== JJ Putz ==

Is on pace for 94 innings.

That's not tragic — Scott Shields has 148, 105, and 91 the last three years, and threw just as great the 3rd year — but it's about 50% more than typical relief work.

And, of course, it's just one month.  "One month on pace for 94 IP" is a lot different than "94 IP."

Still, there's an article out with George Sherrill protesting that he doesn't want to be a LOOGY, that he needs more innings.  Hargrove is comfortable with Putz and not so much with Sherrill, and it's affecting the work distribution. 

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Again, Ruskell goes for production over "gym stats" like size, max bench, etc.  Again, he emphasizes character over sheer athleticism at the combine.

This is the equivalent of drafting Barry Zito over Gil Meche.  It is the equivalent of drafting college pitchers with great K/BB results and excellent "mound presence" …. over throwers who clock 96 mph and jump 38" vertical and bench 225 for fifteen reps… 

Ruskell goes for performance records over tools.  He wants pitchers over throwers, football players who get their hats on the ball over gym heroes who bench Harley-Davidsons.

He's the football analogue of a saberdweeb.  Why look at the predictors for performance — when you can look at the actual performance?  Ruskell goes Billy Beane on the NFL, and in the NFL, there's room to poach there.  Athleticism is over-valued.

Tim Ruskell:  Kelly Jennings' Performance the Best of Any CB In The Draft 

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=== FIZZLERS:  Kenji Johjima ===

Fett axs, reasonably,

Question of the day:

Has Johjma been ‘booked’?

If so, how long till he adjusts back?

Haven't been watching that close the last week but here are HAL 9000.1's transmissions, Dave:

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Question got axed:  whose bullpen is better than the M's?

The conventional wisdom:  if you look up the "Seattle Mariner Pitcher As Reliever" split stats, the M's bullpen is only about average.

The D-O-V crunch:  twist the blue knob lower left that reads "Paradigm Oscillator" …

Pen A:  Bruce Sutter, Bryan Harvey, Eric Gagne, and three meatballs with 6.00 ERA's that you are about to punt over the back yard fence, or the disabled list, whichever is higher

Pen B:  Six guys who are not bad (say, Ron Villone and his five brothers)

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Hargrove came with the following recommendations — which are still true:

As we've gotten to know Hargrove better, we've added these things to the list:
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Washburn In The House bab-eh …
 

 

=== His first 5 Mariner starts===

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Edit to add — Marc W has an interesting report on Livingston at Mariner Morsels.  Good stuff.

1.  On April 12, Livingston has allowed 1 hit in 6 IP vs Sacramento … 11 grounders, 3 fly balls, 4 strikeouts.   That follows a 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K debut.

2.  In the Grand Salami, Bill Bavasi said pointedly that "I don't have a problem with Pineiro or Meche pitching out of the bullpen, even at their salaries.  If Foppert (whoever, Dr. D) can beat them out."

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Only a few Mariners have an established track record against Robertson.  Ichiro, typically, hits the left-hander well …. Everett kinda so-so, Lawton will sit, and the other guys need more AB's to tell:

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(1) Robertson is better than people think.

(2) And, lefthanders have been giving the M's trouble (don't forget that they stacked their lineup lefty this offseason, and Sexson-Beltre are not effective right now).  

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