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A few days ago, Dr. D warned gravely that the Mariners would need to win 3 of 4 in Kansas City. Not "need" 3 of 4 the way the Cavs "need" 3 of 4 after they've played two games against Golden State, but "need" in SSI terms. Which is a high bar.
He was wrong, improbable as that may seem. Kansas City themselves were bad at baseball the last week, losing 4 of 5 games to tighten the race. In retrospect Dr. D should probably have given consideration to the Royals' -12 run differential on the season. Ah, well. Even James Paxton gets a pitch wrong now and again. (Speaking of, after Zeus' win on Friday we're back to -1.5 out with 50 games to go. The Seahawks have overcome more, in fewer games.)
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HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED
Threw the ball "not bad." True, he only got 3 swings and misses during the game. But we already knew that was not exactly going to shoot webs, ride a silver surfboard, spray magical green constructs out of a ring on his hand, or run a K/BB of two.
What the TANNED, RESTED AND READY Gallardo did do, was throw a decently lively fastball, a slider with a fairly late break, and induce plenty of blonkers off the Royals' bats. He crossed them up more often than not. One barrelled-up pitch went into the seats for two runs but Dr. D actually felt bad about it. Gallardo probably deserved (a little bit) better than his 5 IP, 3 ER.
Bottom line is, with a minty-fresh arm and the reality of his baseball knowledge, Gallardo can probably give some #5-ish starts if needed. Is he? ...
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MARC-O
Jerry Dipoto had an interesting quote, that he doesn't want Gonzales to "feel" like he has to be a savior for this team. To which we can confidently add, "Huh?"
We sincerely doubt that Marc-O expects to walk into the M's clubhouse and find a mural on one wall, depicting Gonzales flying prone through the air on a Nerf dunk. Just the same, SSI appreciates sports psychology and the super-low bar the M's are granting Gonzales. He can run head down, middle of the pack, take a taxi into the last eight starts having skipped the heat of the sun in Rosie Ruiz fashion. Might be just the ticket for him to sneak up on some people and surprise.
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HIT ME WITH YO' CHEAP SHHOOTTTTTTT, Dept.
The M's were tied what, 3-3 or 4-4 going into what, the 6th or 7th after Scrabble hosed down a Gallardo rally. Whereupon Skip brought in what, Zych or Vincent for the Red Sox Extra Innings Style Duel ... NOPE?! PAGAN IS COMING IN? When Servais hit the #9 reliever button, Dr. D instantly, and he means instantly, hit the triple fast-forward and was oh so very right to do so.
You have to use your hosses at the right pace, no doubt. The thing is that Servais has approximately 8 hosses. For three innings a night. When did BASE ball get so HARD.
Can I get a witness from the congregation? What was UP with that pitching change?!
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1.5 GAMES OUT WHEN ZEUS SLAYS AGAIN
Well, -2 out to the Tampa Rays who are the main comp here. Their run differential being an, um, plus 6 on the season.
This is a very gettable wild card slot, gentlemen. Fifty left. WHY are we not AHEAD by TWENTY GAMES ... whoop! Sorry. Keep mixing my blogs.
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Go get 'em,
Jeff
And he pitched well last night, too.
If Valencia learns to catch a baseball, that inning is radically different...note also, the Royals hits precisely ZERO balls hard that inning.
I applauded the decision to give Pagan a shot there...he's been our second best pitcher out of the bullpen for non-closing duties...the only one better is Vincent and he was tabbed for the eighth inning.
I applauded. And I was oh so right to do so.
I hadn't noticed that Pagan had established that.
If that's the explanation, that Servais has liked what he has seen so much that --- > he is "promoting" Pagan into protecting ties and leads in playoff games -- despite 6 relievers ahead of him who are very good at protecting ties and leads -- then that's Servais' right. Appreciate the clarification.
In my glimpses of Pagan -- not many -- he's thrown a fairly good bullpen fastball into the middle of the plate, and has thrown a nice slider. He's got ten games or so in the majors. SURPRISING to me but NOT UNREASONABLE that Pagan would get an Altavilla-type promotion at this point.
+1
One of the problems we have, right now, is that James Pazos is broken.
If we had the first half version of James Pazos, I doubt Pagan is in for that inning. Thing is, Servais broke Vicent last May/June and it screwed up the whole middle of his season so, this season, he doesn't want to abuse Vincent's arm. Meaning...he can't pitch as often as he has been pitching. Meaning...Servais has to find another guy he can use in a tie game. Zych has good stuff but is not very reliable yet, IMHO...at the very least, he isn't any more reliable than Pagan. Phelps could have come in last night, but I believe he pitched to six batters and struck out five of them two nights prior so he may have been limited to one inning (and saved for the eighth)?
Scrabble was already done. Diaz was in reserve. That leaves Pazos, Lawrence and Pagan. If you assume that Phelps was being saved for the eighth, Vincent was getting rest, and Zych, who had just struggled mightily the prior game, was not yet trusted...which of the other three do you take?
Zunino's defense has plunged this year, or at least it appears so. And it doesn't seem like his pitch framing is as effective.
Among the reasons the M's have been scuffling:
Ball/strike calls not going in their favor (is this Zunino or the usual umpiring bias against the M's?),
Continued baserunning blunders, sometimes bordering on idiotic (Valencia at second base last night).
An inordinate number of wild pitches, passed balls, and poor throws on attempts to throw out base stealers (again, Zunino).
Poor, often baffling use of the bullpen by Servais.
A tendency to completely "turn off" plate patience for innings at a time, and let a pitcher sail through multiple innings with a stunningly low pitch count. I simply do not understand this. I know the pitcher throwing strikes can dictate not taking pitches, but the sudden change of approach is so sudden, with seemingly every batter making the same sudden shift, it's as if there was some order from the bench that is being mandated too strictly. When this team systematically grinds a pitcher down with long at bats it thrives. When it lays down and dies it dies quickly and silently and with maximum efficiency from the point of view of the pitcher. Again, I know a pitcher can put you in a position where you have to be aggressive, but with the M's it's as if a switch is turned off or on for every hitter.
When the M's blunder, or err, or make poor decisions, it seems like the other club always takes advantage, while the M's go long stretches of games where they leave runners on base, especially in scoring position or on third base with less than 2 outs.
One man's observations.
I've been seeing the same thing regarding Zunino's D. He sure seems to miss a lot of pitches this year. I remember when he first came up, he was positively catlike back there. Now he seems a lot slower and less athletic.
Could it be that he came up so early? Maybe we were given unduly high expectations based on watching him play significant innings as a 22/23 year old. Could be that catching has sapped some of those young-man's juices and slowed him down a touch.
John Dewan has the Mariners for +30 to +35 runs saved in the outfield, about +0 (ish) in the infield ... but -10 runs at catcher and -10 runs at pitcher. Weird. How are you supposed to deal with glove runs given away at pitcher? Everybody runs drills.
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No idea why Mike Zunino should be losing quickness behind the plate, or street cred with the umps, but it's something to watch. +1
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To your larger point, that the M's focus seems to flick on and off, that's somewhat my impression too. If true, it's on Scott Servais. Who I like.
Last thing we need is a top prospect burnt out by a messiah complex. It would be one thing if we'd acquired a Gray or the equivalent, but in aprospect swap this seems the right way to gameplan.
Agreed on Pagan. He's been lights out recently, but sending him out for a second inning felt like conceding defeat. We've got KC for 4 games, these are playoff games in my mind.