday, April 04, 2006
GAME 1: ANGELS 5, MARINERS 4
In 25 words or less: It took a while for the crowd to have something to cheer about, but Seattle is still searching for its first lead of 2006.
Opening Day this season had Bartolo Colon going up against Jamie Moyer. Just before the game, it also featured members of the Seattle Seahawks, who were being honored on the field for that whole thing where they went to the Super Bowl and stuff. Matt Hasselbeck threw out the first pitch, and it was a pretty good one. He went to Boston College, and his first pitch was way better than one by a certain Massachusetts dude named John Kerry. MLB.tv thankfully picked up the FSNNW telecast of the game, which was good since I didn't want my first memories of the 2006 season to be filled with the exclamations of Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler. I can watch them on FSN West/West 2 here anyway. What I didn't expect (I didn't know about it beforehand) was the pairing of Dave Niehaus and Dave Henderson to start the game. Huh? Henderson stayed on the TV side the entire game, and Ron Fairly stayed on the radio, which I discovered after I went through the audio feeds of the game. Reminded me of how when FSNNW had Bill Krueger doing color on the games, they'd have him stay on the TV side. By the way, I do the innings of these things before I do the spiels at the beginnings and ends.
Oh yeah, that whole thing with the game and stuff...
By the way, I may tinker with the format to make it overtime-proof since my job in later months may be giving me oodles upon oodles of overtime, through which I'd be hard-pressed to keep doing what I usually do with these things. I am pulling out the grades though, since I think I got a bit too calculated with them. The C-minus was always a 1-2-3 inning with the Mariner offense, and stuff like that; it didn't feel spontaneous enough for me, I guess. That aside, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which inning(s) would have been the F in this one.
TOP 1ST
Jamie Moyer got ahead of Chone Figgins and got him to hit a 2-2 low liner that shorthopped Richie Sexson at first, who bobbled it a bit but was able to shovel off to Moyer barely in time. Moyer's foot was toward the center of the first-base bag, risking injury from Figgins' foot. Moyer got ahead of Orlando Cabrera as well, who nubbed a 2-2 pitch which Moyer reached out and had it go off his glove and past, but Jose Lopez had no play coming in from second as Cabrera reached on the single. Garret Anderson took three pitches for three strikes (third over the outside corner) with pickoff throws to first sandwiched in between. Vladimir Guerrero, who Dave Niehaus nicely pointed out had nine of his 32 homers last year against the Mariners, busted out the chipper to crank a shin-high change into the Mariner bullpen.
»» ANGELS 2, MARINERS 0
Juan Rivera popped the second pitch high to rightfield. Moyer threw 16 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro hung around with two strikes for a while before whiffing at a two-seamer high and away. Jose Lopez looked, fouled one off, then waved at a fastball off the plate outside. Raul Ibañez got a couple of decent hacks in (whiff and foul), but whiffed at a 1-2 fastball over the outside corner. Yes, Bartolo Colon had struck out the side on 16 pitches. I also never thought I'd see Pat Cashman in ads for Grover Electric & Plumbing. At least it got my mind off of Dave Henderson repeatedly saying we'd know Jose Lopez, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jeremy Reed, et al, have really arrived when we stop referring to them as "young."
TOP 2ND
Darin Erstad, now back playing centerfield, popped high to Betancourt along the leftfield line. Casey Kotchman bounced hard to Sexson at first, who took it to the bag. Jose Molina split his bat in half and lofted a low liner jost over Lopez' reach and into shallow centerfield for a single. Adam Kennedy smoked the second pitch into the glove of Adrian Beltre, who made the quick reaction with the backhand. Moyer threw 10 pitches. Know what's terrible? I've been away from the Northwest so long that now I'm even willingly watching the commercials when the FSNNW telecasts get onto MLB.tv. And my goodness, I know from having FSN West and West 2 here in Hawaii that Jim Watson is back in Southern California, but Matt Morrison in the FSNNW studio?
BOTTOM 2ND
Richie Sexson bounced an 0-2 breaking ball to short. Adrian Beltre, who lost 12 pounds and doesn't just "feel" 12 pounds lighter (rimshot!), took a 3-1 fastball down the chute and later topped over a high full-count fastball and bounced it to third. Carl Everett (why?) whiffed at the first pitch and flung the bat seven rows into the seats behind the Mariner dugout. He worked his 0-2 count before popping to fairly deep centerfield on the seventh pitch. Colon threw 17 pitches.
TOP 3RD
Figgins attempted a bunt but later flew out harmlessly to Ichiro. Cabrera stuck the second pitch into leftcenter for a single. Anderson chopped the second pitch into the hole on the right side, and Lopez quickly turned to throw to Betancourt covering second, just barely in time. The Mariners probably got the call there -- the out was given and Betancourt definitely made the neighborhood play. Guerrero pulled an outside pitch, rolling it to Betancourt's glove side, where he backhand flipped to Lopez covering second. Moyer threw 12 pitches. Know what's great about Hawaii? I seem to see less Money Tree commercials.
BOTTOM 3RD
Kenji Johjima grounded his first pitch hard to short. Jeremy Reed, unfractured wrist and all, whiffed at a 2-2 fastball coming over the outside corner at 93. Yuniesky Betancourt lined out to Kennedy at second, who reached down to make the catch. Colon threw 10 pitches.
TOP 4TH
Dave Niehaus wondered if Clyde the AFLAC duck had lost weight, then had an adverse reaction to Clyde shaking his tail. Rivera scooted the second pitch to Betancourt. Erstad lined a one-hopper over the rightfield fence for a ground-rule double. Kotchman lined the first pitch into centerfield for a single and Erstad was waved to the plate. Reed threw high toward the plate and Johjima came up to cut it off and nail Kotchman trying to take second. Erstad scored, of course.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 0
Molina lined the first pitch down the rightfield line for a double. Kennedy rolled softly to second. Moyer threw nine pitches. Whoa, ads with Nate McMillan running practices for the Blazers? I don't know if I can deal with this.
BOTTOM 4TH
Niehaus resigned himself to the prospect of seeing Clyde do his little dance every night for the next six months. Ichiro bounced a high and outside 0-2 pitch to Figgins at third, who made the play just in time. Lopez tagged the first pitch hard to the left side, and it ate up Figgins for the Mariners' first hit of the 2006 season, then was nearly picked off with Ibañez waiting for his first pitch. Ibañez nubbed the first pitch to Colon's right, but it would have been a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play if he would have let it go past. Lopez and Ibañez were at second and first for Sexson, who got behind and later popped out far enough out to centerfield to move Lopez to third. Beltre rolled the first pitch right to short for a 6-4 fielder's choice immediately after Henderson talked about the possibility of a timely two-out hit. Colon threw 13 pitches.
TOP 5TH
Figgins popped the first pitch to Ibañez a few strides from the warning track in leftfield. Cabrera popped out high to Betancourt on the infield grass. Anderson fell behind and ended up whiffing on a 2-2 change low and away. Moyer threw 10 pitches, but got a nice 1-2-3 inning.
BOTTOM 5TH
Rick Rizzs and Henderson? Did they maroon Ron Fairly onto the radio side? Everett popped the first pitch to Figgins in foul ground near the bag at third. Johjima slapped a 2-2 high and outside fastball the other way just over the fence in rightfield for his first Major League homer. Power hitting for a Mariner catcher? Perish the thought!! Fireworks for the homer? Are the fireworks back permanently, Kingdome-style? Personally, I'd like that, though it left quite the haze with the roof on the place.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 1
Reed poked a ball into the leftcenter gap and over the wall for a double. Betancourt worked his 0-2 count brilliantly, with Reed moving to third on a 1-2 dirtball outside. Molina's throw to third was high and late. Betancourt laced a full-count single up the middle to drive in Reed.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 2
Ichiro sliced the first pitch into rightfield for a single, and Betancourt challenged the arm of Guerrero in rightfield and won, taking third on the play. Lopez fell behind 0-2 and watched as Molina caught Betancourt napping off of third, but luckily for the Mariners, third-base umpire Paul Nauert didn't see it that way. Lopez threw wood on the ball and blooped a single just over the right side for a single, scoring Betancourt.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 3
Ichiro moved to third and Figgins caught an ill-advised Guerrero throw in foul territory near third before throwing to nail Lopez at second trying to stretch it. The second Colon pitch to Ibañez was about a foot high. Ibañez took four balls after the first strike. Sexson didn't get enough of the second pitch, flying out to centerfield. Colon threw 30 pitches.
TOP 6TH
Guerrero took a 3-1 pitch a bit high and inside, then blistered a single along the leftfield line nonetheless. Rivera bounced the second pitch to start a 6-4-3 double play. Erstad bounced a 1-2 pitch to Sexson, who tossed over for the 3-1 putout. Moyer threw 12 pitches.
BOTTOM 6TH
Beltre was jammed on the second pitch, fisting it toward second, but it handcuffed Kennedy, allowing Beltre to stay aboard. Everett poked a single into leftfield (opposite field) and moved Beltre to second. Johjima couldn't get the bunt down on the first pitch, but worked the count, getting beaned on the left arm seven pitches later to load the bases with nobody out. Thus, Colon's day was done, and it looked in the 5th like he was running out of gas anyway.
JC Romero, serving to make the Angels' bullpen way too good, fell behind 3-1 on Reed before getting him to whiff at the next two pitches, the last being over the inside corner. Also in there was a 1-1 wild pitch that was corralled enough by Molina so Beltre didn't score. Betancourt popped the second pitch too shallow to leftfield (Rivera had taken over) to score Beltre from third. Ichiro rolled out to third, leading Figgins directly to the bag at third to force out Everett. Bases loaded, nobody out...SO WHAT?!?! Some things never change. Also, I guess the Canucks haven't cornered the market on untimely crappy play. Romero threw 12 pitches.
Colon's line: 5 innings, 3 runs, 8 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, 95 pitches (67 strikes)
TOP 7TH
Kotchman drove a 1-2 pitch to the track in rightfield, where Ichiro caught it. Molina grounded the first pitch hard to second. Figgins got ahead 3-0 and walked on the fifth pitch. Rafael Chaves came out to chat with Moyer and Johjima at the mound. Figgins poked the second pitch into leftfield for a single, moving Kennedy to second and chasing Moyer, who left to a nice smattering of applause.
