Last season ended with tears. This season didn't, but only because I cried them all out back in May.
The usual thing to say at a time like this is that, as bad as the season was, it feels like it really flew by. And it's true, if you just sit there and think, oh, baseball's over. At first, it doesn't feel like the Mariners played 162 times. It feels like they just lost a game, and that tomorrow there should be another game.
There isn't another game, though. Not for us (and not for 21 other teams, either. High five!). And it's only when you think about all the things that we've been through that the true length of the season comes into focus.
This season, we heard the story about Ken Griffey Jr. falling asleep.
This season, Ken Griffey Jr. retired.
This season, the Mariners had Milton Bradley.
This season, Cliff Lee debuted with the team 11-11 and a half-game out of first.
This season, Eric Byrnes blew a bunt and rode his bicycle out of the clubhouse.
This season, the M's traded for Russell Branyan.
This season, Russell Branyan hurt himself on a table, and again in a pizza place.
This season, the Mariners had Chad Cordero, and Jesus Colome, and Kanekoa Texeira, and Ryan Garko, and Ian Snell.
This season, the Mariners lost three-straight one-run games in Chicago.
This season, Mike Sweeney was bad.
This season, Mike Sweeney was good.
This season, Mike Sweeney got traded.
This season, everybody got fired.
This season, the Mariners had hope.
2008 was bad. As I recall, 2008 was miserable. But - and maybe my memory is just skewed, although I don't think it is - I think this - 2010 - was the longest season I've ever experienced. I think it's because the expectations were so high. And I know I'm not alone. This was probably the longest season for many of you. This was probably the longest season for a number of writers. This was definitely the longest season for Griffey, and Chone Figgins, and Jose Lopez, and so many players and coaches. This was a nightmare, and it was practically a nightmare from start to finish. A team that many of us figured could at least contend for the playoffs never came together. It never came close.
I'm torn between wanting to give this season a proper sendoff, and wanting nothing more to do with it for the rest of my life. The Mariners scored 513 runs. In an entire season. Can you believe that? The Yankees scored their 513th run on July 23rd. Last year's Mariners scored their 513th run on August 28th. The Mariners allowed six more runs in 2010 than they did in 2009, and they lost 24 more games. If there's any winner out of all this, it's us. It's those of us who managed to stick with everything this year - maybe not on an everyday basis towards the end, but those of us who kept paying some semblance of attention. Because, now, look what we can survive. This season made us tougher, and it gave us a greater understanding of how much we can tolerate. Turns out we can tolerate some of the dullest, most listless baseball the Earth has ever seen.
It's often recommended to fans of bad teams that they enjoy the baseball they get while they can, because soon enough, it'll be gone, and bad baseball is better than no baseball. I no longer believe that. No baseball is better than this baseball. I don't like the winter. Once the playoffs are over and a few weeks gone, I'll start to miss baseball, the way I do every year. But I won't miss this season. I'll miss Felix, but I won't miss the rest. 80% of the time for the past several months, tuning in for three hours has been agony at best, and uninteresting at worst. This season can go straight to hell.
The optimism that all of us have lost will surely come back. By the time spring training shows up on the schedule, we'll all be talking about what has to go right in order for the M's to contend. The function of the offseason for a fan, though, is to recharge the batteries, and after a season like this, I'm going to need every last day. I'm drained.
Thanks to Felix and Ichiro for providing most of the highlights. Thanks to the TV and radio guys for achieving the impossible and sticking with this team for every single game. Thanks to the journalists, who so frequently managed to find something interesting to say about the season equivalent of Cleveland. Thanks to Matthew, for all of his help with the site. Thanks to Ms. Jeff, who put up with having the Mariners on TV every day she got home. And thanks to you guys, who make everything worthwhile. You guys care enough to know that sometimes it's just not worth giving a shit.
Kiss my ass, 2010. May 2011 shortly come by and kick you in the balls.
26 recs | 109 comments
Amen.
ScottBrowne - October 3, 2010
I cannot agree with this strongly enough.
c_dowley - October 3, 2010
Lord.
Joe Metro - October 3, 2010
2011 here we come.
