You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
So, remember a while ago, I proposed the Full Nelson plan, suggesting that the Mariners should use the fact that they have several months to audition potentially useful players from Triple-A who wouldn’t otherwise get a shot at the bigs and see if they could be of some value, specifically naming Nelson Cruz and Brad Nelson as potential targets.
Well, with Sexson gone, the M’s have indeed acquired a Triple-A first baseman – Craig Wilson. Yea, that same 31 year old you remember kicking around Pittsburgh a few years ago, now past his prime, and hitting .230/.323/.396 for Indianapolis.
He’s right-handed, doesn’t walk, strikes out a lot, is a bad defensive player, and is near the end of his career. Sounds like exactly the kind of guy this organization should be acquiring…
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Does he still have the cool mullet? Because that would be the only thing worth watching him for.
Well that’s just lovely.
Toldya. It wasn’t just Bavasi…It’s the entire organization.
Toldya. It wasn’t just Bavasi…It’s the entire organization.
What in the world are they thinking?
Well, they didn’t want to lose any veteranocity.
So we booted Sexson to acquire a shorter, fatter Sexson?
I shudder to think what else Pele has up his sleeves.
Let’s look on the bright side: He’s a veteran…and I bet he’s probably great for the clubhouse chemistry. Oh wait…I said bright side…crap.
To slightly rephrase Jeff at #5:
WHAT? In the world, are they thinking?
Don’t worry guys… Strasburg is within reach.
50 of the M’s remaining games (69) are against teams that currently hold an above-.500 record.
The Padres have 17 games against winning teams. The Nats have 38, and the Indians have 44.
Team L W PCT GB
Nats 35 .380 -
Mariners 56 36 .391 1
Padres 56 36 .391 1
Indians 53 37 .411 3
Ack.
Team L W PCT GB
Nats 57 35 .380 -
Mariners 56 36 .391 1
Padres 56 36 .391 1
Indians 53 37 .411 3
Hopefully this is just a typical stupid move done for no reason – “Hey, if we bring up LaHair, we’ll need another 1B at Tacoma.” “Here’s a guy…he’s not much good but we can get him cheap.” “Okay, get him” – and not meant to actually achieve something with the Major League club.
But to be honest I don’t know why I bother hoping that this organization will make sensible decisions.
oh for petesake.
it’s not even the right Pirate Wilson.
Eesh.
So, what’s the ‘plan’? Have him play first until (ick) LaHair’s toe is ready? Or, leave him in AAA to fill the gap there after they call up LaHair?
Please god don’t tell me Craig Wilson is going to be our 1B the rest of the year.. That’s even dumber than giving the position to Vidro or Cairo.
What’d Seattle give up for him? Some old Sonics jerseys?
I love the Full Nelson plan though (but I’d be shocked if Texas dealt Nelson Cruz within the division, at least not for what Seattle should be willing to pay)
When we take our yearly household trip to the dump, and purge ourselves of all the crap we’ve built up over the winter, I feel great. CLEANSED.
Well, the Mariners just backed their truck up.. tossed out an old broken lamp.. rummaged around.. and picked up a stinky old recliner.
from Charlie at BucsDugout:
“…Craig Wilson has been shipped the Mariners for a PTBNL. This may surprise those of you who did not realize Wilson was back in the Pirates organization, but he’d been hitting badly but with some power at Class AAA Indianapolis. It’s ironic that the Mariners are acquiring Wilson in the wake of the release of Richie Sexson, since Wilson (much as I still love him) has Richie Sexson disease as bad as anyone ever did. He’ll hit the occasional homer, but he won’t hit higher than .210 in the majors. Normally I’d assume Wilson will just be minor league depth for the Mariners, but the M’s called up a second baseman (Tug Hulett) to take Sexson’s place on the major league roster, and they’re currently going with converted infielders Jose Vidro and Miguel Cairo at first. Neither Vidro or Cairo are better than Sexson, whose salary they’re eating. Given the available options, I wouldn’t be shocked if Wilson made it back to the big leagues with the Mariners. Wilson’s not better than Sexson either, but whatever–the Mariners don’t make any sense. Anyway, I assume the PTBNL the Pirates get won’t be anyone of consequence, but perhaps I shouldn’t assume anything, given the team they’re trading with.”
I can’t even bring myself to be mad about this; it just doesn’t make any SENSE.
Uh somebody above called him a veteran. Wrong. He is a Proven Veteran (trademark H. Lincoln).
It’s like you’re finally getting the junk out of the house by holding a garage sale … but then go out to your neighbor’s table and pick up some of his useless crap to replace it.
Better than a Professional Hitter as far as I can tell.
Anything short of a full cleansing of the front office this offseason is going to be a disappointment. This franchise is quickly becoming a full-blown farce, in the truest sense of the word. An over-the-top exaggeration of a badly run baseball team.
They really are like the dumb guy in every fantasy league, who thinks he knows baseball, but really only remembers the names of guys he saw on Baseball Tonight three years ago. ‘Jose Vidro? Hey, he was an All-Star! Horacio Ramirez? He pitched for the Braves, and they’ve got the best pitching in baseball. Craig Wilson? I remember him. Hit a bunch of homers once!’ Then whines to the league all year about his perennial rotten luck, and wonders how the guy with Chase Utley and Hanley Ramirez is getting fluke years from his roster (remember Lincoln’s comments about Oakland a few years back?).
Oh, man, when Pirates fans are making fun of our front office, things really have hit a new low.
I am so depressed. Sexson finally gone, but now three months of Vidro, Cairo….and Craig Wilson? Really? I give up.
How soon until we get a total regime change? I can’t watch this train wreck anymore. I hope when this is over, the only familiar faces are Felix, Ichiro!, Beltre, Clement, Morrow, Putz (for facial hair purposes, mostly) and maybe Dickey (always interesting to have a knuckleballer). I couldn’t care less about the rest of this mess of a roster.
Obviously, I’m not adding much to the discussion, because I’m sure most of you feel the same way.
Uggh.
Wilson’s not better than Sexson either, but whatever–the Mariners don’t make any sense.
I’m glad to hear this team looks as incomprehensible from the outside as it does from here within the belly of the beast. The bizarro moves have been going on so long I’m no longer sure what constitutes sensible reality. I’m starting to think we’re all imaginary fans of Franz Kafka’s fantasy team.
hmm. Jeff Nelson on the release of Richie:
“a lot of it was media-driven”.
he also thinks Richie’d be ‘great’ in the NL.
I really don’t understand a team that is in a bad way and can give free trials to youngsters having any interest in Craig Wilson. What’s the point?
I really don’t care about this move. I watch the games for Ichiro, Beltre, and Felix and a few young guns coming up. Replacing awful player #1 with #2 doesn’t phase me or change my opinion of the team, the FO is who I thought they were.
Are the Mariners trying to break the record for the Highest Number Of Totally Worthless Players Used At The Easiest Position To Fill In A Single Season?
I can imagine the conversation — “How old is he?” — “Still young, only 31″ — “Patient? How many walks?” — “I dunno, I didn’t write that down” — “How’s his defense?” — “He’s got a first baseman’s mitt on in this picture here.”
You know…I was hoping the Mariners would not make ANY moves until they had proper management in place. Then I realized…this is the Mariners we’re talking about…will they EVER have proper management in place.
It sure sucks sometimes to cheer for a team where the people in charge of it siply have no clue.
On the other hand my Nintendo Gameboy works pretty good…
And yes..I am learning how to spelly simply…
Really at this point, who cares?
Being an Ms fan is the sports equivalent of watching a loved one fighting a losing battle with an addiction.
The only real question is where is the bottom? Are we there yet?
This reminds me terribly of the bad old days drinking the dregs of careers like Gary Matthews (the original) and Barry Bonnell. And even those were better players than this.
and is coming over from the NL!!!
Well, we dumped crap and picked up crap. One can only hope that the PTBNL follows that same crap lineage and the deal will be totally inconsequential.
I assume the PTBNL will be Triunfel or Halman?
When I heard this morning that they were going to do this I thought my buddy was playing a joke on me…
Excuse me, I need to go vomit now…
Sexson???
While Wilson’s shoulder injury has zapped all of his power (a bad thing considering his value was derived almost solely from an ability to hit lefties), we can only assume it hasn’t affected his ability to not “slump his shoulders” when learning he’s not in the lineup….
The Ms have a marathon’s worth of work ahead of them just to reestablish a minimum threshold of credibility as as a competent organization. Sadly, they’re really out of shape so they haven’t even begun the training necessary to reasonably believe that they could even successfully finish such a race.
