The Official Seattle Mariners Thread
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Bye-bye Bavasi...you prick!
Mariners fire Bavasi, promise a 'new plan'
Pelekoudas steps in as interim general manager
By JOHN HICKEY
P-I REPORTER
The Mariners' season-long belly flop claimed another victim Monday morning when the team fired general manager Bill Bavasi.
The Mariners, who expected to compete for a spot in the American League playoffs, instead have the worst record in the majors: 24-46 after Monday's 6-1 loss to the Florida Marlins at Safeco Field.
On consecutive Mondays the Mariners have axed their hitting instructor, Jeff Pentland, and Bavasi, who was replaced on an interim basis by his assistant, Lee Pelekoudas.
Future Mondays, or any other days, could yield more moves.
"I expect the manager, the players and the coaching staff will get going," CEO Howard Lincoln said at an afternoon news conference when asked about the team's future. "We are open to all ideas. Nothing is off the table. We are prepared to make other changes.
"Ultimately, the buck stops with me. We have a seven-person board of directors. And I'm the representative of Nintendo (and majority owner Hiroshi Yamauchi). I have let both know that I'm ultimately responsible."
For now, the rest of the front office survives, as do manager John McLaren and his coaching staff. Still, it was made clear that with a $117 million payroll, the Mariners cannot continue to play losing baseball without further changes.
McLaren's job might be safer now because Lincoln and team president Chuck Armstrong will likely want the new general manager to choose a manager.
Although Pelekoudas will take over baseball operation for now, Armstrong will begin a search for Bavasi's permanent replacement. Pelekoudas will be one of the candidates, Lincoln said, but Armstrong will put together a list of other possibilities.
Because most of those candidates are employed elsewhere, it's likely Pelekoudas will finish out the season before interviews begin in October.
Bavasi said he wasn't surprised by the move.
"When you do this job, you have a fiduciary responsibility to look at the situation from an owner's point of view," Bavasi said. "You don't have any money on the line, but you have sweat equity. The club on the field can perform one heck of a lot better than it has. No one has suddenly gotten older. They have learned to become dysfunctional."
With that last sentence, Bavasi put his finger on the problem. The Mariners are going in more different directions than luggage at SeaTac. The offense has been brutal. The defense has been grim for most of the year. The bullpen has done well for a month. For the first three weeks, the starters were pitching well.
"They don't play the way they can," Bavasi said. "All performances are way below average and below possible expectations. We need to grab each other by the throat. We've encouraged that, but it hasn't happened. I see people underperforming for no good reason. They can't look to a manager or a coach to get them out of it. Their ultimate rescue will be themselves."
Bavasi said the lack of a player like Jose Guillen, last year's right fielder, has led to some of the issues. Guillen was willing to step up to players who weren't playing smart baseball or who were causing distractions.
"The 1970s A's fought each other, but when they went between the white lines, not one of them had white line fever," Bavasi said. "(In Seattle), some of them have got the fever. Some of them just don't know how to play. They play dysfunctionally, but they aren't bad guys."
The Mariners know the problem. What they don't know is the solution. This team simply hasn't been cohesive or combative or fiery. Lincoln is using the firing of Bavasi as a message to everybody else to step it up. Or else.
Pelekoudas, who met with the players and coaches Monday, said pretty much the same thing.
"The team is just flat underperforming," he said. "There has got to be a reason why so many have performed so far below their career averages. We're in mid-June, and things can change. Things can change with personnel, things can change with quality of play, as well."
Can the team as currently constructed win?
"It should," Pelekoudas said. "It should win more than we're winning now, put it that way."
The players generally were unhappy to learn Bavasi had been fired, and they had some of their own ideas.
"It's unfortunate that Bill was the fall guy for it," closer J.J. Putz said. "Everybody here has the utmost respect for him. Great guy, but for whatever reason it just hasn't worked out for us.
"Whatever was happening isn't working, and I don't think it's fair to put all the blame on Bill. All he does is bring who he thinks is going to help win, and he's done that, and from top to bottom, nobody's performed the way they should be."
DH Jose Vidro said he thought Bavasi had put a winner on the field.
"When we signed (Carlos) Silva for the rotation, then traded for (Erik) Bedard, I was the first to say this team should win the division," Vidro said.
"But we haven't done what we thought we should have done, and I don't know why."
