Mariners Analysis

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Current M's "win streak" hurting team?

What little information we have on the M's front office seem to indicate they are taking the recent success a little too seriously. While every person with half a brain watching the M's can see this is no playoff-caliber team, the FO is starting to believe all their prayers the past 2 months are paying off.

I won't bother trying to point out the difficulties of passing 3 teams, of how hard it is to make up 9 games, blah, blah, blah. If you are reading this, you are undoubtedly on the same page.

How low has it gotten for the Seattle Mariners?

- so low, the M's front office is actually rethinking plans based on a 3-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates
- so low, the M's manager has to dye his hair over a 4-game winning streak
- so low, Melvin thinks Ichiro batting third is working so well he won't even consider changing anything
- so low, the local papers talk about hitters getting their swing back based on sample sizes of 10-15 at bats (eg. with Aurilia hitting 4-13 during the past few games...)

Could 2001 seem any further away?

I find it particularly bothersome when I hear Lincoln talking about waffling over being a "buyer" or "seller" this year at the trading deadline.

Hello, newsflash to Lincoln. Your team has been neither the last 5 years. You have done absolutely nothing to improve this club at the trading deadline, and what few times you have, in general backfired. How about deciding to actually be a "PLAYER" at the deadline, and go in with the simple plan of improving this club. How about finding out the actual value of your players by talking with other clubs? How about taking the initiative and identifying players YOU WANT and doing what it takes to MAKE IT HAPPEN. Is there a 3rd basemen in the minors you'd like to see in an M's uniform? Is there a player out there that is an improvement over what we are rolling out today? MAKE IT HAPPEN!

It's almost impossible to believe sometimes these are supposed to be successful business leaders.

Here we have Peter Gammons reporting once again the M's are waiting this one out to see how things progress.

"the reading we're getting is that the Mariners are not giving up on this season because of their fans"

Wow.

The team has their most valuable trading commodity, Garcia, on the block but won't trade him because of the fans?? Have they noticed the absolute lack of run support said pitcher is getting? Have they noticed he is a losing pitcher right now? Have they noticed the fans are more likely to watch said pitcher lose, because we can't score any runs, as they are to see him win? How is that in the fan's best interest again??

How does Freddy ending the season, at what 10-14(?) help the fans exactly? Meanwhile, the less starts teams gets for Freddy would seem to lessen the trade value.

But again, how do the M's know Freddy's real value when teams don't even believe they are serious about trading him?

Are the M's still thinking not trading Freddy is an option?

I guess let's just watch Clint work tonight and worry about the other stuff later...