tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65965192012-01-31T08:37:42.735-08:00Nate's thoughts on Baseball, Society, and other essentials.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.comBlogger1171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-49669476933387783882010-09-15T15:13:00.000-07:002010-09-15T19:02:36.509-07:00

Inspired by two fangraphs items: Maury Brown's "Playing the God of Baseball" and a comment by Dave Cameron in a recent FanGraphs chat. Maury Brown wants to balance the divisions and create a system that puts real restraint on the Yankee's runaway spending, and Dave Cameron thinks the only way to do the latter is to put a third team in New York. These ideas raise a lot of questions. To balance

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-45252404601908575012010-01-12T15:38:00.000-08:002010-01-12T17:16:29.302-08:00

Surprise! Another 90's slugger took steroids! (Topic for another post: what does the existence of "The Steroid Era" do for Edgar Martinez' Hall of Fame candidacy?)I understand people are tired of this. USSMariner and Fangraphs don't bother to mention it. Standard news outlets are reporting it, but it will go away tomorrow. People in my Facebook feed are posting stuff about Conan O'Brien and

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-20571505137748026432009-09-10T11:37:00.001-07:002009-09-10T16:09:56.162-07:00

I hope to summarize here how I understand the Mariners current situation in the context of how I understand what makes a Baseball team win. Interspersed are the questions I still have (if there's an answer out there, I haven't read it, and if there isn't, I don't have the passion or skill to figure it out myself.)It's nearly impossible to say anything new about the M's or Baseball in general

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-59722649960905049702009-04-28T17:35:00.000-07:002009-04-28T17:58:05.157-07:00

Dear Yuni,It was probably a fluke, not a sign of a change in your approach. But let's take a look at that second-inning at-bat:Wait for a pitch to drive, and VOILA! (We need to see more of these to offset the giant sieve that your defense has become. )

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-13810566786455804532008-11-08T10:08:00.000-08:002008-11-08T10:12:15.804-08:00

There is a fantastic discussion about what we might expect (and hope for) regarding Jose Lopez over on USS Mariner. Some commenters are taking on Dave Cameron's argument in a compelling way, no easy feat. Which is why you should go vote for Dave in his blogging scholarship contest--where would we fans be without USSM sanity?

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-28496157495430133492008-10-27T19:11:00.000-07:002008-10-27T19:12:32.305-07:00

The most anticlimatic World Series victory will occur if this Game 5 is called on account of rain.

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-69663053606336431512008-09-05T22:24:00.000-07:002008-09-06T10:59:36.462-07:00

Mariner's president Chuck Armstrong nixed the deal for Jarrod Washburn, according to Geoff Baker. Several theories about about why he did show up on Baker's blog entry and the comments:Armstrong wanted a valuable player in return, not just the savings of not having to pay him. The problem is that Washburn isn't just under contract for 2008; he's due $10M in 2009. This is about like going to a

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-19070179746648036232008-02-22T18:23:00.000-08:002008-02-23T17:10:24.944-08:00

DMZ at USSMariner recently posted an essay on the fans' attitudes toward Alex Rodriguez, then and now. Though I appreciate his generally thoughtful examination, I disagree on several points.First, I think the reason Seattle fans felt betrayed (and certainly the the reason I did) was that he was so unbelievably good. We're not crying over the Randy Winns that left. The vitriol spouted at

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-36581235165842779852008-02-17T18:54:00.000-08:002008-02-17T19:02:03.431-08:00

Rather than bandy about all kinds of excuses for how long it has been since I posted here, let me get to my topic: the accessibility of a stats-based understanding of baseball. Mostly in response to Graham's post over at Lookout Landing, I want to suggest ways that the statistically minded baseball fans might better engage the general public (We'll call them 'GP' from here on out).A large part

Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02704773322342913204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1168888140200146982007-01-15T08:54:00.000-08:002007-01-15T11:09:03.046-08:00

...for blogging, too.I think what has been most puzzling about this off-season is the way the M's have made a lot of moves that don't seem to have any possibility of improving the team in a meaningful way. What do these moves say?First, that they weren't convinced that they were going to get any help from their promising young players. Signing Jose Guillen says you don't expect Jeremy Reed to

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1158380693417051832006-09-15T21:16:00.000-07:002006-09-15T21:24:53.466-07:00

Went to the game tonight, and thought I'd jot down a few thoughts:I'm glad the M's are limiting Felix's workload. I'm bummed that the start he skipped happened to be the one game I knew I was going to watch in person this season.Crucetta didn't have a bad inning to start, getting the first batter out and inducing the next two to hit groundballs. The second grounder was part of a hit-and-run,

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1158094418588348602006-09-12T13:48:00.000-07:002006-09-17T18:06:38.480-07:00

I’ve taken such a long hiatus from this blog because, among other reasons, it’s hard to find something interesting and unique about the M’s these days. The guys at USSMariner and Lookout Landing are my regular reading, and the rest of the blogosphere gives some great perspectives, too.But another reason I’ve been silent is that I usually like to address a problem with a solution. The Mariners’

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1149988235164172702006-06-10T17:43:00.000-07:002006-06-10T18:10:35.196-07:00

