Home again
So, after possibly the worst road trip in recent memory, the Mariners are back in town tonight. I’m strapping on the armor, preparing my senses for the onslaught.
Because tonight, the Orioles come to town. With the Free agent who clearly indicated Seattle was his first choice this winter.
Former AL MVP, Miguel Tejada.
A shortstop, in case anyone is interested.
You know, the peice of the offensive puzzle our team is missing.
Where’s our old shortstop, you might ask? Well if you track back a few years (our “championship” years, if you will), you’ll see them all this month.
Omar Vizquel, (little O to his Seattle fans) is still with the Indians, to whom he was unceremoniously shipped when….
Reigning AL MVP, Pay-Rod became the everday guy. Alex, of course, signed the most expensive contract in sports history, driving the game deeping into financial “ruin”, according to “Dud” Selig. Who was, of course, replaced by…
Carlos Guillen, currently with the Tigers. The Tigers, by the way, are 18 and 19, one game under .500. But they started the year on an absolute tear, aided by Guillen, and…..
World Series MVP, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. Also a free agent in the offseason. Also interested in playing in Seattle.
There’s a common thread through all of this. All of the players listed above WANTED to come to, or keep playing for the Seattle Mariners. Yet the new ownership offered only token interest, (if any) in each of them.
The Yankees signed Pay-Rod for the effective salary of $800,000 this year. The Rangers are carrying the lion’s share of his remaining contract, and the Yankees cut salary all over the place to have the best Shortstop in the game play…
Third base. Third Friggin base. Because no other team (**coughMarinerscough**) needed a shortsop in the offseason, or was looking for a shortstop in the offseason, or has, say, $8 MILLION DOLLARS just sitting around doing nothing.
Jerks.
Mariners front office management stinks to high heaven. I pay their salary. I pay a lot of it. And their performance as my employees sucks rocks, and I’m tired of it.
Someone lend me $ 350 Million. There’s a new sherriff in town, and he’s taking out the trash.