featured
Kendrys’ Offensive Reversal
When 1B/DH Kendrys Morales was brought in this offseason, he was generally thought of as a power first bat, and for good reason. His OBP the year before was just .320, despite having a .273 average. .260 is a roughly average average, and .320 is about an average OBP. So his average was 13 points above “average”, but his OBP remained, due to a low walk rate.
Thus, it is easy to see why he is considered the way he is. Roughly 60% of his career .820 OPS has come from his slugging percentage, leaving about 40% to come from average. On average over the last three years (for the league), 56% of OPS has come from slugging, so Morales was a notch higher.
But he has changed as a player this year. His overall production is roughly the same as last year (.351 wOBA, 118 wRC+ career .346 and 122 this year), but how that production is coming to be is different. All of the sudden, he has been getting on base at a much higher clip, while losing a little bit of pop.
His OBP is at .356, which is one point above his career high (in what was by far his best season). And his .434 SLG% is a career low, with the previous low being the .467 he posted last year. And he is now getting just 55% of his OPS from his power, going from 3% above “average” to 1% below “average.” So clearly there has been a change in the kind of hitter he is, at least to this point.
Upon noticing this, I saw the opportunity for a post on the topic. So I searched and searched for some kind of deep explanation as to why this is happening. Turns out, there isn’t really a conclusive reason as to why he has become an on-base first guy this season.
I mean, there is the obvious explanation as to why his OBP has gone up. That being the fact that he has been way more patient at the plate, resulting in more walks.
| Season | Team | O-Swing% | Z-Swing% | Swing% | O-Contact% | Z-Contact% | Contact% | Zone% | F-Strike% | SwStr% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Angels | 30.9 % | 68.4 % | 49.9 % | 71.2 % | 89.3 % | 83.8 % | 50.8 % | 63.3 % | 7.9 % |
| 2007 | Angels | 38.3 % | 71.5 % | 49.4 % | 62.3 % | 90.7 % | 76.1 % | 33.6 % | 46.8 % | 10.9 % |
| 2008 | Angels | 32.6 % | 68.7 % | 48.3 % | 71.4 % | 94.1 % | 85.5 % | 43.4 % | 43.9 % | 6.6 % |
| 2009 | Angels | 32.1 % | 64.0 % | 46.1 % | 63.8 % | 88.5 % | 78.8 % | 43.8 % | 56.6 % | 9.2 % |
| 2010 | Angels | 30.8 % | 62.9 % | 45.3 % | 61.1 % | 90.9 % | 79.8 % | 45.2 % | 51.2 % | 8.9 % |
| 2012 | Angels | 35.9 % | 70.4 % | 50.1 % | 61.8 % | 85.5 % | 75.5 % | 41.2 % | 59.6 % | 12.1 % |
| 2013 | Mariners | 26.2 % | 67.8 % | 44.2 % | 62.1 % | 87.7 % | 79.1 % | 43.3 % | 52.2 % | 8.8 % |
| Total | - – - | 32.9 % | 66.9 % | 47.6 % | 63.5 % | 88.2 % | 78.6 % | 43.3 % | 56.1 % | 9.8 % |
Take a look above at his plate discipline numbers, courtesy of FanGraphs. As you can see, all of his swing rates are down quite a bit. The most extreme of the three being his O-Swing%, which is down almost 10% from the year before, and 7% from his career. Obviously, that means he has not been swinging at as many bad pitches, which has led to more free passes.
So that explains his increase in walks and ability to get on base. But why is his power also down? The two aren’t inversely related in most cases, meaning as one goes up the other does not go down.
This part is not as easily explained. There really aren’t any glaring changes in terms of the amount nor the kind of contact he is making. As seen above, his contact rate is better than his career mark. And there also aren’t any significant fluctuations in his batted ball numbers. His LD% is 2.2% higher than his average, his FB% is down 1.8% (but is up from 2012), and his GB rate is right at his career average. None of those really suggest that his power should be zapped. If his line drive rate were way down, or ground ball rate way up, then maybe.
The best explanation I can find is that his HR/FB is all the way down at 11.6%, which is 5% lower than his career mark, and 9.4% lower than it was last year. But the problem with that is, it may not be a perfect explanation. It does tell us something, but its answer isn’t really specific.
Fangraphs says of FB%:
Was the player still hitting the same about of fly balls but with a lower HR/FB rate? This could imply that the player lost a touch off their power, which could be a result of an injury or the tell-tale sign of an aging slugger. Or did the player still have the same HR/FB rate, but he was hitting fewer fly balls? If a player goes from hitting fly balls to ground balls, that could be attributed to contact issues.
Kendrys falls into the first category, with a fairly similar amount of fly balls, but a crazy low HR/FB rate. And unfortunately, that likely speaks to a more permanent loss of power. We already knew he lost power, but now the numbers might suggest it is because of “an injury or the tell-tale sign of an aging slugger.” That certainly isn’t what we want to here, as I am sure most of us were hoping to find something that would suggest some regression to the mean, and an re-increase in power.
And it still might. HR/FB doesn’t stabilize until about 300 plate appearances, and he is only a little more than half way there. His slugging percentage has been on the rise recently, and that trend may continue until he reaches a more normal mark. Or, he may be sacrificing some aggressiveness and pop for more patience and contact. We don’t really know for sure.
At this point, thankfully, it doesn’t really matter all that much if he stays this way. He has been roughly the same player in terms of productivity, and that is what matters. If anything, this increase in patience and discipline is a blessing. Those traits tend to stick around, and walk rate is much quicker to stabilize — and he is about 20 PA way from that point — rendering a sudden revert to his old numbers unlikely. Conversely, as I said before, there is still a chance that his power returns a little, which would create a perfect situation. Kendrys prior power combined with this current on-base ability would make for a very valuable player. And we like value around here.
