Mariners Trim It Down To Seven Finalists

I don't know what's the bigger surprise: The fact that the Mariners released the names of their seven finalists or that said finalists have managed exactly ZERO major league games.

Thoughts on the list:

-No problem with the lack of experience. Every great manager had no experience at one point. Plus, I'm tired of the retread hires.

-The sentimental favorite among Mariner fans has to be Joey Cora. Not here. Look, 1995 was great but it's over. If he's the best fit for the job, fine. Don't hire him because of his appearance in "My Oh My."

-Brad Mills is an interesting candidate. He has spent a lot of time with Terry Francona, the two-time World Series Champion manager of the Boston Red Sox. As much as I hate Boston, stealing one of their coaches doesn't bother me if it means Seattle success.

-I don't think Randy Ready is ready for a major league manager's role. Let's get somebody who has been part of a big league ball club the last few years.

-There is no doubt Tony LaRussa is a Hall of Fame manager. Jose Oquendo has worked with him for the last nine years. Has he soaked up enough knowledge to lead this team to a championship?

-Whoever Jackie-Z decides to hire, they must be prepared and suited to rebuild. This team is not going to be competitive in the near feature. He needs be able to manage and develop young talent, then once they are ready, lead them deep into October.

What Do You Do With Raul Ibanez?

The Mariners had three players file for free agency: Miguel Cario, Willie Bloomquist, and Raul Ibanez. I know, I know, the thought of losing both Cario and Bloomquist might be too much for Mariner Nation to handle. (Yes, Mariner Nation. If the Red Sox can call themselves a nation, then so can every other MLB team.)

Coming off a 101-loss season, with a new general manager and probable field manager, this team is in no place to even think about contention in 2009. So, what do you do with your best offensive weapon from a team who's offense stinks? He is going to want a multi-year deal, worth more than a team rebuilding should spend on a 36 year old leftfielder. Add in the fact that you don't have a major-league ready prospect waiting in the wings.

The other part to this question is whether or not Ibanez even wants to resign with Seattle. He has never played on a playoff team and the desire to win a ring and go out on a winning team has to pull him toward leaving the Mariners. Losing 23 home runs and 110 RBI off a team that was offensively anemic in 2008 is not a desirable thing for M fans, but it does then give you an opportunity to plan for the future out in left.

So, I ask you: What do you do with Raul Ibanez?

Bedard Deal: Good Move

The Mariners finally completed the Bedard-for-Jones deal today. A lot of Mariner fans are upset over the deal, especially the boys over at U.S.S. Mariner. We love those guys' work and we read them weekly, but we have to disagree with them on this one.

The M's just acquired the top left-handed starter in the Amiercan League. Match that with Felix Hernandez and the Mariner's have the best lefty-righty combo in the league. Last season the M's starting pitching was bad, now it looks like the strongest part of the team. The bullpen broke down because the starters couldn't pitch deep into games. Gone now are the days of Jeff Weaver, Horacio Ramieriz, and Cha Seung Beak. The guys at U.S.S. Mariner found that in games started by those three (plus Ryan Feierabend) the M's went 32-36. We gotta believe that they will go 40-28 in those games this season. Add into that the fact that the bullpen should be better rested and the offense won't have to score as many runs, based on the improved pitching, and the Mariners are better off.

What's the most important thing in MLB? Starting Pitching! Did the Mariners pay a price to get it? Yes, they paid a hefty price. Adam Jones most likely will be a star in this league, but he isn't a start yet. Bedard is a proven commidity, someone that is a potential Cy Young canidate every season. The fact that the Mariners not only traded Jones but a quality lefty reliever and their top minor league pitcher in 2007 shows the worth of Bedard. They traded a lot but the Mariner's didn't trade away the farm.

Compare the Mariner's 1-2 guys with other teams in the American League. Other than Detriot's Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman, Bedard and Hernandez are tops. It might just be our personally perference, but we love the thought of having a solid 1-2 punch better than the good chance of a quality rightfielder.

M's acquire Erik Bedard from Baltimore [Seattle Times]

Bedard Looks Like A Mariner In Next 24 Hours

The Seattle Times is reporting that the Mariners have traded Adam Jones to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Erik Bebard. Jones would not be the only Mariner in the trade, possibly George Sherril or Brandon Morrow could also be going to Baltimore.

We are very excited about this trade right now, but we don't know all the details. We could change our mind if the M's traded away the farm. We were never big Jones fans, he never seemed to perform in the majors, albeit in limited action.

Getting Bedard gives the M's a solid 1-2 punch with Felix Hernandez. That lefty-righty combo could help the Mariners compete with the Angels in the West. Right now it looks like the rotation would be Bedard, Hernandez, Batista, Silva, and Washburn.

The trade isn't final, so we'll have to wait and see.

Jones-Bedard trade in works [Seattle Times]

So Which Mariners Will Be In The Mitchell Report?

The countdown is on to the release of the Mitchell Report, something that can ruin the late 90s and early 2000s for many baseball fans. The question we have up here in the Northwest, a.k.a the end of the earth, is what, if any, Mariners will be named?

We have to believe that Bret Boone will be on the list. Jose Guillen for sure will make it, but what about Adrian Beltre? Beltre did have an abnormally great year in 2004, leading to the Mariners sinking millions of dollars into him. Was that year the product of a steroid-infused body?

The person's name we are most worried about seeing in that report: Edgar Martinez. He is the real Mr. Mariner and was part of our most unforgettable Mariner memories. If he is outed as a steroid abuser it will permanently scar our perception of him and the many great memories we have of him.

We will never forget Edgar's last game. We had the game on the TV, muted so we could listen to Dave Niehaus call his final at bat. It was the end of an era, the end of the career of the only major player who stuck around. Edgar will always be remembered for being a great teammate, community member, and loyal Mariner. Let's hope, after tomorrow, we aren't remembering him for anything else.

Ichiro Almost Wore Pinstripes

This is an older story by apparently Ichiro was almost a Yankee. He had the teams narrowed down to the Mariners and Yankees, his wife then persuaded him to stay in Seattle.

The thought of Ichiro in pinstripes makes us sick, not as sick as if he was a Red Sox, but we digress. We aren't huge Ichiro fans, but we like him on the team. The Yankees and Red Sox are the worst so if we had to watch him slap singles for them it would have caused us to drink like Richie Sexson on his way to a Blazers game.

If the Mariners can pull off some sort of miracle, like trade for Johan Santana, then they have an opportunity to make a playoff push. Of course the Angels signing Torri Hunter doesn't help Seattle's cause.

If Not For His Wife, Ichiro Might be A Yankee [Enjoy the Enjoyment]
The Angels sign Hunter to a $90 million deal [NY Times]

M's Should Sign This Guy

There has been talk of the Mariners pursuing Hiroki Kuroda, a RHP out of Japan. He is a free agent so there is no posting fee and could come at a bargain compared to some other pitchers out there.

The Mariners could have an upperhand in signing Kuroda. He has a 103-89 career record in 11 seasons pitching in Japan. He has a career 3.69 ERA and has thrown 74 complete games. Kuroda has a 90-92 mph fastball, he throws a slider similar to Dice-K's, but he doesn't throw a curveball. His best pitch is a fork-split, which is his strikeout pitch.

Kuroda projects as a #3 starter in MLB and the Mariners have 2 openings in their rotation. Since he will come cheaper then some no-good, garbage free agent pitchers out there we think the Marines have to make a serious offer to him.

A Hernandez, Batista, Kuroda, Washburn, Rowland-Smith rotation doesn't get us jacked up over the roof, it does look better then if it had some of the other free agent pitchers out there in it. We discussed U.S.S. Mariner's offseason plan earlier, where they had the M's adding Bartolo Colon. If Seattle adds Kuroda and Colon, then it shows they are making a serious effort to improve the team, realizing that they cannot just sit on their hands because this team won 88 games last season.

Mariners in hunt for Japanese ace? [Tacoma News Tribune]
The Japanese Scouting Report [Prospect Insider]

Mariners Offseason Plan: Dave Cameron's Version

Dave Cameron, from U.S.S. Mariner came out with his 2007 offseason plan. After reading it, it seems very reasonable. The Mariners have to add pitching if they want to have any chance next year and his plan has them adding an expensive, but necessary starter in Bartolo Colon.

The idea of getting rid of Richie Sexson is a great idea. We have wanted Ibanez moved to 1st base since May of last season. Like Dave states the defense will improve with a younger, quicker OF that will help the pitchers. Adam Jones has to have an opportunity to play everyday or why else do the Mariners still have him? If you aren't going to trade him then let him play, don't waste his talent in Tacoma. We don't know much about Geoff Jenkins so we'll gonna trust him on that one.

