Saturday, June 11, 2005
THE PUMP 6/11/05
Mariners at Nationals, 4:05 Pacific (KSTW, MLB.TV)
Jamie Moyer (5-2, 5.21 ERA) vs John Patterson (2-1, 2.70 ERA)
I'm posting this now so it's out of the way.
There's not a lot to be said about last night's ballgame, so I'll just leave it at that.
Sorry, there isn't going to be a Sports And Bremertonians Day anytime soon.
Humidity sucks.
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Friday, June 10, 2005
THE PUMP 6/10/05
Mariners at Nationals, 4:05 Pacific (FSN Northwest, MLB.TV)
Joel Pineiro (2-3, 6.55 ERA) vs Sunny Kim (1-0, 0.00; first start of 2005 season)
The N.L. East-leading Washington Nationals have been busy today:
---Traded tonight's original starter Tomo Ohka to Milwaukee for 2B Junior Spivey
---Claimed RHPs Ryan Drese and Jacobo Sequea off waivers
On behalf of Mariners fans everywhere, thanks for claiming Drese, Jim Bowden.
Enjoy the ballgame tonight. It's the first game the Mariners have ever played in RFK Stadium! Come on, that's something we've never seen before!
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Thursday, June 09, 2005
HUMIDITY IS A BITCH
Ask Aaron Sele about humidity.
"I was tired, but it wasn't the baserunning," Sele said. "Ninety-seven percent humidity. I think the warmest weather we've seen in Seattle this year has been 58 degrees. The temperature was nice, but you sweat through four T-shirts. It just sucks the energy right out of you."
Try living in the South year-round, Aaron.
To be fair, it isn't humid in the South year-round. But right now, it's pretty humid here in Arkansas. I can't step outside my house without having a stove being thrown into my face. Seriously, that's what it feels like.
It isn't the heat that bothers me. It's the damn humidity. The temperature can be 90 degrees, but with the heat index, it's 95. That's hot. And I don't mean in the way Paris Hilton says "that's hot".
So, if you want an explanation as to why Sele left after 76 pitches through 7 innings, that's it right there. Quite frankly, I can't blame Mike Hargrove for pulling Sele. As the post title states, humidity is a bitch!
My advice to Northwesterners coming down South anytime soon:
Drink lots of water.
And prepare to have a hot stove thrown into your face.
I'm just trying to help y'all out, alright? I do what I can.
"I was tired, but it wasn't the baserunning," Sele said. "Ninety-seven percent humidity. I think the warmest weather we've seen in Seattle this year has been 58 degrees. The temperature was nice, but you sweat through four T-shirts. It just sucks the energy right out of you."
Try living in the South year-round, Aaron.
To be fair, it isn't humid in the South year-round. But right now, it's pretty humid here in Arkansas. I can't step outside my house without having a stove being thrown into my face. Seriously, that's what it feels like.
It isn't the heat that bothers me. It's the damn humidity. The temperature can be 90 degrees, but with the heat index, it's 95. That's hot. And I don't mean in the way Paris Hilton says "that's hot".
So, if you want an explanation as to why Sele left after 76 pitches through 7 innings, that's it right there. Quite frankly, I can't blame Mike Hargrove for pulling Sele. As the post title states, humidity is a bitch!
My advice to Northwesterners coming down South anytime soon:
Drink lots of water.
And prepare to have a hot stove thrown into your face.
I'm just trying to help y'all out, alright? I do what I can.
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EIGHT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH
What in the name of Paul Abbott is going on here?
---Aaron Sele throws 7 innings of shutout ball (76 pitches!)
---The Mariners offense comes alive against Josh Beckett
---Randy Winn hits his first home run of the season
Instead of wondering when Sele will come back to earth, how about savoring this good stretch of baseball the M's have been playing lately? There's a time and place for bitching about this team. Now is not that time and place. This sure beats the hell out of the entire 2004 season, I can tell you that right now.
Now the Mariners head up to Washington, D.C. to take on the N.L. East leading Washington Nationals. It will be the first time that the M's have played in RFK Stadium, so it's yet another thing we've never seen before. Thanks, Hendu.
Two out of three against the Marlins?
You better believe I'll take that, Florida's recent struggles be damned.
