Good News For People Who Love Good News

by Jeff Sullivan on Feb 4, 2009 8:46 AM PST in Miscellaneous

This is going to be our last winter of these.

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I love the incredulous tone to Reynold's somments.

“I don’t know what they are waiting for.” Maybe we’re waiting for someone who may actually help us win Harold.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Feb 4, 2009 9:07 AM PST reply actions

Somments? I meant Comments of course.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Feb 4, 2009 9:07 AM PST up reply actions

Maybe he combines a comment with a sonnet

to create beautiful poetry about his favorite ex-Mariner.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 9:09 AM PST up reply actions

But does Harold use Iambic or Trochaic pentamiter?

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Feb 4, 2009 9:23 AM PST up reply actions

He's more of a poetry-slam free verse kinda guy

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 9:25 AM PST up reply actions

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Feb 4, 2009 9:32 AM PST up reply actions

If it's the Iron Maiden version I'd love to see Harold Reynolds take a crack at it

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 9:34 AM PST up reply actions

Nah . . . that guy managed to get rid of the albatross

I don’t see Junior doing that.

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 9:38 AM PST up reply actions

In this scenario Junior IS the albatross

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 9:47 AM PST up reply actions

Doesn't work

since he’s the only one who could be the Ancient Mariner in that particular scenario.

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 11:06 AM PST up reply actions

The Mariners are the ancient Mariner

and Junior’s the albatross.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 11:15 AM PST up reply actions

We aren't ancient

and we aren’t going to sign Junior to an albatross contract no matter what we do.

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 3:42 PM PST up reply actions

it's hard to be metaphorical when you're insisting on being literal.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 3:45 PM PST up reply actions

He's been quite agitated on the MLB Network over all the veterans looking for jobs.

by Teej on Feb 4, 2009 9:11 AM PST up reply actions

So that's what it would have been like if I'd invented the Fing-Longer...

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Feb 4, 2009 9:52 AM PST up reply actions

What if I never fell into that freezer-doodle and came to the future-jiggy?

by Rollo Tomasi on Feb 4, 2009 9:57 AM PST up reply actions

What if that thing I said

---
Juuuust a bit outside!!
http://www.rightfieldbleachers.com

by Jack Moore on Feb 4, 2009 10:29 AM PST up reply actions

One hopes it's the last winter, anyway

Somehow, I’m not completely sanguine.

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 9:39 AM PST reply actions

Does anyone else get the feeling that it's inevitable?

I mean, since moving payroll doesn’t appear to be likely, Abreu is more of a longshot, and I have a feeling that Zduriencik is gonna feel the heat from the front office to sell tickets, whether or not Griffey will actually help us win.

I'd rather know a little about a lot than a lot about a little

by Sportszilla on Feb 4, 2009 9:45 AM PST reply actions

I would be very surprised if we sign him.

Zduriencik knows he isn’t a good player.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 9:46 AM PST up reply actions

But I'm not sure that's entirely relevent

If the Mariners can’t add a better bat, I can see Zduriencik ceding to what Armstrong surely wants, since the cost would be low, and it would be a one-year deal

I'd rather know a little about a lot than a lot about a little

by Sportszilla on Feb 4, 2009 3:03 PM PST up reply actions

Here's the funny thing...

Ken Griffey, 2006-2008, has added the following Win Values to his teams:

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=327&position=OF

2006: -0.6
2007: 0.9
2008: -0.1

Willie Bloomquist, same time period

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1066&position=OF

2006: 0.4
2007: -0.3
2008: 0.3

In other words, Ken Griffey has added LESS value to his teams since 2005 than a replacement-level infielder that we regularly mock on LL. Think about that for a minute.

Or, let’s try this:

Griffey: .249/.353/.424
Player X: .289/.380/.432

Player X, by the by, hit .293/.360/.538 two years ago (Griffey hasn’t slugged over .500 since 2005), and plays in a more difficult park to hit in than Griffey has hit in since leaving Safeco. Oh, and he has a UZR at his position that’s around league average, as opposed to Griffey, who’s just terrible in the OF. And he switch hits.