E-Lizz - October 3, 2010
Special thanks to Jeff and Matthew
For making this unbearable season that much more tolerable through 162 games worth of witty coverage, inside jokes and the little things that made coming here a relief after the long days and horrible losses. At least we had that much to look forward to every day.
Cheers.
Sarchasm - October 3, 2010
In addition to what you said
I know
mostall of my posts are crap, but I can always look forward to coming to this site on a daily basis and take solace in the fact that I am not alone in rooting for what is currently a very shitty ballclub. With this Mariners season and my hometown Padres’ collapse completing today, I was seriously contemplating taking 2011 off from baseball. But thanks to Jeff, Matthew, and the many hilarious posters here, I wouldn’t have even made it this far and kept paying attention, so I know I have to keep watching next year. Thank you, LL, for keeping me as a Mariners fan.I look forward to hearing that Leslie Gore song again every fifth day next April, and hopefully there’s reason to be positive in between.
Kouvre - October 3, 2010
I feel like I've run a marathon.
But instead of running, somebody has been beating the shit out of me for 26 miles and now I am glad for the sweet oblivion of the ditch they left me in.
JAH - October 3, 2010
Let the healing begin.
MT Olson - October 3, 2010
Who's gonna stop and help you?
joey90 - October 3, 2010
How is "This season Jose Lopez got braces" not on the list.
wetzelcoal - October 3, 2010
Hear hear.
I’m looking forward to this offseason. Even if we don’t do much in free agency, there’s going to be a lot of welcome change.
katal - October 3, 2010
I like turtles
Fett42 - October 3, 2010
I like zombies.
skwid206 - October 4, 2010
yup.
This team reached into my soul with a rusty old spoon and scraped a little bit of it away this year. I never thought baseball would do that to me. The upside is that I’m not feeling any of my usual end-of-the-season depression, since my sense of caring has long since drained away. At least I was able to ignore it after a while, so to Jeff and Matthew I say, thanks for dealing with this horror all year!
MarinerHousewife - October 3, 2010
Apropos of this post I submit that in honor of the 2010 Mariners we retire the cliche "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Because in truth, most of the time, what doesn’t kill you merely leaves you weakened and vulnerable, praying with the last of your ebbing strength for a brief and merciful death.
Kind of like the 2010 Mariners.
esoteric - October 3, 2010
Cue Dr. Hibbard laugh.
JAH - October 3, 2010
I'll strangle a hobo if it turns out the Simpsons used a line like this.
Because I’ve been saying it since I was a 10-year-old, LITERALLY.
esoteric - October 3, 2010
I'll be sure to look in the papers for any murdered transients.
JAH - October 3, 2010
Airdate: 12/17/92
Matthew - October 3, 2010
Heart attack episode?
Jeff Sullivan - October 3, 2010
That's the one.
JAH - October 3, 2010
Smithers: "He's dead, sir."
Burns: “Hmm… well, send his family a ham.”
Homer’s spirit: “Mmmm… haaaaam…”, goes back into body.
Smithers: “Sir, he’s alive again!”
Burns: “Oh, well, cancel that ham.”
Homer: “D’oh!”
The Typical Idiot Fan - October 3, 2010
To second Sarchasm's point, though
I think Jeff and Matthew proved that for them at least, Nora Ephron’s line holds true: what doesn’t kill you makes you funnier.
The Ancient Mariner - October 4, 2010
Fuck you Eric Byrnes.
Goose - October 3, 2010
I maintain season would have been a hell of a lot more interesting with more Eric Byrnes
Corco - October 3, 2010
We might have been bad enough to really break some records too
Edgar for Pres - October 3, 2010
He's baaaa-aaack!
And this video about him automatically starts playing when you enter the Mariners’ ESPN team page.
http://search.espn.go.com/eric-byrnes/video/6/
Pretty fitting.
Eric Byrnes is the only player who comes to my mind whom I would not act civilly and politely towards if I met him on the street. If I ever come across Byrnes, I’m telling him that he’s the worst baseball player to ever put on a Mariners uniform and that I hope he burns in hell.
Decatur - October 3, 2010
Not even PLayer A?
JAH - October 3, 2010
Who is Player A, again?
