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GRIK (tic of the baseball clock): Erasmo Ramirez comes through with a performance the Rays call "sharp." The M's ride his 90 pitches into the 7th inning and avoid using their short men.
GROK: From what I saw of the game, Ramirez threw the ball about average for him. :: shrug :: Which is fine. He's an average starter. Which, is 237 a lot? I dunno, are we talking about miles to walk, or seconds left to live? A lot depends on what you are comparing to. As #5 starters go, I'm delighted with Erasmo.
About 200 years ago, Voros McCracken pointed out that it was mostly luck, where a batted ball went. In the 200 years since, I've never heard anybody talk about the luck involved in bisecting a pitched baseball with a bat.
A pitcher gets beat and we figure he's never gonna win again. A pitcher wins and we figure he's somethin' special. For me, Erasmo is what he is, and maybe got a little better than he deserved Friday. Which is O. Kay. By. Me.
Hey, it's my post and I'll write what opinions I like :- )
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GRIK: Nelson Cruz' 482-footer is the longest ever at Tropicana. Ryan Divish' Tweet relays that the Mariners players generally considered that estimate an outrage. Watching the kinetics involved, SSI finds it hard to believe any ball anywhere was ever hit farther.
Still and all, 482 feet is getting dangerously close to my 3-iron distance, at my age. That's with a golf ball. Imagine a guy standing there on hardpan dirt, in cleats, a wooden stick and a leather* 5-ounce baseball.
GROK: Boomstick is supposedly feeling better the last month, over which he's slugged .650 - while striking out a lot more. It's not a 1-to-1 correlation between fewer strikeouts and playing better; sometimes guys are just poking at the ball, feeling for it. Sometimes we forget to watch for "hitters' reactions" from the offensive side -- hey, that guy is lettin' the bat fly.
Cruz, Cano, a few other guys, it's why I'd be interested to watch this team in crunch game. Big believer in Stars & Scrubs.
....
Servais takes a shot in the dark: "Somebody's offense is going to get hot." Sounds like a feasible casting of the tea leaves. Also sounds like a favorable one, for the Seattle Mariners, if foresighted.
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GRIK: Angels get their whiskered heads caught in a mousetrap, suffering the wrong side of a Walkoff Grand Slam in Baltimore. In other words, at the start of the vid the Angels are up two runs and counting their WC standings; five or ten seconds later they're wishing they were hockey players in Yakutsk. Angels up 0.5 games on the Royals and M's.
GROK: Dutton averaged three computer sims, which take strength of schedule, and forged them to --- > 87 wins Yankees, 82 for LAA and Royals, 81 for M's, Twins, and Rangers. A lot of writers look at that and assume a bunch of bad teams, apparently unimpressed by 482-foot homers. Dr. D looks at a packed race like that and sees excitement. Like he said, it's his post, and he'll offer what opinions he wants.
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YOUR TURN NOW
Have to switch cable providers. Might not be back online until Tuesday or something. How's about somebody put up a daily stub for chat? :: winning smile ::
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Enjoy,
Dr D
