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Series Preview: San Diego Padres @ Seattle Mariners

Seattle: 16-26
Padres: 15-26

GAMES

Game 1: Miguel Batista vs Chris Young
Game 2: Erik Bedard* vs Randy Wolf*
Game 3: Felix Hernandez vs Shawn Estes*

Well, I was right about the one game. Yay! I had a whole paragraph written about Washburn and what the Mariners might do and then they went ahead and already announced they were skipping his start. So, shoot. On the plus side, I get to see Felix for the third time this year instead of that asshole Bedard and his regressing self.

Randy Wolf was a pitcher I desperately stumped for this offseason. The Padres signed him for one year and $4.75 million guarenteed with some performance bonuses for games started and innings pitched that could push his salary to a maximum of $8.75 million. That's three less years and at leat $40 million less than Carlos Silva. Randy Wolf is better than Carlos Silva and is also left-handed. Padres = smart. Mariners = dumb. This is the sort of thing that fills me with confidence for our shot at first overall in 2009.

Star-divide

Likely Starters:
C Josh Bard
1 Adrian Gonzalez
2 Tadahito Iguchi
3 Kevin Kouzmanoff
S Khalil Greene
L Jerry Hairston
C Jody Gerut
R Brian Giles
D Probably someone who sucks

Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff were acquired in trades much in the favor of San Diego. Besides those two, the Padres have developed exactly one half of an offensive asset, that being Khalilbot. They are scoring 3.38 runs per game, worst in the bigs while the Ms are at 4.07 runs per game, 25th in the bigs. This is either going to be one incredibly boring series or it's going to one amazingly boring series. TUNE IN TO FIND OUT!

CONTEXT

This freefall has inspired a lot of self-examination by all of us between LL and USSM and thus, most every topic of the Mariners have been covered over the past few days. I know it sounds like a copout, but I'm just not sure what else there is to bring up. Jeremy Reed's OPS is still hovering about 1.000. He's probably a better bat than Griffey at this point and his glove is approximately runs better.

An Ibanez-Ichiro-Griffey outfield would be so stupid as to cause time itself to collapse in on itself. Acquiring Griffey only makes sense if it's as a DH, of which both Ibanez and Sexson already need to be and which Clement currently occupies because Kenji Johjima, who should be biding his time to Type A free agent status, is locked here for the next 3.75 years.

I'd like to continue pulling for the team to sign Bonds but they'd probably put him at 2B, so you know what? Screw you Mariners. Grow a clue.

THIS SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Old Rasputin Imperial Stout
North Coast Brewing Company. Fort Bragg, CA

Pours with a delicious looking 3-finger tan creamy head that sticks around for quite awhile. It's muted on the nose with mellow chocolates and a little smoke. Little bits of coffee, oat and cocoa come through on the taste and the palate is both creamy and filling, as you'd expect from how it looks.

I cannot give this beer enough justice in words. It might be the perfect imperial stout so if that's a genre that you enjoy, you are only hurting yourself by not drinking more of this beer.

0 recs  |  Comment 152 comments

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Comments

Display:

Looks like a heiroglyph.

100000?

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/milb-mariners/

by JY on May 15, 2008 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

durrr... Hieroglyph.

I before E and all that.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/milb-mariners/

by JY on May 15, 2008 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Infinity?

Your favorite meme is dead

by Edanger6 on May 15, 2008 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

closer

but perhaps no longer on the right track

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

1,000,000,000?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 8:41 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Closer to infinity, huh?

1,000,000,000,000?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

What am I not getting?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 8:55 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

...glottal stop?

Graham’s dad should get a real job.

by Jeff on May 15, 2008 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

FWIW, I'm pretty sure the only person who might know what I mean

by saying Graham’s dad might get it, is Graham and if Graham gets /that/ than I am officially scared about our brains being too similar.

In other words, that hint was helpful to nobody.

Do I enjoy obscure? Yes; yes I do.

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I know

I think runs = 3 runs

by Fin on May 15, 2008 9:04 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

0 maybe?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:09 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

This

is why Plus it’d make sense Reed’s defense would be about 3 runs above Griffey’s.

by Fin on May 15, 2008 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Look at the sentence construct

why would “3” make sense?

by Jeff on May 15, 2008 9:14 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Because didn't you guys say Reed's glove

was overrated?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:17 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Why can't scientists invent a time machine

already? Then we could go back in time and take back 1994 or 1995 Griffey.

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

You want broken wrist Griffey?

I suppose he’d be more productive than Cairo…but still.

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 15, 2008 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Fail.

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:32 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

In twenty years, when you're 60 years old,

you’ll finally see how my humor shines.

