tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46209546396183832272024-03-04T22:45:17.857-08:00Mariner MeleeBryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-5483002752690651862012-02-17T19:14:00.000-08:002012-02-17T19:14:01.668-08:00FansidedI have been hired on the staff over at <a href="http://fansided.com/" target="_blank">Fan Sided</a>. I'll be writing for <a href="http://sodomojo.com/" target="_blank">Sodo Mojo</a>, be sure to check it out. <br />
<br />Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-41345727660926804982012-02-13T21:36:00.000-08:002012-02-13T21:36:02.975-08:00Spring Training Stories 2/13Lets just jump right into this.<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2017496804_the_trio_bringing_hope_to_mari.html" target="_blank">James Paxton</a> is developing a change<br />
<br />
The change-up has arguably become the most important non-fastball pitch in baseball over the past 5-10 years. More and more pitchers are leaning heavily on the change-up, and it is only going to benefit Seattle's young power lefty. Watching the Pitch FX data on Paxton this season will be the only way to truly know if this newly developed weapon is any good. I look forward to seeing how often he uses it, and how nasty it becomes. Color me excited with this news.<br />
<br />
2. <a href="http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120213&content_id=26676138&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea" target="_blank">Hector Noesi </a>will battle for a rotation spot<br />
<br />
Well, you already knew that. Noesi, 6-foot-3, apparently has a very easy, smooth delivery that has management impressed. "He's a good, young arm. As a starting
pitcher, I like the way he stays fluid in his delivery and consistent
with his line to home plate and his release point. The ball comes out of
his hand nice." Wedge chimed. They seem excited to give him the opportunity to start, and so should you. If you haven't checked out the <a href="http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2012/1/23/2728178/on-hector-noesi" target="_blank">article</a> over at Lookout Landing, and this <a href="http://www.ussmariner.com/2012/01/14/hector-noesi-may-be-better-than-we-realize/" target="_blank">article</a> over at USSM, after you're done here please head that way. Hector Noesi wasn't a throw in, and I have a feeling that if he earns a rotation spot, we will see why. <br />
<br />
3.<a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2017499653_hong-chih_kuo_relying_more_tha.html" target="_blank"> Hong Chih-Kuo </a>opens up about his anxiety<br />
<br />
I guess it's not all that uncommon with ballplayers. Kuo insisted he can overcome this, that the power is within himself. "It has to come from inside here,'' Kuo said pumping his chest. "It has to come from inside me.'' Kuo's psychologist, Harvey Dorfman the famous sports psychologist, passed away last year and Kuo admitted it was hard without Dorfman. However, it sounds as if he learned a lot from the man. The lefty is working on his mental fortitude and hopes to avoid another case of the yips.<br />
<br />
<strong><br /></strong>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-16623723677382037072012-02-12T15:53:00.000-08:002012-02-13T21:39:54.503-08:00Spring Training Stories 2/12<blogger>
Pitchers and Catchers have reported to Peoria, and that means we are that much closer to live baseball games! Let's wrap up today's headlines in Arizona.</blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>1. <a href="http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120211&content_id=26660094&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea" target="_blank">Mike Carp</a> helps the Mariners pay tribute to Halman</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>This one will tug at the heart strings. The shirt can be seen <a href="http://mlblogsgregjohns.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/halmanshirtback.jpg" target="_blank">here</a>. It's an amazing gesture and one I was pleased to see. The Mariners have lost two family members in two years, and they continue to be tasteful in the way they pay tribute. It's nice to know Carp took it upon himself to do this. Look for them on sale in the Mariners team store, with the proceeds going to <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/gbakermariners/status/168483634494455808" target="_blank">charity</a>. </blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>2. <a href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/12/2022915/wedge-challenges-smoak-responds.html?storylink=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">Justin Smoak</a> is back and in better shape</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>Ah, the annual rite. Wedge issued Smoak a challenge at the end of the 2011 season, and Smoak responded. Weighing almost exactly the same, Smoak is sporting a much leaner appearance. While he admitted that he doesn't think the ball is going any further, he said he just feels better and more agile. The bag of results for players reporting into camp with the "the best shape of their lives" tag is mixed. When it comes right down to it, an overweight player with talent is better than a marathon runner who can't play baseball. I will say this, it probably can't hurt. </blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>3. <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/jonmorosi/status/168786132379779072" target="_blank">The Team</a> believes Carp can play handle LF and 1B duties</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>Great. Conditioning is one thing, actual performance is another. I don't know that Carp is ever going to be an above average defender, so I'm going to have to take a wait-and-see approach. As of right now, Wells still offers a considerable upgrade in the outfield. Even so, if Carp can continue to build on the offensive season he put together last year, I will take his defensive faults. </blogger><br />
<br />
<br />Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-40495959562864778372012-02-11T13:03:00.000-08:002012-02-12T21:59:03.401-08:00Forecasting Casper<blogger>
Casper Wells is a subject of much interest to me. I knew practically nothing about him when the Mariners acquired him at the trade deadline, so of course I did what any reasonable analyst would do; I looked up the numbers. It started off pretty well, ISO over .200 in the minors, oh that's pretty good. Impressive minor league wOBA, yep I'll take that. Now wait what's this? 28% strike out rate, okay well it is what it is. 10% walk rate, well hey now, we've got a Mariner on our hands.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger></blogger><br />
<blogger>We are familiar with Wells now. He dominated the batters box almost immediately after being acquired until he dropped off the cliff with a bout of Vertigo. I know a bit more about the disorder than most I've spoken to, as my mother struggled with it in her late 30's. The world is never right side up, and physical balance is nonexistent. Up is sideways, left is down...it's taxing, especially for an athlete. We never really saw a medium for Wells. Fans either saw a version of Wells that was killing the ball or the variant that couldn't hit a beach ball. It makes it that much harder to predict what sort of production we should expect from Wells this year. </blogger><br />
<blogger></blogger><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blogger>Depending on who you talk to, there is a bit of a debate on what role Wells will play on the team in 2012. The most common viewpoint seems to be some sort of LF platoon with Carp with a few games in the DH slot, so let's play with that scenario. In order to truly forecast the upcoming season for Casper we have to make a few assumptions. First, he has defeated vertigo. So far, reports are encouraging. Second, Wells will reflect the kind of player he was in the minors in the majors. I touched on it a little bit; Casper had good power in the minors coupled with below average plate discipline which would give you the impression that Wells has some contact issues. So I went ahead and compared him to Carp, with whom he figures to split time, and I was surprised at what I found.</blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>Carp Contact %: 72.5</blogger><br />
<blogger>Wells Contact %: 73.7</blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>Almost identical. But that even isn't the interesting part. Take a look at this...</blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<u><blogger>Carp</blogger></u><br />
<blogger>O-Swing/ Contact %: 35.7/ 61.2</blogger><br />
<blogger>Z-Swing/ Contact %: 60.8/ 79.4</blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<u><blogger>Wells</blogger></u><br />
O-Swing/ Contact %: 26.5/ 54.5<br />
Z-Swing/ Contact %: 67.3/ 80.9<br />
<br />
Carp and Wells are nearly indistinguishable players with similar problems. It's encouraging and discouraging news all at once. On the one hand Carp showed fans last year what a player with contact issues and poor plate discipline can do, and on the other there are doubts that a player with contact issues can withstand fluctuating year-to-year. What does this mean for Wells? As the player he is today, Wells is a probably a secondary piece with the ceiling of a starter. It's intriguing, I would like to see more of Wells, because the sample we have now simply isn't enough. We've seen the red hot, and we've seen the ice cold, but I'd like to see a the medium. Given enough at-bats, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to expect a 260/325/470 slash line with 20 HRs out of Casper this season.<br />
