Polling The Audience

by Jeff Sullivan on Jul 30, 2009 10:21 AM PDT in Miscellaneous

Let me know what you think.

Poll

All things considered, I am glad that Mike Sweeney is on the team.

True

796 votes

False

422 votes

1218 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 62 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Nope. If Shelton didn't exist, I would feel differently. But I feel that Shelton has been blocked by Sweeney.

I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.

by EnglishMariner on Jul 30, 2009 10:23 AM PDT reply actions

My thoughts exactly.

I feel we might be a win better without him, but if the poll had an indifferent option I would have taken that.

by Sec 108 on Jul 30, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Sweeney and Griffey already make a terrible platoon at DH, but we are keeping them both around for their clubhouse presence. Might as well substitute one of the them for some offense so we can keep the team happy by winning; then you don’t need the extra clubhouse guy.

by Wilder. on Jul 30, 2009 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Since "all things considered" includes the fact that we have little chance to reach the playoffs, I voted yes.

But if we were contending, I’d sacrifice his hugs for a better player.

by Teej on Jul 30, 2009 10:23 AM PDT reply actions

I have no evidence that good team chemistry makes a baseball team better

but at the very least, it can’t hurt

by seattlebruin on Jul 30, 2009 10:28 AM PDT up reply actions

Well now I just feel like a jackass

by Robert on Jul 30, 2009 10:25 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

He does not cost much. They don't give him too many at bats.

He seems to keep everyone happy. why not like him.

Racer X. You have to love those amarillo hops.

p.s. fuck you angels

p.p.s. geoff baker is an idiot

by InSpokane on Jul 30, 2009 10:28 AM PDT reply actions

On the team, yes

In the lineup, no

by manifestus on Jul 30, 2009 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

Basically this.

Play him just enough so that he actually is ‘on the team’

by ARock on Jul 30, 2009 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

I think that considering that he doesn't really get all that much playing time, has surprised me with a couple of big hits that stick out in my mind,

and is an all around good guy, I said yes. EnglishMariner’s point of blocking Shelton is valid to a point, and I wish we had a better RH platoon at DH (SHELTON!), but given he won’t be on the team next year and he doesn’t get a whole lot of ABs going forward, then I say yes.

by Zwakamatsu on Jul 30, 2009 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

He doesnt play a lot,

But the team seems to love him. “Chemistry” is mostly just winning, but if high morale helps convince Felix to re-sign, or Washburn to resign for a good price, or etc, etc to resign, then Sweeney pays off.

by ARock on Jul 30, 2009 10:33 AM PDT reply actions

I was going to vote false just to be a contrarian but then I saw it was a closer vote than I thought

so I didn’t vote. TAKE THAT DEMOCRACY

Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.

by pdb on Jul 30, 2009 10:34 AM PDT reply actions

Where's my third choice?

“Indifferent”

by Matthew on Jul 30, 2009 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions

I am late as usual.

by Sec 108 on Jul 30, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions

the guy babysits for his teammates

’nough said

by BeltredNOT on Jul 30, 2009 10:34 AM PDT reply actions

66% true? Holy crap.

I’m a bit shocked by those results.

FUCK THE ANGELS! FUCK THE ANGELS! FUCK THE ANGELS!

by Goose on Jul 30, 2009 10:45 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

LL as a whole has become a lot softer to clubhouse chemistry this year, probably due to the emergence of Wak as a proponent of it and his 'belief systems'.

The difference in attitude between Bavasi/Hargrove and GMZ/Wak couldn’t be bigger. The truth is though that the latter has earned respect for their ideas by improving everything about the organisation.

I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.

by EnglishMariner on Jul 30, 2009 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions

I think we care about clubhouse chemistry a lot less when

A) it’s good
B) the front office focuses on getting good players who happen to be nice guys, not nice guys who may or may not suck at baseball

by seattlebruin on Jul 30, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

We HAD to care last year

when it seemed a lot of shitty baseball players were talking shit about Ichiro. Was that caused by all the losing? Yeah, maybe; it clearly exacerbated it. But I think Wak/Z were right to set up some expectations early (like: you don’t get to take thinly veiled potshots at our best player in the press).

by marc w on Jul 30, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions

I disagree with B) because I don't think Griffey and Sweeney are good players.

I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.

by EnglishMariner on Jul 30, 2009 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Sweeney had the potential to be useful when he was signed

and Griffey is a completely different case than anything Jack Z is likely to encounter going forward as M’s GM

by seattlebruin on Jul 30, 2009 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions

This is a tough call rationally

so I just went with my gut and voted a hesitant ‘yes.’ Felix seems to like him, he babysits (?) players kids, and apparently everyone loves him. It would be interesting to see how the Mariners (the actual players) would vote, and my hunch is it would pull the same way.

by Ballard Erik on Jul 30, 2009 10:55 AM PDT reply actions

I think it would be 24-0 in favor of him

by seattlebruin on Jul 30, 2009 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Sweeney is such a classy guy that he will abstain from voting for himself.

angels fan in seattle

by Eyebrows on Jul 30, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions

I really hope there's one guy in there who think he's a prick

by Jeff Sullivan on Jul 30, 2009 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions

I bet it's Griffey

by seattlebruin on Jul 30, 2009 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions

I bet does not care for him Shelton

I bet Jose Lopez would forget to vote.

