Two years into a five-year, $64 million contract, Adrian Beltre has produced a .262 average, 44 home runs, and 176 RBIs. However, after the All Star break in 2006, Beltre slugged .552 with a whopping 18 home runs. Does this strong second half bode well for a turn-around in 2007, or will Mariners fans have to deal with 'A-Drain' once again? This blog intends to follow the 2007 season for Adrian Beltre, and the Seattle Mariners, and promises to hold no punches.
Lose big--mamas' Fallen Angels
Get swept--can't score no runs
In last place--mamas' Fallen Angels
Don't worry, the series with M's is now done!
(With apologies to Poison- gosh, never thought I'd say those words before.)
On the flip side:
It's good to be King, if just for a game
Their line-up was rookies, can't remember their names
It's good to throw strikes, and allow only two runs
With 94 pitches, the complete game is done
(With apologies to Tom Petty.)
Well, the Mariners continue their mastery of the Angels, as they completed the sweep at the hands of King Felix. (Didn't the song lyrics tell you all you need to know?) Felix was nothing short of dominating in today's game. While my pre-game prediction of a no-hitter was slightly off the mark, Felix tossed a career-low four-hitter as he held the Angels in check with 94 pitches.
Man, what has happened to the Angels? The team had a .568 Pythagorean winning percentage in winning the last two American League West divisions. With perenniel MVP candidate Vladmir Guerrero in the middle of the line-up, surrounded by spark-plug Chone Figgins and the under-rated Jaun Rivera, as well as the reigning Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon (who, I admit, I think is a little over-weighted) anchoring a strong rotation that includes John Lackey (my pre-season dark horse for Cy Young Award winner this year) the Angels were my pre-season favorite to repeat as AL West winners. Instead, they are playing .435 ball as they find themselves looking up at the Mariners from the bottom of the standings, nearly ten games below .500.
Though some may say that injuries have taken the their toll on the Angels, forcing them to play their youngsters too much, it should be pointed out that only two Angel regulars have spent long stretches on the DL: centerfielder Darin Erstad and first baseman Casey Kotchamn, who wasn't really contributing too much before he went on anyway, with a .152 BA and a .436 OPS. Also, the Angels' farm system was one of the most vaunted farm systems as the season started. Take a moment and look at who the Angels have stashed in the minor leagues, and who the 2006 Baseball Prospectus has career projections in comparison to:
Erick Aybar- BP comparisons: Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes (Shortstop of the future has hit .333 in 12 games for the Angels.)
Howie Kendrick- BP comparison: David Wright (In 7 games with the big club, hit .115.)
Jeff Mathis- BP comparison: Fernando Tatis (In 12 games hit .103)
Kendry Morales- BP comparison: Jay Gibbons (The Cuban has hit .261 with 3 home runs in 11 games.)
Mike Napoli- BP comparison: Mike Schmidt (Has hit .314 with 6 home runs in 25 games, with the same number of two-homer games as Richie Sexson, one.)
Brandon Wood- BP comparison: Joe Crede (Perhaps the one prospect Halo fans are holding their breath the most for, after hitting 43 home runs at high-A ball last year, Wood has 13 home runs in 60 games at double-A. Currently blocked at short by both Cabrera and Aybar on the depth chart.)
Heck, BP has Dallas McPherson compared to such sluggers as Dave Kingman and Jay (wha?) Buhner, while Kotchamn has been likened to Don Mattingly in the past.
To sum it up, even if the Angels had been ravaged by injuries- which they haven't- the players should've been available at the farm system to step in and help the offense. The results have been mixed- Napoli, obviously, is a huge bat in the line-up as catcher, and Morales has been serviceable; Kendrick, Mathis, McPherson, and Kotchamn have all been disappointing, however, and have yet to live up to their hype.
This magnifies the problem the Angels have had hitting with runners in scoring position. As a team the Angels are hitting a full thirty points lower than their opponents with runners on- .257 to .288. Guerrero, signed to produce in such situations, has offered a .698 OPS instead. Erstad and Kotchamn combined to go 5-for-42. The rest of Angels' youngsters have combined to go 14-for-58 insuch situations. This lack of offensive production has negated some strong performances by the Angels' staff, last night's start by Lackey notwithstanding. Jeff Weaver pitched good enough to win today, but his two errors in the fifth inning did himself in.
Adrian Beltre continued with his hitting ways, making it 15 in 16 games with a hit, as he went 1-for-5 with a two-run single in Weaver's nightmarish fifth. This brings his batting average to .234, and with 23 RBIs, Beltre is on pace for 58 on the season!!!!
The Mariners get a day off to prepare themselves for the next series against Oakland. The A's are coming off a hot streak themselves, having just swept the Yankees and, like the M's, have won 9 of their last 11. So what happens when two objects with equal mass and force collide? I guess we'll find out when these two teams play this week. (Beltre, by the way, has a .577 OPS in his career versus the A's, so don't expect him to do any collidin'.)
