Tag Archives: Olivo

g158 | out in extries once again

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Mariners 4 | Athletics 7

EIGHTEEN games in-a-row with at least ONE home run…
Seager and Saunders each hit their NINETEENTH home run in the 4th inning

Really a shame for Vargas…
He pitched SO well in this, his final start for 2012, going 7IP – 5H – 1ER – 0BB – 7K
~ Jason racked up 217 innings for the season, giving the M’s their first TWO 215+ starters since Garcia and Moyer in 2002 ~
The first ground ball Vargas surrendered didn’t come until the 4th inning (everything to that point had been a fly ball out or a strikeout) and it got through for a hit and an RBI with Cespedes scoring from 1B. Vargas left the game with a 4-1 lead and a good chance at his 15th victory.

The A’s, however, had other (post season) plans…
In the 8th, Wilhelmsen relieved Capps with TWO on, ONE out and got the first batter to pop out on the first pitch. Then, CoCo Crisp stole 3B and Tom gave up a double to Moss, scoring Crisp but Wells and Ackley made an awesome relay home to Olivo who nailed Stephen Drew at the plate.

Unfortunately, the adrenaline of that great end to 8th didn’t carry over to the 9th…
The Bartender blew a rare save – allowing a walk to Reddick and then a homer to Donaldson to send the game into extras (and hand poor Jason an ND)

Things didn’t get any better from there…
the M’s failed to score in the top of the 10th
Perez gave up a single and got an out
Pryor walked a batter and, despite Lucas being ready, was left in to face Moss who deposited the first pitch he saw from Stephen into the seats – and that was all she wrote.

this gave me a bit of a chuckle…

Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32)

Guys I think Bob Melvin might be a witch

 

g151 | finally – a witness to victory

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Mariners 6 | Rangers 3

Seems like forever since I attended a win (I believe it was back on Supreme Court night) so, it was good leave the field with a little spring in my step for a change.
‘Kuma was solid… 
He continues to make a pretty strong case for the starting Ro next season.
He gave up 8 hits but only 3 runs and struck out 4 in his full 7 innings of work to earn his 7th win.
bullpen back to form…
Pryor and Wilhelmsen each gave up a hit that went for not and The Bartender earned his 28th save.
Otto Greule Jr | Getty Images
‘t was a first for the SS…
Carlos Triunfel made his first major league start – he got a hit, scored a run and collected his first MBL RBI (solid RBI double). He also made some nice plays in the field (including being a part of THREE double-plays).
Nice to see some POWER tonight…
THREE doubles (Smoak, Wells, Triunfel)
ONE triple (Guit)
ONE homer (Miggy with a 2-run insurance shot in the 8th)
Ted S. Warren | AP Photo

Ackley left the game with a stiff neck …
Seager moved to 2B and Liddi came in at 3B

M’s have played the Rangers tough this season…
current season series record is 8-9 AND the M’s have out-scored the R’s 84-69
Let’s tie the season series tomorrow and win it Sunday 🙂

 

g149 | oh fer seventeen in eighteen

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Mariners 2 | Orioles 4 (18)

A boxscore that shows 12 hits and only 2 runs is bad enough over 9 innings…. 
When it’s spread out over EIGHTEEN, it’s abysmal!!!

Such a shame for Erasmo, who was in line for the CGS…
He only gave up TWO hits and ZERO runs in his first EIGHT innings. With only 92 pitches, he deserved a shot at the shutout – which he was given – unfortunately it didn’t work out. He gave up back-to-back singles in the 9th

Enter The Bartender and you’re thinking – OK, we got this…
think again, as both runners come into score to tie the game and the rest is history as NO other runners crossed home plate for another NINE – and the ones that did were wearing orange 😦

The bullpen was super…
they combined for EIGHT innings of scoreless ball giving up only FOUR hits and TWO walks
the trouble came in the 18th when Luetge’s gave up 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 runs.

courtesy Spokesman Review

So, hindsight has perfect vision…
maybe Erasmo shouldn’t have gone out for the 9th…
maybe if Tom comes in for a fresh inning…
coulda, woulda, shoulda

The bottom line is: 0 for friggin’ 17!!!
SO many chances to win that game.

At least, along with the pitching, the defense was back to it’s AWESOME self…
Seager made at least TWO great plays at 3rd, Wells make a great catch in RF and Miggy made a great throw to first on a bunt. There was a scary moment in centerfield when Guti dove and caught a ball but rolled over his wrist and lost it (he stayed in the game). And that was just the first EIGHT innings. The great plays continued on into the wee hours of the morning, saving runs here and there, including both Triunfel and Ackley making great snares in the top of the 17th.