Rafael Soriano came in for Moyer. His first pitch to Cabrera went to the backstop and moved Kennedy to third and Figgins to second. Cabrera put the next pitch down the line and barely foul in the leftfield corner with Ibañez giving chase. Cabrera ended up swinging at a pretty high pitch and flying out to semi-deep leftfield. Soriano threw five pitches.
Moyer's line: 6 2/3 innings, 3 runs, 9 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 80 pitches (52 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Lopez grounded hard to third. Ibañez bounced to first on a full count.
Scot Shields, whose delivery makes me uncomfortable, came in for Romero. Sexson took a 1-2 fastball over the outside corner. Shields threw four pitches.
Romero's line: 1 2/3 innings, 0 runs 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 21 pitches (12 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Anderson lofted a 2-2 flyout to leftcenter, caught by Ibañez. Guerrero took two mighty hacks to immediately fall behind and later hit a low line drive right to Lopez. Rivera fell back 0-2 but fisted an inside 2-2 pitch into shallow leftfield for a single.
George Sherrill came in for Soriano and immediately got ahead 0-2 on Erstad. Sherrill needed three more tosses to get Erstad looking at a 2-2 up in the zone over the outside corner. Sherrill threw five pitches.
Soriano's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 21 pitches (14 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Beltre lined the 2-2 pitch to Guerrero in somewhat deep rightfield. Everett popped the second pitch to Figgins in front of the camera well on the third-base side. Johjima put another charge into a ball, sending his second pitch just short of the rightfield track, where Guerrero came down with it. Shields threw 10 pitches.
Shields' line: 1 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 14 pitches (10 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Kotchman worked a 1-2 count for a nine-pitch walk, taking the final pitch just barely off the plate. Maicer Izturis came in to run for Kotchman. Molina bunted the first pitch, and Sherrill fielded it and threw in time to first, moving Izturis to second.
JJ Putz came in for Sherrill. Tim Salmon (remember him?) came in to hit for Kennedy, which prompted the Putz move. Salmon fouled the first pitch off his foot, so that was a rude awakening. Salmon bounced to short, and Betancourt took the safe play and went to first as Izturis moved to third. Figgins fell behind 0-2 but worked a walk on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. Figgins stole second on the 0-2 pitch to Cabrera, who nudged the 1-2 pitch up the middle to plate Izturis and Figgins. Yup.
»» ANGELS 5, MARINERS 3
Anderson fell behind 0-2 and later watched Cabrera nab second without a throw. Anderson later whiffed on a 2-2 pitch outside.
Sherrill's line: 2/3 inning, 1 run, 0 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
Putz' line: 2/3 inning, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 23 pitches (14 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Francisco Rodriguez came in to slam the door, and he was accompanied by a couple of defensive replacements. Reed whiffed at an 0-2 crazy slider inside off the plate. Roberto Petagine came in to hit for Betancourt. Petagine fell behind 0-2, but wound up punching a solo shot about seven rows back down the rightfield line.
»» ANGELS 5, MARINERS 4
Ichiro foul-tipped a 2-2 slider into Molina's glove. Lopez rolled a 1-2 pitch to short, where Cabrera had a bit of a time playing it, but gathered himself just in time to throw on the run and get Lopez at first.
Rodriguez' line: 1 inning, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 18 pitches (13 strikes)
---
Gameball: Jamie Moyer
It's either Moyer or Jose Lopez in this spot, though I feel like I'm going a little too obvious with the gameball, but sue me. The grizzled veteran lefty needed only 80 pitches to get himself deep into the seventh inning on opening day. Best of all, he only walked one. Nine hits may be a tad higher than we'd usually like, but he only gave up the three runs anyway, and two were on the Vlad blast, so that's that. If this is Jamie leading by example, let's hope the rest of the staff follows the lead, because he's set a nice tone for the starters. I hope this first turn through the rotation is a decent one. Now Jarrod Washburn needs to show us why the Mariners signed him for that long of a contract.
Goat: Jeremy Reed.
Okay, so he had one of the three Mariners' extra-base hits on the day. He's coming off a sprained wrist and the whole nonbroken wrist thing. In this game, he struck out for the hat trick, and one of those three was with a tie game and the bases loaded and nobody out in the 6th and after having gotten into a favorable 3-1 count (as they usually are). I'll give JC Romero some credit, sure, but I'd just have liked Reed to at least make some contact after he got the count his way, that's all. Who knows what might have happened there if he manages to get the ball in play. Maybe a fielder throws a ball down the line and three runs score. Then again, I can't expect Reed to be all the way back just yet. For goat consideration, I had this scenario to go with, or the one in the top of the 9th, but I chose this one.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 1-0 1.000 -- W1
2005 1-0 1.000 -- W1
2000 0-1 .000 1 L1
2002 0-1 .000 1 L1
2003 0-1 .000 1 L1
2004 0-1 .000 1 L1
2006 0-1 .000 1 L1
I knew the score of this game before I actually watched it since it went on while I was at work and since I had some stuff to do after work. Once I'd seen enough to know what happened and when things happened, I realized what sucked about this game -- this was a very winnable game for the Mariners. Very winnable. Loading the bases with nobody out against Bartolo Colon isn't a small feat. Part of the Mariners' misfortune in that, however, was the fact that the inning started with Adrian Beltre reaching on an error. Thus, it would be a while before the meat of the order was to come around to the plate again. Of course, if you're Mike Scioscia and you have the luxury of putting JC Romero in against your young pups at the bottom of the lineup, then bases loaded with nobody out seems like less of a mountain to scale. Then you just hope Ichiro does nothing with the bases loaded and two out, which in this case he didn't.
As for the ninth, I can't pin it on George Sherrill because Casey Kotchman really scratched and clawed in his at-bat. Sherrill had him ahead 1-2 in that at-bat, but Kotchman fouled off some pitches and got the walk, though the last pitch was close. Molina bunted him over, then JJ Putz came in and brought the napalm. Kinda. The hard part about this is that he had a 1-2 count on Salmon and 0-2 counts on Cabrera, Figgins, and Anderson. He got outs from Salmon and Anderson, but in between were the walk by Figgins and the game-winning single by Cabrera. What's sad is that I know I've had this discussion last year concerning a Mariner pitcher able to get two strikes on somebody but then not being able to put them away, but I honestly forgot who it was. But if he's got the heat, then sick some dead red on these guys. If he's not spotting it well (it's late, so I don't want to go back through the feed again), then there's a problem.
Congratulations to Jose Lopez for his multi-hit game. He was the centerpiece of a top third of the Mariner lineup that went 4-for-13 with an RBI, a walk, and four strikeouts. If Lopez can bring the Mariners something out of the second spot in the lineup, then great. I personally still like the thought of Jeremy Reed taking that spot, but hey, I'm not the manager. I just want Jeremy Reed to see better pitches to hit than if Yuniesky Betancourt is hitting behind him.
I liked what I saw out of Rafael Soriano today. He cut through the 2-3-4 hitters of the Angels' lineup before Juan Rivera was badly jammed and got a single out of it anyway. If I remember right, he was hitting a few 94s on the radar gun shown on the TV. I seem to remember him pre-Tommy John surgery hitting 96, though I have no visual proof, just what my memory is telling me or wants me to believe. If I'm thinking correctly, he's dialed down a bit, not that he still isn't electrifying for me to watch, because he still is. It's just that I see that 94 on the gun all the time and all I can think about is Kazuhiro Sasaki, who I remember would top out with 94 on his fastballs, then throw the Thang.
Well, there goes the undefeated season. Dag nabbit. Just 161 more to go, folks.
Lackey. Piñeiro. Later today.
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Monday, April 03, 2006
GAME 77: KINGS 1, CANUCKS 0
Kings 1, Canucks 0
[initial partial post]
You've got to be kidding me, right? The Kings just recently had gotten off a road trip through western Canada where they'd basically left themselves dead to rights in the playoff race. They came into this matchup with Vancouver having beaten the Dallas Stars 1-0. The Canucks had everything to play for, they just had to play like it.
I can't decide whether this team is more frustrating than the 2003-2004 team, but it's hard to say. That team won the division and made the playoffs. This one would need a miracle to win the division and might need something just short of that to make the playoffs at all.
But really, this team doesn't deserve to make the playoffs. What'll they do if they got there anyway? They haven't proven they can play sixty minutes of hockey on a game in, game out basis, so what's the point?
One thing about this game, though -- Alex Auld stood on his head. Dan Cloutier's been out for nearly the whole season, sure, but Auld has done a fine job. Now if the team just picked him up, maybe they'd be talking about a division title right now.
Anyway, enough loathing...
1st period
none
2nd period
»» 1, LOS ANGELES, powerplay, Pavol Demitra 23 (Joe Corvo, Lubomir Visnovsky) 13:13
3rd period
none
Three stars -- (1) Los Angeles' Mathieu Garon, (2) Auld, (3) Los Angeles' Pavol Demitra
skater, goals-assists-points
none for Vancouver
The loss combined with seemingly every other team in front of them winning on the same night left the Canucks in a very unenviable position. They are now 40-30-7 (4-4 shootout, three overtime losses) and still stuck on 87 points. They are now eighth in the Western Conference and more than likely will be out of the top eight before the must-win game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday night. Every team in front of the Canucks has games in hand which will be played between now and Saturday. The Sharks two points behind the Canucks have three such games, the Kings have one. Edmonton one point ahead of the Canucks has one game. Colorado is three points ahead and has two. Anaheim is three points ahead and has three. Calgary is six points up in the Northwest Division lead and has two games on Vancouver. The Canucks may have already dug their grave.
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BASEBALL FLYOVER
[backpost -- actually posted 30 May ~1:47a]
[updated Miller Park image found 4 Jul]
Okay, so I got bored. I went through and did Google Earth searches on all the ballparks of Major League Baseball. However, I should note that a couple of the photos are incorrect, not updated, or blurry. There's a line of demarcation in the Milwaukee area where the satellite photos are sharp, and Miller Park is north of that line. The aerial photo in San Diego was taken before Petco Park was fully operational. In Saint Louis, old Busch Stadium was dynamited and replaced by the newer Busch.
