Series Preview: Chicago White Sox @ Seattle Mariners
Seattle: 58-53
Chicago: 57-55
SUMMARY
Mariners White Sox Edge
Hitting (WoBA) -59.4 -42.3 CHI
Fielding (UZR) 46.5 -17.6 SEA
Rotation (pRAA) -21.9 43.8 CHI
Bullpen (pRAA) -23.8 25.4 CHI
Overall (RAA) -58.6 9.3 CHI
What do you know, the Seattle Mariners managed to take two out of their three games against the Tampa Bay Rays. All despite two starting pitchers performing below expectations. That's what a good bullpen effort, heroics by Langerhans, a strong effort by Ryan Rowland-Smith, and Kazmir continuing his downward spiral will do for you.
But enough about the Rays. We now begin a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. The Sox, as you can see above, outmatch the Mariners in all aspects of the game except defense. All this, yet we still lead them in the Wild Card race! Chicago has played poorly on the road this year (a .462 WP), and has only played .500 ball since the All Star Break. Also as a fun fact, they're playing exactly to their Pythagorean record.
The White Sox appear to be a clearly better overall ballclub than we are, so let's be sporting & wish them some bad luck through the work week, all the way up until they begin their series against the hated Oakland A's this Friday.
GAMES
Game One: Lucas French vs. Gavin Floyd
Game Two: Doug Fister vs. John Danks
Game Three: Felix Hernandez vs. Mark Buehrle
Did you know that Gavin Floyd was the fourth-overall pick of the 2001 draft? I didn't. Floyd has come a long way since his days in Philadelphia. He hasn't gone below 6 IP in any of his starts since July 4, and in that time, his worse K/BB ratio in any given game was 7 to 3. He throws his fastball about half the time, tosses a slider in 23% of his pitches, his curve about 20%, and just barely 8% of his pitches are change-ups. This will be a tough match-up for Our New Jarrod Washburn.
We'll be facing another first-round selection on Tuesday. Even being a bit lucky so far this year, former Ranger prospect John Danks is having his best season yet. He's managed to go between five and seven innings in all of his starts since early May, and has maintained a decent K/BB rate (2.4). His pitches range from a fastball (51.9% of the time), a cutter (21.8), change-up (17.6), and a curveball (8.6). He's even thrown the rare slider, which may be a fun thing to look out for.
Wednesday night's game features Mr. Perfect Game, also known as the only man we'll be facing against the White Sox who was an afterthought on his draft day, Mark Buehrle. One's first impression may be to think that Mark is having a wonderful year, but he's actually lost his last three starts, including the match following his perfect game, where he retired the first seventeen Twins he faced. His other two more recent outtings saw him smacked around, but to be fair, he was facing the potent offenses of the Indians and Yankees.
Mark Buehrle is earning fewer than 5 K's per 9 IP (4.78) this season, although he's also walking fewer batters than he ever has before (1.77/9IP). More balls are being put into play, and Mr. Buehrle has been somewhat fortunate with the results, judging by his .270 BABIP. Considering the tough matches we have tonight and tomorrow (prove me wrong, French and Fister), Wednesday seems to be one's best bet for a Mariners' victory.
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Comments
This is like morphine
but I’m jonesing for the real thing.
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 12:50 PM PDT reply actions
Morphine? I meant methodone
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
BUT YOU ONLY POSTED FACTS I NEED OPINIONS
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Coors light is not a very good beer.
I don’t really drink beer and even I know that.
angels fan in seattle
by Eyebrows on Aug 10, 2009 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Coors Light is bearable in a party environment
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions
There is so much better cheap beer.
Coors Light is damned near undrinkable.
by Aaron Campeau on Aug 11, 2009 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Light beer is necessary at times
and when it is, I quite frankly could not care less what I’m drinking.
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions
Twilight fanfiction is never necessary
because the point of fanfiction is to be more ridiculous than the real story, and nothing is more ridiculous than Twilight
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions
But you told me the point of fanfiction was so that
you could write about running away with Edward and him taking you inside his vampire castle. Repeatedly.
angels fan in seattle
by Eyebrows on Aug 11, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't know how to defend myself against this one
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 12:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Defend?
