Anaheim (3-3) @ Seattle (5-2)

[TTown]

Ichiro hits a grand slam. He didn't just hit that pitch, he murdered it. Welcome back, Ich.

11-3 M's, still in the 7th.

[TheUrbanZealot]

Washburn's on a roll...Jesus.

Am I the only one who doesn't like this whole "everyone wear #42 for Jackie Robinson" thing? It seems like it's honoring nothing...taking advantage of an epic achievement for the purpose of blatant exploitation. Allowing certain players to wear the number on this day in year's past is one thing, but forcing everyone in the league to wear it is simply disgusting. Celebrating diversity by forced uniformity. Unreal.

So let me get this straight. MLB pays tribute to the one person who is primarily responsible for giving opportunity to future minority players, for ONE day, and you think it's disgusting.

I say it's disgusting that you associate honoring a historical figure like Jackie Robinson (for one damn day mind you), to the word "disgusting".

You should be ashamed of yourself...

Besides, I highly doubt any player, manager, or owner felt "disgusted" that they had to be "FORCED" into wearing said jerseys.

Why can't the internet have a filter for ignorant people?

[bennith13]

Why do you only post when it is about racial matters? I never see you post about just regular baseball.

[Sweezo]

So let me get this straight. MLB pays tribute to the one person who is primarily responsible for giving opportunity to future minority players, for ONE day, and you think it's disgusting.

I say it's disgusting that you associate honoring a historical figure like Jackie Robinson (for one damn day mind you), to the word "disgusting".

You should be ashamed of yourself...

Besides, I highly doubt any player, manager, or owner felt "disgusted" that they had to be "FORCED" into wearing said jerseys.

Why can't the internet have a filter for ignorant people?

It's almost as if you didn't really read what I said and then made a post solely for the purpose of attempting to appear morally superior. In honor of Jackie Robinson, today you've taken on the posting style of someone with an IQ of 42...

Why retire the #42, soon unretiring it and then marketing the hell out of it? I call bull****. Nothing says "Jackie Robinson" like having David Eckstein wear an unretired #42.

Go Google "MLB jackie robinson 2009" and feast your eyes upon all the lovely press releases by Major League Baseball announcing this selfless act. Tune in and watch the tribute! By your tickets now! Look at the home page they created to commemorate everyone wearing this marvelous jersey. Here's the lead image on MLB's primary tribute page...



How inspirational.

This message brought to you by...



The marine corps! Because nothing says Jackie Robinson like devoting your life to the government...

This is a fascinating article about Tim Wakefield's near no-hitter on MLB.com and how it's a fitting tribute to Jackie Robinson. Hey, what's that in the corner...



Wow. That's a pretty good deal. Not only did I get to read about this moving tribute but I also learned I can save a bunch of money on MLB's fine online streaming video this season. And I should act now before next year, as MSN is offering a sweet deal on their 2008 Gary Sheffield #42 jerseys...only $99.95!!!



That'll go nicely with my new Nike produced Jackie Robinson cleats.

It's one thing when a player like Griffey or Torii Hunter chooses to wear the #42 as a tribute to the player who directly lead to their employment. Speaking of which, Torii, what do you have to say about this year's tribute?

It was designed as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, but Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter and others are questioning the motives of a growing number of players who will wear Robinson's retired number Sunday.

"This is supposed to be an honor," Hunter said, "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."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-04-11-robinson-number-42_N.htm

Mr. Hunter, how dare you question the motives of MLB! Don't you know that having this kind of thought means some random dude on the internet thinks you should be "ashamed of yourself?"

This year's 'tribute' is forced pandering...a shameless, well marketed, transparent piece of schlock that pays a tribute to nothing other than the almighty dollar.

Critical thinking: Not just an overrated skill.

[Basketball Jesus]

I’m with Sweez on this: why denigrate something as honorific as retiring your number across the entire game so that nobody, no matter how great, if you’re going to do something like unretire it so everybody can wear it?

It smacks of revering the almighty dollar over a touching tribute. Like Sweezo said, does having guys like David Eckstein or Elijah Dukes wearing Jackie Robinson’s uniform number actually improve the legacy of Robinson?

[BlackMamba]

ok, about the game, are the mariners really 7-2 and in a 6 game winning streak? and just for the box score yesterday's game seemed like it was an absolute party, specially with griffey and his 400th HR with the mariners and ichiro's monster return.

and about the whole jackie robinson thing, i think that everybody agrees that yes there should be a way to honor him but maybe not take it over the edge. you could think a) they are exploiting the image b) they want to make it more bigger and of a better knowledge.

