Lookout Landing

I'll probably be ready to go again by tomorrow night

but … well, I was at the game and I left in the fourth. I can’t get over the fact that I felt compelled to leave that strongly in the fucking fourth goddamn inning.

Two Rs and Two Ls - May 7, 2010 reply

I left early today. 6th inning. I've never left a game early in my life.

BrettJMiller - May 8, 2010 reply

I was ready to.

Left after Griffey got broke up the no hit bid. Just couldn’t bear to leave before we got a hit. I felt sad that the stadium was so excited over a base hit…our expectations have sunk so far this last week and a half. Was there on Wednesday to. Hard to watch our two best pitchers get hammered in 3 days.

I though that was sarcastic cheering

Like when they get the first out of the inning after 8 straight hits or something. No way is anyone actually cheering that hard for a piddly little single.

Aly Edge - May 8, 2010 reply

It was Griffey.

The fans at the game cheered hard for Griffey every time he came up to the plate like he was gonna get a home run.

You cheer because we broke up the no hitter

At least I did. I wasn’t sarcastically cheering. As fun as it would be to be on the receiving end of history, I’d rather not see my own team get no-hit.

appleshampoo - May 8, 2010 reply

Especially by Jered Weaver and the Angels. If it's going to happen, I'd prefer it be by a pitcher I like and a team I respect.

CapSea - May 8, 2010 reply

I don't throw this around lightly but this is approaching Lolablueza territory.

Robert - May 7, 2010 via mobile reply

All it was missing was if the mayor had said "hey everyone, go to the game tonight, yay Felix"

royalcurve - May 7, 2010 reply

Believe Big!!!

Saunders got a double!

He pulled the ball twice. I’m hoping this time he’ll get it right.

ignacio - May 7, 2010 reply

Bright spot!!

wyte_lightning - May 7, 2010 reply

Still looked terrible on some of those breaking balls, but I was impressed with

that last at-bat. He turned on a pair of pitches and drove them down the line

Rudy4three - May 7, 2010 reply

Pulled the ball, got a double and a walk. Don't send him back down.

Let him cut his teeth in the bigs.

TrustBaseball - May 7, 2010 reply

He was doing pretty well for Tacoma the week before he was promoted.

Before that, it was huge suckfest though.

This would be best as a "spider web" graph.

The linear graph just doesn’t work.

Who fucking asked you

FuckTheAngels - May 7, 2010 reply

What's your problem.

No need to be so hostile.

Let's be nice now

Jeff Sullivan - May 7, 2010 reply

It's not like haildablazer plays for the Mariners

Jeff Sullivan - May 7, 2010 reply

I disagree, a linear graph makes perfect sense.

I assumed he was kidding.

If he’s not, how, exactly, does a spider web graph work?

philkid3 - May 7, 2010 reply

You get caught in it and then get your organs dissolved and eaten.

waldo rojas - May 7, 2010 reply

I was sticking up for your linear graph

and i just thought you could have said, i think a spider graph works better..not LINEAR GRAPH DOESNT WORK..it just pissed me off a little

FuckTheAngels - May 7, 2010 reply

I think i see now that you meant no harm

I had to google spider graphs to get it i think

FuckTheAngels - May 7, 2010 reply

You think?

Dewey N - May 7, 2010 reply

That's called oversensitive.

It’s not like I pulled a Clay Bennet and moved the Mariners to Omaha.

Do you have the dough for that?

Because my back is in good shape and I’m good at packing.

Aaron Campeau - May 7, 2010 reply

lol!

As soon as I do, you’re the first to know.

What is this about?

philkid3 - May 8, 2010 reply

Well thats about the most depressing WE chart I could come home to.

waldo rojas - May 7, 2010 reply

I can't wait for the 2011 June draft.

chezbergrur - May 7, 2010 reply

Me too!

I finally decide to go out and go to two games

And we didn’t score a single run.

At least Saunders had some nice ABs. I don’t know why I love that man so much.

Stormton - May 7, 2010 reply

Because we've forgotten what it might be like to develop competent hitters from our farm system?

Saunder is cool though.

When they say "Your 2010 Seattle Mariners!"

Is that sort of like when you get in trouble with your mom and then your dad gets home and she’s all like “Do you want to know what your son was up to today?!”

FairWeatherFred - May 7, 2010 reply

It depends...

…have you done anything to Karmically screw the Mariners?

GhettoBear04 - May 7, 2010 reply

Fister is our only hope now

Mejeh - May 7, 2010 reply

How low have you sunk

when a dude named “Fister” is your only hope?

FairWeatherFred - May 7, 2010 reply

Depends on what you're hoping for...

"Sending a Message" is really overrated and all,

but can they please send Sweeney AND Griffey packing now???

tait644 - May 7, 2010 reply

i'm a royals fan...

and i feel bad for you guys… yikes.

your game threads, though...

gold.

Hello good sir.

Thanks for the kind words. You’re invited to join in the gamethreads and share our common misery. In the future though, please capitalize the beginning of your comments. HUGZ AND LOVE <3

Wow. Everything is capitalized... I like this internet quirk.

Mariners stink. Just like Royals.

IS THIS ENOUGH CAPITALS?

To be fair.

The Royals are the 07 Mariners.

Now I feel loads better.

Aaaaaand NOW we've hit rock bottom...

tait644 - May 7, 2010 reply

There is no floor.

Brian Floyd - May 7, 2010 reply

I don't know why we have to explain this so much.

No kidding.

Shiiitttttt….

wyte_lightning - May 7, 2010 reply

Seriously. It's bad right now.

I think my move to the NW has infected everybody. It’s like watching a clone.

Congratulations on the move.

wyte_lightning - May 7, 2010 reply

Pacific NW>Kansas

Not even close…

Truer words have never been spoken.

Though I knew a guy from Kansas that didn’t like the mountains out here, he said they blocked his view. Never did figure that one out.

Kermit. - May 7, 2010 reply

I'm using that line tomorrow...

Just to see where it gets me…

I'm from Kansas

Like it for the sentimental value. Wouldn’t move back.

It's flat.

Like Royals and Mariners win expectancy graphs.

I tend to forget how flat it is

Until I go back for a visit every once in awhile. Every time, I’m surprised at just how freaking flat and treeless it is.

And humid, at least the eastern half. Also the winters.

Weather there is ridiculous.

I’m happier in a place that is under constant threat of tornadoes.

*not under.

Heh.

It's all ok guys because I am going to the game tomorrow.

If my 2009 6-0 record says anything, this losing streak should surely end tomorrow. Don’t know if I will be sober enough to comprehend a victory by the end of the game though.

Fin - May 7, 2010 reply

Isn't that the point of a baseball game?

If it’s not interesting, you’re not drunk enough.

Drayer postgame

Matt asked Shannon what she thought about what Wak had said about Felix & mechanics, and she said that she hadn’t heard Wak, as she’d gone straight to Felix. Per her, Felix said it wasn’t anything mechanical and when Matt asked her what she thought the matter was, she paused, obviously casting around for how to phrase it, and finally came up with “… he’s lost his mojo”.

She said that she has known him since he was 18, seen every start, and that he doesn’t have his usual swagger, his confidence this year. That in the past on game day you’d always hear him before you saw him, hollering across the clubhouse, turning the music up loud, and that hasn’t happened this year— the whole year. He is struggling, with a lot of his support system missing (Adrian, I am guessing) and trying to feel his way. She noted that the last few years, the team would run out all happiness to play behind Felix, and it just doesn’t have that feel.

Matt asked if Felix might be feeling put-out that Lee is there, and she said no, that he, Lee & Bedard are good together, and have been since spring.

She then repeated something she’s mentioned since April, that the whole clubhouse is quieter this year, rarely playing music before or after games, even back when they were winning. She said it feels more like some of the veteran-laden teams of the past, and that last years clubhouse really was unusual for its cohesiveness and cheer. This year there are new guys, and a lot of them are trying to figure out what is not working for themselves, and maybe keeping more to themselves (which is apparently what Wak mentioned in that pre-game meeting)

msb - May 7, 2010 reply

That is ... terrible news.

Thank God for Shannon, as she is wonderful to go straight to Felix and to report so candidly about it. But… damn.

royalcurve - May 7, 2010 reply

Listening to her relate this was worse than lisening to the game.

Sifting through tea leaves and intangibles aside, it was jaw dropping. All this bullshit about Griffey and Sweeney driving the clubhouse, etc. It all comes to this? Completely separating this from the play on the field, what the hell is this about and where do you go from here?

Kermit. - May 7, 2010 reply

Well, since the hugging twins aren't having an effectin the clubhouse this year

Fuck em both. Felix will be happy with wins.

Brian Floyd - May 8, 2010 reply

This is pretty alarming honestly.

It was like in the offseason the front office wanted to create that same clubhouse vibe they had last year and it has backfired on them. Now we’re back to a quiet secluded group of guys?

Well, I would think that if Chone and Lopez get to hitting, that there would be two more 'clubhouse guys'. Figgins really seems to be trying to justify the 4 year deal in the first 4 weeks.

msb - May 8, 2010 reply

I hope this happens

But new guys tend to try not to step on anyone’s toes. I’m not counting on Chone to step up and be a clubhouse guy or a clubhouse leader. I know the DH situation is shitty, but I wonder how this clubhouse would be without the veterans like Griffey and Sweeney in there. Would it be worse?

