Open Thread: Sox in Seattle; Tavarez v. Weaver.

Ladies and gentlemen, Jeff Weaver is awful. No. Really. I mean awful. Technically, the Mariners are in 2nd place in the AL West. However, if GM Stoneman of the Pick-A-Damn-City Angels gets a big bat to protect Vlad in addition to a Juan Rivera return, well. They'd probably just run away with the West even more.

Did I have a point? Well, sort of. Continuing to employ Jeff Weaver is inexcusable, unless it's as some kind of service to the community-at-large. And for $8+M, (plus performance bonuses for stuff like games started and innings pitched, rewarding him for sucking while staying healthy) it would make a lot more sense to hire someone to suck for league minimum. (Yes, this was a pretty frickin obvious statement to make.)

Anyway. Lineups.

Sox:

1. Drew, RF
   
2. DP, 2B
   
3. Papi, DH
   
4. "Being", LF
   
5. Youks, 1B
   
6. Lowell, 3B
   
7. 'Tek, C
   
8. Crisp, CF
   
9. Lugo, SS

Mariners:

1. Ichiro, CF
   
2. Lopez, 2B
   
3. Vidro, Designated (singles) Hitter.
   
4. Sexson, 1B
   
5. Broussard, RF?
   
6. Johjima, C
   
7. Beltre, 3B
   
8. Betancourt, SS
   
9. Bloomquist, LF

...this is not the M's ideal lineup. As a 1B, Broussard was a passable fielder at best. Any M's fans want to let us know how he is in RF? What can I say about Willie Bloomquist? Well, he is better than our #9 hitter today.

Sox Matchups vs. Weaver.

• Lowell: 3/10, HR, 2 BB
  
• Lugo: 4/12, 2B, 2 BB
  
• Papi: 7/23, 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, SF
  
• Manny: 7/23, 3 HR, 4 BB, 3 HBP
  
• 'Tek: 8/19, 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, HBP
  
• Youks/Crisp: 2/5, 2B each
  
• Hinske: 10/25, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 2 BB
  
• 'Belli: 2/7, 2B, BB

...whew. Probably would've taken less time to tell you who sucks against Weaver: Drew (3/12, 6 Ks, but 2 HR), and even that's not too awful.

Mariners vs. Tavarez.

• Beltre: 5/18, HR, BB, HBP
  
• Vidro: 7/18, 2B, HR

...umm. Go Sox. And I'm hoping that Tavarez both refrains from behavior that might draw the ire of the opposing team, and also that every groundball is hit right to him so he can just continually bowl to Youkilis at 1B.