Why We Watch - 2008 Seattle Mariners

February 19th, 2008 by Tuffy Posted in baseball, mlb, why we watch |

There’s 200 days or so of baseball to come this season and it can be quite intimidating to jump into the deep end of the baseball viewing pool.

To help, Refrigerator Logic is providing a list of reasons to watch every Major League Baseball team for the 2008 season. Anyone that’s read all the team lists should be able to pull up the MLB schedule on any day in early June and find reasons to enjoy any contest on the board that night.

Please join in the comments to add your own reasons. Tell everyone why your team is worth three and a half hours of their lives on any given day. Make us care and we’ll be there with a tasty beverage and an appreciation for what you feel each time your team takes the field.

Crown His Arm

King Felix demands your fealty

2005: Shoulder bursitis
2006: Weight of expectations disease, shin splints
2007: Strained forearm flexor, repetitive pitch sequence syndrome
2008: Upper back pain from carrying the Seattle Mariners; pulled side muscle from catalog model posing; strained facial muscles from smiling so often after wins; cranial chafing from regal crown

Sexy Bavasi

Though Baseball Prospectus and any other reasonable measure of the Mariners’ chances in the AL West suggests another rebuilding program, General Manager and VP of Baseball Operations Bill Bavasi has decided he will send those other views off to fornicate with each other; he’s goin’ deep.

Erik Bedard throws the first pitch of the Mariners season this year after sending Adam Jones and Friends to Baltimore. Brad Wilkerson has been signed to a free agent deal, having been dipped in holy water and rubbed with anointed oils to try to keep him from his yearly sunburn DL time. Carlos Silva is expensive, mediocre, and ready to throw a million innings.

Adrian Béltre’s only signed through 2009. Richie Sexson is in his contract year, which always helps him out. Ken Johjima’s getting older and is in his contract year with Jeff Clement dying to Pipp him. Ichiro is signed through 2012, but he’s definitely coming down the other side of his career hill.

Most importantly, though, the Mariners’ owner is reaching permanent retirement age. Hiroshi Yamauchi, the man that brought America Donkey Kong, now wants a championship. He’s 80 years old. He’s worth four billion dollars. He’s goin’ deep very soon.

Maybe the team isn’t quite ready to make a big push, but there’s not a lot of time to reload. It may not be the wisest decision from one of the world’s wisest businessmen, but it’s completely defensible and fascinating to watch.

On the Other Hand…

…any team that employs these two gentlemen can’t really be trying, can they?

Gritty gutty pale Willie B.

Tune in to see when these men have moved into “leadership” roles somewhere far away from serious playing time. Leading the team to the bus, maybe. Leading the call for better water coolers in the locker room. Something they can be productive at.

Safeco Blast

The biggest blast you’ll ever get at a baseball stadium that doesn’t involve Albert Pujols. (By the way, there are a disturbing number of videos of trains passing by on YouTube. Train porn?)