Game 54

Twins 3, Mariners 4

Let’s hope this is a trend, but I’m not putting money on it.

Senor Strand and I arrive with plenty of time to spare, even through unusually heavy U-district traffic. A leisurely walk downtown (thank, you very much, red shirt woman), a stop at Joe’s hot dog stand, and we are ready for the game.

Opera guy is in for the anthem, which is good, because I don’t think I’ll be seeing him at the opera this year. More on that later.

But it’s a good anthem, sung well, and with passion.

Unlike the hitting aboard the SS. Spezio. Ichiro is, of course, Ichiro (2-4) . Edgar is Edgar (0-4), Boone is (regrettably) Boone (1-4) . I have no idea who Spezio is trying to be (.208), because it certainly is not Scott Spezio (.256 lifetime). We have cut better hitters (and better first basemen) for performances far above that turned in by #23 of late.

Let’s face it. Only one player in tonight’s lineup started the game with an average above .300. Only one player in tonight’s lineup was hitting above .300 at the end of the game. In fact, the average average was .258, with only three players at or better.

7 men watched their BA’s fall tonight.

7.

I am amazed that Seattle scored 4 runs, I really am. Pablo and I were resigned to bonus baseball, the seemingly natural condition of Bobby Madritsch (7.0 IP, 6H, 3 ER, 3 BB 6K o HR 2.63 ERA ) getting into a game. We at least got “free” Pepsi out of the game, and with this city’s proclivity for waste, the two we were given quickly became 12. Not the record, but a respectable haul.

But back to the game, which was tied for only 4 innings tonight. Bunting Bob was in rare form. But, like Scott Spezio and Bret Boone, he is guaranteed money for his time in unifom next year, whether or not he actually puts one on. So, like them, he really has no interest in doing his job to the utmost, or work towards the slightly less important goal of winning ballgames. Randy Winn was asked to bunt with no outs, and no one on. George Sherill (the player soon to be known as “only reliable releiver above the age of 25”) is pulled after two stright strikeouts, for the insanity of the lefty-righty matchup.

There simply are no words. Why does Scott Spezio ever start at first base? Why? Willie Bloomquist and Jolbert Cabrera can play there, and play well. And news flash, they can freaking hit too.

Or, better yet, if Bucky is not available, why not rest Raul Ibanez’ aching hamsting with a light duty start at first base? He’s put in plenty of innings there in the last few years. Hmmm?

Perhaps it’s his bloated, multi-million, multi-year contract. Perhaps because the handpicked coaching staff can’t actually coach our rookie infielders on how to make the easy throw? Perhaps because we need a sure handed, dare I say “Gold Glove” fielder at the bag day in, day out, to receive the throw?

Now, where could the Mariners find one of those. Oh, wait. We just fired one. We totally fired the guy who cemented our amazingly error-free defense the last four years. You know, the one with 3 months left on his contract, rather than three years.

Or how about when we traded our power hitting, switch-hitting shortstop away for a bag of balls with a hole in it? Nope. can’t have anything to do with it at all.

Mariners win. Sort of. But in the long run, Seattle loses. That makes me sad. It makes me really sad for Ichiro, the only player in the world who can hit in Safeco Field. At least, the only one on our team. I hope when he gets traded away next year, it’s to an AL west team, so that he can keep hitting here.

Bucky Jacobsen doesn’t count, He’s a DH.