1
are forged in the boardroom, tempered in the front office and applied by the manager.
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PhxTerry sez,
OBF - Concerning the M's decision-making in 2014 regarding AA as starting CFer/lead-off batter and Maurer over E-Ram as starting pitcher, we have ongoing, basic incompentence. There is no other explanation. How the M's Brain Trust can look the team's few remaining fans straight in the eye and state that they really want to make the play-offs is beyond me.
Yeah, the lack of urgency has driven Dr. D batty since August 1, 2001. That's not two thousand eleven; I'm talking about spitting away the 116-win season because it's always the title 4 years from now that matters. (In 2018 it will be the 2022 title that matters.)
......
Larry LaRue said something about Shannon Drayer that made me stop and think, "Well, okay, good for her." He remarked that she'd never made any secret of the fact that she has her dream job.
Yep, that's a refreshing lack of cynicism and self-consciousness on her part. It's refreshing. Is it odd, that this remark boosted my enjoyment of her blog?
....
Anyway, she reports M's To Take It Slow With Taijuan.
Manager Lloyd McClendon made it clear that he will not be rushed. There is absolutely no pressure to get him up to the big leagues quickly.
"I don't fight it because I'm always trying to look at the big picture," he said. "And it's my job to also look at his career, protect his career. So, no, I don't fight it."
McClendon pointed out that Walker basically missed spring training and that he will not only need to show that he is healthy, but he will also have to earn a spot.
They need him pitching well when they bring him up.
"If he was healthy in spring training, he'd have to make the club. Nothing was given," he said. "And I think we're under the assumption now that he was given a spot on this club and that's just not the case. He'd still have to compete for a spot. Now, I want him to do good, believe me, I want him here, but he's got to prove that he's healthy, he's got to get the rust off, he's got to be ready to compete at this level on a consistent basis."
......
This reads -very much- like McClendon is backing Zduriencik's decision. :: shrug :: whatever. If so, that means it's not on McClendon. Do we care? We still get Brandon Maurer for our $100 next game.
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PRO
1. The Mariners aren't the only team to ever decide that "taking care" of a prospect's individual needs are >>>> to winning right now.
2. We all can appreciate the idea that you want a kid swinging the bat well, or throwing the ball good, when he debuts. "Soft landings" have their plusses.
3. If we were talking about his shoulder impingement, that would be one thing.
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CON
1. When do the Mariners ever decide that winning right now is important? Billy Beane's attitude trickles down, you know.
2. Lou Piniella's idea of a "soft landing" was to get his best cotton-pickin' 25 players onto the roster -- and if a kid takes his lumps, tell the kid that's fine. He's not expected to be Superman.
With a Chris Snelling pre-knee, or a Jose Cruz Jr, or whoever, or ARod, or Freddy, or whoever, Lou would say Get him up here. I'll make sure he knows he belongs here. That's the MANAGER's job. He ain't going to go 20-and-0, but I'll tell him every day he's one of my best five.
3. We ... um, Lloyd ... wasn't talking about shoulder impingements. He was talking about "making the team."
4. Taijuan Walker won't be making his debut. Do you remember his actual debut there, Lloyd? Oh wait. (Taijuan walked only 4 guys in his first 15 innings, whereupon Tampa Bay would have given him not only a rotation slot but a 7-year contract.)
......
No, I realize they didn't use the term "debut." They simply spoke as if it was one. Re-read the pap about "making the team" over a 7.50 ERA starter.
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Bah humbug,
Dr D
Comments
2
“Seager is our Cey"...
Ron Cey was my favourite player growing up. Somehow that comparison just made me think even more of Seager.
Of course, Cey was surrounded by one of the most stable and well put together infields of all time, mind you.
3
Muscular, but extremely refined, given the strength of the reserve. With a buttery finish. There were notes of peat in the Monty Python reference, however.
Mixing our metaphors, it had the finishing power of a low 1-wood draw on hardpan.
.........
Ya, if I'm GM and I've got Endy Chavez at my primary BAT position in a "statement" game, I'm pretty uncomfortable. And I can say that on nothing more than a Starbucks quad shot, bro'.
Edit to add - Bob Dutton reports that Chavez had an "out" clause - if the M's wanted to keep him, he needed to be in the majors by June 1 (tomorrow). But the broader point kinda stands.
:: daps ::
4
The editor here was a Big Red Machine devotee :- )
Ya Dix - there was a fair amount of discussion here about having a 10-year infield ... that was two years ago, however... we will try, try again ...
5
Like "I'm bout dat action Boss"?
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:- ) Can't blame Lloyd much for backing up company policy when it's given him. I'd do the same. Sigh.
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Sunny beaches, man....these guys aren't JV players. Taijuan needs to "earn" a spot to prove he's better than Maurer or Eram? Whoever is spouting that drivel is lost in nostrums. Lou P. had it right; You run your best 25 out there and gird your loins.
If the Walker reasoning revolves around making sure he's healthy, well, OK then...But is his shoulder any more likely to sproing in an 80-pitch AA start than it is in Safeco?
I shouted yesterday that I was terribly bummed about us rolling some LHB, ancient, Punch and Judy hitting LF out last night. It makes no sense at all. I suppose you could argue that you don't want to give a kid any exposure to Verlander, but my goodness, these guys wear long pants when they go home. Endy's double last night? Double-schmubble, big deal. I need to follow other teams' bottom-of-the-roster moves more closely, because I can't believe anybody does it much worse than us. Sheeeeesh, just let Verlander pick on Bloomquist if you're chucking in the towel. We're worried about his contract that has a June 1 opt out date> He's Endy Chavez...who cares? Where is he going?
Man, LoMo took 6 PA's last night? He couldn't have played with us? Kelley got on base 4 times? He couldn't have played?
Want to hear something weird guys? B-R has Willie B. as the 1812th best player of all times. #1810 is none other than Endy Chavez! Go figure. Yuni Betancourt is 1809, BTW. But they are all ahead of Roger Metzger, who is #1815, so they have that going for them.
OK, I'm warming up. Smoak? Smoak? Now at .222-.298-.392. The 12 doubles's look sexy, but his homer rate is right on his career track, but his walk rate is down and his K rate is up. There was a 1B market this last winter...we blew it badly when we didn't dump him. Garcon, gimme a Morales and Morrison platoon, please. On the pronto! "Ándale arriba" (to quote Speedy Gonzales)!!! Smoak's "+" glove? B. Beane would tell him where to put it. OK, he's ours, I know. Somebody upstairs loves him, I get it. But once in a while I'm driven to remind us all what a poor 1B bat he really is. And always has been. And always will be.
What I would give for a Scott Van Slyke vs. LHP.............s...i...g...h...!
The Cards are calling up Taveras, it appears...man, now go get Adams. Give 'em Franklin. And Endy! :) Now. Now. Adams may have a DL stint to do...who cares? On one leg, he hits better than Smoak.
Endy Chavez (again?)? To (nearly) quote my favorite silly French soldiers, "I faht in his general direction!"
Ackley? He's at .232-.292-.384! He's worse than Smoak. I suppose the only thing we could do there is run Gillespie out into LF for 10 straight games. I might be inclined to do that. Or the better play might be to let Ty Kelly get the next 30 LF starts and bat 2nd, behind Jones. I'm rooting for Ackley to tweak a hammy....and shave. Not sure which order. But both...soon. Andale arriba!
If Walker doesn't "deserve" a spot in the rotation, what has Ackley done to "deserve" the next 100 PA's?
Romero? You know, I really like his chances, I really do. I do, I do, I do. But he needs to learn that hitting the ball hard (quick and on the nose) is a better approach than trying to hit it long. I would Tacoma-ize him and bat him leadoff and play him every day in RF for 40 games and tell him to concentrate on doubles and some more walks. When he learns to do that, the 18 homers will come. And I would make him watch a bunch of Roy White tapes.
I love Zunino. Jones is pretty real, guys. Seager is just as advertised.....He's our Ron Cey. MIller will hit again. Cano is a star.
After that?
Gimme Morrison, Montero, Kelly and Tenbrink. Could they do any worse?
Where is Chip Hale when you need him?
8:25 AM, Saturday. I'm off to the cupboard to find the 15 year old Glenfiddich. I need it badly this morning.
moe
eDit.....hic....: Oklay, it's 9:41 and I'm on my fird, er...turd...er 3rd tumbler of my buddy, Glen. Hic.....Lookee what I found on Yuotub, hic! Here's Kelly going over teh LF wall from the rigth side of the dihs and going over the LF wall from the the letf, er the lerft...er the flet...er the OTHER side of the sish!
Rigth side: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0UmGAPpolg
Letf side: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo3umm-vSPE
I'm stratign a Ty for letf feild push. Climb on this wagon...I'm off the other one.....Hic.
Hic.....I'm out of lice, er, rice...er mice...er frozen water! Do yoush guys haft any?
Lemme haf Ty! Dustbin Dusty.....er, Dustin....
Hic....