Even Steve Kelley is noticing...
In a some what shocking development, Steve Kelley of the Times wrote an article that was dead on- link
It's about time a more prominent local writer began hammering the M's for their ridiculous lineups. Anyone who reads the local team blogs knows hardcore fans have been tearing their hair out watching the lineups being run out there. Cairo, Willie, Joh, Burke et al are simply embarrassing for a team spending over $100 million. Never has so much resulted in so little.
It's quite obvious when the worst team in the AL still draws 100k+ fans in a weekend series the gate is not being solely determined by wins and losses. Rather, the sun and beer have more to do with the fun being generated at Safeco, so why not start looking seriously at the future? When even Steve Kelley is noticing your flawed plan, the rats have long jumped ship.
Still, while Kelley occasionally wakes up and notices the game being played I'm still not sure where Baker stands- latest blog
In attempting to explain the differences between RRS and Morrow, I readily admit Geoff is in a no win situation. It's a little bit like having your debate team tasked to defend Bush's energy policy. You struggle to come up with a coherent argument.
Even so, gems like this don't help any-
"Until Putz is ready, which may not be until mid-August, you need a competent late-innings guy out there."
Strike one.
"...fans would be in an uproar if this team were to keep blowing late-inning leads, especially after making them sit through the first 2 1/2 hours or so."
Strike two.
"Not many options for the ninth besides Morrow."
Strike three.
I like Geoff Baker and love his blog. He really knows how to stir the pot when it comes to generating controversy and I begin to think more and more he writes stuff just to increase interest in his posts. But I am also getting concerned on his learning curve. I really thought he would be more open to ideas after a disastrous winter.
Quick recap. Over the winter Baker said:
- Oakland would be bad because everyone at espn said so
- Texas sucks, because they always suck
- Defense is overrated and Ibanez is fine in LF
- Mariners never have to rebuild because they have money (dollars = reload)
- Vidro is a proffessional hitter who has adjusted to the league and will be productive
- The Mariner offense will be fine because we lost Guillen but the drop off to Wilkerson will be slight and everyone else is the same, therefore the offense is fine
- McLaren deserves to be the manager because last year was not a good time to judge his actions and now he has his staff and his players so let him play the year before we judge
- Seattle will challenge Angels for division
- Pro-Bedard stance, almost to an extreme
- Bedard is an ace, and when you have an ace you don't have losing streaks
- Bedard is an ace who makes the entire pitching staff better
- Bedard is an ace who makes the bullpen better
- you get the idea...
For a writer who really couldn't have been more wrong about the season he sure takes the teams side over and over. It's refreshing to have a counter argument and I don't want him to parrot everything LL and USS Mariner prints, but I also don't want him to mislead casual fans who read the Times at lunch.
The Mariners completely screwed the pooch on Morrow. The people who follow the team closely saw they were screwing it up and complained loudly while they were doing it. Continually trying to prop up whatever poor argument the team might float out there is not doing anyone any service.
Cleveland just took two of three from the team. Morrow was a non factor. How about more articles that state the obvious, and less looking like a debate challenge?
In a some what shocking development, Steve Kelley of the Times wrote an article that was dead on- link
It's about time a more prominent local writer began hammering the M's for their ridiculous lineups. Anyone who reads the local team blogs knows hardcore fans have been tearing their hair out watching the lineups being run out there. Cairo, Willie, Joh, Burke et al are simply embarrassing for a team spending over $100 million. Never has so much resulted in so little.
It's quite obvious when the worst team in the AL still draws 100k+ fans in a weekend series the gate is not being solely determined by wins and losses. Rather, the sun and beer have more to do with the fun being generated at Safeco, so why not start looking seriously at the future? When even Steve Kelley is noticing your flawed plan, the rats have long jumped ship.
Still, while Kelley occasionally wakes up and notices the game being played I'm still not sure where Baker stands- latest blog
In attempting to explain the differences between RRS and Morrow, I readily admit Geoff is in a no win situation. It's a little bit like having your debate team tasked to defend Bush's energy policy. You struggle to come up with a coherent argument.
Even so, gems like this don't help any-
"Until Putz is ready, which may not be until mid-August, you need a competent late-innings guy out there."
Strike one.
"...fans would be in an uproar if this team were to keep blowing late-inning leads, especially after making them sit through the first 2 1/2 hours or so."
Strike two.
"Not many options for the ninth besides Morrow."
Strike three.
I like Geoff Baker and love his blog. He really knows how to stir the pot when it comes to generating controversy and I begin to think more and more he writes stuff just to increase interest in his posts. But I am also getting concerned on his learning curve. I really thought he would be more open to ideas after a disastrous winter.
Quick recap. Over the winter Baker said:
- Oakland would be bad because everyone at espn said so
- Texas sucks, because they always suck
- Defense is overrated and Ibanez is fine in LF
- Mariners never have to rebuild because they have money (dollars = reload)
- Vidro is a proffessional hitter who has adjusted to the league and will be productive
- The Mariner offense will be fine because we lost Guillen but the drop off to Wilkerson will be slight and everyone else is the same, therefore the offense is fine
- McLaren deserves to be the manager because last year was not a good time to judge his actions and now he has his staff and his players so let him play the year before we judge
- Seattle will challenge Angels for division
- Pro-Bedard stance, almost to an extreme
- Bedard is an ace, and when you have an ace you don't have losing streaks
- Bedard is an ace who makes the entire pitching staff better
- Bedard is an ace who makes the bullpen better
- you get the idea...
For a writer who really couldn't have been more wrong about the season he sure takes the teams side over and over. It's refreshing to have a counter argument and I don't want him to parrot everything LL and USS Mariner prints, but I also don't want him to mislead casual fans who read the Times at lunch.
The Mariners completely screwed the pooch on Morrow. The people who follow the team closely saw they were screwing it up and complained loudly while they were doing it. Continually trying to prop up whatever poor argument the team might float out there is not doing anyone any service.
Cleveland just took two of three from the team. Morrow was a non factor. How about more articles that state the obvious, and less looking like a debate challenge?
posted by Tom at
10:09 AM
