76-83

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 27, 2006 10:47 PM PDT in Seattle Mariners Regular News

I'd write something but I think staying up late to watch the games these last few nights has gotten me sick. Blogging has officially gotten to the point where it's having a deleterious effect on my health.

Biggest Contribution: Jon Huber, +11.9%
Biggest Suckfest: George Sherrill, -26.7%
Most Important At Bat: Lopez single, +16.4%
Most Important Pitch: Kielty double, -29.5%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): -22.9%
Total Contribution by Position Players: -27.1%

(What is this?)

Off tomorrow, then one final weekend three-game set against Texas. A sweep pulls Seattle into a tie for third, but given the lopsided state of the season series against the Rangers, they'd still technically finish last. Whatever.

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Ah I see we lost

Meh whatever.

All I want out of this Texas series is for Ryan to pitch well and for us to score at least 5 runs. Since my 83 win prediction is shot to hell, they least they can do is make my 750 Runs scored prediction come true.

Fire Mike Hargrove!

by Goose on Sep 27, 2006 11:12 PM PDT reply actions

All is well

So in the swan song of Gil Meche, he had the least outcome on the game than any other M's player.

Fine by me.

by Trev on Sep 27, 2006 11:12 PM PDT reply actions

Jeff..

You've had that particular picture in your arsenal for a long long time haven't you?

DAMNIT!

by TIF @ Lookout Landing on Sep 27, 2006 11:21 PM PDT reply actions

Ah, Gil

I remember when I was but a novice M's fan and I thought you were amazing. I know better now, but those were fun days. Ignorance is bliss, they say. Anyway, have fun in wherever you end up, Mr. Meche. I'm sure you'll find someone ready to throw millions of dollars at you for no apparent reason.

by Graham MacAree on Sep 28, 2006 12:30 AM PDT reply actions

J.J. Putz WPA

I'm surprised that the blown save only leads to a negative rating of -5%. I'd have thought the win probability entering the top of the ninth with a 2 run lead would've been about 95% while going into the bottom of the 9th with the game tied it would be around 60%.
For some reason, the win expectancy finder at walkoffbalk.com doesn't work for me right now so I can't check.

by vj on Sep 28, 2006 1:04 AM PDT reply actions

A big part of that blown save

was Ichiro overrunning Johnson's hit. The box score called it a triple, but that was clearly a play Ichiro should've been able to make (holding Johnson to a single instead), so I penalized him for the additional damage instead of docking Putz.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 28, 2006 7:18 AM PDT up reply actions

Only if he had slid...maybe

No one would have gotten to that ball otherwise. Ichiro made a good run for it, but the ball was hit hard and was moving away from him since it was sliced.

Still, even at 2nd & 3rd with no one out, you don't think the A's would have scored a run to tie it. Grover would have changed the whole way he managed that inning. You can't pin everything on Ichiro, just because he tried to make a play, that he didn't happen to come up with. JJ gave up the double.

by ppl4life on Sep 28, 2006 7:41 AM PDT up reply actions

I didn't pin everything on Ichiro.

I charged Putz with a single that made it 6-5 and put men on the corners, then charged Ichiro for letting the ball get under his glove, allowing the tying run to score and Johnson to get to third.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 28, 2006 7:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Even if Ichiro

had gotten to it/made the play, it would have been a double. His momentum would have kept him from throwing except to third.

I would guess that Johjima got an "error" for not catching the ball at home plate on Snelling's throw as well, earlier in the ballgame.

by ppl4life on Sep 28, 2006 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions

I was five feet away

I was about five feet away in the beer garden when this play happened. It was pretty clear at the time that Ichiro had a bad line on the ball and didn't have time to compensate. He won't dive or slide for the ball, usually, so there was no way he could have reached it after he blew the line.

by batura on Sep 28, 2006 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

ESPN Recap

"SEATTLE (AP) -- After resting two-thirds of his starting lineup, plus his ace pitcher, Oakland Athletics manager Ken Macha decided to follow suit.

Bench coach Bob Geren managed the AL West champions to a 7-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners in a game that resembled spring training Wednesday night."

.....

"Mach told me last night, 'You're on tomorrow," he said. "I really didn't think anything of it until today because I wasn't sure he was serious. But at the beginning of the game, he said, 'You're on."

So, Oakland rests over 75% of their lineup, the manager takes a day off and lets his bench coach manage for a day....and we still lost?

Of course I'm not sure what's scarier. That, or the fact that the Mariners drew 3 walks while Oakland's Junior Brigade drew 10.

by ThundaPC on Sep 28, 2006 1:32 AM PDT reply actions

Rotoworld likes to rub it in.

"So it seems the A's can still beat the M's without even trying."

Fire Mike Hargrove!

by Goose on Sep 28, 2006 1:42 AM PDT up reply actions

It's kinda funny

They make snide remarks all the time but when it comes to actual analysis, they have very little clue what's up.

by Graham MacAree on Sep 28, 2006 2:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Hmm

I too am surprised Putz had such a small hit in the WE department. He sort of blew the game and all.

I wonder if I should retire my Meche #55 t-shirt after this year. I've had it since the middle of 2003 -- I've always liked Gil and wanted him to succeed. Still do. And to be fair, only his first inning today really sucked...

Marinerds - a different daily dose of baseblog.

by Deanna on Sep 28, 2006 2:33 AM PDT reply actions

Putz's WPA

I think Jeff charged Ichiro with an error on Johnson's "triple". That was really ugly.

by zerojun3 on Sep 28, 2006 3:03 AM PDT reply actions

I just had to find that Meche quote again (8/07)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/280316_mbok07.html?source=mypi

Meche Second Guessing

The pitch was up, but not in, and it came in over the heart of the plate, where Thomas knocked it into the second deck.

Meche didn't blame Johjima for calling for a fastball.

"That's how you always pitch Frank Thomas," Meche said. "The history on him is to get ahead of him, then you go up and in.

"It's no big deal if I just make the pitch. But I didn't. It was a stupid, stupid pitch."

And there was an option.

"He looked like he didn't have any idea on the first two curves I threw him," Meche said. "I know you're not supposed to triple up (throw the same pitch three consecutive times), but the way he was looking, why not?"

Meche has made four consecutive starts with a chance to win his 10th game, but hasn't gotten there yet. He says it's because of pitches that were, shall we say, unwise.

"I feel like I'm pitching stupid," Meche said. "All the time in the last three or four games I'm asking myself, 'How could I make that pitch in that situation?' I feel like I'm not pitching smart.

"I still feel good with the stuff I'm throwing, but I have to pitch smarter than I have the last three or four games."

by ThundaPC on Sep 28, 2006 6:51 AM PDT reply actions

I didn't watch the game last night

but I looked at the lineup before the game and thought it was in the bank...even with Meche pitching.

But now I gotta say...how the eff did we lose this game??!!?!

"I'VE GOT BLISTERS ON ME FINGERS!!"
--Stewie Griffin AND Josh Beckett

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Sep 28, 2006 8:56 AM PDT reply actions

it's the A's

Ever since they performed their witchery with a follicle of JJ Putz's red goatee, a small handful of Richie's chew, and a tub of their LA Looks Hair Gel, the A's have had a Black Magic sway over us.

by jtopps on Sep 28, 2006 10:05 AM PDT up reply actions

re: Gil's pic in the WE chart

The Marlins should move to Portland call themselves the Mystery, so that Gil can sign with them and wear the very hat you have photoshopped in that pic.

by Gomez on Sep 28, 2006 9:49 PM PDT reply actions