Saturday, July 31, 2010

Trade Deadline

I'm getting so disappointed with this team. Today is the deadline. I really hope we can makes some moves, and get rid of some dead weight. Would anyone be willing to trade for these guys?


Those are the two I would like to start with. How about these guys?

I'm just about willing to trade anyone away right now. The only guy I want to keep is Felix Hernandez. He is having another great year, he just can't get run support or defense behind him.
I guess it's time to start getting ready for football season. I know all I will hear about is the Seahawks around here, but I'm looking forward to another great season by my team.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The humanity of it all

Boy oh boy, can we just get through the next 62 games please? It is hard to believe a team that had some hope this year would be 39-61 after 100 games. I s it possible we have another 100 loss season after such a turn-around last year? Who would think 22 games under .500 and 20 games out of first. It is time for some players to go at the deadline. There are very few players I would say are untouchable. The only ones I say we have to keep are Felix, Dustin Ackley, Steven Baron, and maybe Carlos Truinfiel. Anyone else you want in a trade, you got them(even Ichiro). As a dedicated fan, I will continue to watch this train wreck of a season, and see what is left of the ashes.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

My thoughts on...

I won't even begin to give you my thoughts on the Mariners as a team. This team is quickly becoming more of a disgrace than they were two years ago. I'm really not sure was has had this team go so wrong this year. Unfortunately, it had us get a great pitcher, only to have to trade him away. I know that even if we would be having a much better year, it might have been very difficult to keep Cliff Lee around. The way that he could turn this city on it's ear every five days was amazing. I was saddened the day the deal was made, but we all knew it was inevitable. The hardest part of the whole deal, is trying to explain why it's good to an 11 year old passionate fan. He had really fallen in love with Cliff. When I told him, he was mad. He asked me "Why not keep him, and see if we get better. Now all we got were some stupid minor leaguers. I want Cliff back." I think that Justin Smoak will be good in time for us. I really hope Cliff works for Rangers fans this year. We all know that the Yankees will be the big spenders and get him at the end of the year anyways.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Series 2 Needs



I realize that everyone has moved on to Allen&Ginter, or whatever else is hot now. If anyone has some extra series 2 cards laying around I could use some help finishing this off. Here's the list of needs:
338 Brett Cecil
341 Texas Rangers
342 Melky Cabrera
345 Chris Volstad
346 Taylor Teagarden
347 Aaron Harang
354 Evan Longoria
356 Angels
359 Aramis Ramirez
364 Trevor Hoffman
370 Robinson Cano
380 J.D. Drew
386 Dan Haren
396 Jake Westbrook
400 Alex Rodriguez
407 Nick Punto
418 Aaron Laffey
420 Shin-Soo Choo
421 Doug Fister
425 Dontrelle Willis
426 Mark Reynolds
428 Baltimore Orioles
429 Seth Smith
430 Kazuo Matsui
435 Nelson Cruz
438 Jason Bartlett
442 Dan Runzler
443 Jason Hammel
447 Jeremy Guthrie
449 Ryan Sweeney
452 Allen Craig
464 Francisco Liriano
467 Fausto Carmona
471 Drew Butera
478 Conor Jackson
479 Chris Carpenter
482 Mike McCoy
484 Mike Fontenot
491 Rafael Furcal
493 Travis Ishikawa
501 Jake Peavy
504 Jeff Mathis
508 Chris Getz
509 Todd Helton
511 Chicago Cubs
514 Rafael Soriano
515 Seattle Mariners
518 Corey Hart
519 Alexi Casilla
520 Randy Wells
547 Brett Gardner
548 Minnesota Twins
550 Freddy Garcia
560 Ryan Rowland-Smith
561 Ryan Zimmerman
571 Brandon Lyon
573 Johan Santana
583 Anibal Sanchez
584 Matt Capps
585 Dioner Navarro
589 Edinson Volquez
591 Fernando Rodney
594 Andy LaRoche
598 Alberto Callaspo
604 Atlanta Braves
606 Chad Qualls
608 Pittsburgh Pirates
610 Alex Gordon
612 Lastings Milledge
614 Kelly Johnson
615 Justin Verlander
621 Aaron Cook
631 Marc Rzepczynski
633 Daniel Bard
634 Casey Kotchman
640 Matt Diaz
642 San Diego Padres
649 Casey McGehee
650 Dustin Pedroia
656 Jon Lester
657 Chris Young
659 Nick Blackburn
660 Brandon McCarthy

