If Pat Gillick is coming back to Seattle as part of ownership change, perhaps he is thinking of bringing one of the Phillies top prospects with him? One rumor just posted has the Mariner scouting Carlos Carrasco for potential trade value. The article goes on to mention that the Phillies might be interested in Bedard. Anyone know anything about Carrasco? Hard to part with Bedard for anything not approaching what we gave up... Jones, Tillman and Sherrill. Seems hard to imagine we'll get anything like that. Apparently Mariner scouts will be in Philadelphia checking out some of the other prospects too.

Update: here is the original source for rumor.

I've been living in Boston for the past 6 years. A few weeks ago my wife and I went to see Felix pitch six shutout innings against the Red Sox in Fenway. That was a good day.

After the game we were leaving Fenway when a number of drunk Boston fans started chanting "Beat LA". I laughed and shook my head in disgust. My wife noticed and asked me why. This got us to talking about the nature of sports fans.

It has been hard these past few years watching Boston fans celebrate success after success of their local clubs. But the reaction to the recent Celtics success has been particularly hard to watch. I explained to my wife that it's hard for me to see all these bandwagon fans who for the past six years were absolutely silent about the Celtics all of a sudden come out of the woodwork and paint the city green. I haven't so much as had one conversation in the past six years with any Boston sports fan about the Celtics, but now this year, overnight, you can't walk down the street without seeing a sea of green t-shirts.

So this led to a discussion about exactly why this bothered me and I found myself struggling to explain. I recounted the the reasons why I've been a Mariners fan all these years even while living in Boston and watching everyone celebrate the RedSox and Patriot's successes all the while watching the M's flounder in the basement of their division.

I'm a Mariners fan now, because my Grandfather is. And because my cousins are and my uncles are. Because my whole family is from Washington and that is how I grew up. I can no more change my allegiance than I can change my family. And what's more, I love baseball.

My wife countered with something along the lines of, "But the team you were watching as a kid is gone! The team -now- is not the same team! And the current team... sucks. So why are you still a 'fan'?"

My reply? That's exactly backward! The team has not changed. The players have changed. Yes, the players are important and I have fond memories of many past Mariner players. But I have no emotional investment in the day-to-day play of Jamie Moyer for instance since he left the Mariners. And Jamie is my all time favorite Mariner. The same is true for dozens of former M's who are now playing for different teams. Sure I might look back fondly on certain guys (some more than others), but my team is still the Mariners.

All of this points to the title. For me, Ichiro is not the Mariners. He's a great player and my late Grandmother's favorite Mariner of all time. On the other hand, he is an aging player who is assuredly going to be declining in the next few years as almost all players do. And the M's are now all about the future. Or should be. That's why it is disturbing to see a frontpage post on U.S.S. Mariner which flat out disowns the mere thought of trading Ichiro, but nonetheless seriously entertains the idea of trading Felix.

And I've seen many similar sentiments expressed on this site and others as well. I get that some of this is just a response to certain anti-Ichiro articles in the media that place blame on Ichiro for the teams recent failures. But Ichiro, a thirty four year old right fielder who hits singles should be untouchable while Felix Hernandez who is still a kid and getting paid pennies is not?? And for a team in need of major rebuilding?? I just don't understand.

To be clear, I'm in favor of entertaining all serious offers. For any player. I think any front office that fails to do so is incompetent and deserves to be fired. Unlike some I don't think any current player should be completely untouchable. Now, whether I trust the current front office to pursue such offers is an entirely different matter!

For me, no one player is more important than the future success of this team. I enjoy watching Ichiro and don't want to see him go. He is currently one of the few remaining things that make the M's enjoyable to watch. However, he is not the Mariners. He's just a player and one that is getting older at that. It is just not clear that a future M's team with a real shot of postseason success can be put together with Ichiro as a central piece.

I was a Mariner's fan long before Ichiro came along and I'll be a Mariner's fan long after he is gone. For better or worse. I trust that holds for the majority of the people on this site who really don't have a choice in the matter either.

