Back, Back, Back
Waaay Back.
May 22
Roll Call: Scott Magner, Dan Kaufman, Mindy Sherwood-Lewis, Karen Thompson
Final Score: Tigers 8, Mariners 4. Roof = open
Grumble, Grumble, Grumble
And the day started so well. A week of late night games fiunally catches up to me, and I catch Sonja’s cold sometime last night, probably while sitting in Section 111.
And I thought last night’s game couldn’t get any worse.
But I pull myself together, and trek down to the ballpark. Senor Dan Kaufman is waiting for me there, and I even get interviewed by the local press. I don’t know what channel, I don’t really care. My vitriol I save for print.
On camera, I am bright and cheerful, talking about my general love of baseball. They don’t ask me about the Mariners, and I don’t have to lie and say I’m looking forward to tonight’s game.
Because I’m not.
When Dan and I get into the park, the Little League walk around the outfield is still going on. It’s really nifty, because I see my old Boss, Rich Fukataki, walking the field with his son Kai.
That’s really cool. I have always liked Rich, even after I moved out of his group. he was always fair and honest with me, and I learned a lot from him. Plus, He gave me a chance, when he didn’t have to.
Yay Rich.
And just a few minutes later, Yay Kai. Because Rich’s kids get picked at random from the crowd to throw out the first pitch. How cool is that?
Rich Fukataki is the man responsible for bringing Pokemon to America. True story. I was there. ( Pure and absolute coincidence that Nintendo owns the Mariners).
I wonder which of my friends’ families will be honored before tomorrow’s game?
Joel Piniero is on the mound, and in his last roto start for me, he clawed his way into positive points over the broken bodies of the Yankees, in a complete game, 0-1 loss.
Tonight, he takes the mound, and the blood starts flowing. After a brief refresher of our scoring rules, I watch in horror as the first inning threatens his plus time.
MLB.com says it best. Full props to them
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Top 1st B:0 S: 0 O: 1
Alex Sanchez flies out to left fielder Raul Ibanez.
Top 1st B:4 S: 2 O: 1
Carlos Guillen walks.
Top 1st B:1 S: 2 O: 1
Ivan Rodriguez singles on a line drive to center fielder Randy Winn. Carlos Guillen to 2nd.
Top 1st B:3 S: 3 O: 2
Rondell White strikes out on foul tip.
Top 1st B:3 S: 2 O: 2
Bobby Higginson singles on a line drive to center fielder Randy Winn. Carlos Guillen scores. Ivan Rodriguez to 3rd.
Top 1st B:4 S: 2 O: 2
Carlos Pena walks. Bobby Higginson to 2nd.
Top 1st B:2 S: 2 O: 3
Craig Monroe pops out to second baseman Bret Boone.
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Real world line for Piniero: IP:1, H:2, R:1, BB:2, SO:1
Roto line For Pineiro: IP:1 (+4.5), H:2(-5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:1
Ouch. He’s in the hole for the night, and only the 1 point bump for Saturday’s complete game keeps his head above water. What’s worse, he throws 36 pitches for those three outs, and is on pace to exit in the middle of the 3rd inning.
The second goes much smoother for Joel, and he gets three outs on 1 hit, and 16 total pitches. Pat Borders (hallowed be his name) saves Joel from his third base on balls by throwing out a baserunner at second.
Yay Pat.
Roto update: IP:2 (+9), H:3(-7.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:3. Still on the minus side, but much closer to the surface.
Third inning. Get a load of this.
Top 3rd B:2 S: 1 O: 0
Carlos Guillen hits a ground-rule double (9) on a fly ball to right field.
Really, it’s a triple. Carlos is standing on third, when Bruce Froemming (umpire formerly known as Jabba) rules that as it bounced off the wall, it also bounced off a fan. Ichiro made the play anyway, and rocketed a throw to third which is for some reason cut off by Bret Boone.
Um, Boone?
Um, Bruce?
2 pitches later, Carlos is erased by Pat Borders with a blistering throw down to third. carlos takes his time leaving the base, in both silent protest of the call, and in recovery. Unfortunately, he seems to have toughened up with the Tiger’s trainers, and doesn’t break anything. This has to be a record, Because May is almost over, and he hasn’t been injured yet.
18 more pitches, and another hit later (luckily, Rich “rally killer” Aurilia takes one for the team down low, and H becomes E6), Piniero makes another great escape.
Roto update: IP:3 (+13.5), H:5(-12.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:4. Losing ground, but still up overall.
Super Pat bunts his way on, in another instance of the Baseball rule of highlights. A big play with the glove = base hit.
J.P takes the fourth with 7 pitches. Best outing of the year. Yay team
Roto update: IP:4 (+18), H:5(-12.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:4. Finally, an advance.
The SS Spezio sets sail for Right field, with a shot from the deck guns. Mariners 2, Tigers 1. Could this be?
Can the Mariners be leading, while the starter is still in?
Here’s why.
Bottom 4th B:0 S:1 O:2
Edgar Martinez grounds into a force out, shortstop Carlos Guillen to second baseman Omar Infante. Raul Ibanez out at 2nd. Edgar Martinez to 1st.
Bottom 4th B:3 S:0 O:2
Scott Spiezio homers (5) on a fly ball to right field. Edgar Martinez scores.
Froemming rules the phantom tag on second, even though Infante drops the ball without ever taking possession.
Oh, Bruce.
Oh, Bob. Nice sentiment, but if you are going to argue a call, it’s best to do it before the player in question leaves the field. Because even if you are right, Ibanez is still out, since he’s sitting in the dugout drinking “sports beverage.” No power in the universe will add another run to the board without another batter.
So let’s get one, eh? Well, maybe next inning. Because John Old-erud taps it to 1b, weakly as usual, one pitch later.
At least he doesn’t have to walk far to take his position. Or very fast. I think Edgar ran faster tonight. Johnny O looks so, so very tired. Could someone please help him cross the street, so he can watch lacrosse?
Piniero. Three up, three down. Buys himself another inning, and a shot at a W. Isn’t that a good feeling, Joel. You may remember it from last year.
Roto update: IP:5 (+22.5), H:5(-12.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:6. Ride that pony.
The stage is set for Piniero’s sixth. It’s a short one, 1, 2, 3. Seems like the kid can pitch after all.
Roto update: IP:6(+27), H:5(-12.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:7. I can’t contain myself. I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it. Tonight could be the night.
Inning 7. Piniero. Borders. 1-2-3.
Roto update: IP:7(+31.5), H:5(-12.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:7. My joyous voice rises in song. I get backup from 42,000 people. Most of whom get the words wrong.
Then it finally happens
Top 8th B:0 S: 0 O: 0
Pitcher Change: J. Putz replaces Joel Pineiro.
Say hello, to my little friend.
Again, and again, and again, and again, and again.
Tigers 6, Mariners 2.
You think I’d be used to this. You think I’d remember years like say, 1977 to 1992, or 1996 and 1998. I forgot to say the magic words, and hang-on time slips away like a sad dream upon waking.
The rest of the stadium clearly doesn’t remember, and the fickle morons boo their own players. Wake up, Seattle. You don’t boo your employees. You fire them.
But it gets so much worse. With the bases loaded,
Top 8th B:0 S: 0 O: 2
Pitcher Change: Julio Mateo replaces Mike Myers.
Top 8th B:0 S: 0 O: 2
Craig Monroe doubles (8) on a fly ball to center fielder Randy Winn. Ivan Rodriguez scores. Rondell White scores. Bobby Higginson scores.
Top 8th B:3 S: 1 O: 2
Eric Munson doubles (6) on a line drive to center fielder Randy Winn. Craig Monroe scores. .
Crap. Now I have to do math again.
Mateo: IP: .1 (+1.5), H :2 (-5) R: 1, BB:0, SO 0
Ouch. At least Mateo has more points than pineiro. But he’s falling fast, with nights like this. In fact, the last week has been particularly disastrous for Mateo, who finally shows signs of Hasegawa syndrome.
