I am heading back East for a work trip this weekend and I was not going to post anything on the Mariners till I got back at which time I was going to make my final decision on whether or not I was going to Spring Training this year. You may recall I wrote in my last post that it all depended on whether the Mariners added another significant player or not. And as I was steadily leaning towards not going this year and saving the bread the Mariners threw me a curve ball by bringing back ex-Mariners Carols Guillen just when I though I’d be sitting this one out.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not counting on Carlos Guillen to magically resurrect himself this year and return to the form he displayed with the Tigers from 2004-2008 when he made the All-Star team three times…..but he may have one more good year in his tank.

But the more I hear his name I can’t seem to get over his role in the modern history of the Mariners which I’ll call from 1995 till now. The first thing  I remember about Guillen was when he was named as part of a three person package Seattle got from Houston for Randy Johnson in 1998 along with John Halama and Freddy Garcia. At the time I was outraged at the Mariners front office for not being able to cut a deal with the Big Unit and these three guys were suspect from day one as far as many of us fans around town thought. I recall going down to Tacoma with my sister and brother in-law to watch this kid play and being impressed right away with his grace and agility.

Of course Guillen never really produced big time here in Seattle though he was a part of the 2001 101-win team and was a steady guy in the middle of the infield. Of course like all good things here in Seattle, Guillen had to go and thus he was traded to the Tigers in December of 2003 for Ramon Santiago and the “other” Juan Gonzalez. And well as they say “the rest is history” as Carlos Guillen blossomed in Detroit though the last couple of years he has been plagued by injuries. The Guillen story is just one of many examples of the stupid moves that Bill Bavasi made and falls in line with the all to familiar story of ex-Mariners making good as soon as they leave here.

And now he is back and I seem to be haunted by the ghost of Carlos Guillen. I don’t want to have to remember that night when I was at the Kingdome and Randy Johnson left the bench half way through the game on the night of the trade deadline. And I don’t want to think about what it would have been like if Bavasi had kept Guillen here and we would have had a solid guy in the infield that could hit for average. Yes Carlos you are bringing up a lot of memories for me and what is left of the hardcore faithful who have been following this team all these years, and most of them aren’t good though you actually had nothing to say about either of these deals. Who knows you may even get some time at third this year, you deserve a fair shot after  all,and at 36 you just may surprise some folks and teach the youngsters a few thing along the way about being a professional and  making the best of whatever situation you are faced with. I may see you in Peoria yet…..Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com

I attended the annual meeting of the NW SABR group I belong to yesterday as part of Mariners Fan Fest at the Ellis Pavillion inside the bowels of Safeco Field away from the hoopla happening on the diamond. I got there a little late but caught the tail end of Jack Z’s preseason pep talk and was able to listen to the indomitable Eric Wedge and his view on where we are at and where we are going.

Of course it is hard not buy into anything Eric Wedge has to say as he is genuinely an optimistic guy with great positive energy. Both he and Jack Z. were quite frank about how last year was a failure but that 2012 would be the year when we started to see things take shape. Wedge was quite candid about a lot of topics and I got to ask him if this year’s daily lineup would have some more consistency, to which he replied that it should be a little more predictable this season now that we have some known entities, but he has to see his team in Peoria to tighten things up. Wedge brought his wonderful wife Kate Wedge in for a brief introduction which was nice as well in that she is such a down to earth woman who seems to really care about the team and its relationship to the folks here in Seattle.