So ask yourself this, if the Mariners hired your personal favorite for GM and gave him the keys to the club and along came another Bavasi representing another club and offered up his choicest of Minor League prospects for Ichiro, wouldn't you want the offer to be seriously looked at?

The Yankees pitching sucks.  Joe Torre just inked a new contract, but I think it is at least possible that Torre's head will be on the block before long if the Yanks can't get out of the cellar.  Just look at how Steinbrenner is reacting now.  You can't blame A-Rod.  They won't blame Jeter.  I can see Torre becoming the scapegoat for the highest paid team in baseball sinking to the bottom over the course of the season.

Poll

Torre for Hargrove?

28%

No.

15 votes

37%

Pie.

20 votes

33%

Yes.

18 votes

53 votes | Poll has closed

"He had everything going on tonight. He was just impossible," Boston's David Ortiz said.

"There was no room for error the way Hernandez was throwing," Red Sox manager Terry Francona told reporters, calling the Seattle pitcher "borderline unhittable."

ESPN has "King of Fenway" on main page and someone reported "Dice King" too!

Continue reading this post »

Horacio Ramirez, it seems, has an arm attached to the left side of his body.

"A left-hander in our park is a good fit."

Sure, Bavasi also says that he is young and has "plus stuff" (cough cough), but he is the same age as Soriano who could also throw a pretty good baseball.  

Good to know we have a GM like Bavasi to spot these incredible nuances.  If only everyone would realize that Horacio has a left arm I'm sure everyone would see the wisdom in this move.

19th --> Cameron Nobles - RHP - Jackson HS

20th --> Johan Limonta - 1B - Miami Dade CC South

21st --> Brent Gaphardt - LHP - U Delaware

Jason Churchill has a rundown of the first day here.

USSMariner has some good posts on the first day too: here, here, and here

22nd --> Fabian Williamson - LHP - Kennedy HS
23rd --> Marcos Villezcas - SS - Brigham Young U
24th --> Terrence Parker - RHP - U Washington
25th --> Tyson Gillies - CF - R.E. Mountain SS
26th --> Gregory Moviel - LHP - Vanderbilt U
27th --> Bryan Ball - RHP - U Florida
28th --> Everett Collis - RHP - Cornell U
29th --> Gregory Nesbitt - LHP - James Madison U
30th --> Matthew Vogel - SS - Lewis and Clark St Col

Looks like the rumored trade that will have Livingston starting is on hold at the moment.

JasonAChurchill Says: April 24th, 2006 at 4:56 pm

Apparently, the Mariners want to start Bobby but until they have a spot for him they are claiming to "need someone who can get through 3 or 4 innings in relief.
"We don’t have any trades on the table at the moment and nobody is going on the DL anytime in the next few days, unless something happens tonight or tomorrow." Jason also says in comments and in a follow-up post that Livingston is not suited for relief work, but that they might use him there until the rumored trade goes down. I think Eddie just took a dump on this potential trade.

Update [2006-4-25 11:58:38 by manyoso]: This article seems pretty sure that Livingston has been called up for relief, NOT for a start: So far Livingston has done that, going 1-1 with a 2.12 earned run average in three starts with the Rainiers, walking just two in 17 innings. He becomes the Mariners' fourth left-handed reliever - joining Eddie Guardado, Jake Woods and George Sherrill - and will pitch in long relief situations.

"You don't see four left-handers in the bullpen very often," Hargrove said. "It doesn't matter if you throw left-handed or right-handed, if you throw strikes and get people out, that's OK."

Livingston is fine with that.

"It's tough at any level to throw balls and be successful," he said. "They've preached to us to get ahead strike one, then work your way from there. What I've always been able to do is throw strikes."

My guess as to what is going down:

This will be a Red Sox/Mariners trade.

Going to Boston: Eddie Guardado and Joel Pineiro.

Coming to Seattle: Matt Clement. Perhaps others.

The reasoning: Matt Clement has continued to struggle with his location while his K rate has never recovered from what it was in the NL. The Red Sox are looking for a way to start Papelbon in lieu of Wells/DiNardo, but they can not do that without finding another option for closer besides Foulke. Hence they get Eddie.

