John Moltz

Baseball? In December?

A day after throwing too much money and too many years at Richie Sexson, the Mariners reportedly have signed Adrian Beltre to a great deal.

Meanwhile, looks like the Nationals' deal with D.C. is on the rocks.

Red Sox. Yankers.

Bring it.

UPDATE:

Best.

ALCS.

EVAH.

Still... alive!!!

Boston wins three in a row!

Share the joy!

Still alive

David.

Fucking.

Ortiz.

Alright.

ICHIRO!!!!!!!!

Breaks the record!

He is the man. Don't let anyone tell you anything different.

I'll be at the game on Sunday to see him set the record and to say goodbye to Edgar.

Swung on and belted in the corner!

Joey will score....HERE COMES JUNIOR...the throw WILL BE LATE! THE MARINERS WILL PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP!

So long, Edgar.

Thanks for the memories.

UPDATE: Looks like it's the end of the year, not immediately. Still, Edgar's time has been reduced in favor of Edgar and Jay Buhner's bastard love child, Bucky Jacobsen, who's hitting .321 with 6 HR in 16 games.

Lies

There's a reason I like reading USS Mariner, and it's not just for the baseball analysis...

Why is no one with a press badge, from the guy who covers the sports team to the people who cover the White House, willing to call a lie a lie?

... but still, it is mostly for the baseball analysis.

You may have noticed I haven't talked much about the Mariners this season and that's probably not surprising. When a team deals up night after night of such craptacular baseball, it's hard to get interested enough to write a post about it.

For personal reasons that have nothing to do with the front office's continued lies to the fans or the absolutely abysmal play on the field and the worse performances in the batter's box, I will probably not be going in on seasons tickets again next year. But at least those other factors make the decision easier.

I can't blame management for trying to run their business like a business. I can only lament the fact that this has to be a business. If teams were owned by the cities they played in, there would be no holding them hostage with the threat of moving. Winning would become a matter of civic pride rather than left up to either a consortium that's driven by the bottom line or the personal whims of some multi-billionaire.

In a year of sitting through horrible baseball at Safeco Field, it was adding insult to injury to be in a bar last night watching the Pacific Coast League lose the Triple-A All-Star Game to the International League on a home run in the 10th. According to Triple-A rules, if neither team led at the end of the 10th, it would have just ended in a tie. But after getting two outs, Scott Atchison of the Tacoma Rainiers, Seattle's Triple-A affiliate, left a hanging slider over the plate that ended the game.

Sucks to be an Expo

Watching the worst (Expos) playing the almost worst (Mariners), and you can see how constantly losing really can wear on a team.

On, admittedly, some questionable strikes, Brad Wilkerson was ejected after using what was possibly the "magic word" (cought - cocksucker - cough) to home plate umpire Charley Releford (sp?). Wilkerson went to the dugout but didn't go back to the clubhouse. The umps kept saying he had to leave, but he dinkered around and then Carl Everett (who I hate), who's on the DL, was ejected for yelling at the umps.

Don't know if he used the "magic word."

On his way out, Everett (who I hate) shoved over a Japanese TV camera (camera used by a Japanese TV crew - I don't know where it was manufactured). He's a dick (who I hate) so I wasn't terribly surprised by his poor sportsmanship.

But then, on his way back to the dugout, after appearing to be very calm and collected about the whole thing, baseball legend Frank Robinson shoved over a remote camera used by the Fox Sports.

So, for the kids watching at home, the lesson here would be...

... don't suck.

(Note: dollar for dollar, the Mariners suck more than the Expos by a long shot. Still, you don't see them shoving over cameras.)

I wish

Someone should tell ESPN their standings are, uh, a little messed up.

It's sad that I wish the Mariners were playing .500 ball.

They also have the Yankees on top of the East but, believe it or not, the Orioles are on top of the East.

Great

It'd be just my luck if the fate of George W. Bush was somehow cosmically tied to that of the Seattle Mariners.

Think about it... big year in 2001... wheels now really starting to come off...

Blech. O and 5 start.

ADDENDUM: Whew. 1 and 5. And a nice comeback in the 9th.

Don't DO that!

Boone hurts knee, may miss season

Just about had a heart attack.

But you can relax. It's Aaron Boone.

Phew.

Worst... season... ever!

While the Seattle Mariners feel that Scott Spiezio and Quinton McCracken are fine additions to their club, they neglect to recall that some pitchers throw with their left hand.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Nedra Pickler covers the presidential campaign for the Associate Press and is happy she won't have to watch the Mariners next year.

ONE... MORE... YEAR!

Edgar Martinez signs a 1-year deal with the Mariners.

At the last game of the year we were chanting "ONE... MORE... YEAR! ONE... MORE... YEAR!"

I'm glad he heard us.

Good blog

I've been enjoying U.S.S. Mariner for my post-season Mariners news and some humorous analysis, like the following:

...giving the M's more draft picks is like giving a twenty to a drunk bum you meet in the malt liquor section. The team's only going to blow any picks they pick up this off-season on tall left-handed high school pitchers.

The team is up to their ass in pitching. What they need is some guys on the receiving end of the ball who know how to make it go places. Like somewhere in that big Safeco outfield where there isn't an outfielder already standing right there.

While I would have thought it sacrilege to not persue Hasegawa, who had a stellar year, they're right. It makes no sense to dump a bunch of money on him when what you really need is hitting, even if they'll blow their draft picks on more pitching.

What could have been.

Caple: A damn shame.

But it could have been so much better. It could have been the greatest series in history. It could have been something to remember all our lives.

It could have been the Red Sox and the Cubs.

Devastated

It couldn't have happened to two less deserving teams.

It could have been the Cubs and the Red Sox.

Instead it's the Marlins, who despite being thirteen years old will be going to their second World Series, and the Yankees who go practically every year.

And who wins the game for the Yankees? The third baseman they didn't even need.

Must be nice.

I don't have anything against the Marlins. I like Pudge, I like Cabrera (although I didn't like him tracking down all those Cub fly balls last night), and I like the 72-year-old manager. I'll probably watch to root for them to beat the tar out of the Yankees.

But the Mariners' late season collapse and these heart-breaking losses by two of the most loved teams in baseball have just been too much, as well as George Steinbrenner's continued willingness to spare no expense to make sure no one else has any fun. This is not good for the game. It makes me sick. I'll be glad to see baseball end for the year.

White House To Save Cub Fan.

In an effort to protect the life of the unnamed Cub fan who prevented Moises Alou from catching a fly ball in the eighth inning of the Cubs' loss last night, the White House has offered Major League Baseball a solution. Should the Cubs lose to the Marlins tonight, the President will go on national television immediately following the game and announce that he will not rest until the fan "is hunted out."

The President, who previously has threatened to "hunt out" Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, and has expressed his hope that the person responsible for leaking the name of a CIA operative will also be caught, is seen by many as the fan's last hope.

"So far the President's track record is perfect," said Bud Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball. "He's zero for three. We feel that the best way to ensure this fan's protection is to have the President promise to find him."

National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice said, "By promising to track this offender down, the President will make Cub fans feel that they don't have to do it themselves. Then the President will do what he does best.

"Which... uh... well... he, um... he..."

Security experts were at a loss to explain exactly what it was the President might do, but many believed it would involve an extended vacation at his Crawford ranch, several rounds of golf with various celebrities, and possibly an attack on Syria.

Vice President Dick Cheney believed that a large, no-bid contract to a "major player" in the defense industry might also be in order.

Stock in Halliburton was up on the news.

(Thanks to James for the seed of this idea.)

Cubs/Marlins

I know one fan that better high-tail it out of Wrigley if he knows what's good for him.

If you sit on the edge of the field, you have to watch the fielder to see if he can make the play before jumping for a ball. If it's your team, of course.

If Alou makes a great catch there, which it looked like he would have, it changes the tenor of the inning. Instead, the tenor of the inning changed the other way.

The Marlins now lead, 4-3.

Shit, shit, shit.

ADDENDUM: Oh, fuck.

ADDENDUM II: OK. I'm able to have a little perspective now that the game is over. I can understand why someone would just instinctively try to jump for the ball, I'm just saying you shouldn't if you're interested in your team winning.

That being said, the Cubs are also a professional ball team and should be able to put that behind them and not give up eight runs!

So, I don't think it's that guy's fault. I just think it's an impulse you should fight.

ADDENDUM 10/15: Rob Neyer, one of my favorite baseball columnists, says it best:

Yeah, that fan shouldn't have interfered with Moises Alou. But it's worth pointing out that 1) at least one other fan was trying to do exactly the same thing, 2) a lot of the people in Wrigley Field on Tuesday night would have done exactly the same thing, and 3) he didn't open the door; he only unlocked it.

Mark Prior couldn't put Luis Castillo away, or finish off Ivan Rodriguez. Alex Gonzalez booted a Sunday-hop grounder. Dusty Baker ordered a couple of intentional walks. Sammy Sosa made a terrible throw that allowed a couple of runners to advance.

Yes, the goat's already been given his horns and he's stuck with them. But a fan didn't lose this game. The Chicago Cubs did.

Boston/Oakland Game 5

You see, I want to like Boston, I really do. I was born and raised in Connecticut and I am rooting for them over Oakland, but you'd think Manny's pathetic slump would inspire him to run toward first when he hit a long fly ball rather than walking slowly. It went out, but c'mon. It's not like this isn't an important game.

The thing that bothers me about this series is that both teams are playing rather sloppy ball. Think the Yankees will be playing sloppy ball?

Oh, jeez, Jackson and Damon just collided in center field - their heads collided. Jackson looks like he'll be OK, but it looks like they called for a stretcher for Damon. Shit - hope he's OK.

ADDENDUM: Oh, jesus, one of the Oakland fans is taunting Jackson. What an ass-clown. Looks like he'll get tossed. But Damon got a standing ovation when he waved as they put him into the fucking ambulance.

You know, most baseball fans are good-natured folks, even when they're taunting. I, myself, once taunted Detroit's Bobby Higginson for seven or eight innings until he turned just a bit and shook his head. I didn't say anything more than "You suck." I didn't tell him I knew where he lived, like some fans did to Mark McLemore in Arlington.

So I think it's OK to taunt. But, shit, not when someone's taken off in a god damn ambulance.

Ugh. Pedro's coming out. It's a one-run game.

ADDENDUM II: During the 1998 post-season, I was sick and lying on the couch seeing the large number of goatees (technically, Van Dykes - a goatee is just hair on your chin with no moustache) on the players, I finally decided to grow one, a little late to that trend.

This year there seem to be a large number of... what the heck are those? Fu Manchus? Handlebar moustaches? Well, whatever the hell they are, I ain't gonna be sporting one of those this winter.

ADDENDUM III: SOX WIN! SOX WIN!

Man...

As much as I wanted the Sox to win, I didn't agree with a lot of things they did in that game. I don't think they should have taken Kim out and if they were going to walk Long intentionally, why the heck did they have a conference about whether they wanted to pitch to Hatteberg or him in the first place? Also, in the prior half of the inning, Ortiz and Millar were so concerned with hitting the ball that they were swinging at bad pitches up in the strike zone. A little patience and they would have been on base because Harden was throwing a lot of balls.

In general, Oakland just seemed to be more into the game and that was a hell of a way to end it on a squeeze bunt. Gotta give 'em credit.

ESPN Bullshit

Oh, fucking hell. "Coming up on Sports Center.... the McNabb/Limbaugh controversy claims a victim."

"Victim"? "Victim" my fucking ass.

And I think it was a mistake to take Kim out for a guy with a higher ERA who had faced the batter once and given up a hit to him. I know Kim had some troubles high in the strike zone, but I think he was coming around. In a rare occurance, I agreed with the announcers. Kim's pitches low in the strike zone were perfect. Three more of those and they would have won the game.

Of course, we'll never know now.

Cubs/Braves

While Kerry Wood should certainly be commended for this game, here's a note to whichever of the announcers who lauded Wood for running on Lofton's single.

There were two outs. If he hadn't run, he'd be an idiot.

And why didn't anyone tell me about Wood's wife? Yow.

And to the Yankees?

Boo-hoo.

Ha-ha-ha!

Mariners are out

Well, the Mariners have reached that part of the season that used to occupy the entire season for them back in the day - the part that was entirely meaningless.

This team reminds me of a Milhouse quote from The Simpsons: "Perfectly level flying is the supreme challenge of the scale model pilot."

The team is built around the idea that slow and steady wins the game. The problem is, when slow and steady is all you can aspire to, you can never get hot. The lineup needs some pop and I have my doubts about them getting it in the off-season.

Still saddled with the contract of Jeff Cirillo who has been in unmitigated disaster, the Mariners have to ask what they'll do with Mike Cameron and Edgar Martinez, two of their "power hitters." I suspect Edgar will be back for another year on a limited contract, a la Jay Buhner.

Cameron I'm not so sure of. He is a fan favorite. I'll still love him for being the one player to run around the field and give the crowd a show when the Ms swept Chicago in the first round of the 2000 playoffs. Not A-Rod, not Edgar, not Wilson - they were all in the clubhouse - but Mike Cameron in his first year with the Mariners.

Still, I think he's gone. He strikes out too much and we have three center fielders. My fear is they'll say "Well, Edgar will be back and he provides the pop in our lineup." That ain't gonna cut it.

This team is pitching rich and hitting poor. The question is if they can put together a trade for someone with some power rather than another "gap hitter."

They may still finish the season with enough wins to take the central division in either league. Unfortunately, they're not in the central division. Someone should have told them that.

We have tickets to the last game of the year against Oakland. We'll go, we'll drink beer, we'll watch some of these guys play for the last time in a Mariners uniform.

Then it's Go Sox!

I knew I'd be glad I bought that hat when I went to Fenway.

Ugh.

The Mariners have staged another late-season collapse. There are few teams I'd rather see them lose a 4-game series to than Boston, but even still, I couldn't bear to watch more than an inning or two.

The woman in the office next to mine is Cyndy Christofferson, the wife of Bob Christofferson who's the head groundskeeper at Safeco Field. She stopped by this afternoon and asked "Could we get any worse?"

I said, "No. Well… no."

For the past several years now, the Mariners have depended on great pitching, sterling defense and the ability to capitalize on mistakes made by the other team. In the past two series, their pitching and defense has failed them enough that no amount of screwing up by the other team was going to allow them to win. When you can't pull off a 3-6-1 or 3-4-1 double play three games in a row, it's gonna cost you. When balls pop out of your glove for home runs, it's gonna cost you. When your first baseman is batting .040 below his career average and your third baseman is batting .080 below his career average, it's gonna cost you.

There are no real answers for this team. The only player of significance on the DL, Greg Colbrun, will be out for the season, it seems. They either have to suck it up, start pitching, start hitting and stop "lollygagging" around the field, or look forward to some time off in October.

Sorry, Nellie!

Good weekend for the Mariners, taking two out of three from the Yankees and increasing their lead in the AL West to 4.

It's disturbing that Arthur Rhodes continues to have trouble in Yankee Stadium and Benitez gave up a run in the one inning he pitched on Friday, although they still would have lost the game. But Gil Meche pitched one of his best games yesterday, Shigetoshi Hasegawa came away with two saves and Jeff Nelson was on the mound while four runs scored today.

Hasegawa has been flawless as a closer - as with everything outside the All-Star Game - since Sasaki went down and I don't expect to see him moved from that role until Sasaki's velocity returns.

Now pitching... ARMANDO BENITEZ!

Well, Jeff Nelson wanted the Mariners to trade for someone and they did. And they traded him to do it.

I like the Nelson for Benitez trade from the Mariners perspective. Neither one was under contract for next year and with Sasaki still not 100% they could use someone with closing experience. Benitez is also good against lefties which gives them an option besides Rhodes.

Benitez has had some, let's say, "unfortunate" experiences in some big games, but I like him. He's an impressive figure on the mound. Nelson looks like the guy who fixes your car.

The Rich Get Richer.

No, I'm not talking about Bush's tax cut, I'm talking about the Yankees.

So, let's take a look at this. In the last two weeks the Yankees have traded for:

Armando Benitez
Jesse Orosco
Dave Dellucci
Bret Prinz
Gabe White
Aaron Boone
and some minor leaguers

in deals with five teams.

This is the crap that pisses me off about the state of baseball today. You can talk all you want about how it doesn't guarantee you a good team, but there's little denying that if you have all the money in the world and aren't a moron like Tom Hicks or Peter Angelos, you can buy yourself the best team in baseball. Every year Steinbrenner outdoes himself trying to make sure he comes out on top.

How many years can the Yankees buy themselves a playoff birth before it just isn't fun to watch anymore?

Gah! GAAAAAH!

The Mariners lost to the lowly Rangers by a dismal score of 10-1. On the plus side, the seats were great and the home plate umpire could hear me telling him how blind he was.

Fortunately, the Angels beat the Athletics so the Mariners are still three games up in the AL West.

The talk on the radio on the ride home was about trades and, contrary to what I would have thought just a couple of days ago, it does seem quite possible the Mariners will make a deal. They are in the market, certainly, and one rumor even mentions Juan Gonzalez.

What I hope to see them deal for is someone with power who can replace Edgar as DH next year when he retires.

Three days.

Taking myself out to the ball game.

Off to the Mariners/Rangers game tonight. My lovely bride scored tickets in the 13th row behind home plate for being a stellar employee.

I once scored a bag of Funyuns for "not getting in the way too much" at my office.

Hopefully the Mariners will not repeat their pathetic showing of yesterday afternoon. Freddy "Sweaty" Garcia had a rough outing, Carlos Guillen threw two balls into the dugout and Mike Cameron committed a base running error of extraordinary magnitude.

Garcia was recently rumored as trade material to St. Louis for JD Drew and Cardinals' scouts were supposedly at yesterday's game. Guess that's not gonna happen.

Sucks To Be You.

The Mariners womped Texas last night and two details of the game spoke volumes about Texas' pitching woes.

The starter was a guy they just brought up from AAA who had gone something like 7-9 with a 4.85 ERA. That's the gem of your farm system?

After he got shelled, they brought in the guy who was supposed to start tonight.

He also got shelled.