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THE PUMP 6/9/05
Mariners at Marlins, 4:05 Pacific/1:05 Hawaii (KSTW, MLB.TV)
Aaron Sele (4-5, 4.43 ERA) vs Josh Beckett (7-3, 2.58 ERA)
It's over.
The Wilson Valdez Era in Seattle is officially over.
Valdez was traded to the San Diego Padres today for minor league pitchers Michael Bumstead and R.D. Spiehs. Valdez has been assigned to Triple-A Portland by the Padres.
Exxon won't have to pump his own gas in Portland!
As for the Mariners, they'll have to face Leeann Tweeden's ex-boyfriend Josh Beckett tonight. Hey, I'm just trying to help out our readers here.
First pitch is just over 3 hours away.
Fire it up. This is a game thread, in case you didn't know.
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FREE RAMBLE
Hey, it's your turn to ramble.
I've got three open lines.
They must be filled up.
Sports And Bremertonians.
What a feeling.
I've got three open lines.
They must be filled up.
Sports And Bremertonians.
What a feeling.
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Wednesday, June 08, 2005
A LOT OF TALK, DUMB LOVE
I was prepared to devote this post to just Dontrelle Willis, the Mariners offense, and the Marlins Mermaids tonight. Unfortunately, due to a controversial play in the 8th inning, I have something else to talk about. Alright, the "controversial play":
Top of the 8th, Mariners down 5-4, 0 outs, Bret Boone on 1st, Mike Morse at the plate.
Morse flies out to Juan Encarnacion in foul territory. Encarnacion, who had a terrible game defensively, went into the stands as he was making the catch. Although from my point of view, he had made the catch right before he fell into the stands.
Boone tagged from 1st, and went all the way to 3rd. But wait...
There's this little thing called the Major League Baseball Official Rules!
Rule 7.04 (c) states:
7.04
Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one base when (c) A fielder, after catching a fly ball, falls into a bench or stand, or falls across ropes into a crowd when spectators are on the field; A fielder or catcher may reach or step into, or go into the dugout with one or both feet to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. Ball is in play. If the fielder or catcher, after having made a legal catch, should fall into a stand or among spectators or into the dugout after making a legal catch, or fall while in the dugout after making a legal catch, the ball is dead and runners advance one base without liability to be put out.
Baseball has a lot of dumb rules. This is one of those dumb rules.
If a player makes the catch and dives into the stands, then the runner should be able to advance at his own risk, whether it be from 1st to 3rd or 2nd to home. Who knows, if Boone would have been able to stay at 3rd, he possibly would have scored the tying run. You just never know.
But of course, it didn't end up that way.
Boone was given 2nd base, Jeremy Reed flied out, and Rene Rivera grounded out. End of inning. The M's go on to lose to the Marlins, 5-4. Winning streak snapped at 3.
There were a few positives to take from tonight's ballgame in Miami:
---Adrian Beltre went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI. We can only hope that Beltre starts to heat up.
---Julio Mateo giving up just one run during the 6th inning, where things really could have been worse. Walking Carlos Delgado brought Dontrelle Willis home. But knowing the power of the former Blue Jay, I'll take a bases loaded walk anyday.
---The Mariners scored 4 runs off of Dontrelle! Color me impressed. Really, I'm impressed. Dontrelle's ERA is now above 2, at 2.13. He's still filthy, however.
Look, it's hard to expect this team to win 4 in a row when they are going up against a pitcher such as Dontrelle Willis. He's probably the best pitcher the M's will face this season. While the Marlins' poor defense didn't help Willis, give credit to the M's offense. Scoring 4 runs off of the N.L.'s best pitcher so far? I'll take that.
Tomorrow, it's Aaron Sele vs Josh Beckett. It's not a great matchup like Dave Niehaus is proclaiming. But it's a matchup nonetheless.
In the meantime, you have the rest of the night to enjoy yourself. Well, I don't know how you can enjoy yourself after watching a Mariner loss. But I'll try to give y'all something.
How about the Marlins Mermaids? It may help you, it may not help you.
Enjoy yourself.
Top of the 8th, Mariners down 5-4, 0 outs, Bret Boone on 1st, Mike Morse at the plate.
Morse flies out to Juan Encarnacion in foul territory. Encarnacion, who had a terrible game defensively, went into the stands as he was making the catch. Although from my point of view, he had made the catch right before he fell into the stands.
