Post by Commissioner Erick on Feb 26, 2021 20:24:25 GMT -5
Baltimore Orioles (55-36) @ Seattle Mariners (49-42)
BAL: Jake Eischeid (3-1, 4.81)
SEA: Jeifry Nunez (7-7, 3.76)
The Seattle Mariners have fallen apart. On June 19, they led the AL West by six games over the Texas Rangers after a ninth-inning comeback fueled a walkoff Francisco DeJesus home run to beat the Kansas City Royals in extra innings. Kansas City battered Jeifry Nunez the next day, kicking off an unfathomable 14 game losing streak. The Mariners snapped the streak yesterday with a Kevin Dowdell walkoff home run, but the damage was done.
Instead of comfortably leading the division heading into the All-Star break, Seattle now finds itself looking up at two different teams and tied with a third. They’re in danger of falling to fourth place with a loss, and to avoid that fate, they’ll need to beat the best team in the American League.
Seattle will turn to the arm whose poor performance started this tailspin when Nunez and the Mariners host the Baltimore Orioles in the Game of the Week.
Nunez was awful against the Royals, but has been solid during the stretch. He worked 7.2 innings in Texas allowing only two runs on June 25 in a wasted start, and gave up three runs in Boston in 5 innings, which isn’t great, but is fine. The bigger issue is that Seattle averaged just over two runs a game during the losing streak as their offense disintegrated.
The team relies heavily on the production of Francisco DeJesus, and the slugger is going through an awful stretch. Since June 19, Francisco is just 4-51 with a single RBI. One doesn’t have to look too far to see why Seattle’s offense has subsequently struggled. Lourdes Gurriel, Brian C. Miller, Aramis Ademan, Mark Vientos, and Isaac Paredes are also hitting under .200 during the stretch, and nobody has more than two home runs, dampening the offense.
With the supporting cast not hitting for power or average, and DeJesus and Mori combining for two RBIs over a stretch of games lasting more than two weeks, Seattle has become a decrepit team.
That’s a powerless place to be when welcoming the best offense in the league to town. The Orioles continue to destroy opposing pitching staffs and flying under-the-radar have the second-best starting staff in the league as well. They’ve taken steps to shore up a rough bullpen in recent weeks as well. From Cleveland, Jake Cosart was acquired, and from St. Louis, Zack Burdi was brought in. Burdi worked two games and 3 innings in last week’s series against the Yankees, allowing a run, but getting a win. Cosart was less effective, but was running a solid 3.69 ERA with a 0.6 WAR for Cleveland.
The biggest acquisition may be the most recent one, where they acquired The Ultimate Sacrificer, Brandon Finnegan, from Arizona. Finnegan had a sparkling 2.10 ERA in the desert, and nobody questions his ability to perform in the playoffs, nor the lengths he’ll go to in order to help his team. He’ll also be reunited with Silvino Bracho, who also sparkled during the 2022 playoffs and helped lead the Diamondbacks to a championship.
If Jake Eishcheid, who won his last Game of the Week start, needs a little help today, he’ll have a hell of a bullpen to help him out.
Questions for the GMs:
For Vic Black, why did you go after the relief pitchers you acquired?
You have a bunch of guys tired with an off day on Thursday and the All-Star break coming up. Will we see a full contingent from you, or will you give your guys a day off?
Nick Dunn has been starting at shortstop recently over Logan Warmoth. What’s made you go that route?
For Jeff Thomas, Francisco DeJesus only has one RBI the past few weeks. What’s caused him to fall off so suddenly.
You signed Charlie Blackmon in the offseason despite the outfielder being injured and out for the first few months of the year. What have you seen from him his first few weeks back?
What will be the key to beating the Orioles today?
TRIVIA: Dutch Antillean New York Mets minor leaguer Ultse den Hollander has pitched in the most WBC games All-Time with 11 appearances. Which Japanese pitcher has started the most games All-Time in the WBC?
BAL: Jake Eischeid (3-1, 4.81)
SEA: Jeifry Nunez (7-7, 3.76)
The Seattle Mariners have fallen apart. On June 19, they led the AL West by six games over the Texas Rangers after a ninth-inning comeback fueled a walkoff Francisco DeJesus home run to beat the Kansas City Royals in extra innings. Kansas City battered Jeifry Nunez the next day, kicking off an unfathomable 14 game losing streak. The Mariners snapped the streak yesterday with a Kevin Dowdell walkoff home run, but the damage was done.
Instead of comfortably leading the division heading into the All-Star break, Seattle now finds itself looking up at two different teams and tied with a third. They’re in danger of falling to fourth place with a loss, and to avoid that fate, they’ll need to beat the best team in the American League.
Seattle will turn to the arm whose poor performance started this tailspin when Nunez and the Mariners host the Baltimore Orioles in the Game of the Week.
Nunez was awful against the Royals, but has been solid during the stretch. He worked 7.2 innings in Texas allowing only two runs on June 25 in a wasted start, and gave up three runs in Boston in 5 innings, which isn’t great, but is fine. The bigger issue is that Seattle averaged just over two runs a game during the losing streak as their offense disintegrated.
The team relies heavily on the production of Francisco DeJesus, and the slugger is going through an awful stretch. Since June 19, Francisco is just 4-51 with a single RBI. One doesn’t have to look too far to see why Seattle’s offense has subsequently struggled. Lourdes Gurriel, Brian C. Miller, Aramis Ademan, Mark Vientos, and Isaac Paredes are also hitting under .200 during the stretch, and nobody has more than two home runs, dampening the offense.
With the supporting cast not hitting for power or average, and DeJesus and Mori combining for two RBIs over a stretch of games lasting more than two weeks, Seattle has become a decrepit team.
That’s a powerless place to be when welcoming the best offense in the league to town. The Orioles continue to destroy opposing pitching staffs and flying under-the-radar have the second-best starting staff in the league as well. They’ve taken steps to shore up a rough bullpen in recent weeks as well. From Cleveland, Jake Cosart was acquired, and from St. Louis, Zack Burdi was brought in. Burdi worked two games and 3 innings in last week’s series against the Yankees, allowing a run, but getting a win. Cosart was less effective, but was running a solid 3.69 ERA with a 0.6 WAR for Cleveland.
The biggest acquisition may be the most recent one, where they acquired The Ultimate Sacrificer, Brandon Finnegan, from Arizona. Finnegan had a sparkling 2.10 ERA in the desert, and nobody questions his ability to perform in the playoffs, nor the lengths he’ll go to in order to help his team. He’ll also be reunited with Silvino Bracho, who also sparkled during the 2022 playoffs and helped lead the Diamondbacks to a championship.
If Jake Eishcheid, who won his last Game of the Week start, needs a little help today, he’ll have a hell of a bullpen to help him out.
Questions for the GMs:
For Vic Black, why did you go after the relief pitchers you acquired?
You have a bunch of guys tired with an off day on Thursday and the All-Star break coming up. Will we see a full contingent from you, or will you give your guys a day off?
Nick Dunn has been starting at shortstop recently over Logan Warmoth. What’s made you go that route?
For Jeff Thomas, Francisco DeJesus only has one RBI the past few weeks. What’s caused him to fall off so suddenly.
You signed Charlie Blackmon in the offseason despite the outfielder being injured and out for the first few months of the year. What have you seen from him his first few weeks back?
What will be the key to beating the Orioles today?
TRIVIA: Dutch Antillean New York Mets minor leaguer Ultse den Hollander has pitched in the most WBC games All-Time with 11 appearances. Which Japanese pitcher has started the most games All-Time in the WBC?
