Gotta love these guys

[Sticky Spice]

This is the BEST THING that could happen!!!!!

We are coming off a surprisingly decent year which unfortunately only cemented our blockhead GM Bavasi to remain.

Now we had high expectations, we made at least one big move to improve our team (Bedard), and we had "experts" picking us to win the division. Let the terrible season continue! Hopefully each loss is a nail in Bavasi's coffin. That's the ONLY way we possibly have a future.

But then my friend pointed out something else... can ANYone succeed in the near future? We have a lot of money tied up in bad contracts and extensions.

[Big Pimpin]

There were certainly a lot of people with high expectations, though I wasn't one. Certainly I hoped for the best but by no means was I counting on it. That being said, I'm hoping that this spectacular failure will lead to heads rolling. Unfortunately if the only heads that roll are Bavasi's and McLaren's, then it's probably not good enough. Lincoln and Armstrong need to go as well, unless they finally buy in to a rebuilding plan. They've got to realize that they way they've been building baseball teams is not effective.

As far as contracts go, I don't think they're in that bad of shape. Assuming that someone realizes Vidro is a terrible investment at DH and keeps him from getting at bats, his option won't vest and he'll be gone. Sexson is gone after this year. Washburn and Batista are both gone after 2010. The two that are the worst are Silva and Johjima.

Honestly I'd just start moving anyone and everyone (of course I also hope that Bavasi isn't doing the trading). I'd start by DFAing Vidro and Cairo just out of spite. Felix is untouchable but he's the only one on the major league roster. I'd kick the tires on extensions for Beltre and Bedard but if the interest isn't there I'd move them. I love Ichiro but if you can get some good talent for him then I'd move him as well and give him a chance to get a ring. Ibanez would certainly interest someone who needed a LH bat. Putz would certainly be attractive to someone needing bullpen help. I'd eat some of the money owed to Washburn, Batista, and Silva just to move them to the first team that wants any piece of them. I'd move Johjima too if you can find a taker. And if not I'd consider moving Clement for young talent at another position.

Then I'd give the kids a shot (again hoping that a GM with a clue has gotten some good young talent for Bedard, Beltre, Putz, Ibanez, and Ichiro). Guys in the organization and guys you bring in. Let them play and figure out who's got a future with the big club and who doesn't. Along the way you find guys who are undervalued and grab them through trades or good FA signings. Stay away from overpaying for "superstars." After a crappy year or two some of the talent should be blossoming and things should be looking up. Aumont should be ready and hopefully Morrow is a good starter by then. Triunfel should be ready. At this point you should know what you've got and what you don't and can start bringing the payroll back up a bit and filling in the holes.

Of course this is all dependent on having a GM in place that has a plan and can execute it.

[Tavish]

Holy crap, you don't really care much for anyone on the team do you BP?

[Big Pimpin]

Holy crap, you don't really care much for anyone on the team do you BP?

It's not that I don't care for anyone on the roster, it's just that it was a terribly constructed team. I love Felix. The kid has probably the best raw stuff in MLB and at some point will be the best pitcher in baseball. He's been throwing way too many fastballs so far this year though and it's gotten him in some trouble. But when he figures it all out, watch out. People forget that he's barely 22. He's going to be great for a long time and I hope he retires a Mariner.

Besides him, as far as regulars go I like Bedard, Ichiro, Beltre, Putz, Jose Lopez, Johjima, Balentien, and Ibanez. But I'm also a realist. If Bedard and Beltre aren't going to re-sign, then trade them ASAP for prospects. Ibanez is almost 36 and can't play LF and can't hit LHP. He will not be useful at all by the time we're legitimate contenders again so you might as well move him for something. I love watching Ichiro play but again, if you can get some good prospects for him then he might be more valuable as a trade chip. Putz is the same way. Good deal for a great reliever, but if you can get good prospects for him then do it. Joh is fine when he's hitting but if someone wants him then move him. Balentien could be very good in the right park but I think Safeco will kill him as a RH pull hitter. I'm fine with giving him some time to see what happens though.