Decatur - October 3, 2010
Scott Spiezo
Goose - October 3, 2010
I would give Eric Byrnes a hug if I ever came across him.
That guy is hilarious.
nemo1 - October 3, 2010
Eric Byrnes was at least an entertaining aspect of this season.
We were losing well before he went bad. I loved his silly ass.
TrustBaseball - October 3, 2010
We were .500 when he went bad?
Because that was the day Cliff Lee returned.
joof - October 3, 2010
Yeah we were not well in to losing when we went bad. He is part of the reason we went bad.
Douche bag.
Kirk - October 4, 2010
Eric Byrnes is the douche bag, not you.
Kirk - October 4, 2010
You're the douchbag, not Eric Byrnes
Dewey N - October 4, 2010
Unless he means we had lost our first game 21 games previous, in which case he is right.
joof - October 4, 2010
We had two watchable position players and one was Eric Byrnes
Poochie - October 4, 2010
This season was a rough introduction to baseball
DrunkAmerican - October 3, 2010
I miss Kanekoa Texeira.
And his Hello Kitty backpack.
Even though he wasn’t that good, I’d much rather watch him pitch than any of our relievers other than League and Aardsma.
Texeira actually did manage to post a positive WAR this season, which is more than you can say for Jamey Wright (0), Jesus Colome (0), Chad Cordero (-0.1), Brian Sweeney (-0.1), Garrett Olson (-0.1), Sean White (-0.2), and Chris Seddon (-0.2).
nemo1 - October 3, 2010
Hurry back Shawn Kelley.
Also throw your fucking splitter League.
At least we have Cortes, and maybe Varvaro around. Maybe Nick Hill too, and whoever ends up getting pushed out of the rotation and is not a quad-A pitcher. I fully expect us to Rule 5 another bullpen arm in the offseason.
JY - October 3, 2010
The fact that we had such an awful bullpen contributing to this mess makes me happy, as it could easily be very good next year.
Fuckmikereilly - October 3, 2010
Seconded, thirded, and fourth-ed.
This was the first season I’ve spent hanging out at LL, and I have to say I’m sorry I didn’t come check this place out sooner. The writing is informed, smart, and passionate, and everyone here “gets it” in a way that doesn’t exist all the time at Stone and Baker’s respective media sites. Looking forward to next year…and I agree that we should all assume 2010 never happened. To quote Skipper, the irrepressible commander of the Penguins of Madagascar: “You didn’t see anything…”
Saxatak - October 3, 2010
As painfully shitty as this season was, it's still bittersweet to see it end.
The thought of no Mariners baseball for 6 months makes me sad. I guess I’m a masochist. Thanks again for all your hard work Jeff and Matthew – I’ve been around here for almost two years now, and as a wannabe blogger it still amazes me how consistent you guys are with your content. You always manage to find something interesting to say, even in the least interesting of times. So yeah, keep up in the incredible work guys.
Griffin Cooper - October 3, 2010
I can honestly say that I'm not going to miss this team.
I will miss baseball in general during the winter, but for me, the Mariners quit playing months ago. I watched 2 non Felix games from start to finishduring the entire 2nd half of the season.
Fuck you Mariners. Just…fuck you.
Goose - October 3, 2010
I know what you mean
I’m going to miss watching the Mariners in general, not necessarily this version of the Mariners
Griffin Cooper - October 3, 2010
Well, that was fun,
but it would’ve been a lot more hellish without LL. I chose a good season to follow this blog everyday, because I think I would have lost my sanity as a baseball fan long ago if I didn’t. Thanks guys. Here’s to a less-shitty 2011 season
bomdal - October 3, 2010
Farewell terrible Mariners 2010 season.
Hellooooooo all day radiogasm playoff basebol on Wednesday/Thursday.
wazzu93 - October 3, 2010
Awwwww quit your bitching it wasn't that bad.
Robert - October 3, 2010
I know right. They were fun sometimes.
Kirk - October 4, 2010
Welcome to Mariners 101!
Uggghh, this season sucked. But hanging out here is spLLendid. The first full year here for me was fun, I only wish the team had more success. But hey, Purke/Cole!
perfectstrat - October 3, 2010
The only possible good thing that happened this season is finding LL.