If anybody can help me out, that would be great. I wasn't going to do series 2, but thanks to Ted at Crinkly Wrappers, he sent me almost the entire series 2, minus the cards listed. I might as well finish it off now that I have most of the set. Thanks for the cards, Ted!!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Author Update

Hi everybody! Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still here. I haven't been posting much last week nor will I this week either. Unfortunately, I haven't bought any cards for awhile. I'm not into the Chicle or the Allen & Ginter stuff. Also, last week my son had baseball 6 out of the 7 days last week. This week, we have the state tournament starting Thursday. I will be back next week with some thoughts on the Cliff Lee deal, where the Mariners are, some winnings from a contest, and some cards to show off from a trade. Until then, I will be at work, and baseball practice, and then on to the Southern Washington Cal Ripken Baseball State Tournament. See everyone next week.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Words can't explain it...

I have given up try to figure this team out. I'm tired of wondering why the bullpen can't do their job. I don't understand how you let the flippin' Royals come into your park and sweep you!! How do you walk the first two guys in the 8th, and then the guy is trying to bunt them over, and you give up a three run jack??!! I know that it doesn't help that we can't score, but when you have the lead, SLAM THE DOOR!!If any team wants Brandon League, I'll trade you for a pack of baseball cards, and some sunflower seeds. Thank you

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Retro Mariner Sunday 7/4/10

It's Sunday, that means it time to back in Mariners history. Today is a national holiday here in the USA. Our player today is in the hall of fame in another country. His name is a thing of legend in the American pastime. Today's Mariner was only with the team for two years, and had his best hitting season in Seattle. If you know of the Mendoza line, then you know Mario Mendoza.

After growing up in Chihuahua, Mexico, Mario would be signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970. He would play rookie ball for the GCL Pirates and would hit .263 and be outstanding defensively. While playing for the Monroe Pirates in 1971, his average would slide to .234. During the spring training years, Mario would often miss dinner to listen and try to learn from the great Roberto Clemente. His average would continue to fall in 1972 with the Salem Pirates, going down to .221. His defense was outstanding, being involved in 79 double plays that year. His year of 1973 with the AA Sherbrooke Pirates was a bi-polar year. While he would raise his average to .268 with 8 home runs and 30 stolen bases, he would have 227 putouts, but also 35 errors. This would be the high mark for averages in his career. He would make the Eastern League All-Star team as the shortstop.

For the next three years from 1974-1976, Mario would spend most of his time with the Pirates, but would also spend time in those seasons with the AAA Charleston Charlies. He would first appear in a game on April 26, 1974 as a pinch runner for the great Willie Stargell. He would finally get his first start on May 15, 1974 At Three Rivers Stadium against the Chicago Cubs. He would get his first hit the next day on the 16th. Mario would get the start in game three of the 1974 NLCS against the Dodgers. Mario would also get the game winning hit on Opening Day of the 1976 season, in the 11th inning off Tug McGraw of the Phillies. While he would only have two years(1974, 1978) with the Pirates that he would hit over .200, his defensive was solid and split time with Frank Tavares at shortstop. Mario would  miss the opportunity to play on the 1979 World Series team, since the Pirates traded him to Seattle after the 1978 season. He would come to the Mariners with Odell Jones, and Rafael Vasquez in exchange for Enrique Romo, Rick Jones, and Tommy McMillan.

