Boston in 6
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Boston in 6
Boo! The Red Sox suck! Pitt in 7.
Also, I enjoy the coincidence that Barry Bonds is in both of the current World Series' in your dynasties, POC.
Coach: I didn't notice that until you mentioned it! I guess that Bonds guy was pretty good, huh?
***
1990 WORLD SERIES: BOSTON RED SOX v. PITTSBURGH PIRATES
GAME 1 – In a matchup between the NL Wins leader (Doug Drabek) and the AL Wins leader (Roger Clemens), the Red Sox ace was the only one to show up. The Rocket threw 8.2 innings of four hit ball, allowing only one 1 run while striking out 4 Pirates hitters. Meanwhile, Wade Boggs became the bane of Drabek’s existence, hitting a solo home run in the first inning, and going 4-5 on the day with 3 RBI. Red Sox 11-1
GAME 2 – After allowing solo home runs to Ellis Burks and Mike Greenwell, John Smiley settled down, and allowed no more runs through 8 innings. The Pirates, meanwhile, had staked out a 4-2 lead thanks to Andy Van Slyke’s solo home run. Former Red Sox closer Lee Smith came into the game to record the final 3 outs, but the Red Sox would not die. Boston loaded the bases with nobody out, putting the winning run on first in the person of Jody Reed. A sacrifice fly pulled the Sox within a run, when a suicide squeeze play turned into a base hit for R.J. Reynolds, tying the game at four. Boggs followed with another base hit, reloading the bases with 1 out, and the winning run 90 feet away. It wouldn’t stay there for long, as Burks hit a deep fly to centerfield, and Reed scampered home with the winning run. Red Sox 5-4
GAME 3 – On the trip back to the Steel City, someone must’ve laid into the Pirates. Led by 26-year-old superstar Barry Bonds, the Pirates rode Walt Terrell for 8 innings of one-run ball. Bonds exploded, hitting his first 2 postseason home runs, and helping the Pirates get in the win column. Pirates 7-1
GAME 4 – Even though Roger Clemens was on the hill, it was Bob Walk who was dominant today. The Pirates starter didn’t allow a run in 8 innings of three-hit ball, and the Pirates offense scored 3 times in the 8th inning to pull away and even the World Series. Pirates 6-0
GAME 5 – Eager to go up 3 games to 2, the Red Sox jumped out to 3 first inning runs. However, the Pirates answered with 4 in the 2nd, lead by Bonds’ 3rd home run of the series. The Sox would rally to tie the game at 4 in the 6th inning, when Reynolds singled, stole second, and scored on Reed’s RBI single. The Pirates, playing their last home game of the season, had an answer, as Bonds scored on Don Slaught’s RBI single in the bottom half of the 6th, and Van Slyke hit a solo home run in the 7th to provide the winning margin. Pirates 6-4
GAME 6 – So much for drama. The Pirates put this one away early, with 2 in the first, 1 in the second, and 4 in the third. Andy Van Slyke, en route to Series MVP honors, went 3-5 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBI. It was very much a foregone conclusion when Jeff King squeezed the foul pop to end the game. Pirates 17-4
THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES ARE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!
MVP: CF Andy Van Slyke - .417, 2 HR, 9 RBI
***
29. So Much To Do, So Little Time
First, some business with the Mariners record book: SS Omar Vizquel set a new club single-season record with 661 AB. Also, RF Jay Buhner tied a club standard with 32 HR. Imagine if he stayed healthy all year!
Also of note: Omar Vizquel started all 162 games at shortstop this season. He also played every single inning there. That’s right: Omar Vizquel was always the shortstop for the Seattle Mariners!
One last thing: Assistant GM J.R. Thompson was interviewed for the vacant Twins GM position. He didn’t get the job, but it was definitely a positive experience for the kid. J.R.’s got a really great baseball mind, and it won’t be long before I have to deal with him on the other side of the phone.
***
Next, the end-of-year awards were announced this past week.
AL MVP: Red Sox CF Ellis Burks – .307, 36 HR, 139 RBI
AL CY: Red Sox SP Roger Clemens (3) – 22-6, 2.56 ERA, 264 K
AL ROY: Indians 1B Jim Thome – .320, 43 HR, 140 RBI
AL GG: Blue Jays P Dave Stieb, Brewers C B.J. Surhoff, Indians 1B Jim Thome, Tigers/A’s 2B Tony Phillips, Indians 3B Brook Jacoby, Blue Jays SS Tony Fernandez (5), Orioles OF Brady Anderson, Brewers OF Greg Vaughn, Orioles OF Phil Bradley
NL MVP: Pirates OF Barry Bonds - .326, 53 HR, 126 RBI, 170 BB (ties ML record)
NL CY: Cubs SP Greg Maddux – 20-13, 2.98 ERA, 238 K
NL ROY: Braves RF David Justice – .310, 27 HR, 91 RBI
NL GG: Pirates P Walt Terrell, Astros C Craig Biggio, Pirates 1B Jeff King, Pirates 2B Jose Lind, Cardinals 3B Terry Pendleton (3), Pirates SS Jay Bell, Phillies OF Von Hayes, Reds OF Paul O’Neill, Giants OF Brett Butler
***
Contract renewals left and right, let’s get down to it!
C Dave Valle: asked for a $50K raise and 3 more years, and with Varitek and Widger (the future backstops) still a long way away, My hands are tied. I counter with 2 years and a small decrease, and he agrees. Dave Valle resigns for 2 years at $500,000 per.
LF Henry Cotto: asking for 3 years/$390K, but at age 29, I’m not sure I want to sign him for that long. I counter with 1 year/$350K, and he accepts. Henry Cotto resigns for 1 year at $350,000.
RF Jay Buhner: wanted $1.63mil via arbitration, and probably deserves it, but I’ll take my chances with a $1.25mil lowball offer. Judge rules in our favor, surprisingly. Jay Buhner resigns for 1 year at $1,250,000.
C Scott Bradley: same argument as Valle, as they combined for a very productive platoon (when healthy) last season. He’s also much cheaper than Dave, so he only asks for 2yrs/$320K. Due to my OCD, I have to nudge that down to a nice round number. Scott Bradley resigns for 2 years at $300,000 per.
2B Brian Giles: Hahaha…no. Brian Giles is released.
C Matt Sinatro: A great 3rd option, but he should be cheaper after sitting around all offseason. Matt Sinatro is released, but will try and resign him before Spring Training.
SP Scott Bankhead: started this season as our ace, but his numbers at the end of the season proved him more suited as a #4/#5 guy. I have a few of those waiting in the wings at AAA. Scott Bankhead is released.
SP Matt Young: after a season of suckitute, time to cut our ties with our long reliever/spot starter. Matt Young is released.
RP Steve Ontiveros: a throw-in in the Jeffrey Leonard trade, he wasn’t effective enough to keep around. Steve Ontiveros is released.
SP Brian Holman: wanted $840K after a solid season. While not great at anything, he’s solid at everything. I’ll counter with a lower offer, and the judge rules in our favor. Brian Holman resigns for 1 year at $750,000.
SP Bill Swift: solidified himself as our #2 starter with a strong season. He’s asking for over $1 million, and I’ll counter with a much smaller offer. Fortunately the judge keeps my perfect streak alive. Bill Swift resigns for 1 year at $800,000.
RP Mike Schooler: the Mariners all-time saves leader wasn’t that effective last season, converting only 24 of 36 save opportunities. Thankfully, he’s only asking for $400K, so I’ll try and lower that a little, and the judge agrees. Mike Schooler resigns for 1 year at $350,000.
RP Jerry Reed: arguably the most effective Mariner reliever last season, Reed just turned 35, and is asking for a pay decrease! What an employee! Jerry Reed resigns for 2 years at $500,000 per.
RP Rob Murphy: Rob wasn’t great after being traded from Boston, but he’s a solid lefty-matchup guy. Rob Murphy resigns for 2 years at $700,000 per.
RP Dennis Powell: Who? Dennis Powell is released.
RP Bryan Clark announced his retirement.
***
lol, Dave Valle.
Lol, he should get Dave Henderson.Quote:
Originally Posted by 200tang
200tang: Yes, Dave Valle is one-half of my catching platoon. Now you see why I drafted Varitek?
Coach: 'Hendu' is a free agent, but I don't think I need another outfielder, what with Griffey, Buhner, and others.
30. Window Shopping
COMMISSIONER’S NEWS: manually resigned Robin Yount to Milwaukee for 3 yrs/$2M per.
On the eve of free agency, I sat in my office, going over the list of players available. There were, as always, a few names that stood out. Unfortunately, they were all at positions I felt we were strong at. Leading the way is 22-year-old 2B Roberto Alomar, coming off a career season with plenty of years to go. A close second is 28-year-old OF Eric Davis, who just finished his 2nd career 30-30 season.
Man, imagine an outfield with Griffey, Buhner, and Davis? Some big-market team is probably going to scoop him up immediately, but if the price is right, I’ll definitely make an offer.
“Will! You in your office?” Jeff hollered down the hallway. We had phones now, and getting up to knock on someone’s door was generally considered to be more polite, but Jeff had his own way of doing things.
“Yes, you want me to stop in?” I hollered back. When in Rome…
“When you get a minute.”
***
I poked my head into his office. “Will! Have a seat!” I pulled up one of his leather chairs, and sat on the opposite side of his desk. Jeff was wearing his glasses on the tip of his nose, staring at some sort of spreadsheet with a lot of numbers on them.
“I’ve been going over the budget for this season. We made just under $2 million…”
“That’s great! I’ve been wondering about that, and I have some ideas about what can improve our ballclub…”
“…please, Will. It’s rude to interrupt. Now, you’re not a ‘businessman’, so I’ll make this simple: you are not to spend any money this offseason.”
My jaw hit the floor. “What!?”
“If our team has any holes that need filling, we need to plug them from the inside. We made less than $2 million this year, Will. Baltimore made 6 times that much, and they finished with a worse record than us!”
“Jeff, you can’t honestly compare those two: Baltimore is in the much more densely populated east coast region around Washington. And furthermore, we finished only 9 games out of first place last year! We need to make a big move to show our fanbase that we’re committed to winning with this team now and for the future!”
“NOW LISTEN TO ME, DAMMIT!!!” Jeff stood and propped his hands on his desk, as if ready to lunge over the structure and choke the life out of me. “I am the primary investor of this corporation, and I expect a return on my investment. I spent 77 million dollars on this team, and the best that you can get me is a 3% reimbursement!?”
“Mr. Smulyan, sir: I thought I was brought in as general manager to construct a World Series winner, not operate under some phony baloney budget. I need to be able to have a small amount of cash on hand in order to make trades and sign players that I feel and our coaches feel can make our ballclub better.”
Jeff furrowed his brow, then frowned. “Fine. $1 million to play around with, but let me warn you: you’re on thin ice…”
***
1 million dollars wasn’t nearly enough for Eric Davis, so my pipe dreams remain just that. However, it should be more than enough to fill any holes that I see on the team. And to be honest, there aren’t a lot of gaps.
The biggest issue I have right now is a logjam at the corner infield spots. Tino Martinez and Alvin Davis are both MLB-caliber 1B, and Edgar Martinez and Charlie Hayes both hit over .300 last season. So in an effort to please everyone, Edgar has started to practice playing left field. He doesn’t have a lot of speed, but management feels that it’s ok to sacrifice a little defense in order to keep his bat in the lineup, and it’s better to hide him in left than leave him exposed at third.