And maybe seeing two baseball gods pitch on consecutive days. Otherwise, Fuck you 2010
the other side - October 3, 2010
Thanks for another year of hard work Jeff/Matthew.
Coach Owens - October 3, 2010
This I can definitely agree with and recommend. Thank you so much.
TrustBaseball - October 3, 2010
Dear Mariners fans...
I’ve come to love you all, all the way from Minnesota, and as soon as your team is any good, I will bandwagon you like you cannot believe.
I sincerely hope the 2011 season is better for all of you. Lookout Landing, when it’s in a good mood (all too rare recently), is by far the finest SBNation site. (At least as far as I can tell!)
You are wonderful fans and you deserve better. And I think you’ll get it, soon.
Patrick42 - October 3, 2010
LL is better when the team is bad but before they break our spirits
Robert - October 3, 2010
I couldn't rec this enough.
Thanks.
Coach Owens - October 3, 2010
Thanks and good luck to the Twins
I think most here would prefer to see the Twins win than the Yankees.
CMC_Stags - October 4, 2010
Amen to that.
The Ancient Mariner - October 4, 2010
Thanks to the LL community.
For making me as a new member feel welcome.
kennerdoloman - October 3, 2010
The only reason this season didn't seem long was that I effectively gave up on it in July
and for that I am still angry with the Mariners. I should care about wins and losses in July, and in August, and September. But I didn’t, and that pisses me off more than the Mariners’ on field product did.
pdb - October 3, 2010
I'd rather them be out of contention by July then to end up not making the playoffs
in September.
Coach Owens - October 3, 2010
Not me, no way
Because given the choice I’d much rather watch a team that has something at stake. Even if they lose out on the playoffs at the last possible hurdle – hi, Padres fans! – at least the summer would have been a hell of a good ride and the games would be of consequence. This Mariner team has been playing out the string since mid-May, and that’s pretty damn soul-destroying, at least to me. I’ll take a last second loss over a blowout any day of the week.
pdb - October 3, 2010
Fuck this season, for making me choose bed and work over baseball.
This is the lowest point of my baseball fanhood since I got back into baseball fully in 2002. Even in 2008 I watched every M’s game available and at least two other games a night. I can count the number of MLB games I’ve watched total this season on the fingers I have in front of me.
For that, fuck you, M’s. You ruined baseball for at least one person, and I’m not sure I’ll recover this time.
Faux - October 3, 2010
Until next season
cedarA - October 3, 2010
Meh. The moves they made this year, I barely talked myself into getting MLBTV. Then I used it ~four times the whole season.
Next year, there’s a better than good chance I won’t even do that.
Faux - October 3, 2010
*this year = last offseason
Faux - October 3, 2010
This season blew major donkey balls
Even though i was burned numb by the suckitude, the harsh will winter will calm my nerves. That is, unless the Seahawks decide to crash and burn.
beastwarking - October 3, 2010
The difference between 2008 and 2010
We didn’t have to blow the farm system to lose 101 games in 2010.
Instead, we restocked it.
seiferguy - October 3, 2010
Yes we did.
TrustBaseball - October 3, 2010
It's the mark of a phenomenal baseball blog that I still found a reason to check this site almost every single day amidst such a monotonous slog.
We would be hopeless without you, Jeff and Matthew.
Torrid - October 3, 2010
The season could've been worse. After all, Felix was so great, and Cliff Lee was here for a while.
I wonder if I’ll watch any of the playoffs. I’m not rooting for anyone in particular yet.
ignacio - October 3, 2010
My.
Baker tosses everyone under the passing bus.
msb - October 3, 2010
And Larry Stone
is Larry Stone
msb - October 3, 2010
Bereave big.
CapSea - October 3, 2010
There were originally quotations aroudn this that got deleted and I was quoting the article.
Please take your recs back as they are undeserved.
CapSea - October 4, 2010
Maybe they are rec-cing Larry Stone
msb - October 4, 2010
Criff Ree :(
JY - October 4, 2010
Unbereavable
lemonverbena - October 5, 2010
I find Geoff to be a fantastically competent beat writer and an oftentimes opportunistic, inflammatory ass.