Vidro could be one of those to pay the price of that failure in terms of trade. It's not clear if Pelekoudas is ready or willing to trade just yet, but the trade deadline isn't until July 31.
Armstrong said while past Mariners teams have talked about bringing in talent at the deadline, this one might head in the other direction.
"We may be active, but the other way," Armstrong said. "At 21 games under (.500), we already are looking ahead. There may be teams in the race who might be interested in one or more of our players."
Bavasi said one of the reasons general managers get fired it to change the dynamic. He would keep the team basically together, although he admits others may want to tear it apart.
"One reason you make changes with the GM is that I don't want to turn this team over," Bavasi said. "I think the right talent is here. They need one guy to stir the drink."
Pelekoudas, who helped build the current roster, now gets a chance to run a club after three decades in the organization. He joined the Mariners in December 1979, before their third season.
"Any time you get a chance to run a ballclub, you want to go for it," Pelekoudas said. "But these are not the circumstances you want to get a job under.
"(Roster) decisions were made; we made them as an organization. ... Whether it's the same person correcting them or a different person correcting them, they still have to be corrected."
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/367196_bavasi17.html
Mariners fire Bavasi, promise a 'new plan'
Pelekoudas steps in as interim general manager
By JOHN HICKEY
P-I REPORTER
The Mariners' season-long belly flop claimed another victim Monday morning when the team fired general manager Bill Bavasi.
The Mariners, who expected to compete for a spot in the American League playoffs, instead have the worst record in the majors: 24-46 after Monday's 6-1 loss to the Florida Marlins at Safeco Field.
On consecutive Mondays the Mariners have axed their hitting instructor, Jeff Pentland, and Bavasi, who was replaced on an interim basis by his assistant, Lee Pelekoudas.
Future Mondays, or any other days, could yield more moves.
"I expect the manager, the players and the coaching staff will get going," CEO Howard Lincoln said at an afternoon news conference when asked about the team's future. "We are open to all ideas. Nothing is off the table. We are prepared to make other changes.
"Ultimately, the buck stops with me. We have a seven-person board of directors. And I'm the representative of Nintendo (and majority owner Hiroshi Yamauchi). I have let both know that I'm ultimately responsible."
For now, the rest of the front office survives, as do manager John McLaren and his coaching staff. Still, it was made clear that with a $117 million payroll, the Mariners cannot continue to play losing baseball without further changes.
McLaren's job might be safer now because Lincoln and team president Chuck Armstrong will likely want the new general manager to choose a manager.
Although Pelekoudas will take over baseball operation for now, Armstrong will begin a search for Bavasi's permanent replacement. Pelekoudas will be one of the candidates, Lincoln said, but Armstrong will put together a list of other possibilities.
Because most of those candidates are employed elsewhere, it's likely Pelekoudas will finish out the season before interviews begin in October.
Bavasi said he wasn't surprised by the move.
"When you do this job, you have a fiduciary responsibility to look at the situation from an owner's point of view," Bavasi said. "You don't have any money on the line, but you have sweat equity. The club on the field can perform one heck of a lot better than it has. No one has suddenly gotten older. They have learned to become dysfunctional."
With that last sentence, Bavasi put his finger on the problem. The Mariners are going in more different directions than luggage at SeaTac. The offense has been brutal. The defense has been grim for most of the year. The bullpen has done well for a month. For the first three weeks, the starters were pitching well.
"They don't play the way they can," Bavasi said. "All performances are way below average and below possible expectations. We need to grab each other by the throat. We've encouraged that, but it hasn't happened. I see people underperforming for no good reason. They can't look to a manager or a coach to get them out of it. Their ultimate rescue will be themselves."
Bavasi said the lack of a player like Jose Guillen, last year's right fielder, has led to some of the issues. Guillen was willing to step up to players who weren't playing smart baseball or who were causing distractions.
"The 1970s A's fought each other, but when they went between the white lines, not one of them had white line fever," Bavasi said. "(In Seattle), some of them have got the fever. Some of them just don't know how to play. They play dysfunctionally, but they aren't bad guys."
The Mariners know the problem. What they don't know is the solution. This team simply hasn't been cohesive or combative or fiery. Lincoln is using the firing of Bavasi as a message to everybody else to step it up. Or else.
Pelekoudas, who met with the players and coaches Monday, said pretty much the same thing.