So, seriously, why not just sign Ray Durham if we want to add another bat, and figure out where to stick him? By any objective standard, he’s a better player at this point, since he could actually play a defensive position. You might have to trade Loafie or shift him to 1B, but in all sincerity, there are any number of players you could justify signing over Griffey. The only reason to sign Griffey is being sentimental- because he’s just simply not any good any more.

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 4:32 PM PST up reply actions

In Griffey's defense, his WAR doesn't consider the fact that he didn't belong in the outfield

by Jeff Sullivan on Feb 4, 2009 5:04 PM PST up reply actions

Griffey's defense is that he shouldn't play defense.

by Matthew on Feb 4, 2009 5:28 PM PST up reply actions

I think you mean defence

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 7:57 PM PST up reply actions

The ship isn't sailing fast enough for me.

by ThundaPC on Feb 4, 2009 9:48 AM PST reply actions

Much like Griffey, the ship is ancient and doesn't have legs

by Jeff Sullivan on Feb 4, 2009 10:00 AM PST up reply actions

I think it's fairly obvious that Griffey has legs.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 10:03 AM PST up reply actions

I highly doubt

that given Jeff’s hard work with pitch/fx, tRA and a crappy digital camera taking pictures of the computer screen that he would be so inattentive that he missed a franchise legend playing with no legs.

by Robert on Feb 4, 2009 10:28 AM PST up reply actions

Allow me to submit evidence:

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

I think based on the evidence at hand, it is fairly safe to conclude that Ken Griffey Jr. does indeed have legs. This is one of the few instances where Jeff is incorrect. A rare miss.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 10:40 AM PST up reply actions 7 recs

Once again,

I feel compelled to think that Jeff has a reason behind saying that Griffey has no legs. While he has whiffed on quite a few big ones in the past, Jeff certainly has a success rate that deserves us to take notice when he says something of such a serious nature.

by Robert on Feb 4, 2009 10:50 AM PST up reply actions

Perhaps he has some sort of inside info!

by Robert on Feb 4, 2009 10:50 AM PST up reply actions

I cannot think of an instance where Jeff has whiffed this big before.

I wonder if I should consider that maybe he was using the term “no legs” as a metaphor.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 10:51 AM PST up reply actions

Maybe he is insulating that there are no legs to any rumors that he is going to any team but the Mariners?

by Robert on Feb 4, 2009 11:00 AM PST up reply actions

Or perhaps insinuating?

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 11:05 AM PST up reply actions

It is a mystery

that is certain.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 11:20 AM PST up reply actions

I dunno.

the last time I saw them was in 2005.

by msb on Feb 4, 2009 3:45 PM PST up reply actions

But

Junior is wearing long pants in all those photos. Thus, it cannot be conclusively proven that what occupies those pants are, in fact, human legs – they could be sticks with shoes, they could be hardened Silly Putty, they could be anything, really.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Feb 4, 2009 11:14 AM PST up reply actions

Human legs are not the issue here

even false legs still count as “legs”.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 11:20 AM PST up reply actions

Perhaps hollow glass legs filled with beer

just like Isabella Rosselini

by johnbai on Feb 4, 2009 11:28 AM PST up reply actions

Mmm...Blue Velvet...

Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism

by esoteric on Feb 4, 2009 12:25 PM PST up reply actions

Rec'd for the fuzzy arrows.

by Slica on Feb 4, 2009 3:59 PM PST up reply actions

Of course, ships usually don't have legs . . .

In fact, come to think of it, I’ve never seen a single ship that did.

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 11:05 AM PST up reply actions

Sailors are often credited with having "sea legs" however, which come in handy for rough weather. And stuff.

by Kermit. on Feb 4, 2009 12:26 PM PST up reply actions

Garrett Anderson OR Ken Griffey?

According to the Portland Business Journal, Armstrong told the Portland audience the Mariners were looking at Abreu and free-agent outfielder Garret Anderson.

I suppose I should be happy at Armstrong mentioned ONE non-crappy player, but can’t GMZ give Armstrong a cat toy to play with to keep him from signing a bad free agent? Like a laser pointer or string with tin foil attached? Car keys? Jesus Christ.

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 10:48 AM PST reply actions

Maybe Jack can get him a vintage Griffey bobblehead

to pacify him until the season starts.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Feb 4, 2009 10:58 AM PST up reply actions

This is the one thing that stuck out to me.