Get swept--can't score no runs
In last place--mamas' Fallen Angels
Don't worry, the series with M's is now done!
(With apologies to Poison- gosh, never thought I'd say those words before.)
On the flip side:
It's good to be King, if just for a game
Their line-up was rookies, can't remember their names
It's good to throw strikes, and allow only two runs
With 94 pitches, the complete game is done
(With apologies to Tom Petty.)
Well, the Mariners continue their mastery of the Angels, as they completed the sweep at the hands of King Felix. (Didn't the song lyrics tell you all you need to know?) Felix was nothing short of dominating in today's game. While my pre-game prediction of a no-hitter was slightly off the mark, Felix tossed a career-low four-hitter as he held the Angels in check with 94 pitches.
Man, what has happened to the Angels? The team had a .568 Pythagorean winning percentage in winning the last two American League West divisions. With perenniel MVP candidate Vladmir Guerrero in the middle of the line-up, surrounded by spark-plug Chone Figgins and the under-rated Jaun Rivera, as well as the reigning Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon (who, I admit, I think is a little over-weighted) anchoring a strong rotation that includes John Lackey (my pre-season dark horse for Cy Young Award winner this year) the Angels were my pre-season favorite to repeat as AL West winners. Instead, they are playing .435 ball as they find themselves looking up at the Mariners from the bottom of the standings, nearly ten games below .500.
Though some may say that injuries have taken the their toll on the Angels, forcing them to play their youngsters too much, it should be pointed out that only two Angel regulars have spent long stretches on the DL: centerfielder Darin Erstad and first baseman Casey Kotchamn, who wasn't really contributing too much before he went on anyway, with a .152 BA and a .436 OPS. Also, the Angels' farm system was one of the most vaunted farm systems as the season started. Take a moment and look at who the Angels have stashed in the minor leagues, and who the 2006 Baseball Prospectus has career projections in comparison to:
Erick Aybar- BP comparisons: Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes (Shortstop of the future has hit .333 in 12 games for the Angels.)
Howie Kendrick- BP comparison: David Wright (In 7 games with the big club, hit .115.)
Jeff Mathis- BP comparison: Fernando Tatis (In 12 games hit .103)
Kendry Morales- BP comparison: Jay Gibbons (The Cuban has hit .261 with 3 home runs in 11 games.)
Mike Napoli- BP comparison: Mike Schmidt (Has hit .314 with 6 home runs in 25 games, with the same number of two-homer games as Richie Sexson, one.)
Brandon Wood- BP comparison: Joe Crede (Perhaps the one prospect Halo fans are holding their breath the most for, after hitting 43 home runs at high-A ball last year, Wood has 13 home runs in 60 games at double-A. Currently blocked at short by both Cabrera and Aybar on the depth chart.)
Heck, BP has Dallas McPherson compared to such sluggers as Dave Kingman and Jay (wha?) Buhner, while Kotchamn has been likened to Don Mattingly in the past.
To sum it up, even if the Angels had been ravaged by injuries- which they haven't- the players should've been available at the farm system to step in and help the offense. The results have been mixed- Napoli, obviously, is a huge bat in the line-up as catcher, and Morales has been serviceable; Kendrick, Mathis, McPherson, and Kotchamn have all been disappointing, however, and have yet to live up to their hype.
This magnifies the problem the Angels have had hitting with runners in scoring position. As a team the Angels are hitting a full thirty points lower than their opponents with runners on- .257 to .288. Guerrero, signed to produce in such situations, has offered a .698 OPS instead. Erstad and Kotchamn combined to go 5-for-42. The rest of Angels' youngsters have combined to go 14-for-58 insuch situations. This lack of offensive production has negated some strong performances by the Angels' staff, last night's start by Lackey notwithstanding. Jeff Weaver pitched good enough to win today, but his two errors in the fifth inning did himself in.
Adrian Beltre continued with his hitting ways, making it 15 in 16 games with a hit, as he went 1-for-5 with a two-run single in Weaver's nightmarish fifth. This brings his batting average to .234, and with 23 RBIs, Beltre is on pace for 58 on the season!!!!
The Mariners get a day off to prepare themselves for the next series against Oakland. The A's are coming off a hot streak themselves, having just swept the Yankees and, like the M's, have won 9 of their last 11. So what happens when two objects with equal mass and force collide? I guess we'll find out when these two teams play this week. (Beltre, by the way, has a .577 OPS in his career versus the A's, so don't expect him to do any collidin'.)
how did you even remember that poison song?
Felix's best start of his career, liriano as well. You're fleet of young pitchers is making noise.
You should check out marinerds blogspot. There's a link to it on USS mariner. good writing.
Yeah I'm a big fan of Marinerds.