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9/27: Open Game Thread

Tiny by Jeff on in Game Threads Comment 723 comments

Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners


Lineup

Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners

09/27/08 1:10 PM PDT

Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners
Travis Buck - RF Ichiro Suzuki - RF
Aaron Cunningham - LF Yuniesky Betancourt - SS
Kurt Suzuki - C Raul Ibanez - "LF"
Jack Cust - DH Jose Lopez - 2B
Chris Denorfia - CF Miguel Cairo - 1B
Daric Barton - 1B Wladimir Balentien - CF
Bobby Crosby - SS Kenji Johjima - C
Jeff Baisley - 3B Matt Tuiasosopo - 3B
Cliff Pennington - 2B Rob Johnson - DH
W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Ryan Rowland-Smith 4-3 46 11 0 0 2 1 111.2 105 46 42 13 46 72 3.39 1.35

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Greg Smith 7-15 31 31 2 0 0 0 183.1 164 86 83 20 85 108 4.07 1.36

Not to bring a negative attitude into an RRS appearance, but - could someone please explain the whole Jose Lopez/first base thing that's going on? I'm trying not to get too upset on account of we don't know what the new GM is going to do, but on what planet does this make even the slightest lick of sense? They're aware that Lopez doesn't even like playing the position, right? Why am I hearing talk of this being a more permanent sort of switch? Why? Why?

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My hope is that it's just hype! to make the callups seem more exciting.

I’m usually of the opinion that any versatility is a plus no matter how trivial it seems, but these bastards just can’t be trusted.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:02 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Also Jose Lopez has turned into quite the asset

I wouldn’t mind trading him for someone better defensively/ better at reaching base, but like with Beltre, Safeco suppresses his numbers so I’m not sure if we could get value.

GOD I hate the way our park is configured.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:07 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I don't think there's much reason to dump Lopez

unless you think his defensive downgrade is permanent. Assuming that he regresses back toward his fair/good defense, he’s good to have at second.

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:08 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If only Yuni for LaRoche had happened.

And yeah, certainly float his name around and see what comes back, but unlike Yuni who I think you have to dump in order to win, Lopez has value.

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:14 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'd love to sign

Furcal and/or Bradley and I’ve even warmed of to Tex because last year looks like it’s not a fluke. But those are easy answers

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:16 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Tex's pricetag is going to be insane now.

But man, what a winter this is going to be. Everyone and their mother is a free agent.

No matter who are GM is and what his or her plan for 2009 is, I am so ecstatic that we don’t have Bavasi helming us through this winter.

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:18 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah

…I had a dream where we signed CC but didn’t have to pay him.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:19 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You know what would be neat?

If they were doing this to make room for Ellis or Hudson. Alas…

by Jeff on Sep 27, 2008 12:10 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I don't want to pay for Ellis because he will get hurt

But Hudson would be grand, and at that point you might as well deal Lopez and find a better hitter to play first.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:11 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

But if Ellis could be had on the cheap

and Lopez could be dealt for offense… that could make sense

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:12 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm skeptical about Hudson.

How good can his defense stay going forward?

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:12 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I wouldn't want to go four years

secondbasemen usually don’t age well

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:13 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's the thing with both Hudson and Ellis.

I think this team can be competitive sooner than most people (not including LL obviously,) but I think it’s probably best to use the next few years of low expectations to try to do so with players like Lopez. If there were a younger second baseman coming into free agency it’d be different. Yuni is another case, because he’s bad. I’d be all for dumping him and signing Furcal or something.

J.K.L.

by acblue on Sep 27, 2008 12:27 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Whatever makes us better makes us better

regardless of other’s expectations.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:29 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yes, but is making us marginally better in 2009 worth dumping Lopez?

It would depend on what you got in return and the other moves you made obviously, but chances are quite good that the M’s aren’t likely to seriously compete next year, even with improvements. So do you take a chance that Ellis will stay healthy or that Hudson’s defense will hold up for the four years you’re likely to have him?