What I took away from the meeting was that the Seattle Mariners will field an improved team this year but nobody is expecting to make a serious run at the AL West title. The rebuilding process is going to take shape this year and we may actually be able to see it for our own eyes, but I got to say I’m more of a baseball fan than a “rebuilding of a Team”. Now of course lots of Bloggers and diehard fans seem to love talking about prospects, keeping within budget and future draft picks which is fine but after 35 years many of us a re just tired of losing and waiting for our shot at glory. The truth is lots of Mariners fans have already given up hope and moved on to soccer, hiking and boating during our brief summer months here. Of course the diehards like those who write and read Mariners Blogs will be there as usual, along with the casual fans who come for the hydro races and bobbleheads, but the last 10 years have been brutal and thus it looks like attendance will continue to suffer barring a miracle. I do have confidence we may be contenders within 2-3 years, but by then Safeco Field may continue to serve more as a theme park for baseball rather than the home of an exciting baseball team in the hunt down the stretch. Oh well at least we know the Mariners are following the blueprint that Jack Z. brought with him which appears to be ready to look real in 2012 with or without the support of the local Fan base. Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com

Well the suspense is finally over as Prince Fielder and his agent Scott Boras have reportedly just reached a deal with the Detroit Tigers for $214 million bucks over nine years. The Tigers already had a powerful offense and now will be favorites to win the AL Central again. On the bright side Fielder did not sign with Texas and more importantly the whole “Fielder Watch” thing is finally over here in Seattle so we can begin to focus on our slightly improved Mariners as they get ready to head to Peoria next month for Spring Training.

I never really thought we had a chance at landing Fielder up here in “Mayberry with Skyscrapers” and am somewhat relieved with the news. However I am still stuck with the decision of whether to head down to Peoria for my third Spring Training in a row despite the fact that we are probably looking at another mediocre team that is a long-shot in the AL West. Sure we have Jesus Montero now along with Kevin Millwood and a handful of other interesting but not to dynamic offseason pick-ups, but it still will cost me a couple of grand for a week in the desert and I am on the bubble right now as far as pulling the trigger for the trip.

As some of you may remember I started this Mariners Blog a couple of years ago when I got caught-up in the hysteria of the winter signings of Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins before the 2010 season, and frankly it has been brutal writing about this club ever since not to mention the money I’ve spent on Spring Training junkets. Actually I’m not sure if I’m going to even be able to muster-up the energy and committment to write about the Mariners this season unless Jack Z. makes one more move with the reported $16 million in available payroll that he has to work with.

I’m ok with the pitching situation this year knowing we have some young guys including Hultzen that may be up with the big club soon. But I just get the nagging feeling that unless we somehow get an amazing comeback by Chone Figgins or better yet an upgrade at third via trade soon, we will still languish under .500 this year.

So this next week or so will be important not only for me as a Mariners Blogger/Fan, but for the future of the whole organization. Many hardcore fans like myself have completely run out of patience with the front office types with the possible exceptions of Jack Z. and Eric  Wedge. I am ready to pull the trigger and spend some money and energy to support this team starting with another trip to Peoria, if  Howard Lincoln and the unaccountable corporate owners group is. We shall see who blinks first……Go M’s http://jeffsmariners.com

Like the rest of Mariners Nation I have had a few days to digest the recent blockbuster trade of pitcher Michael Pineda to the New York Yankees for Jesus Montero. This trade which included a couple other less significant players, came out of nowhere and has created quite a stir here in Seattle. For the record as much as I loved Michael Pineda the fun-loving Dominican as you can see in the above video that I shot of him last spring training , I think this trade was a good move by Jack Z.

Having said that I want to wish Pineda well in his future as a Yankee and want let him know that in addition to his wicked fastball we appreciated his boyish enthusiasm and genuine warm personality. Every time Pineda came to the mound like a lot of you I would watch the big righty closely. It was things like his somewhat awkward attempts to move around in his giant body, the way he wore his hat, and that big warm and authentic smile  which helped make another long dismal season last year more bearable.

We will miss you Michael though our time together was short you made an impact on the hearts of all of us here in the NW. I hope you can stay yourself under the bright lights and pressure of the New York scene where the fans and press don’t care about anything but winning. Someday you will look back at our quirky city and maybe miss us too.

