Game 12, Rangers at Mariners
James Paxton vs. Ross Detwiler, 1:10pm
Felix did his job. As staff ace and de facto psychologist, Felix stymied the Rangers and assuaged the fatalism and disappointment surrounding the club, if only for a few days. Every fan base does this – it’s not just M’s fans who go “here we go again” after a bleak 3-4 game stretch – but it’s nice that Felix’ greatness is such that he seems to quiet the concerns about the *offense* by making offense look unimportant. Instead of elite athletes at the far, far edge of the talent distribution pummeling pitches all over the park, Felix makes hitting look like a series of pratfalls – mistimed lunges, tepid swatting (as if at a persistent bee), and confused stares. The M’s really should’ve done more against Colby Lewis, but it just didn’t matter.
Today, the M’s go for the series win against let-hander Ross Detwiler, the one-time 6th overall pick of the Nationals who came over in a minor trade in December. Detwiler’s battled a series of injuries over the years, including a surgically repaired hip and a pinched nerve in his back. After throwing a career-high 164 1/3 regular-season IP in 2012, those injuries and the Nationals suddenly stacked rotation pushed Detwiler to a long-relief/swingman role, but he’s back in the rotation with the, uh, unstacked Rangers.
There’s nothing that really stands out in Detwiler’s repertoire – he’s got a four- and two-seam fastball at about 93-94, a curve at 80 and a change-up that he uses, rarely, against righties. So, a FB/CU pitcher – not that much different from Paxton, right? Despite the surface similarities, Detwiler’s actually got more in common with Bartolo Colon. Combining four- and two-seam fastballs, Detwiler is extremely fastball-reliant. In his big year of 2012, fully 80% of his pitches were fastballs. Last year, that number was even higher, at around 84%. Against lefties, he’s pushing 90% fairly regularly, and he was over 80% last year against righties as well. Given that approach, it’s a bit odd to see that he’s got persistently high platoon splits. Lefties just don’t seem to see his fastball well, and have a career .302 SLG% against Detwiler. Thus, Detwiler typically sees more righties than lefties, and righties have fared fairly well. So that’s great, right? The M’s can throw out a righty-heavy line-up, and they’re just *fastballs* right? Aw, man.
1: Jackson, CF
2: Weeks, DH
3: Cano, 2B
4: Cruz, RF
5: Seager, 3B
6: Ruggiano, LF
7: Bloomquist, SS
8: Morrison, 1B
9: Sucre, C
SP: Paxton
I like the top of that line-up, but it peters out towards the end. Bloomquist is at SS, and is the official back-up for a while as the M’s took Chris Taylor off the DL and optioned him to Tacoma.
Speaking of Tacoma, Mike Montgomery had a forgettable home debut last night as the Rainiers dropped the second game of their series against El Paso 6-3. Montgomery gave up 5 runs in 2 2/3 IP. Patrick Kivlehan homered. Today, Jordan Pries tries to make some adjustments and get back to where he was last season against the Chihuahuas and Jason Lane in an opening day re-match.
Jackson lost 7-3 to Mississippi yesterday, with Dylan Unsworth taking his 2nd loss; Jordan Shipers also got tagged for 2R in 2 relief innings. Braves prospect Mallex Smith, who came over from SD in an Upton trade went 3-5 with a triple. In the series, the lead-off man and CF is 10-20 with a HR. Cuban lefty Misael Siverio starts today for Jackson in the final game of the series.
Bakersfield won another 3-0 game behind Jake Zokan and Trey Cochran-Gill. The latter, another short righty from an SEC school with a good fastball, has had a brilliant start to his pro career, with 24 hits and 3 total runs in 45 2/3 IP, along with 55 Ks amd just seven un-intentional walks. We saw him a bit in spring training, where he showed a side-winding, sinking FB and a slider. Things aren’t going to get any easier today for San Jose as Edwin Diaz, who’s yet to surrender a run this year, makes his third start.
Clinton’s comeback fell short against Beloit yesterday, 6-5. Alex Jackson and Joe DeCarlo went 0-7 with 4 Ks, which isn’t what you want from your #3-4 hitters. Jefferson Medina starts today for the LumberKings against Dan Gossett, a 2014 2nd rounder for the A’s out of Clemson.
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35 Responses to “Game 12, Rangers at Mariners”
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Thank you, Felix. Yogi said winning is a great deodorant, so today the M’s don’t smell as bad. I hope Paxton is solid today. Go M’s!
On a side note, the Mariners debut their new Sunday alternate uniforms today. Unfornately, they combined the wrong two eras, (1987-92, 1993-2014), they should have combined the two trident eras for the new uniforms.
I wonder if Weeks is ever going to play 1B? Wasn’t he taking ground balls at first during spring training?
Geez, I was just getting tonight’s chili started and missed the first-inning fireworks.
Unfortunately you tuned in in time to catch the third inning fireworks.
(I’m following on Gameday, which takes most of the drama out of it)
Come on, Paxton…
Thumbs up on the new uniforms!
Thumbs down on the top of the 3rd inning!!
Well, here comes the ‘pen!
Thank god we have that guy … And we have a game again.
Nelson Cruz going to hit like 75 this year?
OK, just an idle question — when will Chris Taylor be available?
Fortunately for us, the Mariners are playing the Rangers!
Chris Taylor just came off the DL and was sent to Tacoma, wasn’t he? So… 20 days?
Taylor for Bloomquist needs to happen ASAP.
The only problem with Cruz hitting so many home runs in the first 10 games is – I can’t forget that Michael Morse did pretty much exactly the same thing, a couple years ago.
I’d like to forget, believe me…
CM, you’re forgetting that Bloomquist brings a hustle and grittiness that just don’t show up on a spreadsheet. He transcends actual performance.
Darn, no third homer.
Whelp, I think my lawnmower is calling me…
Damn. Strike 3 to Cruz was a fastball right down the middle.
My lawnmower is broken, so I’m still listening as they try to come back.
Great at bat from Seager. That was big time.
There’s an interesting name – Rougned Odor.
Well, this is interesting. I wish i could watch this game.
Holy smokes, they tied it! Now let’s finish this.
Holy smokes, they tied it! Now let’s finish this.
Are they really walking Cano to get to Cruz with the bases loaded? Huh.
Righty on Righty and struck out Cruz last time. I mean better to have the force out everywhere in a nut shell when choosing between two superstars.
I’d say Cano much more likely to make contact as well. Right move. I hope it blows up in their face lol.
woohoo!
Man Texas is bad! Haha
Unfortunately the Mariners are struggling just to eke out a series win – but Texas is doing what they can to help!
Holy moly… A win is a win, but man, enough with the late inning wins…
That game was so awesome. Terrific at bats from the M’s. What are Rangers doing though? Left Feliz in to throw 47 pitches.
Well that evens a lot of luck out. Glad I stuck with the game. How many one run games we gonna play?
Well that went from really depressing to really fun pretty quick. Amazing.
Peguero has 5 walks against 7 strikeouts – what happened to the human windmill we all know and love?
ew. Morse …
I haz-mat my brain at that mention.
Do you realize he may finish his career with the Marlins? And being a homestate boy, will probably be used for all those things homestate boys trigger … end up with not only a The-MMs-“heart”-MM bobblehead night this season, but will go into the Fish Hall of Fame in ten years.
Kinda makes you think …
Haz-mat, haz-mat, haz-mat.
Some really great at-bats by the M’s last night. Austin Jackson, Seth Smith, Seager- really good to see. Seth Smith has this confidence/swagger at the plate where he looks in total control and sure of his pitch selection. The younger hitters can hopefully learn a lot from those clutch at-bats.