Mariners Morsels - aka "Free Adam Moore and Rich Poythress! (George Sherrill is FREE!)"

Modeling a new uniform, sportin' the goatee again. And still the brim isn't bent...




(Courtesy of the Baltimore Sun)

Labels: bad decisions, George is awesome, George Sherrill

(borrowed from BaltimoreOrioles.com)

A couple of quick observations from the ASG tonight:

• First thing I noticed was the 3-day goatee making a subtle appearance. I laughed at George's rebellion.
  
• I timed it perfectly -- I was outside doing yardwork and getting the house ready to sell and came in just as George came out from the bullpen, into the game.
• Leave it to the AL to play like the Mariners and not score the runner from 2nd when no one was out. It was bittersweet that George did his thing and didn't get the victory or the save. Man, what if...
• Twenty-five pitches, 18 strikes. 'Nuff said.
• Definitely deserved consideration for the MVP. Coming in with the bases loaded and getting a 3-pitch strikeout? Awesome!

What a great way to handle the spotlight.

Labels: All Star Game, George is awesome, George Sherrill, Incredible

From LOOGY to All-Star, practically overnight.

Not bad for a guy who wasn't drafted out of college and who had to fight his way into MLB.

I'm sure someone at the ASG can teach you how to bend your brim...

Congrats, GS52! Awesome. Just. Awesome!

(Kudos even further to Deanna who made the above photo, one of my faves of GS52 in the M's blues)

Labels: All Star Game, Bend yer brim, George is awesome, George Sherrill

Yep. George Sherrill T-Shirt night in Baltimore on July 1st.

Amazing, isn't it. Wish that shirt were blue, though...

Labels: Baltimore, George is awesome, George Sherrill

Here's something to ponder. Will George get to his first ASG this year?



As of today, he's second in the AL in saves. Considering that the O's are in last place, he's not getting many save opportunities (as expected, really). Of course, GS52 almost has as many saves vs. the Mariners (5) as J.J. Putz has saves vs. everyone (6).

Now, I recognize that saves aren't everything. But they do count for the person who's racking them up, and they give something to sportswriters and agents to talk about. He has fewer walks than Putz (in 14 MORE Batters faced (BFPs)) and K-Rod (in 2 fewer BFPs). I never said George would be a dominant, lights-out closer, but I've always thought he'd handle the role very well. Not bad for a shy kid from the Memphis area who plowed through major obstacles, taking the road less-travelled to the big leagues.

With Putz struggling mightily, and with the M's believing they actually have more than a snowball's chance in Gehenna of making the playoffs (and therefore are unwilling to move Morrow out of the setup spot and into the rotation), wouldn't it be nice to have George around? Of course he's probably a lot more respected where he's at, and is actually coming into games for more than just one LH batter...

Labels: All Star Game, George is awesome, George Sherrill, GS52

This might very well be the first photo of George in an Orioles' uniform with his brim bent! Yeah, I know, it's only a spring training/batting practice cap, but hey -- it's a start.

I had the time of my life at the game. It was definitely bittersweet for me going to the enemy bullpen and seeing a friend. Thanks to the awesomeness of George Sherrill (and, of course, Sid too), I got to sit 22 rows up from home plate for his return to Safeco Field. I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- my fandom of George goes well beyond his status as a Mariner player (of course, now being a former Mariner).

It was an awesome game -- Guthrie matched Felix pretty well, and I was very very surprised to see Trembley leave him in there after 100 pitches. I turned to a family friend of the Sherrills (with whom I had the pleasure of spending most of the pre-game with, to which and gave a guided tour of Safeco) and said "Here comes Walker to face Ibanez -- he's terrible against lefties!"


Well, the decision to leave Guthrie in to intentionally walk Ibanez came back to haunt Trembley -- after walking Beltre to load the bases, I was the lone voice in a sea of Orioles friends and family members (okay, there were some M's fans to the side of me -- but I was sitting in the O's players' seats) chanting "Fra-ank Tho-mas (clap clap, clapclapclap)!" when Vidro came to the plate (in the spirit of good ol' Lookout Landing mockery).


Needless to say, I was quite happy that the M's didn't have to face George tonight in my presence. After all -- my cell phone LCD display got smashed somewhere along the way tonight, and I could barely dial Sid's number a few innings earlier. It would've been tough to try and put the "Hey -- don't call Sid when George is pitching" jinx, whether or not my cell phone actually was working.

And this night was even made more awesome by the fact that I was able to take my son along with me and share a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was fun for him being able to talk to George in the 'pen, I'm sure, and getting to hang out with one of Brian Roberts' relatives (a 4-year-old close enough to his age -- the only kid I've met that actually could keep up with my son's energy level and not be put off by his crazy silliness).