This allows Boston to start Pineiro and Papelbon instead of Clement and DiNardo.

The M's get rid of Eddie allowing either Putz or Raffy to take over as closer and seemingly sell Piniero at his high water mark. Perhaps other players are involved, but I'll bet this is the gist of the trade.

link

Beltre talk: Hargrove said he sat down with hitting coach Jeff Pentland and third baseman Adrian Beltre before Saturday's game to discuss Beltre's recent hitting woes. Beltre is batting .132, hasn't driven in a run this year and is 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

 "He needs to just try to be Adrian," Hargrove said. "Everyone has spells like that, where they want to do well so badly that they don't do well."

 But Hargrove said he liked Beltre's final two at-bats in Friday night's game.

 In the fifth inning, with Richie Sexson on second base following a leadoff double, Beltre worked a seven-pitch at-bat against Curt Schilling before grounding out to shortstop, a play that advanced Sexson to third. Then, in the seventh, Beltre hit the ball hard, drilling an opposite-field fly to right that was caught by Wily Mo Pena.

 "Those were really good, solid at-bats with good approaches," Hargrove said. "It was really encouraging."

I wonder how Grover feels after today's game where Beltre went without a hit or BB.  To be fair, I can't blame Grover or Pentland for Beltre's AA batting, but I CAN blame him for wasting the 5th spot in the lineup on him.

It is time to move Adrian.  I don't care at this point what his problem is.  Some people think it is all in his head.  Others think 2004 was a fluke.  I personally think his eyesight has diminished.  Whatever.  It is time to move him in the lineup and appreciate him for the way he plays 3rd unless/until he can figure it out.

The Yanks are playing the A's tonight and if the Yanks win we're going to be occupying first place all by ourselves in the AL West...

But, isn't it morally evil to hope the Yankees win?  I am really wrestling with this.

1. 
   
2. Hope the hated Yanks win thereby giving the M's sole title to first place in the AL West.  Especially given we face a series against the A's next...
   
3. Hope the hated Yanks lose which is morally correct, but then we have to share first with the A's...
   

What to do... What to do??!!

I came over from lookoutlanding.com to see how Giants fans were reacting to the book.

You know, it is great to find that the majority of Giants fans can see to the end of their nose, but reading the comments, I see some folks who are still apologizing for Barry.  I want to take issue with all those fans who would excuse this on the basis that it wasn't against the rules until recently.  This is just a variation on the "Everyone's doing it" defense.  And it is a load of crap.

You know who never juiced?  Hank Aaron.  Babe Ruth.  Roger Maris.

To be sure, it's not all on Barry.  McGwire doesn't deserve the record anymore than BB, but enough is enough.  I don't want to see any previously juiced player flirting with Hank Aaron's record.  That's why Barry needs to be retired.

Just to let everyone know, the talk around Boston sports radio seems to center around bringing back Dave Roberts and/or trading for Reed.   For those of you hoping that the Damon signing will at the very least give Bavasi some leverage to get more than just Clement/Arroyo for Reed... I fear that the Roberts card will give that one away.

OTOH, Boston really isn't looking very solid to me right now.  Sure, they've had a decent start with the Beckett deal, but they also are sporting one of the worst bullpen's in the Major's and have just announced that Foulke will be the opening day closer.  He's a disaster.  They now have to find a leadoff guy and find a way to keep Manny from going off the deep end.

To be clear, the M's shouldn't trade Reed at all if we're just going to get a mediocre Arroyo/Clement, but if Bavasi can find a way to get some real prospects/arms... that'd make me feel better.

So says the CBS breaking news in the Boston area station.  A four year contract.

Link

Guess we'll find out how badly the M's want to deal Reed now, huh... :(

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The New York Post has an article claiming Pavano might still be up for grabs: Pavano Could Be Shopped

The Yanks have seven starters, but that's counting Aaron Small, who will open the season in the bullpen.  That leaves Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Chien-Ming Wang, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Shawn Chacon.  

