Stone supposes success, Sherrill struggles, songster, Sims’ story

DMZ · March 20, 2007 at 1:35 am · Filed Under Mariners 

Larry Stone, a day after my “Hope and Faith” piece, argues that “Believe it or not, M’s have shot“.

Sherrill’s continued mechanics problems: Baker, a PI duo.

Broussard wants more playing time… and to be a doctor. He’s already a musician, so why not.

Art Thiel the day after kidney-punching ownership to talk about new broadcaster Dave Sims. David Andreisen poses and answers 10 questions

RED HOT CULT OF DOYLE UPDATES

Doyle goes 1-1 with three (three) walks. The headline on the Nationals side is “Church sliding, Snelling soaring” as it appears he may win the starting left field job. Since I know you’re curious:

Doyle: .310/.432/.690

Jubal Early: You know, with the exception of one deadly and unpredictable midget, this girl is the smallest cargo I’ve ever had to transport. Yet by far the most troublesome. Does that seem right to you?
Dr. Simon Tam: What’d he do?
Jubal Early: Who?
Dr. Simon Tam: The midget.
Jubal Early: Arson. The little man loved fire.

Comments

44 Responses to “Stone supposes success, Sherrill struggles, songster, Sims’ story”

  1. NBarnes on March 20th, 2007 1:50 am

    Any blog post, on any subject, is made better by Firefly references.

  2. Mike G. on March 20th, 2007 2:33 am

    You might have a case there DMZ, you both wrote very “if” laden pieces. However, I have very little faith Stone can find BP let alone figure out how to use it.

    The best-laid plans of mice and GMs often go awry.

    Ugh….

  3. scraps on March 20th, 2007 6:16 am

    I don’t think DMZ meant to imply that Stone cribbed from his piece.

    Why wouldn’t you think Stone could “figure out how to use” BP? He’s a smart guy.

  4. mark s. on March 20th, 2007 7:07 am

    HOLY CRAP I LOVE THIS SITE!!! Doyle is so much like Firefly!
    Waking up to a Firefly quote on a M’s blog is just too much. It is like getting chocolate all over my peanut butter.

    Finals be damned. DMZ, you made my day.

  5. Dave on March 20th, 2007 7:33 am

    You might have a case there DMZ, you both wrote very “if” laden pieces. However, I have very little faith Stone can find BP let alone figure out how to use it.

    Derek’s not implying that Stone stole his column. Larry’s been kicking this piece around in his head for a week. He’s also, by far, the best sports writer in Seattle, knows exactly what BP is, and is well versed in the current state of baseball research.

    Stone = awesomeness.

  6. Jason Maxwell on March 20th, 2007 8:37 am

    Shiny! Ichiro as Shepard Book? Bloomquist as Badger?

  7. The Ancient Mariner on March 20th, 2007 9:13 am

    Any blog post, on any subject, is made better by Firefly references.

    Amen and amen and amen. And no, I think Ichiro has to be Mal (unless you want to cross genders — then I suppose he could be Inara).

    Man, I miss that show. I wish Joss hadn’t had to get too smart for the room on Serenity, or we might at least have another movie coming out . . .

  8. Evan on March 20th, 2007 9:38 am

    Willie has to be Jayne. He thinks he’s the leader of the team, but he’s not. Any good he does he does in spite of himself.

    Jayne!
    The man they call Jayne!

    Oh, He robbed from the rich
    and he gave to the poor.
    Stood up to the man
    and he gave him what for.
    Our love for him now
    ain’t hard to explain.
    The hero of Canton
    the man they call Jayne.

  9. Jason Maxwell on March 20th, 2007 9:45 am

    See, I was thinking of River’s probable description of Willie, “A petty little ballplayer with delusions of standing”

  10. Bender on March 20th, 2007 9:54 am

    Bloomquist can’t be Jayne because Jayne actually contributes. Bloomquist is more like Saffron. He’s good looking but constantly fucking the team up with his utter suckitude, yet people love him.

  11. induced entropy on March 20th, 2007 10:20 am

    Both Doyle and Church should, when healthy, should be starters. There are much worse players out there.

    Frankly, I’m disappointed we grabbed an old mediocre 2b to DH when we could have played Doyle or grabbed Church and moved Ibanez to DH.

    But then, we are pound foolish and pennywise like that.

  12. JMB on March 20th, 2007 10:27 am

    From the Sims piece:

    Official word was Fairly retired, but one club insider said: “The broadcast partners (Fox Sports Northwest) wanted to shake things up.” Fairly is one of the game’s most endearing gentlemen, but unless the listener misses being told, “The tying run will never beat you,” change was overdue.

  13. IP on March 20th, 2007 10:40 am

    More Doyle. *sniff*

  14. Jim Thomsen on March 20th, 2007 10:45 am

    A fine writer Stone may be, but today’s column was a swing at a pitch in the dirt:

    If Vidro can even approach being the player he was before leg ailments dragged him down, the upgrade over Carl Everett will be significant.

  15. gocougs1 on March 20th, 2007 10:48 am

    I usually lurk here but I love this place. How many other sites can tie Firefly to baseball.

  16. plstubblefield on March 20th, 2007 10:59 am

    Andriesen starts to freak me out…

    7. Who has been the biggest surprise this spring?

    We keep waiting for Willie Bloomquist to return to earth, and he just keeps hitting, standing among the Cactus League leaders with a .435 average.

    Noooo!!! Don’t go there!

    He’s staked a place on the Mariners bench in the past five years despite his bat rather than because of it (career .312 on-base percentage, .329 slugging).

    Whew! Saved by that .641 OPS!

  17. Jim Thomsen on March 20th, 2007 11:01 am

    It’s so hot in Arizona that apparently the writers are swallowing any Kool-Aid handed to them.

  18. Jim Thomsen on March 20th, 2007 11:02 am

    I think now would be an appropriate time for DMZ to reprise his Bloomquist-centric rendition of the Kool-Aid theme song.

  19. Dylan on March 20th, 2007 11:13 am

    A fine writer Stone may be, but today’s column was a swing at a pitch in the dirt:

    If Vidro can even approach being the player he was before leg ailments dragged him down, the upgrade over Carl Everett will be significant.

    What about that comment is untrue?

  20. hub on March 20th, 2007 11:20 am

    I believe there may be a universal connection between the ‘Cult of Doyle’ and the ‘Cult of Firefly’. If so, that might explain why I’m in both…

    Go Snelling…Go Mal…

  21. induced entropy on March 20th, 2007 11:34 am

    Jubal Sackett > Jubal Early

  22. Evan on March 20th, 2007 11:40 am

    I would deem the problem there that Carl was a lousy DH, so simply upgrading over his production shouldn’t be a goal. But then, as Stone points out, to do even that we need some improvement from an injured player in his mid-30s.

  23. Johnny Slick on March 20th, 2007 12:03 pm

    Is Brent Gates available?

  24. msb on March 20th, 2007 12:20 pm

    Well, my sister’s a ship. We had a complicated childhood.

    Larue talks how pitchers are prone to injuries, and beats the Benitez horse some more. JJ feels much better.

  25. Jim Thomsen on March 20th, 2007 12:24 pm

    #19: I didn’t say the comment was untrue. My point is that Stone has adopted the Mariners’ official “if” reasoning. To wit: “If Player A plays better than he had in the last two years, he’ll be an asset.” Historically, there’s little reason to think this will work … and even less reason to hang a team’s hopes on this hope.

  26. Dylan on March 20th, 2007 12:54 pm

    The entire article is predicated on “if”. How can you criticize for a swing and a miss when the author admits hes probably going to do just that.

  27. msb on March 20th, 2007 12:59 pm
  28. em on March 20th, 2007 1:53 pm

    “From what I hear, the manager’s made up his mind on who he likes and who he doesn’t. That’s out of my control.””-Doyle (from msb’s link).

    I still don’t have a clear answer on whether Snelling would be free agent if he doesn’t make the 25-man. Or would he be put through waivers if optioned to AAA?

  29. msb on March 20th, 2007 2:20 pm

    dreeeeeaaaaaaammmmmmmmweeeeeeaver………

  30. Manzanillos Cup on March 20th, 2007 2:42 pm

    From the Wash. Post:

    “(Snelling’s)uniform is dirty before the national anthem starts.”

    /WFB chuckles as he dives for another ball during batting practice.

  31. Ralph Malph on March 20th, 2007 3:32 pm

    If the Nats decided they didn’t want Snelling they would DFA him giving them 10 days to trade him or place him on waivers, as I understand it. He’d have to clear waivers to get sent down. The chances of the M’s getting him on waivers would be very, very slim. I’d sure think there would be a team interested in trading a prospect for him of the Nats didn’t want him.

  32. Grizz on March 20th, 2007 3:32 pm

    Snelling is out of options, so if he does not make the Nationals’ 25-man roster, the Nats would most likely trade him either before the roster deadline or after designating him for assignment. If the Nats DFA him, they have 10 days to trade him or pass him through waivers (where he would undoubtedly be claimed). If he somehow passed unclaimed, the Nats have the right to assign him to the minor leagues (which, as his first assignement, Snelling could not refuse).

  33. msb on March 20th, 2007 3:46 pm

    can we send them Broussard?

  34. mark s. on March 20th, 2007 4:05 pm

    #34 Let us dream big and ask the National’s if they want Willie Ballgame for Snelling. We can point to WFB’s amazing Spring Training as proof that he is prime to be a starter!

  35. Jim Thomsen on March 20th, 2007 4:34 pm

    #27: Because “if” is a faulty premise for a column, and Stone is usually much better than that.

  36. bmanuw on March 20th, 2007 5:11 pm

    In regards to Snelling, its amazing how many former Mariners end up shining with other teams. I have a theory that If the Mariners signed a monkey and then either released or traded it, it would become the MVP of another team

  37. CCW on March 20th, 2007 5:16 pm

    I don’t get it, Jim. That seems like a very good and accurate column from Stone to me. His premise: because the rest of the division is flawed, the M’s have a shot. The M’s DO have a shot this year. They’re in the same basic position as last year… when they also had a shot. He wasn’t talking about what the M’s will probably do, he was talking about what they reasonably have the potential to do. It’s a good article, written at the correct time of year to be writing such an article. That it’s very similar in substance and design to an article that DMZ just wrote for BP is just more evidence that it’s worthwhile.

  38. Oly Rainiers Fan on March 20th, 2007 6:06 pm

    Firefly. I miss it. I lent mine to my nephew at Thanksgiving and haven’t seen it since. Analogy would be better if the Nats colors were brown, eh? What next, references to Buffy? Bring it on, I just finished season 7.

    Re: the Stone column. It’s precisely the kind of column a sportswriter for each publication will write at some point in the spring. With Stone, however, as with DMZ, you get a much better sense that some actual analysis and thinking it through was involved. (Which means it’s loads better than the one the Daily Olympian writer will come up with in about a week).

  39. msb on March 20th, 2007 6:13 pm

    re: Red, when he was visiting with Dave during the broadcast, he sounded like (no matter who’s idea it was) that he was loving retirement. and barbecuing. and golf. and he’d see the guys when they got to Anaheim.

    oh, and I’d pay money to hear Joss Whedon talking with Russell T Davies.

  40. Rain Delay on March 20th, 2007 10:32 pm

    oh, and I’d pay money to hear Joss Whedon talking with Russell T Davies.

    I second that.

  41. Johnny Slick on March 20th, 2007 10:51 pm

    In regards to Snelling, its amazing how many former Mariners end up shining with other teams. I have a theory that If the Mariners signed a monkey and then either released or traded it, it would become the MVP of another team

    That has more to do with Woody Woodward panicking on a daily basis and Bavasi not being the sharpest knife in the drawer than goofy coincidence. Who was the last former Mariner to truly exceed expectations after he left town? I wonder. Ryan Franklin, perhaps (in that I, at least, thought he was going to go into accounting or perhaps real estate, not actually continue with baseball). Derek Lowe?

  42. msb on March 21st, 2007 8:40 am

    for all the joking about Broussard for Snelling, I have to agree with this note in Baker’s blog:

    Nice to see Ben Broussard, my feature in today’s paper, go 3-for-3 today in another start in right field. Hopefully, the M’s don’t go out and do something foolish, like trade him for Armando Benitez. What a clubhouse mood swinger that would be! We’ll see.

  43. The Ancient Mariner on March 21st, 2007 12:54 pm

    Re #39 & #40: I third that. What a combination those two would be . . .

    (I wonder how Mal would get on with the Ninth Doctor?)

  44. Lauren, token chick on March 21st, 2007 1:38 pm

    Great. A thread that combines two amazingly depressing things: the fact that Firefly was cut short in its first season and that Doyle’s gone. Thanks a lot, DMZ.

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