"The team is just flat underperforming," he said. "There has got to be a reason why so many have performed so far below their career averages. We're in mid-June, and things can change. Things can change with personnel, things can change with quality of play, as well."
Can the team as currently constructed win?
"It should," Pelekoudas said. "It should win more than we're winning now, put it that way."
The players generally were unhappy to learn Bavasi had been fired, and they had some of their own ideas.
"It's unfortunate that Bill was the fall guy for it," closer J.J. Putz said. "Everybody here has the utmost respect for him. Great guy, but for whatever reason it just hasn't worked out for us.
"Whatever was happening isn't working, and I don't think it's fair to put all the blame on Bill. All he does is bring who he thinks is going to help win, and he's done that, and from top to bottom, nobody's performed the way they should be."
DH Jose Vidro said he thought Bavasi had put a winner on the field.
"When we signed (Carlos) Silva for the rotation, then traded for (Erik) Bedard, I was the first to say this team should win the division," Vidro said.
"But we haven't done what we thought we should have done, and I don't know why."
Vidro could be one of those to pay the price of that failure in terms of trade. It's not clear if Pelekoudas is ready or willing to trade just yet, but the trade deadline isn't until July 31.
Armstrong said while past Mariners teams have talked about bringing in talent at the deadline, this one might head in the other direction.
"We may be active, but the other way," Armstrong said. "At 21 games under (.500), we already are looking ahead. There may be teams in the race who might be interested in one or more of our players."
Bavasi said one of the reasons general managers get fired it to change the dynamic. He would keep the team basically together, although he admits others may want to tear it apart.
"One reason you make changes with the GM is that I don't want to turn this team over," Bavasi said. "I think the right talent is here. They need one guy to stir the drink."
Pelekoudas, who helped build the current roster, now gets a chance to run a club after three decades in the organization. He joined the Mariners in December 1979, before their third season.
"Any time you get a chance to run a ballclub, you want to go for it," Pelekoudas said. "But these are not the circumstances you want to get a job under.
"(Roster) decisions were made; we made them as an organization. ... Whether it's the same person correcting them or a different person correcting them, they still have to be corrected."
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/367196_bavasi17.html
Very good news that Bavasi's gone. I hope they gut the whole office. It's looking like Pelekoudas will handle things until the year is over and then they'll hire a permanent man. They've got to do this because the most talented candidates are usually going to be employed at present, so let things play out w/ their own teams and go after them in October / November.
Lincoln is cleaning house!
Mariners fire McLaren; bench coach Riggleman takes over
SEATTLE -- John McLaren was fired Thursday as manager of the Seattle Mariners, who began the season with playoff aspirations and now have the worst record in the major leagues.
Bench coach Jim Riggleman will run the Mariners for the rest of their lost season, beginning Friday night in Atlanta.
The Mariners, who own baseball's worst record at 25-47, rank near the bottom in the AL in several key categories.
The Mariners made the announcement before the team left on its road trip and three days after general manager Bill Bavasi was fired. McLaren was the second manager in the majors to be fired this season -- the New York Mets dismissed Willie Randolph this week.
Seattle is 25-47 and 17½ games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.
"We hadn't shown any improvement for the last couple of months. In fact, we were probably regressing," interim GM Lee Pelekoudas said.
This season, the revamped Mariners expected to reach their first postseason since 2001. Instead, they are on pace to become the first team to lose 100 games with a $100 million player payroll.
"John worked extremely hard to try to make this club better ... and did everything he could to try to make us win games," said Pelekoudas, who called the decision "emotional" for both because they are close friends since their days with the Mariners of the 1990s.
"But compared to our expectations going into the season, it was clear we were underperforming on a lot of levels."
Pelekoudas said with the July 31 trading deadline approaching, the team has decisions to make on who may go next.
"To give the players a chance to improve ... we thought a different voice was needed," he said.
The likable, folksy McLaren was an assistant for 21½ years in the majors before he took over as Seattle's manager last July when Mike Hargrove abruptly quit. McLaren went 68-88 in less than a full season on the job.
McLaren did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone by The Associated Press.
When asked Wednesday night if he was worried about his future before yet another loss, to Florida, the mostly sunny McLaren laughed.
"You know, it's business as usual for me," he said, with a hint of emotion in his voice and eyes. "I come out here with the positive attitude, ready to grind. It's a new day. Not happy with where we are, but I know where we want to go. And I'm here just to work hard."
