Let's Talk Mariners

[Smelly McUgly]

I get the frustration because Lincoln and Armstrong are awful administrators, but that isn't the fans' faults. It is almost NEVER the fans' faults. I understand why someone would feel it valid not to reward this franchise for being so bad that they had to root against the Sonics coming back to make sure that people would still come to their games. I also understand why someone would keep rooting for, and spending money on, this team. It's also not like this team just cut payroll and has been content to make a profit while stinking. They lost a hundred games at a hundred-mil-plus payroll, after all.

 

[Lithium]

no one told Kyle Seager he's supposed to suck. Grand Slam to tie it in the 14th, down 1-2. Clutch.

 

[Throwdown]

I get the frustration because Lincoln and Armstrong are awful administrators, but that isn't the fans' faults. It is almost NEVER the fans' faults. I understand why someone would feel it valid not to reward this franchise for being so bad that they had to root against the Sonics coming back to make sure that people would still come to their games. I also understand why someone would keep rooting for, and spending money on, this team. It's also not like this team just cut payroll and has been content to make a profit while stinking. They lost a hundred games at a hundred-mil-plus payroll, after all.

Thing about it is, as apathetic as I feel towards the team, if I ever got the chance I'm still going to a game because live sports is such a fun atmosphere.

 

[425HawkSpark]

no one told Kyle Seager he's supposed to suck. Grand Slam to tie it in the 14th, down 1-2. Clutch.

What a guy!!! We might have lost but he is a bright spot on a dark team.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

We do have a couple of guys that are decent. Seager, Franklin looks good, and Kendrys Morales is a guy who can hit.

I think that next year is the key year. Felix + Iwakuma + probably two of the three-headed monster in the roster on the mound. Then a core of Seager, Franklin, Zunino, and hopefully a re-signed Morales. They need to get guys signed around these four, but they would have a fighting chance at a wild card spot.

Or I'm probably just deluding myself.

 

[m0ng0]

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/jun ... tment.html

hahaha what a jerk

 

[jkitsune]

We do have a couple of guys that are decent. Seager, Franklin looks good, and Kendrys Morales is a guy who can hit.

I think that next year is the key year. Felix + Iwakuma + probably two of the three-headed monster in the roster on the mound. Then a core of Seager, Franklin, Zunino, and hopefully a re-signed Morales. They need to get guys signed around these four, but they would have a fighting chance at a wild card spot.

Or I'm probably just deluding myself.

I think you're deluding yourself, but just a little bit. Franklin looks good, but no better or worse than Ackley looked his first year. Even Smoak started off fantastic. We can't really take for granted with young players that they're either going to continue being awesome or continue being bad. Michael Saunders took YEARS to become a productive player, and despite his current slump, he has legitimately looked like a starting caliber OF. Not the star we hoped he'd become, but like someone who could anchor CF and maybe make one All-Star game in his career. Hopefully he keeps that up.

Montero, Smoak, and Ackley could all rebound. None of them could. We won't know for a while. Smoak has been mediocre this year, but mediocre is a fair step up from atrocious, which hew as the last two. Maybe he'll keep improving.

Maybe Nick Franklin will continue to hit. Maybe he won't.

Maybe none of our pitching prospects will work out (I'm reminded of 2004ish when we had a similar crop of young pitching, all of which flopped), and then what? Even if they come up next year, is anyone expecting them tod ominate? Even King Felix was average as a rookie (though to be fair, average as a 19-year-old was an incredible feat).

No one year is the 'key' year anymore. The M's should have been good by now, but prospects didn't pan out the way we hoped. However, the talent is still there, and whether it's this year, next year, or the year after, if it ever does, the M's could genuinely become good.

One thing that's fascinating to me about this year's team is how bad their pitching has been, but how decent their offense has been. It has translated to a nearly identical record compared to last year at this time. Last year, a lot of people felt like they wouldn't care how bad the record, as long as they could see some home runs - personally, I feel about the same about this team as I did last year, and I haven't heard many people (on here or otherwise) say 'well, they suck, but it's better than last year because their hitting is better.'

Just random thoughts. At any rate, go M's.

 

[JSeahawks]

First round pick in today's draft:

DJ Peterson, 3rd basemen from New Mexico.

Peterson has gone from high school afterthought -- the Mariners selected him in the 33rd round of the 2010 draft -- to arguably the top hitter in the nation in the span of three years. The right-handed hitter is listed at 6-foot-1 and 215 lbs., and his quick hands and smooth mechanics allow him to square up the ball consistently. He has some power but a very advanced approach at the plate. Peterson lacks the first-step quickness and soft hands to remain at third long-term despite a strong arm, meaning left field or first base are his likely destinations.

He came into the week with a .408/.520/.807 slash line with 18 home runs and only 35 strikeouts against 46 walks in 55 games.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-o ... k-profiles

 

[Smelly McUgly]

I suppose that I should have been more clear; 2014 is the big year for Jack Z. I think he will get until next year to see if enough of his prospects pan out. If they don't at least make a serious run at the playoffs, I am sure that he will be gone.

But the rest of it is a lot of wishing and hoping, as jkitsune rightly points out. We need at least three prospects to turn out, by my count (two of the pitchers and Zunino) PLUS have Franklin keep hitting. That already is pretty tough for a team that, as of late, has only developed Kyle Seager into something resembling a good player (and a borderline All-Star candidate, I think).

Saunders, I'm not sure about. I keep thinking that he's figured it out, but then he was hitting worse than Brendan Ryan at one point after he came off the DL. Maybe he is still getting over that injury.

Meh, I'll assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised if the Ms do well. I just desperately want some playoff baseball here in Seattle again.

 

[KitsapHawk]

Harang back to crapping the bed again.

 

[425HawkSpark]

Harang back to crapping the bed again.

I would say he is crap in the bed with maybe a hand full of good games in the last 2 years.

 

[m0ng0]

Harang back to crapping the bed again.

I am a glass half full guy.......I saw Bevan pitch 6.1 innings of 1 hit ball. :thirishdrinkers:

 

[The Outfield]

Harang back to crapping the bed again.

I am a glass half full guy.......I saw Bevan pitch 6.1 innings of 1 hit ball. :thirishdrinkers:

and 4.2 innings of perfect game (no hits, no walks)

 

[Happypuppy]

The Ms obviously are not a very good team. The White Sox are just worse than they are; a decent team like the NYY exposes them. My fear is that I don't see the Ms getting better in the future (3-5 years) after looking at the Seahawks and how they draft and contrasting that the Ms I have reached some conclusions.

The Seahawks draft high upside players. Players that for whatever reason are athletes but didn't show it in combine tests or try outs. A bad year, injury, out of position etc.

The Ms try as much as possible to go for the safe bet. Low risk, good character bit most of the time have a low upside. Pretty much what you see is what you get.

They seem to do better when they sign free agents that have a good track record but a bad year or two. That is pretty much the only position players doing anything on the team today.

It seems to me that the Ms are betting a whole lot on the Farm system developing position players for the team and it has just not happened. Doing the same thing over and over when it is not working is foolish.

I would take a hard look at the scouting and coaching in the minor league system. If they really want to use a farm team centric approach they need to find out why the farm system is failing and fix it

 

[m0ng0]

Sounds like RW is throwing out the first pitch tonight, with our pitching it may be the best we see tonight !

 

[Happypuppy]

Sounds like RW is throwing out the first pitch tonight, with our pitching it may be the best we see tonight !

Go to the vine video site Kam Chancellor has a video of RW throwing the "first pitch" in the the Hawks locker room. He is user bambamkam

 

[The Outfield]

I'd request that he pitch the rest of the game if it weren't for the possibility of him getting hurt.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Two batters in and Bonderman looks like Bonderman. Time for Wilson!

 

[400WattHPSHawk]

Two batters in and Bonderman looks like Bonderman. Time for Wilson!

6 Innings 3 hits, one run (earned) not bad. Bartender closed the deal.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Really good to see Bonderman have a decent outing. Dude's a Washington native (Pasco) and I always root for homegrowns.