.
The Orcs mighta been lucky to lose by only two runs. We out-hit them 9 to 4, or something, and in one of those innings had runners killed at 3B and HP. The game kinda reminded me that first Angels series, to tell you the truth.
.
Stefen Romero
Rick sez,
Cherry picking season! Look at Stefen Romero's last 8 games: .290/.313./.452 for a .764 OPS.
No cherry pickin' about it, homie. You're just right. No need to hedge. Stefen has wayyyyyy shrilled down, not that he was a spooked fawn before. Whoop, that metaphor won't fly. Stefen looks a little more like "The Shot-Caller On Cellblock D" than a gentle forest creature.
As well, since "Section Z" canceled Almonte like a postage stamp, Romero is apparently the #2 outfielder in the mix (behind Michael Saunders). So apparently he'll get his chance to continue the roll.
If you can't remember what Dr. D originally said about Romero, here is Part 1 of the summer 2012 scouting report. Part 1 has handy-dandy clickthru buttons so that you can wallow in all 8 chapters, which includes a fervent thanksgiving to St. Grifol.
The gliding problem is a distant memory ... a college hoops coach once told Dr. D, that if you fix your shooting motion correctly, you won't be able to remember the way you shot previously. This seems to be the case with Mr. Romero. All that remains are the Franklin-like "stretch" and the Edgar-like wrists. Okay, the Jose Lopez-like wrists.
Could be pretty fun to watch him. Starting now. Okay, starting last week.
.........
This is about 10 degrees off line, but ... when was the last time the Mariners had a position player contend for ROY? Of course Ichiro doesn't count.
.
Scott KKKKazmir
Mojo sez,
mojician:
What about this nasty little orc Scott Kazmir? In 2014, he has started six games, all Oakland wins, no more than three runs total given up in any start, and only one five n' dive on the year. His best strikeout effort? 9 Ks of the Mariners on April 13. The Vegas odds of the Mariners winning are +180, which means if you put a buck on the Mariners then Vegas will multiply it by 1.8 and pay that amount back to you in the event of a Mariners win. I seem to remember Kazmir putting the hurts to the M's last year as well.
What is different this time around? 1. The Mariners hit better with Kuma back. Its a sport psychology thing. 2. Robinson Cano and Stefen Romero have been heating up. 3. Kazmir is not Cy Young good, and he has been rolling sevens and elevens for far too long. He is due to be shelled.
Slap me silly and call me shar-Pay.
.
Cole Gillespie (and Dustin Ackley)
Amigos were axing, what Gillespie's presence has to do with Ackley.
Ack-shually, Gillespie and James Jones and a whole buncha things have to do with it, because Ackley's outfield defense (and, subsequently, the Mariners' outfield defense) has power-dived like a Peregine falcon. (Dennis Miller would take great satisfaction in not explaining that Peregrines move at speeds up to 389 KM/H.)
Ackley's defense is a big, big problemo. As a completely separate issue, it's grotesque, like so ugly a major league team can't allow itself to be embarrassed that badly ... okay, the Orcs don't worry about grotesque outfield play.
But still, he shouldn't be going backward defensively. What's the deal? Doesn't he like to work? :: narrowed eyes :: >:- [
Moving him back to second base is unlikely; we didn't know, when we spent a #2 overall on him, that we'd have Robinson Cano.
Dr. D does have a radical solution in his pocket, which he'll save for a separate billable URL (or Zduriencik sending him game tickets in desperation for an early answer). But in the meantime, Ackley's looking at a platoon in the best case. He doesn't have a real corner OF bat in the first place, so ... when these three things intersect:
Then the Seattle Mariners are, gentlemen, better off letting a real corner outfielder play when a lefty's on the mound. And did you see the result Monday?
If you even dare quoting Ackley's LH-on-LH splits, I'll cheerfully put you on the front page with a dunce cap. Believe it. (However, you could politely ask for expansion of the statement, if you were so moved.)
.......
We were gonna talk about Gillespie. We will.
.
Mickey Saunders
Is hitting like .400 in the leadoff spot ... Dr. D can't believe his eyes. How can one guy possibly run so hot and cold? :: shakes head ::
Wade Boggs had a cliche, "Weight and Wait." (Keep your weight on the back leg longer, let the pitch travel longer.) It's sort of the opposite of "shrill" ...
