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Or else several of us are gonna in the hospital getting work done like Doc did 2 weeks ago...
Astros 7, M's 2
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moethedog: Danger Will Robinson: Justin Smoak is on pace (and remember, he's supposedly "found it") for another .240-.320-.400 year. If so, he would have hit like that in '11, '13 and '14. OK, it's early....but we've seen his stuff, this stuff, for a while. He is on pace for 30 doubles and 16 homers, though. From the left side he is slugging .440, so let's hang on to that. He is back in Brendan Ryan-ville from the right side, however (.615 OPS). But he does have the net drill going for him. It's early, I know. Just sayin'.
During the 7-game losing streak, when the ballclub needs it decision about whether to compete in 2014, Smoak has gone 4-for-25, four singles. Undoubtedly, at some later time (when the RBI are no longer "hard") he'll flash 1st-round talent again.
SSI said, a week ago, that it had finally seen enough of Justin Smoak. One week on, and 7 losses later, Dr. D has lost interest in the discussion. Supposing that Smoak went on to become a good player elsewhere, I'd never lose a moment's sleep. Just pull the plug.
You know what's funny? When Jack Zduriencik came in here, he made a big fat hairy deal about getting rid of "soft" Bavasi players like Brandon Morrow and Jose Lopez. Dr. D certainly assumed that this grizzled National League old-schooler would be able to identify the tobacco chewers.
But looking at Smoak, and Jesus Montero, and Erasmo Ramirez (who Zduriencik moved ahead of the Big Three), and the decision on shedding Doug Fister, and so on ... it is striking, the lack of "makeup" that National League Old School Scouting has accrued for this ballclub.
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Grumpy:
"Noesi today: 1 IP, 7 ER"
Why do they always get better? (Actually, for Noesi that might indeed be 'getting better' LOL)
Oh, yeah, forgot about Noesi - whom Zduriencik hand-picked over Ivan Nova.
I'm not trying to pile on here. It's just that, if the ballclub is again (in year 6 of Zdurienick's 20-year rebuild plan) going to throw in the towel before May, the subject of the day is rightfully its fighting spirit.
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SABR Matt:
I do fear that Felix will have a bad game today...he is starting to get tired from his amped up games of late...he had to leave the last start due to fatigue at 96 pitches.
Well, Felix did throw the ball with a lack of oooomph on Monday. And he has been amp'ed up, throwing with extra effort, early on. And he did have a bad game. So I guess this one wins the 2-for-1 Taco Time coupon. :: golfclap ::
That said, I've never seen Felix pitch like that -- a complete and total lack of interest. As usual, you don't believe me :- ) so, as usual, I'll tick off the specific checkpoints on my fingers. Starting with thumb to ring finger:
(1) An NBA player, on back-to-back nights, is not "leggy" in the FIRST quarter. But Felix, to the first batter, spiked his changeup into the dirt twice -- and then (1a) gave up on his change. (Let me read that sentence again.) He hardly threw another one, all the way through the order the first time.
(2) To end the 3rd inning, he fanned Jonathan Villar on a called 3rd strike and then shook his head in disgust as though he were behind 6-2 ... only the score was tied, 0-0, and the Mariners badly needed him to "STOP" the losing streak.
(3) The moment he gave up his first base hit ... a ground ball single in the 4th ... he promptly started throwing even worse pitches, you know, "The no-hitter's gone. What's the point?" ... He tossed an INSIDE SLIDER at 86 MPH which got casually swatted over the LF fence for a homer by the immortal Matt Dominguez.
(4) Amazingly, the Mariners promptly got him the 2 runs back -- instantly. But in the dugout, Felix only half opened his eyes and nodded. Under normal circumstances -- by "normal circumstances" we mean "had the team not destroyed his 4-0 start last turn and then lost 4 more in a row" -- he'd have been fist-pumping.
(4b) Felix then responded to the 2-2 tie by --- > giving up a 4-spot in the next inning, the top of the 5th. This against a team that was 4-and-14 with a 71 (!!) OPS+.