Other than that, I put all of these in a semi-oblique perspective and didn't deviate from north, so everything that's usually north is north. I didn't rotate or anything. Needless to say, the photos are via the very bitchin' Google Earth software, which basically is GIS to the layperson.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL West
AL Central
AL East
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL West
NL Central
NL East
Again, thanks to Google Earth for killing many hours of mine, two years after going through the GIS program at Central Washington U back in Ellensburg.
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2006 MARINERS GAME RECAP ARCHIVE
Another year, another archive. It's the third straight year in which I've done some sort of game pieces for as many games as I could possibly do them. In 2004, I had to go to Oregon to finish out the final course of my college curriculum, a six-week geology field course. In 2005, I had to move from Bremerton to Hawaii to end my unemployment, and I was without an internet connection for a few weeks as I settled in and found a place. In 2006, I have no idea what's going to happen. Just that I'll be cranking these out as much as I possibly can because, dang it, I like doing it, and I like knowing that I can refer back to it and anyone out there can refer back to it.
Needless to say, we're all hoping 2006 is a better year than 2005, which was a better year than 2004. We're hoping to get closer to 2003. I'm not thinking playoff spot this year, but if meaningful baseball can happen after the All-Star break, then that's good.
Here's to the season...
APRIL
3 Mon: L 5-4 vs. LAA (0-1, .000); Gameball: Moyer (1), Goat: Reed (1)
4 Tue: W 10-8 vs. LAA (1-1, .500); Gameball: Piñeiro (1), Goat: Putz (1)
5 Wed: W 6-4 vs. LAA (2-1, .667); Gameball: Ibañez (1), Goat: Everett (1)
6 Thu: W 6-2 vs. OAK (3-1, .750); Gameball: Betancourt (1), Goat: Meche (1)
7 Fri: L 5-0 vs. OAK (3-2, .600); Gameball: Harris (1), Goat: Mateo (1)
8 Sat: L 3-0 vs. OAK (3-3, .500); Gameball: Soriano (1), Goat: Beltre (1)
9 Sun: L 6-4 vs. OAK (3-4, .429); Gameball: Woods (1), Goat: Ichiro (1)
11 Tue: L 9-5 at CLE (3-5, .375); Gameball: Betancourt (2), Goat: Everett (2)
12 Wed: W 11-9 at CLE (4-5, .444); Gameball: Ichiro (1), Goat: Meche (2)
13 Thu: W 9-5 at CLE (5-5, .500); Gameball: Putz (1), Goat: Hernandez (1)
14 Fri: L 2-1 at BOS (5-6, .455); Gameball: Soriano (2), Goat: Ibañez (1)
15 Sat: W 3-0 at BOS (6-6, .500); Gameball: Rivera (1), Goat: Ichiro (2)
16 Sun: L 3-2 at BOS (6-7, .462); Gameball: Lopez (1), Goat: Washburn (1)
17 Mon: L 7-6 at BOS (6-8, .429); Gameball: Beltre (1), Goat: Lopez (1)
18 Tue: L 7-4 vs. TEX (6-9, .400); Gameball: Betancourt (3), Goat: Woods (1)
19 Wed: W 9-6 vs. TEX (7-9, .438); Gameball: Ichiro (2), Goat: Mateo (2)
20 Thu: L 4-3 vs. TEX (7-10, .412); Gameball: Soriano (3), Goat: Guardado (1)
21 Fri: L 2-1 vs. DET (7-11, .389); Gameball: Washburn (1), Goat: Sexson (1)
22 Sat: L 2-0 vs. DET (7-12, .368); Gameball: Ichiro (3), Goat: Sexson (2)
23 Sun: L 6-4 vs. DET (7-13, .350); Gameball: Beltre (2), Goat: Nageotte (1)
24 Mon: W 4-3 (11 innings) vs. CHW (8-13, .381); Gameball: Moyer (2), Goat: Rivera (1)
25 Tue: L 13-3 vs. CHW (8-14, .364); Gameball: Ichiro (4), Goat: Piñeiro (1)
26 Wed: W 5-1 vs. CHW (9-14, .391); Gameball: Washburn (2), Goat: Johjima (1)
28 Fri: L 5-2 at BAL (9-15, .375); Gameball: Ichiro (5), Goat: Johjima (2)
29 Sat: W 8-6 at BAL (10-15, .400); Gameball: Betancourt (4), Goat: Ibañez (2)
30 Sun: W 4-3 at BAL (11-15, .423); Gameball: Moyer (3), Goat: Reed (2)
MONTH of April (26 games): 11-15, .423
GAMEBALLS for April: Ichiro 5, Betancourt 4, Moyer 3, Soriano 3, Beltre 2, Washburn 2, Harris 1, Ibañez 1, Lopez 1, Piñeiro 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Woods 1
GOATS for April: Everett 2, Ibañez 2, Johjima 2, Mateo 2, Meche 2, Reed 2, Sexson 2, Ichiro 2, Beltre 1, Guardado 1, Hernandez 1, Lopez 1, Nageotte 1, Piñeiro 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Washburn 1, Woods 1
MAY
1 Mon: W 8-2 at MIN (12-15, .444); Gameball: Piñeiro (2), Goat: Everett (3)
2 Tue: L 5-1 at MIN (12-16, .429); Gameball: Green (1), Goat: Beltre (2)
3 Wed: L 6-5 (11 innings) at CHW (12-17, .414); Gameball: Meche (1), Goat: Guardado (2)
4 Thu: L 4-1 at CHW (12-18, .400); Gameball: Livingston (1), Goat: Ichiro (3)
5 Fri: L 9-4 vs. CLE (12-19, .387); Gameball: Ibañez (2), Goat: Green (1)
6 Sat: W 4-1 vs. CLE (13-19, .406); Gameball: Piñeiro (3), Goat: Bloomquist (1)
7 Sun: L 2-0 vs. CLE (13-20, .394); Gameball: Washburn (3), Goat: Sexson (3)
8 Mon: W 6-3 vs. TB (14-20, .412); Gameball: Guardado (1), Goat: Everett (4)
9 Tue: W 8-1 vs. TB (15-20, .429); Gameball: Ichiro (6), Goat: Ibañez (3)
10 Wed: L 1-0 vs. TB (15-21, .417); Gameball: Moyer (4), Goat: Sexson (4)
12 Fri: L 12-7 at LAA (15-22, .405); Gameball: Reed (1), Goat: Piñeiro (1)
13 Sat: W 5-4 (13 innings) at LAA (16-22, .421); Gameball: Everett (1), Goat: Beltre (3)
14 Sun: W 9-4 at LAA (17-22, .436); Gameball: Fruto (1), Goat: Meche (1)
16 Tue: L 12-6 at OAK (17-23, .425); Gameball: Ibañez (3), Goat: Hernandez (2)
17 Wed: L 7-2 at OAK (17-24, .415); Gameball: Sexson (1), Goat: Moyer (1)
18 Thu: L 6-3 at OAK (17-25, .405); Gameball: Guardado (2), Goat: Piñeiro (2)
19 Fri: W 7-4 vs. SD (18-25, .419); Gameball: Johjima (1), Goat: Soriano (1)
20 Sat: W 6-3 vs. SD (19-25, .432); Gameball: Betancourt (5), Goat: Guardado (3)
21 Sun: W 10-8 vs. SD (20-25, .444); Gameball: Betancourt (6), Goat: Hernandez (3)
22 Mon: W 8-6 vs. BAL (21-25, .457); Gameball: Ichiro (7), Goat: Green (2)
23 Tue: L 14-4 vs. BAL (21-26, .447); Gameball: Mateo (1), Goat: Piñeiro (3)
24 Wed: W 7-4 vs. BAL (22-26, .458); Gameball: Green (2), Goat: Ibañez (4)
25 Thu: L 2-0 vs. BAL (22-27, .449); Gameball: Meche (2), Goat: Beltre (4)
26 Fri: L 3-1 at MIN (22-28, .440); Ganeball: Beltre (3), Goat: Ibañez (5)
27 Sat: L 9-5 at MIN (22-29, .431); Gameball: Sexson (2), Goat: Moyer (2)
28 Sun: L 4-3 (10 innings) at MIN (22-30, .423); Gameball: Soriano (4), Goat: Morse (1)
29 Mon: L 2-0 at TEX (22-31, .415); Gameball: Washburn (4), Goat: Everett (5)
30 Tue: L 6-4 at TEX (22-32, .407); Gameball: Sherrill (1), Goat: Meche (2)
31 Wed: W 14-5 at TEX (23-32, .418); Gameball: Beltre (4), Goat: Johjima (3)
MONTH of May (29 games): 12-17, .414
GAMEBALLS for May: Beltre 2, Betancourt 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Ibañez 2, Meche 2, Piñeiro 2, Sexson 2, Ichiro 2, Washburn 2, Everett 1, Fruto 1, Johjima 1, Livingston 1, Mateo 1, Moyer 1, Reed 1, Sherrill 1, Soriano 1
GOATS for May: Beltre 3, Everett 3, Ibañez 3, Piñeiro 3, Green 2, Guardado 2, Hernandez 2, Meche 2, Moyer 2, Sexson 2, Bloomquist 1, Johjima 1, Morse 1, Soriano 1, Ichiro 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through May: Ichiro 7, Betancourt 6, Beltre 4, Moyer 4, Soriano 4, Washburn 4, Ibañez 3, Piñeiro 3, Green 2, Guardado 2, Meche 2, Sexson 2, Everett 1, Fruto 1, Harris 1, Johjima 1, Livingston 1, Lopez 1, Mateo 1, Putz 1, Reed 1, Rivera 1, Sherrill 1, Woods 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through May: Everett 5, Ibañez 5, Beltre 4, Meche 4, Piñeiro 4, Sexson 4, Guardado 3, Hernandez 3, Johjima 3, Ichiro 3, Green 2, Mateo 2, Moyer 2, Reed 2, Bloomquist 1, Lopez 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Soriano 1, Washburn 1, Woods 1