"I'm here to win this game tonight. That's the attitude I will always have."
Not anymore.
Seattle players, many of whom consider McLaren a friend, hadn't been informed before the morning announcement. Before leaving for Atlanta, they held a meeting in a closed clubhouse with Riggleman, a former manager of the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs whom McLaren added to his staff last winter.
Riggleman is Seattle's fifth manager since Lou Piniella ended the best tenure in franchise history following the 2002 season.
Pelekoudas wouldn't answer whether McLaren was too nice and jovial for an already soft team. The fill-in GM only chuckled uncomfortably, as if he didn't know how to respond.
Later, he almost did while describing Riggleman.
"Jim's a serious man. He's not a guy looking to have fun," Pelekoudas said.
McLaren became Seattle's unintended manager when Hargrove suddenly resigned midway through last season as the Mariners were making a surprising challenge the AL West. Under McLaren's lead, they stayed in contention into late August before a nine-game losing streak doomed them.
Executives gave McLaren a roster this season most believed was talented enough to make a strong run at the Angels. Instead, the Mariners have been a "dysfunctional" unit -- as Bavasi said on his way out earlier this week -- and stumbled from the start.
The acquisition of ace Erik Bedard has been mostly a bust. He has just four wins in 12 starts entering his turn Friday. All-Star closer J.J. Putz is on the disabled list for the second time this season. And an anemic offense is filled with players performing nowhere near their career averages.
Riggleman, who was unavailable for comment while traveling with the team, has over 1,000 games of managerial experience in the majors. He managed the Cubs from 1995-99, leading them to the NL wild card in '98, and spent two full seasons managing San Diego.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3452336
Mariners fire McLaren; bench coach Riggleman takes over
SEATTLE -- John McLaren was fired Thursday as manager of the Seattle Mariners, who began the season with playoff aspirations and now have the worst record in the major leagues.
Bench coach Jim Riggleman will run the Mariners for the rest of their lost season, beginning Friday night in Atlanta.
The Mariners, who own baseball's worst record at 25-47, rank near the bottom in the AL in several key categories.
The Mariners made the announcement before the team left on its road trip and three days after general manager Bill Bavasi was fired. McLaren was the second manager in the majors to be fired this season -- the New York Mets dismissed Willie Randolph this week.
Seattle is 25-47 and 17½ games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.
"We hadn't shown any improvement for the last couple of months. In fact, we were probably regressing," interim GM Lee Pelekoudas said.
This season, the revamped Mariners expected to reach their first postseason since 2001. Instead, they are on pace to become the first team to lose 100 games with a $100 million player payroll.
"John worked extremely hard to try to make this club better ... and did everything he could to try to make us win games," said Pelekoudas, who called the decision "emotional" for both because they are close friends since their days with the Mariners of the 1990s.
"But compared to our expectations going into the season, it was clear we were underperforming on a lot of levels."
Pelekoudas said with the July 31 trading deadline approaching, the team has decisions to make on who may go next.
"To give the players a chance to improve ... we thought a different voice was needed," he said.
The likable, folksy McLaren was an assistant for 21½ years in the majors before he took over as Seattle's manager last July when Mike Hargrove abruptly quit. McLaren went 68-88 in less than a full season on the job.
McLaren did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone by The Associated Press.
When asked Wednesday night if he was worried about his future before yet another loss, to Florida, the mostly sunny McLaren laughed.
"You know, it's business as usual for me," he said, with a hint of emotion in his voice and eyes. "I come out here with the positive attitude, ready to grind. It's a new day. Not happy with where we are, but I know where we want to go. And I'm here just to work hard."
"I'm here to win this game tonight. That's the attitude I will always have."
Not anymore.
Seattle players, many of whom consider McLaren a friend, hadn't been informed before the morning announcement. Before leaving for Atlanta, they held a meeting in a closed clubhouse with Riggleman, a former manager of the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs whom McLaren added to his staff last winter.
Riggleman is Seattle's fifth manager since Lou Piniella ended the best tenure in franchise history following the 2002 season.
Pelekoudas wouldn't answer whether McLaren was too nice and jovial for an already soft team. The fill-in GM only chuckled uncomfortably, as if he didn't know how to respond.
Later, he almost did while describing Riggleman.