You said the whole fantasy was based on giving in to him and letting him have his way with you.
angels fan in seattle
Parties require light beer
otherwise beer pong, baseball, and flip cup, among others, become impossible and/or deadly
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions
If a rabid pig ate vomit for 3 days, coors light is what its piss would taste like.
It’s shit would taste like corona.
...and now I'm here
What if it were served in a frosty cold mug on a day when the outside temp were 103 degrees?
Would this affect the scale?
I find Coors Light to be less offensive than most of the other mass-produced domestics.
I don’t buy it, but I’ll drink it at a softball game.
Plus it’s also the most technologically advanced.
That's interesting; I'd always assumed that Coors Light was created
so that people who hate beer could have a beer-like product to enjoy. Coors Light and Corona are the ‘beers’ that are the least like actual beer. Thus, the concept of someone who likes really good beer and also doesn’t mind Coors Light is bizarre to me.
As a side-note, it’s always interesting that beer geek people actually have strong opinions about cheap mass-produced american lights and lagers. Sometimes we talk about it like it’s all the same, but scratch the surface and most people have a strong opinion or at the very least a pretty rigid ranking of coors/bud/miller/etc.
I find most of them to be undrinkable swill but the ones I like I will stand up for.
Rainier (which barely counts as far as I’m concerned,) Busch, Schmidt, Haam’s and Olympia (even as far as the quality has fallen since they stopped brewing it in Olympia) are all>>>the others.
by Aaron Campeau on Aug 11, 2009 11:51 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm shocked that you can't find Rainier. It's brewed in California.
by Aaron Campeau on Aug 11, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions
I think I've seen a Rainier Ice 40 at the grocery store, but that's it.
Maybe I’m going crazy. I haven’t looked in a long time.
I think the reason I don't hate Coors Light is the blandness itself.
It doesn’t have much taste, but when you’re dealing with the type of taste you often find in this category of beers we’re discussing, that’s probably a good thing. It doesn’t burn as much going down as, say, PBR or Tecate*.
If given the choice, I’d much rather buy a beer that I like, but no one brings Serpent’s Stout to the softball field, you know? When I have to settle, I don’t mind settling for Coors Light.
*I know Tecate’s not American, but I found one in my fridge this weekend when I ran out of beer, and it was perhaps the least enjoyable thing I’ve ever experienced. I got through about a quarter of it and just dumped it.
Though now I'm doubting myself.
Perhaps I’ll buy a tallboy of every domestic beer and have a sampling party to solidify my opinions. It’s been a while since I’ve had a lot of them.
I’ll get back to you.
This sounds like one of the worst ideas of all time
slightly ahead of “hey let’s give Carlos Silva $48M!”
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I kinda want to do the same.
It would make my average ratebeer rating go down, at least.
by Kirsten Schlewitz on Aug 11, 2009 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions
This is the same argument I have
Would you rather drink something that tastes like water or something that tastes like shit? I find Coors Light to be drinkable while I cannot drink Budweiser at all while my friends are the opposite.
The whole 'it doesn't taste of anything' argument just reinforces my point
It’s beer for situations in which nobody wants to drink beer. That’s fine, but in those circumstances, I’ll have water or gatorade or wine or whatever.
I find it fascinating that a beer has become so successful precisely because it’s not really beery at all.
Incidentally, the new Bud Light Lime (and I think Miller makes one) are doing the same thing. Guys, do you really WANT a wine cooler/Mike’s hard fruit beverage, but don’t want someone laughing at you? Did you like Otter Pops at some point? I have good news!
Okay I have my doubts (like REALLY have my doubts) but I was referring specifically to this:

by Aaron Campeau on Aug 12, 2009 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, haven't tried those nor will I.
Plus, that is a red beer and not a chelada so fuck you Budweiser.
Proper chelada is a chilled pint glass. Fill halfway with ice. Squeeze at least one full lime over the ice. Salt lightly and then pour any American or Mexican lager to fill.
I drank one of those once.
Stay far, far away, my friends.
(/Least Interesting Man in the World)
De-friend those two.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/
PBR is great for drinking games.
And not much else, mostly because it goes down like water.
...and now I'm here
Thought about it, but I really don't want to compare my beer reviews to Matthew's.