JUNE
2 Fri: W 4-0 vs. KC (24-32, .429); Gameball: Moyer (5), Goat: Betancourt (1)
3 Sat: W 12-1 vs. KC (25-32, .439); Gameball: Ichiro (8), Goat: Lopez (2)
4 Sun: L 9-4 vs. KC (25-33, .431); Gameball: Beltre (5), Goat: Washburn (2)
5 Mon: W 4-1 vs. KC (26-33, .441); Gameball: Lopez (2), Goat: Everett (6)
6 Tue: W 4-2 vs. MIN (27-33, .450); Gameball: Johjima (2), Goat: Sexson (5)
7 Wed: W 10-9 (11 innings) vs. MIN (28-33, .459); Gameball: Betancourt (7), Goat: Moyer (3)
8 Thu: L 7-3 vs. MIN (28-34, .452); Gameball: Woods (2), Goat: Piñeiro (5)
9 Fri: W 4-1 at LAA (29-34, .460); Gameball: Sherrill (2), Goat: Sexson (6)
10 Sat: W 12-6 at LAA (30-34, .469); Gameball: Reed (2), Goat: Meche (5)
11 Sun: W 6-2 at LAA (31-34, .477); Gameball: Hernandez (1), Goat: Sexson (7)
13 Tue: L 2-0 at OAK (31-35, .470); Gameball: Ichiro (9), Goat: Ibañez (6)
14 Wed: L 7-2 at OAK (31-36, .463); Gameball: Lopez (3), Goat: Piñeiro (6)
15 Thu: L 9-6 at OAK (31-37, .456); Gameball: Betancourt (8), Goat: Washburn (3)
16 Fri: W 5-4 vs. SF (32-37, .464); Gameball: Beltre (6), Goat: Betancourt (2)
17 Sat: W 8-1 vs. SF (33-37, .471); Gameball: Meche (3), Goat: Rivera (2)
18 Sun: W 5-1 vs. SF (34-37, .479); Gameball: Beltre (7), Goat: Sexson (8)
20 Tue: W 9-4 at LAD (35-37, .486); Gameball: Sexson (3), Goat: Piñeiro (7)
21 Wed: W 8-5 at LAD (36-37, .493); Gameball: Ichiro (10), Goat: Washburn (4)
22 Thu: L 4-2 at LAD (36-38, .486); Gameball: Betancourt (9), Goat: Hernandez (4)
23 Fri: L 2-1 (10 innings) at SD (36-39, .480); Gameball: Fruto (2), Goat: Sexson (9)
24 Sat: W 9-5 at SD (37-39, .487); Gameball: Johjima (3), Goat: Guardado (4)
25 Sun: W 9-4 at SD (38-39, .494); Gameball: Sexson (4), Goat: Piñeiro (8)
27 Tue: W 11-7 at AZ (39-39, .500); Gameball: Beltre (8), Goat: Mateo (3)
28 Wed: W 10-3 at AZ (40-39, .506); Gameball: Reed (3), Goat: Sherrill (1)
29 Thu: W 3-2 at AZ (41-39, .513); Gameball: Putz (2), Goat: Ichiro (4)
30 Fri: L 2-0 vs. COL (41-40, .506); Gameball: Moyer (6), Goat: Ichiro (5)
MONTH of June (26 games): 18-8, .692
GAMEBALLS for June: Beltre 4, Betancourt 3, Ichiro 3, Johjima 2, Lopez 2, Moyer 2, Reed 2, Sexson 2, Fruto 1, Hernandez 1, Meche 1, Putz 1, Sherrill 1, Woods 1
GOATS for June: Sexson 5, Piñeiro 4, Washburn 3, Betancourt 2, Ichiro 2, Everett 1, Guardado 1, Hernandez 1, Ibañez 1, Lopez 1, Mateo 1, Meche 1, Moyer 1, Rivera 1, Sherrill 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through June: Ichiro 10, Betancourt 9, Beltre 8, Moyer 6, Sexson 4, Soriano 4, Washburn 4, Ibañez 3, Johjima 3, Lopez 3, Meche 3, Piñeiro 3, Reed 3, Fruto 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Putz 2, Sherrill 2, Woods 2, Everett 1, Harris 1, Hernandez 1, Livingston 1, Mateo 1, Rivera 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through June: Sexson 9, Piñeiro 8, Everett 6, Ibañez 6, Meche 5, Ichiro 5, Beltre 4, Guardado 4, Hernandez 4, Washburn 4, Johjima 3, Mateo 3, Moyer 3, Betancourt 2, Green 2, Lopez 2, Reed 2, Rivera 2, Bloomquist 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, Putz 1, Sherrill 1, Soriano 1, Woods 1
JULY
1 Sat: W 8-7 vs. COL (42-40, .512); Gameball: Sexson (5), Goat: Piñeiro (9)
2 Sun: L 4-3 (11 innings) vs. COL (42-41, .506); Gameball: Sexson (6), Goat: Reed (3)
3 Mon: L 7-1 vs. LAA (42-42, .500); Gameball: Sherrill (3), Goat: Hernandez (5)
4 Tue: L 14-6 vs. LAA (42-43, .494); Gameball: Ibañez (4), Goat: Mateo (4)
5 Wed: L 4-0 vs. LAA (42-44, .488); Gameball: Sherrill (4), Goat: Ichiro (6)
7 Fri: L 6-1 vs. DET (42-45, .483); Gameball: Lowe (1), Goat: Ichiro (7)
8 Sat: L 2-1 vs. DET (42-46, .477); Gameball: Putz (3), Goat: Johjima (4)
9 Sun: W 3-2 vs. DET (43-46, .483); Gameball: Rivera (2), Goat: Ibañez (7)
14 Fri: W 5-3 at TOR (44-46, .489); Gameball: Soriano (5), Goat: Sherrill (2)
15 Sat: L 7-6 (14 innings) at TOR (44-47, .484); Gameball: Sexson (7), Goat: Ichiro (8)
16 Sun: L 4-3 (11 innings) at TOR (44-48, .478); Gameball: Betancourt (10), Goat: Bloomquist (2)
17 Mon: L 4-2 at NYY (44-49, .473); Gameball: Lowe (2), Goat: Beltre (5)
18 Tue: L 5-4 (11 innings) at NYY (44-50, .468); Gameball: Jones (1), Johjima (5)
19 Wed: W 3-2 at NYY (45-50, .474); Gameball: Lowe (3), Goat: Rivera (3)
21 Fri: L 9-4 vs. BOS (45-51, .469); Gameball: Woods (3), Goat: Moyer (4)
22 Sat: W 5-2 vs. BOS (46-51, .474); Gameball: Jones (2), Goat: Johjima (6)
23 Sun: W 9-8 vs. BOS (47-51, .480); Gameball: Sexson (8), Goat: Washburn (5)
24 Mon: W 7-3 vs. TOR (48-51, .485); Gameball: Everett (2), Goat: Ichiro (9)
25 Tue: L 12-3 vs. TOR (48-52, .480); Gameball: Betancourt (11), Goat: Meche (6)
26 Wed: W 7-4 vs. TOR (49-52, .485); Gameball: Ichiro (11), Goat: Lopez (3)
28 Fri: L 1-0 at CLE (49-53, .480); Gameball: Beltre (9), Goat: Perez (1)
29 Sat: W 3-1 at CLE (50-53, .485); Gameball: Lowe (4), Goat: Lopez (4)
30 Sun: W 7-3 at CLE (51-53, .490); Gameball: Ibañez (5), Goat: Jones (1)
31 Mon: W 10-5 at BAL (52-53, .495); Gameball: Ibañez (6), Goat: Meche (7)
MONTH of July (24 games): 11-13, .458
GAMEBALLS for July: Lowe 4, Sexson 4, Ibañez 3, Betancourt 2, Jones 2, Sherrill 2, Beltre 1, Everett 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Soriano 1, Ichiro 1, Woods 1
GOATS for July: Ichiro 4, Johjima 3, Lopez 2, Meche 2, Beltre 1, Bloomquist 1, Hernandez 1, Ibañez 1, Jones 1, Mateo 1, Moyer 1, Perez 1, Piñeiro 1, Reed 1, Rivera 1, Sherrill 1, Washburn 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through July: Betancourt 11, Ichiro 11, Beltre 9, Sexson 8, Ibañez 6, Moyer 6, Soriano 5, Lowe 4, Sherrill 4, Washburn 4, Johjima 3, Lopez 3, Meche 3, Piñeiro 3, Putz 3, Reed 3, Woods 3, Everett 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Jones 2, Rivera 2, Harris 1, Hernandez 1, Livingston 1, Mateo 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through July: Piñeiro 9, Sexson 9, Ichiro 9, Ibañez 7, Meche 7, Everett 6, Johjima 6, Beltre 5, Hernandez 5, Washburn 5, Guardado 4, Lopez 4, Mateo 4, Moyer 4, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Betancourt 2, Bloomquist 2, Green 2, Sherrill 2, Jones 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, Perez 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1, Woods 1
AUGUST
1 Tue: L 2-0 at BAL (52-54, .491); Gameball: Mateo (2), Goat: Ichiro (10)
2 Wed: W 2-1 at BAL (53-54, .495); Gameball: Lopez (4), Goat: Sexson (10)
4 Fri: L 5-2 vs. OAK (53-55, .491); Gameball: Woods (4), Goat: Washburn (6)
5 Sat: L 5-2 vs. OAK (53-56, .486); Gameball: Woods (5), Goat: Piñeiro (10)
6 Sun: L 7-6 vs. OAK (53-57, .482); Gameball: Ibañez (7), Goat: Meche (8)
7 Mon: W 5-4 vs. TB (54-57, .486); Gameball: Ibañez (8), Goat: Moyer (5)
8 Tue: W 5-1 (10 innings) vs. TB (55-57, .491); Gameball: Hernandez (2), Goat: Broussard (1)
9 Wed: W 2-0 vs. TB (56-57, .496); Gameball: Washburn (5), Goat: Broussard (2)
10 Thu: L 8-2 at TEX (56-58, .491); Gameball: Jones (3), Goat: Ichiro (11)
11 Fri: L 14-7 at TEX (56-59, .487); Gameball: Sexson (9), Goat: Meche (9)
12 Sat: L 5-4 at TEX (56-60, .483); Gameball: Betancourt (12), Goat: Ichiro (12)
13 Sun: L 10-6 at TEX (56-61, .479); Gameball: Ichiro (12), Goat: Hernandez (6)
14 Mon: L 5-4 at OAK (56-62, .475); Gameball: Lowe (5), Goat: Perez (2)
15 Tue: L 11-2 at OAK (56-63, .471); Gameball: Betancourt (13), Goat: Piñeiro (11)