"Jim's a serious man. He's not a guy looking to have fun," Pelekoudas said.
McLaren became Seattle's unintended manager when Hargrove suddenly resigned midway through last season as the Mariners were making a surprising challenge the AL West. Under McLaren's lead, they stayed in contention into late August before a nine-game losing streak doomed them.
Executives gave McLaren a roster this season most believed was talented enough to make a strong run at the Angels. Instead, the Mariners have been a "dysfunctional" unit -- as Bavasi said on his way out earlier this week -- and stumbled from the start.
The acquisition of ace Erik Bedard has been mostly a bust. He has just four wins in 12 starts entering his turn Friday. All-Star closer J.J. Putz is on the disabled list for the second time this season. And an anemic offense is filled with players performing nowhere near their career averages.
Riggleman, who was unavailable for comment while traveling with the team, has over 1,000 games of managerial experience in the majors. He managed the Cubs from 1995-99, leading them to the NL wild card in '98, and spent two full seasons managing San Diego.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3452336
im real glad we got rid of both bavasi and mclaren. it has been a long time coming. its good that we are cleaning house, it just sucks because we are going to have to go through one hell of a rebuilding stage. i think felix might be the only one that is untouchable...including ichiro...who i am kind of sick of to tell you the truth, i was reading somewhere about him and how he doesnt attempt steals and doesnt like to try to bunt people over because it affects his stats or some shit. and he doesnt want to dive for balls in the gap because he might hurt himself, what a bitch. i mean honestly, we could get something good for him and a couple other players, with richies contract expiring and signs of change coming...still its gonna be a rough next few years
Plus, I dont think Ichiro wants to break his leg for a team that is 17 games out of first, and the last team in the entire MLB.
I feel bad for Ichiro because he wants to WIN it all. after 2001, its just been a slippery slope DOWN for this team, and it looks to me like he has lost his drive to win...becuase this team SUCKS ass.
He was all hyped in the off-season after we got Silva and Bedard, really hyping the team up to be good. A few analysts had the M's competing for the AL West. Now look at us. Who WOULDNT be disappointed? Most of these fucks are probably depressed as shit on the inside, and its affecting their play.
I feel bad for Ichiro because he wants to WIN it all. after 2001, its just been a slippery slope DOWN for this team, and it looks to me like he has lost his drive to win...becuase this team SUCKS ass.
He was all hyped in the off-season after we got Silva and Bedard, really hyping the team up to be good. A few analysts had the M's competing for the AL West. Now look at us. Who WOULDNT be disappointed? Most of these fucks are probably depressed as shit on the inside, and its affecting their play.
I hear ya, but I think it is hurting the fans a lot more than its hurting the players, that's generally how these things work (unfortunately).
It is a real dark time in Seattle sports, probably the darkest in our city's history w/ only 1 of the meaningful 5 teams being any good, and even worse the unthinkable of now having only 4 meaningful teams.
Picking up the pieces (from the unspeakable Sonics abomination and the Mariners disaster) will be impossible until the fall. At that time and only at that time will there be any opportunity for any sort of optimism, that is 1) the Seahawks being good (preferably VERY good) and 2) the Mariners hiring the right person as their next GM. Neither of these will replace the Sonics, but they are both extremely extremely important for the future of sports in our city.
So have a good summer, fall will come eventually.
It is a real dark time in Seattle sports, probably the darkest in our city's history w/ only 1 of the meaningful 5 teams being any good, and even worse the unthinkable of now having only 4 meaningful teams.
Picking up the pieces (from the unspeakable Sonics abomination and the Mariners disaster) will be impossible until the fall. At that time and only at that time will there be any opportunity for any sort of optimism, that is 1) the Seahawks being good (preferably VERY good) and 2) the Mariners hiring the right person as their next GM. Neither of these will replace the Sonics, but they are both extremely extremely important for the future of sports in our city.
So have a good summer, fall will come eventually.
Hey man I feel you too, but honestly right now you should be enjoying the games more than April / May. The team they put together was a colossal disaster, now the rest of the year is just strictly evaluation. Ever since they fired the GM and strongly hinted that it'd be a whole new regime in Baseball Operations next year, you know it's going to be a new era of Mariners baseball in the fall and that things will change. Try to enjoy it for the sport as much as you can from now until then, but I definitely feel you.