Series Preview: Seattle Mariners @ Oakland Athletics

by Matthew on Apr 10, 2009 8:30 AM PDT in Seattle Mariners Previews

Seattle: 2-2
Athletics: 2-1

GAMES

Game 1: Ryan Rowland-Smith* vs Brett Anderson*
Game 2: Felix Hernandez vs Dallas Braden*
Game 3: Erik Bedard* vs Trevor Cahill

Brett Anderson has pitched a total of 31 innings above A-ball in his career. He had a pretty good 31 innings in Double-A at the end of last season, but wow, what a jump. He came over in the Dan Haren trade and has been highly regarded by scouts. He posted great strikeout and groundball rates in the minors last year and many people are going to be watching his first start.

Velocity will be a key indicator for our favorite current Mariner hailing from Oz. After some passing reports from Spring Training of him sitting in the Washburn range on his fastball, it would be very soothing to see Ryan go out and push the 90mph barrier. Also of note, but requiring a longer sample than just one game, will be which stat regresses for Ryan as a starter: his swinging strike rate (a solid 7.2%) or his strikeout rate (a mediocre 12.3%).

Dallas Braden had arguably the worst fastball in all of baseball last season and his first start didn't do much to alleviate those concerns. Braden garnered just four missed bats in 97 pitches. He does limit walks, but he's not much in the way of the groundball department, so his upside looks limited.

We'll all be keeping eyes on Felix's mechanics looking for any lingering hangover from his ankle. Beyond that, it's the same old story with Felix. Predictable fastballs early? Will the groundballs return? Will the missed bats?

Trevor Cahill made his Major League debut in an expected fashion earlier this week, with lots of walks. Five walks to just one strikeout and a majority of batted balls going in the air is not a recipe for success. Cahill ran good to great groundball rates in the minors so we'll assume that skill will show up, but he's never been much in the control department.

Just keep doing what you did, Erik. That was excellent.

An incredibly busy week did nothing to clarify how I want these previews to go. I know that I don't think there's much value in posting the lineup given how much they change from game to game and the pitching match ups seem the most pertinent information. I do expect to eventually add in some general paragraphs on the oppositing team's offense and defense, but we have some sample size issues to deal with for now.

THIS SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Uberhoppy Imperial India Pale Ale
Valley Brewing Company. Stockton, CA

1 pound of hops were added every 10 minutes during a 100 minute boil, a total of 10 different boiling hops. 4 different fresh hops were used in the hopback and then the beer was passed through a chamber containing 10 lbs of fresh hops on the way from the serving tanks to the bar taps.

That's a lot of hops.

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Comments

That sounds really good

Is it exclusive to Stockton or has anyone found it up in Seattle?

RIP Nick Adenhart. You will be missed by baseball fans across all organizations.

by seattlecougar on Apr 10, 2009 9:46 AM PDT reply actions

I have not seen it outside of the Bay area

by Matthew on Apr 10, 2009 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions

It sounds awesome.

by JonBBT on Apr 10, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions

NB: Divergent Opinion

I think the race to create the hoppiest beers has about run its course. This is the equivalent of the ever more scoville unit/ever more garishly named hot sauce craze of a few years ago.

Craft breweries spending so much time trying to wring every last IBU out of the process strikes me as a colossal waste of resources. Yes, obviously there are people who love hops, and it’s wonderful that the market provides people with a product like this or 120min., but I just fear that many would-be awesome brewers will fail by attempting to out-do Sam Calagione, and that a ton of nasty, indifferently-made beer will be snapped up by the public because it contains liquified hops, or was passed through fresh hops 9 times, or that is chemically bittered to simulate drinking pure hops while thinking of a nasty break-up. There’s nothing ‘craft’ about it.

Sorry… I… I like malt too, is pretty much what I’m saying.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions

This is exactly what put me off IPA's

I hope you’re right about the race to create the hoppiest beers being almost over, because it takes everything that’s nuanced and fantastic about IPA’s and beats it to death with a crate full of hops.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 10, 2009 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions

This is exactly right. Well said, Paul.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions

I absolutely adore hoppy beer but I agree with you to a certain extent.