J.K.L.

by acblue on Sep 27, 2008 12:33 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

When I say better I am describing the long term health of the franchise

no one wants to move and serious assets for a short term long shot to try to win 87-90 games… except for maybe Chuck Armstrong.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:39 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm not sure he's an asset in CF

but if we’re better with him in CF I hope he’s willing to move, but I doubt it because players don’t like changing positions.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:09 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Heard there are a couple nice CF prospects in our system.

Saunders-Big lefty bat that if he can find his power could end up like Hamilton and speedy!
Halman-Has nice power but not as fast as Saunders.

by Slurvey on Sep 27, 2008 12:12 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm glad I'm having time to adjust to the inevitability of the MVPs this year being Ryan Howard and Dustin Pedroia.

Because this is going to be the biggest combined fuckjob in award history. There’s not a single decent metric that you can use to show Howard or Pedroia as deserving.

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:16 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Because it should matter.

Baseball should have a way to award the best hitter and pitcher for each league that isn’t fucking retarded.

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:19 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I would like to care.

Just like I would like to care about the All-Star game and the Hall of Fame. It upsets me that I cannot because the criteria used are awful.

by Matthew on Sep 27, 2008 12:21 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This will be the first year that I've followed baseball

where no American Leaguer hits 40 HRs, and Howard could be the only player to top the mark period. That includes strike seasons.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:17 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Insane.

Is the pitching better? Is it a younger league? Are the old-timers who consistently hit 40+ homeruns on a yearly basis retiring and regressing to their 38+ year old age? Steroids crackdown?

With the smaller ballparks popping up all over, this is quite the dramatic drop off in homerun rates.

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 12:36 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Everything goes in cycles

look how strong the NL was at the beginning of the decade.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:37 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Losing team

got all his RBIs int he firs half

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:22 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

He cooled down a lot after a really nice first half.

If he continued at that pace people believed he could’ve been a triple crown winner.

by Slurvey on Sep 27, 2008 12:24 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Nope

He’s basically been just as good offensively.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:25 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

No. 4 Florida might go down this week.

31-24 late in the 4th.

Com’on Ole Miss!!

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 12:38 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

So... Florida just ran down the field to score the tying points.

But 3:28 remains with Ole Miss getting the ball. Just get into FG range and run the clock!

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 12:44 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

FLORIDA LOSES!!!

It’s a great day for college football!!!

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 12:59 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I've said this before

but you should’ve seen some of the names they recommended before we compromised with this one.

by Jeff on Sep 27, 2008 12:50 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The final weekend is so much fun

I hope we clinch today so I can watch all the (hopefully) tied races boil down tomorrow. What a great time for a bye.

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 12:53 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I have a feeling the M's are going to summon some foolhardy courage today, and win this meaningles game.

Meanwhile the Nats are going to get sodomized by Jamie Moyer yet again. (Though they’re sending out their most reliable starter in Lannan, so who knows?)

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 12:55 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Not to sound traitorous...but LET'S GO M'S!! BEAT DEM A's!!

[sez the Nationals fan in me]

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 12:54 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Incidentally, I am very displeased at the failure of the Mets to lose.

I can think of no team I dislike quite so much as the New York Mets. When you defeat the Mets you are doing God’s work.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 12:58 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Trade for high profile players.

Gut the farm system.
Sign expensive free agents.

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 1:06 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah, but the Beltran signing HAS been brilliant and well worth it.

And they developed Wright and Reyes on their own.

It’s the stupid trades that hurt them: losing Flores for nothing, giving away Milledge for two pieces that are pretty worthless (though Milledge hasn’t exactly covered himself with glory yet either). I can’t blame the Kaz-Zambrano trade on Minaya, but that also really hampered them.

The bullpen has been their undoing. They should have re-signed Bradford, at the very least, and built up more reliable backups than Aaron Heilmann and Pedro Feliciano.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:08 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah, the Milledge trade made no sense.