[Ex-hippie]

So let me get this straight. MLB pays tribute to the one person who is primarily responsible for giving opportunity to future minority players, for ONE day, and you think it's disgusting.

I say it's disgusting that you associate honoring a historical figure like Jackie Robinson (for one damn day mind you), to the word "disgusting".

You should be ashamed of yourself...

Besides, I highly doubt any player, manager, or owner felt "disgusted" that they had to be "FORCED" into wearing said jerseys.

Why can't the internet have a filter for ignorant people?

It's almost as if you didn't really read what I said and then made a post solely for the purpose of attempting to appear morally superior. In honor of Jackie Robinson, today you've taken on the posting style of someone with an IQ of 42...

Why retire the #42, soon unretiring it and then marketing the hell out of it? I call bull****. Nothing says "Jackie Robinson" like having David Eckstein wear an unretired #42.

Go Google "MLB jackie robinson 2009" and feast your eyes upon all the lovely press releases by Major League Baseball announcing this selfless act. Tune in and watch the tribute! By your tickets now! Look at the home page they created to commemorate everyone wearing this marvelous jersey. Here's the lead image on MLB's primary tribute page...



How inspirational.

This message brought to you by...



The marine corps! Because nothing says Jackie Robinson like devoting your life to the government...

This is a fascinating article about Tim Wakefield's near no-hitter on MLB.com and how it's a fitting tribute to Jackie Robinson. Hey, what's that in the corner...



Wow. That's a pretty good deal. Not only did I get to read about this moving tribute but I also learned I can save a bunch of money on MLB's fine online streaming video this season. And I should act now before next year, as MSN is offering a sweet deal on their 2008 Gary Sheffield #42 jerseys...only $99.95!!!



That'll go nicely with my new Nike produced Jackie Robinson cleats.

It's one thing when a player like Griffey or Torii Hunter chooses to wear the #42 as a tribute to the player who directly lead to their employment. Speaking of which, Torii, what do you have to say about this year's tribute?

It was designed as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, but Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter and others are questioning the motives of a growing number of players who will wear Robinson's retired number Sunday.

"This is supposed to be an honor," Hunter said, "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."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-04-11-robinson-number-42_N.htm

Mr. Hunter, how dare you question the motives of MLB! Don't you know that having this kind of thought means some random dude on the internet thinks you should be "ashamed of yourself?"

This year's 'tribute' is forced pandering...a shameless, well marketed, transparent piece of schlock that pays a tribute to nothing other than the almighty dollar.

Critical thinking: Not just an overrated skill.

Wow, it's like he was just waiting there under the bridge for you and you walked right into his trap. I agree that it's cynical and annoyingly self-congratulatory.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

Wow.

What a game last night. This team is so fun to watch.

With Ichiro back, we are just that much better. Ichiro/Chavez at the top of the order is money.

[Bulltalk]

It's still early, but I kind of like this manager.

He hasn't done anything insanely stupid, which is probably the easiest way for me to evaluate a manager. Some of his bullpen decisions seemed close to blowing up in his face, but so far they've mostly worked out.

I don't like pointlessly sacrificing when a runner's in scoring position, but last night at the end it made perfect sense to have Yuni lay down the bunt. The other day he sacrificed the DH spot when Beltre was DHing in order to get him in as a defensive sub in last inning, which is an interesting call...looking at the other defensive subs he made at the time he put a great defensive roster out there to help the pitcher in the final frame to lock down the win.

He used Morrow last night in a non-save situation in a tied game in the 9th inning. I like managers who believe in using their best relievers in needed...why save a closer for a save opportunity that's not going to come? If he's your best pitcher, use him in the high leverage situation.

Hearing his critique about Silva's pitching in the first game, he seemed keenly aware of what Silva did wrong and what he needed to fix. Next game, Silva comes out and pitches in accordance with what Wakamatsu wanted; who knows if it was a pitcher/catcher issue but it seemed clear there was a change there.

Every year we hear spring training talk of being more aggressive on the basepaths. The team has been aggressive this year but largely smart about it. The good baserunners are making smart plays and the bad baserunners are taking what they are given.

All boils down to liking the way they are playing this year, and seeing some methodology put into place that maybe you didn't see last year when the inmates ran the asylum.

Good point. I caught that, too. Sometimes the obvious can escape a person. You just need the right person to tell you in the right way. That seemed to be the case there.

I like the way this manager handles himself, especially with the media. I just think he's got a good mixture of toughness, high expectations, willingness/confidence to try different things out, covers for/supports his players well...and there's always something to be said for winning. I think I just like his countenance.

