Comments on: M’s fans pessimistic

By: gwangung

gwangung — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:02:45 +0000

Defense is improved in the OFâ€¦I agree with that. But thatâ€™s not going to improve your offense.

Au contraire. Guiterez, even last year, was a better offensive performer than anybody outside of Ichiro.

By: TomTuttle

TomTuttle — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:47:26 +0000

Knowing that Seattle sports are down the crapper right, I think the pessimism is understandable.

I just hope SOMEBODY will start to change the losing culture soon enough.

By: Beniitec

Beniitec — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:09:00 +0000

Defense is improved in the OF…I agree with that. But that’s not going to improve your offense. You have to score runs…and while you’ve improved the defense, you still don’t have any power. The improved defense “may” help the pitching staff. While Beltre “may” heat up… you really don’t have an improved team. You have an improved outfield. That’s it really… With the loss if Putz and Raul, and gaining 1 starting defensive outfielder and one 4th defensive outfielder, and a mediocre arm, we’ve improved the team? Sorry, I find it really hard to be optimistic. Given a new season, everyone on the team “may” get better, however, they may not. I sure hope they do. And I think I’m as optimistic as they come.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:54:24 +0000

Maybe this means we are actually good fans and stick by our team instead of defecting to become a bandwagon Red Sox fan or something like that.

Yes, as others have pointed out, the survey says “favorite” team. So places that have a team that has been bad for a long time probably have a lot of people who follow other teams.

By: SCL

SCL — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:46:22 +0000

The team is better, right now, than it was a year ago headed into spring training. Iâ€™m serious.

Dave, you projected the 2008 team to win 83 games. And when the Angles’ pitchers got injured, you upped to 84 games on KJR. Do really project the 2009 team (as is) to win 85+ games? That would be really cool!

By: gwangung

gwangung — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:28:29 +0000

Well I donâ€™t share the optimism yet. Sorryâ€¦ You just lost your best hitter to FA and your closer and one of your better bullpen arms..you havenâ€™t got any new pitchers that are an improvement over what weâ€™ve got or any offense.

And the defense?

Apparently, you’re not looking at the whole deck.

By: JMHawkins

JMHawkins — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:02:34 +0000

The Mâ€™s werenâ€™t as bad as their record last year and, even though I got reamed for saying it in a past thread, the fixes to their two biggest problems are relatively simple: 1) Donâ€™t absolutely suck at 1B and DH; and 2) Donâ€™t field one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Seems like Z is addressing these issues and will continue to address them.

I agree those were the two biggest problems. Unfortunately, addressing them moves us from a 70-75 win team to a 80-85 win team, which still isn’t “competitive” if you describe competitive as likely being in a pennant race come late September.

But I agree we have a much better upside this year. If Zduriencik upgrades our middle infield, Morrow and Bedard pitch well, and Silva regains some mediocrity, we could be surprising.

By: galaxieboi

galaxieboi — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:45:26 +0000

to build before the Aâ€™s new stadium revenues kick in.

That whole thing looks dead for the moment...

By: jjracoon

jjracoon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:32:14 +0000

Optimism comes with seeing change plus potential.
The Mariners now have an everyday CF.
Beltre had surgery to fix his hand and is in his last year.
Sexson isnt here!!
Rumors are that Silva has lost weight.
While everyone hates Bedard, he is a no 2 pitcher when healthy and is also in a payday year.
Catcher cant give us less next year.

Only real big negative I see is this team still doesnt have that 3 hole sure thing player and no matter how hard I try to put Griffey in it he just doesnt work anymore!!

I see a 81-81 record which isnt trully competitive but at least I wont cring during
each and every game!!!1

By: zzyzx

zzyzx — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:14:41 +0000

Not sure what Washington, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or KC fans consider â€˜competingâ€™?

DC has a lot of transplants and it doesn’t say the local team, but rather your favorite.

PA has the World Champion Phillies and MO has the Cardinals so those are going to bias the results for those states. No clue about MD though…