Derek I think this is very accurate and on point…The downside which is maybe not so apparent is that Johjima’s jury is still out…I’ve read that his footwork in throwing needs to be fixed and his armstrength is average. None of which we’ll know the validity of, until we see him play and adjust to this level of baseball.

The past two years and this off season has taken on the aspects of two movies, “Groundhog Day” and “Major League”…

There is the suggestion that BB does not rely so much on scouts nor stats in formulating his acquisitions so much as whether the player played for someone that touched his life at some point in his past with the Dodges or Angels. No one thinks Everett or Washburn are top line or even average players. Not scouts or sabremetricians.

Peace.

Why so much money? Why so many years? Why Arroyo? Why are you bringing back the teal on the BP jerseys? Everett… say it ain’t SoDo?

Maybe it is our seamnship connection, but I think we are becoming the big payroll version of the Cam Bonifay Pirates. Where every signing was based on a very limited scope of logic. Kevin Young, 1 decent year, let’s sign him to a multi year deal with hopes that he will maintain or improve. Derek Bell, he’s a proven winner, let’s put Craig Wilson on the bench.

Last year, you may recall, he made the bold statement that the Mariners had to spend money in the off-season (“Let’s be realists. There’s a better chance of Mount Rainier erupting than the Mariners signing either center fielder Carlos Beltran or third baseman Adrian Beltre … At first base, I’d take Carlos Delgado over Richie Sexson. Both come with health questions … Cory Koskie is a good, realistic choice at third base. He can hit .260 with 25-to-30 home runs and 70-to-85 RBI. And he’s good in the clubhouse.”)

It was also last year when he wrote two columns that the Ms had to do something — a big change from previous years where he boldly stepped out with columns about the proposed Alex/Boston deal, the ‘new’ Melvin, Spiezio & his band, Rob Ramsay, the Melvin hire (”born to do it”), Bryan Price, a Jan. ’03 column lamenting the fact they didn’t sign Colon, Contreras or Paul Wilson to shore up the staff, a 116 game-love column, a ’shame on the Jays for hiring Ricciardi’ piece, a Buhner retirement piece, more on 116 wins, columns on Boone & Shige…

Anything that gets Gil and Franklin off this team should be welcome….we should be WAY more concered about adding offense to a team that was 13th or 14th in the league in every category.

Well that and a populous uprising to dethrown Rick Rizzs(the Scott McClellan of MLB–not so masterful at the positive spin/lying trash/criminal coverup)