Wonder where Heathcliff Slocumb is?

So John Heyman seems to believe that the M's are in on the Derek Lowe sweepstakes, which I think is novel, but laughable. A 35 year old who wants a 5 year deal that would no doubt be in the $10+M range - well, it would take Bill Bavasi to do something like that, and he decided long ago to only do that for much lesser arms in order to leave his stamp on the organization. It's a dark brown smelly stamp that smells like shit, but a stamp nonetheless.

But with Jason Varitek also being a free agent made me wonder if we could somehow right a Woody Woodward wrong - correct one of the black marks in Mariner history that we'd all like to forget.

Let's bring back Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe and hire Heathcliff Slocumb as some kind of roving scout (roving only Portland strip clubs, maybe - but who cares, it's not the point here). It could reverse some kind of curse put on this organization, who knows. It's not like the M's aren't desperate enough to try - it could even put assess in seats!

While we're at it, let's sign Mike Timlin and Jose Cruz Jr. - and I'm sure Paul Spoljarik would appreciate running stats for Rick Rizzs or something of that nature...

Who's with me? Let's DO IT!

Brilliant

You know your team isn't highly regarded when traditional media sites can't even get the effing pictures right for your most prized free agent...

Maybe they really wanted to use a picture of Carlos Silva there instead, but they couldn't fit his giant fat head in the space. That was mean spirited, yes - but I don't hear any complaints...

Time for GMZ to call the Royals

With Coco Crisp getting dealt to the Royals, the budget makeover of the Royals-with-Cheese lineup is starting to get patched together. They've publicly said they need a shortstop - wanting to move Aviles over to second base and now that they have the OBP black hole of Jacobs to play first, Billy Butler just might become expendable.

The shortstop market really becomes Furcal, the O.C. (Orlando Cabrerra), Renteria, and "others". All those clowns are going to make a lot of money, for one reason or another - and "a lot of money" and "Kansas City Royals" don't get used together very often.

Thus, I think it's time for GMZ (M's GM, I refuse to try and spell his name) to call up Dayton Moore and say he's got a young shortstop signed to a cheap contract who has "lots of potential" (read: he stinks, but that opinion isn't shared by everyone that doesn't have to watch him game in and game out...). Betancourt for Butler.

I'm not going into the virtues of Butler, but there's a damned good chance that he would be the second best hitter in the Mariner lineup next season - which either should make you shudder, make you excited, or both.

Make it happen.

Painful Ending

The 3-game sweep of the A's was a perfect way to sum up the 2008 season. So bad all year, and then when they just needed to lose to secure the #1 pick in the draft, the M's step up and win all 3 games. Oh well. Now Mariner fans have to hope that Washington doesn't have the stomach, or the cash, to sign Strasburg. I have a feeling they will come up with a way to get a deal done. More on that later...

Strasburg For Team USA

The Mariners would never lose a game to the Netherlands again!

Stephen Strasburg, Mariner

Has a nice ring to it. 4 games left and the Mariners are 1 game up on Washington for the honor of shelling our $8 million or so to Strasburg. Can't wait to see how they talk themselves out of picking him 1st. Much better to spend that money on Washburn.

Anyway...here's how the last 4 days are shaping up:

Today:
FLA: Sanchez (2-5, 5.57) vs. WAS: Balester (3-6, 4.83)
Washington's 2 hottest hitters, Zimmerman and Guzman, were out with the "flu" yesterday. Guzman is back in the pregame lineup today, but the hard hitting Zimmerman is out again tonight. M's need both of them in there this weekend if the Nationals want a shot at winning a game @PHI.

LAA: Moseley (2-4, 7.15) vs. SEA: Jimenez (0-2, 3.56)
Moseley? Come on. Are they even trying? Another must-lose situation for the Mariners.

Friday-Sunday:
OAK @ SEA
WAS @ PHI

Refuse To Win

The Log was on-hand for one of the Mariners' most efficient losses of the season. It only took a couple of hours for Seattle to pull a full game ahead in the Strive for Strasburg! Fun times were had by all.

Strive For Strasburg

Today's Update:

1st: Mariners: 57-98, .368
2nd: Nationals: 58-98, .372
3rd: Padres: 61-95, 391

Analysis: CRAFTY move by Washington to drop the three game series vs San Diego. They are now the owners of the 2nd longest losing streak in baseball (5 games). The Mariner free-fall has reached 11 and counting.

Final week:
Mariners: 4 games vs. the AL powerhouse Angels, and then finish up with 3 against the A's. Prediction: 2-5. Tonight's loss is critical for the M's. Santana comes in with a chance to show in the CY Young balloting. Win tonight and the M's are locked up with Washington. A loss puts them a full game ahead and in the driver's seat.

Nationals: 3 vs. FLA and then on the road to finish up with a 3-game-set @ PHI. Florida's season is over, so the Nationals have a shot at a game or two there. Too early to tell if Philly will be playing for anything, but you have to like their chances for a sweep there. Prediction: 2-4.

Padres: @LAD for 3 and then back home for a 3-gamer vs. PIT. San Diego has to lose all 6 games to have a shot at Strasburg. Prediction: 3-3.

The Mariners have to lose tonight. If they can find a way to drop their next 3 games it would be very difficult for Washington to make up that ground. The Mariner Log staff will be at Safeco all week tracking their progress.

Bedard Business

Have to love the "Entertainment Tonight" style softball coverage MLB teams receive on MLB.com. Checkout the first paragraph of yesterday's Bedard article by Robert Falkoff:

KANSAS CITY -- The bad news for the Mariners is that left-hander Erik Bedard is expected to require six to nine months of rehabilitation following his exploratory shoulder surgery on Sept. 26. The good news is that Seattle is developing a cluster of young starters in the waning days of this season who have the potential to bolster the rotation early next year.

The real news here is that Bedard hasn't pitched since July 4th, and they are finally scheduling elbow surgery for September 26th. Those 2 1/2 months likely mean he will start the season on the DL rather than being ready for spring training. To be fair, medical issues like this are rarely black and white and there are probably legitimate reasons why the team and Bedard waited this long. Had he been able to come back and make a start or two it would have gone a long way to help the Mariners deal him for two buckets of baseballs in the offseason. At this point one bucket seems like a stretch.

The other takeaway from that first paragraph is the "cluster" of young starters the Mariners are developing. Developing into what? Team ERA in August: 5.78. Team ERA in September: 5.40.

The Last Shall Be First

Today's Update:

1st: Mariners: 57-95, .375
2nd: Padres: 58-95, .379
3rd: Nationals: 58-95, 379

Analysis:
The Padres and Nationals, both 3-7 over their last 10 games, kickoff a three game set tonight. Tough to know what to root for there.

The Mariners need to take care of business and drop the series in Oakland. A clean sweep would put them at 11 losses in a row. Just what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately they send Felix to the mound vs Eveland tonight. Big mistake. The key tonight is to have Felix cover home and 1b a few times early. That should ensure an early exit and put the M's on-track for #10.