Part I

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Q from Dreyer:  What does this mean to Carlos Triufnel (if he was in line to play SS - jjc) ?

Capt Jack:   It doesn't really mean anything, Shannon.  He is one of our elite prospects, but he's 19, just missed almost the entire season ... "it's going to be a couple years" before he's in the major leagues.

We're still figuring out whether Triunfel is a shortstop.  He's playing there and at third base.  We'll continue to evaluate whether that's his best position.

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Dr's Diagnosis:  The timeline is reasonable, of course, but note that it's not 100% in synch with what Pedro Grifol said, or what a Lou Piniella would be thinking.

This is one more Capt Jack statement to the effect of "bush leaguers will play when they prove they deserve it" and to the effect of "I'll believe it when I see it."

This attitude has its plusses, of course.  But don't underestimate Zduriencik's general skepticism towards young players coming in.

This makes his attitude towards Dustin Ackley all the more remarkable.  Ackley must be sommmmmme kinda talent.

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Also, there you have your official M's statement on Triunfel's position.  He might play SS in the bigs, or he might play 3B, or he might play 2B.  It depends on how he looks in the field, the next year or two.

That is a different situation than the one that has it as, "he's playing SS in the sense that Gary Sheffield played SS in the minors."

We won't be assuming that Triunfel moves; we'll be watching to see how he plays and what they say as time goes along.

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By the way, Capt Jack was fairly pointed about Triunfel being two years away, and Jack Wilson being the shortstop for the next two years.

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Q from Brock:  One of the things that I get into with the statheads, Jack, is the idea that Ken Griffey Jr. brings things to a team that go beyond the numbers.  He is better than his numbers.  Could you comment on that.

Capt Jack:  Well, you don't limit yourself to looking at one thing.  Whether it be batting average or any other metric out there.

You look at statements by teammates, you look at intangibles.

Anybody who has ever been in a major-league dugout, or on an NFL sideline, or on the court in the NBA, they know that leaders matter.  Whether the leaders accomplish that with their voices, or their example, leaders are part of a winning team.

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Dr's Diagnosis:  Words don't do justice to how pointed Brock Huard's question was here.  I was really taken aback that he would come at Zduriencik quite like that.

Capt Jack was right there with him, agreeing.  The sense of his reply was, "Yes, you've got to have a broader perspective, than to think that the math is enough by itself."

One of the most amazing things that Wakamatsu and Zduriencik did, in 2009, was to overnight turn a loser's clubhouse into a winner's clubhouse.  Even in September, out of the race, the Mariners went out and challenged the Angels and Rangers, and beat them.  Fair and square.

It's a real pleasure to watch a team that goes out and trades punches fearlessly.  Jack Wilson reinforces that for 2010-11, as does Ken Griffey Jr.

Cheers,

Dr D