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:35 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I won't make it that long

because of all the drunk driving I do after every drink. Speaking of which, I just had some Rogue Chocolate Stout, time to go cut my brake line and go joyriding.

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

SCOTT NOT JERRY HAIRSTON

Determined, Jonesing Commentor

by I'm NOT Corco on May 15, 2008 9:38 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well, seeing as how you'll be dead

of old age by then, it doesn’t matter.

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm no expert at wit nor will I claim to be

but you’re just not saying anything funny

Determined, Jonesing Commentor

by I'm NOT Corco on May 15, 2008 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Who says I'm trying to?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

You wouldn't be making remarks like that

if you weren’t attempting to make people laugh

Determined, Jonesing Commentor

by I'm NOT Corco on May 15, 2008 9:45 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Who said that?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on May 15, 2008 9:47 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I can't really respond to this without violating the TOS

so fill in the blanks with whatever you want

You’re a ___ individual

Determined, Jonesing Commentor

by I'm NOT Corco on May 15, 2008 9:48 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well I know it means a very large number

I’m just not real caught up on my egyptology.

by OlSalty on May 15, 2008 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Coldly devouring reason as if it were a delectable snack

by Frosty Raptor on May 15, 2008 9:14 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Remind me to use this one

next time I want to obfuscate the number 6.

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

This is driving me crazy....

Okay… my guess is Graham’s number? Right track?
G1? From the gardiner number?

by marc w on May 16, 2008 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Three cheers for Old Rasputin!

And everything else North Coast makes.

by John Morgan on May 15, 2008 11:16 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I don't think it's too pricey.

I pay about 9 for a 4 pack, but given Rasputin is 9% and an average beer is about 4.5%, I think it’s pretty reasonable. Beer is one of my only real expenditures, but I’ve gotten to where I can’t drink crap, I swear it tastes like industrial effluent.

by John Morgan on May 15, 2008 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

you should come up in June for the ussm/ll event.

we can make it an all-awesome seattle sports blog summit and amongst you jeff derek and myself we might be able to destroy bars with our beer snobbiness alone

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I sense a "smug" cloud on the way.

I like midgets more than I should.

by Thingray on May 15, 2008 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

if I could rec something more than once, I would.

I mean, I can, by logging into other accounts, but that’s too much work for me.

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 6:20 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Absolutely delicious beverage.

Even better on tap.

...and now I'm here

by Librocrat on May 15, 2008 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I like stouts okay...

This was very good. Any heavier though and I’ll have to start chewing…

by GhettoBear04 on May 15, 2008 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

This series brought to you by Henry Weinhards Root Beer!

Smooth and miles beyond any other root beer that is mass produced. ain’t nothin’ better than a god root beer.

I’m a teatotaler.

Pop goes the buttsy on the left hand side!!

by PhilKenSebben on May 15, 2008 11:25 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

*good

Pop goes the buttsy on the left hand side!!

by PhilKenSebben on May 15, 2008 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Most root beer is too sweet.

If you’d pimped some ginger beer I’d have been more impressed.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on May 15, 2008 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

We know.

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Also, I'm always down for some online Grand Theft Auto IV or Rock Band. Gamertag: Phildopip

by Phildopip on May 15, 2008 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Have you tried some KCN?

It’s got a nice almond smell you might like, and it’s non-alcoholic.

by eponymous_coward on May 15, 2008 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I love beer - this is well known

but I actually love this root beer. I’d rather have this than many beer beers (like the beers Weinhard’s makes).

by marc w on May 15, 2008 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I believe this is the first suggestion of its type:

I want the Mariners to hire a Japanese manager who can’t speak English. Reason: not being able to talk to the players, the manager would judge players only on their performance and could hide behind the language barrier to, effectively, not give a fuck what anybody has to say about any of his moves.

It’s ok for the coaches to speak English.

Of course, you’d want that manager to be an effective judge of talent. For the team’s owners & management, that’s definitely a move that puts butts in seats and garners international attention. It also brings the team together: got a problem with the manager, ask Johjima or Ichiro to interpret.

Washburn to manager: “Johjima sucks at calling pitches.”

Manager (through Johjima): “Eat my shorts.”

by wysiwyg on May 15, 2008 12:08 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

With Good Natured Nerdy Smugness

I threw a comment up at USS Mariner timestamped 10:55 AM favoring Sadaharu Oh as the new manager.

