Mariners Players, Officials Respond To Don Wakamatsu's Firing

Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik made no bones about why he chose to fire four coaches on Monday, including manager Don Wakamatsu:

"I no longer have confidence that Don, Ty and Rick are the right long-term fit for our organization. New leadership is needed, and it is needed now."

The words, of course, support the actions, as any manager with the front office's confidence wouldn't get fired. It's clear from the way this was handled that Zduriencik doesn't think Wakamatsu is the right man for the job anymore, not after whispers came out that he had lost the clubhouse.

And the clubhouse, naturally, has some words of its own. Ichiro:

Ichiro says #Mariner players must share in responsibility with the fired Don Wakamatsu.

Russell Branyan:

Russell Branyan on firing of Wakamatsu: "You can speculate and point fingers, but nobody has the answers. I just know we lost a good man."

Chone Figgins:

Chone Figgins: “I don’t really want to talk about it. It’s a tough situation. Anytime somebody loses their job it’s a bad situation.”

So now begins life under interim manager Daren Brown. The Mariners turn their eyes to the final two months of a season that hasn't gone at all according to plan.