Like any Seattle sports fan, I would like to see the team get better. However, I think our sole focus needs to be on the one thing that we have never done; win a championship. The last time that any Seattle team was able to get together and win a championship was in the late 1970s when the Seattle sonics, a team that is no longer even in Seattle, was able to do it. We really need to get another team that leads to the finals or championship in their sport. I remember how exciting it was when the Seattle Supersonics made it to the finals against the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan and what I think was 1996.
In 2001 the Seattle Mariners looked as if they were going to come out on top after winning a record hundred and 16 games that season. Since then, they have been able to do nothing and that season they basically threw down the drain losing early in the playoffs. I feel like being in Seattle sports fan is more of a curse than a gift at this point. It really feels as if we will never be able to win the championship. The Seattle Seahawks were able to make it to the Super Bowl in 2005, but lost in what turned out to be one of the worst super Bowls in recent memory. I am almost embarrassed to say that our team was a part of that game.
If I had to bet on the team making it to the championship game from Seattle next, my bet would be the Seattle Seahawks once again. They seem to have the right general manager, coach, and leaders on the player's squad, to be able to take the team to the top. All we need now, in my opinion is a solid quarterback that will be able to lead us to the promised. As of right now, they're still a ways off from being a championship contending team, but I really believe the daughter my heart that they would be able to make it there under Pete Carroll and the current staff that we have in place. John Schneider always builds winners, many are not aware of it but he was the one that broke the Super Bowl winning team in Green Bay, leaving just a few seasons before they made it with most of the players that he brought in still in place.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Who We Could Get For Chone Figgins
It goes without saying that Chone Figgins has not lived up to the hype so far. He was supposed to be a top-of-the-line second baseman, that we converted to third base, but has not been able to bring us what we thought that he would. The Figgins, if anything, has been a liability for the team. His hitting has been atrocious, and his fielding is the only thing that has saved him so far. I don't think that he really has a place on the squad next year and will continue to be a liability. If it were up to me, we would've traded him a long time ago. I don't even know if another team would really want victims of this point, given what is shown so far.
One thing that you can bet on, is that the Los Angeles Angels are happy to have gotten rid of. Instead of paying him a large sum of money that the Mariners did, they were able to offload him and pick up other players in the process. So far, he's been a real disappointment to the team and I expect that we will make every effort to reduce them as soon as we can. At this point in the season, he is batting less than 200, and the only saving grace for him is his defense. I expect Adam Kennedy to get the most playing time at third base for Toronto. He is playing much better than Figgins and will be a much better at to the team as a whole.
It will certainly be interesting to see when he is moved. Our first mean that we have to find a team that is interested in picking him up. I doubt very much that that will happen anytime soon, but my hope is that it will happen before the trading deadline this year. The problem is is that any other team would have to take on his contract, either that or the Seattle Mariners would have to agree to pay a large portion of his contract. I can guarantee that this is something that the Seattle Mariners do not want to.
One thing that you can bet on, is that the Los Angeles Angels are happy to have gotten rid of. Instead of paying him a large sum of money that the Mariners did, they were able to offload him and pick up other players in the process. So far, he's been a real disappointment to the team and I expect that we will make every effort to reduce them as soon as we can. At this point in the season, he is batting less than 200, and the only saving grace for him is his defense. I expect Adam Kennedy to get the most playing time at third base for Toronto. He is playing much better than Figgins and will be a much better at to the team as a whole.
It will certainly be interesting to see when he is moved. Our first mean that we have to find a team that is interested in picking him up. I doubt very much that that will happen anytime soon, but my hope is that it will happen before the trading deadline this year. The problem is is that any other team would have to take on his contract, either that or the Seattle Mariners would have to agree to pay a large portion of his contract. I can guarantee that this is something that the Seattle Mariners do not want to.
The Atmosphere at Safeco Field
The atmosphere at Safeco Field is one of the worst in Major league baseball. The atmosphere most Indians is getting worse on a daily basis, but the atmosphere that they promoted Safeco Field is downright vomit inducing. Ever since the stadium was first built they have gone out of their way to create the most friendly to families and environment as possible. This is something that I think a lot of people have a problem with, especially those old fans that have been following the tensions they were at the Kingdome. You are not allowed to go to games and were anything that says anything negative about the opposing team, there is no love swearing in stadium, you are not allowed to drink large amounts of alcohol, and overall there is just a feeling that those in the stadium have pretty much sold out.
If you remember back to when the Mariners were playing in their previous stadium, things were pretty wild. Of course it was inside of its own, so things were much louder than they appeared to be, and the fans made a lot more noise per person. Those days are gone. Now the fans are expected to be quiet in their seats comment only cheer when the home team do something good. You're not allowed to pester the opponents, McKinney kind of remarks about them that could be taken negatively,or even really say anything at all, without having to worry about being kicked out. This is something that I think is truly ruined the game in the stadium for quite some time, and I was really hoping to see some changes this year in order to get the crowd riled up. Those changes have markup.
When comparing the atmosphere inside at Safeco Field to that of the inside of Qwest Field, they are completely different.as a result the fans of the Seattle Seahawks are generally much more outgoing, and have a better time. The atmosphere is a quest field is much better and not inside of Safeco Field and I expect that these types of problems will continue well into the future, as they have shown that they have no intention of changing the way that Safeco Field is run and operates.
If you remember back to when the Mariners were playing in their previous stadium, things were pretty wild. Of course it was inside of its own, so things were much louder than they appeared to be, and the fans made a lot more noise per person. Those days are gone. Now the fans are expected to be quiet in their seats comment only cheer when the home team do something good. You're not allowed to pester the opponents, McKinney kind of remarks about them that could be taken negatively,or even really say anything at all, without having to worry about being kicked out. This is something that I think is truly ruined the game in the stadium for quite some time, and I was really hoping to see some changes this year in order to get the crowd riled up. Those changes have markup.
