the thing.
Here is the thing... Goose gives me shit this past weekend, saying I've been getting ripped in The Black Lodge. So I log on yesterday to post -- it was three weeks since my last post I'll admit, but I'm getting married in 2 weeks, ya heartless bastards -- and I'm shut out.
So I'm back. Just to warn you, there will be a week when I'll be on my honeymoon (Puerta Vallarta), followed by a week sometime in December when I'll be travelling for work -- both where I won't be able to post -- I'm just telling you guys now so I don't get kicked out again.
So back to it, Beckett gets traded to BOS today (pending approval & physicals) -- marking the first blockbuster move of the offseason (not counting the Kenji Johjima signing by the M's) -- so what do you guys think?
I believe the deal is a no brainer for BOS -- they are getting a 25 year old legitimate #1 starter in Beckett & pull-hitting 3B in Lowell for 3 minor leaguers. I guess my question is: Why can't the Mariners pull off this type of deal? I'm not talking about dealing for Beckett/Lowell specifically, since I do realize that we signed Fat Beltre to a balloon contract to play 3B and thus a Beckett/Lowell trade would be impossible. But it seems the M's can't pull off a big trade unless there backs are against the wall -- trading Junior, The Big Unit & Freddy to name a few -- all dealt after they weren't happy and demanded to be traded.
Why didn't the M's Japanese ownership teams gut the front office of SEA after Gillick left? Why are there so many questions about the direction of the club? Hopefully Seattle will swing a deal for Delgado or another LH power hitter + add a top of the rotation SP soon before waiting until the market dictates their salary demands. But will the Mariners act ahead of the curve? History says no.
So I'm back. Just to warn you, there will be a week when I'll be on my honeymoon (Puerta Vallarta), followed by a week sometime in December when I'll be travelling for work -- both where I won't be able to post -- I'm just telling you guys now so I don't get kicked out again.
So back to it, Beckett gets traded to BOS today (pending approval & physicals) -- marking the first blockbuster move of the offseason (not counting the Kenji Johjima signing by the M's) -- so what do you guys think?
I believe the deal is a no brainer for BOS -- they are getting a 25 year old legitimate #1 starter in Beckett & pull-hitting 3B in Lowell for 3 minor leaguers. I guess my question is: Why can't the Mariners pull off this type of deal? I'm not talking about dealing for Beckett/Lowell specifically, since I do realize that we signed Fat Beltre to a balloon contract to play 3B and thus a Beckett/Lowell trade would be impossible. But it seems the M's can't pull off a big trade unless there backs are against the wall -- trading Junior, The Big Unit & Freddy to name a few -- all dealt after they weren't happy and demanded to be traded.
Why didn't the M's Japanese ownership teams gut the front office of SEA after Gillick left? Why are there so many questions about the direction of the club? Hopefully Seattle will swing a deal for Delgado or another LH power hitter + add a top of the rotation SP soon before waiting until the market dictates their salary demands. But will the Mariners act ahead of the curve? History says no.
posted by Unknown at 2:50 PM
6 Comments:
First, welcome back Joe...and had we gotten a post like this in the last month, you wouldn't have had to go to arbitration, but nice comeback post...
I was going to talk about this yesterday, but never got around to it: great deal for BoSox, any Yankee fan needs to have the fear of Jesus Quintana put in them after this deal...they go out and pay about 700% more than market value for Carly Pav's and then the Sox take on Lowell's salary and get a 25 year old top of the rotation stud: a game 7 starter, who's already been in Yankee Stadium and shut down the bomber's, good move by whoever is running the Sox (or whoever was?)...
