Whoever invented the tuxedo should be hung. Come to think of it, whoever invented weddings should join them. And yes, I know it is obvious that I’m single.
On that note from Dave, I’d like to point out that anyone who knows eligible women in Hight Point, or even the greater Winston-Salem area (who are willing to meet half-way) should drop us a line at ussmarinerblog@hotmail.com with the subject line: “Operation Make Dave Less Single”.
Now that I’m comfortably settled back in here in North Carolina (well, before I move from Winston-Salem to High Point on Thursday), I can contribute to the blog again. Some catching up from the past few weeks.
Thanks to everyone who came, and enjoyed, the first ever U.S.S. Mariner Feed. I had a good time, and more importantly, it appeared that most of you did as well. My apologies to Chris Colon, who got the message that it started at 6:00 and missed the first two hours, though he certainly made up for lost time with his rapid-fire questions. I enjoyed meeting a wide variety of our readers, and was continually amused by the fact that I was accused of being a statgeek on one hand, and then too obsessed with scouting within a half hour of each other. I have no problems being criticized, but please, pick one and stick to it. Also, big thanks to Pat Dillon and Mike Curto for being extremely cool and answering a ton of questions. I can’t guarantee my attendance, but I’m sure Jason and Derek will put together a U.S.S. Mariner Goes to Safeco event sometime in 2004. Only God can help Quinton McCracken if Melvin pencils him into the line-up on that day.
Also, I have officially talked myself into believing that 2004 is going to be a big enough disaster that Bavasi will be the Bill Plummer of Mariner GM’s, lasting but one season and inspiring wholesale organizational changes. Rational or not, that is my source of current optimism.
I’m not one to complain about days off from work, but New Years Day is the most worthless holiday we celebrate.
Whoever invented the tuxedo should be hung. Come to think of it, whoever invented weddings should join them. And yes, I know it is obvious that I’m single.
Does U.S. Airways realize that running from B13 to C29 in the Phildadelphia airport within 5 minutes should be an olympic event, and that I should receive a first round bye after my performance on Saturday?
If you have a relative who remotely likes photography or people, America 24/7 is a great book. It comes highly recommended.
Yeah, you’re right.
And in response to David over at Sports and Bremertonians — in case there was any confusion, don’t worry, I wasn’t condoning that awful, right-out-of-Howard-Lincoln’s-mouth piece of drivel. Just so we’re clear.
No you don’t, any more than we really wish that we could be ignorant and thus blissful.
I wish I shared this guy’s optimism.
Unless I’m mistaken, the 2004 Mariners are going to be on par with, if not a slightly better team than the one that won 116 games in 2001, albeit a tad older.
With a couple of days left in the year, I’ve been thinking about writing a couple of things: “Six Pitches” a long piece about single pitches out of the M’s season that turned them from division winners into also-rans (and why, ultimately, such speculation is meaningless), some others, but instead, here’s my favorite moment of 2003.
On April 22nd, the M’s led 3-2 going into the ninth. Kaz came in and put three guys on, one scoring, and left the tied game with back trouble. Second-lefty-in-the-pen Carrara was called in to face Josh Bard, and walked him to load the bases. Selby hit for Blake and singled in two runs and Mike Cameron made a beautiful catch in center to get the team out of the inning.
And then Randy Winn got on with a cheap single, Boone walked, Edgar singled in Winn (5-4 now), Olerud walked, and with the bases loaded Mike Cameron steps to the plate. He takes a strike (“Boooooo” said the anti-Cameron crowd) and on the second pitch pulls a high fly ball — and Jason, and Dave, and I all started to stand, feeling my skin start to crackle with electricity, screaming “Get out! Get out!” at a stupid ball with no ears and then laughing with joy as it went into the stands over the scoreboard and the place went insane. All was forgiven — the bullpen’s ninth-inning collapse, original sin, whatever — Mike Cameron won the game.
That’s what I think of when I want to cheer myself up this off-season. I was at the game cheering Cameron’s home run into the stands, in fine company. That’s why we play the games.
No matter how stupid the team acts, it’s worth remembering we’ll be able to see thirty Jamie Moyer starts, Edgar hit, and hopefully, we’ll see the first full season of Soriano in the rotation as he develops into (I hope) the Cy Young candidate we saw in his future this year.
RIP Ivan Calderon
The former M’s outfielder was shot to death in Puerto Rico Saturday. Calderon began his ten-year MLB career with Seattle in 1984 before being traded to the White Sox for Scott Bradley in 1986. He later spent time with the Expos and Red Sox before finishing his career back with the White Sox in 1993. His career line can be found here.
Pokey Reese signed a 1 year, $1 million contract with the Red Sox earlier this week. Last week, Ben Grieve signed a 1 year, $750,000 contract with the Brewers. Both of these players were on my suggested off-season acquisitions, and their combined salaries will be $400,000 less than the Mighty McCracken will take to the bank.
We’re getting a lot of requests for write-ups on some of the more obscure minor league guys, and I’ll make this a priority after the new year. I’ll update the Future Forty (goodbye Allan Simpson…) before Spring Training as well.
Also, it has gone mostly unnoticed so far, but as it stands on December 26th, the American League West sucks. First one to 85 wins gets the crown?
We now return you to your regularly scheduled baseball discussion.
In today’s Times, Larry Stone has a longish feature on the Bavasi family and their involvement in professional baseball over the years. If nothing else, this should serve as a reminder that despite his relative youth (45), current M’s GM Bill Bavasi is very much from the old school in the way he approaches his job. It would be a huge upset if he were to suddenly — as someone at our recent gathering suggested might be possible — change his ways to what is currently considered “enlightened” baseball thinking.
I don’t mean this to sound negative, because certainly Pat Gillick built some very good teams with his manner of thinking. However, I do think it’s important to understand the sort of GM Bavasi is going to be and go from there when we all consider, critique, evaluate, etc., his decisions.
I know I haven’t been posting much lately, as I try to spend as much time with my family as humanly possible in a one-week stretch. I hope all of you have a great Christmas, and challenge you with one piece of advice that I’m attempting to take to heart myself; don’t let the thoughts of your heart go unspoken, assuming the opportunity will come again. Carpe Diem.
Merry Christmas, everyone.