16 Wed: L 4-0 at OAK (56-64, .467); Gameball: Ichiro (13), Goat: Meche (10)
17 Thu: L 5-2 at LAA (56-65, .463); Gameball: Moyer (7), Goat: Ibañez (8)
18 Fri: L 3-0 at LAA (56-66, .459); Gameball: Snelling (1), Goat: Bloomquist (3)
19 Sat: L 9-7 at LAA (56-67, .455); Gameball: Broussard (1), Goat: Lowe (1)
20 Sun: L 3-2 at LAA (56-68, .452); Gameball: Woods (6), Goat: Lopez (5)
22 Tue: W 6-5 vs. NYY (57-68, .456); Gameball: Sherrill (5), Goat: O'Flaherty (1)
23 Wed: L 9-2 vs. NYY (57-69, .452); Gameball: Sexson (10), Goat: Hernandez (7)
24 Thu: W 4-2 vs. NYY (58-69, .457); Gameball: Washburn (6), Goat: Johjima (7)
25 Fri: W 6-0 vs. BOS (59-69, .461); Gameball: Lopez (5), Goat: Sexson (11)
26 Sat: W 4-3 vs. BOS (60-69, .465); Gameball: Betancourt (14), Goat: Perez (3)
27 Sun: W 6-3 vs. BOS (61-69, .469); Gameball: Snelling (2), Goat: Broussard (3)
28 Mon: W 2-0 vs. LAA (62-69, .473); Gameball: Hernandez (3), Goat: Broussard (4)
29 Tue: W 6-4 vs. LAA (63-69, .477); Gameball: Putz (4), Goat: Johjima (8)
30 Wed: L 5-3 vs. LAA (63-70, .474); Gameball: Johjima (4), Goat: Beltre (6)
MONTH of August (28 games): 11-17, .393
GAMEBALLS for August: Betancourt 3, Woods 3, Hernandez 2, Ibañez 2, Lopez 2, Sexson 2, Ichiro 2, Snelling 2, Washburn 2, Broussard 1, Johjima 1, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Mateo 1, Moyer 1, Putz 1, Sherrill 1
GOATS for August: Broussard 4, Meche 3, Ichiro 3, Hernandez 2, Johjima 2, Perez 2, Piñeiro 2, Sexson 2, Beltre 1, Bloomquist 1, Ibañez 1, Lopez 1, Lowe 1, Moyer 1, O'Flaherty 1, Washburn 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through August: Betancourt 14, Ichiro 13, Sexson 10, Beltre 9, Ibañez 8, Moyer 7, Washburn 6, Woods 6, Lopez 5, Lowe 5, Sherrill 5, Soriano 5, Johjima 4, Putz 4, Hernandez 3, Jones 3, Meche 3, Piñeiro 3, Reed 3, Everett 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Mateo 2, Rivera 2, Snelling 2, Broussard 1, Harris 1, Livingston 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through August: Ichiro 12, Piñeiro 11, Sexson 11, Meche 10, Ibañez 8, Johjima 8, Hernandez 7, Beltre 6, Everett 6, Washburn 6, Lopez 5, Moyer 5, Broussard 4, Guardado 4, Mateo 4, Bloomquist 3, Perez 3, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Betancourt 2, Green 2, Sherrill 2, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, O'Flaherty 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1, Woods 1
SEPTEMBER
1 Fri: L 2-1 at TB (63-71, .470); Gameball: Meche (4), Goat: Ibañez (9)
2 Sat: W 4-3 at TB (64-71, .474); Gameball: Baek (1), Goat: Piñeiro (12)
3 Sun: L 7-6 at TB (64-72, .471); Gameball: Bloomquist (1), Goat: Ichiro (13)
4 Mon: L 6-2 at DET (64-73, .467); Gameball: Sexson (11), Goat: Beltre (7)
5 Tue: W 4-3 at DET (65-73, .471); Gameball: Piñeiro (4), Goat: Snelling (1)
6 Wed: W 5-4 (10 innings) at DET (66-73, .475); Gameball: Lopez (6), Goat: Beltre (8)
8 Fri: W 7-2 vs. TEX (67-73, .479); Gameball: Baek (2), Goat: Snelling (2)
9 Sat: W 3-2 (13 innings) vs. TEX (68-73, .482); Gameball: Fruto (3), Goat: Ibañez (10)
10 Sun: L 4-2 vs. TEX (68-74, .479); Gameball: Broussard (2), Goat: Cruceta (1)
11 Mon: L 6-2 vs. TOR (68-75, .476); Gameball: Ibañez (9), Goat: Woods (2)
12 Tue: W 4-2 vs. TOR (69-75, .479); Gameball: Broussard (3), Goat: Ichiro (14)
13 Wed: L 10-0 vs. TOR (69-76, .476); Gameball: Feierabend (1), Goat: Baek (1)
14 Thu: L 10-8 at KC (69-77, .473); Gameball: Ichiro (14), Goat: Washburn (7)
15 Fri: W 11-8 at KC (70-77, .476); Gameball: Sexson (12), Goat: Cruceta (2)
16 Sat: L 7-4 at KC (70-78, .473); Gameball: Feierabend (2), Goat: Piñeiro (13)
17 Sun: W 10-5 at KC (71-78, .477); Gameball: Snelling (3), Goat: Broussard (5)
18 Mon: L 8-1 at TEX (71-79, .473); Gameball: Sexson (13), Goat: Chick (1)
19 Tue: W 9-7 (10 innings) at TEX (72-79, .477); Gameball: Bloomquist (2), Goat: Jimenez (1)
20 Wed: W 6-3 at TEX (73-79, .480); Gameball: Baek (3), Goat: Sherrill (3)
21 Thu: W 9-0 at CHW (74-79, .484); Gameball: Woods (7), Goat: Snelling (3)
22 Fri: W 11-6 at CHW (75-79, .487); Gameball: Sexson (14), Goat: Meche (11)
23 Sat: L 11-7 at CHW (75-80, .484); Gameball: Sexson (15), Goat: Piñeiro (14)
24 Sun: L 12-7 at CHW (75-81, .481); Gameball: Broussard (4), Goat: Fruto (1)
25 Mon: W 10-9 (10 innings) vs. OAK (76-81, .484); Gameball: Ibañez (10), Goat: Chick (2)
26 Tue: L 12-3 vs. OAK (76-82, .481); Gameball: Beltre (10), Goat: Woods (3)
27 Wed: L 7-6 (10 innings) vs. OAK (76-83, .478); Gameball: Sexson (16), Goat: Meche (12)
29 Fri: L 6-5 vs. TEX (76-84, .475); Gameball: Huber (1), Goat: Fruto (2)
30 Sat: W 3-1 vs. TEX (77-84, .478); Gameball: Hernandez (4), Goat: Snelling (4)
MONTH of September (28 games): 14-14, .500
GAMEBALLS for September: Sexson 6, Baek 3, Broussard 3, Bloomquist 2, Feierabend 2, Ibañez 2, Beltre 1, Fruto 1, Hernandez 1, Huber 1, Lopez 1, Meche 1, Piñeiro 1, Snelling 1, Ichiro 1, Woods 1
GOATS for September: Snelling 4, Piñeiro 3, Beltre 2, Chick 2, Cruceta 2, Fruto 2, Ibañez 2, Meche 2, Ichiro 2, Woods 2, Baek 1, Broussard 1, Jimenez 1, Sherrill 1, Washburn 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through September: Sexson 16, Betancourt 14, Ichiro 14, Ibañez 10, Beltre 10, Moyer 7, Woods 7, Lopez 6, Washburn 6, Lowe 5, Sherrill 5, Soriano 5, Broussard 4, Hernandez 4, Johjima 4, Meche 4, Piñeiro 4, Putz 4, Baek 3, Fruto 3, Jones 3, Reed 3, Snelling 3, Bloomquist 2, Everett 2, Feierabend 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Mateo 2, Rivera 2, Harris 1, Huber 1, Livingston 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through September: Piñeiro 14, Ichiro 14, Meche 12, Sexson 11, Ibañez 10, Beltre 8, Johjima 8, Hernandez 7, Washburn 7, Everett 6, Broussard 5, Lopez 5, Moyer 5, Guardado 4, Mateo 4, Snelling 4, Bloomquist 3, Perez 3, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Sherrill 3, Woods 3, Betancourt 2, Chick 2, Cruceta 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Baek 1, Jimenez 1, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, O'Flaherty 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1
OCTOBER
1 Sun: W 3-2 vs. TEX (78-84, .481); Gameball: Huber (2), Goat: Ibañez (11)
MONTH of October (1 game): 1-0, 1.000
GAMEBALLS for October: Huber 1
GOATS for October: Ibañez 1
GAMEBALLS for the season: Sexson 16, Betancourt 14, Ichiro 14, Beltre 10, Ibañez 10, Moyer 7, Woods 7, Lopez 6, Washburn 6, Lowe 5, Sherrill 5, Soriano 5, Broussard 4, Hernandez 4, Johjima 4, Meche 4, Piñeiro 4, Putz 4, Baek 3, Fruto 3, Jones 3, Reed 3, Snelling 3, Bloomquist 2, Everett 2, Feierabend 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Huber 2, Mateo 2, Rivera 2, Harris 1, Livingston 1
GOATS for the season: Piñeiro 14, Ichiro 14, Meche 12, Ibañez 11, Sexson 11, Beltre 8, Johjima 8, Hernandez 7, Washburn 7, Everett 6, Broussard 5, Lopez 5, Moyer 5, Guardado 4, Mateo 4, Snelling 4, Bloomquist 3, Perez 3, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Sherrill 3, Woods 3, Betancourt 2, Chick 2, Cruceta 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Baek 1, Jimenez 1, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, O'Flaherty 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1
Nine games better than last season. Let's hope for meaningful baseball in September next year. It'd be cool. There have been improvements.
