A’s at Mariners, Game Two Thoughts

Since we’re not going to the playoffs anyway, I’m almost at the point where I want us to fall to 10 games back or so in the wild card so people will stop acting like we’re still right in it. I love this team as much as any Mariners fan, and I’d love to see them go to the playoffs as much as any Mariners fan, but we have virtually no chance of winning the wild card, and to be honest I’m a little tired of hearing New York Vinnie act like it’s 1995. Then again, I don’t want the last month of the season to feel like last season, when I along with most people had hardly any interest in the games, as no one really cared whether or not we won. I suppose being on the brink of a playoff race is generally better than being completely out of it, even if it would take a miracle. Anyway, I guess I’ll just continue trying to enjoy each win, while looking forward to 2010.

So how about that Ryan Langerhans? When you consider the fact that all we gave up to get him was Mike Morse, it just makes you love Jack Z even more. He hasn’t hit well since coming to the Mariners – his .294 wOBA isn’t impressive. But his defense has been fantastic – 6.5 UZR and 25.1 UZR/150 in left field, and he’s done an outstanding job as our 4th outfielder. Also, tonight’s walk-off looked exactly the same in every way as his walk off against Tampa earlier in the month.

Amazingly, of Russell Branyan’s 31 home runs, no 2 of them have come in the same game. Tonight was the closest I recall him coming to achieving a multi HR game. Which is funny, because if that shot in the ninth had gone out, his two home runs tonight would have been the 2 shortest I can remember him hitting.

Ryan Rowland-Smith was not that sharp tonight. He only missed 4 bats, but he threw a ton of strikes and that’s why he was able to work into the 7th inning. The only pitch he threw strikes with less than 60% of the time was his curve (57.9%), and he threw strikes with his fastball over 70% of the time. When you’re able to locate well with all your pitches, you’re generally going to have success, and you could say he had success tonight. Giving up 9 hits against the A’s and only striking out 1 isn’t cool though.

In Franklin Gutierrez’s 2 games hitting in the leadoff spot, he’s gone 5-for-8 with 2 walks and 2 runs. Obviously I’d strongly prefer for Icihro to be in the lineup and in that leadoff spot, but it’s nice to know that Gutz can step up when needed, not that I would expect any less from him.

Mark Lowe was good tonight. He didn’t miss any bats, but it took him
pitches to get through one inning, and 6 of them were strikes. Quick innings like that are just wonderful.

I have absolutely no idea if Franklin Gutierrez blocking Adam Kennedy on that ground ball in the eighth was intentional, but if it was, that was a brilliant play and it probably was the difference in that game. Jose Lopez is slow enough that if that ball gets picked up cleanly, he certainly gets thrown out, and I don’t really like our lineup’s chances of scoring off of Andrew Bailey down a run in the ninth. Once again, Gutz saves us.

Luke French vs. Gio Gonzalez tomorrow as we go for the sweep – something we haven’t been able to accomplish since late June.

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