Boone tagged from 1st, and went all the way to 3rd. But wait...
There's this little thing called the Major League Baseball Official Rules!
Rule 7.04 (c) states:
7.04
Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one base when (c) A fielder, after catching a fly ball, falls into a bench or stand, or falls across ropes into a crowd when spectators are on the field; A fielder or catcher may reach or step into, or go into the dugout with one or both feet to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. Ball is in play. If the fielder or catcher, after having made a legal catch, should fall into a stand or among spectators or into the dugout after making a legal catch, or fall while in the dugout after making a legal catch, the ball is dead and runners advance one base without liability to be put out.
Baseball has a lot of dumb rules. This is one of those dumb rules.
If a player makes the catch and dives into the stands, then the runner should be able to advance at his own risk, whether it be from 1st to 3rd or 2nd to home. Who knows, if Boone would have been able to stay at 3rd, he possibly would have scored the tying run. You just never know.
But of course, it didn't end up that way.
Boone was given 2nd base, Jeremy Reed flied out, and Rene Rivera grounded out. End of inning. The M's go on to lose to the Marlins, 5-4. Winning streak snapped at 3.
There were a few positives to take from tonight's ballgame in Miami:
---Adrian Beltre went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI. We can only hope that Beltre starts to heat up.
---Julio Mateo giving up just one run during the 6th inning, where things really could have been worse. Walking Carlos Delgado brought Dontrelle Willis home. But knowing the power of the former Blue Jay, I'll take a bases loaded walk anyday.
---The Mariners scored 4 runs off of Dontrelle! Color me impressed. Really, I'm impressed. Dontrelle's ERA is now above 2, at 2.13. He's still filthy, however.
Look, it's hard to expect this team to win 4 in a row when they are going up against a pitcher such as Dontrelle Willis. He's probably the best pitcher the M's will face this season. While the Marlins' poor defense didn't help Willis, give credit to the M's offense. Scoring 4 runs off of the N.L.'s best pitcher so far? I'll take that.
Tomorrow, it's Aaron Sele vs Josh Beckett. It's not a great matchup like Dave Niehaus is proclaiming. But it's a matchup nonetheless.
In the meantime, you have the rest of the night to enjoy yourself. Well, I don't know how you can enjoy yourself after watching a Mariner loss. But I'll try to give y'all something.
How about the Marlins Mermaids? It may help you, it may not help you.
Enjoy yourself.
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THE PUMP 6/8/05
Mariners at Marlins, 4:05 Pacific (FSN Northwest, MLB.TV)
Gil Meche (5-3, 4.57 ERA) vs Dontrelle Willis (9-2, 1.85 ERA)
The Pump is still the same, but I imagine that it will change after tonight.
I've already talked about Dontrelle Willis today. Ron Fairly would be proud of Mr. Willis. He keeps the ball down.
Can the Mariners make it 4 in a row? If they can beat Dontrelle, I'll be impressed. From the "something you've never seen before" department, this will be Dontrelle's first start against the Mariners.
Less than 3 hours away from the D-Train. Be cool or be cast out.
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DONTRELLE
Tonight, the Mariners will face the Florida Marlins. Alright, we've seen that before. But tonight isn't just any other ballgame for me as a Mariner fan. The starting pitcher for the Marlins?
Dontrelle Willis
Yes, the Dontrelle Willis.
Dontrelle was a classmate of mine during the 6th grade and most of 7th grade at Chipman Middle School in Alameda, California. I moved to Bremerton during the 7th grade (1994-1995). While I only knew Dontrelle a year and a half, I knew enough about him to know that he was going to be a professional athlete one day.
The attitude Dontrelle displays today? He hasn't changed one bit in my eyes. Even back in middle school, Dontrelle was always smiling and trying to make people feel good. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed.
Great attitude aside, Willis has had an excellent 2005 season so far. He has the most wins in the National League (9) and is 3rd in ERA in the N.L. (1.85). He's only given up 2 home runs in 11 starts (9-2). If Willis can keep this up leading into the All-Star Break, there's no reason why he shouldn't be the starter for the N.L. in the All-Star Game on July 12 in Detroit.
The 2005 season isn't Willis' first foray with success. After being called up by the Marlins in May 2003, Willis went 9-1 in the first half and earned a spot on the 2003 N.L. All-Star Team. He would finish the 2003 season at 14-6 and help the Marlins win their second World Championship, knocking off the New York Yankees in six games.
