I/O:  Jayson Stark points out that the M's are in a draft-pick race:  Either Seattle 80-76 or Tampa Bay 79-76, whichever finishes worst, will be the #16 team in baseball.  And will get to sign a Type A free agent without losing a 1st-round pick as compensation.

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CRUNCH:  Tampa gets the Yankees and Orioles.  This seems like a race (theoretically) well worth throwing :- ) but we all know that the M's badly want 82 wins.

Huh.  Finish behind Tampa, and keep the 1st-rounder?  Is it that simple?  You know how these rules bore me to tears. 

Until I need to know something...

.....

I/O:  In this Sept. 2 Jon Heyman article, MLB execs whisper that the M's will go hard after Felix' signature this winter -- and that if talks break down, trade talks begin.   Heyman reports that the Tigers and Rays, along with the Sox, fax'ed over offers on Felix this summer.

Here's an mlbtraderumors.com comments thread on it from Sept. 28th.  Amusing to watch fans propose their home teams' packages for Felix.

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CRUNCH:  About 15 games into Felix' current 23-game rampage, we reported that May 19th was the last time Felix was hittable.   This post-May 19 watch has since been on TV every time Felix starts.

If I've got the count right, he has 22 quality starts in his last 23 games.  I'm not sure that Randy Johnson ever did that.

Felix' 2.49 ERA isn't capturing the essence of what he's doing -- he is simply automatic.

The Mariners, who have a terrible offense, are 18-5 in Felix' last 23 games.  It's one thing to be great, like Bedard is; it's another thing to anchor your team.

.....

I/O:  Article in the Olympian, Larry LaRue, asking if Jose Lopez' glove is going to force him out of Seattle.

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Crunch:  Time and again I wonder how much this source is dealing in personalities and politics behind the scenes.  How much baseball rationale is really involved in questioning whether Lopez, at $5M, is an asset or liability?

Even if Lopez is presumed to be a 2b and a below-average fielder, how much merit is there in arguing that you've got to move him because he's an albatross there?

.............

I'm also not a fan of the convention in which a reporter rips a player, but personally disavows all negative intent:  "If there's an aspect of Lopez' game that critics like least, it's his defense."   You get it?  It's not me saying this, boys.  I'm just reporting what critics think...

......

What is interesting is that batting coach Alan Cockrell jumps right on the issue of Lopez' low BABIP this season:

“Can he hit for a higher average? Sure, but that’s not always in your control. Jose has a lot of hard-hit outs this season. What did he hit last year, .297? Some years hits drop for you. All you can control is your approach, not the results.”

That statement would have been impossible in baseball when I was a kid.

......

It IS a good observation that several players other than Lopez have played 2b this year, and Lopez responds by saying he'd rather stay put.

The Mariners want flexibility, of course.  How Lopez and Tui share 2b and 3b, if that's the plan, is an interesting debate.

Cheers,

Dr D