Moe

What I was most impressed with, however, is how well he covers the entire plate RH'ed and LH'ed.  He can drill the down and in pitch into the corner or into the stands and he drives the outside black pitch into the gap.

He can play.

Minus signing a few MILB FA's, this has been a quiet period for the M's.  I think something is going to happen via a trade. Jack may be sitting on that.

NPB players are throwbacks that way.  In the 1960's, America didn't have ESPN.

Very true that we don't have enough information to guess with Jack on a day-to-day basis.  Who knows whether he's got plans at SS.

He better! 

...............

You know what, I spent [last] weekend talking with a charming Romanian lady.  Has a Ph.D. in physics, yet a demeanor like Harriet from Ozzie & Harriet or June Cleaver or somebody like that.

We talked for hours about the difference between Romanian young people and American young people ... wanted to know how she saw us Rich Arrogant Cheeseburger-Chompin' Amurikuns.  :- )

Her input was the same as all other input you ever get from Europe, or Asia, or Latin America.  ... We, in the U.S., are awesomely focused on Instant Gratification.  The most reward for the least effort possible.

It may not be politically correct to say so, but I believe that Japanese athletes are trained literally from the cradle to [work harder] for [less reward] than we American athletes are.

It's not our fault, really.  But IMHO, it's the reality.  And it's one reason that SSI will pitch Japanese hitters until his dying breath.  They're fine with having to hit pitchers' pitches.

...............

Which isn't to say no American-born major leaguer never did his time in a video room and then went out and battled a pitcher.  :- )

It's a subtle difference, a staying within yourself, an utter satisfaction with a walk or single, that we're seeing...

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Tacoma Rain

This may not be a first, but I do believe it says a lot when these two (Taro, SABRMatt) agree on something... Jack better do something quick!!!

HEH!

If we go into March 1st, with this overcooked-noodle watered-down lineup, SSI will bail along with everybody else.  Don't expect it to happen, though.

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Grizzly

OR, Jack just doesn't have the money to spend. It's amazing to me that not one single thread on this considers the financial angle. The payroll is staying at $92 million-ish. Take the current obligations, add your $8million SS and see where that takes you.

It really doesn't matter that the iPad was on sale for $488 yesterday if you've got a big family and your entire budget for the Christmas season is $500.

Admittedly, even a single $8M salary can look difficult to wedge into the $92M budget.   Good pernt Grizzle.

Only thing is:

1.  The posting fee was estimated at $15-20M, turned out to be $5M, and that posting fee had always been taken out of the scoreboard budget.

2.  The Mariners have made noises that they have some options in the FA market, such as these noises, and ...

3.  Shortstop (and catcher) are without question their areas of #1 need.

If $8M to grab a 3-WAR shortstop isn't even in the discussion, then these guys are wayyyyy more hamstrung than even they are letting on.

It could be that they can't afford a 3-WAR, $8M catcher or shortstop Grizzle.  But if that's the case .... yowch.

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