The starting pitching market is weak this season, but we don't like the idea of Ryan Rowland-Smith getting the ball every 5th day. We can't give any better suggestions cause we haven't done the research, but we can't imagine that is who is going to be the opening 5th starter.

Dave's Offseason Plan, v.2007 [U.S.S. Mariner]

What Happened Last Night...

We got our first 5 participates in the state tournament, Mariners decline option on Guillen, and our favorite 3B is out of his mind.

There was only 5 games last night and the SPSL didn't do so hot. Graham-Kapowsin was the only SPSL team to win, knocking off Evergreen of Vancouver 33-28. The other three: Bethel, Kentwood, and Kentridge lost.

The Mariners took the first step toward making Adam Jones a starting OF when they declined their option on OF Jose Guillen. Now Guillen has 5 days to pickup his player option for $5 million or he can go to free agency, the option he will most likely take.

Apparently A-Rod decided he was worth $350 million just to talk to him. I can't believe that this guy is going to get that kind of money. He is a proven loser, someone who can't perform under pressure. Why would you want to pay a guy that ridiculous amount of money who isn't going to help you extend your season past the 1st week of October?

Score-It: November 2 [Seattle Times]
M's refuse option on Guillen [Seattle PI]
A-Rod was seeking $350 million from Yanks [Fox Sports]

Former M's Fan Favorite Fails Drug Test

Former Mariner center fielder Mike Cameron failed a 2nd drug test, causing him to be suspended for 25 games. It is clear that he did not take steroids, just another banned substance.

I don't know if I believe that he did not know he was taking anything illegal. These guys' whole lifestyle is based on his body, so would he willingly put something in it that he didn't know exactly what it was?

Cameron was always a good clubhouse guy and a fan favorite. I hope he learns from his mistake and is able to continue his career in MLB.

Cameron fails stimulant test; suspended 25 games [ESPN]

Monday News

My internet has been down all day, so I couldn't post these links earlier.

Seahawk injury news: TE Marcus Pollard is having knee surgery and hopefully will only miss the one week like the article says. Yesterday's defensive star Darryl Tapp broke a bone in his hand, but he shouldn't miss any games which is a great thing.

The Mariners have confirmed 4 of their coaching hires. No real surprises here. I am most excited about the new pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. He won multiple rings with the Yankees and has worked with a lot of great pitchers over the years. I also would be excited if Larry Bowa fills out the staff just because he gets so fired up.

That's all for now.

Pollard faces surgery; Tapp broke bone in hand [Seattle Times]
Mariners name four new coaches [Seattle PI]

McLearn, Mariners Shape Coaching Staff

John McLearn made his first coaching staff hire, choosing Jim Rigglemen as his bench coach. The article also states that they have offered the 3rd base coaches job to Larry Bowa. I like Larry Bowa, he's a fiery guy that is aggressive on the base paths.

I am waiting for the Mariners to hire a pitching coach. This guy is going to be in charge of turning Brandon Morrow into a starter and teaching King Felix to stay calm on the mound. He will be the most important hire for McLearn and the M's can't afford to screw that one up. I have heard that Mel Stottlemyer, the former Yankee pitching coach, is a candidate. That would be a very exciting hire if they can pull it off.

M's staff begins to take shape [Seattle Times]
Photo Courtesy of The Seattle Times

Angels Stoneman Stepping Down

Angels GM Bill Stoneman is stepping down from his position as team architect. He was the GM when the Angels won the World Series in 2002. He is the 4th GM to step down this offseason and the first from a playoff team in 2007. We don't know the details of why he is stepping down, but he will remain with the team in as a consultant.

Do you think the Mariners are regretting keeping Bill Bavsi? After they announced that he will return as GM for 2008 two successful GMs have stepped down. Do you think they would be more confident with Stoneman or Walt Jocketty as their main guy? I know that the majority of fans would be much happy with one of those two guys.

Stoneman to announce decision Tuesday [Fox Sports]

Mariners Release 2008 Schedule

The Mariners released their tentative 2008 schedule. After taking a quick glance at it I noticed a few things.

-In the first month, 14 of 28 games are against AL West opponents including 6 against LAA.

-They have 8 September games against the Angels so if they are close they have an opportunity to catch or extend the lead.

-The first 6 games after the All-Star break are at home against Cleveland and Boston, two playoff teams this season.

M's will open 2008 season at home against Rangers [Seattle Times]

Mariners' Season Over, Ends With Win

Unfortunately, this up-and-down season for the M's is officially over today. Its fitting they end on a 5-game winning streak since the season was all about streaks. With all of the 6, 7, 8 game losing streaks there was a 15-0f-17 or 9-0f-12 game win streak in there as well.

I say unfortunate because they had a great opportunity to make the playoffs for the first time in 6 years and there is no clear favorite to win it all. But the starting pitching wore down, the bullpen became human, and the lack of leadership on this team became apparent. We already know that manager John McLearn and GM Bill Bavasi will be back next year, but what else will be the same and what will be different?

-What happens with Adam Jones? Does he play left field with Ibanez DHing? Do they let Jose Guillen go and Jones plays right? Do you move Ichiro back to right and let Jones play center? Does Jones go back down to AAA?

-How are they going to improve their starting pitching? Does Brandon Morrow have the stuff to be a productive starter?

-What do you do with Richie Sexson? Is he still your 1B? Can you trade him away with that contract?

-Are you still comfortable with Jose Lopez as your everyday 2nd baseman even with his 2nd half slumps the last 2 seasons?

-What about the other prospects, Wladimir Balentien and Jeff Clement? Do they go back down and waste away in AAA? Can you trade them for a quality starter?

There are a lot of questions to be answered this offseason. But hey, at least they aren't the New York Mets!

Mariners complete sweep of Rangers to end season [Seattle Times]

Bavasi, McLearn to Return in 2008

The Mariners annoucned today that GM Bill Bavasi and manager John McLearn will be back in 2008. Honestly, I don't really know how I feel about this. Like the article says, up until the 24th of August the Mariners were right in the hunt for the division and leading the Wildcard. Then they hit the wall which I blame on their lack of quality starting pitching, something Bavasi is in charge of acquiring.

Are Bavasi and McLearn doing anything that is hurting this ballclub and would be reason to replace them? I think the answer to that is no. While Bavasi may not be the best evaluator of talent and McLearn not the best in-game manager they have done nothing to hurt this team in the long run. The market for starting pitching is going to be scare this year so we will be able to evaluate Bavasi very easily depending on what he does since you know the Mariners aren't going to win without improvement there. McLearn has had 1/2 season under his belt as a full-time manager, his rookie mistakes should be gone next year and you can expect the good relationships with the players to continue.

Based on the facts I believe that both men have earned another season, but the Mariners were competetive till the end of August. That means that next year it should be expected that they make the playoffs or a new regime needs to take over.

Bavasi, McLaren to return for 2008 season [Seattle PI]

Long Over Due Baseball Post

Its been a long time since we've posted something about baseball. Its not that we quit watching or don't care about the Mariners anymore. Its because we were so disappointed in their collapse from being with 1.5 games back in the division and leading the wildcard by 3 games on August 24th to virtual elimination losing 15 of 17, falling behind both Anaheim New York by 6.5 games.

The reason why they fell apart and lost all of these games is because of their starting pitching. The offseason acquisitions of Jeff Weaver and Horacio Ramirez were complete busts. You knew that the bullpen was not going to be able to keep pulling the starters out of trouble and protecting 1 run leads all season. By the middle of August the starters had run out of gas and the bullpen became human.

It became official today when the Angels won the division today beating the Mariners 7-4. I know that they are not officially eliminated from the Wildcard, but realistically its only a matter of days till the Yankees make it official.

The Mariners have a solid offense although one that is aging. They have a good bullpen and got good play from their bench this season when they were allowed to play. If they have any ideas about playing in October next year they need to spend some money and find some quality starting pitching. There is not a lot out there, but in order to win you have to find it.

Felix, Washburn, and Batista will be back. Hopefully Morrow can use this offseason and spring training to develop another pitch and become a starter. If that happens you then need to add a solid 2nd starter, and if not, then a #2 and backend starter.

It needs to be a productive offseason for the Mariners. A question that needs to be answered first is if a new GM is going to trying to improve the team or is Bavasi still running the ship?

Angels finally clinch AL West Title [LA Times]

Angels lock up third AL West title in 4 years [Seattle Times]

Analyzing Bill Bavasi's Moves

There has been much talk about Bill Bavasi and whether he should get a contract extension. It has been discussed on many blogs and websites including Locked on Sports and USS Mariner. I want to give my take and break down Bavasi’s major moves since he took over as GM on November 7, 2003. Only free agent signings and trades will be discussed. Promotions from within the organization and free-agents allowed to leave will be left out of the discussion because both are influenced heavily by outside elements.

2004 Season –
Signed: Scott Spiezio, Rich Aurilia, Raul Ibanez, Eddie Guardado

Traded:
At Trading Deadline (TD), traded Freddy Garcia and Ben Davis to White Sox for Miguel Olivo, Jeremy Reed, and Mike Morse.

The Speizio and Aurilia moves were horrible. They were suspect from the beginning with Aurilia coming over from the National League and Speizio not the consistent bat and glove you would like at 3rd base. Both were eventually cut, Aurilia in 2004 and Speizio after an injury-plagued start to 2005.

Raul Ibanez was a nice addition. At the time of the deal I was not sold on the move. He had had success in KC, but I viewed him as a 1-year wonder that wasn’t ever going to put the numbers he did in 2003 again. Thankfully I was wrong and he has been a solid contributor since his arrival. Guardado was supposed to be the setup guy for Kazuhiro Sasaki until Sasaki abruptly retired before the season. Eddie was a good closer until his injury and demise in 2006.

Again, at the time I did not like the Garcia trade. I believed the Mariners could have resigned him (he signed a 3-yr. extension with Chicago within 2 weeks of being traded) but decided that he was not a part of their future. The deal looked decent at the time as Reed was believed to be the centerfielder of the future and Olivo a solid catching prospect. Unfortunately, both never materialized as Olivo was traded and Reed is currently rotting away in Tacoma.

Overall, 2004 was not a good start to the Bill Bavasi era. He traded away the team’s #1 starter for essentially nothing and signed two position players that were never comfortable hitting at Safeco Field. Ibanez was a nice addition and prevented this offseason from being a total waste.

2005 Season –
Signed: Adrian Beltre, Richie Sexson

These two signing were a huge move by Bavasi and the Mariners. They realized that the fans would not be happy with another losing season and that in order to get back to the top they would have to make a big free agent splash. The thought was right and I was glad to see them spending money, but the two moves haven’t lead to any playoff berths for the M’s. I liked both moves at the time and, in fact, I still like them. This may not be the view of most Mariner fans but I think they have been good additions.

Beltre’s defense is phenomenal and his bat is starting to heat up. Sexson has produced solid hitting numbers the first two years, 2005: .263 average, 39 HR, 121 RBI; 2006: .264 average, 34 HR, 107 RBI. Baseball Reference: Richie Sexson 2007 has been a struggle, but you can only hope that his hot bat of the last week will stay hot the rest of the season.

Overall, I think two solid moves by Bavasi. He has turned the corner from his horrible start in 2004.

2006 Season –
Signed: Kenji Johjima, Jarrod Washburn, Carl Everett, Matt Lawton

Traded: TD trade of Shin-Soo Choo for Ben Broussard
August trade of Jamie Moyer to Philadelphia for 2 minor leaguers.

2006 was a split decision for Bavasi in free agent signings. Everett and Lawton were so bad and desperate that I don’t even want to talk about them. All I will say is that the moves looked like the moves of someone doing anything to save his job. Signing Johjima and Washburn were nice additions. I think he over paid for Washburn, but he is a solid #3 and think about where the M’s would be without him this year. Johjima is a great signing. After a 2005 season that saw 6 catchers behind the plate, Kenji has been a rock back there ever since. I believe that he may also be the DH of the future because he is a decent hitter and the M’s have a couple young catching prospects in the minor leagues.

Getting Ben Broussard was a great deal. Choo had no position with the team and Broussard is a great bat off the bench and can play 1st or the outfield. Moyer was not part of the team’s future and deserved the chance to play with a contender. The M’s gave him that opportunity although they didn’t really get anything in return.

Overall, I would say that 2006 was another building block for 2007. The bad moves of Everett and Lawton did not cost the team too much as both were gone by the end of the season. Washburn, Johjima, and Broussard are all contributing members to the 2007 team that is competing for a playoff spot.

2007 Season –
Signed: Jose Guillen, Miguel Batista, Jeff Weaver

Traded: Rafael Soriano to Atlanta for Horacio Ramirez
Emilo Fruto and Chris Snelling to Washington for Jose Vidro

2007 was where Bavasi made his best moves. I was very suspect of Jose Guillen when the M’s signed him. I knew his past clubhouse and managerial problems and didn’t think that’s what the team needed. I was wrong and he has been the most consistent bat in the middle of the lineup. I was actually more excited about the Jose Vidro trade. I was not a big fan of Snelling simply for the fact that he was always injured. Vidro had been an All-Star 2nd baseman and I believed he would have a high OBP. Vidro has had an up-and-down year, but he’s hitting an upswing at the right time. With Ibanez, Ichiro, Gullien, and Jones there was not a spot for Snelling in the OF anyway.

