Every year, everybody and their mother like to throw up their own team report cards. The official definition of 'everybody' is 'every person', so I too feel obligated to participate. There's practically zero room for creativity here (which is why I always do two "First Half In Review" posts), but it's what people do, and who am I to go against a time-honored tradition?
Kenji Johjima
Performance: .292/.330/.451
Community Projection: .291/.344/.468
Grade: Recent slump has brought him down to last year's line, but he's been a valuable hitter and an improved defensive catcher. B+
Richie Sexson
Performance: .205/.299/.413
Community Projection: .260/.343/.511
Grade: It may not be entirely fair to judge a notorious second-half player by what he's done through early July, but Sexson's been awful. Some success over the past few weeks is the only thing keeping him from an F. D
Jose Lopez
Performance: .284/.321/.415
Community Projection: .285/.330/.435
Grade: Streaky hitter whose overall line masks some progress in the plate discipline and GB/FB areas. Seems to be getting better about pulling fly balls, and has visually played some terrific defense. Remember Felix in Boston? B-
Yuniesky Betancourt
Performance: .271/.297/.366
Community Projection: .287/.319/.407
Grade: A guy we're paying to hit for average and play awesome defense so far hasn't hit for average or played awesome defense. He's going to get better, but so far he's been the worst regular on the team. F
Adrian Beltre
Performance: .277/.327/.488
Community Projection: .283/.347/.512
Grade: Another second-half hitter who's been uncharacteristically solid through the first three months. An injury took a bite out of his production, but it's hard to complain about this kind of performance from a good defensive third baseman. B+
Raul Ibanez
Performance: .275/.324/.426
Community Projection: .280/.356/.466
Grade: About a month ago I declared that Ibanez's problems stemmed from his shoulder injury, and that - now healed - everything would go back to normal. Since then he's put up a .611 OPS. He's not hitting and he's actively killing us with the glove. Badly needs to re-discover his stroke soon if he wants to avoid people clamoring for more Ben Broussard. D-
Ichiro
Performance: .359/.410/.459
Community Projection: .330/.379/.438
Grade: The current American League MVP. A+
Jose Guillen
Performance: .283/.354/.441
Community Projection: .269/.325/.445
Grade: His bat has come and gone, but overall he's been a solid contributor at the plate. Even with the poor defense, there's not really much here to complain about, not for the price. B
Jose Vidro
Performance: .286/.349/.349
Community Projection: .274/.339/.388
Grade: Jose Vidro is getting paid to hit. He isn't. He has a .676 OPS since a decent April, and his 15 double plays have him tied for fifth in baseball. Passable bench bat who's horrible miscast as an everyday DH, although the OBP is enough to keep him from being a total black hole. D
Bench
Performance: .293/.341/.386
Community Projection: N/A
Grade: The foursome has done pretty much everything it's needed to do over these three months, from occasionally hitting for power to filling in for regulars to playing the field to shoving a fatass. No complaints. B+
Felix
Performance: 3.83 RA, 3.45 FIP
Community Projection: 3.73 RA, 3.31 FIP
Grade: First two starts got everybody excited, but what he did in Oakland just the other day might be the most encouraging development. Could've and should've been better, yet the seemingly graceful recovery from a potentially catastrophic injury is a good sign. B
Jarrod Washburn
Performance: 4.06 RA, 4.09 FIP
Community Projection: 4.76 RA, 4.80 FIP
Grade: His peripherals are headed in the wrong direction, but good luck made him an invaluable pitcher for a little while during the early part of the year when everyone else was sucking. Won't stay this good, but for half a season, a pleasant surprise. B
Miguel Batista
Performance: 5.16 RA, 4.70 FIP
Community Projection: 4.90 RA, 4.57 FIP
Grade: Constantly seems to be wiggling out of jams, but has worked hard to bring his ERA down into respectable territory. Hasn't eaten as many innings as advertised. C
Jeff Weaver
Performance: 6.64 RA, 4.04 FIP
Community Projection: 5.11 RA, 4.87 FIP
Grade: Was the worst pitcher in franchise history for first six starts, then turned into the most effective member of the rotation for next six. Getting better, but overall, awful. D-
Ho Ramirez
Performance: 7.36 RA, 4.88 FIP
Community Projection: 4.80 RA, 5.17 FIP
Grade: Not a Major League pitcher. Worse than Jeff Weaver. Our #5 after the break. F
Ryan Feierabend
Performance: 9.31 RA, 7.64 FIP
Community Projection: N/A
Grade: hahahahahahahahaha F F F F F
Cha Baek
Performance: 6.16 RA, 3.75 FIP
Community Projection: N/A
Grade: Pitched better than the numbers show, but overall just way too hittable. Still the best option for #5. D
George Sherrill
Performance: 1.29 RA, 2.19 FIP
Community Projection: 3.85 RA, 3.41 FIP
Grade: Probably the best left-handed setup man in baseball. Now we just need McLaren to realize it. A+
Chris Reitsma
Performance: 6.41 RA, 4.94 FIP
Community Projection: 4.46 RA, 4.01 FIP
Grade: Didn't do much of anything. Didn't have to. D
JJ Putz
Performance: 0.88 RA, 2.73 FIP
Community Projection: 2.69 RA, 2.22 FIP
Grade: The best reliever in baseball and the best reliever in Mariner history. Every appearance of his is an absolute treat for us and a nightmare for the opponent. A+
Rest of the bullpen
Performance: 4.51 RA, 4.39 FIP
Community Projection: N/A
Grade: Sean White and Jason Davis kill the overall numbers, but Brandon Morrow, Sean Green, and Eric O'Flaherty came up absolutely huge on several occasions. This group has been a godsend. B+
Team Overall
Performance: .576
Community Projection: .488-.525
Grade: This season rocks. A-