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Sports |
November 2008
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| You can watch the M's live press conference introducing new manager Don Wakamatsu right now on Northwest Cable News or just click on the front page of KING5.com -- it's streaming live on the web. We'll have complete coverage of the presser tonight on KING 5 news at 5pm, 630, 10, & 11...plus, on Northwest Sports Tonight at 9:30pm, 11, 11:30. ...As you first heard from KING5 news last night and then the confirmation on the KING5.com and as we broke in on Dr. Phil, the Mariners will name Don Wakamatsu as the team's next manager. Wakamatsu was one of seven candidates, including former Mariner Joey Cora. The M's new skipper had a cup of coffee in the majors as a catcher. He played 18 games in 1991 with the White Sox as Charlie Hough's personal catcher. Plus, he's been a minor league manager or coach and a major league coach for the past 12 seasons. By the way, he played college ball with Barry Bonds.
KING5 has learned from sources close to the Mariners that A's bench coach Don Wakamatsu is likely the next M's skipper pending approval from the owners in Japan. Wakamatsu spent five season with the Rangers organizations. He's also worked with the Angels. Here's a link for more info on Wakamatsu.
Bonneville Seattle just sent out a press release announcing a new all-sports radio station is coming to town -- 710 ESPN Seattle. Move over KIRO. Here's the deal: since 1927, 710 has been KIRO, simulcasting news and talk radio on both 97.3 FM and 710 AM. Not anymore. Starting next spring, KIRO news and talk will broadcast over on 97.3 FM only, and 710 ESPN will broadcast sports exclusively. The new station will broadcast Seahawks, Mariners and Sounder FC games. Pretty tall order facing the only show in town, KJR. I'll put the entire press release at the jump. They explain what happens to the Seahawks Huddle, etc. ...Former Husky Tim Lincecum won the NL Cy Young award yesterday, today, he's cashing in on his success. Lincecum will be on the cover of Major League Baseball 2K9. "The Franchise" or "The Freak" says he's stoked to be on the cover. ...Former Huskies pitcher Tim Lincecum wins the NL Cy Young award today. Is Is it just another blip on the Bill Bavasi era? A couple of years ago, the Mariners picked Cal starter Brandon Morrow over UW starter Tim Lincecum. Obviously, Morrow went to the bullpen and should return to the starting rotation full-time next season.
Yes, the Mariners have a list of candidates to replace John McLaren & Jim Riggleman. There are seven names who will meet with new GM Jack Zduriencik this week. The M's say they may add to the list as they go through the process of finding a new manager. I can't give you the full press release because it has some information only for the media. So below is part of the release. After the jump you can read some of the candidates backgrounds.
There are currently seven candidates scheduled to interview with Zduriencik this week: Joey Cora (currently the White Sox third base coach), Chip Hale (currently the Diamondbacks third base coach), DeMarlo Hale (currently the Red Sox third base coach), Brad Mills (currently the Red Sox bench coach), Jose Oquendo (currently the Cardinals third base coach), Randy Ready (currently manager of San Diego's AAA affiliate, Portland) and Don Wakamatsu (currently the A's bench coach). Brad Mills will be in Seattle today to interview. Names may be added as the process continues. "I have done a lot of work and made a ton of phone calls talking to people all around the game as we look for the right guy to manage our club next year," Zduriencik said. "I am looking forward to sitting down with each candidate and getting his thoughts on how he can help us with our goal of building this franchise into a World Series winner." ...The Mariners have a streak. It's the Gold Glove streak. For the past 22 seasons, they've had at least one Gold Glove winner on their team. Ichiro wins his 8th glove. Adrian Beltre snags his 2nd AL Gold Glove. Cascade's Grady Sizemore won his second glove, too. The M's official press release is after the jump. ...A tough Seattle sports scene gets tougher. Edward McMichael died this week. You know him better as Tuba Man. A medical examiner says he died from injuries sustained last week during a robbery. Police say five teenagers robbed and beat him. As many of you know, the Tuba Man had a heart of gold, but he wasn't a rich man. I'd like to put into words how sad this is, but it's hard to find the words. So I'll link a few stories for you to read.
KOMO-AM has helped create a fund for the services and relatives at any Bank of America branch. Donations can be mailed to Edward the Tuba Man McMichael Memorial Fund, PO Box 4935, Federal Way, 98063 - from the Seattle PI. Feel free to share your memories of Tuba Man in the comments section. Seattle has lost another part of its innocent. Tuba Man will be sorely missed.