The difference between Pliny, Hop 15, Double Bastard and 120 Minute and the lesser super-hopped beers is that the good ones are balanced, subtle and highlight the unique characteristics of hops instead of attempting to bludgeon you to death with bitterness.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions

You're right, and of course there's a range even within a narrow genre like this, but

where I struggle is: how can you have ‘balance’ or ‘subtlety’ when all you’ve done is pour a metric ton of hops into a copper pot and then enough water to cover?
I think the best of these beers may showcase specific hops, or the interplay between hop varieties, but none of them, not 120, not Hop 15, are ‘subtle’ in any way that I’m familiar with. This may be due to individual differences in palate, of course, but just look at the way this beer is described, or the way 120min. is created and try to tell me that the intent isn’t to bludgeon subtlety into submission…

I guess the point is that while ‘hoppiness’ is distinct from, or is merely one form of ‘bitterness’ – just trying to make a beer as hoppy as is humanly possible (or malty, or whatever) seems like you’re purposefully avoiding ‘balance’. Again, that’s not to say there can’t be more and less successful products that share this goal/methodology (one using a blend of amazing hops, the other using grass clippings and synthetic bittering agents), but man, I just prefer beers with actual balance.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions

In my humble opinion there's nothing subtle about 120

and it’s actually the beer that put me off hoppy beers. I found no balance in it, and it was really hard for me to finish one.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 10, 2009 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions

I like beers with balance too

but sometimes I crave a ton of hops. Hop 15 and Pliny especially aren’t just bitter, they’re fragrant and floral as well. That’s the difference; I hate to say this because I usually love Anderson Valley but their Imperial IPA is a great example of what I’m talking about. It’s just bitter and kind of sludgy. No floral notes or clean, earthy mouthfeel like Pliny or Hop 15.

And as far as 120 goes (and this goes for pdb’s comment below as well) I shouldn’t have mentioned it because you’re right, there is nothing subtle about it at all. It’s one of those beers that really shouldn’t be considered a beer (like Palo Santo Marron or, I would assume at least, Utopias) because drinking an entire bottle is an absolute chore. I love 120 Minute but I want to drink about as often as I want to drink whiskey or scotch, which isn’t very often.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions

How the hell can you not want to drink whiskey or scotch often?

Anyway, yes, there are beers (Gemini is one I’d offer up) that are both really hoppy and have actual balance.

I’m reading the description above, or just the name, and I instantly think: this is a brewer who is out of ideas. Maybe I shouldn’t, but there you go.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I drink beer every day.

I drink liquor maybe once a month.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 2:41 PM PDT up reply actions

And Gemini is really really good but it made my stomach hurt.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions

In more happy beer news

Belmont Station just got in their first shipment of Anderson Valley Summer Solstice today! I now have plans for the evening.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 10, 2009 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions

WOOHOO!

Something to look forward to.
I just got a new shipment of UK ales, and I picked up Golden Monkey from Victory, Dick’s Grand Cru and a few other things. I think I’m good for a while.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I wouldn't necessarily say he's out of ideas

I think more likely is that he’s (they’re) doing this in an effort to get noticed by having one of the most bitter beers on the planet. Calagione did this with ABV and World Wide Stout (?) and it certainly got Dogfish a lot of attention. Valley Brewing is a smallish place with limited distribution that, according to the ratings, seems to have a lot of good stuff. Maybe this is their way of trying to make more money.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 10, 2009 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, I should've mentioned that

And this is why I mentioned Calagione in this thread: a lot of people buy this stuff because it sounds ‘intense’ or is really, really strong. I think half the people that buy 120min HATE 120min. But you’re absolutely right, this sort of thing will probably make Valley more money than a really well crafted…something else.

Of course, I see it’s got a 100 rating on ratebeer. Which makes me wonder if people give higher ratings to extremely hoppy/XIPA type deals.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions

It's also possible that it's really good.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, it's possible it's amazing.

This is a day late for the ‘perils of aging’ discussion, but ‘stifling cynicism’ is an oft-overlooked symptom of age. It develops earlier in Seattle sports fans, but still.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions

No, it's a symptom of intelligence

by Graham MacAree on Apr 10, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Skepticism is a symptom of intelligence.

Cynicism is a symptom of being jaded.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Yes yes a thousand times yes.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 10, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions

What is jaded a product of?

by Sec 108 on Apr 10, 2009 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Skepticism tendinging to be well founded.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Cool, thanks. My brain has never gone down that trail.

