Top 50 Mariner Moments, 2007: #44

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 12:06 AM PST in Seattle Mariners News, Regular

May 15th: Back from his stint on the DL, Felix stands in and gets Reggie Willits to foul out to lead off the game.

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A moment which needs little explanation, but whose immediate significance took a few innings to sink in.

I'm not going to sit here and preach, because while eight months have passed since Felix came off the DL, everyone remembers what effect that had on us as a group. The team may not have been completely lost without its king, but we were as fans, and seeing him make his triumphant return to the mound lifted our collective spirits to such an extent that we all but entirely overlooked the fact that, on the same night, we beat the Angels.

That's what Felix means to this community. Ichiro gets a lot of the attention, and landing Erik Bedard would give us arguably the best pitcher in baseball, but for us - or at least most of us, anyway - it's still all about Felix. He is the cart to which we've tied our loyal horse, and as he goes, so do we. While he didn't go on to pitch up to his abilities after returning from the four-week absence, that didn't matter nearly as much as the fact that he was pitching, because for me, a season without Felix would've been a season without the full emotional investment to which I've become so accustomed. And that's not a season I want to watch.

Also, fuck Reggie Willits.

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Comments

That was the first LL Night!

So I remember that moment being like "DUDE! I'm at a game with all of the game thread people in person! This is so cool! Where the hell is EnglishMariner?"

by Deanna on Jan 11, 2008 6:57 AM PST reply actions

Yeah

good times.

"Hope englishmariner didn't die. c'mon felix!"

by marc w on Jan 11, 2008 8:32 AM PST up reply actions

That was a great time

Especially since EnglishMariner wasn't in fact dead.

by jtopps on Jan 11, 2008 12:00 PM PST up reply actions

Holy crap, you're right!

You're right!
And Jeff was there in spirit:

Also, here's Felix's first pitch back:

And -- the origin of the "Surprised Gomez":

Ill Ligitamus Non Carberendum

by PositivePaul on Jan 11, 2008 1:29 PM PST up reply actions

I still think it is weird

putting the face behind the screenname.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 2:05 PM PST up reply actions

Generally, yeah...

But with this group, it's actually been quite fun.

Ill Ligitamus Non Carberendum

by PositivePaul on Jan 11, 2008 2:43 PM PST up reply actions

"Weird."

Not necessarily bad. Just weird.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 2:58 PM PST up reply actions

We're all weird here.

It's okay to be weird. I think.

Ill Ligitamus Non Carberendum

by PositivePaul on Jan 11, 2008 3:01 PM PST up reply actions

Speak for yourself, weirdo

I'm the most normal person that's writing this comment.

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

by pdb on Jan 11, 2008 3:02 PM PST up reply actions

Why do I get the feeling

that all of you are socially awkward.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:12 PM PST up reply actions

Because your giving into sterotypes.

These pretzels....are making me thirsty!

by Goose on Jan 11, 2008 3:13 PM PST up reply actions

From your commenting, dude.

Where would I get stereotypes.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:28 PM PST up reply actions

Damnit, that was supposed to read

"the wrong sterotypes" Doh. I was gonna say how can we be social at all when we're all living in our parents basements.

These pretzels....are making me thirsty!

by Goose on Jan 11, 2008 4:15 PM PST up reply actions

Sometimes I chat up the delivery man

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 4:16 PM PST up reply actions

Let's pretend you did

Since that is far more hilarious :).

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 4:22 PM PST up reply actions

Hell I wish I lived in my parents basement.

Would be nice to not have to pay bills.

These pretzels....are making me thirsty!

by Goose on Jan 11, 2008 4:33 PM PST up reply actions

Is sexiness socially awkward?

If so, guilty as charged.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 3:18 PM PST up reply actions

That joke only reinforces my statement.

I was standing in front of two girls at a party, playing on the Wii. I turned around, and really angrily said "Hey, will you PLEASE stop staring at my ass, okay? I'm not a piece of meat, I'm a person just like you. Damn." and turned back. That's right - slick like Rick.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:30 PM PST up reply actions

Wow.

Would Rick stand in front of chicks and play with his Wii?

Ill Ligitamus Non Carberendum

by PositivePaul on Jan 11, 2008 3:34 PM PST up reply actions

That sounds wrong, man.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:35 PM PST up reply actions

Hey...