When comparing the atmosphere inside at Safeco Field to that of the inside of Qwest Field, they are completely different.as a result the fans of the Seattle Seahawks are generally much more outgoing, and have a better time. The atmosphere is a quest field is much better and not inside of Safeco Field and I expect that these types of problems will continue well into the future, as they have shown that they have no intention of changing the way that Safeco Field is run and operates.
My Predictions for the Seahawk Season
The Seattle Seahawks are going to have a good year next year my opinion. After their unlikely win of their division last year, and their amazing playoff victory against the New Orleans Saints, they appear to be poised to take the division once again in to do a very good job with the changes that they have made. Although our draft was criticized by the critics out there, it does seem to me as if we will be able to turn that around. We picked good, solid, strong players who are large and are going to help us to be more physical team to secure the division victory next year.
I believe that we will win the division once again. I think that if anything, our record was worse than sugar than last year. Although we did get blown out in a number of games, when we were able to play like a good team, we were able to win games. With a few key free-agent acquisitions and a little bit of elbow grease I think that the team can put together an excellent season this year. They have been able to make a few changes already, but with the lockout slowing them down, they have not made all of the changes that they would've liked to. Hopefully we won't be able to bring in a brand-new quarterback for the season.
At the very least, I believe that we are going to be able to out play two of the three teams in our division. The only team that I see is a real threat is the St. Louis Rams, a team that has a great up-and-coming young quarterback that should be good for many years. Sam Bradford will be a problem for us for quite some time, and I believe that we need to be able to learn how to contain him.
I believe that we will win the division once again. I think that if anything, our record was worse than sugar than last year. Although we did get blown out in a number of games, when we were able to play like a good team, we were able to win games. With a few key free-agent acquisitions and a little bit of elbow grease I think that the team can put together an excellent season this year. They have been able to make a few changes already, but with the lockout slowing them down, they have not made all of the changes that they would've liked to. Hopefully we won't be able to bring in a brand-new quarterback for the season.
At the very least, I believe that we are going to be able to out play two of the three teams in our division. The only team that I see is a real threat is the St. Louis Rams, a team that has a great up-and-coming young quarterback that should be good for many years. Sam Bradford will be a problem for us for quite some time, and I believe that we need to be able to learn how to contain him.
Predictions for the Rest of the Baseball Season
The rest of the baseball season should be one of the most exciting that the Mariners have had in recent years. I'm very excited to see how they are able to finish out the season, it is a big surprise that they have been able to be in the running this late into the season. Especially when you take into consideration the terrible season that they have last year. It will take a very long time for the Mariners to reach the level that they become a real powerhouse in the American League west again, but I believe that there are the right path.
My first prediction for the rest of the season is that the team will be able to at least finish 500 for the rest of the year. They have been able to put together a good campaign so far, and I just hope that they will be able to continue to play consistent baseball for the rest of the season. So far, there have been a bit inconsistent but it looks as if their manager Eric Wedge will continue to help make the team better moving forward.
My second prediction for the rest of the season is that Justin Smoak finishes the season with more than 25 home runs. He has shown that he has a lot of power, and I think that he will continue to display it throughout the rest of the season. Of course, he struggles from playing in Safeco Field, but has been able to show that he is an excellent candidate to be the top our guy on the Seattle Mariners.
My third prediction is that we will finish third in the AL West. I expect the Anaheim Angels to pick up where they have left off in the past and to finish in second place. I believe that the Texas Rangers will win the division, just as they did last year on their way to the World Series.
My first prediction for the rest of the season is that the team will be able to at least finish 500 for the rest of the year. They have been able to put together a good campaign so far, and I just hope that they will be able to continue to play consistent baseball for the rest of the season. So far, there have been a bit inconsistent but it looks as if their manager Eric Wedge will continue to help make the team better moving forward.
My second prediction for the rest of the season is that Justin Smoak finishes the season with more than 25 home runs. He has shown that he has a lot of power, and I think that he will continue to display it throughout the rest of the season. Of course, he struggles from playing in Safeco Field, but has been able to show that he is an excellent candidate to be the top our guy on the Seattle Mariners.
My third prediction is that we will finish third in the AL West. I expect the Anaheim Angels to pick up where they have left off in the past and to finish in second place. I believe that the Texas Rangers will win the division, just as they did last year on their way to the World Series.
Who Will Lead the Mariners in Home Runs
The Seattle Mariners are not exactly known for their power hitting. I can make it a little hard for people to judge exactly who will lead the team in home runs at any given time. There are a number of players that are currently on the roster that could potentially hit 20 to 25 home runs, but it doesn't look like any of them will be able to break the 30 home run barrier. As of right now the front runners appeared to be Justin Smoak, Miguel Olivo, with a number of other players trailing far behind. I do not expect that anyone will be able to pick it up and compete with them. Olivo is a player that has not had all that much power previously in his career, but seems to be hitting well enough to have a chance to lead the team this year. Most thought that Jack Cust would have the best shot at leading the team in home runs this year. However, he has not lived up to his power potential, and so far as power has been a bit of a disappointment despite the fact that he is unable to pick up his consistency and hit better than he was able to earlier in the season.
The Seattle Mariners are probably going to be let in home runs this year by Justin Smoak. He has been able to put together some good power numbers throughout the season and I do not expect that Miguel Olivo will be able to keep up his home run hot streak, although it would be nice to see that. Justin Smoak, the player we got for Cliff Lee, has far exceeded the expectations of most of the season and has been one of our most consistent power hitters. He as of right now has 12 home runs. I expect that number to continue to climb.
it is my prediction that Justin Smoak will continue to hit home runs throughout the season will finish as the team leader in home runs. I think that he is the most consistent power on the team, and Miguel Olivo is not going to be able to keep up his brisk pace throughout the rest of the season. It is my hope that he will continue to be a strong first baseman for the team, while Ilovo will continue to possess some power to be a solid catcher throughout the rest of the season.