Needless to say, we're all hoping 2006 is a better year than 2005, which was a better year than 2004. We're hoping to get closer to 2003. I'm not thinking playoff spot this year, but if meaningful baseball can happen after the All-Star break, then that's good.
Here's to the season...
APRIL
3 Mon: L 5-4 vs. LAA (0-1, .000); Gameball: Moyer (1), Goat: Reed (1)
4 Tue: W 10-8 vs. LAA (1-1, .500); Gameball: Piñeiro (1), Goat: Putz (1)
5 Wed: W 6-4 vs. LAA (2-1, .667); Gameball: Ibañez (1), Goat: Everett (1)
6 Thu: W 6-2 vs. OAK (3-1, .750); Gameball: Betancourt (1), Goat: Meche (1)
7 Fri: L 5-0 vs. OAK (3-2, .600); Gameball: Harris (1), Goat: Mateo (1)
8 Sat: L 3-0 vs. OAK (3-3, .500); Gameball: Soriano (1), Goat: Beltre (1)
9 Sun: L 6-4 vs. OAK (3-4, .429); Gameball: Woods (1), Goat: Ichiro (1)
11 Tue: L 9-5 at CLE (3-5, .375); Gameball: Betancourt (2), Goat: Everett (2)
12 Wed: W 11-9 at CLE (4-5, .444); Gameball: Ichiro (1), Goat: Meche (2)
13 Thu: W 9-5 at CLE (5-5, .500); Gameball: Putz (1), Goat: Hernandez (1)
14 Fri: L 2-1 at BOS (5-6, .455); Gameball: Soriano (2), Goat: Ibañez (1)
15 Sat: W 3-0 at BOS (6-6, .500); Gameball: Rivera (1), Goat: Ichiro (2)
16 Sun: L 3-2 at BOS (6-7, .462); Gameball: Lopez (1), Goat: Washburn (1)
17 Mon: L 7-6 at BOS (6-8, .429); Gameball: Beltre (1), Goat: Lopez (1)
18 Tue: L 7-4 vs. TEX (6-9, .400); Gameball: Betancourt (3), Goat: Woods (1)
19 Wed: W 9-6 vs. TEX (7-9, .438); Gameball: Ichiro (2), Goat: Mateo (2)
20 Thu: L 4-3 vs. TEX (7-10, .412); Gameball: Soriano (3), Goat: Guardado (1)
21 Fri: L 2-1 vs. DET (7-11, .389); Gameball: Washburn (1), Goat: Sexson (1)
22 Sat: L 2-0 vs. DET (7-12, .368); Gameball: Ichiro (3), Goat: Sexson (2)
23 Sun: L 6-4 vs. DET (7-13, .350); Gameball: Beltre (2), Goat: Nageotte (1)
24 Mon: W 4-3 (11 innings) vs. CHW (8-13, .381); Gameball: Moyer (2), Goat: Rivera (1)
25 Tue: L 13-3 vs. CHW (8-14, .364); Gameball: Ichiro (4), Goat: Piñeiro (1)
26 Wed: W 5-1 vs. CHW (9-14, .391); Gameball: Washburn (2), Goat: Johjima (1)
28 Fri: L 5-2 at BAL (9-15, .375); Gameball: Ichiro (5), Goat: Johjima (2)
29 Sat: W 8-6 at BAL (10-15, .400); Gameball: Betancourt (4), Goat: Ibañez (2)
30 Sun: W 4-3 at BAL (11-15, .423); Gameball: Moyer (3), Goat: Reed (2)
MONTH of April (26 games): 11-15, .423
GAMEBALLS for April: Ichiro 5, Betancourt 4, Moyer 3, Soriano 3, Beltre 2, Washburn 2, Harris 1, Ibañez 1, Lopez 1, Piñeiro 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Woods 1
GOATS for April: Everett 2, Ibañez 2, Johjima 2, Mateo 2, Meche 2, Reed 2, Sexson 2, Ichiro 2, Beltre 1, Guardado 1, Hernandez 1, Lopez 1, Nageotte 1, Piñeiro 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Washburn 1, Woods 1
MAY
1 Mon: W 8-2 at MIN (12-15, .444); Gameball: Piñeiro (2), Goat: Everett (3)
2 Tue: L 5-1 at MIN (12-16, .429); Gameball: Green (1), Goat: Beltre (2)
3 Wed: L 6-5 (11 innings) at CHW (12-17, .414); Gameball: Meche (1), Goat: Guardado (2)
4 Thu: L 4-1 at CHW (12-18, .400); Gameball: Livingston (1), Goat: Ichiro (3)
5 Fri: L 9-4 vs. CLE (12-19, .387); Gameball: Ibañez (2), Goat: Green (1)
6 Sat: W 4-1 vs. CLE (13-19, .406); Gameball: Piñeiro (3), Goat: Bloomquist (1)
7 Sun: L 2-0 vs. CLE (13-20, .394); Gameball: Washburn (3), Goat: Sexson (3)
8 Mon: W 6-3 vs. TB (14-20, .412); Gameball: Guardado (1), Goat: Everett (4)
9 Tue: W 8-1 vs. TB (15-20, .429); Gameball: Ichiro (6), Goat: Ibañez (3)
10 Wed: L 1-0 vs. TB (15-21, .417); Gameball: Moyer (4), Goat: Sexson (4)
12 Fri: L 12-7 at LAA (15-22, .405); Gameball: Reed (1), Goat: Piñeiro (1)
13 Sat: W 5-4 (13 innings) at LAA (16-22, .421); Gameball: Everett (1), Goat: Beltre (3)
14 Sun: W 9-4 at LAA (17-22, .436); Gameball: Fruto (1), Goat: Meche (1)
16 Tue: L 12-6 at OAK (17-23, .425); Gameball: Ibañez (3), Goat: Hernandez (2)
17 Wed: L 7-2 at OAK (17-24, .415); Gameball: Sexson (1), Goat: Moyer (1)
18 Thu: L 6-3 at OAK (17-25, .405); Gameball: Guardado (2), Goat: Piñeiro (2)
19 Fri: W 7-4 vs. SD (18-25, .419); Gameball: Johjima (1), Goat: Soriano (1)
20 Sat: W 6-3 vs. SD (19-25, .432); Gameball: Betancourt (5), Goat: Guardado (3)
21 Sun: W 10-8 vs. SD (20-25, .444); Gameball: Betancourt (6), Goat: Hernandez (3)
22 Mon: W 8-6 vs. BAL (21-25, .457); Gameball: Ichiro (7), Goat: Green (2)
23 Tue: L 14-4 vs. BAL (21-26, .447); Gameball: Mateo (1), Goat: Piñeiro (3)
24 Wed: W 7-4 vs. BAL (22-26, .458); Gameball: Green (2), Goat: Ibañez (4)
25 Thu: L 2-0 vs. BAL (22-27, .449); Gameball: Meche (2), Goat: Beltre (4)
26 Fri: L 3-1 at MIN (22-28, .440); Ganeball: Beltre (3), Goat: Ibañez (5)
27 Sat: L 9-5 at MIN (22-29, .431); Gameball: Sexson (2), Goat: Moyer (2)
28 Sun: L 4-3 (10 innings) at MIN (22-30, .423); Gameball: Soriano (4), Goat: Morse (1)
29 Mon: L 2-0 at TEX (22-31, .415); Gameball: Washburn (4), Goat: Everett (5)
30 Tue: L 6-4 at TEX (22-32, .407); Gameball: Sherrill (1), Goat: Meche (2)
31 Wed: W 14-5 at TEX (23-32, .418); Gameball: Beltre (4), Goat: Johjima (3)
MONTH of May (29 games): 12-17, .414
GAMEBALLS for May: Beltre 2, Betancourt 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Ibañez 2, Meche 2, Piñeiro 2, Sexson 2, Ichiro 2, Washburn 2, Everett 1, Fruto 1, Johjima 1, Livingston 1, Mateo 1, Moyer 1, Reed 1, Sherrill 1, Soriano 1
GOATS for May: Beltre 3, Everett 3, Ibañez 3, Piñeiro 3, Green 2, Guardado 2, Hernandez 2, Meche 2, Moyer 2, Sexson 2, Bloomquist 1, Johjima 1, Morse 1, Soriano 1, Ichiro 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through May: Ichiro 7, Betancourt 6, Beltre 4, Moyer 4, Soriano 4, Washburn 4, Ibañez 3, Piñeiro 3, Green 2, Guardado 2, Meche 2, Sexson 2, Everett 1, Fruto 1, Harris 1, Johjima 1, Livingston 1, Lopez 1, Mateo 1, Putz 1, Reed 1, Rivera 1, Sherrill 1, Woods 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through May: Everett 5, Ibañez 5, Beltre 4, Meche 4, Piñeiro 4, Sexson 4, Guardado 3, Hernandez 3, Johjima 3, Ichiro 3, Green 2, Mateo 2, Moyer 2, Reed 2, Bloomquist 1, Lopez 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Soriano 1, Washburn 1, Woods 1
JUNE
2 Fri: W 4-0 vs. KC (24-32, .429); Gameball: Moyer (5), Goat: Betancourt (1)
3 Sat: W 12-1 vs. KC (25-32, .439); Gameball: Ichiro (8), Goat: Lopez (2)
4 Sun: L 9-4 vs. KC (25-33, .431); Gameball: Beltre (5), Goat: Washburn (2)
5 Mon: W 4-1 vs. KC (26-33, .441); Gameball: Lopez (2), Goat: Everett (6)
6 Tue: W 4-2 vs. MIN (27-33, .450); Gameball: Johjima (2), Goat: Sexson (5)
7 Wed: W 10-9 (11 innings) vs. MIN (28-33, .459); Gameball: Betancourt (7), Goat: Moyer (3)
8 Thu: L 7-3 vs. MIN (28-34, .452); Gameball: Woods (2), Goat: Piñeiro (5)
9 Fri: W 4-1 at LAA (29-34, .460); Gameball: Sherrill (2), Goat: Sexson (6)
10 Sat: W 12-6 at LAA (30-34, .469); Gameball: Reed (2), Goat: Meche (5)
11 Sun: W 6-2 at LAA (31-34, .477); Gameball: Hernandez (1), Goat: Sexson (7)