Think about the last 3 starts of Silva and Washburn. I know it's gotta end soon, but holy-mother-of-God, we could win the division if they pitch anything remotely like that the rest of the season.

[Bulltalk]

I'm trying not to prematurely ejaculate here, but wouldn't it be something if Felix and Bedard together became the pitchers this year that we all hoped and dreamed they would be? Wouldn't it be awesome having that feeling that when the rotation came back around to them you just thought we were going to win?

Say, for instance, we get an improbable sweep of the Angels (we are absurdly hot now), and move to 8-2. Then we're throwing out Felix and Bedard to start the next series. I'm thinking we're going to win those games if the bullpen comes through for us. It may not happen, but I'm thinking the odds are decently and realistically in our favor.

[Sweezo]

Good point. I caught that, too. Sometimes the obvious can escape a person. You just need the right person to tell you in the right way. That seemed to be the case there.

I like the way this manager handles himself, especially with the media. I just think he's got a good mixture of toughness, high expectations, willingness/confidence to try different things out, covers for/supports his players well...and there's always something to be said for winning. I think I just like his countenance.

Think about the last 3 starts of Silva and Washburn. I know it's gotta end soon, but holy-mother-of-God, we could win the division if they pitch anything remotely like that the rest of the season.

Pretty much. Wakamatsu seems to have more ability to relate to the players and effectively communicate. Not just tell someone what to do, but actually communicate to them what needs to be done.

It's early. This season could easily spiral out of control, and when the first losing streak hits that will be a better test of what abilities Wakamatsu has.

But so far? Very impressed. It speaks volumes to see the players happy, especially when you see Ichiro having fun with Silva and Washburn smiling at Kenji. Certain that's not all the manager's responsibility, but I think it's part of it.

[Sweezo]

I'm trying not to prematurely ejaculate here, but wouldn't it be something if Felix and Bedard together became the pitchers this year that we all hoped and dreamed they would be? Wouldn't it be awesome having that feeling that when the rotation came back around to them you just thought we were going to win?

Say, for instance, we get an improbable sweep of the Angels (we are absurdly hot now), and move to 8-2. Then we're throwing out Felix and Bedard to start the next series. I'm thinking we're going to win those games if the bullpen comes through for us. It may not happen, but I'm thinking the odds are decently and realistically in our favor.

You kind of get the feeling this could last awhile, don't you? Not because you expect Chavez to hit .450 or Yuni to get a base hit on every first pitch, but because of the starting pitching.

With how Felix and Bedard look, the concern had to be about the back end of the staff. And the back end of the pitching staff looks about average. Which is all we'd need from them. Washburn and Silva are getting decent results, and a huge reason for that is the defense.

Washburn was still giving up flyballs last night like he has every year he's been in MLB, but the thing is...they don't hit the field. Gutierrez made a spectacular catch near the wall and Chavez settled under another ball at the wall so quickly that it seemed routine. If we'd had Ibanez or Reed out at their positions like we might have last year, those balls both drop, and runs score.

So long as the flyballers keep the ball in the park, they'll be competitive. And if they're competitve while Felix and Bedard dominate, yeah, good luck to the rest of the division.

[TheUrbanZealot]

So let me get this straight. MLB pays tribute to the one person who is primarily responsible for giving opportunity to future minority players, for ONE day, and you think it's disgusting.

I say it's disgusting that you associate honoring a historical figure like Jackie Robinson (for one damn day mind you), to the word "disgusting".

You should be ashamed of yourself...

Besides, I highly doubt any player, manager, or owner felt "disgusted" that they had to be "FORCED" into wearing said jerseys.

Why can't the internet have a filter for ignorant people?

It's almost as if you didn't really read what I said and then made a post solely for the purpose of attempting to appear morally superior. In honor of Jackie Robinson, today you've taken on the posting style of someone with an IQ of 42...

Why retire the #42, soon unretiring it and then marketing the hell out of it? I call bull****. Nothing says "Jackie Robinson" like having David Eckstein wear an unretired #42.

Go Google "MLB jackie robinson 2009" and feast your eyes upon all the lovely press releases by Major League Baseball announcing this selfless act. Tune in and watch the tribute! By your tickets now! Look at the home page they created to commemorate everyone wearing this marvelous jersey. Here's the lead image on MLB's primary tribute page...



How inspirational.

This message brought to you by...



The marine corps! Because nothing says Jackie Robinson like devoting your life to the government...

This is a fascinating article about Tim Wakefield's near no-hitter on MLB.com and how it's a fitting tribute to Jackie Robinson. Hey, what's that in the corner...