Johnson and Mussina have no-trade clauses, Wang is untouchable, Chacon is relatively inexpensive and Wright's health history and salary ($7 million a year) make him difficult to move.

That means Pavano could be shopped, though teams have to be wary of a right shoulder problem that forced him appear in only 17 games and none after mid-June. And there is $30 million and three years remaining.

Still, Seattle has an interest and the Phillies talked about him at the Winter Meetings.

The Yankees could deal Pavano to the Mariners for center fielder Jeremy Reed, an above-average defender who batted .254 last year in 141 games.

The Yanks have been reported to have said Pavano is a no trade, but who knows...  I still don't like this deal, though.

What to make of the big turnaround?  Yesterday and today we had reports that multiple sources confirmed that the M's have offered a four year deal to Millwood for around 44 mil.  Multiple agents were said to have related this offer to various reporters.

And now, today, we have it come out that the team officially disclaims that this took place.  I know that perhaps this is just some jockeying on behalf of Bavasi, but perhaps this might mean that Millwood thought about the offer and passed on Seattle?  Maybe Bavasi doesn't want that to get out and the perception that comes with it.  I can see that as a possibility.

Forgive me if I'm a bit paranoid, but all this Carl Everett talk...

And now this article:

One industry source said the Mariners met with free agent outfielder Carl Everett on Monday afternoon, and USA Today Sports Weekly reported that a deal with the veteran outfielder/designated hitter could be coming soon. A call to Everett's agent, Larry Reynolds, was not returned.

Meanwhile, Barry Axelrod, the agent for free agent right-hander Matt Morris, said the Mariners were still in the mix, having made an offer Monday afternoon that was "competitive for where we are right now and keeps them in the game."

 Morris also is being pursued by his most recent team, the St. Louis Cardinals, in addition to the San Francisco Giants and possibly the Texas Rangers.

So, now we have the M's denying an offer to Millwood and apparently making an offer for Morris and Everett.

This is bad.  Very, very, bad.

More action without a Mariner deal anywhere to be seen :(

Farnsworth agrees to $17 million, three-year deal with Yankees

He doesn't view himself as auditioning for the Yankees' closer job when Rivera retires.
"My job is to go up and set up in the eighth inning to get to him in the ninth inning. That's what my job is going to be for the next three years," he said. "Whatever happens after that will happen." [...]
Prices for relievers have escalated this offseason, with B.J. Ryan getting a $47 million, five-year contract from Toronto and Billy Wagner accepting a $43 million, four-year offer from the New York Mets.
"Obviously this winter, where it's such a thin market, the reason the money has gotten so high is because there's very little choices," Cashman said.

Marlins' cost-cutting sends Castillo to Twins

The Florida Marlins' payroll purge left a gaping hole at second base Friday when they traded Luis Castillo to the Minnesota Twins for two pitching prospects. [...]
Minnesota gave up right-handers Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler. The Marlins plan to use the hard-throwing Bowyer in the bullpen next season, while Tyler will begin the year in their minor league system, general manager Larry Beinfest said.
The deal appealed to the Twins because they had a surplus of pitching prospects and a need for more offense from the infield. The switch-hitting Castillo, 30, batted .301 last season, including a major league-best .423 against left-handers, and won his third consecutive Gold Glove.

Well, I don't know about you guys, but isn't it great to see all this going down when you just know Bavasi is going to hook us up with injury prone Matt Morris?

Perhaps the Mariners are going to have some company in major league ball in the Pacific Northwest.  The Marlins are reportedly looking at moving the team and one of the primary spots being considered is the city to the south.

Samson said some cities have called the Marlins to discuss possibilities, including Portland, Ore., which moved quickly after Tuesday's announcement. Portland also wooed the Montreal Expos before they became the Washington Nationals.

"We made an introductory phone call," said Drew Mahalic, chief executive of the Oregon Sports Authority. "Hopefully this opens a dialogue with Portland and the state of Oregon as far as the advantages of relocating a team here."