Tags: featured, Kendrys Morales, Mariners General, Popular, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
Pregame news and notes, Angels 5/21
After pretty much the worst possible result in a four-game set in Cleveland, the 20-25 Mariners return west to play two games in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels (17-27) have struggled mightily in 2013, and lost three of four at Safeco Field a few weeks ago. Before the game, here are some news and notes to digest.
Harang back on the mound
Aaron Harang will toe the rubber tonight for the first time since May 7, after he missed his last start with back stiffness. Harang had strung together consecutive quality starts for the first time in 2013 in his two previous starts. Hector Noesi made the start for him in New York last Thursday and helped the Mariners to a victory. It was the Mariners most recent win. Harang, 1-4 with a 7.30 ERA, is still seeking his first road win of 2013.
Smoak quietly surging
With so many other offensive weapons garnering attention for the Mariners this year, Justin Smoak has flown under the radar. His .252 batting average with three homers and eight RBI don’t jump off the page, but he’s been hot lately. He has a five-game hittting streak, has reached base in 14 consecutive contests and hit two home runs this weekend, both in late game situations. His on-base percentage is solid as well (.366) and he has a 2-t0-3 walks to strikeouts ratio, way up from his sub-1-to-2 ratio from 2012. The Mariners have to stick with Smoak as their future at first.
Quick facts
Here are some interesting numbers from the Mariners’ game notes press release today:
- Tom Wilhelmsen has not allowed a hit to a right-handed batter in 2013. Righties are 0-for-31 against the Bartender.
- Raul Ibanez has six home runs in the last eight games he’s played. Because, you know, he’s Raul.
- The Mariners rotation is tied for the American League lead in quality starts with 26, despite having just one this weekend (Brandon Maurer).
- Brendan Ryan has raised his batting average 66 points to .178 with a 9-for-25 clip on the current road trip. He hit his first home run on Saturday.
- The Mariners rank last in the league with a .213 batting average with runners in scoring position in 2013. They hit .190 with RISP on the road.
Brandon Maurer takes on Jerome Williams at 7:05 PT.
Tags: 2013 Season, Aaron Harang, featured, justin smoak, News and Notes, Popular, Previews, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
By the numbers: Mariners swept by Indians
The Indians thoroughly enjoyed the Mariners’ visit. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Baseball, more than any other sport, is all about numbers. This was the case even before the sabermetric craze that divides analysts today and inspires numerous a JJ Keller column on this website. In this new segment, I take a look at the numbers that shaped a series, beginning with the disastrous sweep in Cleveland this past weekend.
75 – Percent of the games that ended in Cleveland walkoffs. Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes all delivered game-ending hits against Mariner relievers in the series. This brutal stretch of three paintful defeats in four actually isn’t unprecedented for Seattle, who suffered a similar feat at the hands of the Orioles and Indians back in May of 2011. Avoid Cleveland in May is good advice for Seattlelites. Actually, just avoid Cleveland in general.
5 – Earned runs allowed by both Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma in their Sunday-Monday starts. Felix took his third loss of 2013 while the Mariners continued to hit for Iwakuma, and he earned a no decision. The Mariners cannot win wiht their one-two punch leaking runs like both did this weekend.
3 – Home runs Mariners hit off of Chris Perez in his two appearances in the series. When Perez came in with a two run lead and quickly retired the first two Mariners he faced, the game was assumed over. But back-to-back jacks from Raul Ibanez and Justin Smoak gave the Mariners new life (which they would soon extinguish). In Monday’s ninth inning, Perez served up a lead-off, pinch-hit homer to Endy Chavez of all people.
11 – Hits allowed in 5.1 innings by Joe Saunders Saturday in what Root Sports analysts were calling “a good start” from the veteran lefty. No! That was a terrible start! Are you crazy? The wind knocked down a home run and gifted him a double play and he still gave up a home run to the next batter he faced! No more road Joe please.
430 – Pitches thrown by Mariners starters, in appearances that ranged between five and six innings in length. Only Brandon Maurer produced a quality start of the four. All four threw over 100 pitches.
2 (but really 3) – Errors committed by pitchers in Monday morning’s horrendous 10-8 loss. Iwakuma made an early error and Charlie Furbush screwed up a late sacrifice bunt play but the error was charge to Smoak. But none was more glaring or costly than Tom Wilhelmsen’s clank job as he stepped on first for the game’s final out. That error marked Wilhelmsen’s first blown save of 2013 in 12 chances.
7 – Batters retired consecutively by Danny Farquhar in his first appearance with the Mariners. He struck out five of them, but his great performance will be lost in the shuffle of an overall terrible series.
1 – Home run on the season for Brendan Ryan, who turned the corner in Cleveland. He went 5-for-13 with his first two extra base hits of 2013. Will he go on a tear and fight his way over the Mendoza line now? Who knows?
The Mariners play at 7:05 PT in Anaheim tonight and will try and snap the four-game skid this horrific series put them on.
Tags: 2013 Season, Cleveland Indians, featured, Mariners General, Popular, Recaps, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
The Seahawks And Their So-Called PED Problem
Jan 13, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Seattle Seahawks starting defensive backs Earl Thomas (29), Brandon Browner (39), Richard Sherman (25), Kam Chancellor (31) take the field for warm-ups prior to facing the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC divisional playoff game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The narrative being pushed by the media this past weekend, both local and national, is that the Seattle Seahawks have a serious and growing performance-enhancing drug (PED) problem. They site the 7 PED suspensions that have happened during Pete Carroll’s tenure.
Unfortunately, the real facts don’t back up this storyline. Four of the cited suspensions have nothing to do with any so-called PED problem the Seahawks might have:
- Offensive lineman Allen Barbre tested positive in 2011, the year before he joined the Seahawks. The Seahawks signed him before the suspension was announced. The team cut him rather than putting him on the roster.
