This has been linked at several blogs and websites but I thought this was interesting. Chip Kelly sounds very defensive and angry. Enjoy!
http://www.955thegame.com/95-5-Game-Special—Kelly-Vs–Canzano/6428097
Andrew
Author Archives: Andrew Long
Y2010M! Casey Kotchman
About a week ago I was hanging out with Dan. I can’t remember exactly what we were watching but the show started showing highlights of a bunch of first basemen making errors. Defense at first base is something that is often overlooked, but why? In today’s baseball world, and even in the generations before us, first base is a position that is used to upgrade offense. If a guy can hit 40 home runs that would make up for a lack of defensive range at first base. With this in mind I thought the Mariners would try to acquire a first basemen that would upgrade our offense a couple of notches. But that didn’t happen, our front office stayed true to their “defense first” mentality. Ladies and gentleman, I give you Casey Kotchman.
In 2001 Kotchman was selected 13th overall in the Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He breezed through the Angels farm system and made his major league debut in 2005 as one of the top prospects in the game. Kotchman went through several injury plagued years but played fairly well in 2007 and 2008. He was traded to Atlanta at the trade deadline in ’08 and his production fell off as he was dealing with some family issues. Kotchman was again traded from Atlanta to Boston in 2009. What was once a very good prospect looked like he’d forgotten how to hit, especially how to hit lefties. 2009 wasn’t his best year, as he posted an OPS of .721 which is somewhat underwhelming for a first basemen. Through his offensive struggles Kotchman was still seen as one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball.
This offseason he was traded from Boston to Seattle for Bill Hall. This was an upgrade for the M’s because not many people wanted Mike Carp to be our starting first baseman. I’ll be the first to admit I was hoping for a little something more at first base initially but the more I think about it the more I like this move. Kotchman is low-risk, high upside move (meaning he doesn’t cost a lot and has good amount of potential). His 7.6 UZR rating last year was among the top first basemen in the league. His range at first base will help make up for Jose Lopez’s lack of range at second base. And what about his offense? Who knows, Kotchman might surprise us. He’s a gap hitter with good plate discipline. Maybe he’ll rediscover his approach that made him successful in 2007. If he does, he’ll hit around .300 with and on-base percentage around .370. If not, he’ll hit around .270 with and on-base percentage around .330. If the latter happens, he’ll be Ryan Garko’s platoon partner at first base. Kotchman has had pretty dramatic splits against right and left-handed pitchers the last few years. Thus, he may play against right-handed pitching while Garko plays against southpaws.
Truth is, I have no idea what to expect from Kotchman’s offense. Hopefully he surprises us, much like Gutierrez did last year. If not, we’ve seen the power of defense. While a home run may be sexy, a defensive play to stop a run from scoring is worth exactly the same in the long run. I’m excited to see what Casey will do this year and am fairly optimistic about his performance. The power of defense is alive and well in Seattle and Kotchman will just add to the best defense in the league. Lets remember the most remembered error of all time came from a first baseman (Bill Buckner), Kotchman hasn’t made an error in 185 games.
(This doesn’t mean I’m against an Adrian Gonzalez trade at all!)
Andrew
Team Chemistry, Milton Bradley and Respect
I’ve never been a big believer in team chemistry. I think it’s important that teammates respect each other and play hard no matter who the guy standing next to him is but I’ve never thought that liking your teammate would make a huge difference in the win/loss column. In my mind, talent outweighs chemistry like Carlos Silva outweighs Ichiro. But the Mariners have changed my mind, at least somewhat.
In 2008 the Mariners were a disaster on and off the field. Maybe the off the field problems were caused by the on-field problems but we’ll never know for sure. That team limped to a 61-101 record. The team had absolutely no fun and the fans had no fun watching them. In 2009, with the addition and subtraction of some players, the Mariners increased their win total by 24. Obviously they had upgraded on talent; who would say that Franklin Gutierrez isn’t better than J.J. Putz? But were the additions the team made really worth a 24 win upgrade based on talent alone? No way. There are several explanations for this dramatic upgrade. Should the 2008 team really have lost that many games based on the product that management put on the field? No but Bill Bavasi didn’t think about things like Jack Z does. He didn’t think about chemistry.
While last years team was a better product than the 2008 team, they also had a different mindset. With the leadership of Jr., Sweeney, and of course Wak, the team demanded respect for each other. There was no more Carlos Silva calling out Ichiro, no more Miguel Batista acting like a moron (well maybe…), no more “every man for himself” attitude. When a team has a hall-of-famer like Griffey come into the clubhouse and show respect to everyone, even the rookies, the team envelops that attitude. With that respect comes a feeling of “I need to get my job done because I know my teammates are expecting that of me.” And once a team comes to that attitude the fun can begin. Last year the Mariners might have been the most “fun” team I’ve ever seen. Sure, they didn’t win their division but they laughed, tickled, and shaving-cream pied their way to 85 wins. They were built on the attitude that management had installed and the chemistry they had got them extra victories.
Now comes this year with a new challenge. A one-man wrecking ball coming from Chicago named Milton Bradley. Bradley has definitely had his share of bad moments. He was a nightmare with the Cubs last year; a clubhouse cancer that supposedly dragged everyone down with him. So why did the Mariners get him? A couple reasons. One, he was traded for Carlos Silva. I would’ve traded Carlos Silva for a dead guy (seriously). Two, the guy can hit. In 2008, Bradley led the American League in on-base percentage and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). Bradley could be a big addition to the Mariners somewhat weak lineup. But is he worth the risk of ruining the great chemistry the Mariners have? Call me crazy, but I don’t see it as that big of a risk. Bradley continues to mention how great it will be to play alongside one of his heroes, Ken Griffey Jr. With Jr. as a leader of the clubhouse and already having the respect of Bradley, I think Bradley will fit in just fine. Milton said yesterday that for the first time in his career he’s looking to have fun this year. You sir, have come to the right place. A parade around the field after an 85 win season means that we’ve got one happy baseball team. Bradley will have his blow ups but I think this team can handle it because of the respect each player is given.
Last month Matthew and I went to hear Jack Z talk at the USSM/LL event. He said many insightful things but the main thing I took from it was when he touched on the subject of respect. He said it was important to remember that these players are human, and for the most part they’re all trying their best. Just like you should respect your peers, you should respect these players lives. It was the cliche’ speech that famous people give but this time it wasn’t cliche’, it was fresh and sincere. He treated a bunch of nerdy fans and bloggers the way humans are supposed to treat each other. He never spoke poorly of anyone, even Carlos Silva. He showed respect to all people. This is the kind of attitude the Mariners have now and the kind of attitude the Mariners will have regardless of Milton Bradley being on the team or not.
Andrew
Filed under Mariners
Another Duck Down
Wide receiver Jamere Holland has been kicked off the Oregon Ducks because of a regretful facebook post. http://deadspin.com/5476701/oregon-pretty-much-imploding-before-our-very-eyes. How dumb can you be? I really don’t know what to say anymore. Really, I’ve sat here for like 10 minutes trying to think of my next sentence but I’m in shock. Umm…. Go Dawgs! http://www.ducksportsnews.com/blog/2010/02/jamere-holland-dismissed-from-ducks-football-program/
Update: Here’s another fun link on this story http://bustersports.com/blog/buster-blog/2010/02/21/pac-10-oregons-jamere-holland-has-a-lot-of-growing-up-to-do/
Update #2: This is too much fun! Another good article. http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2010/02/canzano_even_after_dumping_jam.html
Andrew
Filed under Uncategorized
More Duck Trouble
Reserve Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso was picked up at 2:19 a.m. Saturday morning cited for DUII. This was literally hours after coach, Chip Kelly, met with the media about Oregon’s off the field problems. This is getting really ridiculous.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/02/oregon_football_kiko_alonso_ci.html
Andrew
Filed under Uncategorized
Jake Locker: Football Player or Superhero?
On December 5th, 2009 the Husky offense was on the field in the 4th quarter. They had dominated a quality opponent, California, in a way that they hadn’t since 2003. With Jake Locker on the field one last time the chant “one more year!” rained down from the 65,000 in attendance. Locker waved his arms in what many assumed was an attempt to quiet the
crowd. The common thought is he wanted his offensive line to be able to hear the snap count. But I don’t think this flapping of his arms has been analyzed enough. On that fateful day in December maybe Jake discovered something more than an intense desire to come back to U-Dub for one more year, maybe he discovered that he could fly.
Of course Montlake Jake denied any thought of his new ability to fly, but he’s a humble kid and telling people this would put even more attention on him. Below are reasons why Jake may or may not be a Superhero.
Why Jake might just be a simple football player:
- His overall record. Although I believe the Huskies will have a successful year this year, Jake’s career college record is 8-18. If he was a superhero how could he let his team lose so much? Well, every superhero has a kryptonite. Jake’s was the villain Tyrone Willingham. Ty zapped some of our stars powers right out from under him and made such an impact that it caused Locker to feel a few after effects this year.
