Aw Man
by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 5, 2010 9:23 PM PDT
in Miscellaneous
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PrintOn Monday, when the M's lost to the Twins and dropped to eight back, everyone was just about out of hope. On Thursday, when the M's beat the Twins and climbed to six back, everyone was piling on the wagon. Today, when the M's lost to the Angels and dropped to eight back, everyone's just about out of hope again.
Hope lies somewhere between six and eight back.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you anything about the last two games. I watched Friday's in person, but they gave me nothing to say, and I missed today's completely. The only thing that needs to be said is that, holy crap, what a spectacular way to blow any and all momentum gained by beating Minnesota. Maybe not 'beating'. To beat implies some degree of force or strength. It's more like we flicked them on the side of the head, or tickled them. But we tickled our way back to the race, and now that progress is all gone again. That's really, really demoralizing.
But as we just saw, being eight back and hopeless means you're close to being six back and hopeful, so, really, this is just a weird position the M's have put us in. Me especially. I write about feeling indifferent, then I write about being optimistic, then I write about being indifferent again. They're making me look like I can't make up my mind, when really, it's them. It's them that can't make up their minds.
So, Mariners: make up your minds. I'm sick of this border war.
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This reminds me of an experience I had with a girl.
And it ended horribly. Shit…
Don’t keep us hanging Mariners. I don’t want to start singing “It’s Too Late to Apologize” during the All-Star break.
A baseball season is like being a shark
If you’re not moving forward, you’re dying. Being eight back today is worse than being eight back a week ago, because there is now less time to make up the deficit.
For M’s to win 90 games, they have to go 68-39 the rest of the way. That’s basically the pace the Rays have been playing at this year, only for four months instead of two.
It’s not happening.
by davidcameron on Jun 5, 2010 9:28 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, obviously maintaining the current gap for a while would help me make up my mind
I just want them to do it faster. Win ten or lose ten. Easy, right?
by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 5, 2010 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions
The M's are just a tease though.
Think we’re gonna be out for good? Win a series! Think we might make a charge? Lose a series!
You got slurved!
Not with Lee and Felix in the rotation
It’s not like this team has evenly distributed talent. When those two pitch, the team is capable of beating anyone. When anyone else pitches, not so much.
Have I mentioned how thrilled I am that we wasted Fister and Vargas' combined four months of being good?
by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 5, 2010 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Better still
The entirety of Cliff Lee’s career as a Mariner.
Assuming just now doesn't count.
Nope, not yet.
by Mariner Melee on Jun 5, 2010 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I think he mentioned it in one of the podcasts.
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel, or the headlights of an oncoming train?
At this point, I'm simply hoping we show some form of progress that leads to:
1. Jack thinking that we’re still in it, and not trading Lee.
2. Lee seeing progress and having happy thoughts, then re-signing with the M’s.
Likely? No. Possible? I have to hope so.
Also, a pony.
Lee’s going to want and get crazy money. If he resigned here, you can pretty much forget about getting any offensive upgrades via any means other than the farm system, since most of next year’s free cash would be soaked up by his pay raise, and we do need them: Milton Bradley may mostly be done (he’s the same age Sweeney was when his offense collapsed, has a worse health record, and has spent more than a year underperforming his career numbers by quite a bit), the M’s don’t really have answers at 1B that improve much on Kotchman, C is a mess, SS isn’t in good shape, and we probably let Loafie walk next year, and while Ackley might be ready,, we’re still going to need help.
At this point, sad to say, the best thing for this team is for GMZ to get as good a price for Cliff Lee as possible, preferably one that brings a player that can be plugged into the lineup ASAP. If you don’t get that, you let him walk and get draft picks,
by eponymous_coward on Jun 6, 2010 6:59 AM PDT up reply actions
This is what bugs me so much.
This team has enough legitimate all-league talent that, if surrounded by average players, the Mariners would be favorites for the playoffs.
In 2004 and 5 we were able to get excited about all the kids we were running out. In 2006 the team hovered in contention for a while, and it was exciting watching JJ Putz emerge as an ultra-dominate closer. And as bad as we were in 2008, at least we were spectacularly bad. The 2010 club is just boring to watch.
And sometimes there is not.
Indifference as you would say.
by Mariner Melee on Jun 5, 2010 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions
There was a hell of a lot of emotion at Safeco today.
I don’t remember the last time I felt the Safeco crowd was justified in booing their own team.
Well, and now Fister has a "dead arm."
