Armstrong says it's time to rebuild
Dave @ USS Mariner found this little nugget in the LA Times:
I don't think the Angels have anything we can't catch up to," he said from the West's basement, "but after thinking it was going to happen this year I'm not predicting it's going to happen next year.
"It's not going to be a quick fix, because we're going to have to grind through some of these contracts we've obligated ourselves to. Our attendance is going to go down in connection with our performance, and as chief operating officer here it's my job to be fiscally and financially responsible, so you're not going to see the Mariners go out and commit high dollars to free agents. We want to get back as quickly as we can, but we want to build something that will endure. If you don't build a strong foundation in a market our size, you're going to have some volatile swings in your record."
Volatile? After winning 116 games in 2001 and establishing baseball's best record over a four-year span through 2003, "we fell off the table in 2004 and we've been trying to fight our way back," Armstrong said.
Sounds like they're going to rock & roll this offseason.
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Not as high as it ought to be
but high enough to bring back a package headlined by a pretty good player.
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 7:49 PM PDT
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I know I am getting on a 'what if' tangent, but would we try and find a cheap 3B, or is it Tui time? ugh
It’s just sad to see how far we’ve come at a position like 3B only to have someone like Cairo or another bum to take over.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 7:51 PM PDT
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Could be Tui, could be Tui by midseason, could be Lopez, could be some retread
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 7:55 PM PDT
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I think it's Leone time!
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:03 PM PDT
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Might be able to get him away from stocking shelves at Safeway if we throw him some cash.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:07 PM PDT
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.356 wOBA in AAA, blocked by Jose flipping Castillo
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 8:08 PM PDT
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Good news bad news
Good news: Castillo was dumped
Bad news: Rather than call up Leone, the Giants handed the starting 3B job to… Ryan freaking Rohlinger
by Gomez on
Sep 3, 2008 8:18 PM PDT
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I read this as "retard".
It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray
by Faux on
Sep 4, 2008 5:39 AM PDT
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We're going to let Simple Jack play 3B?
I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.
by Llewdor on
Sep 4, 2008 8:46 AM PDT
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If Beltre leaves I will see him at night in my head movies.
But these head movies will make my eyes rain.
by DCMariner on
Sep 4, 2008 9:24 AM PDT
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Gods, that is the worst dialogue ever.
I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.
by Llewdor on
Sep 4, 2008 12:45 PM PDT
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If only we still had Sherrill...
…then we could flip him to Atlanta for Lillibridge.
by csiems on
Sep 4, 2008 11:51 AM PDT
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I think we get a Willie Aybar-like stopgap until Tui is ready
Not that ‘ready’ is all that terrific.
by Gomez on
Sep 3, 2008 7:59 PM PDT
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If he wants to be fiscally and financially responsible, why is Washburn not in Minnesota or New York?
And there two blatant contracts that we are going to have to grind through which is going to cripple our team for the next 3 years (Johjima and Silva). So if we are going to rebuild, our best outlook at competing will be 2012. Losing Jones, Tillman, and Butler last offseason does not get us off to the right start.
by Wilder. on
Sep 3, 2008 7:04 PM PDT
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Speaking of Armstrong.
I was recently visiting Stanford and apparently he, known as Charles, was apparently Alumnus of the Year or something like that. In the mini bio underneath it mentioned nothing of the Mariners.
by Mariner John on
Sep 3, 2008 7:18 PM PDT
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I for one welcome our replacement level overlords
by Gomez on
Sep 3, 2008 7:29 PM PDT
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But this year's are already terrible and annoying
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 7:34 PM PDT
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I see an cheap extension coming for Cairo!
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 7:34 PM PDT
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Everyone needs stability in a winter of change
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 7:35 PM PDT
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*Crosses fingers for Griffey!*
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 7:36 PM PDT
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My lab is going to notice a lot of missing razor blades
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 7:37 PM PDT
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Especially when he plays CF and they sign Jim Edmonds to play LF because they realize Ibanez should be DH.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 7:38 PM PDT
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It gets worse...
Anyone notice that the Mariners owe Silva $41 million more AFTER 2008?
Yeah, they decided to backload the contract.
3/41.
That’s a number that fans should despise, but not only for what’s remaining on Silva’s 4/$48m deal.
Kenji Johjima had two separate stretched where he had three hits in 41 plate appearances (not ABs, couldn’t make that one work), Sexson had one of his own and while Vidro didn’t, he had four different stretches where he had less than six hits in 40 PAs.
