On the depressing nature of being an M’s fan these days
It’s a measure of how beaten-down we are that we look at transactions like “Frank Thomas to the A’s” and the thought process runs
– That’s fine, what the team really needed was a decent outfielder or two so Ibanez could DH
– Except they think his defense is fine, so we can rule out them shopping for left fielder
– Which means we have to limit ourselves to hoping they realize Vidro stinks
– Except McLaren just moved him up in the batting order, so they must not realize that
– Is their mistaken belief in Ibanez greater than their mistaken belief in Vidro?
– Probably, yeah.
– Then we have to hope that they’ll sign an upgrade DH.
– Except they had a chance at Frank Thomas and didn’t get him.
– And he’s now playing for the A’s for major league minimum.
– Which means Vidro’s even more likely to make his 400 plate appearances and vest his option for next year.
– I’m going to go get an early start on my drinking ahead of tonight’s game.
Comments
44 Responses to “On the depressing nature of being an M’s fan these days”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Not to pile on or anything, but Washburn is pitching tonight.
Crappy outfield + Washburn pitching = possible alcohol overdose.
1-just what we needed…made everyone’s day 🙁
2-sadly right on, though, of course there is one person who does play outfield defense for the M’s…they must have made a mistake signing Ichiro!.
You cannot get an early start on your drinking if you just never stop in the first place.
Preachin’ to the choir, brother Derek. Pass the bottle please.
Wow, that mirrored my stages of grief perfectly.
On a even more depressing note, more prospects and resources might be wasted in trying to find a DH. Remember, A-Cab, Choo, and a pitcher were given up to acquire Benduardo Perssard in ’06. That didn’t work, so Fruto and Doyle were used to acquire Turbo. Of course, that all was proceeded by the Everett DH debacle prior to the ’06 season. No team should waste that much money and that many prospects in an effort to locate a DH.
Let the drinking commence. Rye whiskey for me. Old Overholt if you please.
hey! Blow might be back tonight, so you could always play the “No question” game!
The commercial practically writes itself –
Focus on depressed fan slumped down in easy chair in front of pre-game FSN broadcast. He has a half-empty case of beer in front of him, a bunch of empties thrown around, and a beer in his hand. He starts to slam the beer-
[chug, chug, chug, chug, chug . .. gulp . . burp]
“oops, a little mojo rising up the ol’ throat there there”
[covers mouth, forces belch]. . [burp!] . .
“That’s better!” . . .
[chug, chug, chug, chug, chug, cough, chug, chug, chug . .]”
Dave Niehaus:
“Ah, the sweet sounds of Mariner baseball. . “
Yeah, practically every comment on the Big Hurt thread begins or ends with this type of caveat:
“If the Mariners were smart, they’d do this, but since they’re not, here’s something within the realm of possibility I think they should do”…
We don’t even bother trying to prove that the M’s are dumb anymore. The fact of the M’s stupidity has become an assumption that forms the foundation of analysis of M’s transactions. Anyone that wants to avoid arguments that are entirely theoretical needs to first address exactly how dumb he is assuming the M’s to be, and then perform his analysis in light of that assumed dumbness.
So sad.
I don’t believe in drinking alone, but I may have to tonight.
When Washburn pitches, I invariably fall asleep anyway.
I really feel sometimes like I–we, as Mariners fans, are doomed to an eternity of 75-85 win seasons and that Howard & Bill & John will be in charge forever.
I think it’s punishment for not winning (nor even reaching) the series in ’01.
Actually, if they stay in charge forever while all of the other franchises are taken over by “smart” front offices, the Ms will lose 150 games in about 2020.
Any word on when Lookout Landing is due back?
I’ve posted this link before, but I’ll do it again.
Try this baseball drinking game tonight and see how long you last.
If you make it like 7 innings with Washburn on the mound that is an accomplishment. Walks are helpful though.
Also, for the above game, ignore the shot of beer per out. That pushes things over the edge. And the walk or passed ball is like a get out of shots free card that can be applied to ONE EVENT. save it for a pitching change or a homer, etc.
A really good friend of mine is a Reds fan; I’m considering becoming a Reds fan with her.
But then again, no more rooting for King Felix if I do that…
Boy, they’ve got some exciting young pitching though.
and now with Jocketty, the world is her oyster!
I’m sure people saw that Walt Jocketty was signed by the Reds yesterday (forgive if this has already been discussed). Top-shelf GM… nah, the Ms wouldn’t want that. That wouldn’t fit the stupidity strategy….
Actually, I should probably delete my own post as being off-topic, but I felt it was a good fit for general frustration with the M’s!
Look on the bright side. It’s possible that Seattle did pursue Thomas, and he just chose Oakland because he’s already familiar with them. It’s unlikely, but it’s possible.
There’s got to be a curse somewhere, when you consider the M’s played much of the 90’s with three, maybe four, Hall of Famers in or near their prime, and barely managed a couple of division titiles. Did an usher bar some fan from bringing his qeoduck into the game back in ’94?
Well, here is what I strongly believe:
The Mariners’ current approach works (inasmuch as it does) for one reason, and one reason alone; the league as a whole is still sortof stuck in the same “oldschool baseball” mindset that they are. So, the disadvantages of being stupid (to use a somewhat loaded word) are not as significant at this point.
But the league as a whole is also getting smarter; intelligent, stats & scouting-based analysis is taking stronger and stronger hold in front offices and in the dugout. We see it in organizations like the Red Sox, Indians, A’s, Tampa Bay, etc.
So, as that approach continues to show itself to be successful, the Mariners are going to continue to fall further and further behind. Eventually, they will fall so far behind that they will HAVE to make a change, or else risk declining attendance and fan interest, and all the things that go along with it.
It’s difficult, of course, to be patient until that happens, because it’s not likely to be a rapid process; but it WILL happen, eventually, and it won’t be so painful to be a dedicated Mariners fan.
The problem is not so much that the M’s didn’t get Thomas — he may not have anything left in the tank, the Mariners have a surplus of immobile DH types as it is, and it really doesn’t address their biggest weaknesses — but that (a) he went for the league minimum, when the M’s have overpaid so much more for so much less so many times, and (b) he went to a division rival, where he will have maximum opportunity to hurt (heh) the M’s if he does have anything left in the tank, and (c) he went to the A’s (who got a draft pick for giving him up, and didn’t pay him millions for his last productive season either), further demonstrating just where the M’s front office falls in the AL West pecking order of savvy astuteness. It’s not Thomas the player, but everything his deal (and the contrast with Vidro’s ongoing roster spot) represents about how this team is run.
Buck up.
If history is our guide, sometime this season before he vests, the M’s will release Vidro a la Crazy Carl.
Dude! Its not that bad, you could be a Rangers fan :).
Whatever.
Simply releasing Vidro and bringing Thomas in would have been revenue neutral (and potentially revenue enhancing depending on how large a bribe – i.e. buyout level of option for next year – Thomas would have required to come to Safeco).
Another sad aspect of the Thomas saga is the demonstration by another GM that it is possible to cut your losses. Ricciardi killed Thomas’s ’09 option even though it will cost the Jays this year – in wins (possibly) and dough.
Cutting Vidro wouldn’t even cost wins.
You forgot to add:
-Rinse and repeat.
Somehow I think Barry Bonds would be a better outfielder than Raúl Ibañez.
Bonds -> LF
Ibañez -> DH
Vidro -> Bench
Ah, things that will not happen.
Bonds and Ibanez would have to switch off, Bonds cannot handle LF every day.
I understand why the Mariners do many of the things they do. I disagree completely, but at least I understand the rationalizations.
But can they really not see what a rotten outfielder Ibanez is? The alternative — that they see it but pretend they don’t see it because it’s more important to not upset Ibanez — isn’t much of an improvement, but I guess I’d prefer that to the idea that they genuinely can’t see it.
Bonds and Ibanez would have to switch off, Bonds cannot handle LF every day.
I’m okay with that. We’d still get the superior defense when Bonds was playing LF.
With the continued lack of hitting, and the growing chorus of “I told you so”, it will be difficult to contain the imbibing to alcohol.
I have to agree with most everybody here. Until the M’s wise up, we are doomed to mediocrity. We have more money than most, so we will be able to make big free agent splashes (and will routinely overpay for them), and this will usually keep us out of the cellar. At least Oakland can look at itself and say “we’re underdogs” because of the financial constraints. Ugh.
I’ll have whiskey on the rocks, thank you.
Maybe Spiezio was right…maybe it’s us.
Maybe we just can’t appreciate the value of the grossly overpaid, underperforming players willing to come to this beautiful city, to play in a beautiful ballpark, in front of a genuinely accepting/forgiving fan base.
And that must be why the players that seem to earn their keep for other teams either stay away from here or those that do succeed while they play here seem to run away from here as quickly as possible.
You keep your devil drink, I’ll just keep whipping myself until my sins are cleansed…
We’re stuck inside of this
Ha. I take my bourbon neat, thank YOU.
I also stumbled upon a 6 pack of Colt.45 tall boys the other day. I’m ready for Jarrod Day.
the saddest part is that Vidro would not have a job with any other team. and he’s getting paid how much??????
I find myself thinking about the mummified man in Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe, and wondering “can he DH? Can he field?”
Sylvester? sure.
It could be worse. We could be Giants fans.
Being an Mariners fan means looking forward to mediocrity and false hope for the next decade or so.
Except once every 5 days. Kind of like the Giants with Lincecum. Of course, the Giants are going to be so bad this year that they may have the kind of house-cleaning that the M’s have needed for several years. The problem the M’s have is that they’re not good, but they’re not bad enough.
It’s tough being a Mariners Fan right now – especially given how the team has shaped up so far this season. So many promises broken, so many players that have failed to perform. Just saw a notice that Kenji Jojima has just been signed through 2011 by the Mariners. He’s doing a decent job behind the dish, but his batting average is way below what it was last season.
One bright spot, we’ll be moving to the Phoenix area in a couple of years – and maybe we can see a team there go all the way to the Series.