=== Jack Cust ===

Had four consecutive full counts, and in fact walked three different times.  

Cust doesn't just walk up there with the bat glued to his shoulder; he knows the pitchers and he's working the sequence to get what he wants, where he wants it.

There's a good 25% chance that Cust will hit the wall this year, go over-the-hill.  He's got old player's skills and you can't rule it out.  And he may very well not be able to hit LHP; let's hope he's not destroyed by Anderson and Giovanni the next two nights.

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

CA/Billy1 speaks in terms of "giving the club a pro AB."  Night in and night out (*see above), Jack Cust will remind the other Mariners what that looks like.

I'd like to find a way to track the influence of a coach-on-the-field like Cust.

.

=== Justin Smoak ===

Another day, another post.  

.

=== Ryan Langerhans ===

Amusingly, four hours after we harrassed Wedge about the CF decision, Langerhans had a -13% in the wins added column.  That's about as 1919 White Sox an influence as one player can have on a game.

Doesn't prove anything, but a picture's worth 1,000 words.

Will surprise exactly nobody if, after MLB(TM) vet Langerhans gets the finesse RHP, Saunders is given the fireballing lefties to deal with now....

.

=== Miguel Olivo ===

He's a #1 catcher.  

And how many teams win, with the kind of chaos the Mariners had behind the plate in 2010?  It's precisely the kind of invisible, difference-making change that the Fangraphs guys call "bulloney about chemistry."

Olivo vs Rob Johnson isn't one WAR or two WAR; it's having a chance vs. not having a chance.

..........

Just for example, now.  

There was a break in the action and Felix' attention wandered for a moment.  Olivo grabbed the ball from the ump, gave a UW Don James whistle between his teeth, Hey!  C'mon!, and when Felix turned around, Olivo delivered him the ball with the casually dominant body language of a father.

This in his first game catching Felix.

..........

Real short, muscular swing, too.  I like his chances to slug .425+, with a lousy OBP, and that is All.  They.  Need.

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

Olivo is a brawny guy, a likeable guy.  He came back from a groin injury way early.  He has a #1 catcher's presence.  Believe it or don't.  Contenders have catchers who could be captain.

.

=== Jack Wilson ===

Cannot hit in the American League.

What a defender, though.  Did you see his hands on the DP relay that just missed?

The guy could play around the majors as a backup MI until he's 40.  He is that good.  We'll miss yer, Jack.

Six weeks minus one day till Ackley Time ...

.

Next

.