Biggest Contribution: Jarrod Washburn, +27.6%
Biggest Suckfest: Kenji Johjima, -21.8%
Most Important "Hit": Beltre strikeout, -13.0%
Most Important Pitch: Guillen single, -13.8%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): +35.2%
Total Contribution by Position Players: -97.8%
It's one thing to watch a team lose winnable ballgames and fall out of the race because they just don't have the talent to compete. I can deal with that. God knows I've done it before.
It's quite another to watch a good team with just as much talent as anyone else in the division lose winnable ballgames and fall out of the race because the guys in charge don't have any idea how to maximize the production they get from players in the upper levels of the organization.
Willie Ballgame hitting against righties, Carl Everett hitting against anyone, good bench bats getting zero opportunities to show what they can do, Julio Mateo logging a ton of innings in relief, Joel Pineiro getting 18 starts, Hargrove displaying a striking inability to juggle a lineup or devise a sound strategy for in-game management...these have all significantly contributed to the Mariners' current position in last place, and even worse than that, they're all avoidable problems. This team could very, very easily be in first right now if not for a series of baffling, detrimental decisions made by the guys in charge, and that makes me sick.
Like hell am I writing about tonight's game.
Gil Meche and Nate Robertson tomorrow at 1:05pm PDT.
Release Carl Everett's sorry ass.