But that article basically nails it head on. If not in specifics then in the general, raw feeling of enough bullshit is enough bullshit. Win some damn games. It took him four years. Those of us who have been around decades are reaaaaaallllly wearing thin.
I’m a Seattle sports fan. I’m used to failure. Hell I honestly have no idea what I would do if one of my teams won a championship. But even someone as used to disappointment as myself cannot tolerate embarrassment. And that’s what this season was. I’m not placing blame or calling for heads just, fuck, be better you guys. This city WANTS to love you. As soon as you even sniff contention we go crazy. Just do better.
TheBishop - October 3, 2010
Here's hoping
that the folks at the top take to heart his slash at them for cutting payroll. I don’t think Zduriencik can fix this team’s problems just by throwing money at them, but if they really are putting him on notice that he has to win soon, they’d better tell him he can have the money he needs to take his best shot at it.
The Ancient Mariner - October 4, 2010
The problem with this is:
a) some of GMZ’s problems with 2011 payroll are self-inflicted. Bill Bavasi didn’t make him trade for MIlton Bradley (and yes, I know, Carlos SIlva sucks and is fat) and take an extra hit against 2011 payroll. There may have been good reasons to take that risk, but given Bradley’s history, yes, it WAS a risk. Bill Bavasi didn’t make him trade for Jack Wilson or resign him for an extra year, either- which, again, may have been a reasonable risk to take at the time, but part of taking risks is you get to live with consequences, good and bad. Part of the consequences of Zduriencik’s decisions in 2009 and 2010 is that he has $25 million or so in zombie undead salary on the 2011 roster that is going to contribute 2-3 WAR to the 2011 team, if we’re lucky- and had he decided to sit tight with :(edeno and Silva he’d have less problems in 2011. Oh well. You don’t get the Putz for Sexy CF and Pitchers deal every time out.
b) The last GM who asked “hey, give me a bunch more cash and I’ll deliver a winner” was the aforementioned BIll Bavasi. We all know how that one worked out. Yes, I know, Zduriencik is a bazillion times better GM. It still has an effect to realize that opening up the checkbook an extra 20 million did jack shit to improve your team. I know it would sure make ME skeptical as hell.
Asking for more salary in this environment is kind of like asking your Dad “well, I know I just got in an accident with Mom’s station wagon, but you know I’m a really good driver, and it doesn’t handle very well- can I have the keys to your Corvette?”
It’s also not unreasonable for ownership to go “hmm, Billy Beane seems to build rosters that aren’t complete trainwrecks on reasonable amounts of cash- why can’t you”?
Finally, I don’t think the expectations for the 2011 roster should be immediate contention- not after a 101 loss season. Even the worst-to-first Braves were only in the low 90’s, ditto teams like the 1966-67 Red Sox who took big leaps forward. Realistically, the roster needs to be purged (even if it means sending Milton Bradley on his way and eating his 2011 salary, if it looks like he’s pretty much not in the cards for being a good player in 2011), and the 2011 season needs to be primarily about getting the team back to .500 and respectability, and making decisions on the talent core for the next good Mariners team.
eponymous_coward - October 4, 2010
Yes, the 1.5m we took on in the Silva trade is absolutely killing us
Poochie - October 4, 2010
And the $5 million in cash we're sending to Chicago isn't part of that?
eponymous_coward - October 4, 2010
And thanks to the mods for keeping us (mostly) in line during the horror
msb - October 3, 2010
The cake is a lie.
CapSea - October 3, 2010
The season was trying to kill us at times.
JY - October 3, 2010
That would imply
that someone, somewhere, is off singing “This was a triumph . . .”
The Ancient Mariner - October 4, 2010
It's not so bad.
The most likely outcome before the season was that we’d contend most of the year and miss the playoffs by a couple games. Cliff Lee would sign elsewhere in the offseason leaving us with a compensatory pick well below the value of Smoak and company. We’d still not be in a position to add much in the offseason, and we’d draft in the bottom half of the rounds instead of at #2. There surely has been a drop in ticket sales, but the optimist in me says that it’s conceivable that our poor year will actually turn out to be a good thing for the team moving forward.
No denying that it’s been a painful ride, however.
Tophawkeye - October 3, 2010
27.7% of all baseball teams make the playoffs every year.