If only RISP came as easily to them as great DEE.

A curios note: there were NO double-plays for EITHER side for the ENTIRE game.

Oh well – Felix tonight.

g118 | dousing the Rays

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Mariners 3 | Rays 2

Way for Kevin to bounce back from his last start and from that first inning…
he scattered EIGHT hits in SEVEN innings, gave up ONE walk and TWO runs and K’d EIGHT

In the post game show, Shannon pointed out a fun fact… 
KW was down 3-0 with THREE different hitters with RISP – and he STRUCK ’em ALL OUT!

Stephen Pryor was none too shabby himself…
the only hit he allowed in 1-2 innings was a lead-off double and then proceeds to strikeout the next two and get a fly ball for the third out.

Moore had been holding left handers to a .176 average but…
Ackley was able to pound out THREE hits
Seager had two hits and scored a run
Smoak (just recalled from Tacoma due to Carp’s injury) lined a double in his first AB

And, in the 9th, vs. the best closer this season…
-Seager singles
-Figgy pinch hits for Wells (who had K’d 3x) and lays down a bunt to move the runner but, Pena makes a bad throw and Figgy ends up on 2B and Seager on 3B
-Smoak hits a sac-fly scoring Seager to tie the game and Figgy gets to 3B
-Olivo strikes out
-Thames (after striking out 3x) singles on a 1-2 count, Figgy scores….

Mariners WIN!!!!!!!!!!
 
courtesy ESPN
courtesy ESPN
BTW ~ Carp to the 15-day DL (after that super stretch) and Smoak was recalled
International Signing front….
Brazilian Left-hander, Luiz Gohara

Moment of Silence tonight to remember a very special community member we lost all too soon…

courtesy M’s twitpic

g112 | rough night (early morning) in Baltimore

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Mariners 7 | Orioles 8 (in 14)

It was 5-2 after TWO
Seager a 3-blast in the first, Olivo with a solo shot and Trayvon with an RBI single in the second

It was 7-2 after SIX…
Carp and Ackley each with RBI singles in the sixth. And, it could have been more. Ackley singled scoring Carp but Olivo was called out on a great throw by Adam Jones but, the replay showed that Olivo wasn’t tagged.

It was 7-7 after THIRTEEN
Rough night for Lucas…

In the bottom of the FOURTEENTH…
Ackley made a great diving play, threw high from his knees to Carp who was able to pull it down and do a full splits to keep his foot on the bag. Trouble was, he was called safe.

“It cost us the ballgame” –Eric Wedge in the postgame who was tossed after arguing re: the safe call “

“I have nothing to say worth saying. You guys all saw what happened, thoe whole contry saw waht happeden. Now if someone has the decency to say something abut it. That’s it.” –Mike Carp in the clubhouse after the game

– Beavan posted his third straight quality start
– Luetge gave up the homer that tied the game in the 7th (he hadn’t given one up all year)
– Pryor, Kinney, Perez, and Kelley combined 7IP – 8H – 3BB – 11K
and then the bad call at 1B, followed by a single, sac bunt, IBB, and the game winning RBI single

Lots of great D in this game…
besides the play that was called wrong, Kyle and Trayvon made some really nice plays as well

In a word – heartbreak.

g103 | old man winner…

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Keepin’ ’em in it…
It took him 106 pitches to get through 6+ but Kevin did what he’s been doing with regularity of late (with the exception of his last start against the Royals) – kept them in it. He also did something he hasn’t done with regularity all season – earn the victory.

Bats a triple short of the cycle in the third…
Nice to see a bit of a crooked number posted in an inning – and with a bit of a power display: Jesus mashed his 10th homer, Kyle followed up with a double and was singled in by Miggy.

Elaine Thompson | AP Photo

Bullpen bends but doesn’t break…

  • League, who has been pitching really well for the past six weeks or so, allowed a run in the 8th (on a double and a triple). Thankfully, the bats were able to rally with a little small ball and got the run back via a couple of walks, a steal, a sac-bunt and a sac-fly to keep the lead at two heading into the 9th.
  • “Closing time” got a bit interesting when the Bartender, after getting two quick outs, allowed a run on a single and a triple but, was able to get the third out via a ground out.

g101 | the mendozas hits Mendoza

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Mariners 4 | Royals 1

The bottom of the order ~all hitting under .200 coming into the game tonight~ produced well…
Carp, Olivo, Peguero and Ryan combined for SEVEN hits, FOUR rbi, TWO runs.