- Fullback Via Taua tested positive just after being signed to the practice squad. He had been a free agent just trying to land with a team before that.
- Offensive lineman John Moffitt tested positive for a substance that is legal in the NFL if the player has a prescription. Moffitt has a prescription, and has had it for years. The only reason he was suspended was because he and the team doctor didn’t properly file all the necessary paperwork on time.
- Cornerback Richard Sherman appealed his suspension and won, something that is supposed to be virtually impossible given today’s tests and testing protocols. Sherman was able to prove that his test sample had been tampered with.
That leaves just 3 legitimate positive tests during Carroll’s tenture as head of coach of the Seahawks: safety Winston Guy, cornerback Brandon Browner, and the recent suspension of defensive end Bruce Irvin. Those 3 suspensions would put the Seahawks right in the middle of the pack with the rest of the NFL teams.
If the Seahawks do have a problem, it is not properly educating rookies on the NFL’s PED policies. 2 of the 3 legitimate suspension have come from rookies, as was John Moffitt’s paperwork problem. Even that fact goes against the accusations of a PED culture in Seattle, since once players are acclimated into the team they are unlikely to test positive.
But why let facts get in the way of good storyline.
Tags: Bruce Irvin, featured, football, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks
Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »
Mariners hit new low, must bounce back
On April 24, the Mariners lost 10-3 in Houston to fall to 8-15 on the young season. This was the low point for the 2013 season, and the team knew they had to respond to have any chance of contending. They responded in earnest, winning five of six series to get to 20-21 on May 16. They had a chance to surpass the .500 mark and make a run at Texas with a good series in Cleveland.
Unfortunately, that dream scenario for the Mariners simply did not play out. They lost a nail biter in extra innings Friday, as an exhausted bullpen yielded a walk off homer to Jason Kipnis. They lost in similar fashion Saturday, on a walk off infield hit after they had stormed back with homers in innings eight and nine. When an up-and-coming team like the Mariners loses two games in devastating fashion, they need their best players to come through and dig them out of the hole.
Felix Hernandez was in perfect position to do just that Sunday morning, as he took the mound against Justin Masterson. Instead, Felix put together his worst start of 2013 and Masterson dominated, sinking the Mariners even deeper in a 6-0 loss.
A pair of bummed out Mariners. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Hernandez lasted just five innings and surrendered six runs (five earned) on eight hits. He walked two and struck out eight. The big blow came off the bat of Michael Brantley, who ripped a three-run homer to centerfield in the second inning to put Cleveland up 5-0.
The Mariners didn’t do anything to help themselves offensively either, as Masterson dominated for seven incredible innings. He allowed just three hits, walking two and striking out 11. At times, the Mariners had absolutely no idea against Masterson. The loss dropped the M’s to 20-24, and Cleveland can finish the sweep tomorrow.
All that equates to gut check time for Seattle. They need to win tomorrow with Hisashi Iwakuma on the mound to salvage something from this series and prepare for two games against the Angels in LA. They cannot get discouraged by watching Felix get shelled today. That happens to Felix from time to time as it does to all pitchers. Felix especially struggles at Progressive Field, where he is 3-5 lifetime with a 4.50 ERA in nine starts. He had a similarly horrendous start right around this time last season (on May 16, 2012, Felix gave up eight runs on ten hits in just 3.2 innings at Progressive Field). This bad start and loss doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.
But it could if the Mariners let it get them down. If they refuse to plod forward like good teams do and dwell on these three consecutive losses, they may never scrape .500 again in 2013. Iwakuma can win tomorrow, and the ship will be right back on track for the best Mariners team in a few long years.
Tags: 2013 Season, featured, Felix Hernandez, Popular, Recaps, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
Obscure Seahawks Bi-Weekly: Benson Mayowa
None of these players are Benson Mayowa but there is shockingly little in the way of Idaho Vandals Football pictures on the internet.
The sixth installment of “Obscure Seahawks Bi-Weekly” looks at LEO prospect Benson Mayowa out of Idaho. Mayowa has only been a Seahawk since Monday but might just have a chance to stay awhile.
The Basics
Age: 21
Height: 6’ 3”
Weight: 236
Position: LEO
College: Idaho
Number: #47
Method of Acquisition: Signed as an undrafted free agent 5/13/13
Years Pro: R
40 yard dash time: 4.73 seconds
Vertical: 37 ½
NCAA career stats: 45 GP, 67 Tackles, 19 TFL, 11 Sacks, 11 FF, 7 PD
Fun Fact: Mayowa’s 20 yard shuffle time of 4.26 would have been tied for first at the Combine among defensive ends with Ziggy Ansah.
Scouting Report
The term that keeps coming up in scouting reports of Mayowa is ‘short-area quickness’. Whenever I investigate these fringe roster players I look for the unique talent that made them appeal to the Seahawks and for Mayowa it has to be his quickness. As shown above he had an elite 20 yard shuffle time and the buzz from his tryout was that he was very quick off the ball. That first step is essential for pass rushers and it’s a good thing that Mayowa has it because there isn’t a ton else exciting about him. His NCAA career was fine, but far from distinguished, his long speed is pedestrian and he’s on the small side, even for a LEO. Mayowa may be a one-trick pony but LEO is a one-trick position and if he can use his quickness to be disruptive in the passing game then no one will complain.
Chances of Making the Team
Not bad, at least for now. With Bruce Irvin’s suspension and the injury to Chris Clemons, Clint Avril is the last pure LEO left on the roster. Michael Bennett can play the role but he is more of a hybrid player. On 3rd downs Bennett will probably see time at DT so the Seahawks will need someone to rush across from Avril. Even if they have Bennett line up on the other end there will need to be at least one LEO backup. Although someone else could be brought in, the only three real candidates for the role are Mayowa, fellow undrafted free agent Kenneth Boatright and 2013 draft pick Ty Powell. Boatright is the least athletic of the trio and looks unlikely to figure in Seattle’s plans. Powell has better long speed and a little more size than Mayowa but as a 7th round pick it’s not as if he will be guaranteed a spot on the roster. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Seahawks bring in John Abraham to help them get through this pass rushing crisis, but he may not be inclined to sign what would amount to a 4 game contract. The door seems to be wide open for Mayowa while Irvin is out but I think there will probably be another move because I doubt a serious contender like the Seahawks would leave such an important role to such unproven players. Arbitrary Estimates: 25% chance of making the team, 35% of making the practice squad.