One of the teams the Marlins defeated during the 2003 postseason?
The Chicago Cubs. The same Chicago Cubs who traded Willis in 2002 to Florida in exchange for pitchers Matt Clement and Antonio Alfonseca. I'm sure Cubs fans are wishing that Willis was in their rotation right now, considering the injury troubles Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have gone through in recent years.
Willis wasn't as sharp in 2004 as he was in 2003, finishing 10-11. The Marlins missed the playoffs a year after winning it all. But in 2005, the Marlins are locked up in a heated battle in the N.L. East.
Will the Mariners be able to knock around Dontrelle? Or will Dontrelle keep doing what he's been doing all season long? We'll find out tonight.
I'll be watching with great interest, that's for damn sure.
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Tuesday, June 07, 2005
WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
I had wanted to post about this all season long.
Now that the Florida Marlins have faced the Seattle Mariners, it's an appropriate time to bring up this very issue.
On FSN Florida (the Marlins cable network), when the Marlins make a pitching change, the "Call To The Bullpen" is sponsored by Maroone. Every team has a sponsor for their "call to the bullpen" deal. But this certain sponsor can't go unnoticed. Not when this sponsor rips off an 80's classic.
But this isn't just any normal "ripoff" song.
It's the mother of all ripoff songs.
When you need a car!
Truck or van!
Who you gonna call?
MAROONE!
That's right, Maroone is ripping off Ray Parker, Jr.'s 1984 hit "Ghostbusters", from the motion picture "Ghostbusters". So basically, it's a ripoff of another ripoff song. In 1984, singer Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis And The News sued Parker, Jr. for copyright infringement because he thought "Ghostbusters" sounded too similar to "I Want A New Drug", also a big hit in 1984. The lawsuit was settled out of court.
My question is whether Ray Parker, Jr. receives any benefits from Maroone? Does Parker, Jr. get a new car from Maroone for all this trouble?
What's next? Rick Astley accepting free meals from Chili's if they want to butcher "Together Forever"? The possibilities are endless. Just wait until corporate America starts butchering Smashing Pumpkins songs 10 years from now. You know they will.
Oh yes, there was a game tonight. The Mariners win their first-ever matchup with the Florida Marlins 4-3. I have a mild headache, which was partly caused by watching this ballgame. My headache wasn't helped by the whole Maroone fiasco either.
Meche. Dontrelle. Tomorrow.
Get hooked.
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THE PUMP 6/7/05
Mariners at Marlins, 4:05 Pacific (FSN Northwest, MLB.TV)
Ryan Franklin (2-7, 4.96 ERA) vs Brian Moehler (2-3, 2.59 ERA)
I'm posting this earlier than usual, because, well, I can.
The Mariners have never faced the Florida Marlins during the regular season, so chalk up tonight's game as something you've never seen before.
Joe Robbie Stadium, I mean, Pro Player Stadium, no wait, Dolphins Stadium is the worst ballpark in the National League. Here's hoping that someday, there's a new ballpark in South Florida. If that doesn't happen, move the team to Las Vegas and be done with it.
I'm getting excited about tomorrow night's ballgame, since Dontrelle Willis will be on the mound for the Marlins. I'll have a Dontrelle post tomorrow afternoon, so look out for that. Mariners fans, he is the real deal.
As for the 2005 MLB Draft, the Mariners selected USC catcher Jeff Clement with the third pick overall. I let my feelings on the draft be known yesterday, so I don't need to repeat them here. It makes absolutely no sense for me to talk about the draft. While I have watched a ton of college football and college basketball over the years, I've never watched a lot of college baseball, unless it's the College World Series. There will be too many people today discussing the draft, yet they have never seen these players play before. At least when I discuss the NFL and NBA Drafts here at Sports and Bremertonians, I have seen a lot of those players play. I will NEVER shortchange our readers.
This is a game thread. Enjoy yourself.
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D-JACKYL
So Darrell Jackson is sitting out yet another minicamp.
Usually I wouldn't be concerned about this, but this is really bothering me as a Seahawks fan. This news has allowed me to bring up the events of January 8. You remember January 8, right? That was the day that the Seahawks lost to the St. Louis Rams for the third time during the 2004 season, but it was in the playoffs. Our resident receiver decides to bitch and moan after the game, to the chagrin of many.