It's your story...

Ill Ligitamus Non Carberendum

by PositivePaul on Jan 11, 2008 4:05 PM PST up reply actions

By the way

it could not have worked better. One girl kept squeezing my butt whenever I walked by. The other, I got her phone number.

Words of advice for all you crazy college kids. Just make sure you source me.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:36 PM PST up reply actions

Joke?

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 3:48 PM PST up reply actions

Ugh.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 4:01 PM PST up reply actions

Clearly I'm too awkward for you.

I hear those Halos Heavens people like to go out and have a good time.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 4:12 PM PST up reply actions

I sit.

Humbled.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 4:22 PM PST up reply actions

He who smelt it dealt it

oh wait, wrong putdown. Socially awkward? Me? My parole officer says I'm re-integrating quite nicely, thank you.

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

by pdb on Jan 11, 2008 3:20 PM PST up reply actions

I try to be awkward

But since I have an English accent, everyone insists on talking to me anyway when I'm in the States.

by Graham MacAree on Jan 11, 2008 3:35 PM PST up reply actions

And they probably all think you're smart

and refined. Little do they know.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:37 PM PST up reply actions

More refined than you colonial types, anyway

We don't have full formal dinners every week and the occaisional ball for nothing, you know ;).

I don't find it -that- difficult to not be a dick for a couple hours at a time.

by Graham MacAree on Jan 11, 2008 3:39 PM PST up reply actions

That's because you get your assholishness

all out on the interwebz first.

Though I'd move to Europe in a second if I had an obscene amount of money to kill.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 3:43 PM PST up reply actions

I'd much rather live in the Northwest than England

by Graham MacAree on Jan 11, 2008 3:46 PM PST up reply actions

you could live in the northwest of england

but then you'd have to wear a tracksuit all the time and break into people's cars a lot.

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

by pdb on Jan 11, 2008 4:01 PM PST up reply actions

You forgot the shoe stealing

by Graham MacAree on Jan 11, 2008 4:02 PM PST up reply actions

They have shoes in England?

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Jan 11, 2008 4:04 PM PST up reply actions

If one hasn't been mugged lately, yep

by Graham MacAree on Jan 11, 2008 4:05 PM PST up reply actions

I hope so,

otherwise I'm screwed, and not okay.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Jan 11, 2008 3:02 PM PST up reply actions

"Also, fuck Reggie Willits."

Amen.

by seattlebruin on Jan 11, 2008 8:18 AM PST reply actions

Sweet

I was starting to think that Top Mariner Moments 07 was going to be a catalogue of the plays with the highest positive WE swing. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that's not what the 07 M's were all about.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 11, 2008 10:25 AM PST reply actions

You knew that couldn't be the whole list

You'd miss Ellsion that way.

by Llewdor on Jan 11, 2008 10:26 AM PST up reply actions

right

and Jose's slide into second.

But for me, its not just the positive stuff. If I were to distill last season, then certainly one of Weaver's first starts would make the list (or a particular pitch), as well as a Turbo DP and if I were being really comprehensive, the Soriano/Ho Press Conference would be there too. They sucked, but they were the defining characteristics for the year.

But this ain't my list, and I don't have a blog. So.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 11, 2008 10:36 AM PST up reply actions

Well, this list is positive in intent

so I won't be including memorable nightmares like the Putz blown save in Texas or the Weaver meltdowns, but yeah, it goes beyond the WE stuff.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 10:45 AM PST up reply actions

YOUR LIST SUCKS

I mean, really. It's missing like 43 entries, at this point. What kind of a list is that?

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

by pdb on Jan 11, 2008 10:49 AM PST up reply actions

FUCK LISTS MAN

WHY MUST YOU FOLLOW THE TOTALITARIAN DEMANDS OF NUMERICAL ORDER.

FIGHT THE POWER.

by Graham MacAree on Jan 11, 2008 10:51 AM PST up reply actions

My bad

next time I'll take my list, scramble all the letters and numbers together, and dump them in an in a randomly-assorted Word file that's free for download at your leisure.

Now I'm gonna go cut myself.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 11, 2008 10:58 AM PST up reply actions