Tags: Benson Mayowa, Bruce Irvin, Chris Clemons, featured, football, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Ty Powell
Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »
How Every NFL Drive in 2012 Ended: The Data
Dec 9, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton (19) is hit by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons (91) after passing the ball during the 1st quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Yesterday I took at look at the number of drives that each team’s defense was on the field for. Those results were interesting, but they didn’t tell us much about what those drives resulted in. We were able to infer some of that based on the total points given up by those teams, but honestly, I want something more concrete than that.
I decided to take a look at how each of those drives ended. It doesn’t matter if a defense isn’t on the field much compared to other teams, if that defense still gives up a lot of touchdowns. (I’m looking at you Cowboys.) Ultimately, I believe the true measure of the quality of a defense is somewhere to be found in this particular data set.
Unless I’ve made a horrible mistake here, drives can only end in 7 different ways: a touchdown, a field goal attempt, a punt, a turnover, a failed 4th down attempt, a safety, and at the end of a half. That’s a fairly limited number of possible outcomes, meaning I should be able to eventually tease out some very meaningful evaluation tools from this. We’ll see, there’s still a long way to go.
I was hoping to have some meaningful result to tell you about, but that’s going to have to wait until tomorrow. Compiling all this data took more time than I originally had available. Just getting this compiled and posted was all I could handle. I left off the safeties, since there’s only a couple total from the entire season and I’m already pushing the limits on the width of this table.
I did manage to give you the percentage for each outcome, though I’m not sure while that seems like a big deal in my head.
| Rk | Team | Drives | TD | FGA | Punts | TO | 4th | EoH | |||||
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | 164 | 23 | 14.02% | 25 | 15.24% | 77 | 46.95% | 31 | 18.90% | 7 | 4.27% | 1 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys | 168 | 39 | 23.21% | 33 | 19.64% | 74 | 44.05% | 16 | 9.52% | 5 | 2.98% | 1 |
| 3 | Carolina Panthers | 170 | 33 | 19.41% | 37 | 21.76% | 67 | 39.41% | 23 | 13.53% | 9 | 5.29% | 1 |
| 4 | New York Giants | 170 | 35 | 20.59% | 30 | 17.65% | 54 | 31.76% | 35 | 20.59% | 11 | 6.47% | 5 |
| 5 | Indianapolis Colts | 173 | 37 | 21.39% | 41 | 23.70% | 71 | 41.04% | 15 | 8.67% | 4 | 2.31% | 5 |
| 6 | Kansas City Chiefs | 173 | 40 | 23.12% | 38 | 21.97% | 73 | 42.20% | 13 | 7.51% | 1 | 0.58% | 8 |
| 7 | San Francisco 49ers | 173 | 26 | 15.03% | 27 | 15.61% | 78 | 45.09% | 25 | 14.45% | 11 | 6.36% | 6 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 174 | 28 | 16.09% | 33 | 18.97% | 88 | 50.57% | 20 | 11.49% | 3 | 1.72% | 2 |
| 9 | Atlanta Falcons | 176 | 30 | 17.05% | 32 | 18.18% | 64 | 36.36% | 31 | 17.61% | 7 | 3.98% | 12 |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles | 176 | 44 | 25.00% | 29 | 16.48% | 77 | 43.75% | 13 | 7.39% | 8 | 4.55% | 5 |
| 11 | San Diego Chargers | 176 | 38 | 21.59% | 21 | 11.93% | 79 | 44.89% | 28 | 15.91% | 6 | 3.41% | 4 |
| 12 | St. Louis Rams | 176 | 34 | 19.32% | 37 | 21.02% | 72 | 40.91% | 21 | 11.93% | 10 | 5.68% | 2 |
| 13 | Washington Redskins | 177 | 42 | 23.73% | 30 | 16.95% | 65 | 36.72% | 31 | 17.51% | 6 | 3.39% | 3 |
| 14 | Miami Dolphins | 178 | 28 | 15.73% | 40 | 22.47% | 85 | 47.75% | 16 | 8.99% | 5 | 2.81% | 4 |
| 15 | Buffalo Bills | 179 | 48 | 26.82% | 28 | 15.64% | 72 | 40.22% | 21 | 11.73% | 6 | 3.35% | 4 |
| 16 | Oakland Raiders | 180 | 46 | 25.56% | 37 | 20.56% | 68 | 37.78% | 19 | 10.56% | 6 | 3.33% | 4 |
| 17 | Minnesota Vikings | 181 | 38 | 20.99% | 30 | 16.57% | 76 | 41.99% | 22 | 12.15% | 9 | 4.97% | 6 |
| 18 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 183 | 40 | 21.86% | 43 | 23.50% | 67 | 36.61% | 23 | 12.57% | 5 | 2.73% | 5 |
| 19 | Green Bay Packers | 184 | 36 | 19.57% | 30 | 16.30% | 74 | 40.22% | 23 | 12.50% | 14 | 7.61% | 7 |
| 20 | Tennessee Titans | 184 | 47 | 25.54% | 31 | 16.85% | 69 | 37.50% | 24 | 13.04% | 8 | 4.35% | 5 |
| 21 | Detroit Lions | 185 | 39 | 21.08% | 41 | 22.16% | 79 | 42.70% | 17 | 9.19% | 1 | 0.54% | 8 |
| 22 | Cincinnati Bengals | 186 | 29 | 15.59% | 32 | 17.20% | 85 | 45.70% | 30 | 16.13% | 7 | 3.76% | 3 |
| 23 | Denver Broncos | 186 | 30 | 16.13% | 25 | 13.44% | 93 | 50.00% | 24 | 12.90% | 11 | 5.91% | 3 |
| 24 | New Orleans Saints | 187 | 49 | 26.20% | 33 | 17.65% | 62 | 33.16% | 26 | 13.90% | 9 | 4.81% | 8 |
| 25 | New York Jets | 187 | 37 | 19.79% | 31 | 16.58% | 89 | 47.59% | 23 | 12.30% | 3 | 1.60% | 4 |
| 26 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 187 | 43 | 22.99% | 28 | 14.97% | 76 | 40.64% | 26 | 13.90% | 8 | 4.28% | 6 |
| 27 | Baltimore Ravens | 190 | 30 | 15.79% | 39 | 20.53% | 89 | 46.84% | 25 | 13.16% | 6 | 3.16% | 1 |
| 28 | New England Patriots | 191 | 37 | 19.37% | 25 | 13.09% | 67 | 35.08% | 41 | 21.47% | 14 | 7.33% | 7 |
| 29 | Chicago Bears | 192 | 25 | 13.02% | 27 | 14.06% | 88 | 45.83% | 44 | 22.92% | 6 | 3.13% | 2 |