You know what the right word could be? The adaptation of aikido to baseball? UNHURRIED. It's the greatest thing in the world about Robinson Cano -- Cano is so unhurried that people complain about it. That, amigos, is when you know you've got something special.
Saunders is visibly unhurried now, and visibly measured in his followthrough.
.
Mariners Win 8 of 10
You remember that awesome game in which the Mariners had 15 hits, 14 of them the other way? A complete list of Mariners who are attacking the pitcher in an unhurried manner, to Dr. D's eye at least:
Stefen is unhurry-ing himself, granted. What's the Best Case Scenario? Well, 2011 was his adjustment to pro ball, and in 2012 he hit .350 with a .600 SLG, full season. Maybe you could ax Gordon or Jim whether that impresses them much. Could Romero finally provide us a ROY type hitter to lay waste the Orcs? He did tonight, at least.
Back on point, Mike Zunino is unhurried relative to his conditions, but still doesn't make our aiki traveling squad.
Speaking of which, how many teams do you know who have two legitimate starting catchers? ... whoop ...
.
... John Buck
I will trade you John Jaso for John Buck, even steven.
Even in 2014? Hey, Buck's 33. Don't catchers like him go until they're 38 or 39, playing roles? He is making $1M this year. I would seriously give that dude like $6M for 4 years, a guarantee of a job in the org the moment he retires, and a membership to Chambers Bay. And I'd ask nicely.
Rock on,
Jeff
I don't know how they got him to sign for just $1 million plus $3M in performance bonuses based on starts and plate appearances. The Marlins gave him $18 million for 3 seasons. Unless his performance targets are pretty low he won't see a lot of that incentive cash. He's a keeper, I liked how he guided Maurer away from repeating pitches he'd missed on just to prove to himself that he could throw one properly. Rival dugouts would find that propensity quick like.
If Ackley's OF defense is a fatal flaw, then while he is hitting well, trade him to a team needing a 2B. That should give a good return. Don't let him flounder and lose value.
Not sure why he couldn't find a starting job in 2014. But if he's willing to jobshare, man, that's a championship bench player. And then some.
But, as with Franklin, the GM seems resolved not to deal unless he gets back impact players ... so, I get the standoff...
Interesting suggestion, and there's little doubt the M's are feeling desperate for a legit defensive CF right now.
BaseballHQ gives Pillar as having:
Noodle arm in CF
Excellent range and instincts
Little BB potential
"Easy contact" ability and a 60-70 HIT tool
that's the kind of move that a real GM would consider feasible, you'd think ...
M's are desperate for a defensive CF. Pillar looks interesting. Wonder if Toronto has plans for him to take over when Rasmus leaves? Juan Lagares was probably cheaper in Jan/Feb than he is now. Still has a scary eye but is hitting some doubles. Rajai Davis wasn't too bad an option, was he? Maybe James Jones will work, easiest solution :)
That's what I like about Romero, he hits bullets. OK, not every time...but he hits a bunch of them. A guy who hits the ball that hard and doesn't whiff like a Peguerro is worth rolling out there for a while. I really liked his interview after the game last night: He had a plan at the plate. Was looking for something in, and then when he got them he singled and hit the loud shot. OK, he doesn't walk a bunch, but gimme 30 doubles, 15 homers and an "I'm going to hurt your mistakes" approach and then I don't care much.
I posted yesterday that Ackley was the guy who lost in the Jones call-up. Thanks for saying it better. Gillespie is clearly getting the vL starts in LF. The vR starts? Betcha' we go with Jones in CF and Saunders/Romero on the corners.
Ackley can't play a COF without hitting .280 or hitting 35 doubles and 10 homers. I ain't seeing it. He (evidently) can't lead off because of some brain-vapor lock that doesn't allow it. He's just flat out played himself out of the Mr. Franchise designation (he could have had it 3 years ago) to Mr. What-the-heck-do-you-do-with-him?
1B? Can he hit?
But as a ready made IF he and Franklin might package nicely together at some point. BTW, looks like Toronto needs a 2B. Pillar, their RH hitting AAA CF (he's adequate there) would look nicely in Teal at some point. I would send them Franklin for a guy like that, I think.
When you have desperate needs, then you hold on to your (excess) assets stubbornly waiting for just the right deal to fill the need. If Jones refuses to let go of CF, then we can be more free to turn excess 2Bs into depth at any position. Right now, he's looking like he'll be used as a platoon player, though maybe for a soft landing. We'll see, as there is time before the trade deadline.