Thursday fallout and now, forward
The Times offers the best take I think. Stone’s article has possibly the best paragraph:
Everett’s past has been riddled with controversy (see accompanying time line), and initial fan response toward his acquisition seems to be leaning heavily toward the negative. But the Mariners firmly believe Everett’s fiery attitude is just the jolt this team needs after two straight 90-loss seasons.
Folks, if a player requires an accompanying time line, that’s bad. The timeline, by the way, repeats again that the child abuse charges were dropped, which is an inadequate summary of what happened [edited 12/16 to clarify and add the link].
Stone also drops this bombshell (which, I’m sure, those of you hoping this is a 1-year stopgap at most will enjoy):
Everett signed a one-year, $3.4 million contract Wednesday with a club option for 2007 that includes a $600,000 buyout. But industry sources say the deal vests for 2007 with a very makeable threshold that kicks in the second season.
I’m not so sure that’ll happen. If he’s hitting, he’ll stick and vest. If he doesn’t, they’ll trade or move him as early as possible. And, as you’ve seen before, I don’t see it.
The PI’s coverage is just bad. The article on the transaction includes no mention of Everett’s issues and includes such infobits as
Everett hit 23 homers and drove in 87 runs while averaging .251 for the White Sox last season. He helped the Sox win their first World Series title since the days of the infamous Black Sox, but Chicago decided against picking up his option for 2006, freeing him to sign elsewhere.
“Helped”. Uh huh. His inspirational out-making caused the team to try even harder to make up for his poor hitting, and drove them to improve. Or does everyone on a Championship team help in some intangible way?
Levesque writes that Everett should shake up the clubhouse, which is good. And I thought was being provided by Willy Bloomquist, Eddie Guardado, Richie Sexson, and before that by that whole wave of 2004 guys with World Series rings.
Comments
110 Responses to “Thursday fallout and now, forward”
Just because I was out of town and didn’t get to drop my take on the Everett signing, chew on this. These stats are each from a veteran switch-hitter the year his team won the World Series. The subsequent year, each was signed by the Mariners.
AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS
.265 .326 .453 .779
.251 .311 .435 .746
As you can probably guess, player B is Carl Everett. Player A? That’s Scott Spiezio in 2003. And remember, Spiezio’s younger than Everett.
Fair point Jeff, but Spiezio won the WS in 2002.
True enough. My bad.
We can only hope that Everett does not subscribe to the Sandfrog diet of beer and tattoos. Spiezio’s inattention to diet and training probably cost him a baseball career. (He hasn’t signed anywhere that I can see.)
Did Spiezio eat the tattoos? That might explain a lot.
In my local birdcage liner is an AP story by Gregg Bell that offers the following BB quotes:
“Today we achieved one of our off-season goals. Carl Everett is a clutch-hitting run producer with power.” (He IS a clutch hitting run producer? As in the current tense?)
“His experience and intensity will be welcome additions to our clubhouse.” (I’d love to know how that comment went over with some of the other players)
CE “would break up any monotony or boredom…and that’s good.” (That may not be the ONLY thing he breaks…)
But all that aside, there are many ways to motivate or provide some leadership. And, um…well…Carl has some, er different ways of doing that. 2006 may not see many wins, but it probably won’t be dull!
Hate to keep bringing this up but for Rich and all the other “If not Carl then who else people” there is Burnitz AND Travis Lee. Lee can’t play the OF but neither can Carl and he is only 30 years old. Oh, and in 404 AB’s his line was .272 .331 .426
Derek, you’re wrong and you’re not a lawyer. Stop playing one.
You’ve totally misinterpreted inaccurate citations from journalists who don’t know what they’re talking about and deleted posts that could explain the difference.
Everett was not criminally “charged” with anything so far as I can tell, even from the cites you posted. Child protection agencies don’t “charge” anyone with anything. They file civil petitions. It’s this way in New York too.
http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/prevention/faqs.asp
I’m updating the citation thing.
joealb,
You bring up a good point. Based on OPS and other factors Travis Lee might have been a better solution. My guess is the M’s didn’t want to introduce their new “left handed hitter with sock” as a guy who most casual fans have never heard of and who hit 12 HR last year. Also, he wasn’t hand-selected by Hargrove if that was in fact true (do you sense Mike getting hung with the L if Carl blows up – how convenient for Bavasi). Also, I really think the Mariners FO and Hargrove feels the M’s are “soft” and so Everett is a statement and was brought in to get the players’ attention.