"We're receivers and we are going to drop balls here and there," said Jackson, who led all receivers with 12 receptions for 128 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown.
"I think we're just a scapegoat for this team when you start talking about dropped balls," Jackson added. "And the dropped balls don't cause us to lose games."
Fast forward to almost 5 months later.
Jackson is missing this workout camp because of an "unspecified agreement with former team president Bob Whitsitt".
Whitsitt is gone, thank God. Maybe Jackson will be gone too if he doesn't catch the damn ball this upcoming season. Yes Darrell, you're one of the main reasons why this team didn't advance further in the playoffs last year. Truth hurts.
Sure, it's just a minicamp. But there's no excuse for anybody to miss these camps, not when this team finished 9-7 and suffered a disappointing loss in the playoffs to their biggest divisional rival. No excuse at all.
The Seattle Seahawks aren't the New England Patriots.
Understatement of the summer, I know.
Usually I wouldn't be concerned about this, but this is really bothering me as a Seahawks fan. This news has allowed me to bring up the events of January 8. You remember January 8, right? That was the day that the Seahawks lost to the St. Louis Rams for the third time during the 2004 season, but it was in the playoffs. Our resident receiver decides to bitch and moan after the game, to the chagrin of many.
"We're receivers and we are going to drop balls here and there," said Jackson, who led all receivers with 12 receptions for 128 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown.
"I think we're just a scapegoat for this team when you start talking about dropped balls," Jackson added. "And the dropped balls don't cause us to lose games."
Fast forward to almost 5 months later.
Jackson is missing this workout camp because of an "unspecified agreement with former team president Bob Whitsitt".
Whitsitt is gone, thank God. Maybe Jackson will be gone too if he doesn't catch the damn ball this upcoming season. Yes Darrell, you're one of the main reasons why this team didn't advance further in the playoffs last year. Truth hurts.
Sure, it's just a minicamp. But there's no excuse for anybody to miss these camps, not when this team finished 9-7 and suffered a disappointing loss in the playoffs to their biggest divisional rival. No excuse at all.
The Seattle Seahawks aren't the New England Patriots.
Understatement of the summer, I know.
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Monday, June 06, 2005
STATE OF THE BREMERTONIANS
It's been awhile since I've updated our readers on the State Of The Bremertonians.
Today is a great day to do just that.
In case you haven't noticed, we are Sports And Bremertonians. We are a Mariners blog. We are a Seahawks blog. We are a Sonics blog. We are a Canucks blog. To sum it up, we're a Seattle sports blog. Of course, we love to talk about other topics as well, whether it be music, television, or anything that interests us.
Lately, I feel like that no matter how hard I try to produce here, it's not good enough. Maybe it's because we aren't statistical analysts. There are enough sites for that type of material. We choose to not talk about statistical analysis for a reason. We're simply not into the whole stats craze. Too bad, so sad. That doesn't make me a bad fan at all. I'm a pretty smart guy without all the stats, thank you very much.
We update this site on a regular basis. We do it because we want to. There's always something going on for us to talk about. Writing is my passion. Without it, I'd be a miserable bum on the street. I'm not kidding about that either.
I've always had a chip on my shoulder, since I'm a former resident of Bremerton, Washington. My chip is even bigger, since I've been in Arkansas the last two years. I'm always trying to prove people wrong. Whether it's proving that a Bremertonian can be successful or proving that somebody in Arkansas has an I.Q. above 65, the chip is there. That's a stereotype that's simply not true about Arkansas, by the way. There are plenty of people in this state who are smart, including myself. So it's not me who's stating that I.Q. tidbit.
This address is a just a friendly reminder that we're still in existence. We're not going anywhere. Well, David is now in Hawaii, but he'll be back posting soon.
We still exist. Don't forget about Sports And Bremertonians.
Today is a great day to do just that.
In case you haven't noticed, we are Sports And Bremertonians. We are a Mariners blog. We are a Seahawks blog. We are a Sonics blog. We are a Canucks blog. To sum it up, we're a Seattle sports blog. Of course, we love to talk about other topics as well, whether it be music, television, or anything that interests us.