The Seattle Mariners are probably going to be let in home runs this year by Justin Smoak. He has been able to put together some good power numbers throughout the season and I do not expect that Miguel Olivo will be able to keep up his home run hot streak, although it would be nice to see that. Justin Smoak, the player we got for Cliff Lee, has far exceeded the expectations of most of the season and has been one of our most consistent power hitters. He as of right now has 12 home runs. I expect that number to continue to climb.
it is my prediction that Justin Smoak will continue to hit home runs throughout the season will finish as the team leader in home runs. I think that he is the most consistent power on the team, and Miguel Olivo is not going to be able to keep up his brisk pace throughout the rest of the season. It is my hope that he will continue to be a strong first baseman for the team, while Ilovo will continue to possess some power to be a solid catcher throughout the rest of the season.
Please Do Not Bring Hasselbeck Back
Matt Hasselbeck was a great quarterback at one point in time, but that is not the case in recent years. I do not know why people think they're bringing him back would be a good idea. I cringe at the thought when people mention that the lockout is a good reason to bring him back because he knows the system. While that may be true, I think that we should only bring him back if he is willing to take a significant pay cut, and compete for the job with Charlie Whitehurst and anyone else that we bring in. I am still hoping that Carson Palmer will be our quarterback moving forward, but I can see that with the lockout during the way that it has that that may not happen this year. However, he has said that he does not want to play for the Cincinnati Bengals anymore so he may be open to us down the line.
Hasselbeck is the type of player that I think really deserves a chance to prove himself, but only if he is willing to do it for the right price. If we bring him back and make him the starting quarterback out of the gate, we will get the same type of you out of them that we have in previous years. He has not had a better touchdown to interception ratio in the last two years. He may have been an All-Star when he played earlier in his career, but he is not in the same starter for a number of years now. His last good season was 2007, and his last alright to do was 2008. Is injury prone, and is not able to carry the team in the way that he used to. I have no doubt that he would be able to deliver a subpar season for us.
Hopefully, we will be able to secure a better starting quarterback in him. So far, he has been unable to prove to me and the other fans that he is able to be the same starter that he was many years ago. The truth of the matter is that he is not all that great of a quarterback in the Spanish. We bring him in because we said that we make smart decisions, but the sad truth of the matter is that he has been prone to making bad decisions for quite a few years now. He forces passes into coverage, and throws a lot more interceptions than it does touchdowns. This is not something that we can force this year.
The Seahawks Running Back Situation
The running back situation for the Seahawks is a pretty unique one. The team has a number of facts that I think are a solid overall, are not to be considered starting backs by any means. However, I think that running back Marshawn Lynch is a player that has the potential to share the starting load with someone else. He is a pretty one-dimensional type back so I'm pretty sure that we would need someone else to share the load with them. I think, that if we're able to get another workhorse back, someone with some speed to the sidelines, that we will be a pretty formidable offense in terms of our running game.
The Seahawks running game is one that will continue to struggle as long as we have asked that we do now. Leon Washington is a great back, but I think that after his leg injury he is more suited for special teams, and her role as a change of pace running back for the team. Justin Forsett is another good change of pace back, but never think that he will be able to share the role as a starter. He would be a good part of a trio, along with Marshawn Lynch and some other back that I think will be able to share the starting load along with Lynch. I think that Forsett, and Washington would make a great tandem on putting kickoff returns and could also share the load. However, you never want to have more than three running backs on your roster at any given time and I think having all of them on our roster would be a bit of a overstaffing interns of the number of running backs that we have. hopefully he continues to progress as a running back, and we'll be able to handle a least a hundred to 200 carries next season. If we are unable to get another running back to complement Lynch, I am not sure what we're going to do when we move forward.
The Seahawks running game is one that will continue to struggle as long as we have asked that we do now. Leon Washington is a great back, but I think that after his leg injury he is more suited for special teams, and her role as a change of pace running back for the team. Justin Forsett is another good change of pace back, but never think that he will be able to share the role as a starter. He would be a good part of a trio, along with Marshawn Lynch and some other back that I think will be able to share the starting load along with Lynch. I think that Forsett, and Washington would make a great tandem on putting kickoff returns and could also share the load. However, you never want to have more than three running backs on your roster at any given time and I think having all of them on our roster would be a bit of a overstaffing interns of the number of running backs that we have. hopefully he continues to progress as a running back, and we'll be able to handle a least a hundred to 200 carries next season. If we are unable to get another running back to complement Lynch, I am not sure what we're going to do when we move forward.
Hopefully the Seahawk Offensive Line is Better this Year
One of the biggest things that haunted the Seahawks last year was the fact that they're often sublime is not up to par. They're often sublime is going to be one of the biggest things that affects our record this year. The team was pretty good for the most part, but the fact that we had a different offense of London 10/16 games last year really hurt us. This is something that I think that they are looking to change. They dedicated two of the first three picks toit often sublime and in the draft. The often sublime and that they picked up were very big and very large, which is exactly what the team was looking for. Their philosophy is to get bigger and stronger and all of the positions, which they think will in turn make us a better team allow us to get more wins throughout the year.
I am a believer that the draft picks that we chose are going to be very solid moving forward. I agree with them by getting bigger all of the positions is something that can only help the team, regardless of the skill of the players in those positions. Don't get me wrong, it would be nice if the players that we had were very skillful, but at the very least if we can fill the holes with big, physical players than we know we will at least be able to compete.
I believe that being big and physical at all of the positions will allow for the team to, in the end, be a better team. The best thing that we can do is to, get bigger and stronger at all of the back of positions. I think that this is something that will ensure that even while our starters are out of the game and resting on the sideline, that we are able to compete even when our best players are not out on the field. This is something that is the sign of a good team, and will ensure that we are able to put together a solid offense of showing, in defense of presence even when we are not in their best and have injuries that are slowing us down.