***
Just read all 9 pages and I really like it. Jeff sounds like George Steinbrenner with a much shorter temper.
mets57: Thanks a lot! I was kinda going for that with Jeff: a business man more focused on the money than the players. Hope you keep reading!
MARINERS OFFSEASON MOVES
11/14: Signed FA 2B Al Newman to a 2-year, $700K contract
11/17: Resigned RF Jay Buhner to a 6-year, $7.5M extension
***
FREE AGENTS: OLD FACES IN NEW PLACES
2B Roberto Alomar - .301, 19 HR, 90 RBI, 135 R, 30 SB
San Diego Padres > Baltimore Orioles
CF Eric Davis - .300, 31 HR, 74 RBI, 37 SB
Cincinnati Reds > New York Mets
RF Danny Tartabull - .289, 28 HR, 107 RBI
Kansas City Royals > Chicago White Sox
2B Julio Franco - .301, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 10 SB
Texas Rangers > New York Yankees
3B Terry Pendleton - .294, 15 HR, 69 RBI
St. Louis Cardinals > New York Yankees
RP Bob Kipper – 1-1, 4.76 ERA, 46 K, .264 BAA
Pittsburgh Pirates > Houston Astros
3B Ken Caminiti - .328, 19 HR, 62 RBI
Houston Astros > Los Angeles Dodgers
RF Cory Snyder - .278, 27 HR, 81 RBI
Cleveland Indians > San Francisco Giants
2B Jose Oquendo - .261, 0 HR, 45 RBI
St. Louis Cardinals > Boston Red Sox
2B Bill Doran - .262, 7 HR, 63 RBI, 21 SB
Houston Astros > Texas Rangers
RP Jeff Russell – 4-2, 3.18 ERA, 27 K, .258 BAA, 3/6 SV
Texas Rangers > Los Angeles Dodgers
1B Glenn Davis - .247, 18 HR, 86 RBI
Houston Astros > New York Mets
SP Scott Bankhead - 7-13, 4.54 ERA, 150 K, .262 BAA
Seattle Mariners > New York Yankees
SP Dennis Rasmussen – 14-11, 4.49 ERA, 130 K, .265 BAA
San Diego Padres > Detroit Tigers
RP Ricky Horton – 0-0, 4.55 ERA, 19 K, .252 BAA, 0/2 SV
St. Louis Cardinals > St. Louis Cardinals
CF Jim Eisenreich - .284, 10 HR, 60 RBI, 13 SB
Kansas City Royals > Chicago Cubs
LF Bip Roberts - .319, 1 HR, 34 RBI, 40 SB
San Diego Padres > Houston Astros
3B Jeff Blauser - .284, 4 HR, 19 RBI
Atlanta Braves > St. Louis Cardinals
LF Glenn Braggs - .316, 8 HR, 44 RBI (AAA)
Milwaukee Brewers > Houston Astros
RP Randy Myers – 4-6, 4.02 ERA, 40 K, .259 BAA, 26/34 SV
Cincinnati Reds > San Diego Padres
SP Walt Terrell – 15-12, 4.24 ERA, 100 K, .269 BAA
Pittsburgh Pirates > Atlanta Braves
RP Chuck Crim – 11-6, 2.97 ERA, 41 K, .215 BAA, 1/2 SV
Milwaukee Brewers > California Angels
SP Kelly Downs – 1-0, 5.21 ERA, 11 K, .221 BAA
San Francisco Giants > St. Louis Cardinals
OFF-SEASON TRADES: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
12/31 - Pittsburgh Pirates receive RP Gary Wayne from Minnesota Twins in return for 2 prospects (SP Steve Parris and SP Rich Robertson)
1/20 – Detroit Tigers trade SS Alan Trammell to California Angels for 2 prospects (C Bret Hemphill and CF Chad Curtis)
1/23 – Detroit Tigers trade 2B Lou Whitaker to California Angels for 2 prospects (C Todd Greene and 1B Chris Pritchett)
COMMISH: I had gotten tired of overturning trades for Trammell and Whitaker. If the CPU wants to deal them, then they have every right to not get even value for them.
***
After a little hiatus, I'm back with a brand new chapter -
VOLUME II - 1991: FAST TRACK TO A DYNASTY
***
1. A 2nd First Impression
To paraphrase Alfred, Lord Tennyson: In Spring Training, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of championships. And did we ever look like a championship team! Omar Vizquel and Harold Reynolds were turning acrobatic double plays almost daily. Jay Buhner and Ken Griffey, Jr. made sure that right-centerfield was virtually impenetrable. Even Edgar Martinez was adjusting well to left field. The only thing that I could see keeping us from a run at the division title is our pitching staff. We have a bona fide #1 in Randy Johnson, but it’s a steep drop-off to Bill Swift, Brian Holman, and Erik Hanson. The bullpen is nothing to write home about either, with Mike Jackson leading a so-so crew.
My personal life is also championship-caliber, so to speak. I was still seeing Courtney almost once a week, which was about all that we could see each other with our busy schedules. She’s still beautiful as ever, maybe even more so. I still can’t believe I’m dating her.
As for my ‘discussion’ with Jeff, he’s a businessman, so he cares more about the bottom line than what happens on the field. That’s where I come in, according to him. I’m supposed to maximize the minimum that I get. Hopefully he opens his checkbook to keep our young nucleus in Mariner blue for years to come.
***
Hey, this is set in Seattle during the Grunge era... Would Courtney happen to be Courtney Love? :p
RSR: The thought of that just made me throw up. So no, sorry.
***
2. 1991 Seattle Mariners Opening Day Lineup
Scouting is +/- 9
Scott Bradley [71] – C - #9
Age: 31 – 8th season
Acquired: Trade with White Sox – 6/26/1986
Contract: $300K through 1992
***
1990: .281, 2 HR, 42 RBI
Career: .273, 19 HR, 186 RBI
Greg Briley [74] – LF - #8
Age: 25 – 4th season
Acquired: Spec. Draft #1 – 6/2/1986
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: .275, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .270, 21 HR, 93 RBI, 25 SB
Jay Buhner [95] – RF - #19
Age: 26 – 5th season
Acquired: Trade with Yankees – 7/21/1988
Contract: $1.25M through 1996
***
1990: .290, 32 HR, 89 RBI
Career: .263, 54 HR, 161 RBI
Dave Burba [74] – SP - #34
Age: 24 – Rookie
Acquired: Draft #2 – 6/2/1987
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1993)
***
1990: 1-2, 7.36 ERA, 24 K
Career: 1-2, 7.36 ERA, 24 K
Dave Cochrane [67] – SS - #43
Age: 28 – 4th season
Acquired: Trade with Royals – 2/3/1988
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: .158, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Career: .213, 1 HR, 10 RBI
Henry Cotto [74] – LF - #28
Age: 30 – 8th season
Acquired: Trade with Yankees – 12/22/1987
Contract: $350K through 1991
***
1990: .271, 2 HR, 24 RBI
Career: .260, 26 HR, 130 RBI
Alvin Davis [88] – 1B - #21
Age: 30 – 8th season
Acquired: Draft #6 – 6/7/1982
Contract: $2.2M through 1994
***
1990: .301, 28 HR, 111 RBI
Career: .291, 159 HR, 641 RBI
Ken Griffey, Jr. [89] – CF - #24
Age: 21 – 3rd season
Acquired: Draft #1 – 6/2/1987
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: .277, 29 HR, 100 RBI
Career: .271, 45 HR, 161 RBI
Erik Hanson [84] – SP - #39
Age: 25 – 4th season
Acquired: Draft #2 – 6/22/1986
Contract: $97K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: 11-12, 5.11 ERA, 159 K
Career: 22-20, 4.26 ERA, 270 K
Charlie Hayes [78] – 3B - #26
Age: 25 – 4th season
Acquired: Trade with Phillies – 7/15/1990
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: .301, 13 HR, 78 RBI
Career: .283, 21 HR, 121 RBI
Brian Holman [81] – SP - #36
Age: 26 – 4th season
Acquired: Trade with Expos – 5/25/1989
Contract: $750K through 1991 (Arb.)
***
1990: 11-12, 4.77 ERA, 112 K
Career: 24-32, 4.03 ERA, 275 K
Mike Jackson [83] – SU - #38
Age: 26 – 6th season
Acquired: Trade with Phillies – 12/9/1987
Contract: $750K through 1993
***
1990: 6-5, 5.28 ERA, 48 K, 9/14 SV
Career: 19-26, 3.66 ERA, 314 K, 21 SV
Randy Johnson [95] – SP - #51
Age: 27 – 4th season
Acquired: Trade with Expos – 5/25/1989
Contract: $171K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: 13-7, 3.41 ERA, 254 K
Career: 23-20, 3.92 ERA, 409 K
Edgar Martinez [85] – LF/3B - #11
Age: 28 – 5th season
Acquired: Amateur Free Agent – 12/19/1982
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: .332, 14 HR, 72 RBI
Career: .308, 16 HR, 102 RBI
Tino Martinez [86] – 1B - #14
Age: 23 – 2nd season
Acquired: Draft #1 – 6/1/1988
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1993)
***
1990: .253, 6 HR, 28 RBI
Career: .253, 6 HR, 28 RBI
Jose Melendez [82] – LR - #54
Age: 25 - Rookie
Acquired: Rule V Draft – 12/6/1988
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1993)
***
1990: AAA - 4-6, 4.23 ERA, 59 K
Career: 0-1, 11.00 ERA, 6 K
Rob Murphy [76] – MR - #46
Age: 30 – 7th season
Acquired: Trade with Red Sox – 4/2/1990
Contract: $700K through 1992
***
1990: 5-4, 5.67 ERA, 54 K
Career: 24-22, 3.10 ERA, 371 K
Al Newman [71] – 2B - #16
Age: 30 – 7th season
Acquired: Free Agent – 11/14/1990
Contract: $350K through 1992
***
1990: .249, 0 HR, 27 RBI, 13 SB
Career: .234, 1 HR, 122 RBI, 78 SB
Jerry Reed [72] – SR - #31
Age: 35 – 10th season
Acquired: Free Agent – 4/11/1986
Contract: $500K through 1992
***
1990: 6-1, 3.58 ERA, 38 K
Career: 24-18, 3.80 ERA, 267 K
Harold Reynolds [82] – 2B - #4
Age: 30 – 9th season
Acquired: Spec. Draft #2 – 6/3/1980
Contract: $1.0M through 1992
***
1990: .279, 1 HR, 45 RBI, 25 SB
Career: .269, 7 HR, 195 RBI, 179 SB
Kazuhiro Sasaki [78] – SR - #22
Age: 23 - Rookie
Acquired: Amateur Free Agent – 1/1/1987
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1993)
***
1990: AAA – 0-4, 3.22 ERA, 76 K, 19 SV
Career: N/A
Mike Schooler [73] – CL - #40
Age: 28 – 4th season
Acquired: Draft #2 – 6/3/1985
Contract: $350K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: 8-10, 4.66 ERA, 48 K, 24 SV
Career: 14-25, 3.58 ERA, 171 K, 72 SV
Bill Swift [81] – SP - #18
Age: 29 – 6th season
Acquired: Draft #1 – 6/4/1984
Contract: $800K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: 13-11, 4.45 ERA, 107 K
Career: 36-45, 4.68 ERA, 309 K
Dave Valle [77] – C - #10
Age: 30 – 8th season
Acquired: Draft #2 - 6/6/1978
Contract: $500K through 1992
***
1990: .218, 5 HR, 31 RBI
Career: .238, 40 HR, 191 RBI
Omar Vizquel [85] – SS - #13
Age: 23 – 3rd season
Acquired: Amateur Free Agent - 4/1/1984
Contract: $95K until Arbitration (1991)
***
1990: .286, 4 HR, 63 RBI, 26 SB
Career: .261, 5 HR, 83 RBI
***
3. Opening Day 1991
It’s another rainy Seattle day, but that’s unnoticeable inside the Kingdome, where the Royals are here to help kick off the Mariners’ 15th season. Randy Johnson is getting warm in the bullpen, set to oppose Royals ace Bret Saberhagen. The smell of Astroturf is in the air; another tell-tale sign that baseball is back!
