Taijuan Walker Day is over, and the heavens wash the earth (or, at least, the Northern Seattle area) with their dusky tears. If there were truly justice in this world, if Socrates and his friends were right, we'd be given a chance to rest, to reflect and appreciate a young talent like Taijuan Walker. "Nah," baseball says. "Here, have an 11:00 AM game between Joe Saunders and a slightly better Joe Saunders."
MARINERS | ROYALS | ||||
1 | Brad Miller | SS | Alex Gordon | LF | |
2 | Abe Almonte | CF | Emilio Bonifacio | CF | |
3 | Kyle Seager | 3B | Eric Hosmer | 1B | |
4 | Kendrys Morales | DH | Billy Butler | DH | |
5 | Justin Smoak | 1B | Salvador Perez | C | |
6 | Dustin Ackley | LF | Justin Maxwell | RF | |
7 | Nick Franklin | 2B | Johnny Giavotella | 2B | |
8 | Michael Saunders | RF | Alcides Escobar | SS | |
9 | Henry Blanco | C | Jamey Carroll | 3B | |
SP | Joe Saunders | Jeremy Guthrie |
The Mariners continue to bring the Youth, minus the fresh legs of Henry Blanco. The Royals, in the meantime, show off their Stretch Run Acquisition lineup, showing off all that talent they got at the Trade Deadline. We also have a rare Johnny Giovatella sighting. He's one of those guys who looks great in AAA (.385, .389, and .348 wOBAs the past three years) but just never can find his way out of Ned Yost's doghouse. He'd be a great target this offseason if the Mariners didn't already have five second basemen on the major league roster.
If the results of this game are interesting to you, enjoy Jeremy Guthrie. He's the guy we were hoping Joe Saunders would be this year: an ugly cheap starter who eats innings like free Olive Garden breadsticks, with all of the lingering regret. In seven full seasons Guthrie has never posted a season below 1 WAR, never posted an ERA higher than his FIP, and never kindled even a spark of joy and wonderment in the hearts of children. Well, on the mound, anyway. He might make balloon animals in the park on off days, for all I know.
Based on the reactions last night, it looks like the majority of you (or perhaps the vocal minority) are perfectly fine with Jack Z, with the direction this team is headed, with gutting through this September to get there. That's great! I am not trying to bring you down. I am trying to connect to you, and you have callously put up a facade of superfandom to shame me for my doubts. I understand. You have your own fragile psyche to maintain.