Then whines to the league all year about his perennial rotten luck, and wonders how the guy with Chase Utley and Hanley Ramirez is getting fluke years from his roster (remember Lincoln’s comments about Oakland a few years back?).
Heck, how about Armstrong just six weeks ago, when — while announcing Bavasi and McLaren were in no danger of losing their jobs (”Their positions are secure,” Armstrong told MLB.com from his Bellevue, Wash., home. “They are not to be blamed for what’s going on.”) — he said
Only inexplicable to the clueless. Then again, he works for a guy who claims “In my own mind, I’ve used statistical analysis the whole time I’ve been in the game” and “We’ve been improving every year since 2004″
So which is worse — obliviousness or self-delusion?
Holy Schmoly! He is Richie’s shorter twin.
please say every sports occurance since Jan 6th 2008 is part of one sick nightmare … please wake me up soon.
“a lot of it was media-driven”.
We wish. If this town had a media that actually recognized bad deals and worthless players and asked pointed question rather than just parroting whatever script the front office hands them, the team might’ve been forced to make the kind of changes that would’ve avoided much of this mess in the first place (or at least the average fan would’ve gotten better warning of the cliff the team was driving over).
How dare you, sir. Chris Wilson is a VETERAN who has been through WARS!
If only we could release that pesky Beltre and bring in another strong veteran like Corey Koskie.
Sexson, Cairo, Vidro, Norton, soon to be Wilson, presumably LaHair at some point, and you know at some point Willie’s going to play a few games at first — he always does (five years running). Wow. What a crew.
How can you not have a first baseman?
This is like if the Seahawks showed up for camp and suddenly realized they didn’t have any players over 190 pounds.
Is Cecil Fielder still alive?
So how long until we see this lineup?
RF-Ichiro
2B-Cairo
LF-Ibanez
DH-Vidro
1B-Wilson
C-Johjima
CF-Bloomquist
SS-Betancourt
Seriously… It’s going to happen. And soon. Prepare yourself.
Oops forgot Beltre… Stick him in their in the number 5 hole. Still looks terrible.
Keep in mind, this is the same organization who, even in the better of times (i.e. back when Woody was GM), tried to ride out the last half of the 1999 season after trading David Segui with the 1B combo of Ryan Jackson, Edgar/Bone/Dan Wilson/David Bell (all of whom were cool — albeit out of position), and um, Mike Blowers.
Charlton was a fun player to watch and is an occasionally entertaining personality, but I think there’s just acorn shells in his head or something. I’m sure he would only say that as a way to deflect from the fact that Sexson was terrible and should have been gone long ago. Nice and loyal, but I don’t see where he’s had reason to conclude the club’s management makes decisions based on the media.
Or a DH, someone who doesn’t even have to wear a glove, or a fourth outfielder, or a manager who knows how to make a lineup, or…?
I wonder what Sexson’s thinking. He’s probably just shaking his head and laughing.
Thinking about all the holes, it seems quaint that I use to hate that we could never find a decent left fielder. Now I know what it’s like not to even be able to field a full lineup of guys who deserve to be in the league.
actually, it was Jeff Nelson; as we know, with Nellie there isn’t always a lot of thought that goes into what comes out of his mouth …
Where is George Argyros when you need him?
More sickening front office trash. This is not only inexcusable, but it is also detestable. How is it possible to run a team so wrongly. No, I don’t mean poorly. The FO has made every possible wrong move, and continues to do so. It’s hard to watch.
Oh c’mon now, Nellie’s about as hard-hitting as it gets!
Of course, Pelé Pele never played baseball as far as I know, but at 67, coming from a sport where he didn’t use his hands, I’d still rather see him in the Mariner front office.
Lordy, I’m so blase’ about the Mariners, my first thought was that it would be a nice change to at least have him just this side of the end instead of the Rick White side. It took another few beats before I realized there was another universe of options.
Do you have a link button for the stupidly simple-minded???
To be fair, Pele could probably hit about as well as Vidro, Cairo or Wilson these days.
I am surprised with all the good, young, defensive minded, power hitting, first baseman available the M’s would make such a lame move.
JLC, it’s the one marked “link” right above the commenting box.
Yeh Wilson isn’t part of the M’s future. But they still have to play the last 70 games, and Tacoma has another 50 to play. And someone has to play 1B for both of them. And it sure shouldn’t be Cairo or Vidro. If you’re expecting big things from our interim GM, prepare to be disappointed.
Not big things, Adam, but not pig-stupid things either. Wilson isn’t better than Cairo or Vidro or Sexson. He’s probably worse. And there are dozens of (slightly) better guys lying around free.
How’s that knee feelin’, Bucky? Grab yer glove!
Hopefully this means they’ll release Vidro. Releasing Sexson and Vidro they’d be desperate for a body at first. I need a Vidro vesting option update. Is he on pace for it to vest?
jason2: No. WAAAAY off. It ain’t gonna happen.
Is there a link on this info besides Charlie from the Buc Dugout? Thanks!
But, but…who will be left to do the ads for Old Country Buffet?
Oh, wait…Silva’s still on the roster!
here
If he stays in AAA as someone to fill a gap is it still horrible?
Thank you msb!
Steve T, thanks, but I keep screwing that up. It’s a special skill.
Not to beat a dead horse here, but the M’s just drafted a 1B from Miami who is hitting .688 in Everett and is 20. Can we perhaps fast track him to Tacoma at least?
As long as Craig Wilson’s name stays off the 40-man roster, I’m cool.
The four scariest words on the transaction wire are “purchased the contract of”.
I’m so stoked to see the kid from Miami. His stroke is freakin’ awesome and he seems to have some promise… more than anyone else on the current 25 (as far as hitters go).
Key words are ‘just drafted,’ ‘Everett,’ and ‘20.’ Let’s let the kid spend at least a month as a pro before we start annointing him our next starting first baseman.
Considering all the smart baseball fans here in Seattle, it seems that the Mariners FO’s first priority is EMBARRASSING us in front of the rest of the nation.
Even without Bavasi, this team can have a good idea stand right in front of them, and they wouldn’t see a goddamn thing. If Wilson was seriously the only option the M’s had, it would have been a thousand times smarter to do nothing at all.
Sometimes I wonder why I still give a crap…..
And the inpetitude continues…
::reaches for some more wild turkey::
Ah, hm. Inpetitude. In my defense I actually am drinking.
baseball is a viscious mistress
When we take our yearly household trip to the dump, and purge ourselves of all the crap we’ve built up over the winter, I feel great. CLEANSED.
Pelekoudas calls Daniels:
Pelekoudas: “Hey Jon, you know that Nelson Cruz guy that’s rotting in your farm system? How much would you want for us to take him off your hands?”
Daniels: “Cruz… oh yes that guy that USS Mariner talked about! You know those guys are pretty smart. Man it would take a guy like Felix Hernandez for me to part with a blue chip prospect like Nelson Cruz.”
Pelekoudas: “What the hell? Cruz couldn’t hit off Felix even if Felix threw underhand! And you think that’s an even trade?!?”
Daniels: “Sorry bro. The USS Mariners gods have spoken. Ever since they wrote that article our phones have been ringing off the hook. Highest offer right now is A-rod with the Yankees eating some of the contract.”
-click-
Pelekoudas then calls Melvin
Pelekoudas: “Hey Doug, you know Brad Nelson? Down there in AAA? What would you want in return for him?”
Melvin: “Nelson eh? My fanbase is clamoring that we should get no less than Felix for him, but I’ll admit, we need pitching bad. I’ll do Nelson for Bedard straight across.”
Pelekoudas: “Am I having a bad dream?”
Melvin: “Don’t you read USS Mariner? Nelson is going to be a stud!”
Pelekoudas: “-sigh-”
-click-
Phone rings, Huntington is on the other end
Huntington: “Hey Pelekoudas my man! Want to make a trade for the exact type of player that is causing your franchise to suck right now?”
Pelekoudas: “Ah fuck it who do you want?”
‘viscious’?
“Baseball is a viscous mistress.”
-Gaylord Perry
Spit on any woman and she’ll be unpleasant to deal with….
According to C Kahrl, Vidro’s option vests at 535 plate appearances.
Wilson can’t get to Seattle fast enough….
thanks, msb…
how could I possibly have confused the two?!?
well, if anyone knew from viscous, it was Gaylord.
Crap. When I saw this on the ESPNEWS ticker last night I was clinging to the hope that there was another Craig Wilson. “It’s a common name, and the Pirates tend to collect guys named Wilson. Yeah, it’s gotta be a different Crag Wilson, one who is still in his 20’s.”
Nope.
76 – Why wait? Put him in Tacoma now and see what he does. What is the worst that would happen? We’d have an underachieving first baseman.