My dad sends me this report of the latest Northwest SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) meeting. The report summary is Mike Rice, with my Dad's comments in italics (I interject things in brackets for explanation) . One important thing to note is that the 36th National SABR convention is being held in Seattle at the end of June. Click here for more details.On Saturday May 20th, over 30

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1145627221308025872006-04-21T06:26:00.000-07:002006-04-21T06:47:01.450-07:00

Usually we think of pleasant surprises, but some of the surprises for the M's at this early point in the season are far from pleasant. The fact that they are problems we've had before makes them not only disappointments, but frustrations.But first, the good surprises (from my subjective point of view, of course):Jose Lopez can actually hit at the major league levelJoel Pineiro has stopped getting

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1140582731741891342006-02-21T20:31:00.000-08:002006-02-21T20:43:52.080-08:00

It used to be said about Willie Bloomquist. Maybe it's time we pick up that mantle for Jose Lopez. Bloomquist has had his shot at the major leagues, and has proven quite conclusively that he is a great 25th man. But let's be clear; for every ten plate appearance, Willie will average an out in more than seven of them. He's had four years and over 700 P.A.s.It's time Lopez got his shot, an

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1138129526964136532006-01-24T11:03:00.000-08:002006-01-24T11:05:26.980-08:00

Times Columnist Nicole Brodeur writes of the loneliest place on earth.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1136484451035386072006-01-05T09:06:00.000-08:002006-01-05T12:00:29.770-08:00

With Soriano signed for the year, the question remains what role will he play? In his debut in 2002, when he was only 22 years old, he started 8 games, got hurt, and has pitched only in relief. He's coming off surgery, so he hasn't pitched competetively in some time, and is entering his prime, physically.His track record seems clear at first: he struggled as a starter, but has done well as a

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1134847081419579912005-12-17T11:15:00.000-08:002005-12-17T11:18:01.430-08:00

Similarly, even Steve Kelley gets it right twice a year. This is one of those times. Kelley somehow sees that Washburn isn't the pitcher he used to be, though some would argue that saying Washburn is only good, not great, is still a gross overestimation of his abilities.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1134776545840027812005-12-16T15:23:00.000-08:002005-12-16T15:42:25.850-08:00

With news out of Marinerland being a bit depressing as of late, I'll turn to other subjects. In this case, the "White Elephant" gift exchange. This is important to any of you who are organizing christmas parties for your neighbors, friends, or co-workers and are thinking about or are asked about doing one.A white elephant gift is a gag gift. It's not supposed to be cute, or pretty or nice.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1134673402875550422005-12-15T10:51:00.000-08:002005-12-15T11:03:22.886-08:00

Remember two years ago?We were all ridiculing Bob Melvin and Pat Gillick and Seattle sportwriters for their allegiance to "Speed and Defense" ballplayers, their tentativity in the offseason, their emphasis on character and clubhouse leadership.Well, we've now got Carl Everett, who represents none of that.The biggest problem with signing Carl Everett is that he's not very good anymore, even as a

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1132594332475604432005-11-21T08:40:00.000-08:002005-11-21T09:43:58.153-08:00

Jeff at Lookout Landing has done some fascinating work on the mechanics of pitchers using screenshots from television broadcast. Most recently, he has taken a look at Joel Pineiro. You'll need to read his blog entry, and probably the earlier one examining Felix Hernandez, in order to understand what I'm talking about here.Jeff was comparing release points in a single game and seeing how

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1130912391658386822005-11-01T22:18:00.000-08:002005-11-01T22:19:51.670-08:00

Please, do your part to give Dave Neihaus his due. Nominate him as a finalist for the Baseball Hall of Fame Ford Frick Award.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1130912286381037702005-11-01T21:44:00.000-08:002005-11-01T22:18:06.463-08:00

The second annual curse-breaking award goes to the Chicago White Sox, who really did do a horrible thing when they threw the 1919 World Series, unlike the Red Sox "curse," which was really invented in the 1980s, and has little basis in fact.The Pale Hose' history is much clearer and darker ("Say it ain't so, Joe!"), and I'm glad that franchise can be known for something other than the 1919

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1128298705850524912005-10-02T17:17:00.000-07:002005-10-02T17:26:19.203-07:00

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1128092643577273392005-09-30T07:20:00.000-07:002005-09-30T08:04:03.616-07:00

From Bob Finigan in the Times:By late August, Bloomquist was also injured and Spiezio was dumped to the relief of all, ending a free-agent signing that wiped out Greg Hibbard and Milt Wilcox as the worst in club history — unless one counts (or even remembers) [Pokey] Reese. Really? Scott Spiezio is the worst Mariner free agent of all time? My first thought was that if that's true, the M's haven't

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1126238645431814042005-09-08T20:59:00.000-07:002005-09-08T21:04:05.436-07:00

...we remember. Dave Cameron got all nostalgic over at USS Mariner, and it was fun to reminisce with others about the days of yore. Even 1986, when the M's were terrible, but when I began to really root for them.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1124400772014763882005-08-18T10:40:00.000-07:002005-10-03T05:52:19.360-07:00

Two years ago, Joel Pineiro was going to be the linchpin of our future rotation, backed up by a plethora of young arms nearing the majors. Those young arms haven't worked out so well for mostly medical reasons. Besides, young pitchers are risky commodities, being so prone to injury. But Pineiro was a good bet. What happened?Why have we gone from extolling his virtures to calling for his outright

