=== Erikkkkkkk "Baseball's Best SP" Bedard ===
Bedard takes a shutout into the 7th inning. Fans seven Rangers and walks none. Has a vintage Erik Bedard Randy Johnson start.
Leaves the game tied. Does not win the game. Has a record of 2-1, 2.37 after six great starts.
That's got to be one of the TRULY frustrating things in sports -- each pitch is a separate athletic event, like a quarterback running a pass play and then throwing the ball. A guy like Bedard goes out there and throws 100 virtually perfect pitches -- and doesn't win. Once? sure. Every game? Huh.
So far, Erikkkkkkk has lost one game 2-0 on a bloop, had to win another 1-0, left deep in this one 1-1 and watched them lose, and of course he knows if anybody happens to get 3 runs on him, he has no chance... :- )
I do not understand how SP's don't go insane. You stroke the three-point shot, it hits the bottom of a tight net and bounces back out. How do you keep shooting?
But, they do. Awesome.
.................
Anyway, Erik Bedard is now sitting on 39 strikeouts against 6 walks, and I don't remember the Big Unit often doing THAT. In the American, anyway.
Felix and Bedard give the Mariners two Cy Young starters, one right and one left, both 9-10 K's, both groundball pitchers, both of them true champions. (Check Bedard's record against the New York Yankees, egbert.)
... Felix has just now evolved his game towards precision, and soon he's going to add change-speed to his location. He is about ready to take over the league. It's coming.
Where are you going to find another 10K lefty to team with Felix? You aren't. It would be SO wonderful to watch Felix and Bedard pitch their careers with the Seattle Mariners.
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=== Rawhide Tough ===
The Rangers had 11 times as many hits as the Mariners did, after regulation. So, obviously, we were going to extras.
It goes to show just how tough the Mariners have been playing -- and it also shows how talented the Mariners are not.
According to Baseball Prospectus' W3/L3 stat, the Mariners had 113 adjusted runs scored, and 113 adjusted runs allowed -- going INTO tonight's game. Tomorrow that stat will show the Mariners being outscored on the season by several runs, in terms of "AEQRA/R."
What has the Mariners EVEN for adjusted runs, are SPECTACULAR performances by Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn and Felix Hernandez.
The grit and defense are fine, but I've never seen a team more in need of a 900 OPS+ hitter, an Adam Dunn type, in the 3 or 4 slot. Tell Erik Bedard that all you have to do is catch the ball and you'll be fine...
6 x 27 (games) = 162, and here the M's OPS+ sits at 85.
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=== Adrian Beltre ===
Does it seem to you like he's been hitting a lot of line drives, that have hung up in left-center? Actually, he has:
.159 - BABIP in Safeco
.319 - BABIP on the road
What you are seeing in 2009, is Safeco doing its worst on poor Adrian. He gets his pitch, smokes it, and the ball hangs up for an out. Then he starts pressing (his K/BB is much worse at home).
Last year:
80 - OPS+ in Safeco
119 - OPS+ away
Believe it or don't: if Adrian were in Texas, a few balls would sneak over the wall, and then he would muscle up into hitting mistake pitches for homers. In Safeco, though, he unconsciously gets a "what's the use" mentality...
Adrian Beltre is a fine ballplayer, but guys like him sink worse and worse into the Safeco swamp the longer they're here (as Richie Sexson did, having a very unlucky 3rd year here and then a catastrophic 4th year).
I would certainly look for a Swisher-type deal. Re-signing Beltre would show a lack of awareness of the playing context he is in. Capt Jack and Wok have, to everybody's satisfaction, proven that they are willing to do the best thing for the team. Beltre can't prosper here long term, so as Pink Floyd would say, let's get on with it.
Beltre, in a hitter-friendly park, could be a major star. Other teams will be well aware of this fact.
Cheers,
Dr D
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