I have always assumed I was all of the above, but I’m not sure now.

by Sec 108 on Apr 10, 2009 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions

I love DH 120 min

I also didn’t care for AV IIPA much. Really bland.

by Matthew on Apr 10, 2009 3:12 PM PDT up reply actions

It was like drinking hop flavored sugar water.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Quick! Your opinion of Ninkasi Spring Reign?

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions

I know you weren't asking me but I just had this last night at a Ninkasi event

and I like it pretty well.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 10, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Haven't had it.

The only Ninkasi beers I can find up here are Oatis, Tricerahops, Believer and Total Domination.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Appears as thoug Matthew was unimpressed.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, I saw matthew and I gave it exactly the same rating.

It’s possible that you’ll like it much more than I; your taste in beer is quite different from mine.

When I had it, I guessed matthew would give it between 2.5/2.8. Nailed it.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions

It doesn't sound like my kind of beer, honestly.

by Aaron Campeau on Apr 10, 2009 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions

For the record

what I was trying to say is that this could be their way of making more people aware of them, thereby introducing a greater number of beer drinkers to the rest of their repertoire once they get past the Uberhoppy. People are naturally attracted to things that push the boundaries, and if someone tries this beer, they’ll be more likely to seek out other stuff by this brewery, too, which is terrific in the end.

And there’s always the possibility that this particular beer is awesome.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 10, 2009 3:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Man, I drink scotch quite often.

I mean I do love beer, good beer, but where’s the OTPOTD Scotch discussion?

by AtomicGarden on Apr 10, 2009 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Balance

You have balance when there’s a good interplay (and, well, balance) between the hops and the malt. If you have a shit-ton of hops in a beer, you need a shit-ton of malt in order to get a balanced beer. See: Avery Maharajah for what is, in my opinion, a well balanced IIPA. There’s a lot of malt in there too, and it’s a fantastic brew. Also, it’s hard to get around here, but Bells Hopslam is another fantastic IIPA, as is Dreadnaught from Three Floyds. But hey, we’ve got a bunch of other people posting beers that aren’t posted here, maybe you guys are into trading on RB or BA. :)

I’m thirsty now

by masont on Apr 10, 2009 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions

I think the biggest difference here

is that an ultra-scoville hot sauce isn’t palatable, whereas you can drink a beer with a shit ton of hops. I even enjoy them most of the time, which puts me in the minority, but it is what it is. There’s a market for these.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 10, 2009 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions

There are plenty of people who swear that 1,000,000 scoville unit sauces really 'make the dish'

or some such nonsense.

Fundamentally, I’m with you. There’s no reason an ultra-hoppy beer can’t be decent. They can’t be ‘balanced’ but they can be ‘tasty.’ I’m still worried that craft beer will keep trying to out-do Dogfish head, but who knows. Creative brewers from Port to Laughing Buddha show that my fear isn’t terribly likely.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions

There are always going to be some people trying to push the boundaries and exceed the extremes

That’s just how it is with everything. Oneupsmanship and all that. And I don’t think it represents a problem at all, just so long as you look at the results more as proof-of-concept deals than anything else. I doubt that Valley Brewing expects Uberhoppy to be its flagship beer, any more than Dogfish relies on 120 or Sam Adams relies on Utopias. As long as people are still able to produce a solid line of regulars, I don’t see anything wrong with experimentation.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 10, 2009 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Cahill's control

I hear people say that control has never been Cahill’s thing, but he posted over 3/1 K/BB with 10+ k/9 at two levels of A ball in his career. 1 walk every three innings is pretty good control if you ask me. Not that he sustained that level of skill in AA or is likely to in MLB, but I think he’s shown pretty nice control skills at the lower levels. If his minor league skills ever translate to the big leagues, he’s got front of the rotation potential. But I think the A’s are rushing it.

by philosofool on Apr 10, 2009 9:57 AM PDT reply actions

~3+ BB rates in the low low minors isn't good control.

by Matthew on Apr 10, 2009 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

3.3 was league ave. in the Cal league last year

and 4 teams had team walk rates under 3.

So, basically, what Matthew said.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

What the fuck?

I previewed that shit.