One thing that is happening to me is that it just becomes a little bit easier, each day, to look at other uses of my time than three hours-plus each day watching this very frustrating team. Also, there’s more “fun” in losing 8-6 or 9-7 than in this whole business of seldom scoring runs or ever getting clutch hits.
On a day-to-day basis, who on the team do you root for? I root for Saunders, and of course for Ichiro, but what affection can one have for Rob Johnson or Casey Kotchman or even Chone Figgins given how he’s played?
Last year the team only finished four games above .500, but there were all kinds of memorable performances and games.
ignacio
Agreed.
Last year was the most fun I’ve had watching a non-playoff bound team. This year, not so much.
by Hopefulmsfan on Jun 5, 2010 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions
I find it easy to cheer for Chone Figgins.
We have him for another three years, so it’s in my best interest to root for him, hoping that it will inspire him to perform at his best.
by katal on Jun 5, 2010 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I find it incredibly difficult to cheer for that runt.
I fucking hate you Mariners
Joey Cora
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on Jun 6, 2010 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I just hate that we are wasting our only year of Cliff Lee.
I mean he has legitimately been the best pitcher in the AL so far and we have just completely wasted it.
Exactly, it's just a humongous waste of what was the perfect opportunity.
Pretty much how we do in this 4 game series with Texas determines whether or not I care anymore.
Dave Niehaus sang The Wabash Cannonball! That was awesome, I love that guy
Anyway, the rest of that game blew ass. He’s hilarious on these laughers, Dave Sims in the booth with him is just about perfect. Together they have the best rapport between two announcers since Ken Levine. Cracking each other up, pretty fun to listen to.
I listened to them for a bit while driving home, having left the game early (I know, I know).
Whether discussing how many walks they believed the Mariners had given up so far in the game, their plans for the evening (Neihaus: “… Maybe a bottle of wine.” Sims: “Just a bottle?”), they were top-notch. I hope that pairing continues for a long time.
Wasn't that great? Haven't really heard that before, or maybe so much of it.
Kind of egging each other on. Be nice if they stayed loose like that every game.
I have no idea why, but the whole concept of how you feel about hope made me think about this totally dorky song.
It has an awesome line though! So here’s the link. Hope rides alone!
Just the fact it's based on Mega Man.
Makes it insta-awesome.
by Hopefulmsfan on Jun 6, 2010 12:50 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't know whether to laugh or make fun of you for references The Proto Men.
Then i remember I know who The Proto Men are, so i can just give you kudos.
Hard work never killed nobody, but I won't take my chances.
by JAH on Jun 6, 2010 1:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Also you linked The Will of One, not Hope Rides Alone.
Hard work never killed nobody, but I won't take my chances.
by JAH on Jun 6, 2010 1:17 AM PDT up reply actions
A much better plan would be to declare every day Mothers Day.
Because that’s the only day the team consistently kicks ass.
Aw crap.
" shannondrayer
Fister to the 15 day dl with shoulder fatigue. Luke French up ".
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel, or the headlights of an oncoming train?
I have come to accept that we'll never be able to be a division rival when we desperately need it
Carlos Silvelite
Would you like to hear the Legend of '95?
It’s a great story. An epic for all time.
Since 2002 I honestly can't think of any big series that we actually won
My absolute favorite case happened in late August of 2007. We were 3 games behind Anaheim. The Mariners had just lost 2 games to a horrific Rangers team before letting the Angels sweep us. Of course, after this we went on to lose four more games in a row.
Oh yeah, we were also first in the Wild Card during this stretch, but there was no need to worry, the Yankees were coming up! Naturally we went on to lose 2 of the 3 games in that series.
Situations like this just seem to define being a Mariners fan.
Carlos Silvelite
Swept the A's to close out 2008
Which was HUGE.
by lemonverbena on Jun 6, 2010 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
Dammit...
Karma police, arrest this man.
by wyte_lightning on Jun 6, 2010 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions
You are a fucking horrible person.
I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve it through not dying.
by the other side on Jun 6, 2010 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Dammit...
Karma police, arrest this man.
by wyte_lightning on Jun 6, 2010 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
I can guarantee with 100% certainty that your statement is correct.
...and now I'm here
by CapSea on Jun 6, 2010 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
It's really hard to be two teams at once.
I can't resist clicking "Rec" when I see a post with four [of them] already.
by thehemogoblin on Jun 6, 2010 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Can you post a retraction of your statement that the M's are better than us?
not a blatant troll I just feel it’s within your protocol as a journalist to correct the record.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
How is he wrong?
