Beltre doing better
No coincidence, the players overall are doing better, and the M's are winning a few games as a result. Adrian Beltre, after giving new meaning to the phrase "slow start" is actually stringing some hits together of late. While his power is still absent, we'll gladly take the singles and worry about the power later. Ichiro is getting on base again, and Lopez has been giving possible glimpses of a future all star at 2nd base.
Now before we start hearing fans complain about it all coming at the expense of the Devil Rays, it should be pointed out the Tampa club came into this series with one less loss than the M's. Record wise these two clubs are essentially equal... no one is "beating up" on anyone. About the only thing the Rays and M's have in common is trying to reach respectibility at some point in the future.
So the M's are either 5 games under .500 and going no where, or only 3 1/2 games out of first. It's up to the individual fan as to which camp you fall into. (Personally I don't bother looking at games behind until I hit .500 but your mileage may vary.)
Oakland is off to a slow start, per usual. Texas still has pitching problems, and the Angels are as anemic on offense as the M's. The league is really divided this year in offensive extremes. You have clubs like Texas, Cleveland and NY who are scoring runs like crazy. Then you have teams like the Cubs who scored 10 runs in 12 games!! We thought the M's had it bad- the Cubs are simply awful!
So the idea of picking up a player to help the M's offense any time soon is pretty unlikely. You have teams like the Giants, Cubs and Angels who have more talent than we do and badly need offensive help. If you hear rumors of a Piniero or Meche being dangled for a bat, don't expect much. It will take plenty of young talent to dislodge a good bat from the Nationals or Pirates, so the M's are going to have to perform with what they have.
Signs of life. Really.
You can be encouraged by the past week. Don't give up on the M's just yet.
No coincidence, the players overall are doing better, and the M's are winning a few games as a result. Adrian Beltre, after giving new meaning to the phrase "slow start" is actually stringing some hits together of late. While his power is still absent, we'll gladly take the singles and worry about the power later. Ichiro is getting on base again, and Lopez has been giving possible glimpses of a future all star at 2nd base.
Now before we start hearing fans complain about it all coming at the expense of the Devil Rays, it should be pointed out the Tampa club came into this series with one less loss than the M's. Record wise these two clubs are essentially equal... no one is "beating up" on anyone. About the only thing the Rays and M's have in common is trying to reach respectibility at some point in the future.
So the M's are either 5 games under .500 and going no where, or only 3 1/2 games out of first. It's up to the individual fan as to which camp you fall into. (Personally I don't bother looking at games behind until I hit .500 but your mileage may vary.)
Oakland is off to a slow start, per usual. Texas still has pitching problems, and the Angels are as anemic on offense as the M's. The league is really divided this year in offensive extremes. You have clubs like Texas, Cleveland and NY who are scoring runs like crazy. Then you have teams like the Cubs who scored 10 runs in 12 games!! We thought the M's had it bad- the Cubs are simply awful!
So the idea of picking up a player to help the M's offense any time soon is pretty unlikely. You have teams like the Giants, Cubs and Angels who have more talent than we do and badly need offensive help. If you hear rumors of a Piniero or Meche being dangled for a bat, don't expect much. It will take plenty of young talent to dislodge a good bat from the Nationals or Pirates, so the M's are going to have to perform with what they have.
Signs of life. Really.
You can be encouraged by the past week. Don't give up on the M's just yet.
posted by Tom at
1:22 PM
