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13-16

Dear JJ,

I write to you not out of anger, but out of concern. We're worried about you. All of us. Even the best are entitled to an off day every once in a while, but these last two outings, you haven't been you. You haven't been close to you. We've been conditioned to expect such great things that even the slightest misstep is cause for alarm, and while I might just be making mountains out of molehills, I'd like to ask something of you.

If you're still hurt, let someone know.

This may simply be rust. You missed a few weeks there, and God knows you looked awesome in your return, so if you're just trying to get into a groove and this all blows over in a few days, then forget I ever said anything.

But if you're still hurt, let someone know.

We admire your fire and we admire your competitive spirit. The intensity you bring to the mound is contagious, and if ever the Mariners had cobbled together a roster of 25 guys with your determination, there would probably be another banner flying out there in right field. But if, in an effort to get back to helping the team as quickly as possible, you returned from the DL too early, you need to let someone know.

This isn't the time to try and prove your heart. We know you have the biggest heart on the team. Every last one of us. This is about doing what's best for the Mariners, and if you're still feeling lingering pain in any way, what's best for the Mariners is that you sit out until you're completely healthy. Better to have no JJ for one or two months than to have no JJ for six. I know it's tough to sit on the sidelines wishing you could be out there making a contribution instead of wearing a jacket in the bullpen, but what this team needs is for you to pitch at 100%, and if you're not capable of doing that right now, it's better that you sit out until you are. Pitching hurt doesn't do anyone any favors.

I hope you're okay. I hope this is just a rut, or you're sick, or you couldn't get a good grip on the ball, and that you work yourself out of it over your next few appearances. I'd love nothing more than to be able to look back on this in a few weeks and think "man, what a stupid thing to write." If your rib feels fine and you're just trying to shake off a little rust, then by all means, don't pay attention to me.

But if you're still hurt, let someone know.

Yours,

Jeff Sullivan

5_1_08_medium

Biggest Contribution: Richie Sexson, +29.4%
Biggest Suckfest: JJ Putz, -29.3%
Most Important AB: Sexson homer, +33.4%
Most Important Pitch: Cabrera single, -34.1%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): -29.9%
Total Contribution by Hitters: -36.9%
Total Contribution by Opposition: +16.8%
(What is this chart?)

Star-divide

I don't have any bullet points, because I was barely able to catch any of the game.* So instead I'm going to put up a completely unrelated post in a little bit in the interest of moving on.

* - I'm not penning letters to the rest of the players on the team because they suck

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George Sherill has 10 saves

Erik, meet Heathcliff. Heathcliff, this is Erik. You two may have something in common.

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 1, 2008 10:22 PM PDT   0 recs

I guess we have to remember a save isn't a real stat

But a saveby JJ tonight would’ve been real nice.

by Fin on May 1, 2008 10:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Perhaps, thanks to the implosion against NY

But his presence (plus the absence of his 5 games against Seattle) might mitigate the bullpen’s tendency to collapse a bit.

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 1, 2008 10:53 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I had forgotten

How Heathcliffe Slocumb was a Cy Young award contender.

by eponymous_coward on May 1, 2008 10:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was referring to the eventual bounty required for them

Not their pitching ability.

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 1, 2008 10:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

In other news

nothing in tonight’s game impacted my fantasy team.

FREE JEREMY REED!!

by MFAN on May 1, 2008 10:32 PM PDT   0 recs

My fantasy team consists of Jordana Brewster and Kate Beckinsale

Please Fast and the Furious 4, come out sooner. Your awesomeness may never be matched.

by seattlebruin on May 1, 2008 10:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Wait, I drafted Kate Beckinsale with the 1st overall pick.

Followed by Hanna Verboom in the 2nd round and Diane Kruger in the 3rd.

Who’d I trade Kate Beckinsale for? I need to go check the roster.

by Wilder. on May 1, 2008 10:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Naomi Watts?

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 1, 2008 11:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That's who it was!