On to the hometown 9: I don't think looking to NY/Bos/LA is an acceptable model for building the franchise, if you want to look at a model, I think the: ChiSox/Oak/Atl model is a better example for Seattle, and that only means that everyone has a clear vision of how the club is going to win, enough bats to gut it out, defense that saves 2-3 runs a game and pitching that utilizes the ball park and the Defense...unfortunately...that model only works when everyone buys into what game you're trying to play...which brings me to our beloved franchise in Pacific NW:
critque time: when your bottom line for every season is showing profit margin in the black, championships will always be avoided.wait, one more. Sports franchises are not an annual profit cow for overall revenue, but its the long term appreciation of the franchise that is valued not year in and year out. and another. and it's not that the people on top don't know this, but whenever you have a:
committee type ownership board, with multiple investors who don't have the capital as a Reinsdorf or the Cowboy's Wife in Anaheim, the appreciation of the franchise comes second to the annual season take...which brings me to the majority group, who perhaps is not even interested in what product is being put out on the field, only that his product is being advertised behind home-plate in Japanese for 82 home games...this mentality trickles down to President Lincoln/ the Madness of Bill Bavasi (which should be its own post really) & "I'm getting paid in Cash right?" Grover...
What does this mean though? well, it means that putting enough big name free agents and showing that your semi-interested enough in spending money for wins and losses will sell 3 million tickets a season, what it doesn't mean is that you have concise formula for winning and getting better, instead the M's give us some hybrid, looking to grow, but still have some crafty veteran's that everyone can get behind and become community spokesmen
Now personally I think Stand Pat gutted the farm system that hasn't been all that strong since A-Rod was developed, leaving the M's w/ their hat in the hand and nowhere to take a dump...but, hey, its not really about winning is it? its really about hanging out at Pyramid gettin' sloppy, doing some Garlic Fries than Ice Cream Dots, leaving in the 7th to beat traffic and making sure Ichiro knows we love him...
I would have to agree that the Safeco experience is what brings a lot of the so-called "fans" into the stadium. If you've ever been down to the beer garden you'd agree.
But admist your Econ 101 post, your comment about the M's putting out a hybrid of a, in other words, paper team that the region can get excited about is spot on. I don't think they do care about winning championships... which is sad.
That said, what about the Johjima signing? No comments on that? From what I'm reading today, it sounds like he could bat around .280 and give Dan Wilson like defense. Which is more than we could hope for from Dan Wilson every year, and about the same price ($5 mil per yr). Not bad.
Johjima -.280 30HR 95RBI's wouldn't be bad behind the plate. I just hope the guy can stay healthy and can hack it in the MLB. Now if we can only get him to walk out to the South Park song.... Less fighting Love, Less fighting love.
I don't really see the M's ever taking that step toward dominace on the field. they lack the collective Huevos to get it done. Mr. Lincoln and the 7 samuri back on the big Island of Honshu are keen on making that bottom line. Jim's comment on the attitude of a "fan" was right on. The city is content with a micro brew and Ivar Dog and some shishkaberries to make there baseball excursion complete. Trust me that don't fly in real baseball towns.
Sorry Joe, I realized I missed commenting on Johjima...and here's my only take: outside of Ichiro,
I'm still a little skeptical about how Japanese numbers translate to MLB...not a single Japanese player has come to MLB and duplicated their dominance from the Island(save one)...w/o Shef' and ARod, I'm not sure Godzilla is even still playing in MLB...realistically I think we're looking at .275-.280, 20-25, 75-90rbi, considering what you got out of that position last year: an expeditional improvement...so yeah...I still don't know what I'm really saying
looks like RP Mota was included in the deal before it closed late last night:
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2005/11/25/red_sox_finalize_an_extended_deal/
big time coup by the sox. they jumped. jim, you are right, the yanks are probably shitting themselves.
Joe.
I can understand the honeymoon because you will be....."gettin busy" Tappin it while married is different from tappin it as a single man. Have fun.
But a business trip? Please. Bring you laptop. Hook up to the Wi-Fi in the hotel and do your civic Black Lodge duty. I posted from Spokane accross the street from Gonzaga U. Take 5 minutes and get off the schnide!!!
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