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I'm not hanging Felix out to dry. I'm just making observations. Felix was filled with disgust from the 1st pitch to the last. He pitched like he expected to lose, he deserved to lose, and he did lose.
Lloyd McClendon's dugout, on April 22nd? ... well, "Thass a Prob-laim."
BABVA,
Dr D
Comments
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We would have had Hart at first, Saunders in right, and Romero at DH. We'd have had Stefan's two hits, Saunders's defense and potential to make things happens should he get on base, and Smoak's o-fer against lefties safely on the bench.
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A lot.
This club DISGUSTS me. They are way...way more talented than this. In their at bats, they are up there with their eyes closed hoping to get walked or praying for a mistake pitch (and then letting it go for an easy strike). In the field, they had been playing with some intensity, but that appears to be gone now.
They are a bunch of pathetic losers. Sometimes, you have to get in someone's face. Sometimes, you have to bench some guys, fine some guys, demote some guys, just to make a point.
This is one of those times. Smoak would be benched for a week. Miller would be sent to AAA. Almonte would sit against lefties. This is the one time when you need a hard-hearted skull-cracker in the dugout.
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What really irks me is how NONE of the guys who has been against a shift tries to do anything different. That is so demoralizing to me... and maybe why Felix got upset.
There has to be a way to get these "professional" hitters to use more of the field than just trying to pull the ball or slap it up the middle... and if they do not, then do something to these guys that is some what embarrassing.
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I'm told that up until the 1970's at Catholic schools when kids acted up or failed to apply themselves strict teacher-nuns would make them hold out their hands for discipline and then whack their palms with wooden rulers. If they acted up again they made them turn their hands palms down and they would whack their knuckles. Perhaps McClendon should hire a couple of elderly nuns to teach M's hitters a lesson or two.
Scenario: Miller waves at a third strike that was a foot outside. McClendon: "Brad! Get over here! Right now!" Miller reluctant and terrified comes over. McClendon: "I'll give you a choice. Either Sister Bruiser, or Mother Superior!"
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I agree with this being the optimum line-up, and would throw out one other possible change: Willie Ballgame at 3B to replace Seager against a LHP.
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The allure of Smoak, to managers Wedge and Mac, is that we want to believe that he will have a Kotchman year at some point. You WANT/NEED it to be right now so you roll him out there, betting the same old stuff.. He tantalizes you with glimpses of sexy stuff, doesn't he. He's Gypsy Rose Lee in an M's uni. You get just enough skin peeking out from behind the fans to get you coming back, but you never do get to see the Full Monty (OK, I'm mixing my entertainment metaphors).
He's ours for the year. Even if Morrison came back as the high OBP, high double Morrison, the benching would occur elsewhere.
McClendon phoned him over the winter, remember. Guaran-durn-teed him that he was his guy. The skip will stand on that position, I believe.
Drats: Especially against LHP. Against that LHP we hardly ever get to see any interesting skin from Smoak: Only those dang fans.
Sigh,
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Felix gave up the gopher ball in the 5th inning. Felix struck out the first batter, then the second batter singled to center on a routine ground ball that Almonte butchered by not getting down in front of it, allowing the batter to advance to second. Next batter Felix threw the gopher ball.
Similarly in the 6th, Felix was let down by his fielders before the roof caved in: Seager dropped the throw from Zunino that would gotten the lead runner and left Felix with a one-out, one runner on first situation, instead of what actually happened: runners on first and third, none out. Felix got the next 2 batters to fly out and strike out, respectively, and should have been out of the inning with no runs at that point. Instead the error extended the inning and the roof fell in. With that kind of defensive support, combined with the paltry run support he's received for years, it's understandable that Felix wasn't battling as hard as he normally does.
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...and those ruler whacks kept him out of trouble. :)
Bottom line...the Mariners need discipline. Currently, they don't have any.
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AMEN!