I am a believer that the draft picks that we chose are going to be very solid moving forward. I agree with them by getting bigger all of the positions is something that can only help the team, regardless of the skill of the players in those positions. Don't get me wrong, it would be nice if the players that we had were very skillful, but at the very least if we can fill the holes with big, physical players than we know we will at least be able to compete.
I believe that being big and physical at all of the positions will allow for the team to, in the end, be a better team. The best thing that we can do is to, get bigger and stronger at all of the back of positions. I think that this is something that will ensure that even while our starters are out of the game and resting on the sideline, that we are able to compete even when our best players are not out on the field. This is something that is the sign of a good team, and will ensure that we are able to put together a solid offense of showing, in defense of presence even when we are not in their best and have injuries that are slowing us down.
What the Seahawks Need
Without the Seahawks need something to continue to be a competitive team this year. I expect that there will be making a number of moves, even though the season has been in the lockout for some time now, double allow them to get some players that they need in order to take this team to the next level. We definitely have some holes last year. I think that Pete Carroll, in conjunction with John Schneider, will be able to turn the team around and put together a number of free agent pickups that will help this team to get better. They're very high on picking up big players, to make them bigger and more physical in their planning. A few of the players that I think we should look into getting include the following;
Plaxico Burress - he may be fresh out of jail but he definitely meets the needs of our team. He is a big physical receiver that will help us on third down, and definitely complement Mike Williams very well. He has been able to put together a solid career so far, and while he is not the superstar that most people thought that he would be, if he was willing to sign for the right price I think that he would be an excellent pick up for this team. So far he has shown no interest in coming to the Seattle Seahawks, but I think that will change as he learns exactly what we have in store for the upcoming season. Unfortunately, it looks as if we will not have too much time to make any free-agent moves moving forward, because the lockout has really put the pressure on teams to work with the players that they currently have and allow them to learn the systems that have been put into place.
Re-sign Marshawn Lynch - re-signing Marchal Lynch is definitely something that we should be interested in. Marshall Lynch has been an excellent addition to the team. His run in the playoffs last year will live in infamy, and will be a defining moment for this team moving forward. I really think that he is a big strong physical edition that the team needs to get better, and I think that Caroll feels the same way.
Plaxico Burress - he may be fresh out of jail but he definitely meets the needs of our team. He is a big physical receiver that will help us on third down, and definitely complement Mike Williams very well. He has been able to put together a solid career so far, and while he is not the superstar that most people thought that he would be, if he was willing to sign for the right price I think that he would be an excellent pick up for this team. So far he has shown no interest in coming to the Seattle Seahawks, but I think that will change as he learns exactly what we have in store for the upcoming season. Unfortunately, it looks as if we will not have too much time to make any free-agent moves moving forward, because the lockout has really put the pressure on teams to work with the players that they currently have and allow them to learn the systems that have been put into place.
Re-sign Marshawn Lynch - re-signing Marchal Lynch is definitely something that we should be interested in. Marshall Lynch has been an excellent addition to the team. His run in the playoffs last year will live in infamy, and will be a defining moment for this team moving forward. I really think that he is a big strong physical edition that the team needs to get better, and I think that Caroll feels the same way.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wishing Dave Neihaus Were Here
I know that I cannot be the only person I still wish is that Dave Niehaus were here to see the way that the Mariners are playing currently. It is a shame that he had to go out during, or rather after, one of the worst seasons in team history. I guess, that it is a little fitting that he did die after last season after all of the terrible years of baseball but that man has seen. Adjust the season probably wouldn't have been anything worthwhile to stick around for, but it still wouldn't been nice to see him get to see one last winning season for the team. No one wanted us to do better than he did. He was always there to ensure that we came out on top, and announced from the booth with a vigor and excitement that cannot be mimicked or re-created by anyone thereafter. It is a shame that we will never get to hear his voice in the booth again. Makes me wish that they would just take clips from his previous announcements, cut them up, and then splice them in the games live as they work.
The one time that I will really worst of Dave Niehaus was here, would be to see when the Mariners finally won their first championship. If anyone deserves to have seen the first championship that the Mariners bring to Seattle, it would've been Dave Niehaus. Niehaus often times failed to contain his excitement when the Mariners were doing well in the booth. He was one of the few announcers that let it hang out and showed that he really cared about the team that he was announcing four. This made his announcing a lot fun or to listen to, a lot better to watch, and overall more personal for the fans of the Seattle Mariners. You can bet that soon the Mariners will be erecting a statue of Dave Niehaus out in front of the stadium. It's only right. He was the heart and soul of this team, it makes me wish that he was here to see the team rebound from the terrible year that they have last year and play with heart and passion like they did earlier in the decade.
To me, Niehaus is one of the best announcers at baseball has ever seen. He has been an excellent announcers claim for a very long time, and has continued a legacy in the announcers booth that will be carried on by the likes of Rick Rizz and the other announcers that will follow him.
The one time that I will really worst of Dave Niehaus was here, would be to see when the Mariners finally won their first championship. If anyone deserves to have seen the first championship that the Mariners bring to Seattle, it would've been Dave Niehaus. Niehaus often times failed to contain his excitement when the Mariners were doing well in the booth. He was one of the few announcers that let it hang out and showed that he really cared about the team that he was announcing four. This made his announcing a lot fun or to listen to, a lot better to watch, and overall more personal for the fans of the Seattle Mariners. You can bet that soon the Mariners will be erecting a statue of Dave Niehaus out in front of the stadium. It's only right. He was the heart and soul of this team, it makes me wish that he was here to see the team rebound from the terrible year that they have last year and play with heart and passion like they did earlier in the decade.
To me, Niehaus is one of the best announcers at baseball has ever seen. He has been an excellent announcers claim for a very long time, and has continued a legacy in the announcers booth that will be carried on by the likes of Rick Rizz and the other announcers that will follow him.
Best Part About the Mariners
The Mariners are a team that is going a lot better over the course of the last few months. I believe that they are attainable can continue to get better moving forward as well. They have been able to quickly and easily pull themselves in a position to where they can compete for the division. This is something that most of us fans do not expect, and is probably something that we should not expect to enjoy at the end of the season. The truth of the matter is that we just do not have enough talent to keep up with bigger and better teams in the division, such as the Texas Rangers. I also expect that the Angels will continue to get better as the season goes on. In my eyes, they have underperformed throughout the season. I really think that they are going to get better with some time to pull through at the end of the season. I expect the Seattle Mariners to finish in third place when it is also been done easily ahead of the Oakland Athletics but nicely behind both the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angels.
One of my favorite parts about the team is that they seem to have and never quit attitude. While we might not be that great offense if we are defense is spot on. We have had to make some changes in certain positions in order to get some hitting into the lineup, but at the beginning of the year are defense of assignments really could not have been better. Jack Wilson, a player that used to be able to play shortstop with the bust of them got older, was able to slide into second base and play very well there. Adam Kennedy, a tear that we all thought would be able to play third base very well, is able to fill in for Chone Figgins without much of an issue. The Figgins himself is actually pretty good at third base, but is hitting has been so below par that we really cannot afford to keep him there. I expect that we will be looking for other ways to entertain the options and get him off of the team soon as possible.
Another thing that I like about the Mariners is the fact that we are so young. We have Dustin Ackley, a player who is really going to be the future. Many people do not realize it, but Brendan Ryan, is only 29 years old. He could be a serviceable shortstop for quite a long time in this isn't really seems to have picked up this year under the scheme. At first base we have just smoke, a player that is going to have a long career ahead of him with the Seattle Mariners, for we traded closely to get him. In the outfield I really am looking forward to seeing how Holman, Puegero, Mike Carp and our other outfielders pan out as the season goes along. I believe all of them have the potential to be very good, if they could just put it together alone how to play as a team. Mike Karp has struggled mightily since he got to the big leagues but was really doing a very good job down in Tacoma, so I expect that he should be able to get it together and start playing at a high level of your soon.
One of my favorite parts about the team is that they seem to have and never quit attitude. While we might not be that great offense if we are defense is spot on. We have had to make some changes in certain positions in order to get some hitting into the lineup, but at the beginning of the year are defense of assignments really could not have been better. Jack Wilson, a player that used to be able to play shortstop with the bust of them got older, was able to slide into second base and play very well there. Adam Kennedy, a tear that we all thought would be able to play third base very well, is able to fill in for Chone Figgins without much of an issue. The Figgins himself is actually pretty good at third base, but is hitting has been so below par that we really cannot afford to keep him there. I expect that we will be looking for other ways to entertain the options and get him off of the team soon as possible.
Another thing that I like about the Mariners is the fact that we are so young. We have Dustin Ackley, a player who is really going to be the future. Many people do not realize it, but Brendan Ryan, is only 29 years old. He could be a serviceable shortstop for quite a long time in this isn't really seems to have picked up this year under the scheme. At first base we have just smoke, a player that is going to have a long career ahead of him with the Seattle Mariners, for we traded closely to get him. In the outfield I really am looking forward to seeing how Holman, Puegero, Mike Carp and our other outfielders pan out as the season goes along. I believe all of them have the potential to be very good, if they could just put it together alone how to play as a team. Mike Karp has struggled mightily since he got to the big leagues but was really doing a very good job down in Tacoma, so I expect that he should be able to get it together and start playing at a high level of your soon.
Creating the Right Aura in a Baseball Clubhouse
I would argue that the Seattle Mariners are not physically any better than they were last year at the game of baseball. Why then, you ask, is the record so much better than it was last year? The answer to that question is because the entire atmosphere within the clubhouse is change dramatically ever since we hired a new manager Eric Wedge. he has been able to instill a new belief in the players that they can actually win every game that they're playing. Of course, are terrible loss today would suggest that perhaps we are not quite as able to win all the games as most people think we are. However, our players have played very well so far. We have been able to win games without anyone really playing like a standout player. This is kind of interesting, because in the past we've never had a good season without someone playing well above their standards. The last time your above 500, it was Russell Branyan who played well above his previous years, knocking more than 30 home runs throughout the course of the year. This was highly unexpected and his appearance along with the appearance of Ken Griffey Jr. helped us to finish far better in terms of wins and losses that our team was at the actual game of baseball.
I am a firm believer that a solid clubhouse makes the team much better than the actual skill level of the players does. Look at us now, even though the Texas Rangers arguably have a much better team skill wise than the Mariners do, we are right there in the race. While I do not think that we are going to win the American League West, it is always nice to be in there till the very end or a least a number until this point of the seasonas we are right now. Team like the Seattle Mariners is not a really big problem staying in most of their games because the fact of the matter is that we have very little offense. We are forced to play small ball in order to win games. This is something that you would like to avoid them baseball, but has worked for us because while we do not have the big hitting talent that we should, we have people that have good control over their backs and are able to put the ball in play on the side of the field that they need to in order to drive someone in.
it will be interesting to see how we are able to improve as the season goes on, and continue to improve next year. I believe that was some time under Eric wedge the team will get much better over time. When he was in Cleveland, he was able to turn the team around from one of the worst teams in the league to a playoff team the very next year. Of course, following the playoff season, the owner sold the players out from underneath him and he was fired after the team had a terrible year the following year. Well, that's not going to happen in Seattle. We are looking to build a winner and I believe that our current manager is going to be the man that will help us to do that over a period of time.