They got some good stuff out of Church for a while, though.

by Teej on Sep 27, 2008 1:10 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Ironically enough, the Milledge trade was made necessary by the fact that they lost their catcher of the future in Jesus Flores

….to none other than the Nationals, who snagged him in the Rule V draft. (Minaya had forgotten to protect him because…well, because he’s a moron.)

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:11 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I don't disagree.

But they have taken the same approach and are failing. That’s my only point.

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 1:10 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The Beltran signing appears to have worked out.

And their farm system created Wright and Reyes. It made sense to get Johan this year and make a run. And they didn’t give up a ton to get him. They have a window of opportunity.

by Teej on Sep 27, 2008 1:09 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Failing to make the playoffs and not winning the WS in 8 years.

Maybe not “horribly,” but it has been a path to destruction. They may still win a lot of games every year, but they won’t/haven’t been the best team.

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 1:14 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

2006 Cardinals

Can’t disagree.

But does anyone think the Yankees are going to be perennial contenders over the next 5 years? I don’t.

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 1:17 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I do.

Their lineup can still rake, and they were killed by an insane number of injuries this year. With Hughes and Joba joining the rotation, they’re once again one of the better teams in the AL.

by Teej on Sep 27, 2008 1:18 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You think their bullpen is going to hold up?

Posada is probably done.
Matsui is up in the air with injuries.
Jeter is regressing.

It will be interesting if they do sign Teixeira, though.

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 1:22 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Rivera is dominant, and it's not hard to find some guys to supplement him.

They have talent in the system and the money to sign superstars. I see no reason to think they won’t be competitive for years to come.

Their run differential was about the same as the Angels this year. And that’s with all the injuries.

by Teej on Sep 27, 2008 1:25 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And notice how many WS the late '90s Yanks won?

That was a team that was driven far more by its homegrown talent plus its smart, relatively cheap acquisitions (e.g. O’Neill).

Also, the Yank farm system produced Pettite and Williams. Pretty fucking good system.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:13 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Change of philosophy after 2001.

I am not talking about their WS teams 10 years ago. I am talking about their recent “success.”

by Wilder. on Sep 27, 2008 1:16 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Sure, fair enough, but I don't think that describes what the Mets are doing now.

They’re TRYING to do what the ‘90s Yanks did. They’re just failing at it.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:17 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Oh, it's indescribably awesome for sure.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. If the Brewers lose today it’s tied again for the WC…if the Mets sneak into the postseason I’ll be heartbroken.

But at least I’ll always have my Rays.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:24 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

HEY JI....

…Can I get a “Wainwright-pwns-Beltran” GIF from you here for good luck?

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 12:59 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I've liked the Brewers a lot over the past few years, but I really started pulling for them after they shitcanned Yost

A ballsy, and utterly necessary move. Dale Sveum isn’t exactly a mastermind, but just look at the way he handled the pitchers last night: Suppan + McClung and that’s all. Not 6 different relievers, each failing in different ways. It was stunningly efficient for anyone who’s watched the way Yost manages a bullpen.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:20 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Can't win today

PHI vs WSH – detest Mets so want Philly to win, but now that we’re there want M’s to end it last.

Uhh…. Go Oakland?

Mariner fan, Europhile and mobile insider --- P3 W1 L2 (.333)
Sponsor of Jamie Burke's baseball-reference page

by MarkE on Sep 27, 2008 1:04 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I want a 3 way tie for the WC

and for the Twins/ White Sox to end up in a tie as well.

Fogel will understnad

9=8

by JI on Sep 27, 2008 1:14 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

David Andriesen of the Seattle PI is really, really, really smart.

KJR should have his interview with Dick Faign up later, and it’s worth listening to. He called bullshit on Ichiro being selfish.

by BrianL on Sep 27, 2008 1:17 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If I were to root for the final outcome of this season based NOT on fandom, but rather on which franchise needed it more desperately...

…should I root for the M’s or the Nats to get the #1 pick? I incline towards the Nats on this question even notwithstanding the fact that I’m a fan of theirs.

B.J. Upton's new nickname = "Laggard McShambleslow"

by esoteric on Sep 27, 2008 1:22 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs