"That's amazing!"
Monday, April 19, 2004
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Minor League Wrap-Up:
Tacoma fell to Tucson 2-1, in 10 innings. Scott Atchison got the loss in relief. Notables:
Bobby Madritsch: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Ramon Santiago: 0-5
Hiram Bocachica: 1-3
Jose Lopez: 1-3, 1 BB
Wiki Gonzalez: 1-5, 1 homer
Justin Leone: 0-3, 1 BB
San Antonio defeated Midland, 3-1. Jared Hoerman picked up his third consecutive save. Juan Done got the start and the win. Notables:
Dustin Delucchi: 1-3, 1 BB
Shin Soo-Choo: 1-4
Greg Dobbs: 2-4
Cristian Guerrero: 0-3
Inland Empire had a doubleheader today, after yesterday's game was postponed, and took both games. The first was a 6-2 victory over Lake Elsinore. Ryan Rowland-Smith picked up the win. Notables:
Juan Gonzalez: 1-4, 1 BB
Ismael Castro: 1-4, 1 BB
Rene Rivera: 2-3, 2 doubles
Michael Garciaparra: 1-4
The 66ers took the second game, 4-3, in seven innings. Juan Sandoval got his second victory, and Darwin Soto picked up his second save. Notables:
Juan Gonzalez: 1-2
Ismael Castro: 0-3
Michael Garciaparra: 1-3
Matt Hagen: 2-3, 1 double
Wisconsin lost to Peoria, 7-5. Rough day for Eric O`Flaherty, who couldn't last through the fourth. Kenly Chang got the loss. Notables:
Josh Womack: 1-5, 1 homer
Adam Jones: 0-3, 1 BB
*yawn*
Tacoma fell to Tucson 2-1, in 10 innings. Scott Atchison got the loss in relief. Notables:
Bobby Madritsch: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Ramon Santiago: 0-5
Hiram Bocachica: 1-3
Jose Lopez: 1-3, 1 BB
Wiki Gonzalez: 1-5, 1 homer
Justin Leone: 0-3, 1 BB
San Antonio defeated Midland, 3-1. Jared Hoerman picked up his third consecutive save. Juan Done got the start and the win. Notables:
Dustin Delucchi: 1-3, 1 BB
Shin Soo-Choo: 1-4
Greg Dobbs: 2-4
Cristian Guerrero: 0-3
Inland Empire had a doubleheader today, after yesterday's game was postponed, and took both games. The first was a 6-2 victory over Lake Elsinore. Ryan Rowland-Smith picked up the win. Notables:
Juan Gonzalez: 1-4, 1 BB
Ismael Castro: 1-4, 1 BB
Rene Rivera: 2-3, 2 doubles
Michael Garciaparra: 1-4
The 66ers took the second game, 4-3, in seven innings. Juan Sandoval got his second victory, and Darwin Soto picked up his second save. Notables:
Juan Gonzalez: 1-2
Ismael Castro: 0-3
Michael Garciaparra: 1-3
Matt Hagen: 2-3, 1 double
Wisconsin lost to Peoria, 7-5. Rough day for Eric O`Flaherty, who couldn't last through the fourth. Kenly Chang got the loss. Notables:
Josh Womack: 1-5, 1 homer
Adam Jones: 0-3, 1 BB
*yawn*
4-8
Joel Pineiro survives a rocky start to pick up the win, and Eddie Guardado throws a 1-2-3 9th for his second consecutive save. Today's stars:
I'm still concerned about Pineiro, because he's put 34 men on base in just 16.1 innings this year and his control is all over the place. That said, he had a rough April in 2003 as well, walking 17 in 31.1 innings, so this is nothing new. Joel's always had trouble in the early innings of a game, so why should the overall year be any different? He only allowed four baserunners after Young's two-run single in the second, and that's pretty encouraging. Pineiro hit a groove in the middle innings; it's amazing what can happen when you start at bats with strikes.
As for the offense, where'd those homers come from? Surely it couldn't have been the Mariners, the proud owners of just four home runs combined through the first 11 games. Ibanez finally came through with a longball, and it's very, very nice to get some offense from third base. Also, Boone continues to slug the ball, although he's making a lot of outs.
Ichiro needs to hit some more doubles and triples.
The way Ryan Drese was going, this looked like another Park-like shutout in the making. His final line isn't particularly impressive - 7 hits and 8 baserunners through 5.2 IP - but he started well before running into trouble in the fifth. He hit the wall around the 70 pitch mark, consistent with his career splits. The Mariners forced him out of the game, and Ibanez hit a surprise home run off a lefty reliever to push us into the lead. One can only wonder what the outcome of the game would have been if Drese had a little more endurance.
Wee Willie slapped his way to a .296 batting average, a number achieved via a hit collection replete with singles. Again, it's nice that he contributed, but these kinds of games just give Melvin more reason to use him, and that's the last thing we need. I want to see Aurilia and Spiezio in there as often as possible, and all we need is a few 0-4's from Bloomquist to make that happen.
Decent game, and we've won two in a row. I'd add a little more, but the puck is about to drop in Ottawa and I need to divert my attention to the TV for a few hours.
Joel Pineiro survives a rocky start to pick up the win, and Eddie Guardado throws a 1-2-3 9th for his second consecutive save. Today's stars:
- Raul Ibanez: two-run homer that was the difference in the game
- Bret Boone: started the comeback with his solo shot
- Scott Spiezio: insurance homer in the 8th that made us all more comfortable
- Ichiro: three hits from the leadoff spot is always appreciated
I'm still concerned about Pineiro, because he's put 34 men on base in just 16.1 innings this year and his control is all over the place. That said, he had a rough April in 2003 as well, walking 17 in 31.1 innings, so this is nothing new. Joel's always had trouble in the early innings of a game, so why should the overall year be any different? He only allowed four baserunners after Young's two-run single in the second, and that's pretty encouraging. Pineiro hit a groove in the middle innings; it's amazing what can happen when you start at bats with strikes.
As for the offense, where'd those homers come from? Surely it couldn't have been the Mariners, the proud owners of just four home runs combined through the first 11 games. Ibanez finally came through with a longball, and it's very, very nice to get some offense from third base. Also, Boone continues to slug the ball, although he's making a lot of outs.
Ichiro needs to hit some more doubles and triples.
The way Ryan Drese was going, this looked like another Park-like shutout in the making. His final line isn't particularly impressive - 7 hits and 8 baserunners through 5.2 IP - but he started well before running into trouble in the fifth. He hit the wall around the 70 pitch mark, consistent with his career splits. The Mariners forced him out of the game, and Ibanez hit a surprise home run off a lefty reliever to push us into the lead. One can only wonder what the outcome of the game would have been if Drese had a little more endurance.
Wee Willie slapped his way to a .296 batting average, a number achieved via a hit collection replete with singles. Again, it's nice that he contributed, but these kinds of games just give Melvin more reason to use him, and that's the last thing we need. I want to see Aurilia and Spiezio in there as often as possible, and all we need is a few 0-4's from Bloomquist to make that happen.
Decent game, and we've won two in a row. I'd add a little more, but the puck is about to drop in Ottawa and I need to divert my attention to the TV for a few hours.
Four walks. About 1.2 more than our average per game, leading into today.
It was nice to see some patience out of this team for the first time all year. Maybe they learned something from the previous game's debacle - or maybe it was a fluke - but either way, Lewis was chased after five innings and 95 pitches (only 51 of which were strikes). Ibanez was surprisingly disciplined, as he turned two good at bats into walks. It was looking like another one of those inexplicably anemic games until the fourth, where the following took place with two outs:
-S Spiezio singled to center
-R Aurilia walked, S Spiezio to second
-R Ibanez walked, S Spiezio to third, R Aurilia to second
-D Wilson doubled to deep center, S Spiezio, R Aurilia, and R Ibanez scored.
Indeed, good things can happen when you draw two-out walks. It seems that Dan Wilson is determined to use up six months' worth of hits in two weeks, but tonight's three-run double was much appreciated, and turned out to be the difference in the game. Is Wilson going to hit .367 all year? No, but Ichiro and Edgar have nowhere to go but up, and they're going to jumpstart this offense a little bit as Wilson regresses. I don't think you're going to see many more situations where none of Olerud, Edgar, and Boone can advance Ichiro from third base.