The Everett Aquasox have been sold to a California group. I'm not sure where that leaves minority owners former Mariner Jay Buhner and Republican governor candidate Dino Rossi. The press release doesn't really state if they California group bought 100% of the club or just a majority share. The official press release is after the jump. ...The Mariners fill out their 40-man roster today. They add Michael Wilson to it. The outfielder hit 27 homers last season in AA ball. The official press release is after the jump. ...The Mariners fill out their 40-man roster today. They add Michael Wilson to it. The outfielder hit 27 homers last season in AA ball. The official press release is after the jump. ...Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez files for free agency. He's joined by utilitymen Willie Bloomquist and Miguel Cairo. The M's also put Mike Morse on the 40-man roster. Morse was out all season after separating his shoulder in the outfield. New GM Jack Zduriencik says he understands Ibanez's worth to the fans, but I don't think that he means he's going to try to sign him at all cost. Plus, Ken Griffey Junior is out there. The PI's John Hickey has an interesting blog on how the M's could bring Junior back to the house he helped build. I wonder if either Junior or Ibanez is worth bringing back. I do know the M's need bats to score runs. Just ask Felix Hernandez about that. ...The Mariners have lost another member of the front office. Vice President of Player Personnel Benny Looper declined a demotion to a scout and will leave the team. The official press release is after the jump. ...New M's General Manager Jack Zduriencik is quickly going to work. He's let Scouting Director Bob Fontaine go. Fontaine seems pretty cool about it. Check out his quotes in the Mariners official press release below.
SEATTLE, WA - Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced today that Mariners Vice President of Scouting Bob Fontaine has been relieved of his duties. As you've already seen in Justin's Blog below, the M's hired Jack Zduriencik as their new general manager. Keep putting you comments in Justin's Blog. I thought I'd just pass along the M's official press release. It has Zduriencik's biography. It's after the jump, enjoy. ...You've probably heard the news that the Mariners selected Jack Zduriencik as the team's new GM. What do you think? Does Zduriencik inspire confidence? Can the Milwaukee Brewers exec turn the M's around? Zduriencik won out over Kim Ng (my favorite), Tony LaCava and Jerry DiPoto. Sure, Zduriencik has the most experience and is supposed to be a stud when it comes to picking talent. But can he get the job done? We'll see. ...Who says athletes don't do their part? The Mariners sent over a press release announcing how much money they've raised for northwest charities. The M's raised over a million dollars. They've nearly collected 10 million over the last nine years. Kind of makes you wonder about all those people who said let the Sonics leave...they don't add anything to the community. Well I don't have the numbers in front of me of what the Sonics added, but you have one Seattle team (the M's) pouring a million to the needy. Enough of my mini-rant. The official press release is after the jump. You can see what organization got what. ...In sports it is pretty obvious that character comes to light more in times of trouble than it does in times of success. I've recently wondered what the Seahawks would be like if they went 0-5. Who in the locker room, one that Ruskell has put together to showcase character, would eventually threaten to knock out Matt Hasselbeck or Mike Holmgren?
Rumor has it that a pitcher leaked this story to the press. A pitcher on a team that is 11 out of 14 teams in pitching. 209 hits on the season? Yeah, go ahead. Knock that out and see how fast the ship really sinks. Seattle Times writer Geoff Baker blogs about a rift in the M's clubhouse this season. Apparently, someone or a group of players wanted to take Ichiro out...and not in the "let's grab a bite to eat" kind of way. A clubhouse insider -- sorry, can't get more specific than that, but the source is golden and others have confirmed his account -- says animosity towards Ichiro by teammates was so heavy in the first few months of the season that he feared the Japanese leadoff man was going to be physically attacked in the clubhouse. The coaching staff intervened and called a team meeting to clear the air over allegations Ichiro was a "selfish'' player. A similar meeting was called in May 2007 at Tropicana Field because of internal grumbling by players about Ichiro. - Seattle Times 9/25/08 You can check out the whole blog here. Baker updates the article with a little more explanation near the bottom of the blog. It would be interesting to know who's mad at Area 51. So do you think Ichiro is the problem? Should the 34-year-old, soon to be 35, be more of a leader? Should Ichiro fit into the M's future plans? According the article, some of the people are mad that he's more focused on his stats instead of sitting while he's injured. Don't you want someone to play through the pain, especially if they can? ...Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre underwent successful surgery today. AB had work done on his left thumb and left shoulder. The M's official press release is after the jump. It gives the details of the surgery. ...The M's just announced their tentative schedule for the 2009 season. They'll open up the season on the road April 6th in Minnesota. The home opener is April 14th against the AL West champions Angels. What a great way to open the season at Safeco Field. It should be a hot ticket. The official press release is after the jump. It has all the big series schedules and the inter-league games. ...OK, maybe it's more of a scope than knife. Pitcher Erik Bedard will undergo season ending surgery on his shoulder. Doctors will perform exploratory arthroscopic surgery September 26th to find out what's wrong. So does it matter that Bedard's season has been a waste? It wasn't as if the M's were doing anything this season. Plus, his injury kind of helped give some of the young guys (Feierabend, Morrow, Rowland-Smith) a chance to start. So maybe his injury-riddled season will be the best thing for the M's long-term. If he gets his shoulder corrected and comes back next year looking like the Bedard of old, Seattle should have a good rotation of Felix, Bedard, Morrow, and Rowland-Smith. Anyways, the official release is after the jump. ...The Mariners just sent over a press release. They say that Adrian Beltre will undergo surgery to fix his thumb and shoulder. Talk about a tough dude. I can't imagine a thumb injury so severe he needs surgery, but he's willing to take all those vibrations from swinging the bat. Anyways, the official release is after the jump. ...I guess there were no takers for DH Jose Vidro. The Mariners make it official and release him today. Now anyone can sign him and the M's still have to pay what they owe on his contract. The official press release is after the jump. ... |