I just don't see the point in spending money on guys when you're going nowhere. Especially if by the time you're going somewhere, those guys could well be in some other city anyway.

As for the rest, Betancourt is overrated defensively and not a good hitter. Vidro is perhaps the worst DH of the last 10 years. Sexson is a joke. The rotation outside of Bedard and Felix is crap (that costs $30M a year no less). There are some good arms in the pen and they're all young and cheap so that's good (Morrow has been flat-out nasty lately though I'd still like to see him starting). Clement is definitely worth a long look and there's also some other good young talent in the system but they need time (and boy do I still wish we had AJ, Sherrill, Tillman, Mickolio, and Butler in the fold).

Really what I want to see more than anything is a GM come in with a plan to right the ship. I don't want to see them keep taping inner tubes and life rafts to the side of the damn boat to try to keep it afloat for one more year. Billy Beane said that "you're either building something special or you have something that's special. In between is no-man's land." Unfortunately the M's are stuck in no-man's land and have been for like the last 6 years. I'm tired of it. With the fans, the ballpark, the revenue streams, etc. that they have there's no excuse for it. We just lack visionary leadership (and that extends further than the field and general managers) and it's very disappointing. Just think what Josh Byrnes or Mark Shapiro or Billy Beane could do with a $120M payroll... There are guys out there who can turn it around sooner rather than later and I'd just love to see it.

[kellythemick]

Holy crap, you don't really care much for anyone on the team do you BP?

It's not that I don't care for anyone on the roster, it's just that it was a terribly constructed team. I love Felix. The kid has probably the best raw stuff in MLB and at some point will be the best pitcher in baseball. He's been throwing way too many fastballs so far this year though and it's gotten him in some trouble. But when he figures it all out, watch out. People forget that he's barely 22. He's going to be great for a long time and I hope he retires a Mariner.

Besides him, as far as regulars go I like Bedard, Ichiro, Beltre, Putz, Jose Lopez, Johjima, Balentien, and Ibanez. But I'm also a realist. If Bedard and Beltre aren't going to re-sign, then trade them ASAP for prospects. Ibanez is almost 36 and can't play LF and can't hit LHP. He will not be useful at all by the time we're legitimate contenders again so you might as well move him for something. I love watching Ichiro play but again, if you can get some good prospects for him then he might be more valuable as a trade chip. Putz is the same way. Good deal for a great reliever, but if you can get good prospects for him then do it. Joh is fine when he's hitting but if someone wants him then move him. Balentien could be very good in the right park but I think Safeco will kill him as a RH pull hitter. I'm fine with giving him some time to see what happens though.

I just don't see the point in spending money on guys when you're going nowhere. Especially if by the time you're going somewhere, those guys could well be in some other city anyway.

As for the rest, Betancourt is overrated defensively and not a good hitter. Vidro is perhaps the worst DH of the last 10 years. Sexson is a joke. The rotation outside of Bedard and Felix is crap (that costs $30M a year no less). There are some good arms in the pen and they're all young and cheap so that's good (Morrow has been flat-out nasty lately though I'd still like to see him starting). Clement is definitely worth a long look and there's also some other good young talent in the system but they need time (and boy do I still wish we had AJ, Sherrill, Tillman, Mickolio, and Butler in the fold).

Really what I want to see more than anything is a GM come in with a plan to right the ship. I don't want to see them keep taping inner tubes and life rafts to the side of the damn boat to try to keep it afloat for one more year. Billy Beane said that "you're either building something special or you have something that's special. In between is no-man's land." Unfortunately the M's are stuck in no-man's land and have been for like the last 6 years. I'm tired of it. With the fans, the ballpark, the revenue streams, etc. that they have there's no excuse for it. We just lack visionary leadership (and that extends further than the field and general managers) and it's very disappointing. Just think what Josh Byrnes or Mark Shapiro or Billy Beane could do with a $120M payroll... There are guys out there who can turn it around sooner rather than later and I'd just love to see it.

Looking back on this I give . Outside of the down year Johjima had, which might come into play evaluating him now, it could have been written in October.