I am a firm believer that a solid clubhouse makes the team much better than the actual skill level of the players does. Look at us now, even though the Texas Rangers arguably have a much better team skill wise than the Mariners do, we are right there in the race. While I do not think that we are going to win the American League West, it is always nice to be in there till the very end or a least a number until this point of the seasonas we are right now. Team like the Seattle Mariners is not a really big problem staying in most of their games because the fact of the matter is that we have very little offense. We are forced to play small ball in order to win games. This is something that you would like to avoid them baseball, but has worked for us because while we do not have the big hitting talent that we should, we have people that have good control over their backs and are able to put the ball in play on the side of the field that they need to in order to drive someone in.
it will be interesting to see how we are able to improve as the season goes on, and continue to improve next year. I believe that was some time under Eric wedge the team will get much better over time. When he was in Cleveland, he was able to turn the team around from one of the worst teams in the league to a playoff team the very next year. Of course, following the playoff season, the owner sold the players out from underneath him and he was fired after the team had a terrible year the following year. Well, that's not going to happen in Seattle. We are looking to build a winner and I believe that our current manager is going to be the man that will help us to do that over a period of time.
Whats next for the Mariners
Here we are in June, still in the divisional race, which is something that we as fans never expected. We have some issues, we have some holes, but the good news is that we have some moves to make. Now, even with these moves we may not be able to compete for the division come the end of the season. But, given how close we are now, we have to find the perfect balance of making moves that benefit out present and out future as well. In my humble opinion, what needs to be done;
Trade Jack Wilson For a Serviceable Left Fielder – Jack Wilson has played well enough this year to make him worth something to teams that are going to need a second baseman or shortstop, which is a position that I still believe that he can play, albeit not every day. All three of our options currently have a .220 OBP in left field, so if we can get someone that will bat .250+ and provide at least serviceable defense, then I believe getting rid of Wilson will be in our best interest, unless of course someone bites on taking Chone Figgins for a left fielder, which I do not see happening.
Shop Around Chone Figgins – I am pretty confident that no one will want him, but if we have any chance at all, I would rather dump his contract and free up some cap space for the future. Even if we could pick up a B or C-level prospect, I am all for the move. Figgins has been nothing but terrible, and despite how straight faced he seems to be, there is no doubt in my mind that his confidence is shot and we shouldn’t be too confident in his ability to turn things around. If we can’t dump him, he needs to bad 7-8-9 when he does bat, and needs to be on the bench with Adam Kennedy filling in at third. Kennedy might be a bit of a liability defensively, but with Brendan Ryan playing as well as he is at short, there is no reason to think that we need to let Figgins bat go unpunished.
Trade Jack Wilson For a Serviceable Left Fielder – Jack Wilson has played well enough this year to make him worth something to teams that are going to need a second baseman or shortstop, which is a position that I still believe that he can play, albeit not every day. All three of our options currently have a .220 OBP in left field, so if we can get someone that will bat .250+ and provide at least serviceable defense, then I believe getting rid of Wilson will be in our best interest, unless of course someone bites on taking Chone Figgins for a left fielder, which I do not see happening.
Shop Around Chone Figgins – I am pretty confident that no one will want him, but if we have any chance at all, I would rather dump his contract and free up some cap space for the future. Even if we could pick up a B or C-level prospect, I am all for the move. Figgins has been nothing but terrible, and despite how straight faced he seems to be, there is no doubt in my mind that his confidence is shot and we shouldn’t be too confident in his ability to turn things around. If we can’t dump him, he needs to bad 7-8-9 when he does bat, and needs to be on the bench with Adam Kennedy filling in at third. Kennedy might be a bit of a liability defensively, but with Brendan Ryan playing as well as he is at short, there is no reason to think that we need to let Figgins bat go unpunished.
The Lockout Is Coming to an End for the NFL
I have been waiting for the lockout to come to an end for a very long time. There was nothing that scared me more than thinking that the NFL would not have a season this year. I spend a great deal of time each week, waiting for the stats from the players to be released from the previous week and reading through all of the steps that are currently available. I cannot imagine what I would do during the week if I was not able to follow football so closely. I have been following football very closely ever since I was a small child. My family has always been and are watching the Seahawks, and most everyone in my family has been lifelong fans through the ups and downs(mostly downs).
I was worried that just as we got Pete Carroll to come to the Seahawks, we were going to go into a lockout of things would never be the same. I believe that he is going to take this team in the right direction, and has made the right changes to take us to our next championship. I have been waiting for him to come coach this team for a very long time, from the moment that it was first announced. I was very pleased with what he was able to get done during the first year, and I believe that he will continue to be a major asset for the Seahawks. I am hoping that we are able to make the playoffs this year, just as we did last year, and continue our new winning tradition that we are building with Pete Carroll as our head coach. I like the way he is instilled new beliefs and our players and continues to create an atmosphere that is much different than the one that Jim Mora created while he was here.
The Seattle Seahawks will be much better than they were last year. Almost everyone trashed on our draft picks, I beg to differ. I really think that we win in the right direction. We were trying to trade down, to pick up the first person that we picked early in the second round, it ended up being unable to do so. The good way to look at it is that we still got the man that we wanted, and that he was able to fill the role we wanted him to fill. One of Pete Carroll's biggest things is that he would like the team to continue getting bigger. I believe that this was accomplished throughout this draft, and that our team should be much better than it was last year.
I was worried that just as we got Pete Carroll to come to the Seahawks, we were going to go into a lockout of things would never be the same. I believe that he is going to take this team in the right direction, and has made the right changes to take us to our next championship. I have been waiting for him to come coach this team for a very long time, from the moment that it was first announced. I was very pleased with what he was able to get done during the first year, and I believe that he will continue to be a major asset for the Seahawks. I am hoping that we are able to make the playoffs this year, just as we did last year, and continue our new winning tradition that we are building with Pete Carroll as our head coach. I like the way he is instilled new beliefs and our players and continues to create an atmosphere that is much different than the one that Jim Mora created while he was here.
