Bavasi speaks up
There isn’t much to say about Saturday afternoon’s game. The Mariners sucked … again. Seattle fell to the Yankees 12-6 to extend its losing streak to five.
Not only is it a five-game losing streak, it’s a five-game losing streak to two teams that began the week dead last in their division. It’s also five straight games the team has given up nine or more runs. I’ve never even scored nine or more runs for five straight games in a video game.
But don’t worry Mariners fan (since there can’t be more than one by now). Seattle GM Bill Bavasi held a conference call to announce that manager John McLaren will not be going anywhere any time soon. In Bavasi’s opinion, it all falls on the players.
From the Mariners blog at the Seattle Times:
“Unfortunately for us,” he added, “we don’t have on this club so far, that player, or players — it takes more than one — that has enough in his gut to take care of himself, with enough left over to take care of somebody else, and help somebody else do his job. We don’t get a runner over, we don’t get a runner in and as a group of individuals, the players tolerate it. And good teams just don’t tolerate that.”
That’s all fine and dandy Mr. Bavasi. I appreciate your honest logic. I mean, in reality the coach isn’t the one pitching poorly, or making fielding errors, or failing to drive in runs. The players should be held accountable. But, as Geoff Baker points out later in the blog, you can’t criticize the make up of a team without placing blame on the GM. Who’s fault is it that Seattle has no player or players that can take care of themselves and take care of others, Mr. Bavasi? A team of individuals doesn’t magically come together. It takes careful planning by the GM to put those puzzle pieces in place.
Bavasi implied that he is willing wheel and deal players as he sees fit so he realizes that this train wreck is just as much his fault as anyone else’s.
Right now this team is a dam springing leaks all over the place. It’s only a matter of time before the dam breaks and all the clubhouse problems come spewing out toward an all-too-willing public wanting to know why this team is so horrible.
Carlos Silva acknowledged his problems with some players on the team and told reporters that he almost went off on his teammates. I think another bad loss Sunday afternoon and we just may see it.