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1124163652997815032005-08-15T20:40:00.000-07:002005-08-15T20:42:33.940-07:00

Tonights lineup includes:3B - BloomquistLF - IbanezDH - Beltre...SS - Morse2B - BetancourtIf you patrol any of the comments over at USSMariner, you'll see that a lot of folks wonder what the point of sacrificing your infield defense when Hernandez--an extreme groundball pitcher--is on the mound. Beltre and Betancourt are clearly the superior defenders for the left side of the infield. Furthermore

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1123737420898892952005-08-10T21:59:00.000-07:002005-08-16T09:26:00.763-07:00

Day1: Snelling ignites a comeback.Day 2:Felix shows why he's the heir apparent.Day 3:Willie Bloomquist boots it.Top of the Ninth, with Guardado going for his 29th consecutive save, and Bloomquist throws the ball away, giving the Twins' Michael Cuddyer an extra base to add to his infield single. That extra base would prove critical, as Cuddyer's pinch runner would score on the next play, a

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1121957540273471602005-07-21T06:28:00.000-07:002005-08-16T09:27:40.026-07:00

Apparently, the Mariners still aren't convinced they have no hope of reaching the post-season. So says Larry Stone. The wonderful ride of 1995 enables us to think nothing is impossible. But we're in a much different place than in 1995. John McGrath agrees, but doesn't get into details. I will.Today, the Mariners have 10 days till the trading deadline. They are 41-52, 14 games out of 1st place and

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1121574316881972272005-07-16T21:21:00.000-07:002005-07-16T21:46:50.926-07:00

Two important ones tonight:Morse, trying to stretch a double, loafs out of the box to first, and only turns it on when he sees how deep the ball went into the gap. Then he slides into third on the outfield side of the bag, making the tag easy for Baltimore's third baseman.Second, Ichiro fails to tag up on a deep, deep fly ball to right center with one out in the bottom of the eighth. A passed

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1121572164677099572005-07-16T20:34:00.000-07:002005-07-21T07:53:18.060-07:00

It's time to stop drifting. The M's season is ending after game 162, and they need to think and act strategically for next season, now.That means finding a coherent strategy for catching next year. Borders ain't it, and if it's going to be Olivo, then the M's need to develop and execute a coherent plan, not continue the current situation, which makes no sense.They've made the right call with

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1121369949942667332005-07-14T12:36:00.000-07:002005-07-14T12:39:09.946-07:00

I can rest easier at night knowing that our homeland is safe from the terror of cheap knock-offs. In a post-9-11 world, we can take no chances.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1120840108118668282005-07-08T09:19:00.000-07:002005-07-08T09:28:28.133-07:00

It continues. See the sidebar for newer blogs and a new section for old blogs that look about as active as the M's pitching. I've also removed some who, sadly, have not found the time or energy to continue.I think there's a little bit of fairweather fan in most of us, who have a lot to say when the team is good, and have a much harder time when all we've got to look forward to is half of an

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1120665950065168192005-07-06T08:30:00.000-07:002005-07-06T09:05:50.136-07:00

So I said hi to Ichiro yesterday.I was in a local Starbucks, and see a guy in line who, I think to myself, looks vaguely like Ichiro. Wait a minute...the Mariners are in town...that IS Ichiro!So, I went up to him--he was with someone I assumed was with the team (maybe a translator or travel secretary?)--and told he had a good game yesterday, that I was a big fan from Seattle. He said thanks,

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1120537691466886252005-07-04T21:11:00.000-07:002005-07-04T21:28:11.473-07:00

I went to the game today, though with nosebleed seats (I was with friends and didn't bother to move down to good seats, which is always possible at Kauffman), I don't know how much more I'll be able to tell than someone who saw the game on TV.Ibanez' homerun was a line drive that just kept going--the collective groan by Royals fans happened not on contact, but only after it just cleared the fence

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1119934138534780382005-06-27T20:39:00.000-07:002005-06-27T22:18:11.983-07:00

No, I am not dead. I have not quit being a Mariners fan. I have not given up blogging. I was in Europe for two weeks, my lovely wife and I are going to be moving into our first home in a month, and the Mariners haven't had enough going on that either excites me or frustrates me enough to forsake other things to write about. Okay, done with excuses.Briefly: I'm going to try to identify potential

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1117061470898022562005-05-25T15:34:00.000-07:002005-05-25T15:51:10.916-07:00

Henry Chadwick developed the box score. Chadwick thought the batter should get no credit for a walk--which is why at-bats do not count walks, and why batting average is consequently scoffed on by mathematically literate baseball fans. Allan Roth, a statistician hired by Branch Rickey (he who developed the concept of a farm system and who signed Jackie Robinson), demonstrated in the 1960s that

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1116517173830118042005-05-19T08:18:00.000-07:002005-05-19T08:39:33.873-07:00

From last night's broadcast:[Neihaus had speculated that lefty Villone would be removed before facing righty A-rod. Matsui, whom Villione had been brought in to face, had just singled. Hargrove stayed put, and Villone would face Rodriguez after all.]Fairly: Rodriguez is 0 for 7 against Villone.Neihaus: So was Matsui.Fairly: Well, so much for numbers.Of course, this is a silly argument, because