Also good to see Ackley coming around…
TWO hits (including a double) and TWO walks. Something tells me he is  t h i s  close to breaking out.

Billy Butler’s double in the 4th was the only hit surrendered by Jason Vargas.
Billy Butler’s double in the 9th was the Royals only other hit of the game.

Vargas was great (was it his last start as a Mariner???)
Jason walked THREE but only gave up the ONE run and struck out FIVE
He certainly did nothing to damage his potential trade value. Though I fall in the “keep Vargas” camp – there has to be another veteran starter, besides Felix, going forward, at least until all the young arms settle in. While Jason has had his road homer woes, he has also proven to be very durable and is obviously a perfect fit for Safeco Field.

courtesy ESPN.com

First Half Reflections…

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A lot of the focus of the M’s first half has been on the ungodly home/road splits ~ and for good reason! Take a gander at these unbelievable differences – as a team…

at home .195 / .273 / .289 / .562
on the road .256 / .305 / .410 / .715

Believe it or not, the M’s scored the second most runs(220) IN THE MAJORS on the road and were at or above average in most major offensive categories (except OBP).

But, at home, it was the opposite (only worse – the FEWEST runs in the majors).
Something about that “home cooking” that just didn’t resonate – here are a couple of real extremes…

at the plate

Michael Saunders
home .189 / .263 / .264 / .527
road .299 / .358 / .517 / .875

Kyle Seager
home .157 / .265 / .261 / ,526
road /313 / .343 / .548 / .891

As for the starting pitching, definitely not as strong as in previous years. They posted just a smidgen better (4.35) than AL average (4.39) in ERA and a whole lot worse (22) than AL average (32) in wins.

on the mound

Felix had a ‘blip’ but recovered well and was the lone Mariner representative at the All Star Game in Kasas City (though he didn’t pitch)

Felix and Jason Vargas both recorded 11 quality starts and each have  a winning record (6-5 and 8-7 respectively)

Kevin Millwood suffered with a groin injury but, despite his record, has pitched very well when healthy.

Blake Beavan and Hector Noesi have both been sent to AAA Tacoma (Blake in early June, Hector in early July) as they both struggled mightily.

Erasmo Ramirez has been inconsistent to say the least. He started the year in the pen and was so-so but was sent down to build starting strength and has had mixed results since coming back up in mid-June and then suffered an elbow injury (not serious).
Hisahi Iwakuma only had one start ( a win vs. BAL) but will likely be used more to start the half (due to Hector’s demotion and Erasmo’s injury)

And the surprise of the first half (both good and bad) had to be the Bullpen!
Let’s get the bad out of the way. Brandon League started out great – didn’t allow an earned run till April 19th but, after that was the epitome of inconsistency (not a good quality in a ballplayer, especially a closer) and he lost his closing role toward the end of May. Originally, Wedge didn’t name a closer (‘t was going to be the preverbal “closer by committee”) but, it didn’t take long for one of the guys to take the bull (pen) by the horns…

in the ‘pen
Since being installed as closer, Tom Wilhemsen (aka: The Bartender) was 2-0 with 7 saves and hadn’t given up a run … until the last game before the break in Oakland where he gave up 2 and blew his first save (but, hey, it happens, even to Mariano).
The lefties have been a nice surprise. Lucas Luetge and Charlie Furbush have really contributed nicely. Lucas didn’t give up a run until well into June and Charlie posted the third longest scoreless streak (23 innings) in Mariners history

Oliver Perez, seldom used, was pretty effective until that last series in Oakland when he gave up three runs in two games.

Up and down/ In and out were the rest…
Shawn Kelley had a slow start back from rehab but, has pitched well lately – hasn’t given up a run since June 20th.  Steve Delabar has already been sent down and called back and hasn’t been real reliable. Stephen Pryor, called up in early June, was pitching well but, only appeared in six games before suffering a groin strain (began a rehab stint at the ASB). George Sherrill wasn’t right from the start and we soon found out why – he’s was out for the season on April 9th and underwent Tommy John surgery.

