What a strange game, that 4-2 Mariners victory over the Rays.
We had Ken Griffey Jr. try to bunt for a base hit — great idea, poor execution. We had Rays center fielder Gabe Kapler playing so shallow he looked like a fourth outfielder in a men’s slow-pitch game — thanks for the triples, Gabe. We had Ichiro Suuzki try to bunt for a base hit with a potential insurance run on third — more on that later. And we had Jarrod Washburn pitching like we haven’t seen out of Washburn — a 92 mph fastball mixed with some soft stuff that kept the Rays guessing.
We’ll give Griffey a free pass for that bunt, a bouncer right back to the mound when he was trying to beat the Rays’ infield shift by pushing it up the third-base side. It’s not like he gets many chances to do that at game speed. And besides, this was further proof that any time you lay one down, the opposing team must do three things right to make the play — catch it, throw it and catch it again. Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine caught it, but his throw to second was high.
Still not sure why Kapler was playing so shallow all night, especially against Rob Johnson and Yuni Betancourt, two guys capable of reaching the deep outfield gaps at Safeco. It’s not like Kapler can’t run a little. Only explanation I can figure is the Rays wanted to have a play at the plate with runners on third base in those two at-bats, although it doesn’t matter when the ball sails over your head. It’ll be interesting to see how the Rays position him tonight.
Ichiro’s bunt attempt in the fourth inning has me totally flummoxed. Betancourt stood on third with one out after his triple over Kapler’s head when all sorts of strategy broke out.
Manager Don Wakamatsu flashed signs from the Mariners dugout and third-base coach Bruce Hines relayed them to his baserunner and hitter. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria looked to his dugout and gave a little touch to his belt, and Sonnanstine threw a pitchout as neither Ichiro nor Betancourt flinched..
Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey bolted from the dugout and the entire infield gathered around Sonnanstine on the mound. Meanwhile, Wakamatsu flashed another sign and Hines jogged to the plate and had a quick word with Ichiro.
When everyone got back in position, Sonnanstine threw one Ichiro could handle, and he pushed a bunt up the third-base line that made no real sense. The charging Longoria fielded it cleanly and, with Betancourt frozen at third, threw quickly to first to get Ichiro.
What happened?
Wakamatsu said it was his fault, that his sign gave Hines the impression that Ichiro should bunt for a base hit. Excuse me? You’ve got a two-run lead with the infield playing in and an opportunity to push a key insurance run home, yet ask him to bunt for a single and not squeeze to score Betancourt? I can buy a miscommunication with the signs. But wouldn’t Ichiro question it more than he did? All I saw was a quick head nod as if he heard the words “bunt for a hit” and thought, “Hey, I like that. Only 194 to go until 200.”
Then there was Washburn, the pitcher who wouldn’t be here now if Mariners president Chuck Armstrong hadn’t blocked the late-season trade the M’s had put together with the Twins last year. He’s combining some true stuff with his bulldog attitude, and the result is a 3-0 record. Washburn, pretty much a four-seam, 88 mph fastball guy who relied on location, is throwing stuff that bends, breaks and, gasp, has a change of speed.
Wash swears he’s not throwing any more soft stuff now than before, but his own manager and opposing managers believe it, and the reaction of opposing hitters pretty much tells us that a lot has changed with Washburn this year. Maybe it’s an illusion that he seems to be throwing more soft stuff because his fastball now is hitting 92 mph.
Credit pitching coach Rick Adair and bullpen coach John Wetteland with leading Washburn through some mechanical tweaks in spring training that allow him to get more extension and, therefore, more movement on his pitches. He’s also getting better results with his changeup and sinker.
Wakamatsu says Washburn is throwing more to the middle of the plate now and letting his stuff run to the corners compared with the past, when it would run off the plate and get him in trouble when hitters laid off those pitches. Washburn himself said he missed in some good spots last night, throwing some sliders meant for the outside corner that slipped out of his hand and essentially became backdoor breaking balls that caught the inside corner. In the past, he said, he’d hit batters when that happened.
Call it luck or successful adjustment or whatever you want, Washburn is the most pleasant surprise on the mound for the Mariners so far, and without him this wouldn’t be much more than a .500 team.
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