During one period in June, the three aforementioned players combined to go 10 for 83 with 2 extra-base hits, 24 strikeouts (19 by Sexson) and five walks (none by Johjima).
During the same exact 24-game stretch, the team hit .219/.256/.345.
Ow.
by jasonchurchill on
Sep 3, 2008 7:33 PM PDT
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This is my favorite part
we’re going to have to grind through some of these contracts we’ve obligated ourselves to.
Yes, fuck you Kenji and fuck you Carlos
by Fogel on
Sep 3, 2008 7:50 PM PDT
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This is the closest we'll ever get to the front office admitting its hilarious incompetence
by Graham on
Sep 3, 2008 7:56 PM PDT
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We need to invite Bavasi to the feed next year
by Robert on
Sep 3, 2008 7:58 PM PDT
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It's funny how they say this weeks after pulling Washburn off waivers
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 7:59 PM PDT
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Well, we officially are out of the playoff hunt now..so now we can be honest.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:04 PM PDT
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I like that there is a floor in my life in that I will never hate anything as much as I hate these Mariners
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 8:09 PM PDT
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This ecard was bullshit seeing as I do not have a shell on which to glide
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 8:17 PM PDT
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He would use the shell to shoot you off Banshee Boardwalk on his way to lapping you
by Graham on
Sep 3, 2008 8:19 PM PDT
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Fall through the map more you little bitch
by Robert on
Sep 3, 2008 8:19 PM PDT
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I like how you are making fun of me for having the game randomly glitch
And destroy my time when I still beat you by half a lap on that race.
by Graham on
Sep 3, 2008 8:22 PM PDT
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I thought you lapped him.
I'll shut up lest you ban me like you banned butthol.
by NOLAmarinergirl on
Sep 3, 2008 10:00 PM PDT
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So what I'm saying is drink your sorrows away until you reach the end of the ditch
by Fogel on
Sep 3, 2008 8:33 PM PDT
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Why am I seeing this ecard
As the turtle slowly walking backwards towards the edge because as much as his life has sucked he still is too cowardly to face his own doom?
Fans are typically idiots.
by The Typical Idiot Fan on
Sep 4, 2008 9:44 AM PDT
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Thats when the Ducks beat the Senators.
In the Stanley Cup Finals.
by Slica on
Sep 3, 2008 10:32 PM PDT
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So the dark times have just begun.
I still don’t believe Armstrong’s statements.
Go Fo Broke!
by eknpdx on
Sep 3, 2008 8:18 PM PDT
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The organizations tendency to sugarcoat things makes me worry about the next decade.
by Robert on
Sep 3, 2008 8:22 PM PDT
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This is a cripplingly depressing insight.
J.K.L.
by acblue on
Sep 3, 2008 8:24 PM PDT
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Oklahoma Lightning Bolts in 2013?
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:26 PM PDT
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December 21, 2012 will make sure that doesn't happen
by Fogel on
Sep 3, 2008 8:26 PM PDT
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There are still people who believe in it
by Fogel on
Sep 3, 2008 8:31 PM PDT
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I couldn't care less what those people think.
J.K.L.
by acblue on
Sep 3, 2008 8:35 PM PDT
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They'll be gone soon.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:35 PM PDT
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Apparently there's some actual logical reason as to why their calender stopped
by Fogel on
Sep 3, 2008 8:36 PM PDT
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Apparently a lot of people are freaked out that some sort of planet alignment is going to flip the planet upside down or some shit.
But there’s evidence that this exact thing has happened in the past and done nothing to the planet. The Mayans just had their calendar stop because they didn’t know what would happen with that event or something.
This pretty much dispells the whole Mayan calendar stuff.
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on
Sep 3, 2008 8:38 PM PDT
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Quiet you.
I’m going to listen to Art Bell now.
by BrianL on
Sep 3, 2008 8:39 PM PDT
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But this website is based on science and stuff.
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on
Sep 3, 2008 8:41 PM PDT
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I want to believe, dammit!
(not really)
by BrianL on
Sep 3, 2008 8:42 PM PDT
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Right before that occurs, the Mariners would make 5 really great off-season moves
And be looked at as the team most likely to win the World Series in the following year.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:44 PM PDT
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Welcome to what it was like to be an Expos fan in 1994.
Man that sucked.
I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.
by Llewdor on
Sep 4, 2008 2:40 PM PDT
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The planet was supposed to flip upside down on 5/5/2000 after all the planets aligned
Funny how that doomsday prophecy turned out.
by Gomez on
Sep 3, 2008 8:47 PM PDT
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What the...