I would love it if Portland got the team.  I'm from Washington State originally and will always be a Mariner fan first and foremost, but I went to HS in Portland.  If they could revamp Civic Stadium to host the Marlins, it would only be a plus in my book.  In the meantime, it looks like the Marlin's fire sale will continue.

This should be fun :)

Looks like all the Burnett VS Millwood talk might be for naught.  This article points to Jeff Weaver and Matt Morris as the two most likely options:

The free agent pitcher is not left-hander Jamie Moyer , though progress is expected on that front as well. Jeff Weaver and Matt Morris are the top two possibilities, but neither agent was willing to comment on potential negotiations at this time.

It's possible that the Mariners have already decided that Moyer is the second starting pitcher the club targets this winter. This would mean that the club is only looking to add one arm from outside the organization, unless a contract cannot be agreed to with Moyer.

GM Bill Bavasi and the rest of the front office is working on a trade that would bring the club a "much needed component", believed to be an offensive player that bats from the left side of the plate.

A club source has confirmed that most trade talks have been centered around the M's relief corps and some of the better prospects in the system, though no indication on specifics were revealed.

Hmmm, I wonder what prospects they are thinking of ponying up and which LH bat they have eyes for? Wilkerson?

Scout.com has a report speculating that a dozen M's are facing trade, arbitration or demotion for 2006.  The stated needs are 2 starting pitchers and a new outfield bat.  Those who are mentioned on the chopping block include Pineiro, Meche, Thornton and Bloomquist.

IOW, Not a lot that hasn't already been speculated about around here, but check it out.

Anyway, who do you want to see the first off the plank?

Poll

Who do you to see gone the most?

1%

Jo-El Pineiro

1 votes

32%

DIE THORNTON DIE!!

27 votes

56%

Ryan 'Spiroid' Franklin

47 votes

6%

Don't let the door hit 'ya... Mr. Nelson

5 votes

0%

Gil-Good-For-Nothing-Meche

0 votes

3%

Willie F***ing Ballgame

3 votes

83 votes | Poll has closed

Continue reading this post »

Those Texas announcers spent a good half hour talking about the difficulty of pronouncing the names of our new shortstop and catcher.  Well, according to this article, Betancourt would rather be called "Ricky" anyway :)

Reading another article, it appears that Ricky has become best friends with the King.

Continue reading this post »

WOOHOO!

I just got confirmation for some box seats at Fenway to see the Mariners play the Red Sox on May 7th!  My sister's company has an office in Boston and we just received the go ahead.  I'm so excited :)

By chance, anyone from lookoutlanding.com going to be at Fenway for the May 6th - 8th games?

Hi, from a Mariner fan from Lookout Landing!

First, I want to say that the idiotic fan was a true blue, first class jerk.  A real kneebiter.  He deserved to be kicked out.  For his sheer stupidity if nothing else.

Second, I don't think he was going for Sheffield.  The contact was incidental and I don't think it was intended.  I think the idiot was looking down towards the ball and was trying to make a motion towards it or something.  He wasn't even looking at Sheffield.

Third, Sheffield should have fielded the ball before he went after the fan.  That was pretty dumb on his part, but at least understandable.  I can see that he certainly thought the fan was going after him.

Finally, to measure how stupid the fan really was just think if he'd actually managed to get his hand on the ball.  It would have benefited the Yanks and hurt the Sox.  A true idiot.

PS I'm a Mariner fan first and then a Red Sox fan.  I can't stand the Yanks.  Mostly because of what you guys keep doing... winning :)

First, greetings from Boston, MA!

Nice to meet you all!  I'm in Boston, but have been a life long Mariner's fan hailing from the Yakima Valley.  SO, great site!

I just recently purchased MLB Gameday audio so I can listen to the Mariners at work or at home.  I'm wondering if I should have spent the money and purchased MLB.TV...

Which leads to the question:

How many here have MLB audio VS MLB.tv?

Poll

How many here have MLB audio VS MLB.tv?

48%

MLB TV

14 votes

6%

Other

2 votes

44%

MLB Gameday Audio

13 votes

29 votes | Poll has closed