Someone in the PR department had come up with a new campaign to spark some more interest in the team. In honor of our 15th season, we’re going to determine the 15 greatest players in team history. Not exactly a long list, but so long as it puts butts in the seats.
All the pomp and pageantry of Opening Day was completed, and the 6’10” Randy Johnson took his final warm-up pitches and the game was underway!
Johnson struck out the first two batters of the game, but back-to-back doubles by Kevin Seitzer and Bo Jackson put the Royals on the board. Royals 1-0
Johnson and Saberhagen really buckled down, allowing baserunners but no runs; at least, until the top of the 6th, when Bo led off with a single. He scored on a 2-out double by Claudell Washington. Royals 2-0
That would be plenty for Saberhagen, who had his shutout bid spoiled in the bottom of the 9th inning on an RBI groundout by Charlie Hayes. Royals 2-1
Tom ‘Flash’ Gordon strolled in from the bullpen not long after, and slammed the door on the Mariners.
ROYALS 2, MARINERS 1
W: Bret Saberhagen (1-0)
L: Randy Johnson (0-1)
SV: Tom Gordon (1)
***
4. April: Where It All Begins Again
Kansas City Royals (0-0) at Seattle Mariners (0-0)
The 1991 season kicks off in odd fashion, with the only two teams I’ve ever known facing each other. Funny how that works, huh?
1 – See above. Bret Saberhagen is a stud, and outduels Randy Johnson in the home opener. Royals 2-1
2 – Bill Swift is the man today, throwing a 3-hit shutout for the team’s first victory of the season. Harold Reynolds goes 3-5 (a double and a triple included) with an RBI in the win. Mariners 4-0
3 – Both teams come out swinging, putting up crooked numbers in the first inning, and matching each other again in the 4th, tying the game at 5. That’s when LeFebvre turned over to his bullpen, and the Royals lineup was shut down. The Mariners put up 3 more runs, though, putting the game out of reach. Harold Reynolds went 8/15 with 4 doubles and a triple in the series. Mariners 8-5
Seattle Mariners (2-1) at Boston Red Sox (3-0)
We take a trip across the country to visit the reigning American League champions, who have already started to lay their claim to another pennant by sweeping Cleveland. I already know that we’re going to face off against Roger Clemens, so our best hope is to match him up with Randy and pray for the best.
4 – John Tudor shuts us out for 8 innings, and although we do score against the beleaguered Boston bullpen, the Red Sox have already put up 6 against Erik Hanson. The bullpen extends its season opening scoreless innings streak to 9.1 innings. Red Sox 6-1
5 – Rookie Dave Burba tosses 7 shutout innings (he probably should’ve gone more but he only has a 53 Endurance rating), allowing only 2 hits and striking 6 Boston hitters, as he and two relievers combine to 3-hit the Red Sox. Mariners 1-0
6 – National media outlets swarmed Fenway Park on Saturday, as reigning AL Cy Young winner Roger Clemens faced off against the Mariners ace Randy Johnson. Unfortunately, the Boston bats were waiting for the Big Unit, as he surrendered 7 runs in 2.2 innings. Clemens cruised through 6 shutout inning, and the Red Sox won going away. Our bullpen had a tough test today, but held strong, making it 16.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run to start the season. Also, Tino Martinez hit our first home run of the year. Red Sox 7-3
A double whammy: C Scott Bradley and 1B Alvin Davis both need to go on the 15-day DL after a collision chasing a foul pop late in the game. C Chris Howard and 1B Greg Pirkl make their way up from AAA Calgary as we reshuffle our lineup: Edgar Martinez moves to DH, while Greg Briley starts in leftfield and Dave Valle starts at catcher.
7 – A far cry from his first start, Bill Swift gets shelled for 5 runs in as many innings. Meanwhile, Mike Boddicker has his game rolling, striking out 9 en route to another easy win for Boston. Red Sox 5-1
DAY OFF
8 – 3 wins isn’t bad after a tough first week, but the offense has been awful: the 4 right-handed hitters on my starting lineup (E. Martinez, C. Hayes, J. Buhner, D. Valle) have started the season hitting .161 (13/81) with zero homers and 4 RBI. As a matter of fact, my whole team has suffered a power outage of sorts, as Tino Martinez holds our lone home run, worst in the Majors. The bullpen has been lights out, going 20.2 innings without surrendering a run, but all that goes for naught if we don’t have a lead when we turn it over to them…
Seattle Mariners (3-4) at Chicago White Sox (2-4)
We hope a trip to the South Side will cure what ails our offense, as they have a much more mediocre pitching staff than their Red cousins back east. Their offense is suffering as well, as CF Sammy Sosa is out for another week with a finger injury.
9 – All good things must come to an end, and sometimes they end in heartbreaking fashion. Our bullpens scoreless innings streak was stopped at 22 innings, as Danny Tartabull hit a bases-loaded single into the left-centerfield gap, scoring the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the 9th inning. White Sox 4-3
10 – The bullpen returned to form, with 2.2 scoreless innings. However, Frank Thomas didn’t let starter Erik Hanson off easy, hitting a home run and a double off of the Mariners pitcher, and Alex Fernandez and Bill Long combined for a 6-hit shutout. White Sox 6-0
11 – Thanks to a 6-run 6th inning, we take a commanding lead, thanks to Dave Burba’s solid 5.2 innings. However, Jose Melendez almost coughs up the lead, even bringing the winning run to the plate, but Mike Schooler is there to put out the fire. Mariners 8-6
Milwaukee Brewers (3-6) at Seattle Mariners (4-6)
We head back to the Kingdome for 3 with the Brewers. Hopefully, we can put it all together: we have Johnson and Swift scheduled against some mediocre pitching. We have to worry about their bats though (Molitor, Yount, & Sheffield are all batting over .340).
12 – Randy is phenomenal, striking out 13 Brewers over 8 innings. However, a lack of run support dooms him to a no-decision. In the 10th inning, the bullpen implodes, as Schooler allows 4 runs and Jackson another, and the Brewers steal a game where they were clearly outclassed. Brewers 7-2 (10)
13 – Swifty isn’t himself today, surrendering 9 runs in 3.1 innings. However, the bullpen does the job, shutting out the Brewers for 5.2 innings, and giving the offense time to recover. Unfortunately, we enter the bottom of the 9th inning still trailing, 9-5. With 2 outs, we were able to bring the winning run to the plate, in the person of Ken Griffey, Jr. Junior already hit a home run in the game, and isn’t shy about double dipping: he blasted a Jim Austin fastball into the bleachers, winning the game for the Mariners! Mariners 10-9
14 – Brian Holman pitches well, and the offense pounces on Don August early, scoring 7 times. The bullpen continues its current run of good form, as Mike Schooler records his 4th save of the season. Mariners 7-5
DAY OFF
15 – Better, but we could still use more offense from Jay Buhner (.114) and Charlie Hayes (.204). A win for our rotation every now and again would be helpful, too.
***
Tiger stadium would have been burned to the ground if that combo would have been traded even for someone like Cal Rypken and Alomar.
jshaw: It just was frustrating - I didn't want them to be traded, but the AI kept insisting. Finally, I just said to hell with it. I had to reverse trades for Trammell about 10 times. When I saw that they would be together in California, I kinda just let it be.
***
Not to toot my own horn here, but I think the next few chapters are some of the best I've written in quite a while. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!
5. Seriously Considering Shooting the Messenger…
I stand firm on this statement: there is nothing worse than a 7am flight from Seattle to Kansas City. Turbulence is always terrible, and there are never enough peanuts for 25 ballplayers, 6 coaches, and the occasional executive. This was all compounded by Greg Pirkl’s snoring: the dude is 6’ 5”, I’m definitely not waking him up. Either way, I was very happy when we arrived at our hotel, especially given that we had a scheduled day off today.
My glee was to be short-lived, however, as I had a message waiting to greet me at the front desk when we arrived. It was from Jeff.
I got up to my room and sat down at the desk. I knew what he was calling about, so I just decided to get it over with.
***
I finally got patched through to Jeff. “Will! I was in a meeting, sorry about that. How was your flight?” It was terrible, as I already told you, but this is my boss I’m talking too. “Good! Made it to Kansas City safely, so I’m just going to enjoy the day off!”
“Fantastic! But before you go, I wanted to talk to you about the team.”
And here…we…go!
“Sure thing, boss. What’s on your mind?”
“I’m not happy with their performance so far.” Shocking. “We had 83 wins last season, and now we only have 6. We’re not hitting, and we’re not pitching. What’s our ace’s name, Dick Johnson?”
“Randy Johnson, the Big Unit.”
“Whatever, he’s been pitching like he doesn’t want a contract extension. Our closer, Mike Sucker…”
“Schooler, sir.”
“Whatever, he’s got an ERA over 10. And our rightfielder, Jay Boner…”
“Buhner, sir.”
“WHATEVER! Listen, Will, you and Jim (LeFebvre) had better straighten this out. I’ve got a lot of money invested in this team, and after the miracle you two pulled last season, I should’ve expected you to regress a little bit. But at this rate, we’re on pace to win only 75 games! According to your plan, this is the year we compete for the division crown: 75 wins isn’t going to do that for us.”
“Jeff, with all due respect: Randy has pitched like an ace. He’s leading the AL in strikeouts, but he just hasn’t gotten run support. Schooler’s ERA is inflated by 2 bad outings, but he’s been lights out every other time he’s been on the hill. And Buhner has struggled, but he’s starting to turn it around.”
“Will, I’m giving you an ultimatum: you need to turn this team into a contender by September 1, or you’re out of town. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal. May I ask why you chose September 1?”
“Well, I figured it’d only be humane to drop you off in your home town of Cleveland. That’s the only trip we make there this season.”
“Thank you sir.”
***
My day was ruined. I needed someone to talk to, someone in baseball that I could trust. I needed to call John Schuerholz.
***
Ultimatums! Got to love 'em.
DIM: Yeah, they're pretty great for storyline purposes, but not great for real-life...
***
6. The First Time in a Long Time
I couldn’t remember the last time I had spoken to John. As I was patched through the Braves’ telephone system, I kept racking my brain for something, but I couldn’t think of anything.
“John Schuerholz.”
“John! It’s Will! Will Kane with the Mariners!”
“Will! How are you? It’s been, what, three-four years? How have you been?” Thank goodness he sounded glad to talk to me.
“I’m good!” A blatant lie, but I was making conversation. “I love Seattle, and I love what I’m trying to build here. How are you? I see that your Braves are having quite a bit of success.”
“Yeah, we’re doing alright. So what’s up? Can I interest you in a trade offer?”
“Actually, I was calling for another reason: a personal reason.”
“Oh?”
“John, I’ve always considered you to be my mentor, so I need your advice on something. I just got a call from my owner, Jeff Smulyan. He threatened to fire me if I didn’t make this team a contender by September 1. I know this team is a contender, but Jeff’s kinda got it in for me. You’ve been around longer than I have: what do I do?”
John laughed a little: “Will, if I had a nickel for every time an owner threatened to fire me, I’d be a very rich man. If you believe that the Mariners are a contender, and everyone I’ve spoken too says that they are, then you shouldn’t do anything. There’s no need to break up that collection of talent.
“You remember the day that you interviewed for that position with the Royals? There was greatness in you from that day; I could see it. You might not have been the most qualified candidate for the job, but you had that intangible factor that only the good ones have. You haven’t realized it yet, but when you reach that point, you’ll know. That’s why when Jeff came calling, I recommended you.”
My mouth dropped, although he couldn’t see that through the receiver. “You…you recommended me? After what happened here?”
“Absolutely: Will, everyone deserves a shot at redemption, even you. Knowing what you did then, would you still have pulled the trigger?”
“No, I would’ve kept Cone.”
“See? You’re not there yet. As a general manager, you need to shrug off your mistakes and not let them beat you. You’re clouding your recollection of that time period with your knowledge of today. When you can isolate everything, and not allow anything else to spill over, then you’ll become the GM that I always knew you were going to become.”
“Thanks, John. I feel a lot better. Hey, do you want to get together sometime? I’ll be in LA at the end of the month, in Chicago at the end of May, and back in LA at the end of June.”
“I’ll be in LA at the end of June, and I would love to catch up with you.”
***
Schuerholz hung up the receiver and smiled. He marked his calendar in red pen, then picked the receiver and dialed again. After a few rings, the other end was picked up, but there was no voice.
Schuerholz started the conversation: “I got him. June 28 in Los Angeles.”
The voice on the other end replied: “Well done, Tiger.”
***
No comments on the big reveal? Oh well, moving on!
***
7. Another Reason I Don’t Like Kansas City
Seattle Mariners (6-7) at Kansas City Royals (6-6)
Bret Saberhagen has reverted back to the form that won him Cy Young Awards in 1985 and 1989: 3-0, 0.73 ERA, 15 K. Even George Brett has found the fountain of youth, hitting over .370 and leading the team with 5 home runs.
16 – Don’t blame Erik Hanson: he struck out 10 over the course of 9 innings, as the teams were still scoreless as we turned for extras. However, LeFebvre trotted Hanson out to start the 10th, where back-to-back doubles by Oddibe McDowell and George Brett ended things in a hurry. Royals 1-0 (10)
17 – With the day off on Monday, we’re able to keep Randy Johnson on his regular schedule: the Royals had the same idea with Saberhagen, so we had a rematch of Opening Day. Much like Opening Day, Sabes asserts his dominance, allowing only one run in 8 innings of work, as the Royals bullpen slams the door in the 9th. Royals 6-2
18 – We had this game. Swift kept the Royals off balance all day, and Jay Buhner hit his first home run of the year. Mike Schooler entered the game, allowed a run, but got a double-play grounder to seemingly end the threat. Then Schooler did something I’ll never understand. He intentionally walked the tying run, then unintentionally walked the potential winning run to load the bases! Consecutive hits by Nelson Liriano and McDowell finish the sweep in heartbreaking fashion. Royals 6-5
***
8. My Own Ultimatum
“You wanted to see me, Will?”
Jim LeFebvre sat down in the seat next to me on the charter plane. Jim was a former ballplayer, and one of my favorites growing up in the late 60’s-early 70’s. Not just because he was the National League Rookie of the year in 1965 for the Dodgers, but because he appeared on “Gilligan’s Island” and “Batman”. Growing up, before I realized I had a better mind for the game than skillset, I wanted to be an actor/second baseman, just like Jim LeFebvre.
“Jim, have a seat.” I gestured to the empty seat facing me.
As he got comfortable, I started my questioning. “Jim, why did you intentionally walk Washington with 2 outs?”
“I thought School would have a better chance against Kunkel. Washington was 2-5 lifetime and Kunkel was 1-4: I was playing the percentages.”
“With 2 outs? Jim, that goes against every fundamental of baseball! You’re never supposed to walk the game-tying run on purpose! And then Schooler walks Perry unintentionally to load the bases!”
“Again, playing the percentages: I’d rather have Liriano try and beat us than Perry.”
“Jim, I think you’re missing the point. If you had just pitched to Washington, we wouldn’t have had to play defense with the bases loaded to begin with!”
“Will, I don’t think you understand me! I’ve been involved in this game for over 30 years: that’s longer than you’ve been alive. I do things my own way: I’m not a ‘by-the-book’ manager, and look what my ‘unorthodox’ approach has gotten me. I’ve won a World Series and a Japan Series. I know what it takes to be a winner. Today was a test: I was seeing how they would perform under added/unnecessary pressure. Mike showed me that he wasn’t up to that today, so now I know that in a similar situation down the line to call on someone else.”
“Jim: I got a call from Jeff when we landed on Monday. He wants a competitive team, one that can take the division title.”
“So what? I’ve got enough offers to work for other teams. If that nutjob wants to fire me, then let him!” He got up to go back to his seat.
“Now wait just a godd*mn minute!” I stood to confront him. “You may have something to fall back on, but if I blow this, I’m going back to flipping burgers in Cuyahoga County. Now you can either wait for Jeff to fire you when you’re auto-piloting this team into the side of a mountain, or I can do it right now and save you the trouble!”
Jim took a step back, and then smiled: “Boy, you’ve really got it in your head that we’ve got something here, huh? Alright, I’ll play ball with you. But I’m going to need some things in order to make this team a contender.”
“Name your terms.” I sat back down.
“First, I’ll need a closer. Mike is a good guy, but he’s just too d*mn inconsistent to be relied upon. If we can go out and get someone better, that would improve the bullpen greatly.”
“Can you deal with Kaz [Sasaki] for now? No one is selling this early in the season, so you may have to wait a month or two.”
“How long did Jeff say we had?”
“He told me that I had until September 1. He didn’t mention anything about you.”
“Well, I have faith in the kid. Kaz is our new closer. Second, we need a veteran outfielder.”
“What about Henry [Cotto]? He’s practically a grandfather compared to our other guys.”
“Well, Hen’s nice, but I need someone who’s going to mentor our youngsters more. I mean, you got Al Newman, a guy who’s won a championship, to backup our infielders, and he’s been a huge influence on Omar. We need someone with a championship pedigree to show our kids what it’s like to be a professional.”
“Alright, I’ll see what’s available when we land.”
“Finally, Edgar isn’t that bad at 3rd base. I’d like to see him get some more reps there, especially since Charlie isn’t hitting.”
“That can be done, especially when Alvin and Scott get off the DL this weekend. But that should be your call: you have final say over the lineups every day.”
“But you wanted to try him in left to start the year. And I want you to see if you can trade Charlie.”
“Okay, maybe I can swing him and Cotto for our veteran outfielder.”
“Sounds good.” He got up to leave. “Oh, Will?”
“Yeah, Jim?”
“I think you’ve made a fine general manager, for what it’s worth. You deserved better than what you got in Kansas City, and I’m honored to be working with you, if only for a short time longer.”
“Thanks, Jim.”
***
Just read this dynasty. Great characters, and an engrossing storyline. Good job!:) Oh, and belatedly....*gasp* John Schuerholz!!?? :D
Overbay: Thanks for the kind words! I know I haven't been able to keep this updated as much as possible, and I almost stopped writing altogether a few months back, but I'm planning on seeing this through until the bitter end!
***
9. Righting the Ship with Some Left Turns
Chicago White Sox (8-7) at Seattle Mariners (6-10)
Sammy Sosa is back after his injury, and he and Frank Thomas form quite the 1-2 punch on the South Side. We also get another look at the young phenom Alex Fernandez (2-0, 0.50 ERA).
19 – Well, it wasn’t pretty, but it was a step in the right direction. We trailed much of the game, as Melido Perez was looking sharp, but rallied late to tie the game at 3 entering the 9th inning. Tino Martinez reached on an error, Charlie Hayes followed with a double, and Jay Buhner’s sacrifice fly plated the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. Mariners 4-3
20 – After a close 5 innings, things got out of control in the 6th, when Junior led off with a home run, sparking a 4-run inning. He lead off the 7th as well, and blasted another home run. In the 8th, he was due up third, and hit his 3rd home run of the game, and leading the Mariners in a laugher. Mariners 9-1
21 – The South Side Hitmen are out in force, and they do a job on Dave Burba: 5 HR in 3 IP. Meanwhile, Alex Fernandez allows only 2 runs in 8 innings, and the ChiSox avoid a sweep. White Sox 9-2
Detroit Tigers (9-9, 5 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (8-11, 3 ½ GB)
Our first series against the ‘new-look’ Tigers, who’ve replaced the immortal DP combo of Trammell and Whitaker with Garry Templeton and Ed Romero: I know, I’m surprised they’re only 5 ½ back too. They’ve been riding big 1Bman Cecil Fielder: 8 HR and a .403 AVG make him an early contender for the Triple Crown.
22 – Is that…a Randy Johnson victory!? His first of the season is a dominant one, as the Big Unit set down 15 Tigers by way of the K! Kazuhiro Sasaki entered with a 6-0 lead (to the docile tones of the The Vapors’ lone hit, “Turning Japanese”) and easily closed the game out. Mariners 6-0
The good news: Alvin Davis and Scott Bradley are both back, and ready to go. Charlie Hayes takes a seat on the bench as Edgar moves to 3rd, as Greg Pirkl and Chris Howard make the return trip to AAA Calgary.
23 – Alvin certainly was pining to get back into the lineup: he goes 4-4 in his return, and the Mariners roll thanks to 8 outstanding innings from Bill Swift. Mariners 8-2
24 – Despite Ken Griffey, Jr.’s 6th home run of the season, the Mariners’ 9th-inning rally falls one run short, and they leave the tying run in scoring position, allowing the Tigers to escape Seattle with a victory. 2.1 more shutout innings for the bullpen, as they remain strong despite the recent closer change. Tigers 4-3
DAY OFF
25 – Now that’s more like it! A 4-2 homestand leaves us 2 games under .500, and 2 games out of first in the AL West. Junior’s starting to find his power stroke, and the rest of the team is starting to pick up their averages. If we can finish April at .500, I will consider that a small victory.
***
Turning Japanese. ROFL
OldYankFan: Glad to get a chuckle! Also, his real entrance music was LAME!
***
10. Stealing the Old Block
As per my usual custom, I always check my messages before I leave the Kingdome for the night. One in particular caught my ear:
“Will, this is Bob Quinn of the Cincinnati Reds. Gimme a call when you get this, I have a trade offer for you.”
I immediately grabbed the receiver, not caring that it was past 1am in his time zone. The Reds had a veteran outfielder that I had a lot of interest in: championship pedigree, years of experience, and a positive mentor for almost any clubhouse. The Reds weren’t even using him at the Major League level; he had accepted a demotion out of loyalty to the club, but I think that with the right offer, he could be had.
I read Quinn’s sleep patterns correctly: he picked up his office phone on the first ring.
“Honey! Sorry I’m late, I just got a trade offer from the Braves and I…”
“Bob, it’s Will Kane with the Mariners.”
“What? Oh, sorry, I thought my wife was calling, and…well, what can I do for you?” Don’t worry, Bob. Your secret is safe with me…for now.
“I have a counteroffer for you.”
“But I didn’t even give you a first offer…”
“I think you’ll like this one better. You need a centerfielder, and I need a veteran outfielder to replace him.”
“I was actually calling about Randy Johnson, but this deal sounds interesting: go on…”
I smiled: I had nabbed a big one – hook, line, and sinker!
***
11. Front Page News
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
GRIFFEY TRADED!
Senior and Junior to start tonight at Kansas City, bat 2nd and 3rd
(Had you going for a second, didn’t I?) :D
***
I had made history: Senior and Junior Griffey had become the first father-son duo to play on the same team at the same time, and they would be starting tonight at Kansas City.
***
Seattle Mariners (10-12, 2 ½ GB) at Kansas City Royals (10-11, 2 GB)
Another trip to Kansas City, another unavoidable matchup with Bret Saberhagen. Hopefully this trip turns out better than our last debacle here, where we got swept and Jeff threatened to fire both me and Jim LeFebvre.
26 – Scoreless entering the top of the 6th inning, Senior singled to leftfield, his first hit as a Mariner. Junior, however, decided to show his ‘Pops’ how it was done, as he ripped a Storm Davis fastball into the bleachers for a home run, his 7th of the season. Tino hit a 3-run bomb later in the inning, which was more than enough for Erik Hanson, who tossed 8 shutout innings. Mariners 5-0
27 – Okay, so maybe we can’t beat Saberhagen, but at least we put up 4 runs against him this time. Junior hits 2 more home runs, giving him 3 straight games with at least one, and 7 total in his last 7 games. Royals 11-5
28 – The Big Unit dominates again, striking out 11 Royals and allowing only 2 runs over 8 innings. Kaz Sasaki comes in and pitches a scoreless 9th inning, and we leave Kansas City for the remainder of the year with a win. Mariners 7-2
RP Jose Melendez injured his in yesterday’s game, and will miss up to 2 weeks. Gene Harris will be recalled from AAA Calgary to take his roster place.
DAY OFF
29 – Taking 2 of 3 from the Royals helps, and it leaves us at 12-13 entering the final day of the month. If we can beat old friend Mark Langston tomorrow, we’ll be at .500 for April. Ken Sr. has made an immediate impact, helping not only Junior but Jay Buhner as well: Bone’s average continues to climb upward, and Junior is leading the American League in home runs.
Seattle Mariners (12-13, 2 ½ GB) at California Angels (14-11, ½ GB)
Our first trip to Southern California starts with us on a little bit of a roll, winning 6 of our last 9. Former Tigers Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker make their new home out here, and they’ve acclimated themselves quite well (.328, 9 HR combined from 1-2 in the lineup).
30 – Bill Swift keeps the good times rolling, as he shuts out the Angels for 8 innings. Rob Murphy finishes the shutout, tossing a perfect 9th. Alvin Davis hits his first home run of the season to lead the offensive attack, and the Mariners reach .500! Mariners 4-0
***
APRIL RECAP
MARINERS STATS
(Well, with Junior and Senior sharing a name, these are their combined stats. Has been fixed – hopefully – by adding a Jr. and Sr. designation, but looks like I’ll be stuck with this for the rest of the season.)
Code:Batting Stats AVG/OBP/SLG GP GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS wOBA GIDP RC/27 HBP
K. Griffey .275/.341/.533 30 30 120 16 33 4 0 9 22 12 22 0 0 .405 4 0.81 0
H. Reynolds .321/.398/.413 26 26 109 15 35 8 1 0 5 14 9 4 0 .403 1 0.70 0
O. Vizquel .279/.342/.317 26 26 104 9 29 4 0 0 8 10 12 4 2 .338 4 0.42 1
E. Martinez .278/.352/.423 26 26 97 12 27 5 0 3 10 11 20 0 0 .387 1 0.52 3
T. Martinez .242/.367/.385 26 26 91 19 22 4 0 3 15 18 13 0 0 .377 7 0.47 1
J. Buhner .169/.282/.326 26 26 89 12 15 2 0 4 11 14 32 0 1 .296 4 0.29 0
C. Hayes .250/.287/.355 20 20 76 7 19 5 0 1 7 4 12 0 0 .316 4 0.28 1
G. Briley .268/.328/.429 16 16 56 7 15 6 0 1 10 5 6 0 0 .369 4 0.29 1
D. Valle .216/.333/.275 16 16 51 4 11 0 0 1 7 9 8 0 0 .314 2 0.17 0
A. Davis .372/.460/.512 12 12 43 7 16 3 0 1 5 7 2 0 0 .484 0 0.37 1
S. Bradley .212/.316/.242 10 10 33 1 7 1 0 0 4 5 3 0 0 .291 3 0.09 0
H. Cotto .000/.000/.000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0.00 0
Batting Totals: .264/.351/.394 26 26 869 109 229 42 1 23 104 109 139 8 3 .365 34 8
STANDINGSCode:Pitching Stats GP GS REC SV ERA IP H R ER HR BB K DICE WHIP PIT RUNSUP QUAL
B. Swift 6 6 3-1 0 3.92 41.1 44 18 18 2 14 21 3.63 1.40 636 5.3 4
R. Johnson 6 6 2-3 0 4.12 39.1 40 19 18 3 12 57 2.01 1.32 770 3.5 4
E. Hanson 5 5 2-3 0 3.50 36.0 38 14 14 3 9 25 3.44 1.31 628 3.0 3
B. Holman 5 5 1-1 0 5.29 32.1 39 19 19 4 18 22 4.92 1.76 589 5.0 2
D. Burba 4 4 2-2 0 9.17 17.2 22 18 18 7 11 10 8.89 1.87 393 4.0 1
R. Murphy 9 0 1-0 0 1.32 13.2 10 2 2 1 2 14 2.34 0.88 232
J. Melendez 7 0 0-0 0 4.05 13.1 16 6 6 0 6 11 2.70 1.65 231
M. Schooler 10 0 0-3 4 8.44 10.2 16 10 10 0 7 14 2.34 2.16 224
K. Sasaki 9 0 0-0 0 0.00 8.2 9 0 0 0 1 7 1.73 1.15 179
M. Jackson 8 0 0-0 0 1.04 8.2 5 1 1 1 3 8 3.69 0.92 155
J. Reed 3 0 2-0 0 0.00 6.1 4 0 0 0 1 2 2.84 0.79 85
Pitching Totals: 26 26 13-13 4 4.18 228.0 243 107 106 21 84 191 3.63 1.43 4122 4.2 14
LEAGUE LEADERSCode:AL WEST AL EAST
Chicago 14-11 - Boston 21-5 -
California 14-12 .5 Baltimore 18-9 3.5
Oakland 14-12 .5 Detroit 13-12 7.5
Texas 13-12 1 New York 12-14 9
Seattle 13-13 1.5 Milwaukee 10-16 11
Kansas City 11-14 3 Toronto 10-16 11
Minnesota 8-17 6 Cleveland 10-18 12
NL WEST NL EAST
Houston 17-8 - New York 19-8 -
San Diego 16-11 2 Pittsburgh 16-10 2.5
Los Angeles 13-14 5 St. Louis 13-14 6
Cincinnati 13-15 5.5 Montreal 12-16 7.5
San Francisco 13-15 5.5 Chicago 9-18 10
Atlanta 12-14 5.5 Philadelphia 8-18 10.5
MILESTONESCode:BATTING AVERAGE WINS
Gary Sheffield (MIL) .406 Greg Harris (SDP) 6
Alan Trammell (CAL) .396 John Tudor (BOS) 5
Shane Mack (MIN) .386 Bret Saberhagen (KCR) 5
Tony Pena (BOS) .386 Dave Stewart (OAK) 5
Eddie Murray (MIN) .384 4 players tied with 4
HOME RUNS EARNED RUN AVERAGE
Benito Santiago (SDP) 10 Alex Fernandez (CHW) 1.64
Sam Horn (BAL) 9 Greg Harris (SDP) 1.92
Jeff King (PIT) 9 David Cone (NYM) 1.95
Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA) 9 Tom Browning (CIN) 2.06
3 players tied with 8 Danny Darwin (HOU) 2.17
RUNS BATTED IN STRIKEOUTS
Kevin McReynolds (NYM) 30 Randy Johnson (SEA) 57
Frank Thomas (CHW) 28 Dwight Gooden (NYM) 41
Gary Sheffield (MIL) 28 Greg Harris (SDP) 40
Benito Santiago (SDP) 28 Tom Glavine (ATL) 37
Barry Bonds (PIT) 27 Mike Boddicker (BOS) 36
STOLEN BASES SAVES
Kenny Lofton (HOU) 12 Gregg Olson (BAL) 7
Rickey Henderson (OAK) 10 John Franco (NYM) 7
Roberto Alomar (BAL) 9 4 players tied with 6
Bip Roberts (HOU) 9
Lenny Dykstra (PHI) 9
4/14 – Athletics 3B Carney Lansford: 2000th hit
4/22 – Angels SP Jack Morris: 2000th strikeout
EXTENSIONS
4/1 – Cubs 1B Mark Grace (3), Orioles CF Brady Anderson (3)
4/2 – Tigers SP Dan Petry (3)
4/3 – Cardinals RF Tom Brunansky (5)
4/4 – Twins 1B Kent Hrbek (5)
4/5 – Mets SP Frank Viola (4)
4/6 – Braves SP John Smoltz (3)
4/7 – Mets 1B Kevin Millar (2)
4/9 – Dodgers SP Ramon Martinez (2), Mets SP Sid Fernandez (4)
4/19 – Blue Jays RP Duane Ward (3)
4/26 – Blue Jays SS Tony Fernandez (5)
4/30 – Blue Jays SP Al Leiter (3)
MAJOR INJURIES
4/3 – Dodgers RP Mike Maddux: out for season (torn rotator cuff)
4/15 – Rangers RF Harold Baines: out for regular season (broken vertebrae)
TRADES
4/26 – Seattle Mariners trade LF Henry Cotto to Cincinnati Reds for LF Ken Griffey, Sr.
RETIREMENTS
4/1 – 3B Wayne Tolleson (35), RF Pat Sheridan (33)
4/28 – RP Bob Patterson (31)
***
12. Mother, May I?
Seattle Mariners (13-13, 1 ½ GB) at California Angels (14-12, ½ GB)
1 – The Puget Sound Pugilists (work in progress) were out in full force today, victimizing the Angels for 4 home runs: one apiece by Junior, Alvin Davis, and both Martinez boys. The Mariners blast the Angels to move above .500 for the first time since April 5. Mariners 9-5
2 – The Mariners scream out to a 6-0 lead against Jack Morris, and Erik Hanson and the bullpen just sit on the lead. Senior Griffey hit his first Mariners homer, and Junior went 3-5 with an RBI as the Mariners sweep the Angels for their 4th straight victory. Mariners 7-5
Minnesota Twins (10-17, 5 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (15-13, 1 GB)
The Twins can hit, thanks in large part to former Dodgers Eddie Murray (.374, 6 HR, 27 RBI) and Kirk Gibson (.314, 3 HR, 17 RBI). However, their Achilles heel is their starting pitching, with only 1 starter possessing an ERA under 5 (Kevin Tapani – 4.63). Their pitching is so bad, that 1990 1st-round pick Brad Radke (18 years old) is already in the rotation full-time.
3 – Dave Burba was fantastic (8 strikeouts in 7 innings), and Jay Buhner’s home run capped a 5-run 1st inning that the Twins could never quite recover from. The Mariners’ scorching bats stayed hot, as the offense pounded out 13 hits en route to the team’s 5th straight victory. Mariners 8-1
With our victory, we move into a tie for 1st place in the AL West with Oakland!
4 – A back-and-forth contest: the Mariners grabbed an early lead, but the Twins responded to take control. Just when momentum shifted, the M’s rallied to tie the game. The Twins scored again, but the Mariners equalized to force extra innings. But the normally reliable Kazuhiro Sasaki was the goat, giving up the winning run in the top of the 11th inning to snap the Mariners winning streak. Twins 10-9 (11)
C Dave Valle will miss the next few games with a sore knee. Scott Bradley will be the lone catcher on the roster for the time being.
5 – Normally, one shouldn’t expect a chance to bat in the 1st inning if one’s batting seventh. For Jay Buhner, he’s gotten that opportunity twice this series, and responded by hitting a home run both times. Another 3-run shot, another big inning to start the game for Seattle, which is more than enough for Bill Swift to pick up his 4th victory of the season. Mariners 8-3
DAY OFF
6 – I know it’s awfully early, but the team has really done a complete 180 since we traded for the elder Griffey. The Mariners are 7-2 since April 26, and are the hottest team in the American League. Again, I know it’s early, but we fly down the coast to the Bay Area to take on the division-leading A’s with first place on the line!
Seattle Mariners (17-14, 1 GB) at Oakland Athletics (18-13, 1st)
No Jose Canseco (knee ligaments)? No problem, thanks to Terry Steinbach (8 HR, T-1st on team). Of course, the A’s have always been about pitching, and 1991 is no exception. Dave Stewart has been phenomenal (5-0, 2.40 ERA), and Steve Chitren has succeeded Dennis Eckersley (now a setup man) quite well – 2.84 ERA, and a perfect 8-for-8 in save opportunities.
7 – The irresistible force met the immovable object, and Dave Stewart was the object. Stewart allowed only 2 hits in 7.1 innings, and Steve Chitren closed the door on any hope of a Mariners rally. Damon Mashore’s bases-loaded double in the 8th inning blew the game wide open for the victorious A’s. A’s 5-0
8 – Ken Griffey, Sr.’s 1st-inning home run sets the stage for the whole game, as the Mariners get to old friend Mike Moore early and often. And while Mike Schooler continues to try and destroy my faith in humanity (1 ER in .2 IP – 8.10 ERA on the season), Kaz Sasaki was ready to slam the door and seal the win. Mariners 7-3
9 – Bob Welch and Dave Burba aren’t great, but Welch is just a little better, and Terry Steinbach’s 3-run homer didn’t hurt his cause. The Mariners try and stage a late rally, but Chitren is there to slam the door just in the nick of time, giving the A’s the rubber game. A’s 6-5
Seattle Mariners (18-16, 2 GB) at Toronto Blue Jays (15-19, 10 ½ GB)
The Blue Jays are not a bad team, but rather a victim of circumstance. If they were in the National League, they’d probably be among the contenders in the NL East. However, they’re stuck in the AL East with 2 powerhouse squads in Boston and Baltimore. And while the pitching has been subpar, the double-play tandem of SS Tony Fernandez (.346) and 2B Jeff Kent (.336, 6 HR) have kept them around .500
10 – Randy Johnson was sharp, but Jimmy Key was that much sharper. Toronto’s southpaw went 8 innings, allowing only 1 run on 6 hits, and the Blue Jays scored twice against the Big Unit to grab the victory. Blue Jays 2-1
C Dave Valle is back at full strength, and will start tonight against the lefty David Wells.
11 – How do you break out of a 0-23 slump? Ken Griffey, Jr. used a 2-run home run to snap out of his hitting funk, and Bill Swift kept the Blue Jays off balance for 8 innings before ceding to Kazuhiro Sasaki for the save and the victory. Mariners 4-1
3B Edgar Martinez needs a brief respite. Charlie Hayes will get the start in the rubber game.
12 – The Blue Jays used their bats to batter the Mariners black and blue, pounding out 10 runs on 18 hits in a rout. Al Leiter was the beneficiary, keeping the Mariners offense off balance for 7 solid innings, as the Jays take the series from the visiting Mariners. Blue Jays 10-2
Chicago White Sox (19-17, 2 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (19-18, 3 GB)
It’s good to be home! Unfortunately, there’s no rest for the weary, as we get the team directly ahead of us in the standings. This means we get to face the two-headed monster of Frank Thomas and Sammy Sosa (combined .350, 21 HR, 62 RBI). Also, we draw SP Alex Fernandez in Game 1, who’s been downright filthy (6-0, 1.86 ERA, 36 K) this season.
13 – Alex Fernandez came in to the game with a perfect record and a low ERA; he left with a loss and a higher ERA. The Puget Sound Pugilists blasted 3 home runs against the former AL ERA leader and his bullpen mates, as the Mariners roll to victory and sole possession of 2nd place. Mariners 8-1
14 – Trailing by a run following the 7th-inning stretch, the Puget Sound Pugilists exploded for 5 runs in the bottom half of the frame, and Kazuhiro Sasaki got out of Mike Schooler’s bases-loaded jam in the top of the 9th inning to secure another victory. Mariners 10-5
The victory was bittersweet, however, as 2B Harold Reynolds will miss the next 10 weeks with a ruptured cervical disc. Reynolds was hitting .329 with 6 SB as the leadoff hitter in our potent lineup. Omar Vizquel will try and emulate Harold’s production from the leadoff spot, while Al Newman will get the bulk of the starts at 2B. Mike Brumley will get the call from AAA Calgary, at least for the time being...
15 – After getting staked to an early lead, the Mariners bullpen has been pretty lights out for the majority of the early part of the season. Today, however, the bullpen couldn’t quite get the job done, and the White Sox managed to salvage the final game of the series. White Sox 10-6
DAY OFF
16 – As we watch the A’s lose their 3rd straight game to the Twins inside the Metrodome, we sit just 1 game behind the Oakland squad in the AL West, but we’ve got plenty of company. We’re currently tied with a very game California team, and the recently-dispatched White Sox lurk just a half-game behind us. With one quarter of the season complete, I think it’s safe to say that the AL West is shaping up to be the most exciting race this season.
***
Mother, May I? (Part 2)
Kansas City Royals (16-24, 6 GB) at Seattle Mariners (21-19, 1 GB)
The best part about this series? We may not have to face Bret Saberhagen (3-0, 1.96 ERA, 13 K in 3 starts against us this season). Also, we get to face the Royals 3 straight games, which can be nothing but a good thing, right?
17 – Bill Swift allows only 3 runs over 8 innings, but is the hard-luck loser as Richard Dotson shuts the Mariners out through 7 innings. Tom “Flash” Gordon slams the door, as the Mariners late rally falls just short. Royals 3-2
18 – Omar Vizquel and Ken Griffey, Sr. go a combined 5-6 in the first 2 spots of the lineup, including combining for back-to-back doubles in the 7th inning for the eventual winning run. Kaz Sasaki comes in for the five-out save, and gets the job done in perfect fashion. Mariners 4-3
RP Jose Melenedez is healthy again, and will return to the bullpen. RP Gene Harris is sent back to AAA Calgary.
19 – Well, Saberhagen gets his start moved up a day, but the Mariners bring their bats today, with Alvin Davis, Scott Bradley, and Ken Griffey, Jr. each blasting a solo home run. Erik Hanson strikes out 9 Royals over 8 innings, and Kaz Sasaki nailed down the victory Mariners 4-1
DAY OFF
20 - It’s become a very crowded picture at the top of the American League, even more so than three days ago. At the start of play today, there was a 3-way tie for first place between Oakland, California, and us, with Chicago sitting just one-half game back. While we had the luxury of a rest day, the other 3 teams had to play, with the A’s beating the Royals and the Angels holding off the White Sox. After all the games, we are now alone in 3rd place, but only ½ games behind the duo of Golden State teams.
Cleveland Indians (17-28, 15 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (23-20, ½ GB)
We meet the Indians in the first meeting between the two squads this season. Despite being so far out of the race, the Tribe boast a solid power-speed combination: CF Otis Nixon provides the speed (21 SB), while RF Albert Belle provides the power (13 HR).
21 – Dave Burba is rocked, surrendering 6 runs in 4 innings, and Bud Black keeps the Mariners offense at bay for 7 innings. A late Alvin Davis home run is not enough for Seattle to mount a comeback. Indians 6-4
22 – It’s good to see the old Randy Johnson again. The Big Unit struck out 9 batters over 7.1 innings, and the offense pounded 11 hits in support of their ace. Ken Griffey, Sr. keeps hitting, going 2-5 and raising his average to .370. Mariners 7-1
23 – This game was tied at 3 after nine innings, but the Mariners bullpen had an uncharacteristic meltdown twice: the first time, the offense was able to force more baseball, but the second couldn’t be rectified, as the Indians take the rubber game of the series. Indians 8-5 (14)
SP Dave Burba has been struggling all season (3-4, 7.68 ERA), and now it’s gotten worse: he’s broken his forearm, and will miss the next 2 months. RP Mike Gardiner has been called up from AAA Calgary, and will make his Major League debut when he starts on the 26th in Minneapolis.
***
You have a bit of a love affair with the Griffey's don't you? ;)
Remind me what year we're in.
gosensgo101: Shut up, and let me go back to worshipping the Griffey effigy in my closet! And the year is 1991, early enough to prevent the Jays from winning their World Series. With hindsight being 20/20, I'd totally do it again! :D
***
13. Backseat Driving
The blinking light on my phone in my office signaled the message on my answering machine. I didn’t want to answer it, because I already knew: Jeff wanted to talk.
The month had started off on an emotional high: we had won 6 of our last 7, and rapidly closing in on the division-leading A’s. Senior Griffey was tearing up the American League like he was 26 again, and the team was firing on all cylinders. However, the series in Oakland had really sapped all the momentum, as we lost 2 of 3 there and replicated the feat in Toronto. When we came home to face Chicago, I was hoping for a great homestand: we had the White Sox, then two teams with losing records coming into our building. And while we went 5-4 on the homestand, I had expected better, especially if this team was going to compete for a division title.
A large part of that was the injury to Harold Reynolds. Harold was doing an exemplary job setting the table for our big guns, and was well on his way to a career year. Replacing him would be a tough task for anyone. Don’t get me wrong: Al Newman is trying, but Al is very much a utility infielder rather than a starting second baseman.
I sighed, and decided to get it over with. I picked up the receiver and dialed Jeff’s office.
***
“Will! Thank you for returning my call, I was hoping to talk about the team for a while.” Jeff’s overly excited delivery caused me to roll my eyes. Thankfully, you can’t be seen while talking on the phone.
Jeff continued: “I’ve been doing some thinking on the team. I hired some consultants to runs some complicated mathematical tests on the team, so I’ve got quite a bit of information at my fingers here. Let’s see…” He thumbed his way through what seemed like a pretty comprehensive notebook. “…Here we go! The pitching, especially the bullpen, has been great. Fantastic job getting those guys here!”
“Thank you, sir.” I was extremely proud of the bullpen. Although I had only personally acquired Rob Murphy from the Red Sox, it was my idea to promote Kazuhiro Sasaki twice: first to the Major Leagues, second to the closer role. With the lowest bullpen ERA in the Majors, the guys have really accepted their roles well, and are performing to the best of their abilities.
“The rotation, however, leaves a little to be desired. That guy, Burba, needs to be replaced, because he just isn’t cutting so far. Maybe send him to Calgary for some seasoning?”
“Sure thing, Jeff. Actually, Dave just went down with an injury, so we’ll be bringing up Mike Gardiner from Calgary.”
“Is he any good?”
“We’ll find out on Sunday.”