Lately, I feel like that no matter how hard I try to produce here, it's not good enough. Maybe it's because we aren't statistical analysts. There are enough sites for that type of material. We choose to not talk about statistical analysis for a reason. We're simply not into the whole stats craze. Too bad, so sad. That doesn't make me a bad fan at all. I'm a pretty smart guy without all the stats, thank you very much.
We update this site on a regular basis. We do it because we want to. There's always something going on for us to talk about. Writing is my passion. Without it, I'd be a miserable bum on the street. I'm not kidding about that either.
I've always had a chip on my shoulder, since I'm a former resident of Bremerton, Washington. My chip is even bigger, since I've been in Arkansas the last two years. I'm always trying to prove people wrong. Whether it's proving that a Bremertonian can be successful or proving that somebody in Arkansas has an I.Q. above 65, the chip is there. That's a stereotype that's simply not true about Arkansas, by the way. There are plenty of people in this state who are smart, including myself. So it's not me who's stating that I.Q. tidbit.
This address is a just a friendly reminder that we're still in existence. We're not going anywhere. Well, David is now in Hawaii, but he'll be back posting soon.
We still exist. Don't forget about Sports And Bremertonians.
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ANOTHER FORMER BUC COMING TO SEATTLE
Who's the next former Tampa Bay Buccaneer coming to Seattle?
It's safety John Howell, who has signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks.
Howell was a 4th round pick in 2001 by Tampa Bay. Seahawks president Tim Ruskell was the Bucs' director of player personnel at the time. Howell started 6 games for the Buccaneers in 2004. He has good range and good coverage skills, which should be beneficial to a defense that needs as much help as it can get.
This isn't a flashy signing by any means, but it was a deal that was going to get done sooner or later. No new news on free agent linebacker Peter Boulware, who left Seattle without an offer. It remains to be seen what the Seahawks will do regarding Boulware, Michael's older brother.
It's safety John Howell, who has signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks.
Howell was a 4th round pick in 2001 by Tampa Bay. Seahawks president Tim Ruskell was the Bucs' director of player personnel at the time. Howell started 6 games for the Buccaneers in 2004. He has good range and good coverage skills, which should be beneficial to a defense that needs as much help as it can get.
This isn't a flashy signing by any means, but it was a deal that was going to get done sooner or later. No new news on free agent linebacker Peter Boulware, who left Seattle without an offer. It remains to be seen what the Seahawks will do regarding Boulware, Michael's older brother.
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BETTER DRAFT
Yes, the Seattle Mariners have the 3rd pick overall in the 2005 MLB Draft.
No, I don't care about the MLB Draft.
It's not that I don't care about the Mariners' future, because I do. It's just that the MLB Draft is the most boring draft of the 4 major sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL). Sure, there will be a few fans cozying up to the computer tomorrow to follow the draft on MLB.com. But could you imagine following the NFL and NBA drafts by internet only?
That's the problem with the MLB Draft:
IT IS NOT TELEVISED!
I can't get excited about a draft that is not televised. I like to be entertained. Seeing 7-foot tall guys in pinstripe suits, now that's entertaining! How about the crowd booing a certain team's pick? That's entertaining!
You don't get that type of entertainment with the MLB Draft.
What would I do to change the MLB Draft?
---Televise the draft! Put it on ESPN 2. Let's see, what would be more fun to watch? The MLB Draft or poker? Put the MLB Draft on ESPN 2 and I guarantee you the interest will go up.
---Instead of having commissioner Bud Selig announce the picks, have each team send up a representative to announce their pick. This is similar to the NHL Draft, where the teams' executives announce their picks.
---Take the MLB Draft across the country, similar to the NBA Draft. As a matter of fact, the MLB Draft should take place in the #1 overall pick's city. For example, since the Arizona Diamondbacks have the first pick this year, the draft would be in Phoenix. You think the baseball executives would pass up a few days in Arizona?
---Invite the Top 15 players to the draft. You never see the players at the draft itself. I for one would think it would be cool to see a player such as Alex Gordon go up to the podium and put on a Mariners jersey and cap.
---The first three rounds would be televised. We wouldn't want all 50 rounds to be televised, since that would be boring television.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Those are just a few ways I would improve the MLB Draft.
If baseball wants fans like myself to care about the draft, putting the draft on television would be a good way to start.
No, I don't care about the MLB Draft.
