Playing With A Lead

Coming into tonight’s game, the Mariners had scored a total of one run in the first inning over their first seventeen games. Against Phil Coke tonight, the Mariners notched four first-inning runs, on just one base hit. Remarkably, tonight was the first night all season that the Mariners had a lead going into the second inning of a ballgame.

Frankly, the Mariners haven’t led in too many games this season. Prior to tonight, they’ve only led one game at the start of the third inning. They’ve only led two games at the outset of the sixth inning. Playing from behind is not a recipe for winning, and it puts incredible stress on even the finest of pitchers.

To this point in the season, the Mariner offense has averaged just 3.29 runs per game. So, when a Mariner starter takes the mound, he knows that he is working with the slightest margin for error. If the ballclub falls behind early, chances are that the game will be out of reach if the opponent scores four runs.

Contrast the Mariners’ season with that of the Cleveland Indians, who have the best record in the American League right now, at 12-5. The Indians have led nine of their games at the start of the fourth inning. Hence, the best record in the American League. Playing with a lead forces opposing teams to press offensively; and, pitchers with a lead are more likely to attack opposing hitters, and are also in a position to set the game’s tempo.

This team can’t consistently wait around until the seventh and eighth innings to get going offensively if it wants to win. Also, with leads, teams can extend their starting pitchers deeper into games and lessen the burden on the bullpen. If the Mariners are going to win enough to avoid 100 losses in 2011, they need to score earlier and establish leads in ballgames.

Buster Olney Compares Mariners to Pirates

Over the weekend, ESPN Senior Baseball Writer, Buster Olney, compared the Mariners’ current situation to that of the Pittsburgh Pirates: “Zduriencik's challenge is a lot like Neal Huntington's [Pittsburgh’s General Manager] when he took over PITT: Work from almost nothing in the farm system. A long process.”

Olney’s statement reminds Mariner fans just how devastated the Mariner minor league system was at the conclusion of the Bavasi era. Many of us recall the many ill-advised Bavasi-era moves that saw our most prized prospects land with new organizations. Bavasi shipped out prospects Shin-Soo Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera out to Cleveland in separate lopsided deals. Then, Chris Tillman and Adam Jones were included as key pieces in the now-infamous 5-for-1 deal with Baltimore for Erik Bedard.

The farm system Jack Z inherited when he was hired was not only plagued by Bavasi’s poorly-conceived trades, but a series of first-round draft selections that either didn’t pan out or were groomed as relievers: Jeff Clement (2005), Brandon Morrow (2006), Phillippe Aumont (2007), and Josh Fields (2008). Essentially, Zduriencik had to start over from scratch and rebuild the Mariners organization at all levels of the minor leagues.

When Buster Olney describes the long rebuilding process, he is referencing players, many of whom are between 18-24, that are currently working their way through the Mariners minor league affiliates. They are playing in places like Tacoma (Ackley, Halman, Cortes, Peguero, French, Beavan, Liddi), Jackson (Chavez, Triunfel, Seager, Poythress, McOwen), Clinton (Littlewood, Baron), and High Desert (Franklin, Almonte).

I agree with Olney, in that developing an organization to the point that the farm system produces MLB-ready players is a long (and frustratingly painful) process. With very few exceptions it takes years of seasoning to take a kid straight from high school and prepare him for the big leagues.

The good news for the Mariners is that, in addition to having young talent on the way, they have more financial resources at their disposal than do the small-market teams like the Pirates. In recent years, the Mariners have maintained a payroll double that of the Pirates. Remember, in 2008 they were the first team to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll. After this season, a couple of the big contracts that Bavasi inked will finally come off the books, freeing up resources so as to more aggressively pursue the free agent market. On top of that, the Mariners have the second selection in the 2011 June draft, which should net them another top-tier prospect that will become part of the nucleus of the future.

In professional sports, no general manager’s job is safe. There is a constant pressure to win now. Though, even as painful as 2010 was, and as painful as 2011 already is, there may be hope on the horizon. Cross your fingers, Mariner fans.

Batting With Runners in Scoring Position

For teams with offenses not built on power production, their reliance on batting with runners in scoring position becomes much more imperative. They can’t wait around for a 3-run homerun, but instead must string together multiple singles/walks. But, if a team like the Mariners can’t get hits once it moves runners to second or third base, it will struggle to put up runs. Such has been the case thus far in 2011.

Today, the Mariners were shut out by the Royals, 5-0, despite outhitting them 7-6. Yet, the M’s offense left eleven runners on base, going 0-9 with runners in scoring position. The Royals, on the other hand, only left four runners on base, batting 4-9 with runners in scoring position. Today’s performance with runners in scoring position evidences what appears to be a trend with this team.

To this point in the young season, the offense’s collective batting average with runners in scoring position has been a key reason why the Mariners are 4-11. Coming into today’s game (and before going 0-9 today), the Mariners were hitting .196 (22-112) with runners in scoring position. To put this into perspective, last year, when the Mariners lost 101 games and posted historically-low offensive numbers, their team batting average with runners in scoring position was thirty points higher, at .226 (119-604). At last season’s end, many of us thought things couldn’t get worse in 2011. Were we wrong?

Typically, teams that hit with runners in scoring position win ballgames. The 2001 Mariners were no exception. That team won a record 116 games. The offense batted .295 with runners in scoring position. The 2001 Mariners were good; the 2011 version is not. The good news is that the season is still very young, and there is plenty of time to improve.

Celebrating Jackie Robinson Day 2011

On April 15, 1997 MLB retired Jackie Robinson’s number 42 throughout the Major Leagues. That day, Mariner Ken Griffey, Jr. with the permission of Jackie Robinson’s widow, wore number 42 in Jackie’s honor. Here is a nice story summarizing Griffey’s role in shaping Jackie Robinson Day.

The Mariners won their April 15, 1997 game that day in Cleveland, 8-4. Bob Wells earned the win in relief of Bob Wolcott, and Norm Charlton worked two innings to pick up his third save of the season. Former Mariner Mike Jackson picked up the loss in relief. Griffey, with his high socks and number 42 jersey, collected two hits and scored two runs, adding a walk and an RBI.

On April 15, 2004 MLB declared April 15 to be Jackie Robinson Day, and the following year, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig declared that each April 15 thereafter would be commemorated as Jackie Robinson Day.

In 2007, the sixtieth anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier, Griffey again received permission from the Robinson family to wear number 42. Bud Selig then extended an invitation to other players around the MLB to wear 42 in Robinson’s honor. Over 150 players, and five entire teams, opted to honor the Hall-of-Famer by wearing his number, prompting some controversy. C.C. Sabathia, then of the Cleveland Indians, said, “It [having so many players wearing 42] kind of waters it down. I could see the Dodgers since that was his team, but not everyone else.” Torii Hunter, at that time with the Twins, shared Sabathia’s concern: “This is supposed to be an honor, and just a handful of guys wearing the number. Now you’ve got entire teams doing it. I think we’re killing the meaning. It should be special wearing Jackie’s number, not just because it looks cool.”

Griffey, though, didn’t share the distaste of Sabathia and Hunter. Instead, he embraced the mass support in honor of Jackie: “I didn’t know so many guys planned to wear the number. I sure wasn’t expecting whole teams to wear it. But, I’m not going to look at it as a negative. This is a tribute for what the man has done, a day to celebrate.”

In 2008, even more players and teams were wearing Jackie Robinson’s number, and this time, Sabathia appeared more accepting of players choosing to wear Jackie’s number 42: “It's pretty cool that guys are going to be doing it [wearing 42] again.” And, since 2009, all uniformed MLB personnel—players, managers, coaches, umpires—have worn forty-two on April 15.

Since Jackie Robinson Day was first established in 2004, the Mariners are 5-1 on April 15 games.

How Michael Pineda's Home Debut Stacks Up

Last night, 22 year-old Michael Pineda, in his Safeco Field debut, earned his first MLB win. He worked into the eighth inning (7.1 IP), allowing just two runs (one earned run), on five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. He worked ahead of hitters and had command of all his pitches. Mariner fans will look forward to witnessing many more performances like that this year and into the future.

But, how did Michael Pineda’s Mariner home debut stack up against other young Mariner pitching prospects’ home debuts? Let’s stroll down memory lane. You may recall many of these young Mariner starters.

Mike Moore (1st overall pick 1981 by Mariners) (age 22, 4/17/1982 vs. Oakland, Kingdome)—Loss, 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP.

Mark Langston (2nd Round pick 1981 by Mariners) (age 23, 4/7/1984 vs. Milwaukee, Kingdome)—Win, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K.

Bill Swift (2nd overall pick 1984 by Mariners) (age 23, 6/11/1985 vs. Chicago, Kingdome)—Loss, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.

Scott Bankhead (16th pick overall, 1st round 1984 by Royals, traded to Mariners in December 1986 as centerpiece in a package for Rick Luecken and Danny Tartabull) (age 23, 4/14/1987 vs. California, Kingdome)—Win, 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.

Erik Hanson (2nd Round pick 1986 by Mariners) (age 23, 9/16/1988 vs. Milwaukee, Kingdome)—Loss, 8 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 11 K.

Randy Johnson (2nd Round pick 1985 by Expos, traded to Mariners in May 1989 as part of a five-player deal which sent Mark Langston to Montreal) (age 25, 6/4/1989 vs. Texas, Kingdome)—Win, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER (1R), 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP.

Roger Salkeld (#3 overall pick 1989 by Mariners) (age 23, 4/28/1994 vs. New York, Kingdome)—Win, 6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 K.

Freddy Garcia (signed as free agent 1993 by Houston; acquired by Mariners from Houston in a 1998 deadline deal as part of a package in exchange for Randy Johnson) (age 23, 4/7/1999 vs. Chicago, Kingdome)—Win, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.

Felix Hernandez (signed as free agent 2002 by Mariners) (age 19, 8/9/2005 vs. Minnesota, Safeco Field)—Win, 8 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K.