“Alright,” Jeff continued. “Meanwhile, I had some of these consultants look for a solution to our problem at second base, and they came up with a few solutions: first, looks like Willie Randolph was cut by the Dodgers today, so we may want to take a flyer on him. Second, there is a prospect in AAA – Boone, I think – that may be interesting. He looks like he could be a future All-Star. Maybe we should think about calling him up?”
I was afraid of Jeff asking about this. Bret Boone is a great talent, but I don’t think he’s ready just yet. When we traded for Charlie Hayes last season, we parted with Fernando Vina, something that I was okay with because of the presence of Boone. He put up gaudy numbers (.336, 7 HR, 46 RBI in 247 AB) at the rookie level, and our scouts raved about his ability so much, that we rushed him to AAA Calgary. While the power was there (7 HR, 34 RBI), his average wasn’t (.269). While he was good, and probably one for the future, I was afraid of promoting him so quickly and ruining his confidence. That’s why I went with Mike Brumley instead.
“I don’t think that’s such a wise move on either account, Jeff. First, the Dodgers are under .500, so they’re probably just releasing Randolph so they can use his roster spot for an up-and-comer. Besides, he’s been out a year with elbow problems, and while he may be better offensively, Al [Newman] is better on defense hands down.
“I’m worried about Boone. He hasn’t really produced at AAA, so I didn’t think that a promotion to the big club was warranted. I know Al’s been struggling, but he’s 3-9 over his last couple of games, and he’s getting on base via walks, so I’d like to stick with Al.”
It was Jeff’s turn to sigh. “I guess you’re right, Will. But I’m not very patient right now: your success at the beginning of the month has me thirsting for a division crown. I’ll give Newman until the end of the month to improve his hitting, and then we’ll make a move. Is that fair?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Good. Nice talking to you, Will.”
***
Remember that I actually have a guy I created in the draft, POC! :D
Coach: Thanks for the heads up! I knew I'd forget...
A quick apology - I've been busy with my coaching duties this season. My last XC meet of the year is on Saturday, so expect more frequent updates from then until Thanksgiving. Thanks for your patience!
***
14. May the Force Be With Us
Seattle Mariners (24-22, 2 GB) at Minnesota Twins (20-25, 5 ½ GB)
Earlier this month, we met in Seattle. Now we take the fight to the Metrodome, where Kirk Gibson has cooled significantly, but Shane Mack (.381) and Eddie Murray (.380, 9 HR, 40 RBI) are first and second in the AL in batting average.
24 – Talk about a wild finish! Trailing 8-4 entering the 9th inning, the Mariners bat around, score 4 runs, and force extra innings. In the 10th inning, the Puget Sound Pugilists bat around again, scoring 6 times, and blowing the game wide open. A home run by Eddie Murray in the bottom of the inning is all the Twins can muster in response. Mariners 14-9 (10)
25 – Erik Hanson is in control, allowing only 2 runs on 5 hits, while striking out 7 in 8 innings of work. The Mariners bats stay hot too, lead by Alvin Davis and his 11th home run of the season. Mariners 6-2
26 – Welcome to the big leagues, kid. Mike Gardiner allows 6 runs in 4 innings, and the relievers aren’t much better. Jay Buhner’s solo home run in the 9th inning prevents the shutout, but Seattle leaves the Metrodome with its tail between its legs. Twins 13-1
Despite the home run, RF Jay Buhner has been struggling at the plate. He’ll get a few days off to clear his head while Greg Briley fills in for him.
Detroit Tigers (16-33, 19 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (26-23, 2 GB)
We welcome the worst team in the American League: now that I said that, they’ll probably sweep us. We need to tread carefully around the middle of their order, as Travis Fryman, Cecil Fielder, and Larry Sheets all have double-digit home run totals.
27 – Ladies and gentlemen, Randy Johnson and the Puget Sound Pugilists! The Big Unit strikes out 12 Tigers over 7.2 innings, while the Mariners offense scores 9 times before the 3rd inning. A nice way to rebound from the trouncing in Minnesota. Mariners 11-1
28 – Tino Martinez went 3-4, including a huge 3-run home run that provided plenty of insurance. Ken Griffey, Jr. also hit a home run, and the Mariners rolled behind the solid pitching of Bill Swift (7 innings, 3 earned runs). Mariners 9-4
1B Alvin Davis will have to sit out the next few games with a sore foot. Charlie Hayes is inserted into the lineup to play third base, while Edgar Martinez moves to the DH spot.
29 – The Tigers started hot and never looked back, and the Mariners managed only one extra-base hit all game. The Griffeys go a combined 4-9 with 2 RBI, but that’s about it for bright spots. Tigers 10-4
Seattle Mariners (28-24, 2 GB) at Chicago White Sox (28-24, 2 GB)
Our first visit to the Windy City since early April, when we lost 2 of 3 to the ChiSox; hopefully this trip turns out better. The White Sox’ two-headed monster has turned into a 3-man gang, with Danny Tartabull (10 HR) joining Frank Thomas & Sammy Sosa (16 HR each) in the middle of the lineup.
30 – Erik Hanson continues his run of good form, allowing 3 runs in 7.2 innings. He won’t factor into the decision though, as the two squads remain deadlocked at 3-3 until the 12th inning. The Puget Sound Pugilists show up late, but it’s better than never, scoring 4 times against Jesse Orosco to secure the victory. Mariners 7-3 (12)
1B Alvin Davis is healthy again, and will return to the active lineup. Charlie Hayes returns to the bench, and Edgar Martinez is moved to 3B again.
31 – After Sosa and Griffey traded home runs, the game was even, again at 3 runs apiece. However, the White Sox were the opportunistic ones today, as they pushed a run across against Jerry Reed to earn the win. White Sox 4-3
***
My monthly update to keep this from fading into oblivion...
***
MAY RECAP
MARINERS STATS
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6918/19910531m.jpg
STANDINGS
LEAGUE LEADERSCode:AL WEST AL EAST
Oakland 31-23 - Baltimore 37-17 -
California 30-24 1 Boston 35-19 2
Seattle 29-25 2 Toronto 29-24 7.5
Chicago 29-25 2 New York 26-28 11
Texas 26-28 5 Milwaukee 24-30 13
Minnesota 23-30 7.5 Cleveland 23-32 14.5
Kansas City 18-36 13 Detroit 17-36 19.5
NL WEST NL EAST
Houston 32-23 - New York 34-22 -
San Diego 29-25 2.5 Pittsburgh 30-23 2.5
Atlanta 26-26 4.5 St. Louis 26-30 8
Los Angeles 27-29 5.5 Montreal 26-30 8
San Francisco 26-29 6 Chicago 25-30 8.5
Cincinnati 27-31 6.5 Philadelphia 22-32 11
MILESTONESCode:BATTING AVERAGE WINS
John Kruk (SDP) .385 John Tudor (BOS) 9
Eddie Murray (MIN) .379 Bert Blyleven (CAL) 8
Jim Eisenreich (CHC) .376 Alex Fernandez (CHW) 8
Gary Sheffield (MIL) .370 Greg Harris (SDP) 8
Dion James (CLE) .361 2 players tied with 7
HOME RUNS EARNED RUN AVERAGE
Sam Horn (BAL) 20 Dave Stewart (OAK) 1.94
Sammy Sosa (CHW) 17 David Cone (NYM) 2.40
Rob Deer (MIL) 17 John Smoltz (ATL) 2.45
5 players tied with 16 Tom Browning (CIN) 2.56
Greg Harris (SDP) 2.58
RUNS BATTED IN STRIKEOUTS
Frank Thomas (CHW) 53 Randy Johnson (SEA) 99
Dante Bichette (CAL) 51 Dwight Gooden (NYM) 80
Barry Bonds (PIT) 51 Greg Maddux (CHC) 75
Sam Horn (BAL) 50 F. Valenzuela (LAD) 74
Troy Neel (OAK) 50 2 players tied with 70
STOLEN BASES SAVES
Kenny Lofton (HOU) 32 John Franco (NYM) 14
Otis Nixon (CLE) 25 Steve Chitren (OAK) 13
Vince Coleman (PHI) 22 5 players tied with 12
Bip Roberts (HOU) 17
Lenny Dykstra (PHI) 16
5/7 – Brewers 3B Paul Molitor: 2000th Hit
5/10 – A’s 3B Carney Lansford: 1000th Run
5/10 – Angels SS Alan Trammell: 2000th Hit
EXTENSIONS
5/13 – White Sox SP Melido Perez (3)
5/17 – Orioles SP Pete Harnisch (2)
5/26 – Blue Jays SP Todd Stottlemyre (2)
5/27 – Twins CF Shane Mack (3)
MAJOR INJURIES
5/3 – Angels CF Devon White: out 2 months (torn elbow ligament)
5/14 – Mariners 2B Harold Reynolds: out 10 weeks (ruptured cervical disk)
TRADES
5/17 – Oakland A’s trade SS Walt Weiss to Atlanta Braves for RP Dwayne Henry and RF Tommy Gregg
5/28 – New York Mets trade RP Alejandro Pena and SS Mario Diaz to St. Louis Cardinals for RP Mark Thurmond and C Tom Pagnozzi
RETIREMENTS
5/17 – 3B Tom Brookens (37)
5/28 – SP John Leister (30)
***
It's not that I'm cheap, it's just a lot of money to send you all a personalized gift. So you're all getting an update! Merry Christmas!
***
15. Storm’s A-Brewin’…
Seattle Mariners (29-25, 2 GB) at Chicago White Sox (29-25, 2 GB)
1 – Alex Fernandez improves to 9-1 on the season at our expense. Despite Randy Johnson’s 10 strikeouts, he gives up 3 runs, which is more than you can allow when Fernandez 4-hits the Mariners through 8 innings. White Sox 4-1
2 – Bill Swift shuts down the White Sox, allowing only 2 runs over 8 innings of work. Alvin Davis and Jay Buhner hit home runs to power the offense, and Kaz Sasaki closes the door to split the series. Mariners 5-2
***
1991 AMATEUR DRAFT [AGE] (OVR)
1. MIN – SP Felipe Tovias [18] (56)
2. CLE – SP Josh Rutledge [18] (67)
3. DET – 1B Todd Helton [17] (74)
4. PHI – SP Carlton Loewer [17] (56)
5. NYM – SP Edwin Curtis [17] (52)
6. CHC – SP Jared Surface [17] (50)
7. BAL – LF David Dellucci [17] (61)
8. KCR – SP Fredric Myers [17] (54)
9. MON – 3B Geoff Blum [18] (58)
10. LAD – SP Rico Torres [17] (61)
11. ATL – SP Jason Schmidt [18] (61)
12. CIN – SP Brett Tomko [18] (52)
13. TOR – RP Tom Davey [17] (61)
14. SFG – RP Troy Mortensen [18] (52)
15. SEA – RF Ichiro Suzuki [17] (70)
16. STL – SP Tim Tolan [18] (50)
17. SDP – 3B Tony Batista [17] (60)
18. MIL – SP Chris Maddison [17] (53)
19. OAK – SP Blake Stein [17] (50)
20. HOU – C Mitch Melusky [17] (63)
21. CHW – SP Jeff Lantz [18] (50)
22. TEX – RP Julio Santana [18] (48)
23. NYY – SS Tony Baggaley [17] (51)
24. CAL – SP Jason Dickson [18] (53)
25. BOS – SS Nomar Garciaparra [17] (65)
26. PIT – SP Jason Johnson [17] (51)
34. KCR – 1B Mike Sweeney [17] (65)
54. CLE – SP Bartolo Colon [18] (56)
70. MIL – LF Will Thompson [16] (65)
132. CLE – CF Johnny Damon [17] (71)
MARINERS PICKS:
1. RF Ichiro Suzuki [17] (70) – Kasugai, Japan
Why another outfielder? Because the kid can flat-out rake. He hit .367 over his high school career. He doesn’t hit for much power, but is a very fast runner and is a fantastic fielder. At the very worst, he could be a pinch-runner/4th outfielder. The sky is the limit for this kid.