There’s no way I can relate the top of the ninth without screaming. Again, I rely totally on my frinds at MLB.com
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Top 9th B:0 S: 0 O: 0
Defensive Substitution: Dan Wilson replaces catcher Pat Borders, batting 9th.
(More on this later)
Top 9th B:0 S: 0 O: 0
Alex Sanchez singles on a line drive to center fielder Randy Winn.
Top 9th B:1 S: 1 O: 0
Carlos Guillen doubles (10) on a ground ball to right fielder Ichiro Suzuki. Alex Sanchez to 3rd.
Top 9th B:0 S: 0 O: 1
Ivan Rodriguez pops out to shortstop Rich Aurilia.
Top 9th B:0 S: 0 O: 1
Rondell White singles on a ground ball to left fielder Raul Ibanez. Alex Sanchez scores. Carlos Guillen scores. Rondell White advances to 2nd, on fielding error by left fielder Raul Ibanez.
Top 9th B:4 S: 2 O: 1
Bobby Higginson walks.
Top 9th B:4 S: 1 O: 1
Greg Norton walks. Rondell White to 3rd. Bobby Higginson to 2nd.
Top 9th B:0 S: 0 O: 1
Pitcher Change: Ron Villone replaces Julio Mateo.
Top 9th B:3 S: 3 O: 2
Craig Monroe strikes out swinging.
Top 9th B:0 S: 0 O: 3
Brandon Inge pops out to second baseman Bret Boone in foul territory.
Tigers 8, Mariners 2.
Remember last year, when the Tigers lost 119 games? Looks like the Mariners will be challenging another American League record this year.
We DON’T want this one. We really don’t.
Roto update: Lets stack all the pitchers up, shall we?
Piniero: IP: 7 (+31.5), H:5(-12.5), R:1, BB:2(-2), SO:7. Total points = 17
Mateo: IP: .2 (+3), H: (-12.5), R:3, BB:2(-2), SO:0. Total points = (-11.5)
Villone: IP: .2 (+3), H: 0, R:0, BB:0, SO:1, GF (1). Total Points= 4
That’s 9.5 from the mound, out of a possible 41.5 (counting the well deserved win of which Joel was robbed). Maximum Suckage.
But wait, there’s more.
there wasn’t a hell of a lot of Offense for the M’s tonight. In fact, until the 9th inning (far, far too late to do anything about it), the Mariners looked like little leaguers.
Here’s how that side stacks up. Or should I say, falls down?
Ichiro: AB 3 (-1.5), H 0, BB 1 (+1.5) . Points = 0
Boone: AB 4 (-2), H 0, BB 0. Points = ( -2)
Ibanez: AB 4 (-2), H 3 (+9), BB 0. Points = 7
Martinez: AB 4 (-2), H 1(+4), BB 0. Points= 2
Olerud: AB 3 (-1.5), H 0, BB 0. Points = (-1.5)
Total points: 5.5
Maximum Suckage, +1. It only could have been worse if Dan wilson was in the Lineup, and also went 0-fer.
But wait. He could hav e been. He so totally could have been. AS noted baove, Bo Mel pulls Pat borders for “professional Pinch-hitter” Dave hansen. WHo is also our backup first baseman.
Hitting for our catcher.
It occurs to me that the strongest and most consistent bat on our team is also a catcher. Who has to come into the game anyway, if you are going to pinch hit for the starting catcher.
But does he get to grip wood? Nyet.
Tonight’s game sucked. Big time. It could have been great. really fantastic, and the kind of game that could have stopped the downward spiral.
Instead, it just greased the rails.
The Game gets interesting for 111 in the top of the ninth, as Dan and I have a Matrix moment. Otherwise, we went from expecting first a Win, and then extra innings; to bitter frustration and anger.
I don’t want to pay money to feel like that. I could stay at home, in my sickbed (remember that fact?), and do it for free.
Record (although why I keep caring is beyond me) Scott 7-12, Dan 0-1: M’s 14-28 (and falling fast)
Note: for Mindy fans, she has promised to comment on her games in this forum. When she does, I’ll link her games through to the main schedule.