(I was thinking more like this)

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Hats are good.

by msb on Apr 10, 2009 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions

How did people manage to make out back then? Look at those brims, it's practically like sleeping in seperate beds.

by Kermit. on Apr 10, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

They didn't really

it was more a violent pressing of faces together, while the woman was frequently clasped by the upper arms to prevent an attempt to escape. It’s the american way to kiss. What you’re thinking of is ‘frenching’.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Apr 10, 2009 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions

And there were strict rules about separate beds.

by msb on Apr 10, 2009 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions

I thought you were the sort who should be wearing a scarf more often.

by Kirsten Schlewitz on Apr 10, 2009 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Seriously?

I hate scarves and they hate me.

by Matthew on Apr 10, 2009 9:01 PM PDT up reply actions

We're to sweep these bitches

Maybe.

by speedomike on Apr 10, 2009 11:40 AM PDT reply actions

flashback!!!! arrrgghhh!!! flashback!!!!

here I am, innocently working on a dvd of the gala for the Shalikashvili Chair in National Security Studies and the narrator announces that the gala got under way with a “stirring rendition of the national nathem, sung by 19 year old April Villanueva, who hails from Stillacoom, Washington, General Shalikashvili’s hometown.”

You’ll be pleased to know that she still sings the anthem at a glacial pace — however, she doesn’t feel the need to ornament the hell out of it anymore.

by msb on Apr 10, 2009 11:49 AM PDT reply actions

For a minute there I could have sworn you were working on something for Genera Sakashvili

but then I remembered he’s an MBA, not a general.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Apr 10, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions

In other news

The Regression Reaper is pretty pissed off at Texas today.

by ThundaPC on Apr 10, 2009 12:25 PM PDT reply actions

Miguel Cabrera is really pissed his team started off 1-3

by cwel87 on Apr 10, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Heyyyy

the reason I was never high on the Rangers this season!

by Matthew on Apr 10, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

It's a bad season for pitchers making comebacks

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 10, 2009 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Though said reaper still has a huge man-crush on Armando Galarraga.

Huh.

by marc w on Apr 10, 2009 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Getting Texas back in line was a more pressing issue

I’m sure he’ll come to bone Mr. Galarraga when the time is right.

by cwel87 on Apr 10, 2009 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions

As Brett Anderson is making his major league debut

Against the M’s tonight, I predict he’ll toss eight innings of two-hit shutout ball.

A la John Rheinecker fro ma couple years back. It seems like every time a young pitcher gets his first chance against Seattle, he shines against them.

As for the rest of the series…. Giambi, Garciaparra, O. Cabrera, Sweeney, Junior Griffey…. This would have been an exciting offensive series ten years ago!

by true_slicky on Apr 10, 2009 12:47 PM PDT reply actions

O. Cabrera? Exciting offense?

He hit 254/293/403 in 1999.

angels fan in seattle

by Eyebrows on Apr 10, 2009 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I dunno, this isn't your 08 Mariners

I don’t automatically expect them to go get themselves out on pitches out of the zone. It’s pretty exciting actually, having no idea what to expect from either team.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Apr 10, 2009 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Disagree - Lopez, Betancourt, Gutierrez, Holiday, Kurt Suzuki, Buck

I can only imagine how awful their offense would have been against Major League pitching ten years ago.

by katal on Apr 10, 2009 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions

A's are going with Anderson, Outman, Cahill

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/athletics/detail?&entry_id=38317

With stout hearts, and with enthusiasm for the contest, let us go forward to victory. ----Hero Defector Montgomery

by mikeA on Apr 10, 2009 12:50 PM PDT reply actions

I really would not be surprised if the Mariners sweep here

by Graham MacAree on Apr 10, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Then again I would not be surprised if Oakland sweeps here because hey fuck us

by Graham MacAree on Apr 10, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Our offense is due for some sucking

because hey fuck us

pretty much hit the nail on the head there

by Bearskin Rugburn on Apr 10, 2009 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Our offense did kinda suck yesterday.

by ThundaPC on Apr 10, 2009 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Poor results aside, I liked quite a bit of what I saw

Lopez had some terrible at bats in high LI situations, and there were a couple of hard hit balls that found gloves. I thought they could well have come away with four runs yesterday.

We’ve been so excited about our own outfield D that we forget that Minnesota’s is pretty ballin too.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Apr 10, 2009 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions