1
7 something????
No wonder we're not shutting the door on many wins!
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Cemeteries were not as well thought out, say, five hundred years ago. If one got crowded, the local magistrates would simply evict the tenants and toss their bones into a facility they politely termed a "Charnel House." Which brings us to the Oakland A's offense. Christian Bergman (!!) posted a box score of 7.1 2 0 0 0 2 9 which will serve as (1) the best memory of his baseball career and (2) the best memory of any Mariner pitcher's 2017 so far. It was quite literally the best end result by a Mariner to date, Paxtons included.
The key to Bergman's success, much less dominance, was a weaponized 78 MPH overhand curve that bit the knees the first 6, 8 times he attempted to throw it. By the 5th inning the A's were swinging behind 87 MPH fastballs; this is known as a "plus-plus change speed game" when somebody other than Christian Bergman throws it. Khris Davis, of all people, kay'ed way late on a slowball that read 87 MPH on the EQC tracer. Steven Vogt swung strike 3 wildly at an 85 MPH cutter that was super high above the strike zone.
He failed to throw his 86-90 MPH slowball into Tuffy's mitt very often. He indeed succeeded in throwing it generally Up, Down, Inside ... kind of like Doogie Fister with the frazzy command of a flu-like symptoms outing. And when Bergman "cut" the fastball to move gloveside, it moved with a capital M.
In other words, it was verrrrrrrrrryyyy easy to imagine this guy absolutely OWNING triple A baseball. Which brings us back to the charnel house that is the Oakland Orcs' offense.
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An odd event: A left handed Orc tapped a swinging bunt into no-man's land toward Kyle Seager; Bergman nimbled off the mound and tossed the batter out so casually and so brilliantly that Blowers and Hyphen laughed for two batters afterward. What do you think about body control and gracefulness as it applies to right handed slowballers?
RockiesJeff watched the guy for three years and agreed with us about the long odds, but if he threw like that he'd stay in a rotation someplace. He was reedonkulus at Tacoma and showed it again for three hours Wednesday. Vaguely comparable pitchers to the guy we saw last night: John Danks ... the older Danny Haren ... Jon Niese. If Bergman manages something remotely similar next turn round, take those comps a little more seriously.
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RUN DIFFERENTIAL
Is plus two. Won-loss is minus three. ERA in the 9th inning, priceless ... actually, 7-something. We ain't saying the three are connected, and we ain't saying they're not.
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JAMES PAZOS
If the A's felt bad about Bergman's 88 fastball after his curve got into their heads? Imagine how hurt their feelers were, when they were standing in against Pazos for the last few outs?
LOL,
Dr D
Comments
2
Seven....sounds more like my golf game. Pazos to see the ball in the 9th more? I thought the bullpen could be a strength. The injury bug with Scribner, Simmons, etc.....too bad.
4
The difference between us at three games over .500 and 3 games below is entirely Edwin Diaz.
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Back when Sonic owner Sam Schulman (an owner who truly loved his team's fans) was building the Sonic, ahem, "dynasty" with purloined ABA stars, he grabbed a seven foot center named Jim McDaniels. Jimbo was truly horrible as an NBA player, but one night he went off and scored something like 35 points, and we were stunned and wondered if we saw a light bulb go off and a corner thus turned.
Nope. Nobody remembers Jim McDaniels. Heck, we barely remember the Sonics these days.
But hey...every dog has his day, and AAA or MLB, Bergman is one of the very finest pitchers in the entire world. As was Jimmy Mac one of the finest centers in the world in his day. But he probably should have found a gig in Brussels or Tel Aviv.
Hope springs eternal, and if I can place hope in McDaniels for a month or so after his big game, I can certainly give Christian Bergman the same. It would certainly please my young 8 year old grandson, who loves baseball and can now root for a player with the same surname as his own. He's already becoming the family favorite in that household.
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I'm not connecting the dots on "last name." I think I get it about the death photos and the charnel house shtick? :- )
You have a "plus-plus" 8x10 photo SuburbsGuy. Kudos. Heh.
8
Let's give this one time...Bergman has some seriously mushy stuff unless he is able to throw that curve for strikes. I'm dubious. But it was fun last night.
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Best nights by nonfactors. Who was the Tiger who got ripped off out of a perfect game by a blown call at 1B? What happened to him? Bet he thinks we were a little late getting to replay.
11
People can get sentimental over some of the one hit wonders.....M's need a guy there each week to go 6-7. I have my doubts but hope in a month to look like an absolute fool! Well....wouldn't be the first or last time! I give him credit for last night. I thought he had better velocity when he was in Denver....but was normally cringing when he stepped on the mound....Go Bergman!
Your #1 Fan!
12
50 point game at the start of 2003 similar? I know Lewis actually belonged in the league at least but it wasn't a glimpse of some new level. He had his career best game at the age of 23. In Japan even.
I remember McDaniels from highlights of Sonics days gone bye and believe he was one of the guys that showed up for some games when there was still a team. I don't want to talk about it though. Still angry.
13
My son NEVER tires of watching the Thunder get beat. Still have to force myself to stay away from the fantasy of Kevin Durant in Key Arena. Whoops...
14
In Key arena. Supporting the team. Just before they left.
Did enjoy a new years eve game with my Dad, oldest brother and his youngest son that last year. Impromptu, the girls are playing cards, let's go do this sort of plan. One of the few times I payed for my Dad in anything before he passed.
At least Durant left them too. That's what cheaters deserve. Cheat on Seattle, HoFers cheat on you. Just ask Payton to come to OKC to watch his jersey get raised. Hah!
15
I have successfully avoided watching more than 5 minutes of NBA basketball since the Betrayal. Sadly. Used to be my favorite sport, spectator and participant. Welp, baseball/softball won out.
16
Hadn't thought of that name in 20 years.
Speaking of dogs and days, remember the P-I headline "Fox Grabs 30 Boards in Sonic Rout of L.A." :- )
17
I was worried about the Orcs. If beat downs aren't established in June, then the Orcs will play us hard in August when we really need the wins. Bergman can hold Helms Deep for at least one night. I'll give him that.
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SEASON STATS
Paxton: 1.8 WAR
Non-Paxton Mariners Pitchers: -0.4 WAR
All Mariners Pitchers: 1.4 WAR
Mariners OF: 3.6 WAR (4th in MLB)
All Mariners Hitters: 6.6 WAR (8th in MLB)
LAST 30 DAYS STATS
All Mariners Pitchers: 0.1 WAR (28th in MLB)
Mariners OF: 2.7 WAR (2nd in MLB)
All Mariners Hitters: 5.9 WAR (5th in MLB)
# of Mariners Hitters > 0.4 WAR (i.e., > 2 WAR per season pace): 9 (Cruz/Segura/Cano/Gamel/Dyson/Heredia/Haniger/Seager/Valencia).
ROS PROJECTIONS
All Mariners Pitchers: 10.9 WAR (18th in MLB)
Mariners OF: 4.2 WAR (14th in MLB)
All Mariners Hitters: 15.7 WAR (9th in MLB)
19
Per Miranda: In his 9 starts this season, he's given up 3 runs or less 6 times, going 5-7 innings in those 6 outings. He had a "Meh-Bleh" start when he gave up 4 runs in 5.2 and two ugly statrs (13 hits, 12 runs, 6.1 innings).
Throw away those two starts and he's hucked 42 innings and given up 11 runs (all earned). That's a 2.36 ERA.
Even if you take away just his single worst start, then he has given up 15 runs in 45 innings. 3.00, will do nicely.
But c'mon! One hit!?
20
But didn't realize it was 1 hit until right before it ended. Always felt like there was a bit more than that going on but there was also only 1 BB. Best start by a Mariner on the year, does it go in the "same 'ol" bin that that's when they get 1 hit? Why not when the opponent scores 4 in the first or some later higher number? Timing sucked anyway. That and with .500 right there almost seems like team-wide choke on the day. Except Miranda was dialed in more than I've seen him before.
21
From MLBTR: the Mariners decided to hold off on starting the rehab assignment of outfielder Mitch Haniger after he felt some mild soreness in his oblique, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports. At this point, the hope is that it won’t cause a significant delay.
22
Dan Vogelbach just walked into the Mariners' clubhouse
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At 1B, too.
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is giving me some painful Steve Trout / Mike Dunne flashbacks..... and of course another year of skimping on the bullpen, once again biting us in the keister. I've been arguing for years to spend some money there and used to get mocked by a few folks here. Every team is gonna win 60 and lose 60. The other 40 are in the hands of the bullpen essentially. Another season is swirling around the toilet bowl becuase our bullpen is not deep enough.
Good to see Vogelbach up again, although if they send him back again after like 7 AB's then why bother?
25
A former student of mine, the youngest daughter of one of my closest friends and longtime golf tournament partner, just won the NCAA Women's Golf Championship. Monica Vaughn, Arizona State University.
Back to your regular programming.