Slog - Comments on Winter Beatings http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings Spring training is still months away, but Dave at U.S.S. Mariner is already trying to break my heart: [T]he Tigers just launched themselves right back into the discussion in terms of AL Contenders with their trade yesterday. While the Mariners won’t think this way (after all, jobs are on the line), it’s really quite clear that the 2008 Mariners just have no chance of being in the top tier of American League clubs. The Red Sox, Yankees, Indians, and Tigers have essentially locked themselves into fighting over position as the four best teams in baseball. The dropoff between those clubs... Copyright 2008 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:06:43 -0800 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:17:53 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe They aren't praying hard enough.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862220 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862220 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:23:42 -0800 Comment by Hernandez Mariners will suck next year. What else is new? If they had any sense, they'd tar & feather Bavasi and crucify him on the viaduct for running this team further into the ground every year.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862230 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862230 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:32:05 -0800 Comment by Ryan Bavasi gets his marching orders from Amrstrong and Lincoln. Getting rid of Bavasi would be like treating cancer with Tylenol.

]]> Ryan http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862234 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862234 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:37:14 -0800 Comment by Clint The Mariners' stated goal isn't to win a World Series, it's to be competative... Looks like it's time to reevaluate their goals.

]]> Clint http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862235 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862235 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:40:26 -0800 Comment by max solomon the great thing about winter is NO FUCKING BASEBALL CHATTER.

let it go.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862274 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862274 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:20:55 -0800 Comment by Seth Kolloen Oh, I wouldn't give up hope just because crotchety old USS Mariner has. Baseball has a way of being completely unexpected--ask Rockies fans.

]]> Seth Kolloen http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862286 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862286 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:31:00 -0800 Comment by Ramdu I agree with #6. USS Mariner is one of the best ones out there, but it's still a sports blog, which means too much fucking bitching. Is anybody worse than sports fans for bitching? Look at me, I'm bitching about sports fans!

]]> Ramdu http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862299 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862299 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:42:19 -0800 Comment by povertyrich I was disappointed to see the Mariners gave up on Santana already. I was excited about the prospect of watching him pitch more than once or twice a year when the Twins are in town.

Now he'll probably go to Boston and I'll have to hate him.

]]> povertyrich http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862310 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862310 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:48:13 -0800 Comment by Fnarf More like the other way around. Santana's not interested in coming here, and the M's couldn't put together a package for him even if he was. They'll grossly overpay for him, but they can afford to. We can't.

Unless we pull off something dramatic, and not involving guys on the wrong side of 30, we're going to win 77 games next year.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862351 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c862351 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:24:56 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale Hope springs eternal. The M's played above expectations last year. I'm ready for Opening Day now. Let's go!

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c863713 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c863713 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:48:20 -0800 Comment by Fnarf They played above the averages, too. They won 88 games while being outscored -- you can't sustain that. They're working off of an 80-win plateau, not an 88-win one.

Totally agreed about Opening Day, though. When is March again?

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c864733 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c864733 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:35:29 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale March - the end of the two most horrible sports-vacant months of the year.

I hear ya, Fnarf. Though I will always laugh at naysayers and chart-dorks (at USS Mariner, say) calculating me up an equation that only stands to proclaim "I told you so" three months before Spring Training starts. Any stool-swipe like that ought to be spanked with a glass slipper on the jumbotron on Opening Day.

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c865030 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/winter_beatings#c865030 Sports Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:17:53 -0800