Weren't they advertised as breaking barriers and all that?

But then they’re a big part of this lack of offense, not only at the plate but by restricting roster construction by their very presence. Which in turn builds the pressure on everyone else to produce, which by all accounts assisted in breaking Bradley, which they were supposedly part of the mechanism to prevent that from happening. Yet their very presence may have helped bring it about? Catch-22 or what

This is very true.

I’m fed up with the fact that Griffey and Sweeney are here, but I can’t bring myself to look past what they did for the clubhouse… last year. Last year was the right place at the right time for them to be there, particularly after 2008. But this year has much different expectations. Its just a shame that after all of this “chemistry building”, we find out that Felix no longer plays music before starts and has lost some of his confidence. We knew the offense wasn’t going to be great… but this “behind the scenes” stuff was supposed to be the opposite.

And that it hasn't been that way at all this year. Even when they were winning.

Huh, okay then.

You are a Cubs fan. If you are going to post here, please follow the rules.

If you don’t want to follow the rules, fuck this blog and be gone.

TrustBaseball - May 8, 2010 reply

what

Mariner John - May 8, 2010 reply

I think he meant it for haildablazer.

Right, epic fail.

TrustBaseball - May 8, 2010 reply

That was pretty funny though

“The power of Christ compels you!”

Oh dear.

On the brightside you did get to hear me chat it up with Matt Pittman right before Drayer's segment!

All agreeing with each other that Griffey and Sweeney have until June.

katal - May 8, 2010 reply

Did you say something about "going with the old Billy Beane approach and give them two months"

Something to that effect?

Yyyyyyeah. That was me.

katal - May 8, 2010 reply

Aw, I am sorry I missed that.

royalcurve - May 8, 2010 reply

I caught just enough of that to wonder if it was someone from LL.

I would rec this, because I missed the post game show.

But then rec’s always seem to be something that makes me smile. There should be a negative rec but not a flag. This news is all sorts of :(.

:(
:(
:(

harkening - May 8, 2010 reply

:( is chatspeak!!! BAN HIM!!!!

haildablazer - May 8, 2010 reply

Dude seriously.

I think you need to take the rest of the night off. You seem like a decent, funny guy and I’m sure everyone would love your insight in the future but you’re not helping your case at all.

Yeah, I was just trying to be funny here, but my rant above really spoils it.

haildablazer - May 8, 2010 reply

We're actually really nice!

We just have rules, because the rest of the internet is bad.

Aaron Campeau - May 8, 2010 reply

Oh shit.

I think I’d prefer that he just had the back injury, at least that makes sense. I don’t know how to deal with Felix losing his swagger.

drblacknwhite - May 8, 2010 reply

We can fix this

Brian Floyd - May 8, 2010 reply

Where's Soulja Boy?

Hopeful M's fan, you know that he misses you, he just wants to post with you,

tonight but he cannot HopefulM’sFan that’s the issue, but don’t worry he misses you. He just wants to rec you but he can’t right now so he sends his regards through the phone.

CapSea - May 8, 2010 reply

I love that this has so many rec's.

kentroyals5 - May 8, 2010 reply

So who's missing that brought this last year?

Beltre? Silva?! Hopefully they get this figured out because this makes me very sad.

Russel Branyan, the Muscle, is missing.

Also young guys like Langerhans and Saunders (who were there last year) might be welcome additions and bring some youthful energy.

Sam Regens - May 8, 2010 reply

Fuck me, I forgot about KENJI!

Washburn had it all wrong.

Sam Regens - May 8, 2010 reply

Everything is Rob Johnson's fault.

harkening - May 8, 2010 reply

This is the worst thing ever.

I Lick Squirrels - May 8, 2010 reply

This news is so depressing.

I figured with Felix’s awesome 5yr contract he’d be even more focused and intense. How do you fix it? I feel like someone stole my sunshine, dropped my lollipop in the dirt and used the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow as a Honey Bucket.

wazzu93 - May 8, 2010 via mobile reply

Chemistry my ass...

Yet another reason why Griff and Sweeney are useless.

tait644 - May 8, 2010 reply

I am disappointed by this outcome.

Fearless Frog - May 8, 2010 reply

Things could be worse..

At least we’re not the Indians http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t9-DIKDGGA&feature=player_embedded

FuckTheAngels - May 8, 2010 reply

He thinks Valbuena came from the Mets.

It is kind of funny in a sad way though. Like in a schadenfreudes sort of way.

Same trade.

I know but he still came from us.

sigh

Mariner John - May 8, 2010 reply

But you guys! Michael Saunders is hitting .500/.667/1.000 this year!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

SethGrandpa - May 8, 2010 reply

He's our savior,

And when Bradley comes back to lead us to the playoffs, May will be a distant memory.