2. RP Knox Costenbader [21] (48) – Hildreth, IL via UC-Irvine
3. C Joe DePastino [17] (60) – Philadelphia, PA
4. RP Bobby Mosaueda [21] (48) – Catano, Puerto Rico via Baylor Univ.
5. 3B Norihiro Nakamura [17] (53) – Osaka, Japan
6. 2B Aaron Holbert [18] (53) – Torrance, CA
***
Seattle Mariners (30-26, 3 ½ GB) at Texas Rangers (28-28, 5 ½ GB)
While the Rangers can slug with anyone, their pitching is nothing to write home about – their second-best starter is the 44-year-old Nolan Ryan. The lineup of Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez, Mike Stanley, Gary Gaetti, Ivan Rodriguez, and Jose Hernandez will be tough one to navigate; hopefully our pitchers are up to the task.
4 – After Junior’s 17th home run of the season tied the game at 9, Mike Jackson was brought into the game to keep Texas off the scoreboard. Unfortunately for Seattle, Jackson allowed 4 runs in two-thirds of an inning, leaving almost no chance for a comeback. Rangers 13-9
Randy Johnson will miss his next start with a sore elbow. I’m thinking about bringing Dave Fleming up from AA Jacksonville for the day, but not sure about that decision. We might be able to start a few guys on 3 days rest, especially after the atrocity that Brian Holman turned in today.
5 – Trailing 4-2 entering the top of the 7th inning, the Mariners offense explodes for 8 runs, capped by Junior’s 18th home run of the season and first career grand slam. Junior drove in 5 runs in the game, while Tino Martinez chipped in 4 RBI of his own. Mariners 10-5
6 – Kevin Brown does a number on our bats, allowing only 2 unearned runs over 7 innings of standout baseball. Mike Stanley blasts 2 home runs for the Rangers, while Mike Gardiner continues to prove that he doesn’t belong in a Major League rotation. Rangers 6-2
California Angels (32-27, 4 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (31-28, 5 ½ GB)
Led by their new double-play tandem of Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker, the Angels have surged to second place in the West division. Tim Salmon and Jim Edmonds provide hope for the present and future of the organization, while a reborn Bert Blyleven (292) aims for his 300th career win.
7 – Brad Holman (Brian’s younger brother) makes his Major League debut, getting the start in place of Randy Johnson. He doesn’t do too badly (4 ER in 4.2 innings), but not well enough, as the Angels bullpen wards off a late Mariners charge to get the win. Angels 7-6
8 – A game between two early candidates for the AL Cy Young award definitely lived up to its billing: Bill Swift and Bert Blyleven dueled to a 4-3 Angels lead entering the bottom of the 9th inning. One out after Omar Vizquel’s lead-off single, Ken Griffey, Jr. stepped into the box to face Brendan Donnelly. One 2-1 fastball later, Junior had taken the league-lead in RBI’s, tied for the league lead in HR’s, and won the game for the Mariners with his 4th career walk-off! Mariners 5-4
9 – Another tightly contested game – Brian Holman gets one back for the Holman family, but Charlie Hayes’ pinch-hit 2-run single in the bottom of the 8th inning breaks a 3-3 tie and gives the Mariners the series. Kazuhiro Sasaki improves to a perfect 8-for-8 in save opportunities. Mariners 5-3
DAY OFF
10 – Thankfully, Al Newman is hitting better – Willie Randolph just retired this week, thereby eliminating one of our backup plans for 2nd base. We also had our first major trade happen this season. I’m a little disappointed; I was looking into Storm Davis as a potential #5 starter as we get closer to the deadline, but he’s headed to the Mets for 2 marginal prospects.
While we’ve been muddling through .500 ball with our immediate competitors, the Athletics have reeled off 9 straight victories, opening up a bit of a margin in the AL West race. We’ll hope to get back on track with…exactly the same week as last week? Yup; we begin the week with 3 at Texas, then come home for 3 against California.
Seattle Mariners (33-29, 6 ½ GB) at Texas Rangers (30-32, 9 ½ GB)
Not much to say that wasn’t said last week: Kevin Brown yadda yadda, powerful offense yadda yadda, pitching will rule the day et cetera.
11 – A rare off-night from Erik Hanson leads to a shootout, and you shouldn't bet against The Gambler! Kenny Rogers does just enough before passing the ball to his bullpen, who proceed to keep the M’s off the board and give the Rangers the win. Rangers 10-8
12 – Kevin Brown outduels Brad Holman (who doesn’t have the stamina to be a starter yet), and the Rangers bats prove to be just too much as Texas takes their 3rd straight from the Mariners. Rangers 4-2
13 – A battle of past versus present: the all-time strikeout leader (Nolan Ryan) taking on the 1991 strikeout leader (Randy Johnson). Ryan seized the early advantage with Ruben Sierra’s 1st-inning home run, but the Mariners rally back to give Johnson the last laugh, thanks in large part to Alvin Davis’ 3-run shot in the 7th inning. In the end, Johnson won both the battle (10 K’s to Ryan’s 9) and the game. Mariners 9-3
California Angels (36-29, 3 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (34-31, 5 ½ GB)
Again: Trammell & Whitaker yadda yadda, Edmonds & Salmon yadda yadda, Bert Blyleven still sitting on 292.
14 – Blyleven and Swift hook up again, but this time Bert gets his 293rd career win. His offense was a major factor in that, as they scored 10 runs against Swifty and the Mariners’ suddenly beleaguered bullpen. Angels 10-4
15 – Never, under ANY circumstances, should you let Greg Gagne beat you. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened: the light-hitting infielder’s 3-run home run doomed the Mariners to defeat again. Angels 6-2
16 – Erik Hanson plays the role of the stopper, striking out 10 Angels over 8+ innings. Meanwhile, our offense knocks 2 pitchers out of the game in the 1st inning by plating 9 runs, giving Hanson plenty of cushion for his 9th win of the season. Mariners 10-1
Bad news on the injury front: Ken Griffey Sr. will miss over a month with a stretched knee ligament. While I’m glad that it’s not Junior (who has been literally carrying this team), Senior was an integral part of our lineup. Greg Briley will get the starts in left field during his absence, and Alonzo Powell makes his return to the big club from AAA Calgary.
DAY OFF
17 – Day off
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Ok were ready for our next update. It's been like a month so I figured were due... right?
mj10: Hey! It's only been 3 weeks! Gimme a break! :D I'll try and get something up for you by this weekend.
In the meantime, I encourage you and all my other readers to check out this post HERE. It will give you information on my plans for Griffey Years and Shot of Redemption, give you a status update on Trapped in the Basement, and shed some light on a few of my future plans.
Old dynasties never die: they just keep getting bumped back onto the first page! And it's still technically weekend, so there...
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16. Night Swimming
Seattle Mariners (35-33, 7 ½ GB) at Oakland Athletics (43-26, 1st)
The bane of my existence: Mark McGwire (19 HR) leads the powerful A’s offense into battle, and after a late start to the season, Jose Canseco has regained his MVP-form of 1988 (.341, 13 HR in 91 AB)
18 – This is why we can’t have nice things: Brad Holman (the suckier brother) pitches an outstanding game, allowing only 2 hits over 5.1 innings. However, Superman rides into Oakland wearing a Jose Canseco jersey – the Cuban superstar hit 2 home runs against the Mariners bullpen to snatch a walk-off victory from the jaws of defeat. A’s 4-3
19 – Randy Johnson strikes out 9 A’s in 5.1 innings, but also gives up 5 runs. It’s simply too much for our offense to handle, although Junior tried his darndest (2 solo homers); our bullpen (4 runs allowed) wasn’t doing any favors either. A’s 9-4
20 – Bill Swift gets knocked out in the 4th inning, having already allowed 8 runs to cross the plate. Not good, as we get swept at the hands of the division leaders. A’s 10-2
Texas Rangers (35-36, 10 ½ GB) at Seattle Mariners (35-36, 10 ½ GB)
Nothing like a little home cooking to get us back on our feet! We face off with the Rangers for the 3rd time this month – I’m getting pretty sick of these guys.
21 – Brian Holman makes it 2 straight good starts for the Holman family, allowing 2 runs in 7.2 innings, and Kazuhiro Sasaki bounces back to record the save and preserve the win, getting the Mariners back to .500. Mariners 3-2
RF Jay Buhner has been struggling all season long - .206, 13 HR, 34 RBI. Today, his season just got worse, as he’ll miss almost a month with a ruptured knee ligament. Greg Briley will shift over to right field, Alonzo Powell makes his way into the lineup in leftfield, and OF Patrick Lennon will be called up from AAA Calgary for his first big league trip, as ‘Bone’ goes on the DL.
Edgar Martinez needs a day off, so Charlie Hayes will get the start at the hot corner.
22 – Erik Hanson does his usual routine, pitching his way through trouble as our offense supports him with plenty of runs. Today it was Alvin Davis supplying the honors, launching his 17th home run of the season as Hanson collects his 10th win of the year. Mariners 8-3
Edgar is ready to return to the lineup, but will do so in leftfield - just trying that experiment out again.
23 – Just two weeks ago, Kaz Sasaki was unhittable. He’s now blown 2 saves in the last week, as the Mariners rally to extend the game goes to waste thanks to a few poor pitches by their Japanese closer. Rangers 5-3 (10)
DAY OFF
24 - F***. Erik Hanson will miss 3 weeks with a sore shoulder. Erik has been our best pitcher all season, and in a paper-thin rotation already using a reliever as their 5th starter, this is nothing but bad news. I hit the waiver wire hard, and pull back SP Roy Smith – not great, but he’ll do. C Bert Heffernan gets the bump from our 40-man to make room for Smith, who will start our first game in Los Angeles on Friday.
Oakland Athletics (47-28, 1st) at Seattle Mariners (37-37, 9 ½ GB)
The West-leading A’s make their first trip to the Pacific Northwest this season, and the Mariners are looking to exact some revenge from that sweep last week. Fortunately, we have our rotation lined up perfectly – our 3 healthy starters are slated to go against the powerful A’s offense.
25 – Again, Randy Johnson fails to realize that strikeouts are not as important as keeping the opponent off the scoreboard – although 11 K’s are nice, it’s not as great as 5 runs in 4 innings pitched. A’s 13-8
26 – There’s just nothing we can do. Oakland is just way too strong. A’s 12-3
27 – Well, every team has off days. We manage to catch Oakland having one, and sneak away with a victory. Charlie Hayes delivered the key hit – a 3-run homer in the 7th inning to extend the lead and put the game out of reach. Mariners 7-5
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Because you reference REM you win a cookie :D
Just a teaser. Real thing should be coming in a week or two.
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Schuerholz flashed his identification to the security guard. Damned rent-a-cops, he thought, as the guard noted his attendance on his clipboard. The guard thought it peculiar that a National League general manager had such a rooting interest in a mid-level American League game, but he had clearance to enter. He had no idea that John was packing heat: a Walther P88 semiautomatic pistol neatly concealed in a shoulder holster by his dark suit jacket. His target: Will Kane.
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