- His injuries. Since becoming a starter in 2007, Jake has missed a total of 10 games due to injury. Would a superhero really get hurt and miss that much time at the expense of his team’s record? There are two answers to that. The kryptonite, Ty, was at his work again. Putting Jake into impossible situations like being a lead blocker and taking hits every play. Even Batman couldn’t take that many hits. The other answer is Locker doesn’t want people to know his true identity. By getting injured, it keeps questions of his super-human ability away and keeps the NCAA from investigating. I wonder if the crime-rate in Seattle went up well he was injured?
- Jake doesn’t wear a mask or a cape. Okay, you got me here. Most superheroes wear masks and capes, Jake doesn’t. But he does wear a helmet.
Why Jake might be a superhero:
- His speed. When Locker gets in the open field, he is comparable to The Flash. This is evidenced by many runs, his 59-yard touchdown run against Arizona this year and the first time he took off up the field against Syracuse in 2007 come to mind. He might even be holding back on his speed, ask the criminals who roam the Seattle streets at night.
- His strength. I only need to use one example to prove my point here. In the closing seconds against BYU in 2008 the Huskies were down by a touchdown. Jake had the ball at the three yard-line and scrambled to his left. Locker
broke 3 tackles as he barreled his way into the end-zone. After scoring, Locker meant to toss the ball a few feet in the air as he jumped into his teammates arms. But Jake got caught up in the moment and forgot about his own strength. The ball went sailing 20-30 feet in the air and the pac-10 refs (boo!) called a penalty. Locker is lucky much of the blame went on the officials because if it hadn’t Jake’s superhuman strength would’ve been further noticed. - His presence. There’s a feeling of hope when Spiderman is soaring above the streets in New York City. The same is true at Husky Stadium. From the moment Jake got to Montlake, players have raved about his on and off the field presence. And when he’s on the field there’s that feeling of hope that is comparable to that of a superhero flying above the city.
The consensus is still out on whether Locker is a simple football player or a stealthy superhero. No one on the Huskies offense confessed that they saw him levitating in the 4th quarter against Cal, although I bet they did. We’ll know more come next December. But I’m looking forward to another year of evidence that number 10 should be wearing a cape and a mask.
Andrew
Filed under Huskies Football
Some Non-Depressing Friday Thoughts
(I had no idea me and Joe had just about the same ideas for a post until I put this up. Thankfully we covered some different things but sorry that it’s the same idea!)
At about 9:20 last night I was sitting in my car, shivering and listening to the Husky game on the radio (all the TV’s were taken at school). In between yelling at the radio and fist pumps I started thinking about my blog post for today. I was fully prepared to recount one of the most exciting comebacks in Husky history. Ready to talk about Quincy Pondexter’s buzzer beater for a one point Husky win. Ready to talk about how this comeback victory could give the Huskies the steam they needed for the rest of the season. I left my car 15 minutes later disappointed and exhausted. The dawgs didn’t win. So, after that devastating loss and a ho-hum week I don’t want to recap that game. As my good friend R. Kelly wisely said, “It’s the freackin’ weekend baby, I’m about to have me some fun.” So lets start this weekend off with some happy thoughts!
- The talks continue this week about the expansion of the pac-10. There have been several good articles lately that have advocated that instead of expanding to 12 teams the pac should go to 16. In my opinion, this makes sense. If the conference simply expands to 12 teams with the addition of Colorado and Utah I question that they’re mainly adding to the quantity of the conference instead of the quality. But if an expansion to 16 teams happened, the possibility of adding a powerhouse such as Texas grows significantly. Why would a team like Texas go to the pac-10? Mainly for research and academic reasons but lets take a look at an interesting scenario. The Big-10 is looking to expand to 16 teams with teams like Missouri and Pittsburg. If this happened they would leave most other conferences in the dust in terms of prestige and revenue. To keep up with them the Pac-10 might need the state of Texas. If the Longhorns were to come that means that Texas A&M would most likely have to come. And then Texas legislation may not want these two schools to jump ship without Baylor and Texas Tech. Add these 4 schools plus Colorado and Utah and this has turned into our 16-team super conference. This would not only increase the quantity of the conference but also the quality. Do I think this is likely? No, not really. But I think it makes more sense than adding 2 teams that would barely help the perception of the Pac-10. If the Big-10 expands the dominoes would start to fall. Then it will be a battle between the Big-12 and Pac-10 to stay relevant. I like the Pac-10’s chances in that scenario. (I don’t know if this makes any sense to anyone else or if you find this interesting, but it was somewhat intriguing to me so I thought I’d share.)
