Add new comment

I tend to be among those that weight defense lower than most of the UZR and DER fanatics, but even I could see that this game was lost (or won) by the defense.
The Indians should be credited with extremely good defense, they stole AT LEAST two hits (and RBIs) away (the ones you talked about above).
However our infield defense was pretty suspect as well. This is probably the first game we can point to and honestly say that moving from the all world defensive team to stretching guys with better bats into harder defensive positions has really bitten us.
Off the top of my head I can think of at least two balls that with different defenders out there are probably outs and both occurred in the 9th. One was the infield "hit" to Dustin Ackley (I think Brantly hit it?). Yes it would have been a nice play, but it is one that we see second basemen make pretty routinely. And in fact Dustin got to it no problem, but it looked like he was trying to rush and probably was over thinking it and instead of catching the ball, standing up and throwing the guy out at first (by a step) he was already looking up and had the ball glance off his glove. Funny enough Rizz and crew were calling it a great defensive play that saved a run because the guy on second could only make it to 3rd because Ackley kept it in the infield. They way I saw it though I would have charged Ackley with an error. The other play was the game winning hit by Hannahan (another former Mariner to be dreadful for us, but go on to have success elsewhere SMH). It pretty much went right under Seager's glove, and it wasn't a slow roller or anything, but it wasn't a "Smash" either. Even Rizz calling it on the radio go excited and started to go into to the double play call, but then had to stop himself and glumly sigh that it got past the 3rd baseman and into right field. Again a good 3b makes that play. Sigh, oh well.
Don't get me wrong. I certainly wouldn't trade out Ackley and Seager out for any defensive whizzes. And I definitely don't want to move them from their current positions. I am glad to have offense a priority again in Seattle, just pointing it out that this game really hinged on a handful of great (for the Indians) and bad (for the Ms ) defensive plays.