Fan Gauge: David Aardsma

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 30, 2010 9:28 AM PDT in Seattle Mariners Polling

It's time for some polling science. Get used to seeing a lot of these over the next little while.

Your vote should be based strictly on your own opinion. There are no right or wrong answers.

Poll

I, the Mariners fan:

Love David Aardsma

333 votes

Like David Aardsma

1111 votes

Don't have a strong opinion of David Aardsma

334 votes

Don't like David Aardsma

91 votes

Hate David Aardsma

16 votes

1885 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 36 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Don't have a strong opinion.

He wins some, he loses some, and he is always an adventure. I am simply satisfied knowing he gets the job done 90% of the time.

by Wilder. on Apr 30, 2010 9:56 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

If he threw his off-speed pitches with the same authority

as his fastball I would have voted “love”. I simply “like” Aardsma the same way I like Lowe and League.

by Mario Shawn Hayden Jr on Apr 30, 2010 9:59 AM PDT reply actions

Aardsmeh

Determined, Jonesing Commentor

by Corco on Apr 30, 2010 10:00 AM PDT reply actions 10 recs

There should be an option on there

that is something like: I would love him, but he nearly gives me a heart attack every time!

by MissoulaMarinerFan on Apr 30, 2010 10:02 AM PDT reply actions

Scariness factor is a factor

I only voted Like because of his flyball tendencies, which are really scary away from Safeco.

by Paul AB on Apr 30, 2010 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Yup,

I totally agree, that is why I only chose “Like” as well!

by MissoulaMarinerFan on Apr 30, 2010 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions

But I think we need to find a nickname, or a gif, or something for him. JJ might have been an asshole, but he was a lot more entertaining. Morrow was worse, but at least we had the Walk the World gif. Aardsma? We don’t have much to work with.

Also, his entrance music sucks. That never helps.

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

by Sportszilla on Apr 30, 2010 10:07 AM PDT reply actions

Someone with talent should do one of those courtroom sketches with the DA in a suit and tie

by Janic on Apr 30, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions 9 recs

Don't have a strong opinion

but I like him. Hmmm. Dilemma.

(IFE)[ L + W ] = (dS/dt). Let S= (OCK)[C + BL]

by didycel on Apr 30, 2010 10:09 AM PDT reply actions

I was torn also.

So I figured I’d just wait until Robert blows up his house and then I’ll love his memory.

by ToddK on Apr 30, 2010 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions

I like the idea of David Aardsma.

I like that he is quite representative of the volatility of relievers. Garbage one year, aces the next. I also like that he was acquired for nothing and has helped make GMZ look like a genius. I also wish he had been traded at the beginning of the year for something useful so that we could reap the benefits of his 2009.

by abender20 on Apr 30, 2010 10:09 AM PDT reply actions

Not to say JJ and Valbuena were 'nothing'

But, to me, the posterchildren of Z’s reign are Gutierrez and Bradley, because one we didn’t give up anything remotely resembling similar value, and the other we actually got rid of a horrible player to pick up a very good one.

If Bavasi was good at one thing, it was building bullpens on the cheap. That’s not to say he was good at anything, but it was his best trait, and that’s likely why I have a sense of indifference with the way Aardsma was acquired.

by cwel87 on Apr 30, 2010 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Mostly because I used the word "nothing" and you said "remotely similar" when describing the value given up.

by abender20 on Apr 30, 2010 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions

I personally don't like him

He gets the job done (much) more often then not, but there’s always the lingering sense he’s going to spin out of control.

I like confidence in the closer. I don’t really ever have it with Aardsma.

by cwel87 on Apr 30, 2010 10:10 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs

Precisely how I feel

Way too volatile for me… and he seems like a poster child for the stupidity of saves as an evaluative tool. Lots of saves do not a good reliever make.

by Matt Erickson on Apr 30, 2010 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions

Okay, Yoda.

Milton Bradley apologist

by sanford_and_son on Apr 30, 2010 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

This is my view in a nutshell

by seattlesundevil on Apr 30, 2010 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions

Like David Aardsma, but prefer Brandon League as our high-leverage guy.

@ERiC_UW

by lailaihei on Apr 30, 2010 10:12 AM PDT reply actions

Like him.

Going on the radio with the “You don’t know me!” junk and taking a photo of his actual junk makes me like him a bit less.

by Janic on Apr 30, 2010 10:15 AM PDT reply actions

I want him to do well because it helps the Mariners,

but I don’t have any attachment to Aardsma.

by Jed MC on Apr 30, 2010 10:23 AM PDT reply actions

I don't mind Aardsma himself

But I absolutely despise his entrance tag line.

Hearing Mike Blowers growl “TELL IT TO THE D.A!” every time The Aardvark trots out makes me want to vomit.

by HititHere on Apr 30, 2010 10:48 AM PDT reply actions

That's Sims

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 30, 2010 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions

I stand corrected, thanks

But still despise the tag line with the same number of white-hot burning suns.

by HititHere on Apr 30, 2010 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

It's the one acceptable use of initials or first syllables.

Way better than the Seattle-coined A-Rod that spawned stupid imitators.
“Case closed” is wonderful.

Terrifies me with his fly-balls.

"Mayhap a hidden door lurks nigh. Let us search the environs."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 30, 2010 10:49 AM PDT reply actions

Yeah, I fear him. That should be an option.

by hejuk on Apr 30, 2010 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions

I cheated

since I’m not a Mariners fan.

But Aardsma went to Rice. And I went to Rice. So I like him.

Go Rice Owls!

by JBImaknee on Apr 30, 2010 10:56 AM PDT reply actions

I voted dislike but after more than 10 seconds of thought I regret it.

Aardsma is beyond terrifying but he’s pretty good, which is better than most closers who are terrifying and probably pretty bad. I’d like to see League take over the closer role but the Mariners could do a lot worse than what they’ve got now. So I guess I’m indifferent.

by Nate Dogg on Apr 30, 2010 11:17 AM PDT reply actions

I like him

Part of it is because we were at a Spring Training game this year and my four year old daughter dropped the foul ball that she’d gotten and it rolled under a fence. Aardsma very nicely picked it up for her and then signed it. Regardless of how I feel about him as a baseball player (and I’m in the “no strong opinion” to “like” range), he gets bonus points for that.

by GJS on Apr 30, 2010 12:10 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

I'll hold off my vote until I get to see that picture of his junk.

angels fan in seattle

by Eyebrows on Apr 30, 2010 1:00 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 6 recs

I said "don't like" only because he makes me nervous and on edge everytime he comes in.

Not good for my health.

by SethGrandpa on Apr 30, 2010 2:33 PM PDT reply actions

I like Aardsma.

Cheap, surprisingly effective, and predictable. If he blows a save, we’ll know why. So far, he’s been a lot more effective than not. I may be anxious when he’s pitching but I find that better than being lured into a false sense of security when a “talented” arm is closing and somehow falls apart. Having talent doesn’t automatically equal being as reliable as Mariano Rivera.

It’s pretty simple with Aardsma. Just get the last three outs. An occasional pitch might fly out of the park but as long as he doesn’t mess around I’m good to go.

by ThundaPC on Apr 30, 2010 2:46 PM PDT reply actions