Mariners Analysis

Happy for Freddy?

So Freddy Garcia leaves the M's, gets paid big bucks AND gets to win the 4th and deciding game in the World Series?

Not too shabby to be Freddy right about now.

If Freddy had stayed with the M's, we wouldn't have witnessed the Olivo disaster, we would have had roughly $8 mil less to spend on other players and would be needing a CF.

So it's not clear cut if the M's are better off today with or without Freddy. It's complicated by that salary issue, plus the CF dilemma. Bavasi would have had to find players and have less money to do it.

Still, there is no question the Mariners could sure use a player like Freddy Garcia today. It is a LOT easier to find a player who can put up numbers like Reed than it is to find a player who pitches like Garcia.

Be happy for Freddy. Be worried about '06 for the Mariners.

That's about all we can do.

Thome to M's?

There is no doubt the Phillies are ready to trade Jim Thome to any team that will take him. Given his back and elbow problems, the Phillies also realize they will have to pay most of his $48 million contract to see him play elsewhere.

Normally I am not thrilled with the idea of taking on an old player coming off a serious injury, but the M's still need more power in the lineup. The fact the Phillies are supposedly willing to pay all but about $15 million of the contract makes Thome seem like a possible solution.

For not much more than what Scott Spiezio was making, would you take Thome?

If he is healthy next year, he could supply much needed power at a greatly reduced rate. The M's need to be creative if they truly want to improve next year- it's not just the pitching. The M's were one of the worst hitting teams in baseball this past season.

If I were Bavasi, I would at least make some inquiries about Thome...

Pujols and the Cards...

Quick thoughts on last nights game.

First, would it kill the Cards to get excited? While I don't expect them to celebrate like they just won the series, how about a little joy at least. A play like last night can turn the momentum completely, but you diffuse the effect if you pretend you are so business-like. It's yet another reason for me to root against Tony and his team.

Second, I have long questioned in my mind if Pujols is really 25. Seeing him yet again, he seems to get older exponentially. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time I see him, he's completely bald and sports a grey goatee. By next year, he's posing with his grandkids...

Common sense says the two best teams during the season were the Cards and the White Sox. Both teams were the most consistent in their leagues during the season, and deserve to make it to the WS.

We'll see if Houston will allow that to happen.

White Sox pitching

Wow.

That has been the White Sox pitching against the Angels. I am surprised the Angels went down so quietly, but the White Sox shut down Vlad and displayed the kind of pitching the M's should possess.

It is a good lesson- if you have to take great hitting or great pitching, take the pitching every time. You have options to make your offense good enough- it is harder to create good pitching, as the M's will find out this winter.

It makes you wonder if trading Garcia was such a good thing. Today, we have a light hitting CF, a catcher who is gone and a player with no position in the organization. What we don't have is the equivalent of Garcia- eats innings and doesn't miss starts.

Let's see if Garcia's contract number ($9 mil/yr) gets an equivalent pitcher via free agency.

I'm betting it does not.

Angels clearly robbed

While I should be rooting for Chicago for a number of reasons, I can't help but feel bad for the Southern California, Orange County, Los Angeles-whatever-they-call-themselves Angels and that 9th inning call.

What are the chances an ump blows a call in the bottom of the 9th inning, with two outs and the scored tied 1-1?

Pretty good it turns out!

It just adds to what makes baseball interesting. Human error and failure is a big part of the game (e.g. laughing at Pay-Rod during post season).

That aside, it would be nice if the Ump could have been an actual human being after the game and just told the truth.

What he should have said was, "Look, I've seen it on TV and he clearly catches the ball. Unfortunately when you are behind the plate, there is no way I can easily tell if he trapped the ball. I might have blown the call, and I'm sorry this had to happen."

Instead he is evasive and tries to act like he was "following the book."

If he wanted to get the call right, he could have walked out to First and LOOKED AT THE BASEBALL. I mean they replace every ball that actually touches the dirt on each pitch. A quick look at the ball would likely show if it had indeed smashed into the ground at 90-some-odd mph, but of course he didn't do that.

He also doesn't need to make an "out" sign with his arm when a batter strikes out, UNLESS HE ACTUALLY IS CALLING HIM OUT.

But again, Angels fans already know all this.

Should be a fun series- I'm now guessing the Angels are pissed and this might work in there favor.

I'll predict Angels in 7.

Bryan Price leaving a good thing

I hope we know more in the coming weeks what caused Price to leave. Problems with Hargrove? Problems with all the losses? Joining Piniella or Melvin some where? At this point, who knows.

What we do know is the M's haven't been pitching well the past few seasons under Price's watch. We know he has not solved the riddle that is Gil Meche. Maybe no one can.

But it's time to get some new blood in the organization. Frankly the present M's as we know it stink. The fact they ONLY lost 93 games instead of 99 falls is largely meaningless. Both teams stunk, and we all agree rolling out the same bunch of players and coaches we had this year will only result in more losing.

We may come to regret having Price leave, but I doubt it. The M's need fresh ideas, and perhaps that's the biggest reason behing his leaving.

Beltre to the Angels?

A rumor has been floating about on the 'Net that the M's have already offered Beltre to the Angels.

There is no way this rumor has any truth to it- I cannot in any way imagine Bavasi offering anything to a division rival as they are preparing for the playoffs.

Unless more information becomes available, I have to believe this is just a really bad rumor.