The Seattle Seahawks will be much better than they were last year. Almost everyone trashed on our draft picks, I beg to differ. I really think that we win in the right direction. We were trying to trade down, to pick up the first person that we picked early in the second round, it ended up being unable to do so. The good way to look at it is that we still got the man that we wanted, and that he was able to fill the role we wanted him to fill. One of Pete Carroll's biggest things is that he would like the team to continue getting bigger. I believe that this was accomplished throughout this draft, and that our team should be much better than it was last year.
The Mariners Terrible Loss Today
The Seattle Mariners terrible loss, was one of the worst that I have seen in a long time.I really feel bad for Doug Fister. Fister has had tough breaks all season long,and I was really hoping that we could pull the went out for him today. It seems like he really gets no run support from game to game. Finally, it look like we could get him some runs that would get him the win for the game. However, he was not able to come out on top, and in the end he ended up getting another loss. This was very disappointing for me, and now his record will hold at three and eight when he should be, perhaps the opposite, add egg and three with the way that he has been pitching. Coming into the bay he had an ERA in the mid-threes and I expect that it will be much lower after the way that he pitched today.
What made this law so hard was that there was really no one to blame. I do not think that they should have left Brandon league in the game, and I feel bad for David Pauley because he had to come into the game called after someone line drive to a ball and two leagues leg. in all I thought the Mariners played a pretty good game. It is a shame that it had to end up this way. I guess if you were going to blame someone, I would blame David Pauley.
If there was any bright spot today it was Dustin Ackley. I am very pleased with the way that he has been playing so far, and I expect that he will continue to be a great player for us moving forward. He singled on his first day, hit a home run on his second day, tripled on his third day, and has continued to tear it up with RBIs on a daily basis since that time. I hope that he will continue to produce at a level that he has so far, and will be an asset to us defensively at second base as he has been so far. They said that one of his biggest problems coming up was his defense at second base, but I have not seen that so far. In fact, he is a pretty good overall.
What made this law so hard was that there was really no one to blame. I do not think that they should have left Brandon league in the game, and I feel bad for David Pauley because he had to come into the game called after someone line drive to a ball and two leagues leg. in all I thought the Mariners played a pretty good game. It is a shame that it had to end up this way. I guess if you were going to blame someone, I would blame David Pauley.
If there was any bright spot today it was Dustin Ackley. I am very pleased with the way that he has been playing so far, and I expect that he will continue to be a great player for us moving forward. He singled on his first day, hit a home run on his second day, tripled on his third day, and has continued to tear it up with RBIs on a daily basis since that time. I hope that he will continue to produce at a level that he has so far, and will be an asset to us defensively at second base as he has been so far. They said that one of his biggest problems coming up was his defense at second base, but I have not seen that so far. In fact, he is a pretty good overall.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Dustin Ackley's First Game
Today was Dustin Ackley's first game, and I was fortunate enough to get tickets. Everyone has been waiting for him to get called up and his first game was no disappointment. After seeing the way that he played today, I am confident that he will help us to add some offense to a team that has struggled a lot offensively. He has been able to kill it in the minor leagues, and I assume that he will be able to do pretty well in the big leagues.
He made solid contact in all of his at bats today and he looked very good. His single in his first major league at bat surely boosted his confidence. In his second at bat he had a solid pop out/line drive to left field that looked like it could have dropped for a hit, but was caught by the left fielder.
The idea of having a lineup that goes Ichiro, Ackley, Smoak to start is a really interesting prospect. If we were able to get a reliable 3 hitter, then Smoak could even move to fourth since he does not hit for average but does hit for for power.
If Mike Carp can continue to play at a high level, or Halman keeps hitting, we could have a front half of the lineup that actually could scare some teams, which is a prospect that we have not had in a very long time. In all, Ackley's first major league game looked pretty great and it is exciting to see him prove that he can at least make content on major league pitches.
He made solid contact in all of his at bats today and he looked very good. His single in his first major league at bat surely boosted his confidence. In his second at bat he had a solid pop out/line drive to left field that looked like it could have dropped for a hit, but was caught by the left fielder.
The idea of having a lineup that goes Ichiro, Ackley, Smoak to start is a really interesting prospect. If we were able to get a reliable 3 hitter, then Smoak could even move to fourth since he does not hit for average but does hit for for power.
If Mike Carp can continue to play at a high level, or Halman keeps hitting, we could have a front half of the lineup that actually could scare some teams, which is a prospect that we have not had in a very long time. In all, Ackley's first major league game looked pretty great and it is exciting to see him prove that he can at least make content on major league pitches.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Mariners Should Bring Mike Carp Up
The Mariners offense seriously needs a boost, which makes it even more puzzling as to why they do not call up Mike Carp, who has been absolutely destroying it in Tacoma. Last night he hit 2 home runs and drove in seven runs, and on the season he has continued to ride a hot streak that I was almost sure would have brought him up to the majors, but instead the team called up Greg Halmon. He has performed well since being called up also, but I really think Carp should be called up and Mike Wilson should be called down because he really hasn't shown that he is capable of playing at the major league level.
So far this season in Tacoma he has hit 19 home runs and has also managed to bat .350. During this time span he has walked 22 times and struck out 33, which suggests that perhaps he needs to work on his eye a little more but is still much more promising.
An addition to the team of Mike Carp and Dustin Ackley would undoubtedly boost the offense, which is where the Mariners have struggled. Mike Carp is also young at just 25 years old and shows a lot of potential for becoming a better player with a little bit of time to learn the game at a higher level.
Carp has proven that he knows how to hit but now just has to prove that he has the patience at the major league level. Hopefully we will call him up and get a better look at him over the course of the next few weeks to get a better idea of what he can bring to the table as far as major league potential goes. The one certain thing though is that you can not let him to continue to perform at such a high level in th e minor leagues without at least giving him a shot at the next level up.