I was talking about this very thing last night.
by Robert on
Sep 3, 2008 8:50 PM PDT
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World-ages
Several calendars stop and restart like this. The Mayans described several world ages that ended in some cataclysm. It’s a metaphor for the death and regeneration of the world. Kind of like Varaha rescuing Prithvi from the world flood. Actually, just like that.
by chaney on
Sep 4, 2008 2:26 PM PDT
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The Mayans were counting the precession of the Earth's axis on its 26,000 year cycle.
Dec 21, 2012 is just when next that cycle reaches the point the Mayans decided was the start/end – but it’s a circle, so any start or end is just arbitrary.
I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.
by Llewdor on
Sep 4, 2008 2:47 PM PDT
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Unlike the NBA
It’s fucking obvious having a franchise in Seattle is a good thing.
by BrianL on
Sep 3, 2008 8:27 PM PDT
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I don't know whether to be delighted that the FO has kind of admitted they fucked up
or be horrified at what 2009-2011 is going to be like.
by BrianL on
Sep 3, 2008 8:30 PM PDT
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Also:
What the fuck does “If you don’t build a strong foundation in a market our size, you’re going to have some volatile swings in your record,” mean?
If you don’t have a strong foundation, it doesn’t matter what size market you’re in. You won’t win games.
Is he suggesting the Mariners have a “small” market?
14 teams play in less populated cities than Seattle (not metro areas, just cities): Washington, Colorado, Atlanta, Kansas City, Cleveland, Florida, Oakland, Minnesota, Texas, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh,
Depending on the year, the Mariners have had the fourth or fifth highest revenues in baseball, recently.
We don’t play in a damn small market Chuck.
I go to law school. Therefore, I have no life.
by andrewgolfsalot on
Sep 3, 2008 8:30 PM PDT
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So we've gone from Chuck and Howie claiming we're a large market team
to having Chuck and Howie claim we’re a small market team.
I hope these men are fired and forced to watch the reruns of the 2008 season for all eternity.
by BrianL on
Sep 3, 2008 8:33 PM PDT
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Illogical behavior angers me so much!
I go to law school. Therefore, I have no life.
by andrewgolfsalot on
Sep 3, 2008 8:34 PM PDT
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Speaking out of both corners of the mouth at the same time.
Again, no trust what so ever. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stripped this club down to the bones just to profit from revenue sharing.
Go Fo Broke!
by eknpdx on
Sep 3, 2008 8:44 PM PDT
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Say what you will about Armstrong and Lincoln
They’re not Loria.
I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.
by Llewdor on
Sep 4, 2008 8:49 AM PDT
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We're gonna miss you Adrian.
"All I’ve ever done is be Juan Pierre when I wear this jersey. They’re sticking it to me this year for whatever reason. "
.277/.324/.316
~Juan Pierre
by Goose on
Sep 3, 2008 8:31 PM PDT
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Should we start the 'Help Bail Out Red From Jail Fund"?
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:32 PM PDT
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He promised to stick around for at least one season post-AB so he could heckle the FO and the new third baseman
by Jeff on
Sep 3, 2008 8:38 PM PDT
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Robert and Red are going to hate eachother.
by BrianL on
Sep 3, 2008 8:39 PM PDT
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He should run his 3foot Beltre bobblehead out to 3rd base on opening day and set it down.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on
Sep 3, 2008 8:41 PM PDT
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I'm crying in my beer and then drinking the tears.
They taste like fail.
I sometimes wonder if I will start to hate ’95 and ’01 for making me care about this team.
by Omerta on
Sep 3, 2008 8:36 PM PDT
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Aaaaahhhhh I fucking hate this team so much.
J.K.L.
by acblue on
Sep 3, 2008 8:36 PM PDT
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Time to stock up the bunker! See you when it's safe to come out again!
"Have love... will travel." The Sonics.
by dpseadv on
Sep 3, 2008 9:50 PM PDT
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The more I think about Armstrongs' statement, the more it pisses me off.
When juxtaposed against his earlier statements this season that a ‘fire sale’ sends the wrong message to the fans and all that. What an incompetent @#$%. A couple of moves he could have made mid/late season would have accelerated this process quite a bit. I could rant on about this but… whatever. Hello late 1980’s, c’mon next core of players. Hard to find a bunch of guys to put a stamp on a team, but hey the Rays seem to have accomplished the feat in less than 5 years of development.
"Have love... will travel." The Sonics.
by dpseadv on
Sep 3, 2008 10:43 PM PDT
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Guess who was around in the late-80s...
…Chuck Armstrong.
