Spring Training Thread

[D-train]

Update on departed Mariner infielder Ben Williamson:

https://www.draysbay.com/tampa-bay-rays ... ons-spring

1.007 OPS. lol

I kept telling you what a breakout candidate he was but you wouldn't listen lol

Ok Mr. ST Stats man! lol

[bpj]

The Rays plan to use Williamson as a utility man it sounds like.

That makes 1000x more sense for a player like Williamson is right now than handing him third base on a contender.

The Mariners have an abundance of utility players. Lacking in starters at 2B and 3B. But at least utility guy isnt a problem.

[D-train]

The Rays plan to use Williamson as a utility man it sounds like.

That makes 1000x more sense for a player like Williamson is right now than handing him third base on a contender.

The Mariners have an abundance of utility players. Lacking in starters at 2B and 3B. But at least utility guy isnt a problem.

I feel a hell of a lot better about Cole after all the loud contact this month. If he can go .250/.330/.420 at 2B that would be huge. He did have a 50 game stretch at .768 last season so .725-.750 for the season isn't crazy.

[D-train]

This is the week I usually book the house with the pool in Arrowhead lakes near Peoria every year and about the past 5 times the temps have been in the 70s so can't even use the pool. This week it is going to be 105 degrees. God hates my ass so bad.

[bpj]

The Rays plan to use Williamson as a utility man it sounds like.

That makes 1000x more sense for a player like Williamson is right now than handing him third base on a contender.

The Mariners have an abundance of utility players. Lacking in starters at 2B and 3B. But at least utility guy isnt a problem.

I feel a hell of a lot better about Cole after all the loud contact this month. If he can go .250/.330/.420 at 2B that would be huge. He did have a 50 game stretch at .768 last season so .725-.750 for the season isn't crazy.

Yeah if he can just not roll over and die he'll be fine. His homerun swing the other day looked good. Whoever gets the job, I hope they just give them near-daily playing time.

[harmony]

Seattle Sports with a 23-minute interview of Jerry Dipoto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpIP88ARGes

[D-train]

Seattle Sports with a 23-minute interview of Jerry Dipoto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpIP88ARGes

I listened to it. Those God damn clowns had a chance to ask him about handshakegate one of the biggest M's controversies in YEARS and instead asked him about FREAKIN ICHIRO's presence with the team. ICHIRO! Breaking news! Ichiro has been in Peoria nearly every season since pre 9/11. Absolute JOKE. I wonder if they were jacking Jerry off during the interview????

[Donn Beach]

Article on the intense backup catcher battle

https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/onsi/ne ... al-raleigh

[Donn Beach]

Kinda an interesting article from Drayer on Young. What the development has been, what they are working on. I mentioned before he'd been lousy against fastballs which to me was pretty concerning. But I guess he had been able to hit them up until last season, one would think so. So the deal is he hadnt been on time for them, basically not being aggressive enough, concern about strikeouts. So this spring they have been riding him to be more aggressive even if it means more strikeouts. And at least for ST it's been working. It's just interesting, Julio needing to be less aggressive, Young needing to be more. Both of them getting screwed up over the dictate not to strike out. It gets complicated

Yes, his strikeout rate was good, and it always has been. Yes, his walk rate was good, same there. He can hit to all fields, yes. But what he was doing is in an effort to not chase, he was getting caught in between on the fastball. You’ve got to be ready for that pitch. He was taking time to make his decisions. He’s aware of it, he knew he was out of his approach, and that is something that they’ve gone to work with him in spring training. And it took a little bit. It took until about the seventh or the eighth game – after another firm conversation was had with him. And it’s like, look, this is what we need you to do.

I like that, another firm conversation. I guess they weren't hitting him with a phone book, don't have those anymore.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/mlb/seat ... ng/1842226

[GL_Storm]

Seattle Sports with a 23-minute interview of Jerry Dipoto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpIP88ARGes

I listened to it. Those God damn clowns had a chance to ask him about handshakegate one of the biggest M's controversies in YEARS and instead asked him about FREAKIN ICHIRO's presence with the team. ICHIRO! Breaking news! Ichiro has been in Peoria nearly every season since pre 9/11. Absolute JOKE. I wonder if they were jacking Jerry off during the interview????

It's like Ichiro exists as a crutch for broadcasters at this point.