=== Rick Adair ===

We have a piece here on Brandon Morrow's 1-hit, 9-strikeout immolation of the (admittedly flammable) A's.  There, we present our reasons for asking whether this was his turn-the-corner game.

Hey now.  ... wasn't Ian Snell's last start also looking like a turn-the-corner start for him?   Snell not only had 7 strikeouts, but did so with a major mechanical adjustment (the plant foot and knee) and with pitches that visibly bore the marks of the improvements.

..........

Jus' the fax:  Snell and Morrow did both finish the year with remarkable K/BB performances by their own standards.

Snell's previous best CTL was a +2, that being his 4k and 2bb against the White Sox.  He only ran a +2 one time for the M's.   Now, last time out, he ran a +5.

Morrow's previous best CTL?  Well, his previous 4 starts, he had more BB's than K's each time.  4-0, 2-1, 6-5, 3-3.   Now he goes 2-9.

Somebody buy Rick a lemynade.

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=== Michael Saunders ===

Tripled and singled, the single being a sharply pulled grounder off a 99 mph fastball.

We've seen the kid pull high-90's fastballs several times.  Like we sez, we expect him to have a serious ML career.

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=== Jack Hannahan ===

Started at 1B.  As we've opined, this is not unlike having Willie Bloomquist starting at first base, except that Willie is fast.

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=== Josh Wilson ===

This is the $427,000 Wilson, not the $8,000,000 Wilson.  Made two REAL good stops of bouncers right up the middle.

If these nice late-season plays get the M's to re-thinking the cash outlay for Jack, perhaps they have more impact than we realize...

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=== Adam Moore ===

Hey, funny thing about this kid.  He's got batspeed that just won't quit.

Think it was a 96 fastball that Moore pounded into the RF bleachers.  He had another smoked liner down the RF line, just barely foul.

He lets the ball get nice and deep in the zone, then WHOOOOSH he snaps that bat out there like a snake's tongue.  And with torque.

...........

He looked raw, swinging oddly through mediocre 89- and 90-mph fastballs and generally looking confused a fair amount.  But as you know, a RH hitter who can wait on the ball, slows the game down.  

Moore has a very interesting swing --- I've never seen a swing path exactly like his, but in a good way.  ... it's a little inside-out, kinda, compact followthrough, unusually quick and yet it packs a lot of authority.

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

Moore has been anointed the M's catcher of the future for a long time.  They are supposed to be VERY high on him, thinking he has a shot to be an impact starting catcher in the AL .... his sheer hitting talent is a long ways ahead of most catchers', that's for sure.

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=== Junior ===

Fanpoll on TV, the free agent you'd most like to see return:

Griffey - 55%

Branyan - 15%

Beltre - 15%

Forget who else - 15%

...........

Blowers and Sims have a lot more access to Wok and Capt Jack than you or I do, and they seemed to think that the Mariners are inclined to bring Junior back if he wants to return.  Sims predicted Junior would be back, in a reduced role.

Just for what it's worth.

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=== Jose Lopez ===

Hit his 40th double of the season, to go with his 25 home runs.

Hit .289/.321/.503 in the second half, with a .283 BABIP.  His first half was suppressed by a .252 BABIP.

I'm guessing that 2009 will be the year he jells as the M's answer to Miguel Tejada.   He'll be 26 with experience, and all he has to do is repeat his second half to slug .500 for a full season.

Cheers,

Dr D