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1116304394612707612005-05-16T21:21:00.000-07:002005-05-17T05:30:04.553-07:00

Ouch, J.J.Of course, hindsight being 20-20, we can all second guess Hargrove for pulling lefty George Sherrill after facing (and retiring) only one batter, since the next batter, Bernie Williams, is a switch hitter with nearly identical splits over the last three years. Not that there are many better options in the pen.Yes, I am still alive, and waiting for Beltre and Olivo to start hitting the

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1114318946506055622005-04-23T21:59:00.000-07:002005-04-23T22:02:26.506-07:00

A welcome to my younger brother Phil into the wide world of blogging. Having nothing to do with the Mariners at all, he thinks seriously about things worth thinking seriously about. If that sounds interesting, drop by Ubi Caritas.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1113683329904234362005-04-16T13:14:00.000-07:002005-04-16T13:28:49.906-07:00

Tough loss today, with Ichiro and Boone being the only ones to get on base. Franklin pitched a pretty darn good game, giving up two homers, but both of them solo shots.One does wonder why, with Sexson out with the flu, Hargrove chose to play Bloomquist and Wilson instead of Reed and Olivo. Both Reed and Olivo have gotten off to a slow start, but clearly have more potential offensively than

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1113083108032933682005-04-09T14:31:00.000-07:002005-04-09T14:45:08.033-07:00

Bobby Madritsch, the same who led the AL in Pitcher Abuse Points per game last year, has been placed on the DL, and is still awaiting a diagnosis from an MRI. As we well know from Mariner pitchers past, the more vague the diagnosis, the more we should be worried.Called up to take Madritsch's spot on the roster is Justin Leone, who presumably comes in 5th on the depth chart at third base, behind

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1112762322571434972005-04-05T21:25:00.000-07:002005-04-09T14:46:36.823-07:00

Pop quiz: It's four-to-two in the 5th (and you're down), your team is facing last year's Cy Young winner, and you've had one hit since the first inning. Your starter is getting lit up now, and there are runners on first and second with one out. Who do you bring in?Mike Hargrove's answer: The one pitcher in my bullpen who is worse than most guys on my AAA ballclub.Question #2: Said pitcher (It's

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1112652938310944042005-04-04T15:13:00.000-07:002005-04-04T15:15:38.310-07:00

First, a welcome to my brother, Will, who has let me post his occasional emails on this blog, which I will be doing under his name. (See below).Second, welcome to Seattle, Richie Sexson! After two plate appearances, Sexson has a 4.000 Slugging percentage. While I expect this to decline a bit, he's off to a good start.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1112652781459819582005-04-04T15:06:00.000-07:002005-04-04T15:13:01.460-07:00

The national media (Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, Street & Smith, espn.com, CBS Sportsline, etc) consensus for the American League West seems to be that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are the favorite. There is no consensus on the order of the other three. The tradesports.com betting market projects Los Angeles at a 63% chance to win the West, Oakland at 17%, Seattle 13% and Texas 11%.

Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008373799008969946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1112369437662534152005-04-01T06:49:00.000-08:002005-04-01T07:30:37.666-08:00

The cactus league has ended, and so we can get on to real baseball. Not that Spring Training isn't fun, but everyone knows it doesn't count for anything, which results in pitchers experimenting with new pitches, batters trying new stances and approaches, and not so much concern about the outcome. Let's say Ryan Franklin decides he's going to take one inning just working on locating his

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1108433163030856042005-02-14T17:26:00.000-08:002005-02-18T09:33:54.586-08:00

"Pocket Lint" refers here to the USSMariner's not-so-friendly nicknaming of Bob Finnigan, bestowed upon the Times reporter for his habit of reporting as fact just about everything he hears from the M's front office. (Regular readers may remember an extended email conversation with Finnigan over at the Mariner Morsels blog that showed Finnigan's not really a bad guy.)But Finnigan is by no means

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1108227168237264542005-02-12T08:26:00.000-08:002005-02-18T09:35:35.050-08:00

Formerly confined to back-up roles in Seattle, free agent Rich Waltz will now be starting with the Florida Marlins. Though he routinely displayed the talent and consistency necessary for a starting role, Seattle seemed more comfortable sticking with their veteran team.I'm talking about broadcasting, of course, where Waltz now will be the Marlins' main television commentator. Waltz was an

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1107804282876675712005-02-07T12:14:00.000-08:002005-02-07T11:24:42.876-08:00

Espn.com used to be my first stop for baseball news. Rob Neyer was always good food for thought, Peter Gammons and Tim Kurkjian seemed reasonably informed about the inside scoops, and we occasionally were treated to reflectios by Jim Caple or Alan Schwartz. And John Sickels always had great columns about minor leaguers. David Pinto from Baseball Tonight used to do open chats, at least during

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1107373374811162062005-02-02T12:26:00.000-08:002005-02-02T11:42:54.813-08:00

The last offseason provided impetus for an explosion of Mariners related blogs, many with battle cries as their name: Leone for Third, Fire Bavasi, Bavasi Stinks, Sodo Ohno, etc. Time, despair, and changing blogger circumstances have cause some to close, some to rename and some to combine. The latest developments include four (now two) of the best Mariner blogs: The USS Mariner, which is

