=== Jose Lopez ===

Swatted a FB over the LF fence.  This was a homer hit at will, as it were.  

From the moment he loaded, he was going over the fence.   A Home Run Derby pitch from the word Go.

It makes me wonder if the day won't arrive, when every time Jose gets his pitch, he's going to simply swat it down the line for four bases.

What a Fenway player he'd be.   Epstein has the HR scattercharts, and needs a 3B.  Wonder what the offer would be on Felix + Lopez :- )

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=== Michael Saunders ===

Made THREE "marginal" catches -- one of which would probably, and two of which would certainly, have not have been caught by Ryan Langerhans.  Who himself plays center field.

1.  A missile out against the LF wall.   This wasn't going back, timing it, and jumping.  This was sprinting back for a line drive over your head and just getting there.

2.  The diving catch on which Saunders very calmly looked the ball into his mitt as he studiously footstepped into his dive.  The presence of mind and body control WOW'ed me.

3.  A long run over to the foul line to catch a ball that did not hang up long at all.

The overall effect, especially as that foul-line ball disappeared, was that LF seemed like a blackout zone.

As you know, DOV specializes in heresy.  I would like to know whether Michael Saunders, or Franklin Gutierrez, would run better stats playing center field in Safeco.   I'd like some way to find out which player made more outs under absolutely equal conditions.  

Will take either, of course.  We can tell yer this much:  Michael Saunders is looking like an ML-caliber center fielder.  

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

Of course, they're not going to move Guti, who is (justifably) their pride-and-joy.  But Saunders -might- run a +25 UZR in Safeco, and the point is, while they have Ichiro-Guti-Saunders, they are going to run a very pretty DER. 

Hm.  That shoulda been under "A's 1."  Told you we were useless tonight.

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=== Bill Hall ===

The swing continues to look just excellent.   And he continues to work the zone.

IIRC, he had a line drive back up the middle on a mid-90's fastball.

Has me wondering, just idly, whether the change of scenery will be the thing.  Don't tell anybody we said that.

Lad has looked far better than expected, though.

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=== Junior ===

Had the two fastest swings I've seen him put on a ball all year.  One on a 93 fastball, bat blurry fast through the zone for the GW HR*, another was a BULLLLLLLITTTT straight up the middle on a 96 fastball (heralding perfect timing).

This after his deepest HR of the year, last night was it?   At long last he is looking like he's only about 38 or 39.

Check me.  Did he get some rest lately?  :- )

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

I know you don't want to hear this, but I'd like to see if Junior would consider a player-coach type role for the 2010 M's -- 250 AB's in which he'd probably run a 110 OPS+, and help Wok lead the other 24 guys into the new era.

Am sure he won't, but if it were my call, I'd ask him about it.   When he's rested, he can still get you some BB's and HR's.  Not bad off the bench.

Have a second cup for me,

jemanji