- Ken Griffey Jr. arrived in Peoria today. Geoff Baker reported that he was seen talking to Cliff Lee. When Lee was first traded here it was apparent that he’d rather be in Philly and who could blame him. But there’s nothing like a little talk with a future hall-of-famer to make you feel more at home. I can just picture Jr. and Lee sitting at a table sharing stories and having a laugh. That thought really makes me smile.
- Danielle Lawrie picked up her 100th career victory this week. The softball team is 6-1 and the good guys’ favorite
Hooch
Husky female athlete, Hooch Fagaly continues to have success.
- Rob Johnson is the Mariners catcher. Sorry I forgot this was supposed to be cheerful.
- Chip Kelly held a press conference today that addressed the teams off-field issues. He had some interesting quotes. “I always believe discipline is improving behavior.” Obviously you don’t use discipline Chip. He also said, “There can’t be a rush to judgement” and “I’ll wait for some of these to play out in a court of law.” Looking at this from my biased opinion it feels like he’s saying, “Lets see if these things will blow over.” And finally he said, “We don’t accept this and won’t accept this.” That sounds great but how will you un-accept it? I’m just a little confused….
- 39 days until Husky spring practice starts. 69 days until the Husky spring game. And 196 days until I’m in Provo watching the Dawgs! Football and baseball are on the horizon!
Thanks for reading this very random post!
Andrew
Filed under Uncategorized
Y2010M! Felix!
20 years ago this April a pitcher took the hill in Seattle for the first time in his career. He stood at 6-10 and had a mullet that was almost as scary as his fastball coming at your head. With his 100 mph fastball and mr. snappy, this man, Randy Johnson, went on to become the winningest Mariner pitcher of all time.
Fast forward 15 years to August of 2005. A 19 year old pitcher took the hill in Detroit, making his major league debut for the Seattle Mariners. He had all the potential a pitcher could have. An explosive fastball that could reach triple digits. A hard curveball that would make your knees buckle just by watching on TV. A change-up that made even the best hitters look ridiculous. Ladies and gentleman, I give you Felix Hernandez.
Those first two months of Felix’s career were two I’ll never forget. With the Mariners out of the playoff race, Felix gave people a good reason to watch the Mariners. Although his record his 4-4 record didn’t indicate it, Felix dominated the American League those two months. He posted a 2.67 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings. Finally, Seattle had 
someone who captured their imagination like Jr. and A-Rod did when they came up from the minor leagues. With Felix now in the big leagues, every 5th day became a mini-celebration. Ussmariner and LookoutLanding called it “Happy Felix Day!”
But as often happens in sports, potential didn’t turn into automatic success. Although he showed many flashes of brilliance, Felix didn’t turn into the dominant ace many people thought he would be. In the 2006-2008 seasons Felix averaged 11.66 wins a year. Some people, myself included, thought he relied too much on his fastball and didn’t mix up his pitches enough.
Although he hadn’t turned into that dominant ace yet, King Felix was still a joy to watch. Every time he stepped on the mound something amazing could happen. You didn’t know if you’d get a performance like his amazing one-hitter in Boston in 2007 but the possibility of it happening made it worth watching. Through those seasons my favorite Venezuelan was growing up. And just like watching a family member grow up, watching the King grow was interesting, occasionally irritating, and always exciting. Because Seattle watched him grow, the city became more attached to him. A city that had grown weary of superstars, because of the loss of Junior, A-Rod, and the Big Unit, was ready to accept Felix. But a piece was missing, that one season that let the baseball world know that King Felix was a star. That is, it was missing until 2009.
In 2009 Felix was nothing short of amazing. He was the best pitcher in baseball aside from Zack Greinke. After 3 losses in May, Felix only had 2 losses the rest of the year. Our king finished the year with a 19-5 record, a 2.49 ERA, and 217 strikeouts in 238.2 innings pitched. Those are numbers of a true ace.
This off-season Felix was rewarded with a $78 million/5 year deal. But more than that, the city of Seattle was rewarded for falling for a superstar.
Today Felix threw his first bullpen session of the season. Hopefully our star is capable of having years like last year over and over again. I think he is. In my mind, I see the Mariners riding on King Felix’s back all the way to the playoffs and then possibly more. But if this doesn’t happen, it’s important to remember that at least Felix is here. Seattle has a star and this time he’s sticking around.
Andrew
The Good Guys Sports Blog 