| 30 | Cleveland Browns | 194 | 41 | 21.13% | 24 | 12.37% | 88 | 45.36% | 29 | 14.95% | 4 | 2.06% | 8 |
| 31 | Houston Texans | 196 | 34 | 17.35% | 24 | 12.24% | 90 | 45.92% | 29 | 14.80% | 11 | 5.61% | 8 |
| 32 | Arizona Cardinals | 205 | 32 | 15.61% | 35 | 17.07% | 92 | 44.88% | 33 | 16.10% | 5 | 2.44% | 8 |
Tags: featured, football, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks
Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »
The Raul Anomaly
Most people know that I am one of Raul Ibanez‘s biggest critics. Being of the sabermetric-mold, I do not place very much value in a 40 year old DH-in-the-outfield, who can only hit in Yankee Stadium. I don’t know why, but that just isn’t appealing to me. More traditional fans do not necessarily focus on that though, and will point to his veteran leadership. And that is just fine. Raul seems like a great guy, and might be able to mentor some of the kids. But there are problems with that too.
In reality, there is not much he can do. Sure, he can tell people to keep their head up or whatever, but it comes down to the players ability. Encouragement is great, but it doesn’t really matter if the recipient just can’t hit. Raul follow me around day and night, giving me words of wisdom and encouragement. Doesn’t replace the fact that I am an out of shape, slightly lazy 17 year old, who stopped playing select baseball at 14 because I just was not that great anymore. If I would have worked my butt off like my friends who kept playing, then maybe it would be different. But it still comes down to what I can do, not what someone is telling me I can do.
So those are the basic reasons why I disagreed with the Raul signing, especially for $2.75M. That and the fact that I knew he was still going to get a lot of playing time despite being a veteran presence. My reasoning for that belief? See Miguel Olivo over John Jaso last year.
But, over the last week or so, things have changed a bit. Raul is no longer hitting below the interstate (that’s .190 for those who do not get the reference), and in fact, is crushing the ball. After today’s tough loss in Cleveland, he has 6 homers in 7 games. And dating back to May 4th against Toronto he has slashed a ridiculous .375/.394/1.031. This streak has led many to start talking about how good Raul really is, in addition to his veteran presence.
While it is nice to see him hit like this, it is not going to continue. I am sorry, but it just won’t. He now has a .839 OPS on the season, which is 328 points higher than the .511 he had before the streak. There are a few different reasons why there is no way he sustains the .839:
- 6 of the his last 8 games, when the success started, have been on the road. Raul thrives in hitter-friendly parks. Yankee Stadium is a prime example. He had a .343 wOBA there last year, compared to .223 on the road. And that pattern continued this year, and 4 of his hits and 3 of his home runs came in New York. He won’t have the luxury of playing in that little league field they call a big league stadium anymore.
- .562 points of his .839 OPS have come from his slugging percentage. Hitting 6 home runs in a week will do that for you. Raul does not have that kind of power anymore, or ever really. That would be the highest SLG% of his career, and he obviously won’t sustain it. Plus, it is hard to have any long term success with a OBP under .300.
- Raul just is not that good, plain and simple. He used to be, but at his age, he is not the same. He will probably have another one of these stints where he crushes the ball. That is what hitters like him do. But I would not think they will last much longer than this one has.
There is also another big point that I think needs to be made, despite it’s “elementary” feel. Defense is still a part of the game. I know it sounds simple, but people ignore it. Everyone sees the dingers and forgets that Raul is the most gif-able player in the league. Before today’s game (because it isn’t updated as fast) Raul’s WAR was a -0.1. He was costing the team 1/10th of a win with his play. That will probably go up a tad, maybe to an even 0, or a positive decimal. So despite this show he has put on at the plate, his overall value is extremely low. He can’t field, he can’t run, and he can only kind of hit sometimes.
Hot streaks are fun. It is good to see a fan favorite like Raul kill the ball, especially against a team like the Yankees. But do not take this for more than it is. An anomaly. A rather exciting one, but an anomaly nonetheless. Don’t get me wrong either. I like Raul and respect the player he was for the Mariners. But the key word is was. He is not that same player, and if I had it my way, he probably wouldn’t be on the team.
I know a lot of what I said will seem pretty obvious to most of you. But there are a lot of people who overreact to things like this, and do not understand how things like this work. In fact, I would say most traditional-thinking fans would fall into this category, so I still think this was a point that needed to be made. You probably won’t see USS Mariner or Lookout Landing making this sort of post, but they do not appeal to the casual fan as much as we do at Sodo Mojo.