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1106005467886216732005-01-17T12:54:00.000-08:002005-01-17T15:44:27.886-08:00

My older brother, who really should be co-authoring this blog (hint, hint, bro!), gave me the 2005 Bill James Handbook. Some of the information therein is duplicated online, but there's a fair amount of unique stuff, too, and on top of that, it's a handy reference that's all in one place. One of the nifty sections is a detailed listing of various park factors--measuring how much a particular

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1105168336105109272005-01-07T22:52:00.000-08:002005-02-18T09:47:21.980-08:00

Being on vacation is a nice thing, but it does mean I have little to say about the Adrian Beltre signings and every other newsworthy baseball event that hasn't already been said. I'm happy about it, and it does make the Sexson signing a little less worrisome. There was speculation that we had to overpay for Sexson to overcome a bad rep as a team to sign with, and now we've got confirmation,

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1103171380290257132004-12-15T20:24:00.000-08:002004-12-16T10:50:56.503-08:00

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1998/11/25/angels_vaughn/ History is not on our side. Besides the USSM, though, most bloggers seem to be focusing on the positive. That's fine for now, but doing that, without looking at the real risks-- is probably what allowed the M's to offer this kind of a contract in the first place Two posts in one day, I know, but hey, the semester just

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1103170472471868012004-12-15T19:31:00.000-08:002004-12-15T20:14:32.470-08:00

I have a sinking feeling I'll be using that line from Calvin and Hobbes more. (Here's the first instance.) To impatient to wait out the market, desperate to make a statement to an increasingly antagonistic (or worse, disinterested) fanbase, the Mariners throw money at the nearest big name, as much as it took to get him signed now. No way were they going to lose out to Baltimore again. Richie

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1101764004687864212004-11-29T13:07:00.000-08:002005-01-07T22:51:58.386-08:00

The AP released a story about a poll it ran about what people think about overturning Roe v. Wade. (Ok, before I continue, if you can't think of one person who has a different opinion about abortion than you whom you respect, just stop reading. Everyone has enough stress in their life without getting worked up about one Mariner-loving Kansas City resident's opinion. I'm commenting on the article

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1100559308143868832004-11-15T14:53:00.000-08:002004-11-15T14:55:08.143-08:00

A Welcome to Mariner Morsels, another M's blog. I'd recommend reading their first entry, posting an email exchange with Bob Finnigan. Some observations about the exchange: Finnigan generally doesn't expect anything much different from the M's front office, even though this is the first complete offseason for the new GM. He implies that CEO Howard Lincoln is the main instigator of organizational

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1100284111045592042004-11-12T09:32:00.000-08:002004-11-12T10:28:31.046-08:00

Do the Mariners a favor--don't believe one word from them or the media if it tries to lower expectations for next season. The only reason the Mariners can't get significantly better this year is their own stupidity. Two of the better Mariner bloggers still going--it's been a tough year on everyone--have laid out specific plans for the offseason that fall well below the publically declared

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1098959870255909992004-10-28T03:27:00.000-07:002004-10-28T03:37:50.256-07:00

What a marvelous run. After such a thrilling comeback against the Yankees, Boston's World Series win seemed almost like a let-down, since they didn't get much resistance from the Cardinals on their way to taking the title and forever putting to rest the years of nonsense about the curse. But both the ALCS and World Series wins were impressive. The ALCS was such an emotional roller-coaster,

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1098730678331036252004-10-25T12:21:00.000-07:002004-10-25T17:42:54.176-07:00

Paul at Nice Guys Finish third says he's tired of "God Bless America" in the 7th innning, pleading "Please stop policitizing my baseball!" I suppose that means we should do away with the National Anthem at the beginning, too? No, the reason to stop singing "God Bless America" during the middle of the 7th inning is that continuing to do so trivializes the sentiment that started us singing it in

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1097772525016916842004-10-14T09:35:00.000-07:002004-10-14T09:48:45.016-07:00

Boston's down 0-2 in the ALCS. No biggie, right? Only they've lost behind Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez. Ouch and Ouch. I've said nothing about the M's end of the season, because I've been very busy, but a few quick thoughts: -It was great to see that big grin on Ichiro's face. What a great moment, and great to hear Neihaus call it. Ichiro is an exciting player to watch and a uniquely

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1096674301115528132004-10-01T16:20:00.000-07:002004-10-01T16:45:01.116-07:00

Non-Baseball: I have yet to see or hear anyone mention that Bush looked at the camera a lot more often than did John Kerry, except during the closing statements. I wondered afterward if this was an intentional move of the Kerry camp, trying to "save the best for last," so to speak. But more likely, Kerry just didn't remember to look up into the camera--it's too bad for him, because a major

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1095891249709605452004-09-22T15:04:00.000-07:002004-10-14T09:50:59.650-07:00

I don't know exactly why this sort of thing fascinates me, but Baseball Prospectus has a great article detailing the Tommy John procedure. They also link to Kris Benson's web site, complete with pictures of his arm. And it's free, for all you fellow (meaning: I am one, too) cheapskates. Perhaps its because so many arms in the organization have gone down to injury, or because we hear a lot of talk

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1095788330698074052004-09-21T10:35:00.000-07:002004-09-21T10:38:50.696-07:00

I'm happy to keep updating the Free Agents by Position list to include players that are rumored to be non-tender candidates. Please email me (see the email address in the sidebar to the left) if you read or hear any such rumors (with where you heard them, preferably).

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1095094056220564842004-09-13T09:46:00.000-07:002004-09-13T09:47:36.220-07:00

Does anyone know if Randy Winn drives a Saturn? http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002033730_monlets13.html (See the last letter.)

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1094606505484113832004-09-07T18:21:00.001-07:002004-09-08T07:16:05.890-07:00

I'll be the lone blogosphere dissident. The USS Mariner continues to bemoan the loss of the bullpen market due to the installation of "temporary" bleacher seats in center field (That's nine posts that I count so far). I don't really care that much. Why? Because I enjoy baseball with some peanuts and a conversation with a friend or family member, not with a beer in a crowd of hecklers. I

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1094237959876846502004-09-03T12:15:00.000-07:002004-09-03T11:59:19.876-07:00

Mike Thompson at the P-I Blog points us to Dayn Perry's argument that Ichiro is just good, but not an "elite" player. Read Perry's article, and you'll find, as I did, that he's conveniently ignoring some things: Perry says that Ichiro doesn't hit for enough power for a right-fielder, but says his career OBP is "merely good." In other words, he chooses to compare Ichiro to other right-fielders

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1094164035986752072004-09-02T15:23:00.000-07:002004-09-02T15:30:14.816-07:00

For anyone interested, I've sorted potential free agents by position, and back-dated it so that it doesn't take up all the space on this page. Follow this link to see it, or the link on the sidebar to the right. My data is taken from Ken Bumbaco's list; he did all the footwork to compile the list of players, and I just re-sorted them.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1094085571671317322004-09-01T18:39:00.000-07:002004-09-01T19:48:18.506-07:00

Note: I had errors in my numbers the first time I ran this post. They've been corrected, and the conclusions have been modified accordingly. Larry LaRue may have been the first local columnist to suggest it, but this sort of season begs the question: will Bob Melvin be fired? (LaRue says Melvin's firing is both guaranteed and undeserved.) There isn' t a whole lot of consensus about objective

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1093288652218119652004-08-23T11:54:00.000-07:002004-08-23T12:17:32.216-07:00

The only good reason for Ramon Santiago to be on the Major-League roster is make he doesn't take at-bats away from better players at AAA. In other words, Santiago, if used like the bench-warmer he is, won't get many as at-bats at the major leagues as if he was starting in Tacoma. But he certainly isn't the 25th best player in the Mariners organization. Santiago has an Equivalent Average of

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1093286494526551882004-08-23T11:40:00.000-07:002004-08-23T11:54:10.720-07:00

Thanks to USS Mariner, who now joins the list of blogs that link to me. I can't stress this enough: if you ever wonder anything about what's going on with the Mariners, go there to find straight, smart answers. Also, The Safe has returned as a news aggragator. It has only commentary-free links, and it will get you to most of the stories around the web each day.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1092834733570547412004-08-18T05:43:00.000-07:002004-08-18T06:12:13.940-07:00

Justin Leone is out for the rest of the season with a couple of broken bones in his left hand. Listen to Bob Melvins reaction reported in the Times: It's really too bad," Mariners manager Bob Melvin said. "After his first three weeks, teams have had a chance to scout him. And he was in the stage of adjusting, a time when you can really tell about a young player. "When you play the game, you

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1092687247114867172004-08-16T13:09:00.000-07:002004-08-16T13:14:07.113-07:00

If that's what you're saying after hearing rumors of trades, then you should check out--again, I can't believe I'm saying this--Jayson Starks Waiver Deals 101 column on ESPN.com. July 31st is the last day teams can trade players without those players first clearing waivers; but August 31st is the last day for teams to trade players at all, as well as the last day to set their post-season roster,

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1092578360077700612004-08-15T06:51:00.000-07:002004-08-15T06:59:20.076-07:00

The Tacoma News-Tribune has an article about how devastated the Expos were by the 1994 strike. Author Darrin Beene notes how Montreal and Seattle were in similar situations: "Had the season played out, the Expos were poised for a windfall. Increased attendance would have added money, and a playoff appearance might have generated the kind of buzz the Seattle Mariners received in 1995." It's been

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1092522669729725592004-08-14T15:16:00.000-07:002004-08-14T22:29:59.363-07:00

Yep, ESPN.com rumor-monger Jayson Stark, who deserves little attention, does get credit for reporting that the Expos will still be homeless next year. To quickly re-articulate the reasons why this is beyond ridiculous:MLB currently owns the Expos, yet MLB bylaws prohibit any owner from owning parts of more than one team. This prevents an owner from stacking one team with all the good players, not

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1092030587800029992004-08-08T22:39:00.000-07:002004-08-14T22:32:03.866-07:00

A email exchange among fellow Mariner fans took me to this article, which was published in April, but just now came to my attention. At least according to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the M's were the most profitable franchise in baseball at season start. As we look to the off-season, let's remember the Mariners do have the wherewithal to sign marquee players. On a more personal note, I