The Mariners have been to the playoffs 4 times in their 34 year history, for an average of 11.7%. Because life is fair, we should expect the Mariners to get to the playoffs every year for the next 7 years. Good times are ahead my friends. Good times.
CapSea - October 4, 2010
I probably said this in 2008 but I don't know how much of a Mariners fan I'd be without this site
Thanks
Edgar for Pres - October 4, 2010
The end of the season is a scary thing.
I’m glad it’s here. No matter how bad the Mariners are, I’ll check in and maybe follow the games via Gameday almost daily. It’s a distraction I don’t need, and it very rarely brings me any enjoyment outside of Felix and Ichiro. I’m tired of these same players. I’m happy I won’t have to look at the box score and see J. Wright or G. Olson.
At the same time, no Mariners for 6 months…
Silver lining to this miserable season:
People you will probably never see in a Mariner uniform again:
Jose Lopez
Casey Kotchman
Jamey Wright
People you will probably see a lot less in a Mariner uniform:
Garrett Olson
Sean White
Chris Woodward
Josh Wilson
People you will be seeing in a Mariner uniform a lot more:
Justin Smoak
Dustin Ackley
Dan Cortes
Michael Pineda
Fuckmikereilly - October 4, 2010
I don't wanna see Chris Woodward again :\
JY - October 4, 2010
I'm pretty bummed about Josh Wilson going away
he was like less annoying and slightly better Willie
seattlebruin - October 4, 2010
Willie was way better
Jeff Sullivan - October 4, 2010
:( but true
Bloomquist as a Mariner: .263/.322/.324
Jo. Wilson as a Mariner: .233/.282/.321
JY - October 4, 2010
Posted!
Jeff Sullivan - October 4, 2010
Ugh I hate that this is true
seattlebruin - October 4, 2010
I choose to remember Josh Wilson when I was actually watching the games and he had a .740 OPS
seattlebruin - October 4, 2010
I have a feeling Josh Wilson and Chris Woodward will stick around to become the Jake Woods of utility infielders.
Fuckmikereilly - October 4, 2010
After all of the moves...
during the off season, I was stoked. I deployed to Kuwait in April and thought, oh no, I’m gonna miss this historic season because I won’t be there to watch it. Well, I found MLB TV on MLB.com and bought the season package. It was cool at first, still in it, then Cliff came off the DL. I stopped watching some time in May. I wasn’t worth getting up at 4 in the morning Kuwait time to watch this turd of a team, do PT, then work 8 to 6, 7 or 8 at night and do it all over again. I discovered this site and it kept me up on all things Mariners though. You all do excellent work !!
Like TheBishop’s post, I too am a life long Seattle sports fan. I am from PA though (Long story for another time). I’ll be back at the start of next season and do it all over again though. Felix, Michael (Saunders), Justin, Dustin, Michael (Pineda), Ichiro, Frankiln and young Dan Cortes have me excited for next year already.!!!
seanchristopher - October 4, 2010
It's amazing to think
that we were all waiting for Cliff Lee to come off the DL and push us toward contention — and after he came off the DL, the team went 50-90. Given our hope to that point, that .357 winning percentage hit like a Magnum round . . .
The Ancient Mariner - October 4, 2010
This was easily the most trying year for my Mariners fanhood.
Thank God it’s over.
Benne - October 4, 2010
I'll miss Cliff Lee in a Mariners uniform the most. :(
Though I’ll be pretty happy to watch Justin Smoak in one.
eponymous_coward - October 4, 2010
Seriously though thanks for the hard work and excellent work Matthew and Jeff.
Robert - October 4, 2010
Should I feel bad for growing apathetic of the 2010 Mariners by mid June?
Fin - October 4, 2010
You still have feelings left?
Torrid - October 4, 2010
Blow up this team
Bury the debris.
Landmine the pit.
Paytheline - October 4, 2010
Worst Mariners Season Ever
I feel like an interloper even commenting here. Keeping this team at arm’s length with a 10-foot pole in hand was the only way to tolerate it. And then my 2nd (and local) team the Padres swept me up, haha. Fuck you, baseball.
lemonverbena - October 5, 2010
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