M's 3, Yank$ 2
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We seldom read other sites before writing our own postgame, but tonight we wandered over and lazily checked one of them. Big Mistake. That's what the Govuhnatuh would say.
Going from the sheer sports pleasure of watching the game on TV, to the recap, induced some major vertigo ... hey, we warned yer, Doc! Keep yer eyes on yer own paper already.
Too late:
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Once Upon A Time ...
We had a bad feeling going into the game, because Harang is a slop sandwich and on Friday we'd already fouled up our only longshot to win the series.
Then we heard we had no starting pitcher - and the one that subbed in, is an even worse slop sandwich.
The M's did win this game, because there's a lot of luck in baseball. It was fun to watch, even if it wasn't actually real.
In 2012, Noesi was so bad that ... [insert double underlines on Bad].
Tonight, a lot of bad things happened to Noesi, of course. But, surprisingly, he did a few good things, which if he ever did them again, could diminish the effect of the future bad things that will of course happen.
Mike Morse is not good, but tonight he was vintage: a net wash, but interesting. He's like Kendall Gill (google it).
Ryan got robbed of a hit. That was a major bummer.
Montero is a joke behind home plate.
Dustin Ackley will never be any good if he doesn't start pulling the ball, as he happened to once tonight.
Tom Wilhelmsen is due to hit a windshield and leave a greasy olive stain.
Things could be worse; the Mariners are in second.
.... much of which we could theoretically cosign :- ) but...
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Goodnight Now, Kiddies
That's the verdict after this series win in the Bronx?!
If we want to sip a cold one and throw peanut shells at the screen, kewl. To each his own. But .... here's what we're getting at.
For Nine Hundred Years Have We Watched Baseball. Our Own Counsel Will We Keep As To Who Is Objective. The local jeremiads ain't it, we don't s'pose. Objectivity is like what Baker does: last year he was screaming bloody murder, and this year he's telling people something good is brewing.
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Another Bedtime Storee
The Mariners, right now, are currently about the 5th-best team in the league, overcoming their youthful Scrub problems by dint of Heroic Efforts from their Stars. With a few Scrub fungi-blations, they have the hope of being more.
Oliver Perez is out of his mind -- in more ways than one.
Hector Noesi has improved by, oh, 50% of the distance he needs to; he's made remarkable progress, though it isn't yet enough IMHO.
Tom Wilhelmsen isn't going to finish with 100% saves, but he's a serviceable white-knuckle closer. Did you notice that tonight, on a 3-1 pitch, Brett Gardner tried to grovel a bunt single? Think about it...
The M's lineup right now is beating good pitchers. They had Andy Pettitte nibbling, picking, and afraid to throw a strike. Dr. D can't believe his eyes. How long has it been?
Mike Morse is a legit MLB(TM) cleanup hitter, with 70-75 PWR and a 60 HIT tool. The M's lineup is legitimized because it has four hitters now who can get tough RBI. It's got four players who can deliver the big blow, in Yankee Stadium or Fenway, against a top pitcher.
The M's team ERA was 4.50 the first 25 games; it's 2.80 or so since then. Harang is a short-timer, but it's a juicy list of pitchers that's vulturing him.
Dustin Ackley is wayyyy too passive at the plate, which is why he's got ugly stats against fastballs and beautiful stats against sliders and changeups. He's taking such a long look at the ball that all he can hit are offspeed pitches, which we presume they'll soon stop throwing him. But he can't download the pitch sequences overnight. Looks like probably another 400 AB's for him.
Smoak is showing signs, in fits and spots. How much progress, you can tell from the amount that he played this series. Nothing impressive. But he's keeping the career alive.
It remains maddening, night after night, that Brendan Ryan is allowed to kill rallies, under the idea that Offense Ain't His Job. Actually his 007 OPS+ is licensed to cancel the OPS+ of at least two teammates, let us say, Kendrys Morales' and Michael Morse's.
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The M's are a young, hungry team and they're looking kind of like the Seahawks looked when they were just about to take off. Except, not to that degree.
Probably this is the most dynamic moment the Seattle franchise has experienced since 2004, which ain't saying much. Possibly in 2009 there was some date on which the Dynamism Factor was higher than it is right now. To paraphrase GM Jan Timman, the Mariner season is pregnant with possibility.
But hey. Why not savor the goodie when it shows up? You spent long enough chewing dirt.
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The Yankees are blinkin' lucky they didn't get swept. They were the second-best team this weekend.
In the 3-game series between the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners: the Mariners played better, they deserved to win, and they did win.
Your friend,
Dr D