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.
Back when I started this blog, I wrote:
Suffice to say that applies to all of the Seattle Mariners, currently, as they finished off their sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-2 with more late-inning dramatic fireworks. This time it was Raul Ibanez, who's on pace for 35 home runs and 128 RBIs according to espn.com, who led-off the ninth inning with a home run, followed by Kenji Johjima- there he is again!- who hit a one-out triple, and then Yuniesky Betancourt, with two outs, singled in Kenji's pinch-runner, Willie Bloomquist, to complete the scoring against the DBack's relief "ace" Jorge Julio.
The most surprising result of the latest Mariner late-inning rally is that it provided Eddie Guardado with his first win of the year, as the former closer is now 1-3. Eddie G. pitched one inning, giving up two singles but also recording a strikeout as he (hopefully) adds to his potential trade value.
So the Mariners finished up their nine-game road trip 7-2, the most successful road trip for the Mariners of nine games or more since the M's ripped of 11 of twelve on the road from May 27 to June 9, 2003. Sadly, this current series with the Rockies is the last series against an NL team, as the M's do not face any more National League teams for the rest of the year. But by beating up on the same NL West teams that have given the rest of the AL West fits (Oakland 7-7, Texas 5-8, Los Angeles 5-10 against the NL West) they return home to kick off tonight's series start against Colorado two games above .500 and just two games behind the A's.
Adrian Beltre picked up yet another two hits in last night's game, his third multiple-hit game in a row, lifting his season batting average up to .262, just nine points below his career average. And in keeping with his incredible slugging prowess in June, both of them went for extra bases. He hit a one-out triple in the first inning, eventually coming around to score on Jose Lopez's infield hit, and also added an eighth inning double, obviously trying to will the Mariners to victory in the late innings, but got stranded at second. Not to worry, as the late-inning magic happened an inning later, regardless of Beltre batting or not.
Beltre's OPS in June? 1.007. And batting second? .994. Bad bad Beltre, indeed.
After the long flight home and arriving at about two in the morning- why yesterday's game wasn't an afternoon game I don't know- the Mariners face Josh Fogg who is taking the hill for the Rockies. Fogg was a former Pirate rotation stalwart who signed a one-year contract with the Rockies in the off-season. Fogg has been a subpar pitcher throughout his career (the 2006 Baseball Prospectus says of him: "Fogg doesn't make batters miss, and he can't keep the ball in the park, which is why he's ill-equipped to be in the bigs.") and for some reason I find it confusing for pitchers that have similar career numbers to sign free-agent contracts with the Rockies and pitch half their starts in the thin mountain air of Denver. And, as expected, he's continued his subpar ways for Denver- with a 5.08 ERA on the season, and a 5.85 ERA at home at Coors Field. However, obviously tonight Fogg is pitching in Safeco, which is not only Fogg's first career start in the Mariners' home stadium but also his first against the Mariners. Adrian Beltre, however, has faced Fogg in the National League, and has enjoyed success, batting .455 with a 1.175 OPS- no home runs, however- against Fogg in 11 at-bats, and Sexson has 17 career at-bats versus Fogg and though Fogg may have held Sexson to a .235 average, Richie has homered against him.
Jamie Moyer is taking the mound for the Mariners, and the grizzled veteran has not enjoyed success versus the Rockies in his career, losing both of his two starts against them with a 7.10 career ERA to go along with. In a sense, however, it will almost be like facing the Rockies for the first time as well, as in the current crop of Colorado players, only Todd Helton has faced Jamie's junk (ewwww!) and Moyer has kept Helton to a double in five at-bats. Moyer, however, has had an incredible June (a 2.06 ERA and 3-1 record) and has pitched well at home (2.67 ERA in 67 innings) so his past failures against the Rockies may be ruled out with his recent success.
The Mariners have made subpar pitchers facing them for the first time look like brilliant staff aces. But I find it doubtful that will occur with Fogg, who would be better suited in a bullpen role rather than as a starter. Also, I think the Mariners' momentum is too strong to be stopped by a wanna-be brickwall like Josh Fogg. Instead, look for Jamie's slow and slower stuff to befuddle the Rockie's bats as the Mariners continue with their winning streak and their mastery of the National League in tonight's game versus the Rockies.
