Biggest Contribution: Kenji Johjima, +7.5%
Biggest Suckfest: Gil Meche, -40.1%
Most Important Hit: Beltre single, +2.6%
Most Important Pitch: Hill double, -19.1%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): -41.5%
Total Contribution by Position Players: -17.5%
No wrap-up tonight. I don't have a fancy excuse this time around, like Firefox eating my post or a relative dying; I'm just incredibly tired, since last night's writing kept me up into the wee hours of the morning. I saw this coming the moment I almost fell asleep driving home from work, and while I was prepared to make an effort to write something if the game turned out to be particularly interesting, it didn't, so I won't.
The only things that need to be said:
-this was Gil's first real lousy start in two months. While we've all been conditioned over the years to expect Gil Meche to totally suck every time he takes the mound, don't let one start take away from what he's accomplished in recent weeks. Tonight he just didn't have command of any of his pitches, with horrifying results. It happens to everyone. No need to worry unless he loses it again a few more times before we're out of August.
-Adam Jones is 0-11 with seven strikeouts against Randy Johnson, Roy Halladay, and BJ Ryan. He's 8-23 with three strikeouts against everyone else. The guy is more than ready to mash against fringe big league pitchers like Casey Janssen or Kason Gabbard, but watching his at bats tonight against two of the better arms in baseball shows you just how much more work he needs to do before he's a reliable everyday player in Seattle. He's probably not going to see another fastball for weeks.
-John McDonald - who has a career OPS of .588 in the Majors and .652 in the minors - has drawn three walks and hit two homers against Mariner pitching in 17 plate appearances this year. I am absolutely not joking when I say that this has been Toronto's equivalent of watching Willie Ballgame go deep twice against the same team in a week. Humiliating.
Yeah, that about covers it. The rest is depressing and I need to sleep. Moyer/Burnett tomorrow night at 7:05pm PDT, as the M's look to take the series and go into Thursday's off day on a positive note.