<br />
The dynamic of this team still has so many questions. As it stands right now, this is going to be a very large, crazy cycle between 1B, DH, LF, and C, and the majority of the juggling will be to get Montero and Carp into the line-up. But the team shouldn't forget Wells. They have to be wondering what they have as much as I am. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<blogger></blogger>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-41484264162757063152012-02-06T11:29:00.000-08:002012-02-06T22:28:28.060-08:00Seattle Inks Hong-Chih Kuo<div>
<blogger>Hong-Chih Kuo was one of the best relievers in the league during 2010. 2011 on the other hand was a bizarre year for Kuo, who landed on disabled list with anxiety pretty early in the season. Kuo stated that his confidence has been shaken after a horrid outing against the Pirates and after the DL stint his season didn't get any better after returning. Kuo ended the season with 27 runs in 27.0 IP, a stark comparison to monster numbers he put up in 2010 (8 runs in 60.0 IP with 73 SO). Eventually Kuo underwent off-season surgery on his elbow, one of a few surgeries Kuo has underwent in his career<br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>It's a one year Major League contract which is interesting considering the Mariners bullpen is just about full. Only one or two spots remain open, with Sherrill having already wrapped up the left-handed specialist role. The Mariners now have to move someone off of the 40-man roster.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>This has a chance to be a great move for Seattle. Kuo could be terrible, but it's more likely that he puts together some sort of a decent season. If Kuo can put together a season similar to the one he pieced together in 2010, then the Mariners have a really good bullpen addition or a great trade chip on there hands. </blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>Bottom line, the move is very interesting. The Mariners have a potential dominant reliever on there hands, and we all know how desirable relievers are at the trade deadline. Hey, maybe they even keep him. n the event that Kuo is bad, the Mariners won't lose much.</blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>I'll be interested to see who get's moved off the 40-man.</blogger><br />
<blogger><br />
</blogger><br />
<blogger><br />
</blogger></blogger></div>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-30203418097093407582012-02-01T13:10:00.001-08:002012-02-01T13:19:21.698-08:00Mariners ink Guillen to minor league deal<div><p>I won't be able to write much as I am just about to hop on a plane. First impression, I like it. Low cost, possible 3B/OF option.</p>
<p>Good addition at a low cost. Competition is always good for camp.</p>
</div>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-78810898823333151802012-01-31T10:51:00.000-08:002012-01-31T16:06:05.527-08:00A Trade that Almost WasA bit of interesting news broke today. When the trade for Pineda & Montero went down, several GMs around the league were stunned to find out that our former, young ace was even available. Alex Anthopoulos, GM of the Toronto Blue Jays, wasn't included in the surprised category. In an interesting article today in <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/blue-jays-brass-talks-playoffs/article2320407/" target="_blank">The Globe and Mail</a>, it was hinted that the Mariners may have tried to acquire Toronto's young third baseman, Brett Lawrie. <br />
<br />
If you didn't already know, Lawrie is a former Zduriencik draft pick from his Milwaukee days. It would've been an attractive move for Seattle considering the Mariners' giant, gaping hole at third base. Lawrie's first major league play came in 43 games this year and he raked. .293/.337/.495, 9 home runs, a .297 ISO, and .413 wOBA. Lawrie's 2.7 WAR was better than every position player outside of Dustin Ackely on Seattle's roster last year, and he did it in only 43 games. This move would have had Mariner fans drooling, and it may even have some a little depressed that it didn't happen. Don't be.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
First of all Anthopoulos apparently was never going to make this move. Second, we don't know anything about the other pieces talked about in this potential deal. Lastly, the Mariners acquired a bat that is going to play in their park. There is reason to believe Lawrie's bat wouldn't. A picture says a thousand words, so lets take a look at this chart.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPwTE9WFeAebiZNxhrPy0ZCp255Nz7XFgCcrjpr72SDZ4IsvWauMpv-gySxKlxiYc8qdIUd57xDYzcxRgWtTFG7zNOon23ls94H33g8SQuLyzG132EB8oNKp0dud3Ye5Dt75PHxU5vsA/s1600/Lawrie_Brett_2011_SAFECO" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPwTE9WFeAebiZNxhrPy0ZCp255Nz7XFgCcrjpr72SDZ4IsvWauMpv-gySxKlxiYc8qdIUd57xDYzcxRgWtTFG7zNOon23ls94H33g8SQuLyzG132EB8oNKp0dud3Ye5Dt75PHxU5vsA/s400/Lawrie_Brett_2011_SAFECO" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lawrie is your typical power pull guy. He is going to hit some home runs out to center and right center, but the majority of his bombs will find their way to the left field seats. If you don't think that matters, let me show you another chart.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx03_k387bnAYJzUrO4HvipKWlpCgBEqlg1BB86nes-V5dVfGgIVfU2KajbQncBy_WuYbkD2NBmMnNlo4VnR5un0eeVEU5OEcLQ0mNnAzpphJOWghXUZSIDGdJQbCfEOD009NEiEvv2c/s1600/Beltre_Adrian_2011_SAFECO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx03_k387bnAYJzUrO4HvipKWlpCgBEqlg1BB86nes-V5dVfGgIVfU2KajbQncBy_WuYbkD2NBmMnNlo4VnR5un0eeVEU5OEcLQ0mNnAzpphJOWghXUZSIDGdJQbCfEOD009NEiEvv2c/s400/Beltre_Adrian_2011_SAFECO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I won't leave you guessing; the chart above belongs to Adrian Beltre, another right handed, power hitting, third baseman who had his power swallowed in SafeCo up by being a pull-only slugger. Now, Lawrie also had a decent glove, so his only value isn't going to come from his bat. But it's all sounding so familiar. Lawrie would become Adrian Beltre-like. An under valued baseball player that unintelligent fans would come to hate and the Pineda trade would come out looking like a bust for the majority of an uneducated fan base.<br />
<br />
In order to succeed as an organization, you have to build for your park. The Mariners are doing it now, stocking up on young power arms and acquiring hitters that will play well aiming for the shorter right field porch. I'm happy with the deal the Mariners made. It is always interesting to see what other deals were explored, but if the Mariners only explored two, then they made the right deal. Montero probably isn't a catcher, but his bat is big enough not to matter. Lawrie is a true third basemen, but his bat wasn't going to play well in Seattle's confines. The Mariners traded Pineda out of a desperate need for offense, you have to believe that they made the right deal.<br />
<br />
<br />Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-5307712786678169942012-01-28T23:23:00.000-08:002012-01-31T16:06:12.889-08:00Good Idea...Or Terrible Idea?<blogger>
In none too surprising news...well, news! It's been about two weeks now since Seattle sent All-Star pitcher Michael Pineda to New York for backstop hopeful Jesus Montero. Two weeks-ish later and on the first day of Fan Fest we get this:</blogger><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<blogger> </blogger><b>"I talked to him a couple minutes ago and he said he'd be next to me all
the time," </b>Olivo said.<b> "I told him he's welcome to come and I'll help
him with everything I've learned in baseball. I told him, 'The days you
catch, I'll be looking at you to see what you're doing wrong. And the
days you hit, maybe I'll learn something about hitting from you.' We can
go back and forth."</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120128&content_id=26501544&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb" target="_blank">Source Greg Johns </a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Hooray...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I realize it would be impossible to prevent Olivo and Montero from interacting with one another considering they play for the same team and such, but this is isn't such a great idea. Miguel Olivo is a terrible catcher. Absolutely terrible. Out of all the catchers in 2011 only four catchers ranked worse in the fielding department than Olivo. We watched our graceful catcher scramble to the backstop 11 times last year due to several unsavory passed balls. Miguel also went ahead and created 11 errors, while posting an awful Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) score of -3. He probably shouldn't be teaching anyone, let alone someone the Mariners have a vested interest in molding into a decent catcher. It's not all awful, to be somewhat fair. Olivo is in the middle of the pack as far as preventing base larceny, and pitchers don't seem to mind throwing to him, but the idea of him instructing anyone in a craft in which he himself is lacking, is still unfavorable. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not convinced that Montero can catch. I'm not sure he <i>should </i>catch. He's huge, immobile, and doesn't protect his throwing hand. But management wants him to catch and they want him to be a respectable catcher. Seattle didn't seem to have a problem with the kind of defensive value they got out of Olivo last year, so in the end if Montero can become even a moderate upgrade, I speculate the Mariners would be okay with it. There is no guarantee that just because Olivo is a bad, Montero will turn out bad. The quality of your mentor does have some effect on how well you do at your craft, but it isn't everything. This was unavoidable; Olivo was going to take Montero under his wing. I certainly hope this goes better than I am envisioning at the moment.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But hey, those who can't do teach... right?<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="twitter-share-button" data-size="large" data-via="Mariner_Melee" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><br />
<script>
<br>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");<br>
</script> </div>
<br />Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-86297789989736889062012-01-28T12:46:00.000-08:002012-01-29T18:44:14.235-08:00Spring Training with Mariner Melee<blogger>
Spring training is just around the bend and I'm thrilled to say that I will be attending two games in Peoria this year. </blogger><br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
<blogger>I don't own the best media equipment (my camera is a cell phone), but I'm going to see about procuring some quality gear. All media will be uploaded to this site. </blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>If anyone has any request as far as photos and video, you can request them in the comments section of this post. My wife and I aren't exactly a media crew but we will do what we can. The media will be royalty free so you can use it as you please, I just ask that you cite that you found it here.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>Thank you,</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>Bryant</blogger><br />
<blogger>____________________________________________________________________________</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>UPDATE</blogger><br />
<blogger> </blogger><br />
<blogger>Request:</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>* Walker </blogger><br />
<blogger>* Catricala </blogger><br />
* Gutierrez <br />
* Liddi<br />
* Seager<br />
<br />
<blogger><a class="twitter-share-button" data-size="large" data-via="Mariner_Melee" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><br /><br /><script>
<br>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");<br>
</script> </blogger>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-86827543411906924292012-01-27T18:52:00.000-08:002012-01-31T16:06:20.017-08:00Seattle Mariners Top 10 Prospects<blogger>
The <a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2012/2612843.html" target="_blank">list</a> is out.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger><br /></blogger><br />
1. Jesus Montero,C<br />
<br />
2. Taijuan Walker, RHP<br />
<br />
3. Danny Hultzen, LHP<br />
<br />
4. James Paxton, LHP<br />
<br />
5. Nick Franklin, 2B/SS<br />
<br />
6. Francisco Martinez, 3B<br />
<br />
7. Chance Ruffin, RHP<br />
<br />
8. Tom Wilhelmsen, RHP<br />
<br />
9. Vinnie Catricala, 3B/1B/OF<br />
<br />
10. Phillips Castillo,OF<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The talent pool is top heavy that's for sure. The world seems pretty down Catricala seeing how he doesn't have a position, which I don't necessarily agree with. Martinez and Catricala should be in swapped in my opinion. But hey, it's a top 10 list. The numerical values after Franklin could be easily swapped around in any order and the differences would be minuet. <br />
<br />
Considering 4 of our top 5 are near major league ready, I'll really be looking forward to this years draft.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="twitter-share-button" data-size="large" data-via="Mariner_Melee" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><br />
<br />
<script>
<br>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");<br>
</script>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-43319712674479871082012-01-27T13:06:00.000-08:002012-01-31T16:06:28.700-08:00Mariners Media Luncheon<b>"This is going to be a challenging year at the big league level. Let's not kid ourselves."</b><br />
<br />
Definitely a quote that was greeted with inquisitive stares. One thing I do love about Zduriencik: he is certainly honest...<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=13206145&width=400&height=224&property=mlb" width="400">&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Your browser does not support iframes.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</iframe><br />
<br />
But he's right. 2012 could be a rough year, though at the same time, there is plenty of room for it to arouse some of those forgotten emotions such as excitement, joy, and thrill. It isn't all doom and gloom, and even though the above quote may suggest that you fasten your seat belt and brace for a bumpy ride, 2012 is going to be a fun year - a year to watch our seeds grow.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
There were a lot of things said during the Mariners Media Luncheon. Some meaningful, some less than meaningful. The big theme was "Stick with the plan". Z and Co. are asking the fans not to bail. They admitted that no plan, including theirs, is fool proof, but they just want fans to stay the course. The proof is in the pudding. The organization has already started to produce talent at the Major League level.<br />
<br />
Some Major highlights included Wedge's<a href="http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120126&content_id=26480338&notebook_id=26481306&vkey=notebook_sea&c_id=sea" target="_blank"> thoughts</a> on moving Ichiro out of the lead off spot, and Guti's regenerated <a href="http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120126&content_id=26480338&notebook_id=26480340&vkey=notebook_sea&c_id=sea" target="_blank">muscle</a>. Other news included Smoak dropping pounds with Mike Carp, Saunders refocusing himself, declaration of Figgins as a super utility-man, and that Casper Wells is healthy and vertigo free. Like I said, some of it matters and some of it doesn't. All of this has to work on the diamond to mean anything.<br />
<br />
Z may believe that next year is going to be challenging, but that doesn't mean it won't be entertaining. The Mariners have talent and it's all culminating right in front of the fans. As long as I have that, I won't find it the least bit challenging to watch.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="twitter-share-button" data-size="large" data-via="Mariner_Melee" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><br />
<br />
<script>
<br>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");<br>
</script>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-23132801066436169822012-01-26T17:04:00.000-08:002012-01-31T15:27:40.964-08:00The Top 10 Questions for 2012<br />
10. What is going to happen to Adam Moore?<br />
<br />
A - He'll start the year in the minors. Moore has had it rough and the acquisition of Montero hasn't really made it any better for him. Unless something happens, Jaso bombs, Olivo gets traded or either Olivo or Jaso gets hurt than Moore is probably destined for the minors once again. <br />
<br />
9. Is the roster set, or will the Mariners make another move?<br />
<br />
A
- Unless the Mariners are just completely loading the cannon for 2013,
then yes, they are going to make another move. The Mariners could
still use another pitcher, but I don't think they are going to
go that route. I would expect another trade, although I don't have a clue with
whom, because the Mariners are so tight lipped these days...<br />
<br />
8. Will the Mariners move Chone Figgins before opening day?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
A
- My gut says no. I think it's going to take more than a good spring to
convince another team to take on Figgins. He is a useless player
right now. His defense is terrible and his bat, well, we are all
familiar with his bat. I don't think it matters how much of his contract
the Mariners eat, if Figgins isn't a Mariner on opening day it won't be because of a trade.<br />
<br />
7. Will Ichiro rebound from a career worst season?<br />
<br />
A
- It's a big one and is a difficult question to answer. His .295
BABIP was a full .56 points lower than his career average suggesting he
may have suffered from poor luck, but Ichiro saw slips in every
offensive and defensive metric, suggesting he may just be aging. I
believe Ichiro will rebound. I wouldn't expect anymore .330/.370/.420 seasons
out of him these upcoming years, but I don't think we'll be seeing
another .270/.310/.335 season either. Color me surprised if we don't see
another 200 hits out of Ichiro in 2012.<br />
<br />
6. What will the Bullpen look like?<br />
<br />
A - Ah yes. Locks
include Brandon League, and George Sherrill, with Chance Ruffin and
Shawn Kelley being near locks. But after that it's all open. You've got
Tom Wilhelmsen and Steve Delabar who are probably going to make it, and either Noesi or Furbush being in it for long relief. That makes 11
in case you're counting. The Mariners have one completely open spot,
which could go to anyone, maybe someone who doesn't even pitch. I don't
know if the Mariners will go with an 11 man pitching staff to start
the season, but even if they do, 11 man staffs generally don't last the
year. My guess is that your pen will look something like this.<br />
<br />
CP - League<br />
