How's your MLB team doing this off-season?

[travelingtypist]

Jack Zduriencik of the Mariners is just blowing me away.

Cliff Lee
Chone Figgins
Let Adrian Beltre go
Just re-signed Franklin "Death to Flying Things" Gutierrez

I can not wait for spring training to start.

[1gobluedem]

1. Busily letting all their talent go elsewhere...

Granderson and Polanco both gone from the Tigers....:cry:

[Auggie]

2. The Giants are poised to repeat...

last years third place finish.

Meanwhile, Cleveland is getting the cellar ready. There's so much to do -- sweeping out memories of Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, for example, and making room for white elephants like Manny Acta. Busy, busy, busy...

[Kingofalldems]

3. Neither can I---six weeks til pitchers and catchers report

[Upton]

4. Big deal..

the Mariners were 28th in runs scored last year and they failed to resign Russell Branyan who was their leader in HRs with 31.

Figgins is a table setter, but who's going to drive him in? The old man who hit .214 last year?

Right now, the Mariners are poised to have another year like the Giants....a lot of pitching, very little hitting

[travelingtypist]

8. You have fun raining on people's parades?

What old man are you speaking of? Griffey?

85-77 was the 15th best record in the majors. So that 28th in runs scored isn't as significant as you would make it out to be. I'll take pitching and defense over a lineup stacked with power every time. With the one-two punch of Hernandez and Lee to shut people down and the one-two punch of Ichiro and Figgins to mess with the other guy's head and manufacture runs, it's going to be fun.

I wouldn't mind a big, big bat to plunk in the number 4 hole, but even still the Mariners are moving forward and have improved from last year. And Zduriencik probably is not done yet.

[Upton]

11. What old man are you speaking of? Griffey?

Do you know of any other old man who hit .214 for the Mariners last year? I like the Mariners, they're my favorite team outside of the Giants, but I don't understand how Wakamatsu could continue to bat the almost 40 year old non-producing Griffey in the 4th spot, unless he was getting pressure from upstairs.

Bringing the old man back was a move to placate the long suffering Seattle fans, winning was secondary. The kind of move a losing franchise makes. And now we've got more of that crap to look forward to this year, along with Milton Bradley for good measure.

Give me a break.

[travelingtypist]

16. No need to be snarky.

I guess you didn't see the last game of last season, what happened after the game. What Griffey isn't "producing" on the field he more than makes up for with what he brings to the club house. He helps the guys play together and they make each other better. And FWIW, Wak didn't play Griffey every day.

I was going to mention Bradley -- sort of a head case there I guess. But I lived through the Piniella years in Seattle and Lou doesn't know shit about how to handle people. Wakamatsu on the other hand seems to understand there's more to a successful ball club than just what's going on on the field. Betancourt was a talented but lazy player. Wak gave him chance after chance to get his act together and get with the system. When Yuni didn't, it was off to KC with him.

I just don't see any moves yet that have made the Mariners worse than last year, and they were weren't too terrible last year.

[opiate69]

17. I'm totally loving Jack Z...

Such a huge improvement over Bavasi's dumb ass.. and frankly, even though Milton Bradley's a jackass, I imagine Ichiro and Junior are going to be able to help keep him in line..

[Mojambo]

13. A run saved is just as valuable as a run scored

The M's were the best run prevention team in the game last year and they're going to be a LOT better this season.

[Iggo]

5. Dodgers are waiting, biding their time....

...until there are only 3rd tier FA's left on the market, so they can lowball them.

Business as usual...lol.

(I'm gonna miss Juan "Little Head" Pierre, though.)

[MadBadger]

6. Shitty like always

They signed Kevin Milwood! Whoopdy doo.

[BOSSHOG]

7. Phillies

Other then getting rid of Lee I think they are in good shape. I'd rather have Lee then Halliday but?!? I think they will be in the hunt to head back to the World Series next year.

[bigwillq]

9. On our way to another World Series!

Let's Go Yankees!!! :bounce:

[rep the dems]

10. Giving Cliff Lee to your team...

but I'm pretty much over that. I'm really thrilled to have Roy Halladay as our ace for the next 4 years or more, and truthfully I'm very glad they decided to bring Polanco back. Some of the more pessimistic fans seem to think it's stupid to bring in a guy to play 3rd base thats been a 2nd basemen for most of his career, but I'm confident he'll do well.

I do wish the Mariners well as I've never had anything against them and remain a big fan of Cliff Lee (plus Griffey is a native Pennsylvanian and who doesn't love that guy?) but I think they are staking a lot on this one season. Unless Cliff is suddenly willing to play for less money or his value goes down due to a mediocre season, I kinda doubt they'll be able to sign him to an extension after his contract runs out.

[Auggie]

12. I question Lee's durability...

and so, maybe, did the Phillies.

I hope he can stay healthy. I like the guy too.

[thatsrightimirish]

14. Brian Sabean sucks

he is totally incapable of creating a successful roster that does not center around barry bonds.

[madinmaryland]

15. Prepping for an 18th straight losing season, and also prepping for a 56th year

without a World Series Championship!

:D