Blow It Up

It's ironic that Jeff Pentland and Ken Griffey Jr. shared yesterday's headlines in Mariner Nation. I envisioned those headlines slightly different in a recent dream.

Regardless, part of that equation is complete. And it's a long time coming. I've been calling for Pentland's firing since early in the 2006 season, when it was clear that he had no clue how to teach guys how to hit. But Pentland's firing is a worthless move made in a worthless season. The only way to salvage this ship is to set it on fire and hope insurance covers it.

The only player on the M's roster who should be deemed untouchable is Ichiballz. This really has more to do with the fact that the organization will never trade him and because he's suffered enough with this miserable franchise that he should be rewarded at some point for his patience.

Everyone else is fair game. Even Felix. I realize I risk coming off slightly less stupid than Seattle Times columnist Steve Kelly when he said this, but at least here me out.

Felix is in his fourth major league season. Although he's only 22-years-old, his attitude, work ethic and head have all come into question. Come trade deadline time, there will undoubtedly be a team desperate for a front line starter. Why not make that guy Felix and stockpile a farm system that has produced as much as Heidi Montag's musical career?

In doing such a thing, Bill Bavasi would be entrusted with actually getting something in return for a trade, something that's about as likely as Barack Obama selecting the Rev. Wright as his running mate. So Bavasi would obviously have to go before any such thing happens.

This Mariners team could not be run any more poorly. Wladimir Balentien is called up to be the full time right fielder. After a month where he hits four home runs, but clearly is still adjusting to big league pitching, the M's inexplicably decide to platoon him with Jeremy Reed. Yes, the same Jeremy Reed who still has no business being on a major league roster, and will put up his typical Jeremy Reed numbers - .250 average, no power, no OBP, no speed. So why isn't Balentien playing everyday?

Nobody could have predicted the M's would be this bad. And things only seem to get worse. Whereas the team couldn't hit at the season's start, at least they had some great starting pitching. Now the pitchers are getting their heads cracked nearly every outing and save for one or two games a week, the hitters are incapable of scoring more than 3 runs per game.

This is baseball at it's worst. Uninspired, unprepared and untalented. Pentland was the first sacrificial lamb on the personnel side. He better not be the last.