Seattle keeps looking like a team that is just waiting for something bad to happen. They got their wish last night as the Royals knocked them off 7-1, in a game that wasn’t that close.

Freddy Garcia has trouble with Raul Ibanez (13-18 lifetime off Freddy) and Ibanez did him in last night again. Garcia has now lost three in a row after going 5-0 in June.

The Mariners don’t hit with any authority. Ichiro is batting .354, but he doesn’t drive in many runs. The Mariners are looking for a new third baseman, left fielder, and first baseman, all traditional power spots. Those needs clearly sum up what is wrong with the Seattle offense.

Are they after Aramis Ramirez (I don’t think so, his 22 errors don’t fit on this defensive oriented team), Brian Giles (they don’t have the players to get Giles from Pittsburgh), Reggie Sanders may be more in their league or possibly Juan Gonzalez. GM Pat Gillick isn’t in Billy Beane’s league when it comes to nerve, so I don’t think the Mariners will do much to change their offense.

All this is good news for Oakland. Now, if the A’s could just play good ball on the road they might cut the four game deficit they currently have with Seattle more quickly.

Click below for more!

[Read more →]

Idealism, that is what it is all

about.

I do not know anybody

that enjoys playing more

the game of baseball

than one 77 year old

man by the name of

Orestes Saturnino Arrieta

Armas Minoso, aka

Minnie Minoso who at

the age of 77 walked

last night, playing in an organized game for the seventh decade, a major league record !

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

First of all, I thought the All-Star game was terrific. It had the feel of a very interesting game. Most baseball games really take off once the teams reach the seventh inning, then the wheels start turning and the tension of a baseball game takes hold.

Obviously, this game was played with the idea of getting most of the players into the game. It worked out where the relievers actually were the ones who determined the outcome of the game. Just like during the season.

Hank Blalock simply crushed the ball Eric Gagne threw, another loss for Gagne in a non save situation, something that plagued him against the Giants earlier in the season too.

The players were scrutinized more carefully than ever before in an all star game. There was no room for frivolity. I don’t buy the fact that they were not aware of the consequence of the game, however trivial they would like to make that seem.

The fans took the action more seriously, and the way the players approached the game was clear to me. The atmosphere in the park was electric at the end of the seventh inning, you just had the feeling that this game wasn’t over.

One thing, in a “real” game I think Dusty would have brought in a lefty to face Blalock, but then again Smoltz was out there and available.

Or how about Dontrelle Willis in relief, now I would have enjoyed seeing Willis face Blalock, that would have been an all star moment.

Click below for more on the game and the second half! [Read more →]

“This Time It Counts”

Reads the promos for

the 74th All Star Game

this tuesday July 15 at

US Celullar Field (actually

New Comiskey Park)Chicago.

By Amaury Pi-González

San Francisco [Read more →]

The A’s need go for it now, because next year they won’t have Tejada and they won’t have Foulke. The missing link now is Brian Giles.

Here’s what they do: the Pirates can have Bobby Crosby and any other two prospects they want except Harden. That means Joe Blanton, Nick Swisher, Bill Murphy. Anyone. I’d maybe even give em a fourth prospect, if they will also send along some cash to pay Giles.

Now, this leaves the A’s with no heir apparent at shortstop next year. No problem. At the end of the season they get Khalil Greene from the Padres. He’s in Triple A and has numbers very much like Crosby. The A’s wanted to draft Greene last year in the first round, but the Pads took him. The Padres, opening their new ballpark, are probably going to go after a big name shortstop (Tejada or Aurilia?), so Greene will be expendible. The A’s could also sign some journeyman shortstop to be a fallback if Greene doesn’t work, but they would have had to do that with Crosby anyway.

The A’s also have the option of trading Giles over the winter to get their shortstop. Giles makes $9 mil a year for 04 and 05. Obviously they’d be better off keeping Giles and trading Jermaine Dye, but it would harder to trade Dye.

This also leaves the A’s farm system a little bereft. No problem again. When Tejada and Foulke leave, the A’s will get four more comp draft picks in the first two rounds. That’ll refill the cupboard.

I recognize this proposal from a very astute baseball analyst who shall remain anonymous.
Thanks,
Marty [Read more →]

Marty; The Giants have just concluded three games with Arizona, winning two of them at Arizona’s home field. In assessing the significance of this short series, is it an overemphasis to call it a microcosm of the remainder of the season?