So far this season in Tacoma he has hit 19 home runs and has also managed to bat .350. During this time span he has walked 22 times and struck out 33, which suggests that perhaps he needs to work on his eye a little more but is still much more promising.
An addition to the team of Mike Carp and Dustin Ackley would undoubtedly boost the offense, which is where the Mariners have struggled. Mike Carp is also young at just 25 years old and shows a lot of potential for becoming a better player with a little bit of time to learn the game at a higher level.
Carp has proven that he knows how to hit but now just has to prove that he has the patience at the major league level. Hopefully we will call him up and get a better look at him over the course of the next few weeks to get a better idea of what he can bring to the table as far as major league potential goes. The one certain thing though is that you can not let him to continue to perform at such a high level in th e minor leagues without at least giving him a shot at the next level up.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Justin Smoak's Game Winning Home Run
Well it wasn't quite a walk off but Justin Smoak won the game for the Mariners tonight. Smoak has become the hard hitter that we hoped that he would when he was traded for Cliff Lee, and I have to say he has impressed me quite a bit. We were down 2-0 against Mark Guthrie, who had shut us down all game. Ichiro was able to get on with an error, then Brendan Ryan followed him up with a hit, and then Smoak drove it out of the yard to put us up 3-2 and just half an inning away from a last second victory. I have to say that when we traded Cliff Lee I was not happy at the time because of how good of a player we had gotten rid of, but the truth of the matter is that we got a top of the line prspect who was on the cusp of being our best player last year and is almost definitely our best player this year.
His father passed earlier this year, and Smoak went on a hot streak following that time. I am glad to see how well he has done and will be happy to see him continue to flourish. He reminds me a bit of a young Jay Buhner and one day could have forty home run potential if he plays his cards right. It will definitely be interesting to see whether or not he lives up to his potential. A trade for Cliff Lee means that you are a highly touted prospect.
His home run tonight helped him snap out of a cold streak and I am looking forward to see what he is able to do moving forward. Hopefully this will be a turning point. Did anyone see the team react on the sideline after the home run? This is a team that knows how to fight and scrap for the win.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Seattle Seahawks Best Option at QB
It's clear that the Seattle Seahawks need a new quarterback. Matt Hasselbeck, despite winning a playoff game last year has underperformed and disappointed for most of the last few seasons. Taking a look at Hasselbeck's stats, you can see that they pretty much speak for themselves for the most part;
As you can see, Hasselbeck has not thrown more touchdowns than interceptions since 2007. In the last three years he has missed a total of 13 games, nearly an entire season. It is sort of baffling that people still think that he is a viable option and that other teams are actually interested in perusing him during this free agency period. His win the playoffs this last season may have bought him some additional time, but definitely did not make up for his previous seasons. In my opinion, Hasselbeck is nothing more than a solid backup. He might be able to start for a team that doesn't have another viable option at QB, like the Tennessee Titans, but why would a team that is looking to rebuild go with an aging, injury prone quarterback? Just for the discount that he could potentially provide? To me, it's not worth the effort.
The Answer? Carson Palmer.
Carson Palmer wants out of Cincinnati and has informed the team there that he would be willing to retire rather than come back and play for the team. He played well early in his career but has struggled as of late. The good news? He is two years younger than Matt Hasselbeck and previously worked under Pete Carrol in college, where he was wildly successful. Taking a look at his stats over the course of the past few seasons;
While his interception rate is a bit higher than you would like it to be, he only threw three more than Hasselbeck and more than doubled his output in touchdowns. Sure, he had a couple of great receivers aiding him, but Seattle has a young receiving core that could really takeoff this year with a little bit of effort.
At only 31, Palmer has a few more years left in hi and other than 2008, he has not shown that he is prone to injury. If Carrol could stress to him the importance of making the right decisions, then he would be an excellent fit here in Seattle.
| CAREER STATSMORE | |||||||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Passing | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
| G | GS | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Sck | SckY | Rate | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | FUM | Lost | ||
| 2010 | Seattle Seahawks | 14 | 14 | 266 | 444 | 59.9 | 3,001 | 6.8 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 175 | 73.2 | 23 | 60 | 2.6 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| 2009 | Seattle Seahawks | 14 | 14 | 293 | 488 | 60.0 | 3,029 | 6.2 | 17 | 17 | 32 | 209 | 75.1 | 26 | 119 | 4.6 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2008 | Seattle Seahawks | 7 | 7 | 109 | 209 | 52.2 | 1,216 | 5.8 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 119 | 57.8 | 11 | 69 | 6.3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 16 | 352 | 562 | 62.6 | 3,966 | 7.1 | 28 | 12 | 33 | 204 | 91.4 | 39 | 89 | 2.3 | 0 | 9 | 5 |
As you can see, Hasselbeck has not thrown more touchdowns than interceptions since 2007. In the last three years he has missed a total of 13 games, nearly an entire season. It is sort of baffling that people still think that he is a viable option and that other teams are actually interested in perusing him during this free agency period. His win the playoffs this last season may have bought him some additional time, but definitely did not make up for his previous seasons. In my opinion, Hasselbeck is nothing more than a solid backup. He might be able to start for a team that doesn't have another viable option at QB, like the Tennessee Titans, but why would a team that is looking to rebuild go with an aging, injury prone quarterback? Just for the discount that he could potentially provide? To me, it's not worth the effort.
The Answer? Carson Palmer.
Carson Palmer wants out of Cincinnati and has informed the team there that he would be willing to retire rather than come back and play for the team. He played well early in his career but has struggled as of late. The good news? He is two years younger than Matt Hasselbeck and previously worked under Pete Carrol in college, where he was wildly successful. Taking a look at his stats over the course of the past few seasons;
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At only 31, Palmer has a few more years left in hi and other than 2008, he has not shown that he is prone to injury. If Carrol could stress to him the importance of making the right decisions, then he would be an excellent fit here in Seattle.
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