Wakamatsu It Is
Expect an announcement by tomorrow morning, but Don Wakamatsu is the new manager of the Mariners.
...
There were people within the Mariners organization who favored Joey Cora for the job. But in the end, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik got total say over the decision and Wakamatsu was his man. In the end, the team's ownership, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Chris Larson and others, did have to approve the choice. But it's now done.
Wikipedia's already on the ball, so you know it's true.
Wakamatsu's an analytical mind who spent five years with the Rangers before joining Oakland as a bench coach last season. The fact that we're hiring a guy so recently with the A's might say enough on its own about this team's new direction, although I dunno, maybe he's bad. We already know he sucks at expressions.
Dave says he's known to be calm and mild-mannered, which raises two points:
1) people who miss Lou Piniella will hate him and want him fired, since good managers yell and scream and endanger the lives of others
2) we can break him
Here's to a new era in Seattle. We thought hiring Bob Melvin might've been a signal of change, and that one certainly didn't work out, but this time change has already been happening, and it's been dramatic. Wakamatsu was Zduriencik's personal choice. He is a part of the change, and as far as I'm concerned, that can only be good.
Go Don. Go Mariners.
Comments
We can break him
Love it!
I don’t really know enough about him or his duties with the A’s to make any assumptions, but the fact that he is the choice of GMZ at least offers hope.. Analytical mind eh? That, coupled with the new statistical analysis department definitely sounds like a step in the right direction.
by seattlesundevil on Nov 18, 2008 4:55 PM PST 0 recs
We thought hiring Bob Melvin might’ve been a signal of change, and that one certainly didn’t work out
I probably would have worked out more or less if we hadn’t changed GMs
Furcal
by JI on Nov 18, 2008 4:55 PM PST 0 recs
Bullshit I totally changed I to it before I hit send
Furcal
by JI on
Nov 18, 2008 4:56 PM PST
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There were people within the Mariners organization who favored Joey Cora for the job.

I have a feeling he’d use the same strategies as someone like Guillen.
As for the ownership not meddling in the offseason so far… we can only hope.
Furcal
by JI on Nov 18, 2008 4:57 PM PST 0 recs
Re-posted from earlier:
Putting together the scouting meeting and determining what is the most pertinent information is Wakamatsu’s domain. He is the staff organizer. Before the first game of each series, he’ll arrive at the stadium a good seven hours before first pitch to start putting the game plan on a board in the clubhouse. He’s already done it once, putting it to paper and in a notebook he’ll carry with him to the dugout.
The game plan will include everything from which outfielders the Rangers can run on to which opponent is most likely to bunt. It will include which opposing pitchers have good moves to first base and which ones the Rangers can be more confident running against.
“There is so much information out there,” Wakamatsu said. “It can be information overload. I want to try and refine it and decipher stuff that is going to apply.”
by Jeff on Nov 18, 2008 4:59 PM PST 0 recs
I mean this in the best possible way: the M's have hired a Manny Acta clone.
That’s awesome.
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
by esoteric on
Nov 19, 2008 1:05 PM PST
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Stops in Oakland
worked under Buck Showalter
seems promising
Furcal
by JI on
Nov 19, 2008 1:31 PM PST
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Go Mariners?
Your PR effort isn’t going to do any good. Everyone knows you guys aren’t even Mariners fans.
by Teej on Nov 18, 2008 5:02 PM PST 0 recs
The only bad news is this post moved the Tuesday with Sean Green post down
I am no longer in Spokane, but I think I'll keep the name anyway.
by InSpokane on Nov 18, 2008 5:03 PM PST 0 recs
I know but it was Tuesday with Sean Green, come on.
I hope you know I was kidding around.
I am no longer in Spokane, but I think I'll keep the name anyway.
by InSpokane on
Nov 18, 2008 5:05 PM PST
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Im gonna go with the second one.. I don't really "get" the first one
by seattlesundevil on
Nov 18, 2008 5:45 PM PST
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Bananaphone is reserved for calls to the bullpen.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/
by JY on
Nov 18, 2008 6:47 PM PST
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WAKA WAKA WAKA
Damn, Deanna would have a field day with Wakamatsu’s name.
by Gomez on
Nov 18, 2008 6:54 PM PST
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Personally...
…I like Waka-waka-waka!
(But I sure don’t have any problem spelling Wakamatsu…..)
by rtang on
Nov 18, 2008 8:18 PM PST
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i'm calling him donnie walker
So Wakamatsu’s the guy. I was holding out a sliver of hope for Wally Backman.
Sports and Bremertonians. Because we can.
by wackomann on Nov 18, 2008 9:47 PM PST 0 recs
In the end we will all hate the guy at some point or another
but the fact of which direction we went is highly encouraging.
by Robert on Nov 19, 2008 10:43 AM PST 0 recs