Click Below for Ed’s Analysis.
Marty [Read more →]

If anyone out there reads the NY Times, you will see an excellent example of Yankee arrogance and some questionable journalism.

The Times quotes two Yankees sources (unnamed) saying they are trying to work a deal to send prospects to the NY Mets for Armando Benitez, who would then be sent to the Giants for Felix Rodriguez AND a prospect.

That the Yankees would actually believe the Giants would do this is off-the-chart ridiculous.

First of all, Benitez isn’t much better than F-Rod, if at all. But he makes $7 mil compared to F-Rod’s $3 mil. Plus, FRod has a deal for another two years at $3 mil a year (although it goes up if he becomes the closer). Benitez is a free agent. With Worrell also a free agent, FRod is the Giants only fallback plan if Robb Nen is unable to pitch in 04, which is a distinct possibility. To think that the Giants would make this deal AND throw in a prospect boggles the mind. [Read more →]

Tim Hudson is the best pitcher on the A’s staff right now. Mark Mulder is the best pitcher on the A’s staff right now. Barry Zito is the third best pitcher on the A’s staff right now.

They all are what they are. The best three pitchers on any staff in baseball.

This weekend is strikingly familiar to the Arizona series two years ago when the A’s played an amazing three game set against the Diamondbacks just before the all star game and rode their pitching all the way to the playoffs.

Friday night was the Giants night, the rest of the weekend they will be tested facing Curt Schilling, for at least five innings, and then the hot rookie Brandon Webb.

How far can Minnesota slide, the A’s are hoping very far because they go to Minneapolis for four games beginning Thursday.

Lloyd McClendon gets an extension in Pittsburgh and Randall Simon gets suspended for knocking over a sausage in Milwaukee. How would you like to be a Pirate fan this week?

Dontrelle Willis will make the all star game worth watching.

The Orioles need two more starting pitchers and one big bopper in the lineup and they might be able to play in the AL East. Problem for them is deciding what to do with free spirit Sidney Ponson. They don’t want to sink 40 million into this potential headcase who right now is one of the best pitchers in the league.

Someone will and will get one helluva pitcher.

The Angels keep winning, don’t discount the talent on this club.

Former Cardinal Bill White described how the Cards sneaked to the pennant in 1964. He said they were so far back, about ten games in August, that no one noticed them. All of a sudden, the leaders (Phillies and Reds) faltered in September and they found themselves in the race. They just kept playing solid baseball along the way and the flag fell into their lap.

Take heed: Florida, Colorado, and Anaheim all may not be lost.

That’s baseball.

See you on the 17th.

Marty Lurie [Read more →]

During the past 29 games the leading

Mariners have scored three or fewer

runs 19 times.

Yet General Manager Pat Gillick

says their is no panic here in

“coffe town”.

This weekend Lou Piniella

is in town, the best Mariners

manager in history.

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Seattle [Read more →]

I’ll be starting my all star break on Saturday, so the Daily Dish will regroup and return on Thursday July 17th.

But, now let’s talk some baseball.

Last season Lou Piniella was managing the highflying Seattle Mariners. Heading into the 2002 all star break Lou had the lead in the AL West, but the A’s and the Angels were showing signs of life.

Lou realized that his team had some trouble on offense and implored his bosses to pick up another big time hitter, preferably a left fielder.

The brass disagreed, leading to an irrevocable split between Lou and his GM.

Lou now resides in Tampa Bay and brings his lowly Devil Rays into Safeco Field this weekend.

This season the Mariners are off to another good start. Guess what? Even though Ichiro is hitting .350 and Bret Boone looks like an MVP so far, they still have trouble on offense.

Tampa Bay is no great shakes either, but Lou’s team will play some close games with the Mariners starting tonight.

The A’s miss Baltimore’s best pitcher Sidney Ponson who added to his top billing by throwing a complete game against Seattle last night.

The Angels get the hapless Twins for the weekend.

This AL West will tighten up very quickly after the break, you watch and see. Seattle is very much the same bunch Lou analyzed very well at the break last year. Great defense, solid pitching, but an offense that won’t put anyone away, and if the pitching slips they become a very catchable team.

Click below for more! [Read more →]