Now THIS is where the Mariners shone brightly ~ their defense was OUTSTANDING. 

gold glove D

Brendon Ryan was the standout. While punchless with the bat he is an absolute wizard with the glove – web gem after web gem. The rest of the infield has been really good – at one point, Justin Smoak had a nice errorless streak going and the biggest surprise defensively was Kyle Seager at the hot corner.

As for the outfield, Michael Saunders did a bang up job filling in for Guti in CF,Casper Wells has really done well in his limited chances in LF (really strong, accurate arm) and Ichiro, clearly not what he used to be but seems he’s performing a bit better defensively than he was last season.

Behind the plate – definitely an area of opportunity. Miguel Olivo still has his usual passed ball issues and Jesus Montero clearly has a lot of learning to do (though certainly not the disaster that many predicted) but he does have the “no-hitter” under his belt – a great accomplishment!

Really hard to find stars among this young group who is dying for some veteran leadership (IMHO). The hitters show flashes of brilliance (especially on the road) but can’t seem to bring it with any consistency. Their travel schedule has been brutal – from the Japan trip and back to playing on the road a good 5 – 10 more times than most teams for a good majority of the first half. Not an excuse but, a definite contributor.

first half stars
I would probably give the first half star to a couple of the pitchers…
Felix, of course but, not for the usual reason. He had a period of adversity and the fact that he was able to recognize the issue and fix it shows his maturity and character.

Wilhelmsen, Luetge and Furbush deserve at least an honorable mention – all with ERAs under three (Lucas under 2!) and as many (or more!) strikeouts as innings pitched.

Saunders and Seager deserve some recognition. Even though they both have been abysmal at home – Saunders has definitely found something in his new approach and Seager, despite his low BA, actually leads the majors in RBI with 2 outs and RISP (27)

oh, super kudos to John “Mr. Clutch” Jaso … 7 game winning RBI’s!

g82 | wait, what? M’s score runs … at home?!?

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Mariners 6 | Orioles 3

Lots of interesting, fun stuff tonight!

Hisashi Iwakuma, made his major league starting debut…
a decent outing, though he surly would like one pitch back – that would be the one to Chris Davis that ended up in the seats and enabled three runs to score. Iwakuma gave up those three runs as well as three walks but he also struck out four and threw 71 pitches (a good amount, considering his highest pitch count in long relief was 65)

Otto Greule, Jr | Getty Images

* Frst time ever that a major league starting lineup included THREE Japanese players

Ben VanHouten | Seattle Mariners

The old adage of “hitting is contagious” came to fruition tonight…
Seager was the lone sad-sac – he and Ichiro were the only ones without at least one hit but, Ichiro walked and scored a run.

* Figgy still in the lineup – and, surprisingly, not sucking! He’s made some nice defensive plays AND contributed, again, with the bat (Saunders still recovering from the flu)

Truly a little bit of everything tonight…
-the first run was text book get ’em ON (Figgy single) get ’em OVER (Kawasaki bunt) get ’em ON (Ryan single)

Elaine Thompson | AP Photo

-the next three runs came in one fell swoop – a bases-clearing, 2-out double for Casper Wells
-the last two runs were of the back-to-back JACK variety, courtesy Olivo and Ackley

Elaine Thompson | AP Photo

Hope ’bout that ‘pen?!?
FOUR innings of HITLESS, SCORELESS relief with SIX strikeouts – thank you…
-Mr. Delebar ~ earned the win in his first appearance back from AAA Tacoma
-Mr. Kelley ~ earned the hold
-Mr. Wilhelmsen ~ earned his SEVENTH save

Felix Day tomorrow!

g80 | 9th on Thursday, 11th on Saturday

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Mariners 3 | Red Sox 2

wow – what a difference a day makes!

Erasmo was cruising…
no hits and 2 strikeouts in through 2-2, but then he had to come out of the game after leaping to catch a liner and throwing to first for the out.

Enter Charlie Furbush…
and then
Lucas Luetge
and then
Brandon League
and then
Oliver Perez
and then
Tom Wilhelmsen
and then
Shawn Kelley

EIGHT and ONE-THIRD innings of relief that allowed only ONE earned run

and the hitting stars? 
the usual … John Jaso doubled in the 6th score both Ichiro (on via hit) and Casper (on via walk)
the UNusual … Dustin Ackley reached on a single in the 11th and then got to 3B via a single by Miguel Olivo and then SCORED via a sac-fly by Chone Figgins!!!

Ted S. Warren | AP Photo

 

And now, the chance to take the series!