Q.  What will Zduriencik do?

A.  We'll find out real quick, what Zduriencik's attitude is about Don Wakamatsu.  If this happened with Mike Scioscia, the guy would be suspended or DFA'ed right in the middle of a pennant race.  Oh, wait...

.

Q.  Does SSI have a recommendation on Figgins' contract yet?

A.  Like everybody else, we thought it was genius at the time.  OBP, defense, below-market ... add to us, subtract from them.

We do believe -- and link us up if we're wrong -- that SSI was a good bit more anxious about the deal than others. 

Figgins was one of the 10 best players in the league last year, but we did note that his +60 runs was twice anything he'd ever done.  What we did think, was that if he reverted back to +30 we'd still be okay ... and you had the chance at the +40's, +50's.

This year he's actually RLP!  ... a shade below, and now that we've seen him up close, even a +20, +30 runs guy is nothing I'd miss.  I don't want .325 SLG third basemen.

I'm 100% cool with clearing the decks for Ackley, Mangini, Liddi, and Tui -- the $9M per is direly needed elsewhere.

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

Absolutely.  If Z could move 100% of Figgy's contract, for nothing, the next ten days, I'd do it.  No, I don't think that's a pipe dream.  Figgins still projects as a +25 runs player elsewhere.

.

Q.  What is Wakamatsu's status?

A.  His job hangs on his street cred.  End of story.

He kept his job or lost it based on what happens with the clubhouse this summer.

I'm not saying life is fair.

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

Still, in this case, I'd push the nuclear button on the player, and yet remain agile about a Bobby Valentine* scenario going forward.

It's not that one meltdown deserves a death penalty.  It's about the fact that (1) I don't like the look of Figgins in Safeco, going forward, and (2) a player doesn't do that in my dugout (as well as whatever he's been doing in the days leading up).

Chone has the opportunity, on Virtual SSI Mariners, to repent.  This would mean becoming a Wakamatsu supporter and an org guy -- like Bradley has --, not merely issuing a statement.

.

Q.  Does Wakamatsu deserve to have the clubhouse's loyalty?

A.  Friday night was one more example of Wok's class and grace.  He went on TV and the reporters, at least six or seven times, deliberately baited Wok into gossip about Chone. 

Each and every time, he rebuffed them, absolutely refusing to embarrass Figgins outside the clubhouse.  Wok looked near tears, has been under impossible stress, and it was a rotten thing for the press to do, baiting him like that.   He calmly discontinued the interview with his professional integrity 100% intact.

Wok is a bright young manager, one of the best I've seen, and the childishness is IMHO not on him this year.  ... but, neither does he have a Lou Piniella's political capital with which to correct it.

.

Part 5