Dear Orioles

Dave · July 19, 2007 at 7:15 am · Filed Under Mariners 

Hey Baltimore,

I just wanted to say I was so happy you could make it this week. We really enjoyed seeing you again. Your generosity really is overwhelming – while you certainly didn’t need to give us an entire ballgame, we really appreciated it. That was really nice of all of you. I wish I could thank Erik, Daniel, and Chad personally, but I trust that you’ll pass the message on. What a kind gesture from you guys!

Anyway, thank you so much for the great gift! We hope we can hang out again soon.

Your friends,

Seattle.

Comments

132 Responses to “Dear Orioles”

  1. Dylan on July 19th, 2007 2:48 pm

    Sigh, future contract talks sorry.

  2. CecilFielderRules on July 19th, 2007 2:56 pm

    What I find perplexing about the whole Adam Jones situation is that it goes against the organizational philosophy of “push them until they fail”. As soon as players demonstrates an ability to succeed at a certain level (and sometimes before), they are elevated to tougher competition. This is pretty incongruent with Adam Jones being in AAA for the past month.

    I guess that they could worry that Jones on the M’s would hurt the team if he does “fail” (though the level of success required to actually improve the teams is a pretty low bar). But it doesn’t seem like they would be keeping him in AAA for developmental reasons.

  3. eponymous coward on July 19th, 2007 2:58 pm

    Jeter is the greatest example of an overrated player of all time, and all that.

    Not really, because how can you overrate a player who’s a legitimate Hall of Famer is he drops dead on the field today, and is on pace to be top-10 at his position, all time?

    My feeling is he’s a great player- but his D is overrated, his O is underrated (the list of SS’s with .400 OBP’s is VERY short), so on balance, he’s a great player.

  4. scraps on July 19th, 2007 3:03 pm

    He’s also overrated for his alleged clutchness. But yeah, he’s an obvious first-ballot hall-of-famer anyway.

  5. Mr. Egaas on July 19th, 2007 3:06 pm

    Adam ‘Tacman’ Jones is hilarious on many levels, given Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones’ legal issues.

  6. Manzanillos Cup on July 19th, 2007 3:06 pm

    93: I have no idea how Jones feels about this – and I’m not assuming that he has a huge ego. But I think he knows where he stands on prospect lists, as well as who’s ahead of him on the depth chart – and how well they are doing.

    Do I need to remind you that the M’s don’t have a very good track record of holding on to farm-raised stars? He probably won’t be playing CF in Seattle, which is bad for Jones’ first big contract anyway. Why make it worse? How AJ feels about this team is way more important than how Raul Ibanez feels.

  7. Ralph Malph on July 19th, 2007 3:10 pm

    The PI says Jason Davis is off the 40 and outrighted to Tacoma. Does that mean he cleared waivers?

    I’m not saying he’s anything to be excited about, but this seems like a very mild bit of good news.

  8. JJD on July 19th, 2007 3:21 pm

    106: I think it is a wild leap to say that Jones spending two (perhaps) too many (in some people’s minds, but mine included) months in Tacoma will have a negative impact on a contract he may or may not be in line to receive a minimum of three and maximum of six years form now. There is a LOT that will happen between now and then, good AND bad.

  9. Grizz on July 19th, 2007 3:30 pm

    Yes, Davis cleared waivers. It was his first outright assignment to the minor leagues, so he could not refuse it.

  10. msb on July 19th, 2007 3:39 pm

    #95–

    I read in the Seattle Times couple days ago that the M’s are thinking about signing Jose Guillen to a multi year deal, NOT just exercize his option for next year.

    I believe Baker said that Guillen was looking for a multi year deal– here and

  11. msb on July 19th, 2007 3:39 pm
  12. awolfgang on July 19th, 2007 3:40 pm

    #95, in regards to Guillen contract situation.

    I too see a problem with the bottleneck of Ibanez, Sexson, Vidro, Broussard and Guillen, and the impact that might have on retaing both AJ and Balentien. But I think the problem is not with Guillen, but with Ibanez, Sexson and Vidro. Guillen is younger (30), better defensively (at least with his arm), and if you care or not, he provides “club-house fire” , and ummmm he is a better hitter than the guys above.

    I am not a big fan of the balanced argument lineup (LB/RB), personnaly, if you are a batter and your qualification for batting is because of your handedness then I get worried. And this ultimately would lead people to believe that the M’s going forward in the next 1-3 years will most likely not have Ichiro, Beltre, AJ, Lopez, Yuni, Kenji, Guillen, and Balentien all in the “standard line-up” (which Mac is trying to best his pal Hargrove on doing). Cause then your last spot is for Ibanez or Sexson. This just solidifies the platoon argument that Dave has been calling for.

    So, to get back to the orginal question. I hope the M’s do sign Guillen to 3-4 yr extension. He’s not the problem, it’s the other over-priced “Homers” that will have to realize that what is best for the team is for them to take on different (reduced) roles.

  13. awolfgang on July 19th, 2007 3:41 pm

    the “club-house fire” was sarcasm.

  14. joser on July 19th, 2007 3:46 pm

    I like “Tacman” too, for as long as they’ve got him stuck in Tacoma. I’d be happy to see and use that nickname as long as we retire it when he joins the big club.

  15. terry on July 19th, 2007 3:46 pm

    #56: that’s actually got all of the elements except staying power……

  16. gwangung on July 19th, 2007 3:53 pm

    So, to get back to the orginal question. I hope the M’s do sign Guillen to 3-4 yr extension. He’s not the problem, it’s the other over-priced “Homers” that will have to realize that what is best for the team is for them to take on different (reduced) roles.

