the case to keep Willie and Miguel

So the M's brass shows backbone and decides to call up Balentien and Clement in order to add punch to a sorry, sorry offense. Super. No, really - that's terrific. Balentien even showed the only piece of decent offensive production that Cliff Lee's seen all year tonight.

But Wilkerson and Norton get cut over guys like Vidro, Cairo, and Willie Ballgame?

Sure, I recognize that Willie Boom-Boom can play virtually any position and he's "gritty" and he does things like "give a shit" and he "chews seeds" and he "wears black eye muck" and all the things you want in players.

But come on - Willie would fight for a job with even the Bridgeport Bluefish from the Atlantic Independent League. He's not a major league quality player, he's just not - and that's not news to ANYONE in baseball other than John McLaren and Bill Bavasi...and perhaps when he's really, really drunk - Willie Bloomquist (otherwise, when he's lucid, I think even Bloomquist knows he's fooling anyone).

I'm not going to bother posting statistics, because you already know - he's a piss poor major leaguer. Really, really nice guy and I wish the best for the dude, but if I'm going to root for this team any longer I pray to God Almighty that he never sets foot on the diamond as a Mariner ever again, save for as a coach or consultant or soda vendor.

If I didn't constantly look at the roster on MLB.com, I wouldn't believe that Miguel Cairo was a Mariner. Has he appeared in more than two games? What's his purpose on this team? Wasn't he just brought in to piss off Jose Lopez into giving enough of a shit to actually try? Well, that seemed to work - can we finally get rid of him now? Why is Cairo here when he can't really hit and he can't really field - two things, based on my research, that are essential for quality baseball performance.

And Vidro? My God, what else can we say about Vidro. He's fat #3. He slugs less than his weight - and unless he continues to down Krispy Kremes at the same rate Richie Sexson looks dumb at the dish every night, that's a bad figure.

I'm not thrilled with Wilkerson and Norton, but I can tell you this - I'll take Wilkerson, Norton and Jimerson over Vidro, Ballgame, and Cairo on this team.

Anyway, welcome Balentien and Clement. Please help us. A lot. We need it.

And if you happen to see Bavasi in the hallway, please kick him in the groin for me.