I heard in the post-game show that Felix had caught that nasty bug going around the clubhouse (and, well, my house, too). He got off to a slow start, but found the strike zone and while not nearly at full kingly strength. It was good enough and -- like Bedard's Opening Day start -- he showed his aceness by being able to pitch through adversity when he didn't have his greatest stuff.

I sure felt like a king being there...

Jeez. It's late. I'll have many more pictures in the coming days. I may not ever get to experience a baseball game like that one again. What a night!

Labels: former players, Game reviews, George is awesome, George Sherrill, Photography, priceless moments, Safeco Field

The last three coming against our beloved Mariners.

See -- We told you George was good!

But it's not because of the brim. Bend it, dude, bend it!

(Photo from MLB.com -- Rob Carr/AP)

Labels: bad decisions, George is awesome, George Sherrill, GS52

George Sherrill is FREE!!!

I can't put down in words how incredibly excited I am right now. These past four years have been intense, exciting, frustrating, and fun.

No, Mariners Morsels isn't finished. The design will change, sure, as soon as I get home.

But, finally, and officially, the Free George Sherrill campaign declares VICTORY!!!!

Congratulations, George! You deserve it. I just hope Baltimore has enough ninth-inning leads for you to protect.

Labels: "Free" campaigns, George is awesome, George Sherrill, relief pitchers, saves, the power of positive thinking, trades, VICTORY

The trade, that is. Not my fandom of George, of course. Here's to hoping he can grab #52 away from John Leicester :-) And the closer's job. If not, then the Free George Sherrill campaign will continue.



You better believe I'll welcome him back when Baltimore comes to town.

Labels: bad decisions, George is awesome, Good-byes

So, GS52's career Save #4 comes on the hand of a baserunning blunder similar to Babe Ruth's 1926 World Series ending boo-boo.

I'll take it...

Labels: career stats, George is awesome, George Sherrill, relief pitchers, saves, team victory

Congrats on Save #3, George! Not that the save stat is hugely meaningful, but I'll take a 3K performance, leading to your third career save as a nice gift for my birthday tonight. Here's to many more of each (saves for you and birthdays for me) for us in the future!

Labels: George is awesome, George Sherrill, saves, winning

While I was away from the TV yesterday, mostly, watching Joey's final track meet of the season, I was able to 'watch' the game on my cell phone, thanks to the WEP version of GameCast. I was somewhat surprised that Mac left George in for the 9th, when the M's tacked on two more runs in the top of the inning and closed the door on a save opportunity for JJ. I knew that GS52 would've been eligible for the save had he been left in during the 9th, and I was both shocked and happy that it happened.

It was his longest outing since April 18th. Three K's and one walk (and on the GameCast on my cell phone, the AB with the walk was very questionable -- there appeared to be at least one strike that was called a ball, based on the graphic GameCast K zone. I'll have to go back to the game thread reactions to see if anyone commented on that pitch. It wouldn't surprise me to hear from Sid on this issue. Heh.

But whether or not it was a "vultured" save, I'll take it, and congratulate George on his second career save. I know there are more meaningful stats, sabermetrically, but saves mean a lot for player contracts, so huzzah!

What a fine season this lefty's having!

Labels: bullpen, career stats, George is awesome, George Sherrill, pitching, relief pitchers, saves, team victory, winning

Man. What a game.

I can't believe the Mariners, and their decimated bullpen, pulled out that victory. It's about time they cashed in on the expensive payments on players who were brought in to develop team chemistry. It's really nice to have exciting baseball again with the Mariners. This team may not be as good as they have been as of late, but this team isn't boring like they have been the last few years...

While Davis, O'Flaherty and Putz all did their jobs, the pitching hero definitely was our guy George. Coming in to relieve Morrow, with the bases loaded and only 1 out -- any sort of decent contact and the Cubs score a run. Top of the 9th with a lead, the Cubs probably would've won. Davis, EOF, and Putz wouldn't've gotten the chance to do what they did. And Willie wouldn't've gotten his gritty RBI (no thanks to Vidro who, when he finally made up his mind what he was doing, lucked into the run when Barrett dropped the ball).

I don't want to take away from what O'Flaherty did tonight. He pitched incredibly well, and deserves a ton of kudos, too. But if GS52 doesn't do his job in the 8th, the M's don't make it to extras.

Big High-5, George! And a big high-5 to the team for making it a team effort and a team win tonight.

Refuse to Lose is BACK!

Labels: bullpen, George is awesome, George Sherrill, pitching, relief pitchers, team victory