If GMZ is considering Garrett Anderson, I will take Griffey in a heartbeat.

by Wilder. on Feb 4, 2009 1:16 PM PST up reply actions

Far be it for me to argue with Irrational Angel Hatred, but...

Really, Griffey just isn’t that much better. Griffey came out at 3.1 wRAA last year. GA came out at -1.9.

Here’s the thing, though: go look at Junior and GA in the field. Hint: one of them does not completely suck as an OF. In fact, you could use GA in the OF and he’d be an upgrade on Wlad.

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 1:32 PM PST up reply actions

Is this the last winter of these

because this is the year we finally sign him? How is this good news? Why is it between him and Garret Anderson? Why does mariner fandom need a cockpunch after several years of constant abuse?

by Bearskin Rugburn on Feb 4, 2009 10:57 AM PST reply actions

You guys really think this is the end of it?

Fans will be calling for Griffey’s Return “for just one more year” for the next 5 or 6 years. Then there will be the call for Griffey’s Return to the team as a coach, or manager. Which will last for another 15-20 years.

Sorry guys, this will never end.

by mark sobba on Feb 4, 2009 11:23 AM PST reply actions

That's what I'm afraid of, too

by The Ancient Mariner on Feb 4, 2009 3:43 PM PST up reply actions

I'd rather have Griffey for a year than GAnderson

by johnbai on Feb 4, 2009 11:30 AM PST reply actions

I'd rather have gangrene in my foot than a severed arm, what's your point?

Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism

by esoteric on Feb 4, 2009 12:26 PM PST up reply actions

Well that's not just not very nice

The M’s were rumored to be talking to Anderson.

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 12:31 PM PST up reply actions

Ah, I missed that rumor.

What a terrible idea that would be. Yes, I agree that Griffey would be preferable to GA. In fact, if Griffey were signed & used according to the recommended fanpost, I honestly wouldn’t have too much of a problem with it.

This is all on the assumption that we’re not going to go after Abreu or Dunn, of course.

Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism

by esoteric on Feb 4, 2009 12:36 PM PST up reply actions

Griffey really isn't that much better than GA, honestly.

Junior over the last few years looks better, but that’s partially offset because of a) playing in the NL and b) playing in a bandbox.

Also, Griffey is pretty useless against LHP. GA isn’t as bad (though he’s by no means good).

I’d say that Griffey is a marginal upgrade, but neither of them should really be on this team. The reality is that at this point in their respective careers, they both should be occasional PH/DH types on a good team, and mostly belong on a bench.

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 1:07 PM PST up reply actions

Actually...

I spoke without looking at UZR and defense on fangraphs.

Let me lay this on you: GA has been a superior player from 2006-2008 to Junior.

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 1:41 PM PST up reply actions

More than rumor if Armstrong TOLD a public audience that they were talking to them.

That being said, the point is both of them are Carl Everettastic DHs. ‘Oh look, we got a veteran impact bat to hit from the left side (ignore the fact that they haven’t really been impact bats since maybe 2005)".

Griffey might be better, but can you imagine the team dumping Griffey if he’s hitting .245/.320/.415 in late June and generally stinking up the joint, and someone like Carp or Saunders is raking in Tacoma?

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 12:36 PM PST up reply actions

Bleck.

by .Taylor on Feb 4, 2009 2:07 PM PST up reply actions

I'd like to think that those aren't our only options

by Jeff Sullivan on Feb 4, 2009 12:34 PM PST up reply actions

Trade trade trade

by JI on Feb 4, 2009 12:40 PM PST up reply actions

I'd like to think GMZ will persuade Armstrong nostalgia tours should be saved for September

by eponymous_coward on Feb 4, 2009 12:41 PM PST up reply actions

Just do it already.

Assuming Griffey doesn’t get pathetic at the end of his career and accept NRIs and such, this is most likely his last year.

So either do it, or sign him mid-season if/when we are out of contention. Hell, trade a C level prospect for him if another team takes him. If I had my way, we would sign him to play in the last game of the season, assuming the game doesn’t matter.

This story will NEVER go away until it happens.

This ‘feel good’ story crap is actually hurting his legacy here. Its gotten old and I want it to go away.

by Slica on Feb 4, 2009 1:17 PM PST reply actions