Batista and Weaver looked like quality major league starters that weren’t going to blow you away, but also weren’t going to cost you games either. Other then Weaver’s start to the year both have been just that. Allowing Pinero and Meche to leave via free agency, a smart move, Bavasi needed to find 2 starters to replace them. He did a good job getting these two. The problem with the starting five is Ramirez. The guy is a joke who can’t win on the road. I know Soriano isn’t having an outstanding year, Baseball Reference: Rafael Soriano but Ramirez is just plain bad. He may be the worst move Bavasi has made and he could cost the M’s a playoff berth.

Overall for 2007 I give Bavasi a B+. He picked up 2 quality starters and 2 bats that are contributing in the everyday lineup. The only things holding him back from getting an A is the Ramirez deal and not making a deadline deal to get a 5th starter.

As a sidenote: Another thing Bavasi did this year that was crucial was locking up Ichiro, Lopez, and Betancourt to long-term deals. Obviously, Ichiro’s is the biggest but getting the middle of your infield taken care shows you are committed to your players.

Would I give Bill Bavasi a contract extension? Yes, I would. He has proven that he can effectively take an aging, declining club, add a few free agents, develop the farm system and make key trades to get this team back in the playoff talk. There is no reason to abandon ship now. Give him an opportunity to see this thing out, make some more additions this offseason and I fully expect the M’s to be tied or in 1st place for all of 2008.

Losing 2 of 3 to Minnesota at Home Hurts Bad!

The Mariners just blew a golden opportunity to pick up games on the Angels and separate themselves from the Yankees. If they have any chance of making the playoffs, they cannot afford to throw games away at home against inferior teams.

-The Yankees and Angels are not going to get swept. With the M's off today, chances are they are going to lose 1/2 game to both.

-Schedule wise this is the time to pounce. After the next 3 series (Chicago, Minnesota, Texas) the Mariners play 10 of 16 games on the road against Cleveland, New York, Detroit, and Toronto. That is brutal, so now is the time to distance themselves as much as they can. Here is a link to a previous post about the contenders schedules.

-Ho-Ram is costing you a game every 5 days. Until he gets that turned around, and I have no reason to believe that he will, you are basically giving up a game in the standings every 5th start.

-It's the middle of August and the season is getting short. 3 games may not seem like a lot, but the Mariners need to get it down to at least 2 by the end of August. That is only one game, but it's no small feat with that schedule and Ramirez pitching every 5 days.

Morrow vs. Lincecum

There is much debate between Mariner fans about whether they missed a huge opportunity by passing on Tim Lincecum in the 2006 draft, instead selecting Brandon Morrow.

Here are the numbers:
Morrow 3-2, 2.91 ERA, 46.1 IP, 15 ER, 41 BB, 53 SO, 1.62 WHIP
Lincecum 6-3, 3.88 ERA, 111.1 IP, 48 ER, 51 BB, 121 SO, 1.23 WHIP

Looking at these numbers so far through the season, you can see that Morrow’s WHIP is way too high. He has walked 1 batter for every 1.12 innings pitched. Compare that to Lincecum’s 2.18 and you see a significant difference.

Lincecum is a starting pitcher while Morrow’s role has gone from 8th inning setup man to middle relief. The Mariners need a 5th starter because Ho-Ram is not getting the job done. Clearly Lincecum would be a major upgrade over Ramirez. Morrow has been solid for most of the season out of the bullpen, but needs to develop another pitch to become an effective starter.

You have to weigh what is more important for the Mariners:

Starting pitching OR
Right-handed bullpen help

Sean Green can fill the role of right-handed setup man just fine. If Mark Lowe can buildup his arm strength the Mariners have another guy that can easily fill that role who already has experience doing it last year.

This argument is fueled even more by that fact that the M’s are 1 starter away from having a solid starting 5. Batista has pitched valiantly and Weaver has turned it around 180 degrees since going on the DL. Washburn has been consistent all year. Felix is the pitcher that needs to step up. I realize that he is only 21 years old, but he is the staff ace and needs to start pitching like it.

I didn’t buy and still don’t buy the argument that Lincecum’s arm angle and size will cost him as a major league pitcher. He is from the University of Washington and would have been a local product that would have brought fans to the park. I still think that Morrow will be a quality pitcher for the Mariners, but I think management dropped the ball by passing on Lincecum.