M's Road Trip vs. Detroit, Toronto, Tampa Bay

Post #1 » by **Bulltalk** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:20 am

This just noticed by me. Pineda out for the season. Wow, does Z look good now in getting Montero and Noesi for him. Good Lord. Torn labrum. Not an easy rehab for a pitcher.

Guess what? Felix's getting run support tonight. Let me look outside. Must be a blue moon.

PS> Remember this one, Sweezo...

Seattle got *****...

Why would u trade a potential #1 for a DH in Jesus Montero. He is not good enough to catch in the MLB. so over rated.

Mariners need to fire someone... and quick... before it all gets even worse.

TTown · Post #2 » by **TTown** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:22 am

we always, always, always hit the tigers hard in comerica. i don't know why that is, we go from one enormous pitcher's park in seattle to another, but hot damn i love visiting the tigers these past few years.

liddi's been a great surprise the past few games. if smoak was hitting my world would be almost complete.

which noesi will we see tomorow? stay tuned! i have no idea!

Post #3 » by **Sweezo** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:29 am

So...how soon is too soon to have an honest discussion about Alex Liddi should start getting at bats over Justin Smoak? Considering Smoak seems to be struggling with recognizing pitches and doesn't look any better as a hitter than he did when he arrived, while Liddi has shown an ability to punish a pitch?

Based on the line-up today, this is what I want to see as a lineup everyday [with R/L platoons at C/LF when needed] at least until Guti returns:

1. Ackley [2B]
2. Seager [3B]
3. Ichiro [RF]
4. Liddi [1B]
5. Montero/Jaso [C]
6. Smoak [DH]
7. Saunders [CF]
8. Wells/Carp [LF]
9. Ryan [SS]

Why? Because playing Figgins [.206/.286/.309] and Olivo [.161/.175/.196] gets us nothing. Small sample size be damned. In fact, let's compare two players 's OPS at this point in the season.

Player A: .396
Player B: .372

One's Olivo, and one's Munenori Kawasaki. Yeah, that's right...Miguel Olivo has a lower OPS than this guy...

(link from Lookout Landing)

Bulltalk wrote:This just noticed by me. Pineda out for the season. Wow, does Z look good now in getting Montero and Noesi for him. Good Lord. Torn labrum. Not an easy rehab for a pitcher.

Every game in this road trip has been over and done by the time I got home from work. Stupid time zones...

Bulltalk wrote:Guess what? Felix's getting run support tonight. Let me look outside. Must be a blue moon.

It was great to see the M's come out and pick Felix up early. I am watching the replay and Felix looked terrible in the first inning...he walked the bases loaded and escaped without giving up a run. Then the M's offense just took control. Again! For the second night in a row! No, I am not kidding!

Bulltalk wrote:PS> Remember this one, Sweezo...

Do I remember that one time Bill Bavasi logged onto RealGM and posted under the handle 'number15?' Why yes...yes I do.

By the way I never knew if you noticed this. Not only has Danny Hultzen been a destroyer of all things in AA so far, but...

The Nationals are just six games into the new season and they are already having a lot of problems with injuries. They've experienced it at the Major League level and also in the minors. Anthony Rendon, one of their top prospects in the minor league system, suffered an ankle injury in his first game as a professional. It was assumed to be a sprain at the time, but now it appears that Rendon has actually suffered a small fracture.

http://dc.sbnation.com/2012/4/12/2943630/anthony-rendon-injury-update-fracture-ankle/in/2698263

Rendon's previous;y suffered a broken ankle and torn ligaments. At different times. Now he's suffered his third major ankle injury at the age of 21. As much as I wanted Rendon at the time [even though I quickly turned apologist and justified the Hultzen pick], that type of injury isn't something we need to be dealing with. There's still plenty of time for recovery but between Pineda and Rendon the M's might be a bit charmed right now.

Post #4 » by **Bulltalk** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:52 pm

Sweezo wrote:By the way I never knew if you noticed this. Not only has Danny Hultzen been a destroyer of all things in AA so far, but...

The Nationals are just six games into the new season and they are already having a lot of problems with injuries. They've experienced it at the Major League level and also in the minors. Anthony Rendon, one of their top prospects in the minor league system, suffered an ankle injury in his first game as a professional. It was assumed to be a sprain at the time, but now it appears that Rendon has actually suffered a small fracture.

http://dc.sbnation.com/2012/4/12/2943630/anthony-rendon-injury-update-fracture-ankle/in/2698263

Rendon's previous;y suffered a broken ankle and torn ligaments. At different times. Now he's suffered his third major ankle injury at the age of 21. As much as I wanted Rendon at the time [even though I quickly turned apologist and justified the Hultzen pick], that type of injury isn't something we need to be dealing with. There's still plenty of time for recovery but between Pineda and Rendon the M's might be a bit charmed right now.

Yeah, I noticed that about Rendon. My wanting him as our pick was for obvious reasons, we needed bats in the lineup. But hey, if we can move some of our young pitching prospects to get a great young hitter (Montero), then we're certainly fine. I'm very pleased to have Hultzen, Walker, and Paxton lurking down below.

I think it's about time to throw in the towel on Figgens, just suck it up and eat the last two years of his contract. The last things we need is Figgens keeping young talent out of the lineup. Gosh, I wonder if Smoak is just going to be a big bust relative to what he was projected to be. We have to consider it a possibility now.

Hey, here's a crazy idea. Why not play the players who by their play most deserve to be in the lineup? Within reason.

The Emcee · Post #5 » by **The Emcee** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:48 pm

Kind of funny that today Smoak and Olivo both homer, and Figgins hits an RBI double. Maybe they were listening. :lol:

BayAreaMadSkill · Post #6 » by **BayAreaMadSkill** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:44 pm

Hey, fellas. It's Bay_Areas_Finest here. For some reason I forgot my password for that account, or the account got wiped. Not sure. :lol:

Anyways; This sweep of Detroit was GREAT. The bats really came ready to go.

But my goodness, I despise Miguel Olivo. Such a useless player. I dont even care that the bum homered. That past ball he had late in the game almost cost us. It was awful. Dude is just so bad behind the plate and he swings at everything. Pisses me off. Same with Figgins. Tired of these jokers.

Liddi looked terrific. Red, white, and green, baby! Oh, and Felix is a boss.

Post #7 » by **Bulltalk** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:59 pm

Yeah, just when you were about to write the season off after that disappointing homestand, they go on the road and sweep Detroit. Pretty gritty, I must say. They stopped an early fall, both psychologically and competitively. Hopefully, we can get back home from this road trip somewhere around .500.

Post #8 » by **Sweezo** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:04 pm

I don't completely hate Smoak or Figgins. Both have shown flashes, and there's a chance that Smoak can produce in the middle of the lineup and Figgins can produce long enough to be traded to a team that is a better fit.

But Olivo? He's just terrible. He was terrible the first time he played for the M's, and terrible the second time he played for the M's. And whereas Wedge has shown he has no problem benching other vets [like Figgins] when they struggle, Olivo just seems to get a free pass.

I also want Montero to learn NOTHING from Olivo. Except maybe how to set his feet when throwing to second base. But the worry that Montero will also learn other bad habits from Olivo is enough that I don't want to take that risk.

Bulltalk wrote:Yeah, just when you were about to write the season off after that disappointing homestand, they go on the road and sweep Detroit. Pretty gritty, I must say. They stopped an early fall, both psychologically and competitively. Hopefully, we can get back home from this road trip somewhere around .500.

Same here. I guess it's as good a lesson as any to not be completely reactionary fan. I was pretty sour on the team after the CWS series [possibly because I'm always grumpier about losses when I attend them], but sweeping the Tigers has me feeling completely different.

BayAreaMadSkill · Post #9 » by **BayAreaMadSkill** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:53 am

Ricky Romero is really good. :curse:

TTown · Post #10 » by **TTown** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:12 am

nice 9th inning rally in the opener in toronto. down 5-3 after wilhelmsen threw up all over himself in the 8th, saunders homered and jaso hit an rbi single to score kawasaki; we almost took a 6-5 lead, but ackley was thrown out at home.

Post #11 » by **Sweezo** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:16 am

That was a great at bat by Jaso. He whiffed on the first splitter, was a second behind [and fouled off] the third one, then had the third splitter timed perfect and lined it into CF. Goddammit Wedge, how can you not approach his hitting approach more than Olivo's first-pitch-swinging ineptitude?

TTown · Post #12 » by **TTown** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:32 am

MICHAEL!

SAUNDERS!

grand salami in the 10th!

Post #13 » by **Sweezo** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:48 am

Unreal. I was happy Saunders hit a sac fly to take the lead...but then the damn ball kept carrying. WOW!!! What a win. Back to a winning record and we're doing it on the road!

Jeff23 · Post #14 » by **Jeff23** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 7:07 pm

lol that was insane by Saunders... i like that kid a lot.

Post #15 » by **Bulltalk** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:03 pm

Wow! Can the M's really return home with a winning record? That would be great. Keep the fans interested as long as possible.

Slats · Post #16 » by **Slats** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:40 pm

Olivo needs to sit for Jaso! Yes he hit a homer (when the game was over) but two errors today - he's just a horrible player.

Slats · Post #17 » by **Slats** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:06 pm

Why is Olivo starting over Jaso against a RHP?? Especially against Tampa Bay who Jaso would know their pitches very well.

Post #18 » by **Sweezo** » Tue May 1, 2012 1:55 am

Looks Olivo won't be starting for awhile as he just hurt himself while making a wild-ass throw to 1B.

Post #19 » by **Bulltalk** » Tue May 1, 2012 2:13 am

Back to the usual lack of run support for Felix. You gotta wonder how frustrated he must get by all the wins that he has to leave on the mound for lack of hitting to back him up. He's down to a 2.23 ERA. And he gave up like 8 runs in one game.

Post #20 » by **Sweezo** » Tue May 1, 2012 3:04 am

Sometimes Brandon League is the last pitcher on the roster I want to see come into the game. And I think Felix often feels the same way.

Meanwhile Chone Figgins' line stands at .209/.274/.337 on the season, and his noodle arm in LF hardly inspires confidence. Ball hit to left field with a runner on second base? Well, that run's going to score. What started off as a patient approach at the beginning of the year has now reverted back to hacking and missing. He's had well over 1000 plate appearances as a Mariner. I think he may be a known quantity at this point, you know?

Just stick Ackley in the leadoff spot, and let Casper Wells roam LF.