Wow. That's a pretty good deal. Not only did I get to read about this moving tribute but I also learned I can save a bunch of money on MLB's fine online streaming video this season. And I should act now before next year, as MSN is offering a sweet deal on their 2008 Gary Sheffield #42 jerseys...only $99.95!!!



That'll go nicely with my new Nike produced Jackie Robinson cleats.

It's one thing when a player like Griffey or Torii Hunter chooses to wear the #42 as a tribute to the player who directly lead to their employment. Speaking of which, Torii, what do you have to say about this year's tribute?

It was designed as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, but Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter and others are questioning the motives of a growing number of players who will wear Robinson's retired number Sunday.

"This is supposed to be an honor," Hunter said, "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."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-04-11-robinson-number-42_N.htm

Mr. Hunter, how dare you question the motives of MLB! Don't you know that having this kind of thought means some random dude on the internet thinks you should be "ashamed of yourself?"

This year's 'tribute' is forced pandering...a shameless, well marketed, transparent piece of schlock that pays a tribute to nothing other than the almighty dollar.

Critical thinking: Not just an overrated skill.

Using a Torii Hunter quote to solidify your ridiculous stance only gives further credo to it's illegitimacy. You have to be kidding. What is MLB supposed to do, create a 20 foot statue? I mean come on, it's just a damn jersey day. If the same thing happened to pay tribute to Nick Adenhart, would you feel the same way? What if the same thing happened to your father, who happened to be a baseball player?

Dude, you opened saying that you felt the forced wearing of 42 jerseys is "disgusting". Trying to turn it around into an "exploitation" of a historic figure, when you know full well that the selling of a few items with #42 on it has ZERO to do with your initial intent, is a very very feeble attempt at saving face. At the end of the day I highly doubt that revenue gains attributed to 1 day of MLB "forcing" teams to wear #42 will be anywhere near a level justifying the use of associating it with the word "exploitation".

I think making a huge deal out of 1 damn day of wearing a jersey is absolutely ridiculous. I mean who gives a flying rats tail what jersey is on? The jersey has absolutely zero impact on the game itself. Using words like "disgusting" seems just a tadddd too harsh for something as inconsequential as Jackie Robinson "forced" jersey day.

[Ex-hippie]

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

[Sweezo]

Using a Torii Hunter quote to solidify your ridiculous stance only gives further credo to it's illegitimacy. You have to be kidding. What is MLB supposed to do, create a 20 foot statue? I mean come on, it's just a damn jersey day. If the same thing happened to pay tribute to Nick Adenhart, would you feel the same way? What if the same thing happened to your father, who happened to be a baseball player?

Dude, you opened saying that you felt the forced wearing of 42 jerseys is "disgusting". Trying to turn it around into an "exploitation" of a historic figure, when you know full well that the selling of a few items with #42 on it has ZERO to do with your initial intent, is a very very feeble attempt at saving face. At the end of the day I highly doubt that revenue gains attributed to 1 day of MLB "forcing" teams to wear #42 will be anywhere near a level justifying the use of associating it with the word "exploitation".

I think making a huge deal out of 1 damn day of wearing a jersey is absolutely ridiculous. I mean who gives a flying rats tail what jersey is on? The jersey has absolutely zero impact on the game itself. Using words like "disgusting" seems just a tadddd too harsh for something as inconsequential as Jackie Robinson "forced" jersey day.

You complete me...

[Sweezo]

Back to baseball...

Here's another thing I like about Wakamatsu. After the game, there was a long post on Lookout Landing arguing that the game turned on two key plays: Balentien's K with the bases loaded and Corcoran's meatball to Napoli. The discussion involved why those two particular plays were important and what went wrong.

Then this morning I see this tidbit on the News Tribune blog...

Manager Don Wakamatsu pointed to two key turning points in the game ... Wlad Balentien striking out with the bases loaded in the fourth and Roy Corocoran's 0-2 pitch with two outs to Nike Napoli that resulted in a two-run single. The pitch was a fastball that just stayed out over the middle. On 0-2, that ball can't be anywhere near the middle of the plate, which Corcoran would be the first to say, just bad execution.

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/mariners/

That's pretty cool. To see something happen as a fan and wonder 'why the hell did that just happen?' and later see the manager thinking the same thing. It'd be less interesting if I thought Wakamatsu was going to respond by spitting out some platitudes about nothing in general and do nothing to try and address the issue, but I'm confident he'll do what he can to make sure, if similar situations occur, Corcoran will make a better decision and Wlad knows to lay off that pitch next time.

[BlackMamba]

man, it's very nice to know that wakamatsu seems to be doing a good job.