I think it’s a super idea. It takes a bit of wishful thinking vis-a-vis MLB player attitudes- but how awesome would it be to bring in a Japanese manager who creates an atmosphere that naturally draws in hard working, dedicated players and repulses cry-baby whiners. The mantra would be “All we’re trying to do here is win a championship- everything else is secondary.” If you can get a bunch of guys buying into that theory- they may not pull it off right away, but it would make for really entertaining baseball and, I think, give the team a completely unique aura that would reignite Seattle’s passion for baseball.

by mkd on May 15, 2008 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I predict I will be drinking

bottles of beer by the end of this weekend.

by eponymous_coward on May 15, 2008 12:15 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Padres = Smart?

Padres = worse than us.

by BlueBaron on May 15, 2008 12:58 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

No, they're not.

The Padres know how to spend money wisely. We know how to spend insane amounts of money on washed up 1B/DH/RF players and BOR pitchers.

by BrianL on May 15, 2008 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Mariners 2008 payroll: $118M

San Diego 2008 payroll: $73.7M

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Also, I'm always down for some online Grand Theft Auto IV or Rock Band. Gamertag: Phildopip

by Phildopip on May 15, 2008 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

USSM: Organizational Rankings

Stll one of my favorite posts. Dave hit a homerun with this one. Worth checking out since it’s right on the money.

8) San Diego = B
23) Seattle = D

Padres are smarter than us.

by ThundaPC on May 15, 2008 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Angels are a C+?

Really?

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well,

The Angels did trade for John Garland and lock up an aging Torii Hunter on a 5-Year deal.

by ThundaPC on May 15, 2008 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

A)This was made 10/17

So neither of those had happened yet.

B) We traded an aging Orlando Cabrera for Garland in order to make room for our multiple SS prospects, Erick Aybar being the one who stepped up and won the job with his ridiculous range. Aybar has also been perfectly serviceable with a bat thus far. Garland was pretty much expected to eat innings and put up an okay ERA, which he has done so far. Cabrera has meanwhile blown chunks on Chicago. So far, we’re net winners on this one. Garland is also only here for one season.

C) Torii Hunter isn’t really that bad a deal. You guys gave Ichiro the same amount of money, and he’s the same age, and that was supposedly one of the better deals you’ve made.

But like I said, those two hadn’t happened yet, so the only real problem you could have with us is the deal with GMJ, which was admittedly bad, but I don’t see how it was bad enough to drop a team that has been a perennial playoff contender for four straight seasons and has good young talent to a C+.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sorry, make that 10/12

My mistake.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Actually,

This isn’t a ranking for who has done a good job so much as it’s a letter grade for who’s going to do a good job going forward based on the organization they have in place. If it was about the former, Tampa Bay wouldn’t gotten an A.

A C+ indicates that you have an above average Front Office. Only Dave could tell you specific strengths and weaknesses. It’s because the grade was made before the Garland, Hunter moves that makes it VERY relevant. Your organization could’ve EASILY done better than Garland and Hunter.

The Tampa Bay Rays get an A, certainly not because of their past. They’ve fielded +90 loss teams year in and year out. But with a new organization in place that nows how to build a baseball team there’s reason to have high hopes for this club. And sure enough, after the offseason they had where they focused in improving their defense they’ve quickly become a force to be reckoned with. It’s so funny to see so many casual observers be surprised by the Rays yet a number of people who know better knew that this team is on the rise.

And as you can plainly see, our organization sucks at free agency and trades. This time, signing up Carlos Silva for $12 million a year for the next 4 years. There are guys like him floating around that earn a fraction of that and they’re not that hard to find. Also, yet another year where we pick up a bat or two that’s on its last legs (Brad Wilkerson).

by ThundaPC on May 15, 2008 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Such as?

I don’t think we actually could have. They’ve both been pretty solid moves so far, especially considering what we gave up to get Garland (nothing).

And as far as organization goes, Arte Moreno may be the best owner in sports in terms of running it like a business and staying the fuck out of the way of the baseball people when it comes to the team. Tony Reagins is new, but Stoneman was a solid GM who stuck to his prospects, and was generally good at evaluating talent. Scioscia is a top 5, maybe even top 3 manager. We have a great farm and scouting system.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 8:57 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Torri Hunter is a terrible deal

he won’t age anywhere near as well as Ichiro well

by JI on May 15, 2008 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Meh.

He’s got about the same build as Jermaine Dye, and Dye is still doing pretty good at 34 (year three).

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

which, if true, would be amazingly irrelevent

since player’s don’t break down based on their contract length.

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Dye is 34. When Hunter is 34

He’ll be in year 3 of his contract. Dye is a 111 career OPS+, Hunter is a 105 OPS+. There’s not that much difference between them. Considering defense, Torii is probably the better overall athlete and player.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

they're 18 months apart in age. That's far more accurate.

and there are better measures of hitting ability, especially when it comes to aging, than OPS+.

by Matthew on May 15, 2008 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I was going off Baseball References Top Similar Batter

Through age 31 actually.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 9:11 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Read above

And they both play outfield it’s not that much of a stretch to compare them.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

One is a centerfielder and one is a rightfielder.

and it’s not like Dye could just slide over to center if he wanted to.

Dye’s career has had many peaks and valleys (mostly due to his broken leg), where as Hunter has been fairly steady. Other than that they don’t walk a whole bunch and have some power (Dye has/had a lot more) I don’t see why a comparison of the two makes sense.

by JI on May 15, 2008 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well

Given the following:

Similar build
Similar hitting
Similar position
Similar career path
Two years ahead of Torii.

I have to say they looked pretty comparable to me, at least as far as projecting Hunter goes. Dye has had better power, Torii plays a tougher position/is a better athlete. I really don’t see what the problem is. It’s not like I compared him to Jim Edmonds or Gary Sheffield here.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

The big problem to me is that

center field is further on the up defensive spectrum… and not just by a little bit. Dye only started three games at center in his career.

But if you’re going to compare them as hitters I think that’s faulty too. I really don’t think they are too terrible similar. Sure their career numbers are somewhat similar, but they’ve taken vastly different paths to get there: Hunter has basically been a steady 105-115 OPS+ guy since he became a regular, Dye is all over the map: formidable peaks and horrific valleys. If it weren’t for the broken leg, Dye’s numbers would be even further away.

The main things that worry me about Hunter is that he played on turf his entire career, his defense has been in decline for some time, and that he really doesn’t have any plus hitting skills besides power ( he doesn’t hit .300, and he doesn’t walk), when his skills decline it’s going to be ugly.

by JI on May 15, 2008 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well, he's not playing on turf anymore

and while he didn’t break a leg, he did have a fairly down year with Minnesota. Dye has had exactly one off the charts bad year, and one off the charts good year. Otherwise, he’s been in the same range as Hunter his whole career.

And doesn’t the fact that Torii has been healthier, while playing a tougher position, on turf, only speak to his durability? Dye is in the same boat as far as skills go- again, that’s part of why I compared them in the first place.

Despite the weirdness of Dye’s career, he’s still the closest player to Torii in terms of career comparison.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

We're gonna have to let this one go

because I don’ really think they compare very well on offense or defense, plus, Dye compares to hardly anyone because he’s had one of the oddest career paths ever.

by JI on May 15, 2008 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

The same is true of Hunter though

Look him up. Dye is the closest through 31 at 969 (not that all that close, overall)

I guess if you really want a CF though, I could always go with Steve Finley. I mean seriously, if Dye is so bad, suggest someone. Dye was the only guy I could find who matched up.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Finley was actually the guy I was thinking of

but his career took off after 30 and he took more walks

by JI on May 15, 2008 11:34 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I know

Plus Finley was a smaller frame and 25 lbs lighter.

I wouldn’t particularly object to Hunter still being a decent offensive player to age 39, but that seemed unfair. Dye is a lot closer.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 15, 2008 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

"Screw you Mariners. Grow a clue."

I suggest new co-GMs capable of getting huge raging clues:

by DCMariner on May 15, 2008 1:16 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Anybody know what the story is with Triunfel?

I saw on PI earlier today that he had reported to Peoria for some reason.

by BrianL on May 15, 2008 3:03 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Apparently it's "nothing to worry about".

But I haven’t heard any details.

I like midgets more than I should.

by Thingray on May 15, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I was kinda hoping we'd have a Felix/Peavy matchup

Then I would have a chance to watch two terrible offenses get no hit at the same time!

by joof on May 15, 2008 3:15 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

If by Jerry Hairston you mean Scott Hairston,

then yes, you are correct

Determined, Jonesing Commentor

by I'm NOT Corco on May 15, 2008 9:30 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Gaslamp must be in need of some good posters.

For fuck’s sake, Coach had a diary front-paged there.

To be fair to GB, CO really didn’t use any of his own ideas, but instead mashed up the works of Graham with some old-style Coach optimism and bad word choice. (“sweep us so we can have the #1 overall pick in next year’s draft and pick Stephen Strasburg!”)

by Faux on May 16, 2008 11:19 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Ugh.

...and now I'm here

by Librocrat on May 16, 2008 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Gaslamp Ball is awesome

they just aren’t as familiar with Coach as we are.

by Jeff on May 16, 2008 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I agree that they're cool, in a low-key way.

I just don’t understand the Coach FPing. I’m sure you read what he wrote. Would you really FP that, even coming from another site?

Also, I think someone over on McCovey reads here, or at least reads the same stuff Graham reads, because there were a couple conversations about the Strasburg standings.

by Faux on May 16, 2008 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

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