Racer X. You have to love those amarillo hops.

p.s. fuck you angels

p.p.s. why does geoff baker hate felix

by InSpokane on Jul 30, 2009 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions

Did you forget how to speak today?

angels fan in seattle

by Eyebrows on Jul 30, 2009 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I am having a rough time. I think doing work and hanging out here is causing me trouble.

Racer X. You have to love those amarillo hops.

p.s. fuck you angels

p.p.s. why does geoff baker hate felix

by InSpokane on Jul 30, 2009 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Then Lopez would come to the ballpark early the next day to practice voting.

by I Lick Squirrels on Jul 30, 2009 1:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Batista.

a failure pile in a sadness bowl.

by royalcurve on Jul 30, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions

I always forget about Batista.

Racer X. You have to love those amarillo hops.

p.s. fuck you angels

p.p.s. why does geoff baker hate felix

by InSpokane on Jul 30, 2009 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions

I bet it's Lowe.

Seems like Mark would tire of getting the stink eye every time he’s talking to Aardsma about doing jager bombs at the strip club last night.

by marc w on Jul 30, 2009 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions

Ian Snell

Try not to take me too seriously

by calim on Jul 30, 2009 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

I answered Yes but that is really as a standalone decision

When you factor “all things considered”, you can only carry so many under-performing good guy types. With Griffey and Johnson also around, I don’t know how wise it is to use three spots primarily on good intangibles.

I previously posted as "Man From Nantucket"

by mem on Jul 30, 2009 11:00 AM PDT reply actions

I think someone should drive Johnson over a cliff.

Racer X. You have to love those amarillo hops.

p.s. fuck you angels

p.p.s. why does geoff baker hate felix

by InSpokane on Jul 30, 2009 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Your future manager?

Seriously though, ever listen to his post game interviews? He’s fantastic, management written all over him.

by Kermit. on Jul 30, 2009 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions

He's already Shannon's little brother :)

by Decatur on Jul 30, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

My feelings on this changed dramatically after the Cleveand series

Stakes are completely different now

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jul 30, 2009 11:03 AM PDT reply actions

Sweeney's key to success is exposure

You can go three or four days without remembering he’s on the team and when you do finally see him again he’s getting a big hug from Ichiro after a game winning hit. He’s just little bursts of happy.

by Nate Dogg on Jul 30, 2009 11:08 AM PDT reply actions

I am glad to have Mike Sweeney on the team.

Sure, Shelton’s a better hitter but if he were used like Mike Sweeney we’d be complaining about his lack of playing time. Sweeney’s spot is perfect.

by ThundaPC on Jul 30, 2009 11:08 AM PDT reply actions

I think he's too nice.

What’s his ulterior motive? If I offered to babysit one of my co-worker’s kids I would probably be reported to HR. Nobody is that pure.

by hcoguy on Jul 30, 2009 11:19 AM PDT reply actions

That's not true.

a failure pile in a sadness bowl.

by royalcurve on Jul 30, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions

I think posting this so soon after the hugs gif is skewing the results

by Poochie on Jul 30, 2009 11:33 AM PDT reply actions

As a political consultant, I say what's your point? The PDC has no say here.

Racer X. You have to love those amarillo hops.

p.s. fuck you angels

p.p.s. why does geoff baker hate felix

by InSpokane on Jul 30, 2009 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions

As much as he helps the clubhouse

I just can’t support Sweeney on the roster when we got so many good AAA hitters he’s blocking. Specifically Shelton and Carp.

by IceStormV1 on Jul 30, 2009 11:53 AM PDT reply actions

Sweeney isn't really blocking any lefties

by Jeff Sullivan on Jul 30, 2009 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions

That would be Griffey!

by seattlebruin on Jul 30, 2009 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I know

but it just seems were giving him at-bats that would be better off going to the kids to give them some experience for next year.

by IceStormV1 on Jul 30, 2009 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions

If we consider...

This team wasn’t supposed to contend. It was supposed to glue together a nucleus of parts and get a 100 loss team back to playing real baseball. This team was supposed to be in a rebuild mode where a new coach and GM gelled and figured out their systems.

If having veterans like Griffey and Sweeney around for a year to make everyone cheerful and enjoy the team and the job of playing baseball, it is absolutely worth it. If it makes Jack Wilson and Ian Snell feel at home and excited to be here then it is worth it. All of the September callups are going to get advice from strong veterans that help build their career into what we envision as fans. (see randy Johnson/Nolan Ryan conversation)

Contending for as long as we have with sub .200 hitters filling the lineup is a salute to veteran leadership and great coaching. Next year we offer them jobs like consultant, and first base coach so we can use those roster slots for hitters and let them go out in style.

by Whoopetydoo on Jul 30, 2009 12:17 PM PDT reply actions