USSM feature test: submit questions for Q&A
I’m going to attempt a reader suggestion today, and do something a little like the MLB.com Q&As (or the PI/Times features).
If you’ve got a question you’d like us (me) to take a crack at, drop it in the comments here. Later today (or tonight), I’ll go through and put together a post out of them. That last team projection post? The book? Whatever.
I have no idea if this will work, or if it’s better attempted in a different form, or what. It’s the off-season. It’s slow. We can try this kind of stuff.
And, as always, if you’ve got ideas for features, articles, or things you want done at USSM, drop us an email – we’re happy to hear from you. Well, Jeff isn’t. He feels the concept of reader-author communication is inherently flawed, as writing is an asymetrical authoritarian act. Don’t look at me, Jeff said it.
Comments
31 Responses to “USSM feature test: submit questions for Q&A”
Jeff Shaw = Joel Stein?
If Hargrove’s head is indeed on the block, are the M’s more likely to look inward or outward for his replacement? Does the answer to that question depend on whether he’s canned mid-season or after the season?
Q. How does Jeff feel about “change-the-story” books?
I apologize if this has already been thoroghly discussed, but regarding the front office, who exactly is it that would hold the proverbial ‘axe’ at Howard Lincoln’s throat if he were to be fired, since he himself stated he was on the hotseat. Also, theoretically, if USSM purchased the team, how would you set up your organization and why would you replace the people currently there? (e.g. president, gm, manager, director of scouting, etc)
What are the chances that in the near future Nintendo will sell the M’s to somebody who actually gives a rats behind about baseball?
#4– that is a rhetorical question, right? I’m guessing you’d need to have the 15 other owners agree as well…
The Cardinals only won five more games than the Mariners did last season, yet they won the World Series. What is your take on the World Champs?
Jimmie
Who is (was) the most important Mariner of all time?
Bavasi hires USS Mariner Consulting to review the baseball operations under his control and make up to three realistic recommendations on how to improve them (e.g., Bavasi is not going to get $100 million from ownership to build baseball academies around the world, he cannot replace Rick Rizzs with Mike Curto, he is not going to fire Hargrove or himself, he cannot bend time and undo the Snelling and Soriano deals, etc.). What are your three recommendations?
Who would be the best manager to complement Chis Antonetti? Would it be in the teams best interest to keep Bob Fontaine as scouting director? Or would Mr Fontaine be looking to try the GM position much like his Father did (SF Giants)?
Was there anything wrong with Soriano that lessened his value? It seems Boston and a few other teams close to the top of their divisions are looking for closers. Soriano would appear to be better than what is currently out there.
How much do you guys know about non-traditional performance data that some teams collect? I’m talking about things like assigning landing zones and trajectory levels to balls struck. I’d love to hear a little about what the smart organizations are measuring and keeping track of.
Like a lot of us here, I try to watch every game, and I’m looking for new ideas for ‘bean-counting’ the M’s next year.
Who is (was) the most important Mariner of all time?
Can there be any disagreement about this? He can play any position on the field — even emergency catcher. He can come in and steal a “money bag”. He provides extra helpings of grit. He makes his teammates better. He gets his uniform dirty. He is grateful for his lifetime contract. Need I say more?
Is Bavasi aware that he is getting universally ripped by the mainstream press (forget the blogosphere) for his deals this offseason? If so, do you think such negative reaction will have any impact (direct or indirect) on his subsequent moves this offseason?
11 – You are correct. There can be no disagreement. I humbly withdaw my inquiry.
If Hargrove and Bavasi are indeed “allowed to pursue other interests”, sometime during the season, who will likely inherit the reins?
Not who ought to, but who is likely to.
If I were the M’s owner I’d hire Kim Ng or Chris Antonetti as GM and Joe Girardi as manager, but maybe that isn’t the line of “the committee.”
Who are the likely candidates?
There has been a lot of informative disscusion about Replacement Level Players. I don’t know a lot about players on other teams and I don’t have a good idea of who a RLP would be on the Mariners. It would help me understand the concept better if I had a player that I’m familiar with, so I can more easily follow the discussions about roster management (especially the Sexson talks). Can you write a little about the M’s current roster and how they relate to RLP’s?
Does the career of Willie P. Bloomquist mirror a post-modernist rejection of absolutist hierarchical thinking, or does he objectively suck?
In the last few years, what were percevied or projected to be the 5 worst trades or Free Agent Acquisitions that actually turned out OK.
While this will not likely make the list but as an example, many thought Ibanez’s recent contract renewal was misguided, when in fact his perfomance exceeded expectations and has been worth the money (so far).
In a similar vein, top 10 imbalanced trades – i.e. one team got almost nothing of value, where the other received gold (Santiago for Guillen, or Slocum for….nope, can’t say it, that recollection still conjures PTSDA for some)
Given that Dusty Baker is available to be hired, how can you even mention the idea of Mike Hargrove getting canned?
What is the worst move or non-move of the M’s since 2000?
also, along those lines, from SI’s John Donovan today about 07 potential FA’s:
Carlos Guillen, SS, Tigers
Rafael Furcal signed a contract for $13 million a year before last season. Guillen, one of the most underrated shortstops in the business, may not get quite that, considering that he’ll be 32 as he enters the ’08 season. But he should get close. He’s hit .320 in each of the past two years. Last season, he had an on-base percentage of .400, hit 19 homers and stole 20 bases. His .920 OPS was the best of any shortstop.
Will Bavasi survive the season without getting fired? Hargrove?
Thanks for the s#%t sandwich #20.
Which non-Mariners do you enjoy watching most?
What baseball web sites do you read on a regular basis?
If my vote counted, my Hall of Fame ballot would include the following players:
What additional moves could the Mariners make this off-season to give them a fighting chance in their weak division? Are there any free agents left that could help?
Okay, we can all agree that Bavasi, Hargrove et al screwed up the offseason to this point, but there are still almost three months left until the season starts. If you were at the helm of the Mariners and not just USSM, what would you do in the interim to improve the team—assuming for now that you can’t just fire Bavasi and Hargrove?
What’s the deal with Reed and Jones? Odds that one or both become legit major league outfielders? Likelihood of them staying in the organization? Value as prospects?
#23 – Thanks to Bill it’s now
Chris Snelling OF – Washington Nationals
Hypothetically speaking of course…
If former Mariner legend Charles Gipson feared he had contracted herpes from some random whore, what alias would he use?
Ron Mexico? Stan Peru?
One of the main reasons I watch sports is to become joyful.
I’ve never seen a trade and/or free agent signing analysis that (how could this be anything but subjective?) attempts to describe how those moves added or subtracted from the fan’s potential for joy, regardless of the potential of the given players.
Example: Snelling for Vidro obviously subtracts from joy. Guillen free agent signing, Everett free agent signing both subtract from joy (them both being, arguably, assholes). Ichiro signing added to joy. Soriano trade subtracted from joy.
My gut feeling is that the Mariner front office instinctively goes for people who subtract from joy. Would love to see some speculation about this.
Are there any good baseball podcasts?