Tags: featured, Mariners General, Popular, Raul Ibanez, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
How not to make a quality start starring Joe Saunders
For the fifth time in 2013, Joe Saunders failed to record a quality start on the road, as the Mariners lost 5-4 to the Indians in Cleveland Saturday. Saunders went 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on 11 base hits while walking and striking out two. All things considered, it was probably Saunders’ best road start of the season. Still, he laid out a blueprint of how not to make a quality start with a few key things he did or did not do.
Joe Saunders’ road struggles continued Saturday. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Don’t mess around with two outs
Too often during Saturday’s start, Saunders failed to close the book on the Indians after recording two outs. As a matter of fact, Ryan Divish pointed out on Twitter that Saunders has zero 1-2-3 innings in road starts this season. This inability not only costs the Mariners precious runs but also runs Saunders’ pitch count way up. Today proved no exception.
In the first inning, Saunders quickly retired Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis with just eight pitches. When Asdrubal Cabrera stepped in, Saunders gave up a base hit on his fourth pitch of the at-bat. This small crack in the armor proved lethal for Saunders, who threw seven balls to the next two hitters, Nick Swisher and Mark Reynolds, walking Swisher and giving up an RBI single to Reynolds. All told, he threw 17 pitches with two outs in the first inning.
The second inning almost mirrored the first one, except that Saunders survived unscathed. He only needed seven pitches to retire Mike Aviles and Jan Gomes, but ran into trouble with Drew Stubbs and Bourn. Saunders walked Stubbs and Bourn singled. Kipnis ended the threat with a come-backer to the mound, but Saunders’ pitch count took another huge two-out hit. He threw 16 more pitches with two outs, running his count to 48 through two innings.
Saunders only threw two two-out pitches in the third, stranding a runner at second and throwing only 18 pitches. He threw ten pitches with two outs in the fourth, allowing a single to Bourn before retiring Kipnis. However, he ran into two-out trouble again in the fifth. Swisher basically hit a home run to left field, except that the wind knocked it down and Raul Ibanez made the catch. Cabrera, at first after a lead off single, was totally fooled and the Mariners doubled him off. Yet Saunders apparently learned nothing from Swisher, as he left another pitch out over the plate to Reynolds, who hit it in almost the same spot as Swisher, except this one carried out for a solo home run.
To notch a quality start on the road, Saunders cannot afford to mess around with two outs like he did today.
Don’t sacrifice an early edge in the count
Saunders threw a ton of first pitch strikes today, especially early on. Of the 29 batters he faced, Saunders threw them 20 first pitch strikes. That doesn’t even include at bats where Indians’ batters put the ball in play on the first pitch. Saunders took control of most of the hitters he faced right from the get go, which should foreseeably help him.
However, of those 20 first pitch strikes that didn’t end up in play, Saunders followed 13 of them up with second pitch balls. Saunders would frequently get ahead and immediately surrender his advantage with the next pitch. He needed to stay aggressive and make things happen to keep his pitch count down. Instead, he ended up with 120 pitches in a weak 5.1 inning start.
Don’t heavily rely on balls in play
In five road starts this year, Joe Saunders pitched 24 innings. He struck out seven batters in those appearances. Seven! In 24 innings! Sure, Saunders isn’t a strikeout pitcher, but that’s just horrendous. His inability to get batters out on his own hurts him significantly, as it did today. Saunders allowed 11 hits and recorded 14 outs on balls in play. That’s a horrendous BABIP against, but when you only strike out two batters of 29, that kind of stuff happens. Quality starts are built on commanding the strike zone and batters, and Saunders did neither with effectiveness in the loss.
Tags: 2013 Season, featured, joe saunders, Popular, Recaps, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
Pregame news and notes, 5/18
The Mariners fell to the Indians 6-3 in 10 innings last night, as Jason Kipnis ripped a walk-off three-run blast off of Lucas Luetge. Seattle missed out on their first opportunity to reach the .500 mark since the second week of April, and fell to 20-22. This morning, the Mariners get underway at 10:05 PT, with Joe Saunders taking on Zach McAllister. Before they get
Bad road starter Joe Saunders. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
underway in Cleveland, here are some things to look out for.
Woeful road Joe
Ladies and gentlemen, Joe Saunders’ four starts on the road in 2013:
April 3, Oakland: 4 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 3 K
April 19, Texas: 4.2 IP, 7 ER, 9 H, 3 BB, 0 K
April 24, Houston: 5 IP, 8 ER, 11 H, 2 BB, 2 K
May 5, Toronto: 5 IP, 7 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 0 K
All four of these are horrid starts in their own special ways, and all four are Mariners’ losses by wide margins. The closest game of the bunch was the first one, a 6-2 loss to the A’s. Anything can happen in baseball, but starting Joe Saunders on the road this year has been akin to a forfeit for the Mariners. Part of that may be that he only has five strikeouts in 18.2 road innings this year. He’s relying on contact too much and paying the price. His 12.54 road ERA has to come down today for the Mariners to sniff success.
Saunders gets day off
Endy Chavez is leading off and playing centerfield today, a role Michael Saunders has occupied in every game since returning from the disabled list. Eric Wedge and my northwest.com’s Shannon Drayer played it off like a regular day off, but Saunders has been slumping lately. Three of his last four games resulted in 0-for-5 performances, and in those three games, he totaled seven strikeouts. That doesn’t equate to quality lead off hitting, and Saunders’ time in that slot could be limited if Chavez or Dustin Ackley can keep hitting.
Morse returns from eye trouble
The official word on Michael Morse’s eye irritation last night was that he poked himself in the eye some time leading up to Friday’s game and had issues with a dislodged contact and blurred vision for the rest of the night. The Mariners could have used his hot bat yesterday, as runs were few and far between. Hopefully the eye issue doesn’t derail Morse’s hot streak, during which he has racked up nine hits in his past four games.