13 Tue: L 2-0 at OAK (31-35, .470); Gameball: Ichiro (9), Goat: Ibañez (6)
14 Wed: L 7-2 at OAK (31-36, .463); Gameball: Lopez (3), Goat: Piñeiro (6)
15 Thu: L 9-6 at OAK (31-37, .456); Gameball: Betancourt (8), Goat: Washburn (3)
16 Fri: W 5-4 vs. SF (32-37, .464); Gameball: Beltre (6), Goat: Betancourt (2)
17 Sat: W 8-1 vs. SF (33-37, .471); Gameball: Meche (3), Goat: Rivera (2)
18 Sun: W 5-1 vs. SF (34-37, .479); Gameball: Beltre (7), Goat: Sexson (8)
20 Tue: W 9-4 at LAD (35-37, .486); Gameball: Sexson (3), Goat: Piñeiro (7)
21 Wed: W 8-5 at LAD (36-37, .493); Gameball: Ichiro (10), Goat: Washburn (4)
22 Thu: L 4-2 at LAD (36-38, .486); Gameball: Betancourt (9), Goat: Hernandez (4)
23 Fri: L 2-1 (10 innings) at SD (36-39, .480); Gameball: Fruto (2), Goat: Sexson (9)
24 Sat: W 9-5 at SD (37-39, .487); Gameball: Johjima (3), Goat: Guardado (4)
25 Sun: W 9-4 at SD (38-39, .494); Gameball: Sexson (4), Goat: Piñeiro (8)
27 Tue: W 11-7 at AZ (39-39, .500); Gameball: Beltre (8), Goat: Mateo (3)
28 Wed: W 10-3 at AZ (40-39, .506); Gameball: Reed (3), Goat: Sherrill (1)
29 Thu: W 3-2 at AZ (41-39, .513); Gameball: Putz (2), Goat: Ichiro (4)
30 Fri: L 2-0 vs. COL (41-40, .506); Gameball: Moyer (6), Goat: Ichiro (5)
MONTH of June (26 games): 18-8, .692
GAMEBALLS for June: Beltre 4, Betancourt 3, Ichiro 3, Johjima 2, Lopez 2, Moyer 2, Reed 2, Sexson 2, Fruto 1, Hernandez 1, Meche 1, Putz 1, Sherrill 1, Woods 1
GOATS for June: Sexson 5, Piñeiro 4, Washburn 3, Betancourt 2, Ichiro 2, Everett 1, Guardado 1, Hernandez 1, Ibañez 1, Lopez 1, Mateo 1, Meche 1, Moyer 1, Rivera 1, Sherrill 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through June: Ichiro 10, Betancourt 9, Beltre 8, Moyer 6, Sexson 4, Soriano 4, Washburn 4, Ibañez 3, Johjima 3, Lopez 3, Meche 3, Piñeiro 3, Reed 3, Fruto 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Putz 2, Sherrill 2, Woods 2, Everett 1, Harris 1, Hernandez 1, Livingston 1, Mateo 1, Rivera 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through June: Sexson 9, Piñeiro 8, Everett 6, Ibañez 6, Meche 5, Ichiro 5, Beltre 4, Guardado 4, Hernandez 4, Washburn 4, Johjima 3, Mateo 3, Moyer 3, Betancourt 2, Green 2, Lopez 2, Reed 2, Rivera 2, Bloomquist 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, Putz 1, Sherrill 1, Soriano 1, Woods 1
JULY
1 Sat: W 8-7 vs. COL (42-40, .512); Gameball: Sexson (5), Goat: Piñeiro (9)
2 Sun: L 4-3 (11 innings) vs. COL (42-41, .506); Gameball: Sexson (6), Goat: Reed (3)
3 Mon: L 7-1 vs. LAA (42-42, .500); Gameball: Sherrill (3), Goat: Hernandez (5)
4 Tue: L 14-6 vs. LAA (42-43, .494); Gameball: Ibañez (4), Goat: Mateo (4)
5 Wed: L 4-0 vs. LAA (42-44, .488); Gameball: Sherrill (4), Goat: Ichiro (6)
7 Fri: L 6-1 vs. DET (42-45, .483); Gameball: Lowe (1), Goat: Ichiro (7)
8 Sat: L 2-1 vs. DET (42-46, .477); Gameball: Putz (3), Goat: Johjima (4)
9 Sun: W 3-2 vs. DET (43-46, .483); Gameball: Rivera (2), Goat: Ibañez (7)
14 Fri: W 5-3 at TOR (44-46, .489); Gameball: Soriano (5), Goat: Sherrill (2)
15 Sat: L 7-6 (14 innings) at TOR (44-47, .484); Gameball: Sexson (7), Goat: Ichiro (8)
16 Sun: L 4-3 (11 innings) at TOR (44-48, .478); Gameball: Betancourt (10), Goat: Bloomquist (2)
17 Mon: L 4-2 at NYY (44-49, .473); Gameball: Lowe (2), Goat: Beltre (5)
18 Tue: L 5-4 (11 innings) at NYY (44-50, .468); Gameball: Jones (1), Johjima (5)
19 Wed: W 3-2 at NYY (45-50, .474); Gameball: Lowe (3), Goat: Rivera (3)
21 Fri: L 9-4 vs. BOS (45-51, .469); Gameball: Woods (3), Goat: Moyer (4)
22 Sat: W 5-2 vs. BOS (46-51, .474); Gameball: Jones (2), Goat: Johjima (6)
23 Sun: W 9-8 vs. BOS (47-51, .480); Gameball: Sexson (8), Goat: Washburn (5)
24 Mon: W 7-3 vs. TOR (48-51, .485); Gameball: Everett (2), Goat: Ichiro (9)
25 Tue: L 12-3 vs. TOR (48-52, .480); Gameball: Betancourt (11), Goat: Meche (6)
26 Wed: W 7-4 vs. TOR (49-52, .485); Gameball: Ichiro (11), Goat: Lopez (3)
28 Fri: L 1-0 at CLE (49-53, .480); Gameball: Beltre (9), Goat: Perez (1)
29 Sat: W 3-1 at CLE (50-53, .485); Gameball: Lowe (4), Goat: Lopez (4)
30 Sun: W 7-3 at CLE (51-53, .490); Gameball: Ibañez (5), Goat: Jones (1)
31 Mon: W 10-5 at BAL (52-53, .495); Gameball: Ibañez (6), Goat: Meche (7)
MONTH of July (24 games): 11-13, .458
GAMEBALLS for July: Lowe 4, Sexson 4, Ibañez 3, Betancourt 2, Jones 2, Sherrill 2, Beltre 1, Everett 1, Putz 1, Rivera 1, Soriano 1, Ichiro 1, Woods 1
GOATS for July: Ichiro 4, Johjima 3, Lopez 2, Meche 2, Beltre 1, Bloomquist 1, Hernandez 1, Ibañez 1, Jones 1, Mateo 1, Moyer 1, Perez 1, Piñeiro 1, Reed 1, Rivera 1, Sherrill 1, Washburn 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through July: Betancourt 11, Ichiro 11, Beltre 9, Sexson 8, Ibañez 6, Moyer 6, Soriano 5, Lowe 4, Sherrill 4, Washburn 4, Johjima 3, Lopez 3, Meche 3, Piñeiro 3, Putz 3, Reed 3, Woods 3, Everett 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Jones 2, Rivera 2, Harris 1, Hernandez 1, Livingston 1, Mateo 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through July: Piñeiro 9, Sexson 9, Ichiro 9, Ibañez 7, Meche 7, Everett 6, Johjima 6, Beltre 5, Hernandez 5, Washburn 5, Guardado 4, Lopez 4, Mateo 4, Moyer 4, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Betancourt 2, Bloomquist 2, Green 2, Sherrill 2, Jones 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, Perez 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1, Woods 1
AUGUST
1 Tue: L 2-0 at BAL (52-54, .491); Gameball: Mateo (2), Goat: Ichiro (10)
2 Wed: W 2-1 at BAL (53-54, .495); Gameball: Lopez (4), Goat: Sexson (10)
4 Fri: L 5-2 vs. OAK (53-55, .491); Gameball: Woods (4), Goat: Washburn (6)
5 Sat: L 5-2 vs. OAK (53-56, .486); Gameball: Woods (5), Goat: Piñeiro (10)
6 Sun: L 7-6 vs. OAK (53-57, .482); Gameball: Ibañez (7), Goat: Meche (8)
7 Mon: W 5-4 vs. TB (54-57, .486); Gameball: Ibañez (8), Goat: Moyer (5)
8 Tue: W 5-1 (10 innings) vs. TB (55-57, .491); Gameball: Hernandez (2), Goat: Broussard (1)
9 Wed: W 2-0 vs. TB (56-57, .496); Gameball: Washburn (5), Goat: Broussard (2)
10 Thu: L 8-2 at TEX (56-58, .491); Gameball: Jones (3), Goat: Ichiro (11)
11 Fri: L 14-7 at TEX (56-59, .487); Gameball: Sexson (9), Goat: Meche (9)
12 Sat: L 5-4 at TEX (56-60, .483); Gameball: Betancourt (12), Goat: Ichiro (12)
13 Sun: L 10-6 at TEX (56-61, .479); Gameball: Ichiro (12), Goat: Hernandez (6)
14 Mon: L 5-4 at OAK (56-62, .475); Gameball: Lowe (5), Goat: Perez (2)
15 Tue: L 11-2 at OAK (56-63, .471); Gameball: Betancourt (13), Goat: Piñeiro (11)
16 Wed: L 4-0 at OAK (56-64, .467); Gameball: Ichiro (13), Goat: Meche (10)
17 Thu: L 5-2 at LAA (56-65, .463); Gameball: Moyer (7), Goat: Ibañez (8)
18 Fri: L 3-0 at LAA (56-66, .459); Gameball: Snelling (1), Goat: Bloomquist (3)
19 Sat: L 9-7 at LAA (56-67, .455); Gameball: Broussard (1), Goat: Lowe (1)
20 Sun: L 3-2 at LAA (56-68, .452); Gameball: Woods (6), Goat: Lopez (5)
