SIZZLERS, June 08
=== RUSS BRANYAN, Sizzler ===
A week or two ago, Branyan struck out a few times chasing good FB's up the ladder. Since then, the league has been trying to get him out on high FB's.
Go to MLB.com and check the GameDay on Sunday. Behold Kevin Slowey's relentless barrage of straight pitches at the top of the strike zone. This is what a lot of guys have been doing.
In fact, Branyan looked so bad on a few of those AB's that I started to worry a little: maybe this was the "fatal flaw" that the GM's knew about. Brad Wilkerson can't hit high pitches either -- he murders down-in but just cannot cap the strike zone at his hands. So, uh-oh... I wouldn't say that I thought they'd found an Achilles, but I was watching it.
Kevin Slowey fed Branyan the steady diet of high cheese. The 9th one traveled 410 feet horizontally. Measured as the Roman Candle flies, the ball covered 1,823 feet. GameDay has the pitch locations and an oh-so-satisfying video for you after you put in your work.
The last week, Branyan has reassured me that he does not have a Wilkerson-type glaring flaw at the top of the zone.
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You say, well, Slowey missed a bit on the 9th one. How many times in a row do YOU think you could hit a vertical strip that is 4" high? Just a bit higher and it's a ball; a bit lower and it's an embarrassing moon shot. So that's not a problem. They'll continue to work him high -- check Branyan's second AB -- but they'll get BB's and HR's to go with their K's.
Which is apropos. "Hey, I found a spot in the zone where Branyan will get K's, BB's, and HR's!" :- )
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=== ICHIRO, Sizzler ===
Steve Kelley with a surprisingly fun article on Griffey today. He points out that Ichiro is genuinely enjoying the game of baseball this year.
I point out that Ichiro is genuinely hitting .355 this year. You can see his renewed interest in his mobility in the batter's box.
AB of the day, in the 8th, involved:
1) A screaming 95 MPH Jesse Crain fastball on pitch 3
2) After two setup offspeed pitches fully -20 MPH slower
3) ABOVE the strike zone by six inches
4) Turned around for a screaming low line drive right over second base, with perfect timing
This guy doesn't hit .350 by no blinkin' accident.
And take this with you: he's slugging .488. In Safeco.
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=== KEN GRIFFEY JR., Sizzler ===
Griff tells Steve Kelley that we haven't seen his best yet. Good to hear.
And I believe that, BECAUSE (1) Griffey's eye ratio is an outstanding 26/25, and (2) his BABIP is .230 (as compared to his .269 and .284 the last two years).
But if you will put the cyber-dogma out of your head for two seconds: consider the contribution Griffey has made towards helping a couple of his teammates have better seasons. Everybody ON the field will tell you that baseball is fun again in Seattle -- and so the entire club is playing much better.
Griffey has been an indispensable part of that. What if you give Griffey partial credit for Ichiro's jump from a 102 OPS+ to a 132 OPS+? And for Erik Bedard's willingness to pitch, and to re-sign? How much is Griffey worth then?
Griffey's value, in terms of making his teammates better, is equivalent to that of a very good manager.
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But EVEN JUST HITTING. He's had the worst possible season so far -- and he's easily the M's third-best hitter.
Griffey, with his walks and HR's, was not going to pull an Adrian Beltre under any circumstances. The risk in signing him was absolutely nothing. And if everybody else tanked -- which they did -- then the 100-OPS+ Griffey was a stoploss.
Griffey was a key signing for the 2009 Mariners. Without him, the Mariners MIGHT very well have seen a reproduction of the "emo" 2008 ballclub.
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This is a resilient team that just now, was -6 below .500 and in danger of a torn pennant ACL. A few days later, they're -1 below .500 and partying after walkoff RBI's.
I'm enjoying the show. You?
Cheers,
Dr D