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1090649759596145862004-07-23T22:26:00.000-07:002004-07-23T23:15:59.596-07:00

Sorry for the pun.  The question is whether the M's should trade Bret Boone or keep him, thereby activating his $9M option for next year.  Using Baseball Prospectus' Statistics by position, we can compare Boone to other second-basemen.  David at U.S.S. Mariner thinks Boone won't be worth the $9M.  Depending on what metric you want to trust, Boone is either the 21st, 33rd, 35th, or 60th best

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1090511541214488432004-07-22T08:27:00.000-07:002004-07-22T08:52:21.213-07:00

That's what Bucky's walk-off homerun was last night;  we should have had the lead before then.  (You can check out Bucky's bomb on the video highlights).  But if it weren't for Ichiro's baserunning gaffe in the 4th, the M's would have had six runs before the 10th inning.   4th inning: -Willie Bloomquist singles. -Ichiro singles.  Bloomquist scores, Ichiro to second on throwing error by Barry

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1089910098497861182004-07-15T09:28:00.000-07:002004-07-15T09:56:54.033-07:00

A favorite cartoon of mine--a Calvin and Hobbes strip, as all of my favorites invariably are--has this exchange:Calvin: The more you know, the harder it is to take decisive action. Calvin: Once you become informed, you start seeing complexities and shades of gray. You realize that nothing is as clear and simple as it first appears. Ultimately, knowledge is paralyzing. Calvin: Being a man of

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1089479315499952122004-07-10T09:51:00.000-07:002004-07-10T10:08:35.500-07:00

I intentionally chose a subtitle for this blog that left me a little wiggle room in the topics I discuss. So far, I've kept my remarks confined to the "Baseball" side of things, since most readers of this blog didn't start coming here for an ethics debate. Well, fear not. I don't intend to change that. But I do want to point you to Tony Robinson's latest op-ed piece in the P-I. My chief

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1089353959606603202004-07-08T22:52:00.000-07:002004-07-08T23:19:19.606-07:00

Check out this article by Will Carrol about Labrums--what they are, why they tear, and why it's so hard for pitchers to come back from labrum injuries. This is about the most succinct explanation I've found, and it's particularly relevant to a Mariner organization that has been ravaged with labrum injuries.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1089218525355010762004-07-07T09:04:00.000-07:002004-07-07T09:42:24.520-07:00

Apparently some people have been griping about John Olerud's performance this year. Since I don't live in Seattle, and a night job keeps me from listening to a lot of M's games, I can only go off the word of folks like David Cameron. Though he usually articulates his argument's well, this is about the most absurd defense of Olerud's value I've ever seen. Maybe David thinks he's meeting

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1088748952010826522004-07-01T22:39:00.000-07:002004-07-15T10:01:40.643-07:00

I'm going to pick on Paul because he's the most recent purveyor of this theory, but it is rampant among sports fans. Some prefer it in rhyme: "The ring's the thing." Paul says the M's 2001 season "ended for them in the ALCS, thus resulting in the Mariners winning...nothing." Well, besides the division title and the Divisional Series with the Indians. How many times have we heard this line?

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1088316656584414762004-06-26T23:00:00.000-07:002004-06-26T23:10:56.583-07:00

Not that it matters much in the larger scheme of things (since the M's have a pretty good lock on last place in the AL West), but I'll take a win any way I can get it, even if it's as ugly as the one tonight. Eight walks allowed by Mariner pitchers. In fact, if you look at the box score, you'll see that more Padres got on base than Mariners. With 8 hits, 8 walks, and a hit batsman, the Pads

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1087408559222853372004-06-16T10:44:00.000-07:002004-06-16T10:55:59.223-07:00

Just so you know, word in Kansas City is that Carlos Beltran doesn't really have the arm he used to, due to elbow problems. I can't verify this or disprove it, but thought I'd offer it for what it's worth. I went to my first Royals game of the season on Sunday, with 20-year old Zach Grinke not able to match Tom Glavine and--surpise, surprise--the Royals lost. Beltran badly misjudged the

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1087315970374726062004-06-15T09:08:00.000-07:002004-06-16T10:43:13.423-07:00

Scott at Caffienated Confines, with whom I used to banter with over on the Mariners official web site fan forum during its glory days, scoffs at the notion that the M's are lacking "fire." I agree. The M's are lacking hitters, pitchers, and fielders. I really can't stand it when people say things that have no meaning, especially when they try to dress up vapid content with words that are

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1087133990263765702004-06-13T06:25:00.001-07:002004-06-13T06:39:50.263-07:00

Peter over at Mariner Musings goes through the M's and Expos' lineups to see if one good team could be made from both their lineups. If you're curious, go see what the answer is. Buried in that post is this little example of why batting average is so over-rated as a statistic, something I know in my head but have a hard time accepting intuitively. But when Peter compares left-fielders, he gets

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1086582607201459962004-06-06T20:55:00.000-07:002004-06-06T21:30:07.200-07:00

*Koch issues an intentinal walk to Edgar after a 1-2 count? There are benefits to having a reputation such as Edgar's. *Good to see Ichiro continue to see better success on the basepaths. His game is so dependent upon speed that losing a step would be devastating for him. *How absurd is it that Dave Hansen has the same amount of plate appearances as Willie Bloomquist? Tonight's game adds to

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1085790695598084332004-05-28T17:30:00.000-07:002004-05-28T17:31:35.596-07:00

...in California (ye olde stomping grounds before Grad School) and will return in a week.