LOOGY - Sherrill<br />
SR - Ruffin<br />
SR - Kelly<br />
SR - Delabar <br />
MR - ???<br />
LR - Wilhelmsen<br />
LR - Furbush/Noesi<br />
<br />
5. Can Jesus Montero catch?<br />
<br />
A- Sure he can! He is a
baseball player isn't he? Baseball players own gloves, therefore it is
reasonable to believe they can catch right? In all seriousness, no he
can't... not right now. But he is going to get every opportunity to
prove he can. The more I think about it the less I believe Montero will
stay at catcher, even if his defense drastically improves. Catching is
harsh on a players body and has been known to shorten careers and drain
offensive numbers. Montero is going to catch in 2012, but I doubt he
does beyond this year.<br />
<br />
4. Does Danny Hultzen make the team out of spring training?<br />
<br />
Not
anymore. Had the Mariners not recently signed Millwood I would have
said yes, absolutely. It would have taken a pretty terrible spring from
Hultzen to keep him from making the opening day squad. As it stands now,
it's going to take a disastrous spring from Millwood in order for
Hultzen to make it. From a financial and player control standpoint, this
is a better plan. As long as you can squeeze the last little bit of
juice out of Millwood, why not? You'll get an extra year of team control
out of Hultzen.<br />
<br />
3. Does Franklin Gutierrez's <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/GregJohnsMLB/statuses/162602230179045378" target="_blank">weight gain</a> mean anything?<br />
<br />
A - Yes! If you don't know anything about IBS then you should <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001296/" target="_blank">read up</a>. Ever tried doing anything strenuous with diarrhea
or cramping? How about trying to swing a bat with severe joint pain or
swelling? IBS can be disastrous on the body and it clearly had taken
it's toll on Franklin. Skills don't just crash and burn like they did in
Gutierrez's case. This can't be a bad thing. Expect bigger things out
of Guti in 2012.<br />
<br />
2. Will Justin Smoak live up to expectations? <br />
<br />
A
- Yes. Well I certainly hope so. I believe in Justin Smoak's April. He
had a helluva year in terms of on the field injuries, and off the field
he lost his father to cancer. It's easy to turn baseball players into
charts and numbers and forget that they are human, yet a number or
average isn't always going to explain a problem. I haven't given up on
Smoak, and neither should you.<br />
<br />
1. Will Jesus Montero live up to the hype?<br />
<br />
A - I already <a href="http://marinermelee.blogspot.com/2012/01/jesus-montero-and-oppposite-field-home.html" target="_blank">covered</a>
why Montero will likely be unfazed by the dimensions of SafeCo, but
asking whether or not Montero can live up to the enormous hype attached
to him is another question entirely. Montero is going to hit, but he
probably isn't going to hit as well as people want (at least not in
2012). He probably isn't going to hammer 40 dingers and drive in 120
runs. So will Montero live up to the hype? I guess that depends on your
expectations. Montero is going to hit, and he is going to hit well, but
don't expect monster numbers from him just yet. He still has to
grow.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="twitter-share-button" data-size="large" data-via="Mariner_Melee" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><br />
<script>
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
</script>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-8693362444039171202012-01-24T16:07:00.000-08:002012-01-25T05:10:13.641-08:00Prince Fielder Finally Finds a Home<blogger>
It is January 24th, 2012 and Prince Fielder has finally found a home. It has been about as drawn out a process as a sports fan can take. </blogger><br />
<br />
Prince Fielder is now a Tiger, not a Mariner, in a surprise twist that really didn't make any sense until Victor Martinez went and ruined his season. The Tigers are going to regret this contract sometime in the near future, and the Mariners...won't.<br />
<br />
