.

Not that we're feeling particularly inspired, but the postgame is supposed to have a bottom of the inning also ;- )

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Michael Saunders, Sizzler 

Was hitting .267/.389/.600 in the last ten days, going into Friday's oh-fer.

Remember the WBC, where his teammates were saying like he was head-and-shoulders above any other major league player?  He's got 1.2 WAR in 17 games.  That's, like 11 WAR per year.  

I know, he might only get like eight.

... his EYE is like .65 this year, wayyyyy into the territory necessary for him to become a star.  He's played like one, SO far - the M's winning and losing seems to coincide with his presence.

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Brendan Ryan, Fizzler

Hey.  In the 6th inning he booted one and they called it, on the spot, an error.  They went back and changed it ... and as a result, Iwakuma's two runs became earned.  Bah Humbug!  He'd have been left with 1 ER in Safeco this year, I think.

After the single off the heel of Ryan's glove, Jaso hit a 150-foot high popup that landed behind third base, out on the line.  Those two players became Iwakuma's earnies.

Just sheer luck should lead to 2.5, 3.0 runs per game.  Take away 8 strikeouts, and you've got 19 balls in play, and a couple of walks, and that will average 2.5 runs for any team.  Such as a PCL team.  (Wait, G, Spec, how many would the Rainiers average?!)

Think about it when you're looking at the ERA columns, and guys' ERA's are under 3.00 in the American League.  3.00, or so, is the "floor."

.... Ryan's slugging average this year?  .137.  His WAR is wayyy negative, despite being on pace for 20 defensive runs saved. 

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Justin Smoak, Sizzler

We've slo-smo'ed his swing this week.  Yep, he is still using the hyper-balanced swing that he worked on this winter.  Break his swing into 20 frames, and he could hold his balance, standing still, on any of them.

His BB's and line drives are way up; he's getting the top half of the ball and pulling it hard.  His ISO is way down and he looks incapable of hitting a HR, like Casey Kotchman.

Could be this is a consolidation stage, with power to come at the next one.  COULD be.

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Raul Ibanez, Sizzl.... er, Smoldering Veteran Presence

One thing Rauullll DOES seem to be able to do, is to hang on the bench, and not go stale.  The 84-MPH slider he lunged at Friday ... his eyes were tightly closed when he hit it, did anybody else see that?

He'd played twice in 12 days before crawling out of the coffin to hit the back-breaking 3-run dinger Friday.

Guarantee you that is what the Wedge and Zduriencik types are thinking on Raul.  You can keep him around, and he'll be just fine, and he'll win you some games later. That's what they're thinking.

We should acknowledge the fact that, Friday, they were correct.  Your opponent doesn't have to be wrong on every point individually in order for you to demonstrate that your position is the preferable one.  ... Raul brings a lot, as opposed to some other 25th player who doesn't get to play.