Postgame April 9
=== Jarrod Washburn ===
Nice game of pitch-and-catch with Gutierrez today. :- ) Fun to watch.
A life sensei once enlightened us: the way that people get others to take extreme positions -- is to take an extreme position at the opposite side. In other words, if you want to get people saying that there is no such thing as global warming, then start preaching straight-faced that we have five years to live. LOL.
In my good-natured opinion, the "Backup CF Chavez over HOF'er Abreu" mantras on defense have become kinda silly this offseason. But! D-O-V doesn't react by saying defense does not matter at all, and it also doesn't react by saying that defense can't have a large impact on the game.
Today's game was defense at its very best: 0 errors, 3 brilliant plays (Gutierrez-Chavez-Betancourt DP), another 4-5 nice plays, synchronized precisely on the day in which Jarrod Washburn was throwing fungoes to the fielders. A rare sports game that was drawn up on the chalkboard in the pre-game, and executed as though the other team was an afterthough.
Great day for the local fangraphs enthusiasts. :golfclap:
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Washburn was also throwing the ball MUCH better than in 2008. A glance at the statline might lead you to believe that he simply had balls hit at people -- but a glance at the statline wouldn't clue you in to all the poor swings the Twins took today.
Wash was touching 89, and was locating the ball well, and (amazingly) was getting excellent use out of an 80 changeup that the Twins swung through several times. They bit on the change hook, line, and (um) sinker.
Blowers was raving over the improved change, and Dr D is inclined to agree. If Washburn's change gets some swings over the top, and his K's bounce back to 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 a game, he's right back into "average-solid" territory.
Eyes slideways.
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=== F-Gut ===
D-O-V has been on the record as disappointed with Gutierrez' speed, but in the first four games, our young CF has pretty much put "paid" to that charge. He's got very nice baseball speed, reacts exceptionally well to the ball, is instinctive and has outstanding body control.
He does in fact remind a lot of Mike Cameron out there -- though he is a notch slower than Cammy used to be -- and has landed with the same splash that Cammy did.
He's in the 2 hole not because it optimizes the lineup: it does not. You want OBP in the 2 hole if you're playing S-O-M; that would be Branyan, Sweeney, Griffey, etc. He's in the 2 hole because he gives a professional at-bat, and it becomes contagious. F-Gut is hitting #2 as a chemistry thing, and Wakamatsu has said that.
The misgivings about his match to Safeco are the only problem left.
Capt Jack felt that Gutierrez was the big starting point for his vision of a winning ballclub, and first four games, it looked that way. Mike Cameron was a big part of the personality of the 116-win team in Safeco. Gutierrez has been a big part of the Mariners' personality this first week.
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=== Defense ===
0 errors first four games, a dozen impressive plays, keying crisp play all around.
That's not the KEY to the improved play -- it's the M's OFFENSE that is putting much more pressure on good SP's than expected -- but defense is one factor in the winning atmosphere.
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=== Bottom Line ===
The Twins were blinkin' lucky to split, this being a playoff team defending its home park. If not for Morrow's first meltdown the Mariners would have won three, and would have deserved three. The Mariners played better, deserved to win, and did win. Two, shoulda been three.
The commercial said, tritely, "it's a new approach and a new attitude." Amusing that in this case, it's true.
Cheers,
Dr D