    Meh. Signing him to a 3-4 year extension will MAKE him into one of those over-priced “Homers” in year 3 and 4…

  17. Jeff Nye on July 19th, 2007 4:05 pm

    Not that this is a Derek Jeter thread, but I don’t think him being quite possibly the most overrated player in recent memory, AND him being a first-ballot hall of famer, are necessarily mutually exclusive.

    He’s an excellent hitter (a defensive butcher despite all of his Gold Gloves, though) who gets a lot of adulation because he plays for the Yankees, is a good-looking guy, and fits the traditional “team leader” role.

  18. joser on July 19th, 2007 4:08 pm

    So the Tigers pulled one out against Nathan in the 10th, and the Angels have already won. But we can still cheer for Texas to pound Cleveland tonight.

  19. awolfgang on July 19th, 2007 4:20 pm

    #116
    I really don’t think Guillen will be a Mariner next year without an extension to 2009 or 2010. Don’t think he’s not looking around at all the money going around the league, and he can probably demand ~10-12mil, while the option is only for 8.5mil.

    This is in essence his free agent year, and you know he wants to get paid for having a good year, why would he accept the option for next year, and have to go through another “free agent year” and hope he doesn’t get injured or suck, thus ruining his big payday.

    If I were a betting man I would say 95% chance that Guillen gets a 3-4 deal from someone, I’d just prefer him on our team, cause beyond AJ and Balentien, I don’t see MLB ready OFs in our system in the next 3 yrs.

  20. John in L.A. on July 19th, 2007 4:57 pm

    “…beyond AJ and Balentien, I don’t see MLB ready OFs in our system in the next 3 yrs.”

    How many do we need?

  21. joser on July 19th, 2007 4:57 pm

    You know, I was just looking at the M’s schedule for the rest of the year, and I realized something remarkable about the final month:
    In September, the M’s play 29 games (including the extra makeup game with Cleveland).
    Of those 29 games, 11 are with teams they may be fighting for a playoff spot (4 with the Angels, 4 with Cleveland, three with Detroit).
    Of the remaining 18 games, none are against a team that currently has a winning record: 2 vs Toronto (plus one the last day of August), 3 each vs NY and Texas, four against the hopeless Devil Rays, and a whopping six against the so-far hapless A’s.

    Now, I realize the A’s are going to get better because they always do, and especially this year because they’ll have people coming back off the DL (plus the usual Billy Beane magic). Toronto and/or NY could improve to a winning record by September too. But by September the teams that are out of it will be trying out the kids. So really, other than a taste of the Royals, you couldn’t ask for the end of a season to set up better in terms of greasing the skids with bottom dwellers, not to mention controlling your own destiny. Heck, just looking at the two teams the M’s are trying to catch right now, the Indians and Angels, there’s eight games in the last 10 days.

  22. Jigga8481 on July 19th, 2007 5:07 pm

    NY doesn’t have a winning record??

  23. Jigga8481 on July 19th, 2007 5:08 pm
  24. carcinogen on July 19th, 2007 5:11 pm

    119: Really? You would?

    Hmm…I can see your point, but why don’t we just accept that we bought low on Guillen, and figure we could do it again.

    I see the Guillen move as one of great savvy by our FO. That said, if the market is too steep for him, you let him walk as we have options. Ichiro will be there for years; AJ will most definitely be up next year barring disaster. If that third OF spot is a platoon btw Wlad and someone else, like say…Jeremy Reed, then so be it. Its the cheaper option, and one that would allow us to buy some help for the starting rotation.

  25. G-Man on July 19th, 2007 5:14 pm

    119 – I agree with you. I just hope the front office will look at the potential in AJ and VB and pass on JG.

    OTOH, now we have two guys best suited for CF. Jones looked great to take over if Ichiro walked, but now that we (fortunately) still have Ichiro, AJ isn’t as valuable to us as a corner OF. At least it’s a happy dilemma.

  26. G-Man on July 19th, 2007 5:20 pm

    121, that is interesting, but consider this -there aren’t many teams in the AL that aren’t either battling us for playoff spots or below .500.

    I’d count Boston, New York (they’re over .500) and Minnesota.

  27. awolfgang on July 19th, 2007 7:35 pm

    I agree we bought low on Guillen, but I don’t have that much, if any, faith in Bavasi being able to do that again. His track record shows that Guillen was an exception not the norm.

  28. natebracy on July 19th, 2007 9:46 pm

    Which ‘type’ of free agent would Guillen be, if his option isn’t picked up? Would we get supplemental picks, or does that not matter if it’s a mutual option?

  29. planB on July 19th, 2007 10:12 pm

    125: Disagree. There is nothing wrong with having two CF in the outfield.

  30. NBarnes on July 20th, 2007 3:02 am

    129: Especially in Safeco and Safeco’s LF. Having Ibanez out there is killing what ought to be a team strength.

  31. Slippery Elmer on July 20th, 2007 8:08 am

    #48:
    “any trade speculation post from here on out will be deleted”

    Point of clarification: the post I made that got deleted was not trade speculation; it was to point out the idiocy of several callers to KJR. Not that it matters.

  32. CouchGM on July 20th, 2007 11:54 am

    #63. You guys are hilarious. I need to proofread my posts rather than get quickly back to work….
    What I meant in ‘whining’ about Sexson K’ing with Bases Loaded, was more an observation about All Players (M’s). Is there a study that says having a slumping or weak hitter (say..Ellison, WFB, ) just bunt the ball into play with less than 2 outs will provide better results than letting him hit away and likely strike out or pop out? It’s a defensive approach and definately Not CW. Just wondering….
    Thanks for the proofreading.

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