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1085412634226767502004-05-24T07:49:00.000-07:002004-05-24T08:30:34.226-07:00

I don't know what prompted Melvin to start using his relievers wisely, but yesterday's game was an excellent example of how to use a bullpen. Up 3-1 in the eighth, J.J. Putz relieves Freddy Garcia and gives up a walk and an infield single. The go-ahead run is coming to the plate, in the form of left-handed hitting Bobby Higginson, who's having a decent year, hitting .280 with a .791 OPS. Prior

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1084893598076175452004-05-18T08:08:00.000-07:002004-05-18T11:17:12.676-07:00

A few of you may not look around at other blogs very much. The USS Mariner, who continues to ignore me (insert sad violin music here), but continues to be an excellent daily resource of opinions and links (insert cool MTV indie-rock music[?] here), really should be the first thing you read, before you read the paper, or, god-forbid, the M's official web-site. For a look at how badly the M's are

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1084891694798791282004-05-18T07:46:00.000-07:002004-05-18T07:48:47.620-07:00

We know how much Bavasi loves his scouts. He was let go from his GM job in Anaheim in part because of his refusal to fire scouts in his organization. Not that Bill would be reading this, but for rhetorical effect: Dear Bill, I know you love your scouts. Those guys know baseball, like they were born in the dugout. You know there's no substitute for actually seeing a player, watching the way

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1083526563464265012004-05-02T12:33:00.000-07:002004-05-02T12:41:15.733-07:00

A couple of longer posts are percolating in the ol' noggin right now, but the end of the term in grad school is keeping my hands full right now. But how far the mighty have fallen--we're looking up at Texas. Hey, did anyone else notice they got better after they dumped Alex Rodriguez? No, I don't really think there' a correlation there, but it's fun to wonder about what the baseball gods are

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1082989884600888062004-04-26T07:01:00.000-07:002004-04-27T08:46:37.653-07:00

A quick rejoinder to Steve's recent post about the reasons for pessimism put on display by the Mariners yesterday, one of which is "Ryan Franklin looking much more like the Franklin of his career through 2002." On the contrary, we would be happy if Franklin were performing as he did pre-2003, because he was effective then. The reason for pessimism about Franklin in the off-season was not

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1082605513334888862004-04-21T20:37:00.000-07:002004-04-21T20:51:09.076-07:00

Down by only two runs, Meche comes out for the sixth inning, and promptly walks two batters, the second on five pitches. His ball/strike ratio is poor, his pitch count is near 100. I'm not listening or watching this, just following it on the pitch-by-pitch "Gameday" from MLB.com. Is there any reason Meche isn't pulled immediately? Meche stays in, and gives up what looks to me like a

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1082297274541725142004-04-18T05:53:00.000-07:002004-04-22T06:21:27.436-07:00

-Does it seem to anyone else that the Mariners are stranding a lot of runners? Well, they're not, even though it seemed that way to me. The Mariners are hitting quite well in so-called "clutch" situations. As a team overall, the Mariners have a .318 OBP. With runners on, it jumps to .352, and with runners in scoring posn., it goes up to .404. If you don't believe "clutch hitting" is a skill,

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1081947100634198312004-04-14T05:40:00.000-07:002004-04-14T05:55:36.450-07:00

Well, I got what I asked for--Bob Melvin used what I thought were our better relievers--and between the two of them, Soriano and Mateo gave up 3 runs in a combined 1 inning pitched. Pineiro didn't pitched very well either, but our bullpen looks downright awful; maybe Jarvis isn't all that much worse of an option after all. The abysmall performers of so many pitchers doesn't give Bob Melvin any

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1081804893126170912004-04-12T14:10:00.000-07:002004-04-12T14:25:27.233-07:00

Melvin continues to frustrate with absurd bullpen usage. One would think that especially at the beginning of the season, especially as consecutive losses start to mount, that Melvin would increasingly rely on his best relievers. But we saw Villone and Jarvis yesterday, and Myers was warming up in the bullpen. Take a look at Mariners pitchers ranked by Innings Pitched. Why is Jarvis not at

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1081351631958448912004-04-07T08:08:00.000-07:002004-04-07T08:30:58.796-07:00

Not a pretty opener, but at least we're playing real baseball now. Critics will be quick to point out that Kevin Jarvis did very badly. I have no doubt that Jarvis is bad, and it may be best if he is so bad for a month that the Mariners give up on him quickly. However, if we are drawing conclusions from one game, then clearly Bret Boone will be a disaster this year, and our only hope is that

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596519.post-1081184709824207362004-04-05T09:55:00.000-07:002004-04-05T10:09:52.546-07:00

In fairness to the guys at USS Mariner, Jason Michael Barker said he had doubts about giving up Nageotte, and David Cameron said he would do it. That's the beauty of having more than one author on a blog, and I'll try to be more carefull characterizing their statements. Of course, it's all moot now, as Bradley has gone to the Dodgers. Opening day tommorow!

Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12150176237111576162noreply@blogger.com0