Mario would become the everyday starting shortstop for the Mariners, making a great double play combo  with second baseman Julio Cruz. While his average would only be .198 in 1979, he would have a career year at .245 in 1980. During his down year in 1979, it is believed the origins the "Mendoza Line," would come to be. It is believed that teammate Tom Paciorek coined the phrase, because in the Sunday papers of old, they would list hitters and pitchers stats. The hitters would be listed from highest average to lowest. Mario's name was usually the last name on the list every Sunday. The phrase would gain popularity in 1980, when George Brett was chasing a .400 season and in an interview with Chris Berman of ESPN, he said every Sunday he checks the paper to see who is above the Mendoza Line.

After the 1980 season, Mario would become part of a massive 11 player deal. Mario would be trade to the Texas Rangers along with Willie Horton, Leon Roberts, Larry Cox, and Rick Honeycutt in exchange for Steve Finch, Brian Allard, Jerry Don Gleaton, Ken Clay, Rick Auerbach, and Richie Zisk. He would play the strike shortened 1981 season with the Rangers. While being used hardly at all in 1982, the Rangers would release Mario on June 7th of 1982. He would spend the rest of the 1982 season with the Mexico City Red Devils of the Mexican League. In 1983, he would receive an invite from the Pirates to spring training. While failing to make the team, he would continue on to be a player/coach with the AAA Hawaii Islanders for the 1983 season. 1984 would see Mario go back home to Mexico to be a player/manager with the Monclova Steelers. In 1985, he would play for the Rieleros de Aguascalientes. While Mario would miss the explosive 1986 season, he would return to play for Monclova in 1987 and hit .318! Mario would move on to the Charros de Jalisco in 1988. His final two years as a player would come in 1989 and 1990 with the Sultanes de Monterrey.

After taking a year off in 1991, Mario would return to baseball.With the advise of Bill Bavasi, the California Angels would hire Mario to manage the class A Palm Springs Angels. They would make the playoffs in his first year, but slipped far below .500 in his second year of 1993. The Angels would move Mario to AA in 1994, having him become the manager of the Midland Angels of the Texas League. In 1995, Mario would take the Angels to the league finals. After a very poor showing by Midland in 1996, Mario was moved back down. In 1997, he would manage the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League. From 1998 to 2000, Mario became the manager of the Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League. During the 2000 season, Mario managed his son Mario Jr. Mario would also be inducted into the Mexican Hall of Fame in 2000, he would have the nickname of "manos de seda," or "hands of silk." He would take the 2001 season off, and return to manage the Shreveport Swamp Dragons in the San Fransisco Giants organization.

Starting in 2003, Mario would become a manager in the Mexican Leagues. He would only last 29 games with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in 2003. He would move to manage the Tigres de Angelopolis in 2004. On May 9th of 2005, Mario would replace Julian Yan as manager of the Olmecas de Tabasco. He would stay on with the Olmecas in 2006. Mario would move again in 2007, to manage the Piratas de Campache. The next year, he would travel again to manage the Pericos de Puebla. In 2009, Mario was named to mange the Potros de Tijuana in the Golden Baseball League. Due to the H1N1 scare, the team suspended operations before being able to play in 2009. Mario was hired to manage the Acereros de Monclova in 2010. He was fired by the team in late April. After being fired by the Steelers, he was hired to be a scout in Mexico for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He also managed Hermosillo, Ciudad Obregón, Guasave, Mexicali in the Mexican Pacific League, which is a winter league in western Mexico.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

The Dynamic Duo

In my opinion, these two are better than Batman & Robin right now. Have you seen what they have done lately??


BACK TO BACK TO BACK COMPLETE GAMES!! We have won 5 out of 6 of those games. The only one that got away was a no decision in a 13 inning loss to the Cubs. Here's to hoping we continue winning and Cliff stays for the rest of the season.