SECTION 331

Being at work today hampered my ability to really pay much attention to the game, but I did listen to it. During one of the news breaks on 710 today, the announcer was talking about (I’m paraphrasing) how the M’s were hoping that Bedard would win one for them today. How about that Mariners offense, guy? How did this get to be all Bedard’s responsibility? Sure, maybe it was just a figure of speech, but offhand talk like that doesn’t place the blame where it very clearly belongs lately – with our bats. I probably shouldn’t get as involved in sports radio as much as I do – it just leaves me annoyed with this team, and I really don’t want to be, even though I know that should be a priority. I can’t imagine being paid to write/broadcast about this team; how depressing. Rizzs and Simms sounded close to defeat before the game, talking about what the team needed to do, and I am starting to see the cautious exhaustion on the faces of the FSN broadcasters. This could be me projecting my disappointment, but what a monumentally difficult job.

I never did think we were going to the playoffs, but got caught up in the stupid of April. I’ll get over it soon, and get back into the same groove as last year, being thankful for wins as they come, and trying real hard not to look at the big picture, interspersed with a lot of complaining during losing streaks.

I get a little bit of the game; like the fact that Bedard went pretty deep into the game -working the 7th inning (6 & 2/3)- and Branyan’s two-run homer (finally, we give the guy some fuel for his bat!), and missing being able to see Brad Ziegler pitch. An A’s pitcher even walked Ichiro, trying to take away our ability to score, but off the top of my head, I don’t know if it worked – I don’t think it did, as I seem to remember hearing we got another run in. Also featured in the 7th was a running catch in foul territory by that terribly pesky Ryan Sweeney.

I had to tune out a bit, but in the 9th, Rob Johnson got a double – a double! – and even the announcers were surprised at how fast he was running to get it. Russ Springer was once again the guy in the 9th for the A’s (Russ Springer of 15 pitches to Jose Lopez and subsequent Mariners win a few weeks ago), and gave up a hit to Gutierrez to get Chavez in, with Oakland fans booing all the way. The score was 6-1 top 9th, where it remained for the final score. Gutierrez and Beltre were thwarted by Ryan Sweeney (again!) as Beltre hit a foul pop trying to get Gutz to tag and go, but he was cut off at the plate by Sweeney.  Then my new boyfriend David Aardsma got into the 9th, and went through the A’s lineup so fast I almost didn’t hear it, in between asking work-related questions and working. From what I understand, Adam Kennedy also got shown the door quite a few times today by our pitching, which consisted of Bedard, Sean White, and of course Aardsma. The game itself lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes. Shannon Drayer interviewed Rob Johnson after the game, and he said that Aardsma has been working on off-speed pitches, so that’s awesome. 

So a day off for the guys on the way down to Los Angeles, and Vargas goes up against Lackey. I hate to have high hopes, but I’ll probably get suckered into it. Sure, I’m happy about the win today, but the Angels are next, and the Twins are not too far away. If Vargas can sustain what he’s been doing, all might not be lost; I know it’s more complicated than that, but it’s encouraging to see a guy come out of Tacoma with such success, especially when he didn’t make the team to begin with.

Completely unrelated, if you’d like to have some vocal input on whether or not Ryan Rowland-Smith should keep the glasses or go for lasik, you can tell him here. I’m pro-glasses, mainly because I know I’ll need some soon, and I am not putting contacts in unless it’s at gunpoint. But I also know how annoying it is when my sunglasses fog up, and he actually needs his to SEE, so I totally get that lasik is an appealing option. 

Meanwhile, it looks like my links have disappeared. I have such a love/hate relationship with this website. I’ll try and get them up as soon as possible. Aggravating.