We are better than you against every other team (not saying we are great against other teams) and you somehow continually rape us. Case and point is this set of number stolen from a comment by SethGrandpa.
Against everyone except each other the Mariners and Angels run differential is…
Mariners: -15
Angles: -29
When you factor in the head to head games it’s…
Mariners: -33
Angels: -11
I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve it through not dying.
by the other side on Jun 6, 2010 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
No
Our OPS+ plus ERA+: 191
Your OPS+ plus ERA+: 191
by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 6, 2010 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm aware of the stats and the fact that you guys exceed us in sevaral areas
nevertheless, I feel this last series has further established our team as the perennial AL west leader. You can’t woba or uzr your way out of this recognition.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
by RexTookMyStash on Jun 6, 2010 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Shockingly, we can.
Because if you believe in statistics, then you also know that losing games is like a coin flip. Even the best teams lose 30% of the time. Put two bad teams together and anything can happen.
...and now I'm here
Wins happen sometimes. And sometimes they happen 3 times in a row.
I present to you exhibit A.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
by RexTookMyStash on Jun 6, 2010 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Ah right, I forgot how infallible that logic is.
I’m going to go storm the Twins blog and let them know how much their team clearly sucks balls.
...and now I'm here
Goodluck with that line a reasoning. Only a decade of failure can forge a satire you all so dearly hold close.
There’s always next season I guess.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
by RexTookMyStash on Jun 7, 2010 12:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Time for a condescending numbered list!
1) It’s your line of reasoning. It’s literally the line of reasoning you used in the comment before mine.
2) What? Nothing you said even made sense.
3) Be funnier.
4) No one wants you here.
5) How is it possible for you to always be this wrong.
6) No one wants you here.
7) Does everyone on Halos Heaven lack even basic logic skills or is it only the ones that come here?
8) Wow. You are terrible.
9) No one wants you here.
10) Oh my god, stop coming here, you bring absolutely no value.
Quite literally every single time someone from your website posts here, they end up making some outlandish claim and then on the very next comment they do something completely different, then try to justify it. Last time it was the guy that said “Online, it’s not okay to make statements that someone could find offensive” and then went back to HH and immediately called his friend a “Gaywad,” now it’s you coming here and claiming that winning 3 in a row means that you’re better than another team and then the very next comment claim that us beating the Twins 3 in a row doesn’t mean anything.
How is it possible for you all to be this unbelievably stupid? This is a serious question. I can’t even fathom this. Go away. Your lack of even the most basic common sense skills and your inability to see your own hypocrisy in comments that you place one after the other is so monumental that I’m worried you’re going to break the universe.
“Think of how stupid the average person is. Now realize that half the world is stupider than that”
~George Carlin
...and now I'm here
by CapSea on Jun 7, 2010 1:20 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
I hope my blatant stupidity serves to soften the blow of chasing after an organization steeped in the success you find so elusive.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
by RexTookMyStash on Jun 7, 2010 1:27 AM PDT up reply actions
OH SNAP, BURN.
It does. Thanks babe.
...and now I'm here
This is something I just don't get with our trolls
Do you think we’ll be mad if you make fun of the Mariners? Do you think we’ll get depressed and lash out? Our whole identity here is that we root for perennial losers. We’re famous for it. Do you see that site logo up there in the top left? We’re quite comfortable with who we are. Some of us even enjoy it.
The thing about rooting for a team that loses is that it’s easy to be objective about the teams that win. If the Angels were demonstrably better than the Mariners, we’d say so. We have no problems acknowledging the things that other teams do well. This is easy for us, because unlike for you and your brethren, we don’t feel threatened. We aren’t so thin-skinned that we seek the internet’s validation with every last breath.
We aren’t very good. That much is apparent.
You aren’t very good, either. And you’re also way more stupid.
by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 7, 2010 1:38 AM PDT up reply actions 11 recs
A few things
1. Jeff is not a journalist
2. “retractions” are for facts that were stated incorrectly
3. Lighten up
by pdb on Jun 6, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
people who dispense news and thought on a forum of this nature are effectively journalists
there’s no point to semantically debate the fact that blogging is a contemporary form of journalism.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
by RexTookMyStash on Jun 6, 2010 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
people who dispense news and thought on a forum of this nature are effectively journalists
there’s no point to semantically debate the fact that blogging is a contemporary form of journalism.
"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer." --Lasorda
by RexTookMyStash on Jun 6, 2010 10:54 PM PDT up reply actions
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