It's not that I don't care about the Mariners' future, because I do. It's just that the MLB Draft is the most boring draft of the 4 major sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL). Sure, there will be a few fans cozying up to the computer tomorrow to follow the draft on MLB.com. But could you imagine following the NFL and NBA drafts by internet only?
That's the problem with the MLB Draft:
IT IS NOT TELEVISED!
I can't get excited about a draft that is not televised. I like to be entertained. Seeing 7-foot tall guys in pinstripe suits, now that's entertaining! How about the crowd booing a certain team's pick? That's entertaining!
You don't get that type of entertainment with the MLB Draft.
What would I do to change the MLB Draft?
---Televise the draft! Put it on ESPN 2. Let's see, what would be more fun to watch? The MLB Draft or poker? Put the MLB Draft on ESPN 2 and I guarantee you the interest will go up.
---Instead of having commissioner Bud Selig announce the picks, have each team send up a representative to announce their pick. This is similar to the NHL Draft, where the teams' executives announce their picks.
---Take the MLB Draft across the country, similar to the NBA Draft. As a matter of fact, the MLB Draft should take place in the #1 overall pick's city. For example, since the Arizona Diamondbacks have the first pick this year, the draft would be in Phoenix. You think the baseball executives would pass up a few days in Arizona?
---Invite the Top 15 players to the draft. You never see the players at the draft itself. I for one would think it would be cool to see a player such as Alex Gordon go up to the podium and put on a Mariners jersey and cap.
---The first three rounds would be televised. We wouldn't want all 50 rounds to be televised, since that would be boring television.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Those are just a few ways I would improve the MLB Draft.
If baseball wants fans like myself to care about the draft, putting the draft on television would be a good way to start.
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DOLPHINS HIRE RANDY MUELLER
The Miami Dolphins have hired former Seahawks executive Randy Mueller as their new general manager.
He replaces Rick Spielman, who left the organization on Friday. For the last three years, Mueller has been an analyst at ESPN. He has been out of the NFL since 2002, when he was GM of the New Orleans Saints.
On the surface, this looks like a good move for Mueller. But if you look closely into the situation, it's not a good move as one would think. Mueller will not have the same responsibilities with football decisions as Spielman did. That responsibility falls on first-year head coach Nick Saban. Giving the head coach total control doesn't work out in most cases. Seahawks fans know this all too well.
Dolphins fans, if you want to know more about Mueller, please read The Case For Randy Mueller. It was written this past January when the Seahawks were looking for a new president/general manager.
Welcome back to the NFL, Randy. Hopefully Saban doesn't drive you insane.
He replaces Rick Spielman, who left the organization on Friday. For the last three years, Mueller has been an analyst at ESPN. He has been out of the NFL since 2002, when he was GM of the New Orleans Saints.
On the surface, this looks like a good move for Mueller. But if you look closely into the situation, it's not a good move as one would think. Mueller will not have the same responsibilities with football decisions as Spielman did. That responsibility falls on first-year head coach Nick Saban. Giving the head coach total control doesn't work out in most cases. Seahawks fans know this all too well.
Dolphins fans, if you want to know more about Mueller, please read The Case For Randy Mueller. It was written this past January when the Seahawks were looking for a new president/general manager.
Welcome back to the NFL, Randy. Hopefully Saban doesn't drive you insane.
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Sunday, June 05, 2005
THE PUMP 6/5/05
Devil Rays at Mariners, 1:05 Pacific (FSN Northwest, MLB.TV)
Hideo Nomo (3-5, 6.52 ERA) vs Jamie Moyer (5-2, 5.28 ERA)
It sure doesn't seem like it, but the Mariners can win their 3rd straight series today with a win against Lou's Crew. The M's could use a win today going into the road trip, which will send them to Florida and Washington. Dontrelle Willis pitches on Wednesday for the Marlins, in case you were wondering.
The joys of watching MLB.TV: Dmitri Young hits a 2-run home run off of Baltimore's Daniel Cabrera to put the Tigers on top 2-0 in the 1st. The All-Star Game will be in Detroit next month. My early ASG MVP? The hometown favorite, Mr. Young. Pinch-hit home run late in the ballgame to give the American League the victory. Oh yeah, IT DOESN'T COUNT!
MLB.TV is worth the money. I'll never go back.
Off-day tomorrow. The post ideas are already flowing in my mind for the off-day.