Top > Sport > 2004 > September > 2004-09-20

M`s failed miserably this time

I have a confession to make. I feel like Scott Spiezio, batting about .200 when it comes to Mariners` suggestions for how best to succeed in 2004.

I`d like to rip Howard Lincoln, Bill Bavasi, Chuck Armstrong, Rick ``The Peanut Man`` and anybody who had anything to do with putting together this disastrous season of Seattle baseball. But truth is, I`m not sure I would have done things much differently myself.

Remember when Bavasi tried getting Omar Vizquel to play shortstop? I screamed, along with most of the Seattle media, that Vizquel was too old and too hurt and not enough of a power hitter to help the Mariners.

So, of course, Vizquel is hitting .300 with the Cleveland Indians, while the M`s have long since released my preferred option, the esteemed Rich Aurilia.

Pudge Rodriguez? I figured, along with many, that a short-term offer for the aging All-Star catcher would be great. But when Detroit ponied up a four-year whopper for a backstop whose body seemed on the verge of breakdown, I knew in my heart that Big Ben Davis would be a far better bargain, just ready for a bust-out season.

Ahem. Pudge is pounding out a .343 season with the Tigers, while Davis is among the dearly departed M`s miseries.

Or remember when the Mariners were pondering how to bolster their lineup, looking for more offense out of the corner infield positions? Let`s take this one back a few years, back to when David Bell played third on the team that won 116 games.

I fell in line with Lou Piniella`s thinking on that one. That Bell was a nice player, but if the M`s wanted to get better, that was a place they could add a bigger bat. And Jeff Cirillo? Whew, who wouldn`t want a career .312 hitter whose ringing line drives should produce big numbers at spacious Safeco Field.

Of course, Cirillo failed miserably. Which brought us to last winter, when I suggested Spiezio as a replacement, given his solid bat as well as a relationship with Bavasi, the former Angels` GM.

And now here we sit. All of us. Cirillo in his Redmond home, released by the San Diego Padres. Spiezio on the Mariners bench, where his .203 batting average is lower than even Cirillo`s worst nightmare. And the rest of us, pondering what move to make next at the M`s not-so-hot corner, while Bell is batting .296 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs for the Phillies.

I figured on John Olerud for a bounce-back year. I was intrigued by Raul Ibanez`s potential to be the left-handed power threat at Safeco Field. I counted on Bret Boone continuing to be the little big man in the M`s lineup.

I just knew the starting rotation was rock solid, with five veterans who`d made every start in 2003, backed up by a minor-league roster filled with promising stars.

I was certain the bullpen was a huge strength, with valuable veterans Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Eddie Guardado and Julio Mateo and Rafael Soriano. Guys you could count on from April to September.

I screamed last year when the Mariners traded Jeff Nelson for Armando Benitez, then nodded knowingly when Benitez was allowed to walk away for nothing in free agency. Good riddance.

Of course, Nelson has missed most of this season on injured reserve with Texas, much like Guardado and Mateo and Soriano in Seattle. Meanwhile, Benitez has 41 saves and a 1.16 ERA for the Florida Marlins.

Go figure.

It`s not an exact science, this business of putting together a ball club. The Orioles drew huge praise for signing shortstop Miguel Tejada, first baseman Rafael Palmeiro and catcher Javy Lopes, but Baltimore is 24 games back in the AL East.

The White Sox made the big midseason move to acquire Freddy Garcia, then promptly fell out of the Central race.

The Houston Astros added Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte last winter, then boldly traded for star center fielder Carlos Beltran in July to bolster their chances. And still, the Astros find themselves 17 games out in the NL Central, though still sniffing a wildcard push.

Answers aren`t always as simple as they seem. Many Mariners fans figured bringing back Ken Griffey Jr. would be an obvious solution. Then Junior got hurt, leaving the Reds -- 30 games out in the NL Central -- paying big money to a man on the disabled list. Again.

Letting Mike Cameron go to the Mets seemed disastrous earlier this year. Obviously the M`s undervalued his defense while overplaying his propensity for strikeouts and Safeco Field struggles. Yet in New York, Cameron has already struck out more times than last season, is hitting only .236 and the Mets just announced they`ll be firing manager Art Howe after the season.

What about Scott Podsednik? How could the M`s have let the fleet center fielder get away a few years ago, then watch as he won Rookie of the Year honors in Milwaukee? But Podsednik is hitting a pedestrian .248 with 35 RBIs for the Brewers this season, which makes Randy Winn`s .284 with 69 RBIs look a little better.

No, it`s not easy putting together a team that succeeds fabulously every season. Clearly the Mariners failed miserably this time around. But as Cubs` fans learned long ago, in baseball, there`s always next year.