LaHair up

by BrettJMiller on Jul 17, 2008 5:53 PM PDT

Per Baker

Tuglett is the one who goes down. LaHair was running a .263/.357/.467 line in AAA. An .824 OPS. That will surely translate to the big leagues well.

Also with that article is this gem...

"Yes, Jose Vidro is still here. Riggleman sounds like he's going to keep batting him cleanup against righties, saying no major lineup changes are planned -- other than LaHair, who hits further down in the order to break into the majors. Against lefties, who the M's will see three of this coming series, it's Adrian Beltre hitting fourth and Jose Lopez batting fifth."

So -gasp- Churchill's source was wrong and Vidro's still with the team. I swear the only reason he's still here is because the M's hate it when word of their moves get leaked before hand so they have to make it look like they didn't cave to fan pressure. The Adam Jones thing Churchill talked about last year is pretty much exactly like this.

Anyway, at least our suck at 1B will be interesting suck now...

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Comments

Nothing would shock me less than, after the poor

first showings of Clement and Wlad, seeing LaHair light it up over the next week.

by katal on Jul 17, 2008 6:07 PM PDT reply actions

I know nothing about LaHair, but he has to be better than Cairo, no?

by Teej on Jul 17, 2008 6:12 PM PDT reply actions

Anyone who can hit a ball out of the infield with any degree of consistency may be better than Cairo

by Gomez on Jul 17, 2008 6:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Certainly a better hitter, probably not as good defensively

by OlSalty on Jul 17, 2008 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Jose Vidro is here and batting cleanup on account of locking up Strasburg

LaHair will alsoactually help the M’s in this regard.

by Gomez on Jul 17, 2008 6:12 PM PDT reply actions

From what I hear LaHair sucks and it's not at all interesting

by marinator on Jul 17, 2008 6:37 PM PDT reply actions

I also hear he's French

by Gomez on Jul 17, 2008 6:57 PM PDT up reply actions

"Produce, I like to produce. Driving in runs, whatever it may be. Moving the runner over. All the things the Mariners like to do.''

Liar.

by Sports on a Schtick on Jul 17, 2008 7:19 PM PDT reply actions

"Produce. I like produce. Daikon radish, carrots, apples, wahtever it may be. Fruit salad. All the food I like to eat."

Delicious.

by Gomez on Jul 17, 2008 7:55 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Translation:

“I like try to ground out on the first or second pitch—you know, be aggressive. I like to get things going, put the game in motion by trying to steal all the time despite my lack of speed. I go out there every day and fall over near balls that I can’t reach. All the things Mariners like to do.”

by Teej on Jul 17, 2008 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions

He's going to keep batting Vidro cleanup huh?

Let me see if I can wrap my head around the logical progression to this idea. Apparently it has something to do with his splits now…

Vidro has a .513 OPS vs. LHP. Definitely not a hitter you want in your lineup…..Let alone batting cleanup.

On the other hand, Vidro has a .585 OPS vs. RHP. Better! It’s better! Still not a DH you’d want anywhere near your lineup, but it’s better! Therefore he must bat cleanup!

by OlSalty on Jul 17, 2008 7:56 PM PDT reply actions

.531 OPS* vs LHP actually

Typo

by OlSalty on Jul 17, 2008 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions

The logical progression is actually this:

The MLB team with the worst record after 162 games gets the first pick in the 2008 entry draft, and the pitcher projected to go #1 is really, really fucking good.

by Gomez on Jul 17, 2008 9:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I still would love to see the ability to trade draft picks ala NFL.

by BrianL on Jul 17, 2008 9:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Because you would trust the Mariners with such responsibilities?

by Sports on a Schtick on Jul 17, 2008 10:09 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't trust MLB clubs to be responsible in trading draft picks

And it would likely drive up signing bonuses.

by Robert on Jul 18, 2008 1:25 AM PDT up reply actions

But....jobs.....keeping them....

by OlSalty on Jul 17, 2008 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Riggleman and Pelekoudas both know by now they're probably not keeping their jobs after 2008

by Gomez on Jul 17, 2008 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I guess it's possible they were told they had no chance of earning a position next year

But unless they were explicitly told that by the ownership (and that likely means Chuck/Armstrong have already been told they’re gone too) I doubt that they would just purposefully sabotage the team based on an assumption like that. Riggleman in particular probably has the best chance of keeping his job if he can show he is a good manager and can win over the new future GM with vastly improved performance from the team in the second half, I don’t buy that he’d just throw that chance away for the good of the team. He certainly hasn’t helped his case by batting Vidro cleanup so goddamn often.

And assuming he is sabotaging the team, uhh….he could do it better, because even with Vidro batting 4th the Nationals are still worse than us. He could make us much worse if he wanted to to make sure this team was properly fucked up, but he hasn’t.

by OlSalty on Jul 18, 2008 12:06 AM PDT up reply actions

That's the thing, dude! They're not sabotaging ther team

There is nothing to gain this season, except a good draft pick. Why not get the best draft pick they can?

What happens on the field this season is largely irrelevant otherwise.

by Gomez on Jul 18, 2008 8:17 AM PDT up reply actions

If the Mariners are planning to tank

[and I have no idea if they are]

then keep the situation as is, getting Riggleman and Pelekoudas to do the dirty and unpopular tanking work and move them out at the end of the season when the job is done.

Then the new bosses look great. They get the top draft pick and replace a couple of guys who looked and they aren’t tainted by the stink of 2008.

by Central Coast Mariner on Jul 18, 2008 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions