It's from one of the two Granma/Pravdas the Mariners have (their site and KOMO), but it's still interesting.

http://www.komoradio.com/marinersradio/shannon/14022687.html

If we're the only ones in the race, could we possibly actually maybe for once swing a decent, non-crippling, non-Adam Jones or Carlos Triunfel involving deal for a TOR pitcher?

Apparently our local sports network is being sold to Liberty Media Corporation as part of a deal to set Rupert Murdoch up with full control of News Corp.  They also get DIRECtv as part of the exchange.

Link

So, any ideas as to what our new network should be branded?  Programming suggestions?  One thing we can all hope for is the swift and sudden end of Matt Morrison's broadcasting career.  He seems like a nice guy, but he has all the charisma and broadcast talents of a brick wall.

Discuss.

I'm calling it (along with everyone else): Mike Hargrove will not be the manager for the Mariners in 2007.  So, who will be the next man to fill that post?  A few people who may be considered:

Dan Rohn:
I have to call him the prohibitive favorite, being that he has been the "administrative coach" this season, which entails assimilating stats, putting together scouting reports, and reading Lookout Landing, USS Mariner, and Prospect Insider.  He knows the team and the system, coached many of the young players, and probably will not cost the penny-pinching FO much.

Joe Girardi:
He has done a very good job with Florida, who has a payroll that is 60% of Alex Rodriguez's salary.  He was nearly fired when he told the owner of the Marlins, Jeffrey Loria, to pipe down and let him yell at the umpire.  With the bigwigs preferring the owner's box in the second deck of Safeco, that would not be an issue.  If he hates working for Loria, Seattle could not be farther away.

Lou Piniella:
If you were around for Dan Wilson Appreciation Night, you know how popular Lou still is around the area, and his record and work in Seattle speaks for itself.  I'm not pushing for Piniella to come back, and I don't know if the FO would shell out the dough, or if he would be interested in managing a team that is a few pieces away, but he will be mentioned no matter what, so let's get it out of the way.

I can't think of others, so I'll let y'all fill in write-in candidates.  If you have another candidate, though, explain your choice, if you would.

It's true, sadly...I have the link to prove it, as well as this quote from it:

Briefly: During a 10-minute chat initiated by two Seattle writers, Barry Bonds said he might be interested in playing for the Mariners next year. "If they're looking for a DH, it could be," he said. Bonds also reiterated how serene he is now. "That's probably bad for me because normally when I'm an a -- , I function better," he said. "Right now, I'm having a great time with the guys, enjoying life. I may not be the ballplayer I once was, but I'm a lot happier."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/06/15/SPGAOJDMSG1.DTL

That blurb is at the bottom.  He's left-handed sock, but I hate him.  I really, really, really, really do not want this to happen.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_wra&gid=2006_05_10_ rreaaa_tacaaa_1

It was his FIRST game back, and he's already winning games with the bat.  Un-freaking-believable.

To make the character limit, here is the New Yorker's review of Battlefield Earth.

From The New Yorker
In the year 3000, mankind will be a depleted species-scavenging among the mountains, eating live rats, or toiling as slaves under the evil Psychlos. This is bad news, although it could be worse; mankind of the year 2000, for instance, is urged to sit in dark halls and watch a movie so worthless that even a rat, alive or dead, would come as welcome relief. John Travolta, with a bunch of old gray ropes where his hair should be, plays the Psychlo chief of security, who hates his job and has to contend with a band of rebellious earthlings. The director is Roger Christian, who, if early audience response is anything to go by, would do well to flee the country under an assumed name. The co-star is Forest Whitaker, a fine actor who must be praying that audiences will fail to penetrate his heavy disguise. And the script is adapted from the novel by L. Ron Hubbard, the father of Scientology; it would have taken all his fabled powers of spirit and intellect to weather this catastrophe. Meanwhile, for those who have wondered whether a philosophical message is embedded deep inside this film, good news. There is such a message, and it reads: "You are free to leave." -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker