Preview: Seattle @ Texas

So I just now realize when I came in this morning that this hadn’t been posted but rather sat all night in my email. My apologies, this makes me a sad panda.

We need to understand and to really enjoy the following games the rest of the year. We are playing the role of spoiler. Who else is better to spoil than Texas, they are far from a sure thing even though they are coming on fast. We owe them some well deserved payback for a number of specific things, but if nothing else, how else as a Mariners fan would you want to start off a three game series playing spoiler than to see Brandon Morrow start game 1. Those back-to-back blown saves earlier in the year really hurt us right when we had come out of the gates strong. I would love to see Morrow pitch a strong game and show these Chuck Norris wannabes that he gets the last laugh.

But, in all actuality it comes back to what I was talking about with the Angels. The Rangers are a division rival, if you can’t get up and get excited for these games, than there are few games that area really going to excite you.

Position Players

Something I will detail in a post that is coming up, is the future of the DH role on this team. I’ve heard a lot of people mention Hank Blalock’s name for this coming years off season. Why not, he is an “Edgar Martinez-esque player, right? All bat, and not enough health to stay in the field.” I suppose that is one way to look at it. But, here is another thing to look at – in 443 PA, he has the following line: .237/.278/.466. He posted a career low in walks with 5% and nearly a career high in K% near 23.4% (only beaten by ‘02 29.3% and ’04 23.9%). Since maturing as a hitter his strikes out had dropped. However, since coming from his injury last year, he has had a lot of trouble with it.

ELVIS HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING. Okay, I generally don’t like players on the Rangers, Angels or Athletics. I make up every reason to hate them (it’s just me I’m weird, roll with it). But I absolutely love Elvis Andrus. His range at shortstop is amazing. He hit pretty well the first part of the season and his second half isn’t getting raves but his amazing defense makes up for it.

Griffin wrote that piece about Mike Sweeney, but there is still a lot to say about how huge he has been. We wouldn’t have had nearly as much success in August/September without him.

Pitching Match-ups

Friday: Morrow vs. Millwood

Saturday: Fister vs. Holland

Sunday: Felix! Vs. Hunter

Back earlier this year I wrote a lot of pieces on Millwood, to a lesser extent he is having a Jarrod Washburn-esque year. However, those performances have begun to disappear and he isn’t nearly as good as he was at the beginning of the season. Sound like anyone else?

I can’t wait to see Brandon Morrow destroy the Rangers line-up … okay that may not really happen. But, I am looking to see his “improved stuff”. I think I’m most interested to see how his change up is, and how much he uses it. There wasn’t a lot of talk down in Tacoma about it and that puts me on the worried side. However, his curve ball that was a bit above average and is looking even better along with the good fastball he has, lets see what happens. I’m actually excited for this game.

Fister, is he for real? I guess we’ll find out. Interesting Match-up here and I look forward to seeing what will happen.

Holland has looked incredible here this year. He is proving with each passing game he is for real and exactly who they thought he would be… But seriously, Holland, while having an excellent breaking ball along with the nasty fastball, seems to have had some issues with his change up. That is what our lefties are going to need to take advantage of should we want to win this game.

It’s FELIX! A WIN HERE IMPROVES HIS CHANCES FOR A CY YOUNG!!!! No really? While I’m excited as anyone about the possibility of Felix Hernandez winning a Cy Young award, I know what an amazing pitcher he is and the national public is learning quickly too. Weather he wins it or not, I’m not going to become obsessed over it. I would like to see him go a bit longer in games. But really who can complain with the results he’s getting? I just am happy to see the Mariners get a win every 5 days.

Tommy Hunter, has been a bit under the radar with both Feliz and Holland making their debuts this year. Despite having a pretty rough debut last year, he has been very strong this year and shows that he will be a solid back-end rotation guy.  There is a lot of disparity between his FIP and tRA, in fact it’s almost a whole run (4.22/5.04) I am almost certain that this comes from his HR/FB ratio at 7.9% despite giving up a 43.5% FB. That is an extremely low number and it should shoot up 4-5%. He also has benefited from a low BABIP .262 – very much below league average. Some of that has to do with the fact the Rangers have some great fielders. It also has a bit of luck. I would be interested to see how he does next year and if he is really a #4 or 5 guy or if he turns into a yet another Texas mop up guy. I just can’t believe a guy gives up that many fly balls but that few of home runs in Arlington.

Bull-pen

My brother Hayden, who for some bizarre and strange reason is a die hard Rangers fan, calls CJ Wilson the wild thing. For this reason and the simple fact he blew a save in a previous game against the Mariners should be reason enough to hope to see him.

I now would like to hear what you think we could get for Miguel Batista if you were going to try and sell him at flea market…. Submit your ideas now!!!