I’d venture to say that Mr. Pineda’s home debut stacks up well against some of the most heralded pitching prospects in Mariner history. His box score from last night resembles those of guys named Langston, Johnson, and Hernandez. That’s not bad company.

Mariners Baseball: Ready to Play

The first week of the season has been really disappointing to all Mariner fans. Many of the frustrating things we’ve seen were largely expected. For example, we have watched some young guys in the bullpen get roughed up a bit in games; and, the offense has struggle, as it did pretty much all last year. Now, we are 2-7, losers of seven straight.

The boo-birds are already out at Safeco during home games, and frankly, the fans have good reason to express their irritation over the current level of play.

Yet, as expected as the struggles from a shaky offense and young bullpen were from the get-go, one dimension of the Mariners’ shortcomings is far more alarming: what appears to be a lack of concentration involving baseball’s most basic fundamentals. Manager Eric Wedge was brought in following the second 101-loss season in the past three years, and one of his tasks was to have his guys playing smart, fundamental baseball—something noticeably absent from recent Mariner teams. Wedge has a reputation for managing smart, fundamentally-sound baseball teams. But, to this point in 2011, we are seeing a lack of fundamentals out of players from whom we, as Mariner fans, have come to expect more.

We see Jack Wilson making two errors at second base in one inning. I realize he is a shortstop by trade, and second base is a new position for him. But Jack Wilson, who has won a Fielding Bible Award at shortstop, should be capable of catching feeds from shortstop and making throws to first base.

Another player whose defensive fundamentals have lapsed in the early stages of the season is Ichiro—a ten time all-star and ten-time American League Gold Glove recipient. We are nine games into the season, and he’s already made two errors from the outfielder. Last week, he misjudged a ball lined at him and ended up with his glove turned the wrong way, as the ball ricocheted off the heel of his glove, then off his chest. Then, yesterday afternoon, he airmailed the cut-off man on a throw to home, forcing cut-off man Justin Smoak to jump into the air and extend his arm for it. The ball tipped off the top of his glove and trickled away, allowing runners to advance. These are the types of things fans may expect to see from outfielders like Milton Bradley or Jack Cust (if he were to get a start in the OF), but not Ichiro. We expect more from our perennial Gold-Glover, and manager Eric Wedge must demand the same.

Ichiro may not make another error for weeks, and he may finish the season just those two. He and Jack Wilson may very well earn Gold Gloves at their respective positions when all is said and done. But for now, Mariner fans need to see more from their defensive stars.

The lack of fundamentals from an offensive standpoint are even more numerous. For a further breakdown, complete with examples, read through a play-by-play account of Saturday night’s 2-1 loss to the Indians.

The Mariners Call on Chris Gimenez

Adam Moore injured his knee scrambling for a ball that got away from him in the eighth inning against the Rangers during the series finale Wednesday afternoon down in Arlington. It turns out Moore suffered a tear of his menial meniscus in his right knee. The tear will require surgery and Moore has been placed on the 60-day disabled list for now.

With Moore’s injury, many Mariner followers believed the team would call up Josh Bard, who spent significant time with the club last season (39 games), to serve as Miguel Olivo’s backup. But, instead the Mariners went in a different direction. They opted to call up super utility man, Chris Gimenez.

Typically, the most “versatile” utility players can play different infield spots, and maybe a corner outfield position. Some guys, like Willie Bloomquist, can do all that, plus play centerfield. Gimenez, though, is unique, in that, in seven seasons of professional baseball, he has logged innings playing corner outfield positions, corner infield positions, and catcher. At the MLB level, in 73 games over the past two seasons, Gimenez has played both corner outfield positions, first base, and catcher.

Eric Wedge knows Gimenez well, as Gimenez spent the entirety of his seven-year professional career, prior to 2011, in the Cleveland organization, before joining the Mariners organization this offseason.

As versatile as he is defensively, though, Gimenez hasn’t been able to stick around at the MLB level because of his bat. In 169 career MLB at-bats, he’s batted .160, with a .267 OBP and .272 SLG. In almost 600 games spanning various levels in the minor leagues, he’s batted .268/.377/.463.

Here, Gimenez is being called up from Tacoma to backup Miguel Olivo at catcher. And on paper, he appears a competent backup catcher. Gimenez, over his MLB career, has thrown out 12 of 39 potential base-stealers, a 31% rate. To put this into perspective, Josh Bard has thrown out 21% of would-be base-stealers, Miguel Olivo has thrown out 35%, and Adam Moore has thrown out 17%. Granted, a pitcher’s ability to hold on base-runners, or the pitch on which a runner attempts to steal, is just as significant as the catcher’s “defense” in evaluating this statistic, but the numbers do demonstrate that Gimenez is capable of doing the job behind the plate twice a week. Finally, over his MLB career (32 games behind the plate, and just under 225 total innings caught), Gimenez has allowed a single passed ball and committed just one error.

Welcome to Seattle, Chris Gimenez.