Seriously, this team needs him out of the FO something fierce. He may be more Grover Dill than Scott Farkus, but he’s still annoying…
This signature space for rent.
by PositivePaul on
Sep 4, 2008 2:59 PM PDT
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So: Even worse if you think about the big picture...
Hi, Silva and Johjima.
Bye, Beltre.
We’ll pass, Sheets and Sabathia.
Hi 3B Cairo. Hello 3 year 1B Ibanez extension. Hello CF Bloomquist.
And even better, in a couple years, Felix will be gone! Franchise doesn’t know how to win, gives contracts to crap pitchers while lowballing a far superior one, and is stuck with a bad defensive catcher and a bad offensive catcher. Yeah, im sure even if they showed they even wanted to sign Felix longterm, he may have second thoughts.
by Slica on
Sep 3, 2008 10:40 PM PDT
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Randy stuck out some rough seasons, I'm holding out hope.
Of course his circumstances were different. But still.
"Have love... will travel." The Sonics.
by dpseadv on
Sep 3, 2008 10:45 PM PDT
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Felix is still open to re-signing
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on
Sep 3, 2008 11:03 PM PDT
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Until he hires Scott Boras.
He may be open now, but I doubt he will be down the road.
If they dont lock him up before the end of next year, I think he leaves.
by Slica on
Sep 3, 2008 11:55 PM PDT
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I don't even want to hear and/or think about Felix not getting an extension
because that makes me contemplate murder and that makes me uneasy
by Nick S on
Sep 3, 2008 11:03 PM PDT
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No Felix is worth 40y/133333333333333333333337million
just to make my heart happy
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Washingtonhighways.org
by I'm NOT Corco on
Sep 3, 2008 11:11 PM PDT
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I say we release Silva outright just for the hilarity of it.
by JI on
Sep 4, 2008 1:25 AM PDT
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How about trade him...
And eat half the contract.
We only pay half, we upgrade (he isnt a HORRIBLE pitcher, but he isnt very good, and hes an asshole plus he blocks the sun from reaching Seattle by eclipsing it).
by Slica on
Sep 4, 2008 1:49 AM PDT
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The issue isn't the salary consuming.
I think its finding takers.
JI/Robert '08!
by Fin on
Sep 4, 2008 2:36 AM PDT
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Once Again, FO chooses to go against what we preach here at USSM/LL
We say that the Mariners could contend next year, they say tear everything down and start over. I think they get the impression that they have a strong core of young players they could build on. Yes, Felix is already the King, to say the least, and Morrow, Clement, Balentien, RRS, and maybe Reed and Morse could prove to be helpful, but I mean, just because Ferraribend and LaHare are young doesn’t mean they are good.
JI/Robert '08!
by Fin on
Sep 4, 2008 2:42 AM PDT
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I think there are too many key holes
And blogs don’t preach. Bloggers may, though.
by Gomez on
Sep 4, 2008 8:33 AM PDT
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Is anyone here just a bit curious as to why . . .
we have to wait for a LA reporter to give us this kind of information?
Go Fo Broke!
by eknpdx on
Sep 4, 2008 8:53 AM PDT
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We know ownership thinks little of the local Seattle media and only uses them as a PR device
I would expect that, if things like this leak, it’d be during a moment of weakness with other cities’ media.
by Gomez on
Sep 4, 2008 8:55 AM PDT
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Local reporters are too busy chasing around
the batboys demanding that they be accountable for their role in this season and calling them out for ducking the media.
by DCMariner on
Sep 4, 2008 9:33 AM PDT
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USSM is pimping Antonetti as the next GM candidate for good reason.
Here’s an Antonetti quote via Jayson Stark’s rumblings column at ESPN regarding Cleveland’s decision to trade Sabathia and Cleveland’s subsequent good record after the trade. I wish the M’s could have a GM like this.
“I think it’s human nature to go back and retroactively look at different decisions,” Antonetti said. “But in life, you’re left to make those decisions with the information you have at hand at the time. And the information we had at hand at the time was that our record wasn’t good (37-51), and we had a number of key guys on the disabled list, and we just weren’t getting enough performance from the vast majority of our players. So when we evaluated our chances of making the playoffs at the time, we just didn’t think that was a very realistic possibility.”
Be open minded about what you don't know.
by Jed MC on
Sep 4, 2008 10:35 AM PDT
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I have a feeling that those extra seats in my row
That I have been asking the Mariners to give me for two years will be opening up very soon.
by Sec 108 on
Sep 4, 2008 11:53 AM PDT
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