My original plan was to review Dogfish Head 60. It’s hardly an obscure beer, but I had a lot of pizza last week, and it goes incredibly with that. My plan was to point this out.
Actually I've started doing this!
I write more, but including a sad, smiling, or “medium” face is a fine way of quickly reminding myself what beers are worth buying a second time, and what are not.
As the Sox were getting swept in the Bronx and Seattle took the series from TB,
I’ve been flirting with rekindling October hopes for this season. How’s everyone else’s playoffs morale? I imagine if Branyan were to wake up and Beltre could pick up where he left off in May this team is a better bet than Texas at least.
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 1:01 PM PDT reply actions
I don't know if my playoff hopes are rekindling,
but this team is damn fun to watch everyday (with the exception of the Royals series). Saunders and Wilson have been a huge boost to the excitement factor.
I am cheering for an 85+ win season. Pulling off that feat will feel like making the playoffs as compared to the last year.
I'm not entertaining any hopes for the playoffs.
But I am still hoping we win as many games as possible. The way I see it, the better our record, the better Wak’s chances are for winning Manager of the Year.
Anyway, what I had written was that while I don't think we're going to make the playoffs, I'd still like us to win as many games as possible.
The more we win, the better Wak’s chances are for him to win Manager of the Year. I don’t think there’s a better candidate, and I’d hate to see the award not go to him.
Argh! Now the whole post shows up.
What the hell.
There is no way that Mike Scioscia doesn't win MotY with Adenhart and maintaining the winning pace from 08 with the injuries
It’s going to be a race for second place.
Scoscia makes sense
I mean, Wak’s done a great job and all but considering the kinds of things managers are credited with Scoscia makes sense.
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I love where the team is at right now.
We’re on the outside looking in as far as playoff contention is concerned but we’re not dead and buried (thanks Red Sox). Meanwhile, the team is essentially preparing itself for 2010 while keeping this year fun and exciting by playing competitive baseball and winning.
Going tonight and Wednesday both.
I’m excited to see French pitch even though I know he isn’t anything special. Just will be nice to see what we got for Washburn up close.
I expect Wednesday to be a typical Buehrle game. I’ll set the game time over/under at 2 hours and 15 minutes.
I'll take the over at :30. Frenchy blows up early and Wakamatsu has to hit the bullpen.
Batista! Maybe I should add another :15 >: (
It's Buehrle vs Felix.
That means it might be safe to take the under.
It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray
The NYC chapter of LL has made an effigy of Jeff
there will be a burnt offering on the new moon.
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions
How did I miss out on this?
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/
by JY on Aug 12, 2009 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions
One of the first two
If we can split the first two games, I will be really looking forward to that third one, hopefully to put us into greater WC contention.
I heard Mike Sweeney is Christian
he can pray us to the World Series!
by seattlebruin on Aug 10, 2009 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions
I heard Ichiro is Japanese
he can pray us to the World Series!
Fuck Anaheim.
by Eyeball Kid on Aug 10, 2009 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
I heard there are closeted gays in our clubhouse
they can lisp us to the World Series!
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions
[that's the joke simpsons jpeg]
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Or it was a bad joke
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 10, 2009 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions
You got more recs for this than I have gotten for the entire year of series previews.
Thanks, katal, for filling in.
Everyone else can go fuck themselves.
by Matthew on Aug 10, 2009 6:02 PM PDT reply actions 12 recs
I appreciate very much the go ahead to fuck myself but I had planned on doing so with or without your consent.
by Sec 108 on Aug 11, 2009 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's what I like about you
you’re a self starter.
Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.
by pdb on Aug 11, 2009 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
It's pointless to rec front page posts.
What the fuck does it do?
by John Morgan on Aug 11, 2009 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions
That crazy gif collection site was a freaking gold mine
I was convinced that Loafie was an untapped vein perhaps leading to the mother load, but then Yuni was traded and the Loafie Bonanza of Ought Nine petered out.
No, but I have a distinct feeling Eyebrows is wayyyyyy ahead of the pack in 2009
Robert has been like Alex Rios this year – bad and overpaid.
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions
I was there
you shouldn’t look down on Asian people just because they’re short.
Oh wait, that’s just Graham
by seattlebruin on Aug 11, 2009 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions

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