It's Wakamatsu

by basebliman on Nov 18, 2008 12:10 AM PST Comment 35 comments

According to King 5:

KING 5 Sports has learned from sources close to the Mariners that A's bench coach Don Wakamatsu is the front runner to be the next manager of the Mariners. The only thing left is approval from the owners in Japan, and that could come shortly.

Wakamatsu was Oakland's bench coach in 2008. Prior to that, he spent 5 years with the Rangers as bench coach and third base coach.

He also worked in the Angels' minor league organization and was a minor league manager.

He is well-acquainted with the American League West.

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Huh. Didn't see that coming.

Link

J.K.L.

by acblue on Nov 18, 2008 12:12 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Might want to redo the post as a blockquote, though.

J.K.L.

by acblue on Nov 18, 2008 12:13 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Fascinating

Not a surprise at all. Good choice, GMZ

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Nov 18, 2008 12:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Excellent.

by Goose on Nov 18, 2008 12:40 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wak-man

“I’m chomping at the bit”

by ThundaPC on Nov 18, 2008 12:54 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

His first name is actually Wilbur

This should be fun

by Scrupio on Nov 18, 2008 1:03 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

His name sounds like a delicious Japanese food.

Maybe I’m just too hungry.

by brayden04 on Nov 18, 2008 1:13 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

like Tonkatsu?

breaded fried pork.

Yum!

Insert perverted sports related sexual innuendo

by wwbaker3 on Nov 18, 2008 1:49 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I cannot explain to you how wonderful tonkatsu is.

Although as of recently I’ve become addicted to udon noodles. I blame it on our recent trip to Takamatsu, which is famous for udon. Goodness gracious, it’s like beautiful Japanese girls prancing around in my mouth tantalizing my tastebuds and serenading my heart with delicious sweet nothings.

by brayden04 on Nov 18, 2008 2:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Udon:

the single greatest food item!

I grew up eating it and still get constant cravings for it, hahaha

Insert perverted sports related sexual innuendo

by wwbaker3 on Nov 18, 2008 2:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It is better than sex.

No question.

by brayden04 on Nov 18, 2008 3:09 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If its better than sex

you aren’t doing it right.

by TheEmrys on Nov 18, 2008 8:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the single greatest food item!

That’s a lie, that distinction is for Beer.

Beer, the greatest single food item. It’s official because I said so.

Also, the #2 greatest is BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.

by chrisisasavage on Nov 18, 2008 7:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hrm.

Beef chow fun. With black bean sauce.

by rtang on Nov 18, 2008 9:43 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mmmmm....Udon...

by BrianL on Nov 18, 2008 8:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I like Udon a lot...

…but have you had Pad Thai? Yes I realize it’s not Japanese, but it’s phenomenal!

Pad Thai > Udon

by GhettoBear04 on Nov 18, 2008 9:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The best food is not asian food

If it was they would be fat and all die of heart disease.

by Edgar for Pres on Nov 18, 2008 10:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You shut your whore mouth.

by BrianL on Nov 18, 2008 10:49 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I've had Pad Thai in America, but not the real stuff.

So I couldn’t comment. But Udon. Oh Udon has stolen my heart.

by brayden04 on Nov 18, 2008 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's a fucking noodle.

But that said, I still need to go to Takamatsu.

Favor the Bold

by IcebreakerX on Nov 18, 2008 2:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm in love with a noodle.

And I’m not gay.

by brayden04 on Nov 18, 2008 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Larry Stone says otherwise, for the moment.

Talked to Waka, Waka hadn’t heard anything.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 18, 2008 10:11 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

And the TNT says Waka is just one that's high on the list.

There may be two others, and Zduriencik hasn’t told anyone yet.

News Tribune Mariners Blog

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 18, 2008 10:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So did King 5 jump the gun on that announcement last night?

by Smith18 on Nov 18, 2008 10:44 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Mass media outlet getting it wrong???

Nooooooooooo…….

by rtang on Nov 18, 2008 12:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Better to jump the gun than jump the shark?

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 18, 2008 12:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Where's the Muppets .gif when you need it?

Indie.

by Taylor H on Nov 18, 2008 1:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wait for it.

Don’t want to dead meme it before the hiring even happens.

by Two Rs and Two Ls on Nov 18, 2008 2:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Baker saying Wakamatsu will be official by tomorrow morning

Link

by Goose on Nov 18, 2008 4:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Seems to make sense

GMZ said he wanted to be the most prepared team from top to bottom both statistically and from a scouting standpoint. Judging from JY’s quote on his job description in the “Guess the Manager” thread, Waka shares this standpoint. It’ll be interesting to see if GMZ hired the best candidate rather than the one least likely to feud.

by edddgar on Nov 18, 2008 4:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

…it’ll make the surrounding neighborhood happy…

by rtang on Nov 18, 2008 4:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Don Wakamatsu Fun-Fact # 413-5 R89:

Don Wakamatsu was the Rangers interim manager for four crucial games in 2006.

Texas was still in the playoff hunt in late August of that year, but was about to embark on an eight-game road trip… beginning with four in Detroit (the eventual AL Champs). This was one of those “make-or-break”-type series.

Buck Showalter had been suspended by Major League Baseball a day earlier, along with Angels’ manager Mike Sausage for a spat involving intentional throwings of the baseball at the other teams’ hitters. Buck did not make the trip to Motown.

With Wakamatsu at the helm, the Rangers took three of four from the Tigers… in games of 2-4, 2-1, 3-1 and 7-6.

Wakamatsu became a folk hero… the ‘never-heard-of-him’ bench coach had kept the Rangers meager playoff hopes alive in a tightly-contested series… and he did it when their dogdick of a manager forced them into a boxing match days earlier.

Showalter rejoined the club after the Detroit series in Tampa, where the Rangers were to make quick work of the lowly Devil Rays before heading back home… champions beyond all stats and blogs…

Instead they wheeled off three straight loses… And would never recover.

But don’t let Showalter’s short fuse sedate you… It was just the bitter taste of jealousy that ruined his team…

Jealousy…

…for WAKAMATSU.