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=== Sizzlers: 2012 Mariners ===
Three straight tight losses to the Rays -- who are 11-1 in their weird little mausoleum -- have us all a little strung out. But take some Vitamin C and chill: the Mariners are ahead of where we figured they'd be on May 1.
Despite seeing a month's worth of oppressive enemy pitching, they have an 89 OPS+ despite some lag in their BABIP, compared to 82 last year and 79 the year before. They have the #3 outside-zone swing rate in the AL and they are battling; tonight James Shields, with massive stuff, had 119 pitches in 6 innings and gave up 4 runs.
The M's have one placeholder SP with a 7.84 ERA, another with a 5.23 ERA, they have 6 relievers with lousy statistics, and all of their problems go away when .... wait for it ... when they choose for those problems to go away. Cogitate and iterate.
They're 11-15, but it is not a lame 11-15; it's a frustrating 11-15. Dr. D remembers one good roto bud who blew off the 2001 Mariners after they looked bad in the first Oakland series. The season wasn't nearly as fun for him as it was for us ... we saw to that. :- )
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=== Fizzler: 2012 M's Pennant Race ===
The Angels wasted their April. Unfortunately the Rays didn't, so the Wild Card gauntlet simply swaps out to the Red Sox and Rays.
On the other hand, the AL East teams all play like 72 games against each other, so 90-91 wins could nab the #5 record as usual.
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=== Sizzler: Kyle Seager ===
Contact rate remains over 90%, groundball rate still under 30%, and that is with this swing ... get a load of the angle of the front thigh:
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Which reminds me of one historical swing in particular:
e popcorn vendors out there in the cheaps.
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Busy so not following M's as close as I would like so I enjoy your comments even more. One thing...Figgins and his hot start now well below .200? How much longer? I might have missed comments earlier so apologize if so.
You've prob'ly got kids who try out for your squad Jeff, who have a better idea of what they want to do than anybody else... but whether the physical tools are there is another question...
The first week, Figgins' improved attitude and approach were evident, but the later returns came in that suggest he jus' don' have the tools no more... in MLB that is nothing unusual, for a less-than-HOF player to be done at 33-34...
In the papers it sounds like Figgins has a week or less to live...
Thanks Jeff! Yes! And beyond high school, the reality of bat speed and declining eye sight is (not to mention sore muscles and weary minds) gets no breaks from the opposition. At least in golf the seniors get the tees moved up. This will be a move that has been a long time a comin'!
Speaking of which...have to love Pujols as both player and person. But to sign him to 10 years. The age factor even for first round HOF'ers gets no breaks!
Jeff, I was glad to see no Figgins in the line up card. I would cut the cord. If you are going with youth and they show a real future, why keep waiting for a comeback? Next....in my ignorance of not seeing first hand I shall not not oppose my stupidity...but what do you do with Ryan? Is there a glaring void at SS for someone to step in?
Keep at it!