Movin' On
Larry Stone with an astute article at the Times, interpreting (surely with accuracy) Wakamatsu's remarks as being the death knell. If he's gone this time, D-O-V figures he's "Gone" gone. As a starter.
Within reason, of course. Unless the script goes horribly wrong. What we mean is: we reckon that the Mariners have seen what they needed to see.
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Being as D-O-V has nothing against calling E-6 on itself when needed, we trust you won't mind our noting an RBI when we scrounge one, either :- ) At the time the Mariners TRADED for Olson, we warned that the AAAA findings had been logged, banked and notarized.
On June 11, 20098 Garrett Olson beat the Orioles 6-3 in a nice performance, throwing 62 of 92 pitches for strikes. It lowered his ERA on the season to 4.26.
We published this SSI article that night, declaring that Olson's demise was near. Maybe the read will amuse you, six weeks on.
It wasn't a shocker to many of you that Garrett Olson was an underdog. Tomorrow's News Today was, on the day of the Heilman trade, to look elsewhere for rotation innings.
The Grim Reaper presented his bill today: an 8-1 deficit in a Porcello game the M's should have won easily.
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As John Benson says, every human being who is pitching at AA and above is "absolutely excellent." Olson's among them.
He'll keep battling and some year, we expect him to go 13-10, 4.40 for somebody. In this industry he might cash it in for a $25m/3 contract :- )
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The subtle difference between an ML pitcher and a Quad-A pitcher is usually found in a "calling card" weapon: a Jorge Campillo change-speed game, or Radke-like plus-plus command, or a Morrow fastball, or something. You work off the jab.
If RRS has the shellshocking yellow hammer back, he's got the talent to be more than AAA. Brandon Morrow, needless to say, has the talent to be more than .... AL. Does Jason Vargas? I doubt it, but he'll get more chances.
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=== By Far, Eh ===
Dave Sims, on the TV broadcast, lamented that the Mariners had lost "by far their best player" to the CF wall. I like Gutierrez too, but the politics surrounding Gutierrez are driving me batty.
Ichiro is hitting 363/396/480, with 20 SB's, and could beat Gutierrez in an OF race to a loose ball while running backwards.
Right now Franklin Gutierrez is giving us what Mike Cameron did in 2001-02. That's cool, but do we have to make it out to be the second coming of ARod? :- )
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The debate about the value of Russell Branyan vs Franklin Gutierrez has become more interesting with Gutierrez' red-hot July. IF you accept calculations that Gutierrez is saving +30 runs defensively, over what some other good CF would save in Safeco, then Gutierrez at the moment would be worth even more than Branyan.
IF you accept my own judgment as to what any other quality ML CF (say, Aaron Rowand or Torii Hunter) would accomplish in Safeco, and figure Gutierrez to finish around 110 offensively, then Branyan has been more important to the M's.
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In any case, F-Gut is quickly establishing himself as a minor star in the American League and the Mariners got awfully lucky he wasn't hurt.
Running into walls will not be allowed in the major leagues of 2050, any more than batting without a helmet is allowed now.
Cheers,
Dr D