22 Tue: W 6-5 vs. NYY (57-68, .456); Gameball: Sherrill (5), Goat: O'Flaherty (1)
23 Wed: L 9-2 vs. NYY (57-69, .452); Gameball: Sexson (10), Goat: Hernandez (7)
24 Thu: W 4-2 vs. NYY (58-69, .457); Gameball: Washburn (6), Goat: Johjima (7)
25 Fri: W 6-0 vs. BOS (59-69, .461); Gameball: Lopez (5), Goat: Sexson (11)
26 Sat: W 4-3 vs. BOS (60-69, .465); Gameball: Betancourt (14), Goat: Perez (3)
27 Sun: W 6-3 vs. BOS (61-69, .469); Gameball: Snelling (2), Goat: Broussard (3)
28 Mon: W 2-0 vs. LAA (62-69, .473); Gameball: Hernandez (3), Goat: Broussard (4)
29 Tue: W 6-4 vs. LAA (63-69, .477); Gameball: Putz (4), Goat: Johjima (8)
30 Wed: L 5-3 vs. LAA (63-70, .474); Gameball: Johjima (4), Goat: Beltre (6)
MONTH of August (28 games): 11-17, .393
GAMEBALLS for August: Betancourt 3, Woods 3, Hernandez 2, Ibañez 2, Lopez 2, Sexson 2, Ichiro 2, Snelling 2, Washburn 2, Broussard 1, Johjima 1, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Mateo 1, Moyer 1, Putz 1, Sherrill 1
GOATS for August: Broussard 4, Meche 3, Ichiro 3, Hernandez 2, Johjima 2, Perez 2, Piñeiro 2, Sexson 2, Beltre 1, Bloomquist 1, Ibañez 1, Lopez 1, Lowe 1, Moyer 1, O'Flaherty 1, Washburn 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through August: Betancourt 14, Ichiro 13, Sexson 10, Beltre 9, Ibañez 8, Moyer 7, Washburn 6, Woods 6, Lopez 5, Lowe 5, Sherrill 5, Soriano 5, Johjima 4, Putz 4, Hernandez 3, Jones 3, Meche 3, Piñeiro 3, Reed 3, Everett 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Mateo 2, Rivera 2, Snelling 2, Broussard 1, Harris 1, Livingston 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through August: Ichiro 12, Piñeiro 11, Sexson 11, Meche 10, Ibañez 8, Johjima 8, Hernandez 7, Beltre 6, Everett 6, Washburn 6, Lopez 5, Moyer 5, Broussard 4, Guardado 4, Mateo 4, Bloomquist 3, Perez 3, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Betancourt 2, Green 2, Sherrill 2, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, O'Flaherty 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1, Woods 1
SEPTEMBER
1 Fri: L 2-1 at TB (63-71, .470); Gameball: Meche (4), Goat: Ibañez (9)
2 Sat: W 4-3 at TB (64-71, .474); Gameball: Baek (1), Goat: Piñeiro (12)
3 Sun: L 7-6 at TB (64-72, .471); Gameball: Bloomquist (1), Goat: Ichiro (13)
4 Mon: L 6-2 at DET (64-73, .467); Gameball: Sexson (11), Goat: Beltre (7)
5 Tue: W 4-3 at DET (65-73, .471); Gameball: Piñeiro (4), Goat: Snelling (1)
6 Wed: W 5-4 (10 innings) at DET (66-73, .475); Gameball: Lopez (6), Goat: Beltre (8)
8 Fri: W 7-2 vs. TEX (67-73, .479); Gameball: Baek (2), Goat: Snelling (2)
9 Sat: W 3-2 (13 innings) vs. TEX (68-73, .482); Gameball: Fruto (3), Goat: Ibañez (10)
10 Sun: L 4-2 vs. TEX (68-74, .479); Gameball: Broussard (2), Goat: Cruceta (1)
11 Mon: L 6-2 vs. TOR (68-75, .476); Gameball: Ibañez (9), Goat: Woods (2)
12 Tue: W 4-2 vs. TOR (69-75, .479); Gameball: Broussard (3), Goat: Ichiro (14)
13 Wed: L 10-0 vs. TOR (69-76, .476); Gameball: Feierabend (1), Goat: Baek (1)
14 Thu: L 10-8 at KC (69-77, .473); Gameball: Ichiro (14), Goat: Washburn (7)
15 Fri: W 11-8 at KC (70-77, .476); Gameball: Sexson (12), Goat: Cruceta (2)
16 Sat: L 7-4 at KC (70-78, .473); Gameball: Feierabend (2), Goat: Piñeiro (13)
17 Sun: W 10-5 at KC (71-78, .477); Gameball: Snelling (3), Goat: Broussard (5)
18 Mon: L 8-1 at TEX (71-79, .473); Gameball: Sexson (13), Goat: Chick (1)
19 Tue: W 9-7 (10 innings) at TEX (72-79, .477); Gameball: Bloomquist (2), Goat: Jimenez (1)
20 Wed: W 6-3 at TEX (73-79, .480); Gameball: Baek (3), Goat: Sherrill (3)
21 Thu: W 9-0 at CHW (74-79, .484); Gameball: Woods (7), Goat: Snelling (3)
22 Fri: W 11-6 at CHW (75-79, .487); Gameball: Sexson (14), Goat: Meche (11)
23 Sat: L 11-7 at CHW (75-80, .484); Gameball: Sexson (15), Goat: Piñeiro (14)
24 Sun: L 12-7 at CHW (75-81, .481); Gameball: Broussard (4), Goat: Fruto (1)
25 Mon: W 10-9 (10 innings) vs. OAK (76-81, .484); Gameball: Ibañez (10), Goat: Chick (2)
26 Tue: L 12-3 vs. OAK (76-82, .481); Gameball: Beltre (10), Goat: Woods (3)
27 Wed: L 7-6 (10 innings) vs. OAK (76-83, .478); Gameball: Sexson (16), Goat: Meche (12)
29 Fri: L 6-5 vs. TEX (76-84, .475); Gameball: Huber (1), Goat: Fruto (2)
30 Sat: W 3-1 vs. TEX (77-84, .478); Gameball: Hernandez (4), Goat: Snelling (4)
MONTH of September (28 games): 14-14, .500
GAMEBALLS for September: Sexson 6, Baek 3, Broussard 3, Bloomquist 2, Feierabend 2, Ibañez 2, Beltre 1, Fruto 1, Hernandez 1, Huber 1, Lopez 1, Meche 1, Piñeiro 1, Snelling 1, Ichiro 1, Woods 1
GOATS for September: Snelling 4, Piñeiro 3, Beltre 2, Chick 2, Cruceta 2, Fruto 2, Ibañez 2, Meche 2, Ichiro 2, Woods 2, Baek 1, Broussard 1, Jimenez 1, Sherrill 1, Washburn 1
CUMULATIVE GAMEBALLS through September: Sexson 16, Betancourt 14, Ichiro 14, Ibañez 10, Beltre 10, Moyer 7, Woods 7, Lopez 6, Washburn 6, Lowe 5, Sherrill 5, Soriano 5, Broussard 4, Hernandez 4, Johjima 4, Meche 4, Piñeiro 4, Putz 4, Baek 3, Fruto 3, Jones 3, Reed 3, Snelling 3, Bloomquist 2, Everett 2, Feierabend 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Mateo 2, Rivera 2, Harris 1, Huber 1, Livingston 1
CUMULATIVE GOATS through September: Piñeiro 14, Ichiro 14, Meche 12, Sexson 11, Ibañez 10, Beltre 8, Johjima 8, Hernandez 7, Washburn 7, Everett 6, Broussard 5, Lopez 5, Moyer 5, Guardado 4, Mateo 4, Snelling 4, Bloomquist 3, Perez 3, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Sherrill 3, Woods 3, Betancourt 2, Chick 2, Cruceta 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Baek 1, Jimenez 1, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, O'Flaherty 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1
OCTOBER
1 Sun: W 3-2 vs. TEX (78-84, .481); Gameball: Huber (2), Goat: Ibañez (11)
MONTH of October (1 game): 1-0, 1.000
GAMEBALLS for October: Huber 1
GOATS for October: Ibañez 1
GAMEBALLS for the season: Sexson 16, Betancourt 14, Ichiro 14, Beltre 10, Ibañez 10, Moyer 7, Woods 7, Lopez 6, Washburn 6, Lowe 5, Sherrill 5, Soriano 5, Broussard 4, Hernandez 4, Johjima 4, Meche 4, Piñeiro 4, Putz 4, Baek 3, Fruto 3, Jones 3, Reed 3, Snelling 3, Bloomquist 2, Everett 2, Feierabend 2, Green 2, Guardado 2, Huber 2, Mateo 2, Rivera 2, Harris 1, Livingston 1
GOATS for the season: Piñeiro 14, Ichiro 14, Meche 12, Ibañez 11, Sexson 11, Beltre 8, Johjima 8, Hernandez 7, Washburn 7, Everett 6, Broussard 5, Lopez 5, Moyer 5, Guardado 4, Mateo 4, Snelling 4, Bloomquist 3, Perez 3, Reed 3, Rivera 3, Sherrill 3, Woods 3, Betancourt 2, Chick 2, Cruceta 2, Fruto 2, Green 2, Baek 1, Jimenez 1, Jones 1, Lowe 1, Morse 1, Nageotte 1, O'Flaherty 1, Putz 1, Soriano 1
Nine games better than last season. Let's hope for meaningful baseball in September next year. It'd be cool. There have been improvements.
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