Here’s the lineup for today:
- Chavez CF
- Ackley 2B
- Seager 3B
- Morales DH
- Morse RF
- Ibanez LF
- Smoak 1B
- Montero C
- Ryan SS
Tags: 2013 Season, featured, joe saunders, Mariners General, Michael Morse, Michael Saunders, Previews, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
Bruce Irvin Suspended 4 Games For Testing Positive For PEDs
Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin (51) during the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL announced today that Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin has ben suspended for the first 4 games of the 2013 season for violations of the league’s substance abuse policy. It is unknown what substance he tested positive for at this time. Irvin has announced that he will not appeal the suspension.
This statement from Irvin was released though the team:
“I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Seahawks fans for making a mistake when I took a substance that is prohibited in the NFL without a medical exemption. I am extremely disappointed in the poor judgment I showed and take full responsibility for my actions. I will not appeal the discipline and instead will focus my energy on preparing for the season so I can begin earning your trust and respect again. I look forward to contributing to the team the moment I return.”
The suspension to start the season will hurt Seattle more than if it had come later in the year. Fellow DE Chris Clemons is likely to begin the year on the Physically Unable To Perform list as he works back from a torn ACL injury. That means that the Seahawks will begin the season without their top 2 sack leaders from last season.
The Seahawks signed both Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett this past offseason to help with the pass rush, but they now appear to need additional help for the first 4 games. I wonder if John Abraham’s price has come down enough that John Schneider will consider adding him.
Tags: Bruce Irvin, featured, football, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks
Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »
Pregame news and notes, 5/17
After taking two of three from the Yankees in the Bronx, the Mariners head to Cleveland for four games Friday to Monday against the Indians. Tonight’s game features Mariners’ rookie Brandon Maurer starting against Indians’ veteran Ubaldo Jimenez. Before the action gets underway, here are some pregame notes to digest.
Morse was scratched with an eye injury Friday. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Morse scratched with an eye irritation
That pretty much sums up exactly what we know. Michael Morse, who has nine hits in his last four games, will miss tonight’s game with an eye injury. Endy Chavez will play right field in his stead. That is a big blow to a Mariners lineup that will need to show support for Maurer.
Noesi to Tacoma
A day after he made his first start of 2013, the Mariners sent Hector Noesi to AAA Tacoma today. They promoted reliever Danny Farquhar in his stead. Every reliever on the 25-man roster besides Charlie Furbush pitched last night, and with two game in less than 24 hours upcoming, Eric Wedge must have felt he needed additional relief help.
Farquhar makes some sense, since he has succeeded in medium to short relief in 2013. He boasts a 2.25 ERA in 15 appearances. He racked up 20 innings pitched in that time, and also has six saves for Tacoma. He has struck out 30 batters while walking just four.
Noesi, on the other hand, probably couldn’t pitch for the next few days anyway, after he started and threw upwards of 80 pitches yesterday. I would be surprised to see him pitch in Tacoma, and he might be back with the big club by next week, especially if Aaron Harang can’t make his next start.
Pestano returns to fold for Tribe
Vinnie Pestano, perhaps Cleveland’s best relief pitcher, was activated from the disabled list today and will be available for duty out of the ‘pen tonight for the Wahoos. Pestano, who pitched for the US in the World Baseball Classic in March, went on the DL on May 1 because of a sore right elbow. Pestano had posted a 2.25 ERA with no record so far in 2013. The Indians sent lefty Nick Hagadone back to AAA Columbus to balance the roster.
Maurer looking for first career road win
Maurer has only made two starts on the road so far in 2o12, and he took the loss in both contests. In his most recent road start, he recorded a quality start against Texas, but the Mariners didn’t score any runs to support his cause. The first inning hasn’t been his strength, so getting off to a good start will be important for Maurer. Maybe if the Mariners show him some support by scoring in the first inning before he even takes the hill, the early going will run smoothly for Maurer.
Here’s the lineup trying to help Maurer against Jimenez at 4:05 PT.
- Saunders CF
- Ackley 2B
- Seager 3B
- Morales DH
- Smoak 1B
- Ibanez LF
- Shoppach C
- Chavez RF
- Ryan SS
Tags: 2013 Season, Brandon Maurer, Danny Farquhar, featured, Hector Noesi, Michael Morse, Popular, Previews, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
Five things: Mariners win series in Bronx
The Mariners took a major step forward this week, winning a series in New York for the first time since 2004. They improved to 20-21, taking sole possession of second place in the AL West (still seven games behind Texas, though). Perhaps most impressive, they did it while losing a Felix Hernandez start and winning a game started by Hector Noesi. Here are five things the Mariners showed in the three-game series.
1. Born this way
This catchy and horrid Lady Gaga anthem could easily become Raul Ibanez’s walk-up music at new Yankee Stadium, as he showed in the first two games that he was born to hit in the Bronx. In those two contests, Raul went 4-for-9 with three homer runs and eight RBI. Sure, he threw up a nasty 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Thursday, but the guy kills in Yankee Stadium. Brian Cashman is probably kicking himself about not re-signing Raul this offseason.
Morse has two hits in four straight games. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
2. Morse back on his horse
Michael Morse now has two hits in each of his last four games, and has raised his batting average from .225 to .261. On Thursday, he hit his tenth home run of the season, a massive swat that carried way out to right centerfield and held up as the game-winning run in a 3-2 victory. On Monday, Geoff Baker called for Morse to pick up his game. Morse did just that in the Bronx, consistently putting the Mariners in positions to score runs, or in the case of Thursday, taking matters into his own, gigantic, beastly hands.
3. Bullpen one of baseball’s best
Disclaimer: I have no statistical evidence to back this up. The Mariners are 19th in bullpen ERA, eighth in batting average against and eleventh in saves. None of that really jumps off the page. But when Charlie Furbush blew the game for Felix in the seventh inning Tuesday, it was only the second time the Mariners bullpen had blown a save all year. Fast forward to Thursday, where the bullpen amounted for all nine innings in a win no baseball realist expected.
The Mariners have a rising young setup man in Carter Capps, and lethal left-handed out pitcher in Oliver Perez, and a closer with perhaps baseball’s nastiest 12-6 curve in Tom Wilhelmsen. Couple that with Yoervis Medina’s solid middle relief, Lucas Luetge’s lefty specialty and Noesi in spot starts, and you have a ‘pen that can hold it together in crunch time, like they did all throughout Thursday’s win. When Stephen Pryor and Josh Kinney come back, the M’s might just have one of baseball’s premier relief squads.
4. King and Kuma the best around
This one doesn’t come attached with a debate: Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma have formed the best 1-2 punch in baseball so far in 2o13, bar none. Felix’s 1.53 ERA ranks him first in the American League; Kuma’s 1.84 mark has him third. Felix leads the league in innings pitched; Kuma ranks sixth. Felix is third in the AL in WHIP at 0.93; Iwakuma’s 0.78 WHIP leads the pack by a wide margin. For sabermatricians out there, Felix is tops in AL starter WAR, while Kuma is third. They are the prized thoroughbred horses at the top of the Mariner rotation, and the M’s would be nowhere without their success.
5. Middle mark looming tonight
Another result of the series win, the Mariners’ fifth in their last six, is the chance to reach the .500 mark for the first time since the first series of the season with a win in Cleveland Friday. Brandon Maurer takes the hill against Ubaldo Jimenez, as the rookie tries to save an exhausted Mariner bullpen with his first career road quality start. First pitch is at 4:05 PT.
Tags: 2013 Season, Bullpen, featured, Felix, hisashi iwakuma, king felix, Michael Morse, Popular, Raul Ibanez, Recaps, seattle mariners, Series Recaps
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »
Obscure Seahawks Bi-Weekly: Derrick Coleman
Aug 17, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Derrick Coleman (49) against the Buffalo Bills at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Bills 36-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The fifth installment of ‘Obscure Seahawks Weekly” looks at athletic fullback/special teams ace Derrick Coleman. Coleman is an interesting guy (http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/columns/ncf/story/_/id/7273486/derrick-coleman-ucla-bruins-story-worth-hearing) who might just have the versatility and athleticism to stick around.
The Basics
Age: 22
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight: 233
Position: Fullback
College:UCLA
Number: #40
Method of Acquisition: Signed to futures contract 01/16/13
Years Pro: 2
40 yard dash time: 4.50
Vertical: 36 1/2
NCAA career stats: 49 GP, 341 carries, 1780 yards, 5.2 YPC, 19 TD
Fun Fact: Derrick Coleman is hard of hearing and reads lips in order to get audibles from his quarterback.
Scouting Report
Coleman has great speed for his size and has shown the ability to carry the ball effectively. He has the potential to be an excellent short-yardage back, not that Seattle has a particular need in that area. He has been an excellent special teams player at the college level and has the experience and physical ability to excel in a similar role in the NFL. Coleman wasn’t asked to catch many balls at UCLA so there is some uncertainty regarding that aspect of his game. Has to improve his blocking to be a successful fullback but has youth and physical tools on his side. Could find a niche as a Leonard Weaver-esque hybrid FB/RB.
Chances of Making the Team
Not impossible. Coleman’s chances are very dependent on how many fullbacks the Seahawks want to keep. If Seattle only keeps one fullback then Coleman has no opportunity to make this squad unless Michael Robinson becomes a salary cap casualty. If Pete Carroll feels like he can afford to keep two fullbacks Coleman will be in a duel with Spencer Ware for the backup fullback job. Although Ware was drafted by this regime, Coleman is a more accomplished special teamer and is significantly faster at the same size. Seattle hasn’t committed very much to Ware considering he was a sixth round pick, so Ware and Coleman would be in for a really interesting roster battle if the Seahawks are willing to carry two fullbacks on the roster. Coleman could also make this team if Carroll figured he was indispensable as a pure special teams player like Alex Bannister was a while back. However, that’s a fairly unlikely scenario. Coleman has quite a bit to offer but he needs a few things to break his way to make the 2013 Seahawks. Arbitrary Estimates: 16% chance of making the team, 34% chance of making the practice squad.
Tags: Derrick Coleman, featured, football, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Spencer War
Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »
Harang scratched, Noesi to start Thursday
Breaking news out of Mariners land, as Aaron Harang will not make his regularly scheduled start Thursday due to stiffness in his lower back. Instead, former Yankee Hector Noesi will make his first start of the season.
Harang has struggled mightily so far in 2013, posting a 1-4 record with a 7.30 ERA. However, his last two starts had been better, as he went 1-1 in two six inning, two run performances.
Hector Noesi makes his first start of 2013 for the Mariners. Noesi posted a 2-12 record with a 5.86 ERA in 22 games in 2012, which included 18 starts. In 2011 with New York, he posted a 2-2 record with a 4.47 ERA in 30 apperances (two starts). In 2013 out of the bullpen, Noesi has allowed four runs in nine innings of work.
Whether Noesi can get it on track as a starter remains to be seen, but the Mariners are undoutasbly behind the eight ball, as they oppose left-hander Andy Pettitte tonight in the Bronx. The game starts at 4:05 PT. Here is the Mariners lineup:
- Saunders CF
- Bay LF
- Seager 3B
- Morales 1B
- Morse RF
- Ibanez DH
- Montero C
- Ackley 2B
- Ryan SS
Tags: 2013 Season, Aaron Harang, featured, Hector Noesi, Previews, seattle mariners
Posted in: Mariners | No Comments »