The beauty of having this blog called "Bad Bad Beltre" is that if suddenly gets hot, Beltre would be "bad' in a whole different connotation.
Suffice to say that applies to all of the Seattle Mariners, currently, as they finished off their sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-2 with more late-inning dramatic fireworks. This time it was Raul Ibanez, who's on pace for 35 home runs and 128 RBIs according to espn.com, who led-off the ninth inning with a home run, followed by Kenji Johjima- there he is again!- who hit a one-out triple, and then Yuniesky Betancourt, with two outs, singled in Kenji's pinch-runner, Willie Bloomquist, to complete the scoring against the DBack's relief "ace" Jorge Julio.
The most surprising result of the latest Mariner late-inning rally is that it provided Eddie Guardado with his first win of the year, as the former closer is now 1-3. Eddie G. pitched one inning, giving up two singles but also recording a strikeout as he (hopefully) adds to his potential trade value.
So the Mariners finished up their nine-game road trip 7-2, the most successful road trip for the Mariners of nine games or more since the M's ripped of 11 of twelve on the road from May 27 to June 9, 2003. Sadly, this current series with the Rockies is the last series against an NL team, as the M's do not face any more National League teams for the rest of the year. But by beating up on the same NL West teams that have given the rest of the AL West fits (Oakland 7-7, Texas 5-8, Los Angeles 5-10 against the NL West) they return home to kick off tonight's series start against Colorado two games above .500 and just two games behind the A's.
Adrian Beltre picked up yet another two hits in last night's game, his third multiple-hit game in a row, lifting his season batting average up to .262, just nine points below his career average. And in keeping with his incredible slugging prowess in June, both of them went for extra bases. He hit a one-out triple in the first inning, eventually coming around to score on Jose Lopez's infield hit, and also added an eighth inning double, obviously trying to will the Mariners to victory in the late innings, but got stranded at second. Not to worry, as the late-inning magic happened an inning later, regardless of Beltre batting or not.
Beltre's OPS in June? 1.007. And batting second? .994. Bad bad Beltre, indeed.
After the long flight home and arriving at about two in the morning- why yesterday's game wasn't an afternoon game I don't know- the Mariners face Josh Fogg who is taking the hill for the Rockies. Fogg was a former Pirate rotation stalwart who signed a one-year contract with the Rockies in the off-season. Fogg has been a subpar pitcher throughout his career (the 2006 Baseball Prospectus says of him: "Fogg doesn't make batters miss, and he can't keep the ball in the park, which is why he's ill-equipped to be in the bigs.") and for some reason I find it confusing for pitchers that have similar career numbers to sign free-agent contracts with the Rockies and pitch half their starts in the thin mountain air of Denver. And, as expected, he's continued his subpar ways for Denver- with a 5.08 ERA on the season, and a 5.85 ERA at home at Coors Field. However, obviously tonight Fogg is pitching in Safeco, which is not only Fogg's first career start in the Mariners' home stadium but also his first against the Mariners. Adrian Beltre, however, has faced Fogg in the National League, and has enjoyed success, batting .455 with a 1.175 OPS- no home runs, however- against Fogg in 11 at-bats, and Sexson has 17 career at-bats versus Fogg and though Fogg may have held Sexson to a .235 average, Richie has homered against him.
Jamie Moyer is taking the mound for the Mariners, and the grizzled veteran has not enjoyed success versus the Rockies in his career, losing both of his two starts against them with a 7.10 career ERA to go along with. In a sense, however, it will almost be like facing the Rockies for the first time as well, as in the current crop of Colorado players, only Todd Helton has faced Jamie's junk (ewwww!) and Moyer has kept Helton to a double in five at-bats. Moyer, however, has had an incredible June (a 2.06 ERA and 3-1 record) and has pitched well at home (2.67 ERA in 67 innings) so his past failures against the Rockies may be ruled out with his recent success.
The Mariners have made subpar pitchers facing them for the first time look like brilliant staff aces. But I find it doubtful that will occur with Fogg, who would be better suited in a bullpen role rather than as a starter. Also, I think the Mariners' momentum is too strong to be stopped by a wanna-be brickwall like Josh Fogg. Instead, look for Jamie's slow and slower stuff to befuddle the Rockie's bats as the Mariners continue with their winning streak and their mastery of the National League in tonight's game versus the Rockies.
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