Thanks for refreshing my memory.

by Wilder. on May 1, 2008 11:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK, this is going to make me sound absolutely terrible

but one time, my roommates and I actually did that with girls we knew/knew of in college (all girlfriends were auto excluded of course). Then we started trading and it wound up being the most awkward meme of all time.

by seattlebruin on May 1, 2008 11:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

There's a credly drawn MSpaint picture

of a frowning stick figure who’s waving a white flag, and wearing a ten gallon hat with an “S on it”.

It’s one of the best LL images ever and I wish I could find it.

by JI on May 1, 2008 10:37 PM PDT   0 recs

I've always assumed

That if I hadn’t done something terrible in my past life, I would have a become a Cards fan instead. You only confirm it.

by Robert on May 1, 2008 11:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It's a pretty sweet gig

you get Jim Fucking Edomnds, McGwire’s best years, and when he quits someone better comes in and takes over first base.

by JI on May 1, 2008 11:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

SAVE OUR SONICS!!

Mariners? They’re fucked.

by lemonverbena on May 1, 2008 11:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

JJ, you should know...

That so far they’ve been busy, and acted like this:

But if you keep it up they aren’t going to be so nice.

by Sidi on May 1, 2008 11:43 PM PDT   0 recs

According to JJ

He’s not hurt… he’s mystified that he can’t throw his fastball for strikes… he’s never experienced anything like that and he said if they want to throw him in non-save situations he’s fine with that until he gets it worked out.

That’s according to Baker.

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on May 1, 2008 11:48 PM PDT   0 recs

Now, whether or not he's actually hurt, this is probably what he's going to say

But, sticking with that, if he’s not hurt, but just can’t find his control, it’s only natural that he might try to take some effort off in order to try and regain some of that control, and we’d see reduced velocity.

Just saying.

by Matthew on May 2, 2008 12:03 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm not 100% sure

but I believe last year after he came back from his spring training injury he kind of went thru the same type of thing, wasn’t spotting his fastball and dropped the velocity back down to straighten out the mechanics then amped the velocity back up. He didn’t have nearly the struggle that he’s having this year, but I would imagine a rib injury was more likely to throw off mechanics then would the arm injury he had as its part of the whole body movement instead of just the arm movement.

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on May 2, 2008 12:14 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This is an excellent point.

And not only because it makes me feel better.

Support local music.

by acblue on May 2, 2008 12:38 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

JJ is awesome.

...and now I'm here

by Librocrat on May 2, 2008 12:04 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Closer by committee time!

Mac can use the random number generator on Mel Stottlemyre’s Ti-89 Calculator to pick the closer for that night’s game. It’ll be awesome.

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 1, 2008 11:59 PM PDT   0 recs

Except I hope TI fixed their random # generators

otherwise you’re gonna see “Now entering the game, #58 Cha Seung Baek!” a lot

by seattlebruin on May 2, 2008 1:24 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

On a brighter note, Rays in first place!

How awesome is that? And their offence still hasn’t got going yet. And Kazmir is yet to make a start.

by Alex B on May 2, 2008 1:59 AM PDT   0 recs

Dbacks/Rays in 09 WS?

To hell with that, DBacks/Rays in 08 WS!

Felix Hernandez may be The King, but Justin Upton is a GOD.

by Goose on May 2, 2008 4:18 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

FOX would hate that

Would probably opt to show Red Sox-Yankees reruns instead.

by Alex B on May 2, 2008 6:12 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

So awesome

BP’s adjusted standings have them as the second-best team in baseball. Without Kazmir.

by Jeff on May 2, 2008 8:28 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Darrell Rasner starts Sunday!?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…........................!

by ThundaPC on May 2, 2008 9:24 AM PDT   0 recs

It did look like also

that with the lower velocity of his fastball he had more movement (which wasn’t helping him). Or was that just me?

Coach Owens has no bones

by Scruffy Lefty on May 2, 2008 9:28 AM PDT   0 recs

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