Comments on: Howard Lincoln’s letter to season-ticket holders

By: msb

msb — Fri, 10 Sep 2004 22:15:31 +0000

“Without the balls of Steinbrenner, that approach will fail. Helps to have an intelligent GM on board too. Didnâ€™t Cashman turn down an offer to come work for the Mâ€™s, then they wound up picking up Bavasi?”– Comment by Dave D â€” 9/6/2004 @ 5:56 pm

Reportedly, they asked the Yankees permission to talk to him, and were denied. He never had a chance to say yes or no.

By: Dave D

Dave D — Tue, 07 Sep 2004 00:56:14 +0000

Ichiro’s pursuit of one of the long-standing records in baseball is the only reason I still pay attention. Its a good reason. But otherwise I agree with whats being said here, Howard L. and his folks don’t seem to know how to build a team any more.

What ever became of the minor league / trade savvy that brought in people like Randy Johnson, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Junior, Alex and all the rest? What happened to that exceptional judgement of talent in the front office? All we get now is how they’re going to buy their way back to respectability.

Without the balls of Steinbrenner, that approach will fail. Helps to have an intelligent GM on board too.

Didn’t Cashman turn down an offer to come work for the M’s, then they wound up picking up Bavasi?

By: jc

jc — Mon, 06 Sep 2004 22:16:18 +0000

blah blah blah show me dont tell me!!!!!

By: Pat Gillicks Hemorrhoids

Pat Gillicks Hemorrhoids — Mon, 06 Sep 2004 14:07:08 +0000

Howard, no sports team in Seattle [including the Mariners] has a large, hard core fan base. Seattle fans support winners. When the teams stop winning, the fans donâ€™t just get pessimisticâ€¦they stop caring. Just ask the Seahawksâ€¦just ask the Sonics.

I have to admit, I’ve fallen into this category. I can’t remember the last time I listened or watched an entire game. The last time I heard even part of one was a few weeks ago.

The Ms have lost a lot of goodwill from this season’s collapse.

By: M.O.

M.O. — Mon, 06 Sep 2004 01:55:41 +0000

I’ve been thinking real hard, and I can’t think of anything positive that Bob Melvin has done for the team. A game where I’ve gone, “Wow, great moves by Melvin! He really earned his keep on that one.”

I can think of lots of things I don’t like about what he’s done though. Bunt too much. Play Willie Bloomquist too much. Bad lineups. Bunt WAY too much. Bad bullpen management. No fire on the field (or worse, awkwardly forced fire). Generally, a giant sucking sound where the leadership should come from. Its been a very disappointing two years on his watch, and its time for him to move on.

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 05 Sep 2004 21:01:33 +0000

I’ll just say this: talk is cheap, Howard. You talk a great game, of how your goal is a championship for the Mariners and their fans. There’s only one problem…your actions don’t back up your words.

Howard, no sports team in Seattle [including the Mariners] has a large, hard core fan base. Seattle fans support winners. When the teams stop winning, the fans don’t just get pessimistic…they stop caring. Just ask the Seahawks…just ask the Sonics.

Yup, words are cheap Howard…especially yours. Show us or shut up.

By: Jon

Jon — Sun, 05 Sep 2004 19:23:17 +0000

Here’s where actions will speak louder than words: The M’s brass will eat the past’s mistakes and wipe them off the books so they can’t be used as excuses for not being able to afford to acquire talent. It is one thing to admit vaguely mistakes and quite another to actually rectify them. If , as just one example, the M’s continue to count Cirillo (or the crapfest they got for him) as part of their budget, then they are still the lying liars we have come to know them to be. If the M’s continue to play games with their stated “payroll”, then we’ll have confirmation that Lincoln’s letter is the hooey we suspect it is. If the M’s fail to make a move because they have too much money already tied up in, say, Spiezio, then we’ll know their stripes haven’t changed. Remember the failures to add talent for lack of resources? Remember the failure to use Sasaki money as soon as they knew they’d have it (which was way before Sasaki’s “surprise” announcement)? [Come to think of it, they still haven't used that money, except perhaps to erect bleachers.] Nice try, Howard, but I am not buying it. I expect more of the same from you.

By: eponymous coward

eponymous coward — Sun, 05 Sep 2004 18:31:19 +0000

Well, Bavasi was on the post-game show a couple of days ago.

Highlights:

- pointedly refused to say anything about Melvin’s future other than “we’ll evaluate at the end of the season”.

- pointed out that something that happened in Anaheim is they got stuck in “win one for the Cowboy” mode, making signings that helped one year but hurt longterm.

- he indicated he’s more inclined to go young for FA signings (helllooooo Beltran and Beltre!)

Also, the M’s announcers (Glasgow) have bascially said Melvin’s gone. I view anything said by KOMO as coming from Pravda (official propaganda), so he is, indeed gone. Which begs the question of what Melvin did, other than get stuck with a bad team. He pretty much bent over for anything the front office wanted- stuck with veterans in May and June, went young in July and was a loyal soldier. That’s probably the most cynical part about it, that Melvin’s being fired to cover up for the front office incompetence.

By: matt

matt — Sun, 05 Sep 2004 18:01:44 +0000

Do you think that bavasi will pursue a starter in the offseason
we desperatly need one.And Please no glaus he strikes out often
and it is like homerun or nothing.I really think the mariners
have the ability to get beltre.

By: jason in nj

jason in nj — Sun, 05 Sep 2004 14:28:39 +0000

I’d be interested to see what the letter to season ticket holders from last year looked like… any chance of that?

Cheers!