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=== Tale of the Tape ===

In the four games at Texas, we saw what, 300 or so at-bats and over a thousand pitches.  Bill James points out that each pitch is worth like $10,000.  In the course of those 1,000 - 1,200 pitch events, we got a good look at things.

Jus' the fa'ax, ma'am:

The hits and walks were about the same, but the M's had only 7.5 bases for each 10 that the Rangers had.  Why?  Because the Rangers out-homered the Mariners 7:1.  

About 5 of those 7 Ranger homers would not have been out of neutral parks, much less out of Safeco Field; the key blow today was a 25-mph windblown fly ball that found the front row in right field.  Wedge moaned about it just like I'm doing.  The Mariners swung a game that would work at Safeco; the Rangers swung a game that works at The Ballpark.  Throw those 1,000 plus pitches at Safeco, and the M's go 2-2 or 3-1.

An early 3:1 series loss is an owie, but the Mariners have the right kind of young team for Safeco.

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=== Potpourri, Dept. ===

Yu Darvish wasn't sharp by his own standards, but he's still a 94-mph pitcher who specializes in breaking balls.  Feliz was sickening, especially the changeup.  Colby Lewis threw as good a game as he can possibly throw.  Derek Holland was on his A game, which he often is, and he had Doug Eddings (THE most pitcher-friendly ump in the bigs) calling strikes.

The Rangers don't seem fair.  Their lineup looks like the 1975 Reds, and their rotation looks like the 1975 Dodgers.  It's one of the best ballclubs I've ever seen.  Right now, I'm thinking in terms of running down the Angels OR Boston, that being the goal.  What, you quit already?

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Amigos axed what's up with Colby Lewis.  (1) He pitches off the overhand curve, like Mike Mussina and John Lackey, but much more so - Lewis throws only like 40% fastballs.  (2) His 87 fastball has excellent vertical rise, and he throws it UP in the zone.  This creates the 2-plane effect off the curve ball ... both come in real high, and they don't know whether the ball will roll off the table.

Lewis isn't an All-Star candidate like the other four SP's are, but on a good day he's going to lock you down.

I was royally ticked that the 2-3-5 starters threw their best games.  Part of that was because they were comfortable - in their home park, playing a team they don't fear.  They just went out and threw.  "You'll Soon Learn Some Re-Spect," said the dungeon droid to R2D2.

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Defensive scouting report forthcoming on Jesus Montero.  The early scoffing about his defense was way off the mark.  How much can he catch?  Jed aptly observed that with Kevin Millwood and Blake Beavan, the pprrrrrecious MLB(TM) Way Of Calling A Game is much less relevant.

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On a daily basis, we hear from the M's dugout how you need to keep Jesus Montero whipped down because he's a scared rookie ... how you can't pinch hit for Miguel Olivo because he's The Man ... how you can't pinch hit period... how much Eric Wedge is managing to personalities, rather than to game situations.

Dr. D respects managing to personalities.  Too much of ANYthing can kill you.  You can die from ingesting water.

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Lucas Luetge scouting report forthcoming.  If there is anything about him that makes him special, it is completely beyond my perception.  Is he better than George Sherrill?  Is he suited to getting LHP's out?  Does he have the Jay-Z Moxie that French and Vargas have?  Of course, of course, and of course.

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You ain't getting Kyle Seager outta da lineup.  That's all.  He's looking at ten years in the lineup, probably in Seattle.  Will 'splain exactly why we think so.

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Jason Vargas was in a rocking chair.  What a crying shame, that fly ball to right.  HR Tracker has the "No Doubters," the regular HR's, and the "Just Enoughs."  How about the "Get Around The Bases In 14 Seconds Or I'll Put One In Your Ear" category.

Seriously, since he mastered the Bedard Rob-O-Tron, Vargas is like a pitching machine.  You're going to see the saaaaamme thing from him every five days.   He is going to be the definition of underappreciated.

Over-rotate the front shoulder.  Hitch.  Pause at the top, golf-style.  Bounce into the throughstroke.  Same, same, same, same.  Robotronic pitching machine rhythm.  Felix Hernandez' and Jason Vargas' pitching motions are Erik Bedard's legacy in Safeco Field.  

Our 1-2 starters pitch, it's like there's a phantom #45 apparition, circa 1912 Titanic, standing behind the mound with its arms folded.

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The Texas results were maddening.  But the component skills, under the surface?  Everything we hoped for, and more.   This is a ballclub you can buy in to.

Mad props to Jay-Z and Sgt. Wedge. 

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