What can you say about Spiezio's start? He wasn't really challenged defensively, but his offense was quite helpful, as he finished 2-4 with a double and two runs scored. He started our first rally with a two-out single (that broke up Lewis' early no-hitter) and he opened the sixth with a double off Ron Mahay. It appears that, for the time being, he's completely healthy and ready to contribute, something that Willie Bloomquist, for all his hustle, couldn't muster. I've been looking forward to Spiezio's debut this year, not because I think he'll be dynamite with the bat but because I couldn't stomach many more Bloomquist appearances. The difference between the two players is probably about two wins over a full season, and we're going to need those if we have any hope of contending.
Admit it: after the first inning, you were worried about Jamie Moyer. He was fresh off two lousy starts against Oakland and Anaheim, and he'd just barely survived a first inning in which he allowed a double and two very deep fly outs. Even the most optimistic of fans had to be concerned that Moyer had lost a little something over the winter and had become eminently hittable. Well, Jamie managed to put those fears to rest, as he got through a rough first inning and coasted through the eighth, finishing with a stellar line:
8 IP
3 H
1 ER
2 BB
5 K
He was throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters most of the game, and the Rangers' bats were struggling once they fell behind in the count. Nobody's going to score many runs when their 3-through-9 hitters go 1-22.
Ichiro got his first stolen base of the year, courtesy of a Gerald Laird airmail. Randy Winn also attempted a bunt single, so Melvin seems to be stressing the whole "be aggressive with your speed" strategy. I like having Winn and Ichiro back-to-back in the lineup, as getting Winn on base lends itself to all kinds of fun situations that take advantage of their footspeed and Ichiro's contact ability. Also, I'm liking Olerud in the second slot. Now if only Melvin would switch Boone to #3, so that we don't have to deal with Olerud and Edgar in sequence. Ibanez at #7 seems about right.
All in all, it was leaps and bounds better than the night before. Still some kinks to be straightened out, but Spiezio's return adds a lot to the lineup, and I'm feeling more optimistic already.
This prediction thing hasn't been going too well, as I've gotten the last four games wrong, but I'll still give it a shot. Tomorrow pits Ryan Drese against Joel Pineiro, who's been having difficulty this year. However, nobody knows bad pitching better than Drese, so I'm looking for a healthy M's win. 8-4. (I'm 7-4 on the year.)
It was nice to see some patience out of this team for the first time all year. Maybe they learned something from the previous game's debacle - or maybe it was a fluke - but either way, Lewis was chased after five innings and 95 pitches (only 51 of which were strikes). Ibanez was surprisingly disciplined, as he turned two good at bats into walks. It was looking like another one of those inexplicably anemic games until the fourth, where the following took place with two outs:
-S Spiezio singled to center
-R Aurilia walked, S Spiezio to second
-R Ibanez walked, S Spiezio to third, R Aurilia to second
-D Wilson doubled to deep center, S Spiezio, R Aurilia, and R Ibanez scored.
Indeed, good things can happen when you draw two-out walks. It seems that Dan Wilson is determined to use up six months' worth of hits in two weeks, but tonight's three-run double was much appreciated, and turned out to be the difference in the game. Is Wilson going to hit .367 all year? No, but Ichiro and Edgar have nowhere to go but up, and they're going to jumpstart this offense a little bit as Wilson regresses. I don't think you're going to see many more situations where none of Olerud, Edgar, and Boone can advance Ichiro from third base.
What can you say about Spiezio's start? He wasn't really challenged defensively, but his offense was quite helpful, as he finished 2-4 with a double and two runs scored. He started our first rally with a two-out single (that broke up Lewis' early no-hitter) and he opened the sixth with a double off Ron Mahay. It appears that, for the time being, he's completely healthy and ready to contribute, something that Willie Bloomquist, for all his hustle, couldn't muster. I've been looking forward to Spiezio's debut this year, not because I think he'll be dynamite with the bat but because I couldn't stomach many more Bloomquist appearances. The difference between the two players is probably about two wins over a full season, and we're going to need those if we have any hope of contending.
