This radical new line of playing without a SS might work?

Sad to say but the wheels are off this team and the season is sunk...the good newsis Mac will be fired soo and Bavasi will follow shortly thereafter

Lopez may have better skills than Raul, but I've seen too many bonehead plays by Jose to think he's a good 2nd baseman defensively. He has cost this team far more at 2nd base than Raul has in LF. This my eyes have seen!

This said, I like what you say, Scrapiron. Bring Griffey into play RF in '09. Move Balentien to LF. Let Clement play catcher with Rob Johnson as his back-up in '09. Joh goes to Cincinnati.

As for Lopez, when can we trade him and bring up Triunfel? If he's a better SS than Yuni, then Betancourt can move to 2B. Jose has exceeded expectations at the plate in '08, but his intermittent brain farts at second are stinking up the place.

Geoff, Does Bavasi always travel with the team on their road trips? Is it standard for GM's to do this?

Bavasi conversations behind doors? conversations with Washbum? conversations with Johjima? While it is likely these conversations had to do with catcher - pitcher situation, it would be nice if they might involve some kind of trade, moving Washbum and Johjima. Perhaps Bavasi has been also talking with Sexson, lets hope some trades of these guys are in the works.

Sunflower - Don't be a jerk!

It is a pity that Raul has to play left field, he should be our DH / 1B player and we could at least call up Reed for some better defense in left. DFA Cairo.

Well done Felix!

That was a beautiful 1-2-3 double play... sure there are normally 2.5 hours of pain, but that 3 seconds was awesome.

Does Cairo have something on Bavasi and Mac? I am not understanding how his baffle ball bat is in the lineup and hitting number 2 again! First basemen are a dime a dozen, most anyone can play the position. There have to be better options.

Felix is struggling high pitch count and the game is slipping away...

Felix appears to be going through some kind of funk these days, last three games era over 7:00. Do you suppose there is something wrong with him? Perhaps some sort of arm fatigue, as his command is just not good. We need him sharp, so as to turn this loosing behind.

The return of the ugly non hitting Mariners I see. The team this year is just horrible. Can't string solid performances together. No wonder they are languishing so many games behind.

What a dysfunctional team.

s it true that Bavasi is interested in picking up Griffey? I would say that in the short term it would be alright, but in the longterm, it wouldn't be worth while.

This team needs to reinvent itself if it wants to be an AL powerhouse. That means we need young players to build around. As the team stands now, we don't have a good, young and strong core. Picking up Griffey would be just picking up a player to fill a role. That is not a formula for winning.

It seems the opposite it more successful. That is, pick strong role players. We need to take more than a page, perhaps a couple of chapters, out of the A's and Twins organizations.

This current team is pathetic and adding Griffey is not going to improve it. The way this team is put together is testament to Bavasi's incompetence and there's nothing he can do now to improve it. Anything he touches disintegrates.

I read but never post on this blog and love what i read, but can we please work on the difference between lose and loose.... kind of annoying to me losing and loosing.. ugh it is LOSING thanks
NoRm

Nice to see Johjima's bat coming alive and it is good to see the M's battle back from a two run deficit. Of course, it would have been better to have picked up some of those other base runners.

Again, what is happening with Felix, he just doesn't look like himself, but I do appreciate how his is battling through this one.

This is what happened to Felix last season. He came out of the gate on fire and then fell apart before getting it together and having an okay season. I have a bad feeling he's going to cave in here any moment.

Does anyone else feel as though something is a bit off with Ibanez? I have to admit, this is the first season I've followed the Mariners this closely, but it seems to me as though he's not fielding all that well this year. He just had that bobble that allowed Laird to reach 2nd (although whether Laird was safe or not is definitely debateable), and I've been noticing more and more that he's been misplaying balls off the wall and not catching flies that someone who is perhaps 5+ years younger than he is could catch. Anyone else seeing this, or am I just being picky?

well with a lf like raul how can he win?

Despite Johjima hitting that RBI double, he needs to be sent down to Tacoma to do something about his pathetic swing. he can only hit the ball if it's on the inside part of the plate. He only knows how to pull the ball.

He needs to learn to hit the ball to all fields. He has no inside out swing to hit it to the opposite field. I notice that he lays off pitches on the outer half of the plate.

I can't believe Pentland doesn't notice his tendencies during Johjima's at bats. What is he doing? He's obviously not working to help improve Johjima's swing. I wonder what Pentland is telling him?

Maybe Johjima needs another perspective from someone else. That should be good enough reason to send Johjima down to Tacoma.

Hey Bork Ibanez is a pos left fielder period...killing us

Bork - Your perception is exactly what I was hinting at in my 5:38 post. This team needs to break the log jam at 1B / DH - Sexson, Vidro - and move Ibanez into 1B / DH, he is sadly a step slow in left and a hop short with his throws. That is why I advocate bringing up Reed and trimming Cairo, Sexson, or Vidro. Vidro has a vesting contact, which we should hope does not vest, bench him as a pinch hitter or cut him loose. Find a trade partner for Sexson even if the M's have to pay the remainder of his contract.

Bork, it's not you. Ibanez is not a good fielder. Ibanez need to DH. In fact, in regards to my previous entry regarding Johjima, if we send Johjima down, then Clement could move from DH back to catcher. Bring up Reed and he could play LF. These transactions would improve our defense. The only reason they won't make those moves is because McLaren doesn't want to make waves with Ibanez. Is not making moves because of hurt feelings a sign of a good manager??

I just heard that Griffey was held out of tonites Reds game. Getting him might be okay, but I am terrified of what Bavasi's going to give up

Well, Raul is losing 2-1; he gave Texas a run in the 1st when he couldn't amble over to that fly ball; he got us one back in the top of the 6th, and made two gaffs to give it back in the bottom.
Kenji (I've been one of his worst critics lately, defensively), seems to be giving a more steady target. Maybe Hansen can salvage him.
And that ump is killing Felix.

Right, and then after the front office sends down Johjima in what would be a great sign of disrespect to a veteran player who just had two good seasons and a slap in the face to the entire clubhouse, I'm sure that the rest of the team will just smile and play happy ball.

Clement either strikes out or flies out a lot. How did he succeed down in Tacoma?? Terrible fielders??

David, I'm only thinking of the team and of what they need from him. He's obviously not performing to where he should be.

If indeed he went down, improved his swing and came back a better hitter, what kind of disrespect is there. Besides, Bavasi is an idiot for signing him for another two years.

Closed doors may have been a trade conversation of Joh for Griffey and put Clement behind the plate since the season is lost - may as well let Clement learn the ropes during a season in the bigs than down in AAA.

This team sucks. If I werent so madly infatuated with all things Seattle, I would never even know who played for us, besides a tiny Japanese guy that trickles singles and is the anti-clutch.

Sjazzdude - you don't extend someone's deal for $24M then send them down to AAA 2 weeks later when they have a HR and a double in their last 4 AB's. Hell -Kenji's hitting like .350 in May now.

Kenji also pulled the ball when he hit a combined 290 over the last 2 seasons.

Now, as to bringing up Reed to play LF, it's not a bad idea. Although , I still can't believe SD hasn't traded for him. They have JODY GERUT in CF right now. Anyway - if they put Reed in LF, Raul's bat needs to stay in the lineup, at least against righties. He's terrible against lefties. But - I doubt they'd go to a strict platoon with Raul and Richie. For 15 million reasons.

And then they have an extra bat/catcher between Clement, Joh, Burke, Vidro, Cairo, etc. Basically - if they wanted to get Clement's bat in the lineup regularly in a lineup that includes Reed in LF, and Raul and Richie getting a lot of 1B/DH action, they're gonna need to dump a Catcher and have Clement catch.

You'd think that a team that's this bad wouldn't have too many useful parts. But, they do. That's why it's so bloody frustrating..

Hey Records, normally I would agree with you, but Johjima is a streaky hitter. He maybe hitting the ball marginally well, but the pitchers will figure him out. It's not that hard, just keep it away from the inside half of the plate.

I'm hoping that if they send him down to improve his mechanics, he would become more of a consistent hitter. Like I said, Bavasi is an idiot for extending Johjima' contract.

Thank you 11 records! Its great to come to a place like this with baseball fans and vent. But sometimes there are comments like send Joh down, and its a bit frustrating. Not to mention the "ive got to go watch american idol, or friends" comments. The M's suck, but American Idol?

Apparently clutch hitting is something you do to your car and you should avoid this when all possible. Where is this team headed?? They're already dead last in the AL West. Where else can they go?? If they continue to play like this, I'd better get my netflix cue filled up.

You probably should fire up that que. I am willing to bet that Joh does not have any options and sending a 30+ ballplayer to minors to relearn to hit is absolutely stupid. You can't send someone down like that so revise your dreams.

The contract was a mistake. This team needs to go young but alas, they will make a trade for ole' JR and waste yet another season.

If only Kenji would have pulled that ball a few feet towards left it would have gone out.

;)

Maybe these guys just do not want to compete, perhaps there is some trouble in the clubhouse - maybe named McLaren. Surely these guys have no idea on defense. The Rangers have tried to give them several games, but the M's just won't take 'em. There are several ways by which the team can be improved, yet Bavasi makes no moves. It is as if they are going through the motions tonight, perhaps they have been reading these blogs - with some many saying the season is over, soon I guess I will have to concur and it is difficult to avoid negativity.

They need to do somthing to put some life in this team. I f they trade Wash and a couple of minor leaugers for Griffy I bet they would bring up Fierbrand (not sure on spelling) and put him in the rotation he is pitching well at aaa.

Definitely need to get rid of Mac he has lost this team.

I just can't stand this.....we are getting just killed by the Rangers!!!!!!!!!!!! before we played them last week, they were the worst team in the AL. We just can't do anything right...nothing!! We score 12, and lose.....we only give up 2, we lose, and whenever we get a rally to tie, we fall behind the VERY NEXT INNING!!!! This is really pathetic.......The Sonics are the wrost team in the west, the Mariners are the worst team in the west, the Huskies are the worst in th PAC 10. I guess I am glad I moved to Arizona..

I have decided after this teams performance tonight that it is the nail in the coffin for any hope I had. I will still support the team but now have no expectations of them doing well. Too many defensive errors. Too many runners left in scoring position. Too many poor swings. Looking ahead to next year as obviously this mob can't get it together.

Guess what? The Padres just won tonight. That means that the Ms now own the worst record in the major leagues.

Another Mariner meltdown as the errors keep racking up and the clutch hits are no where to be found. How much more of this do we have to see before the Manager is out. Bavasi's time in Seattle is done as well. The guy couldn't find an offensive bat to help this team if it hit him square in the face. Clean sweeping changes are needed for this sorry ball club.

This team is horrible. They've all quit. Felix, Ichi, the wholw nine yards. Little leaguers play better than these boneheads. It's done, blow it up NOW and end the fantasy. Get rid of the architect of this fiasco and start over. Keep the youngsters and bring up more. My loyalty is going back to my hometown Twins.

I think a more realistic goal for this team is just to finish the season. If this is the only way to fire Bavasi and McLaren then they shouldn't even try to win anymore games.

GO TEAM!!!

Who could have seen this coming? Worst record in baseball? After signing and releasing Wilkerson? After signing and keeping Cairo and releasing Norton? A sloth in left field? Two inconsistent middle infielders? No speed on the basebaths? A mismanaged bullpen? A mismanaged line up? A GM that has consistently made poor personel decisions? I am shocked! Griffey is not the answer but why would he want to come to this trainwreck anyway? I have been a fan since Alvin Davis made his first appearance in 1984. I have listened to the Ms on the radio for the last 10 years and I cannot remember a Mariners team that seems so lost and without any sense of purpose. It is sad to think it will not change until there are some big changes from the front office down to some of the veterans. Sad.

This is tooooooooooooo much. When will the ownership fire the Mariners' rabble management starting at the top and working down to Bavasi and McLaren?

Uggh.

Just some random thoughts:

* I would assume Mac gets fired soon to "shake up the team"

* Bavasi will likely survive, then be canned the day after the season ends. What's the point of firing him if you can't hire his replacement until after the season. Just don't let him make any trade deadline trades

* It's good to see Joh starting to hit the ball again (a little late though)

* The biggest problem I see is this team has no fight, no backbone, it has a defeatist atitude. When they get down they have no belief that they can come back. Complete opposite of 2001 when they fought and scratched every inning and every AB.

* I think it's time to make a list of "winners" and, I don;t want to say losers...."meanders" as in "just meandering through the season."

Trade Yuni, Lopez, maybe Raul and Bautista if they have any value. Don't bring back Sexson, Vidro or Washburn (obviously).

Send Morrow down the rest of this year to learn to be a starter

Build around the two potential aces Bedard and Felix with two decent 3rd and 4th in rotation starters Silva and Morrow.

Keep Beltre, Ichiro, Clement, Balentin, Johjima and bring up Triunfel to start at SS next season. So we would need a 2B and a LF and a DH/1B depending on where Clement stays.

I know I'm stating the obvious, but this team will never win consistently or make the World Series with Yuni and Jose being counting on to make substantial contributions. They lack focus in the field and at the plate and have no real concept of playing smart, hard baseball on every pitch.

My only hope is that Lincoln and Armstrong go for a GM with a more updated philosphy than some old- school retread who thinks it's a good idea to have Bloomquist AND Cairo on the same bench.