It'll be interesting to find out in the coming weeks just how into this the Mariners really were. There have been all sorts of various reports and rumors ranging from the Mariners being the team willing to give the <a href="http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/olneys-latest-red-sox-fielder-cubs-mariners.html" target="_blank">most money</a>, to the Mariners just <a href="http://mynorthwest.com/374/609397/Source-More-teams-in-play-for-Fielder-than-assumed" target="_blank">lying in the weeds</a> and waiting. It'll be interesting to see if we actually find out the depth of the Mariners involvement.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm certainly glad it's over.Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-88848329460331441362012-01-23T21:39:00.000-08:002012-01-31T16:06:37.647-08:00Jesus Montero & Opposite Field Home Runs<blogger>The deal is done.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>The Mariners finally added a young impact bat in an organization emaciated of power. The price paid is a heavy cost giving up their young, talented pitcher, but I'm not going to rehash analysis you can find all over the blog-o-sphere. If you care to know my take, it's simple, I think the Mariners needed this. There are arms that have potential to replace Pineda, but this organization does not have bats capable of doing what Montero can do. So what exactly can Montero do? Let's dive into it.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>Now, Montero is right handed, coming to a park that is notorious for eating right handed power hitters alive. SafeCo averages a park factor in the mid 80's, and because of the weather and the dimensions of left field the park absolutely devours right handed power. We've witnessed it first hand, Adrian Beltre, Jose Lopez, Kenji Johjima etc. These pull-happy sluggers watched balls that they demolished turn into fairly easy warning track outs. Seattle Mariner fans are all too familiar with this and might be a little concerned that their organization just gave up a future ace for a power hitter whose potential might be swallowed up by the cavernous dimensions of SafeCo Field.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>If you happen to be an apprehensive</blogger><blogger> fan, put yourself at ease. I can name you one certain slugging second baseman who didn't let SafeCo effect his numbers. Bret Boone made a career out of tucking line drives into the area 51 seats. He proved that if you plan to survive standing to the left of the catcher you better bring opposite field pop. Montero and Boone share a gift.</blogger><br />
<br />
<blogger>Below we have Montero's true home run landing locations.</blogger><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blogger></blogger><a href="http://www.hittrackeronline.com/detail.php?id=2011_3896&type=hitter"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701085498791321618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTunVWGS_CG2p1QHfvMy-KhbXEKvv6PZ5vRvH5X43rCs0_3ZIwmlj_TmepOzsebHfTMEmwOWmCVMkFZCRNpDxJsaBWZyBtRVUkcMa7qnYAlwDfUbtHWrKyUx-MmM9rTA0vhrlE41F17c/s400/Montero_Jesus_2011_scatter.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 393px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
Unfortunately, <span style="font-style: italic;">Minor League Splits</span> has shut down and I could only get data on Montero's limited September call up. The sight is encouraging, and while we are working with a very small sample size, it's not as if Montero doesn't have a minor league track record of opposite field power. So let's add an overlay of SafeCo and see just how well Montero's bat might play in Seattle.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiurjlmTjGq6hPyZtNiIWnBEjW1mdvvTQfM0wU1mv9DgRA1MgMSqH8crwOWW03in7iFdQQnjjDu8YdHF4M6lyGpUxgNWIe6HEI_i7_ht9lQ-1ih35Tm0PXQXvA6wl7TUyFWl0NI0ZiXys/s1600/Montero_Jesus_2011_scatter_SAFCO.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701266056210934226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiurjlmTjGq6hPyZtNiIWnBEjW1mdvvTQfM0wU1mv9DgRA1MgMSqH8crwOWW03in7iFdQQnjjDu8YdHF4M6lyGpUxgNWIe6HEI_i7_ht9lQ-1ih35Tm0PXQXvA6wl7TUyFWl0NI0ZiXys/s400/Montero_Jesus_2011_scatter_SAFCO.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 393px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
It's hard not to feel encouraged. Montero has a great chance to succeed even as a right handed hitter because of his opposite field power. My only cause for concern is that all three opposite field homers came in Yankee Stadium which has a large jet stream out to right field. Is it that big of a concern? That I honestly don't know, but I'd like to think it's not. The sample is tiny, but very encouraging. Montero has 80 games to play at SafeCo field in 2012, but if his opposite field power plays like it did in his limited 18 game call-up, then it shouldn't matter where he plays, Jesus Montero is going to hit the ball out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="twitter-share-button" data-size="large" data-via="Mariner_Melee" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><br />
<script>
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
</script>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620954639618383227.post-81967869461196973922012-01-23T20:35:00.000-08:002012-01-23T20:37:03.421-08:00Mariner Melee Revived<blogger>I'm back.<br /></blogger>Bryanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865944137417224876noreply@blogger.com0