Admit it: after the first inning, you were worried about Jamie Moyer. He was fresh off two lousy starts against Oakland and Anaheim, and he'd just barely survived a first inning in which he allowed a double and two very deep fly outs. Even the most optimistic of fans had to be concerned that Moyer had lost a little something over the winter and had become eminently hittable. Well, Jamie managed to put those fears to rest, as he got through a rough first inning and coasted through the eighth, finishing with a stellar line:
8 IP
3 H
1 ER
2 BB
5 K
He was throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters most of the game, and the Rangers' bats were struggling once they fell behind in the count. Nobody's going to score many runs when their 3-through-9 hitters go 1-22.
Ichiro got his first stolen base of the year, courtesy of a Gerald Laird airmail. Randy Winn also attempted a bunt single, so Melvin seems to be stressing the whole "be aggressive with your speed" strategy. I like having Winn and Ichiro back-to-back in the lineup, as getting Winn on base lends itself to all kinds of fun situations that take advantage of their footspeed and Ichiro's contact ability. Also, I'm liking Olerud in the second slot. Now if only Melvin would switch Boone to #3, so that we don't have to deal with Olerud and Edgar in sequence. Ibanez at #7 seems about right.
All in all, it was leaps and bounds better than the night before. Still some kinks to be straightened out, but Spiezio's return adds a lot to the lineup, and I'm feeling more optimistic already.
This prediction thing hasn't been going too well, as I've gotten the last four games wrong, but I'll still give it a shot. Tomorrow pits Ryan Drese against Joel Pineiro, who's been having difficulty this year. However, nobody knows bad pitching better than Drese, so I'm looking for a healthy M's win. 8-4. (I'm 7-4 on the year.)
Minor League Wrap-Up:
Cha Baek is the hard-luck loser as Tacoma falls to Tucson 2-1. Phil Stockman allowed no runs on 1 hit in 5.1 IP, despite walking six. Notables:
Cha-Seung Baek: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
George Sherrill: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Ramon Santiago: 0-3, 2 BB
Hiram Bocachica: 0-3, 2 BB
Bucky Jacobsen: 1-3, 1 double, 1 BB
Jose Lopez: 2-4
Wiki Gonzalez: 1-4
Justin Leone: pinch-runner (scored)
A four-run fourth wasn't enough as San Antonio lost to El Paso, 12-5. The Missions fell behind by five after two, and trailed for the remainder. Notables:
Shin Soo-Choo: 1-5, 1 double
Dustin Delucchi: 3-4, 2 doubles, 1 BB
Greg Dobbs: 2-4, 1 BB (error)
Cristian Guerrero: 0-5
Inland Empire had the day off.
Wisconsin lost to Peoria, 7-2. Nibaldo Acosta had a rough start, allowing eight hits in 6.1 IP. Notables:
Josh Womack: 1-4, 1 BB
Adam Jones: 1-4
Balentien didn't play.
Cha Baek is the hard-luck loser as Tacoma falls to Tucson 2-1. Phil Stockman allowed no runs on 1 hit in 5.1 IP, despite walking six. Notables:
Cha-Seung Baek: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
George Sherrill: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Ramon Santiago: 0-3, 2 BB
Hiram Bocachica: 0-3, 2 BB
Bucky Jacobsen: 1-3, 1 double, 1 BB
Jose Lopez: 2-4
Wiki Gonzalez: 1-4
Justin Leone: pinch-runner (scored)
A four-run fourth wasn't enough as San Antonio lost to El Paso, 12-5. The Missions fell behind by five after two, and trailed for the remainder. Notables:
Shin Soo-Choo: 1-5, 1 double
Dustin Delucchi: 3-4, 2 doubles, 1 BB
Greg Dobbs: 2-4, 1 BB (error)
Cristian Guerrero: 0-5
Inland Empire had the day off.
Wisconsin lost to Peoria, 7-2. Nibaldo Acosta had a rough start, allowing eight hits in 6.1 IP. Notables:
Josh Womack: 1-4, 1 BB
Adam Jones: 1-4
Balentien didn't play.
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