It has to be weird to be Chone Figgins these days. Not all that long ago, he was a valuable member of a competitive organization. He signed a big contract with a team that was supposedly going places, and he was supposed to be one of the core parts of the lineup and defense. Figgins and the team fell on their faces, and things haven't improved. The team hasn't made much in the way of significant progress. Figgins has only gotten worse. The team refused to trade him away, and he only got worse. The team put him up at leadoff, and it didn't do anything.
Figgins is a bench-warmer now. He plays when somebody else is throwing up too much to put on a uniform. Where Figgins used to be a target, an expensive disappointment and the most unpopular player on the team, now he barely even registers. Is it worse to be hated, or forgotten? Figgins is of no use, and the Mariners still won't let him go, and so he's trapped in a very small box. He can't do anything. He can't make himself better here, because he doesn't get the chance. He can't make himself better elsewhere, because he doesn't get the chance. In some ways, Chone Figgins is a very highly-paid prisoner.
Figgins played this afternoon and drew two walks. Neat for him. Of course it didn't mean anything. We're so far past the point of wondering whether a good game or a good streak is a sign of revitalization. Figgins drew two walks and they didn't matter and he doesn't matter. Not this season, not to this team.
Besides, Figgins did something else today more noteworthy than reaching base a couple times. Saturday night, Chone Figgins went to sleep asking himself "what am I supposed to do?" Sunday morning, he woke up with the answer: "whatever the hell I want." I'm not sure what Figgins was thinking here, but maybe it's enough to do something different without knowing where it'll lead. When you're trapped, you'll search everywhere for a door.