As for the Mariners it is time to move on with a new offensive threat by the name of Jesus Montero. The expectations are going to be high for him given the emotional attachment that many of made with Pineda, but it is time to move on with a slightly better future for our struggling club and it’s die-hard fans. Go M’s http://jeffsmariners.com

Just when you thought I was probably done with writing about baseball forever (me to), the Seattle Mariners woke me up tonight by sending the young flame-throwing Michael Pineda and pitching prospect Jose Campas across the country to the New York Yankees in exchange for Jeseus Montero and Hector Noesi. As much as I hate to see Pineda go I’m glad we got Jesus Montero this time though it remains to be seen exactly where he will play due to his weak defensive skills.

Montero as you recall almost came this way in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes and of course this deal isn’t for sure as everyone has to pass their physicals, but it looks like a fair swap for now. Campas has never pitched at a level higher than Everett, but lots of folks were high on him. As for the 24 year-old Hector Noesi he made 30 appearances for the Yankees last year all but two of them out of the bullpen, but he is indeed Major League ready as they say and could possibly end-up at the back of the rotation.

The Mariners will probably need to go out and get another veteran starter for sure now and Roy Oswalt at around $8 million a year sounds like the kind of guy I would like to see Jack Z. grab, but who knows what is happening out there in the wheeling and dealing world of the offseason GM’s.

This trade does pose some other interesting questions like where does Mike Carp fit into things now that the M’s have a power-hitting catcher that may be more suited for DH, does Carp go to camp trying to prove he can play left? Or is he going to shuffle around between first, DH, and left? Of course there is the question of the sudden glut of catchers with Montero, Olivo, Moore and our other catcher, whats his name from the Rays. Oh and don’t forget Casper Wells who I had penciled in to play left next year barring some other upgrade, where does he go if Carp moves to left? In short this trade sets off a chain reaction that will give the other full time Mariners Blogs and facebook journalists lots to talk about for the next week or so, as if any of us can predict or control the future with endless rants and projections of our own  without all the information.

Of course this trade probably means the whole Prince Fielder discussion will end with a thud, which isn’t a bad thing either unless he ends-up playing for the Rangers. I look for Jack Z. to make another move probably sooner than later that will hopefully address the need for another quality starter and maybe even solve the third-base puzzle. Until then I’m going back to my off-season pursuits like NFL Football and dreaming about places where the sun is shining, who knows if Jack Z. makes a couple moves to fill the hole in the rotation and does something at third I may return to Peoria next month after all….Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com

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I have been watching the disturbing and surreal livestream video for the past hour of the NYPD attacking and dismantling the Occupy Wall Street camp in New York City formerly known as Liberty Park. If your awake you can check it out here  http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

This blatant attack on the First Amendment Rights appears to be a part of a coordinated plan which started in Portland Sunday then Oakland and now New York City. While a case can be made that the Occupy movement was losing steam and needed to refocus, it is still disturbing to see Police in riot gear arresting the young protesters who are trying to draw attention to the fact that the richest 1% have taken over the political process in this Nation along with most other aspects of life for those of us who make up the 99%. Unemployment, foreclosures, debt and a corrupt and broken political system are what we have left after 30 years of neo-liberal policies that promote outsourcing of jobs, privatization and deregulation in order to enrich the top 1% .

The Occupy Seattle encampment still stands down at Seattle Community College but the question is for how long. While I realize this is a Baseball Blog, as an American I feel compelled to speak out against the economic injustice that is prevalent in the US today and especially against the repression of the freedom of speech and the right to assemble that my forefathers fought and died for.

The rest is up to you, if you prefer to just watch sports on TV and continue your life as a non participant in the game of life so be it. But for those of you who want more for this country and your children’s future I urge you to get involved by calling the Governor of NY at 518 474 8340 or NYPD at 646 610 5000 and urging them to respect the First Amendment rights of the citizens at Occupy Wall Steet our at whatever level you are comfortable with in defending our basic freedoms and the future of this Nation. In Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street! http://jeffsmariners.com

Well it is 10 pm on Sunday night and I just returned from another day down at Occupy Seattle where things were a bit quieter and mellower than Saturday’s festive scene. Not as many people today but the hardcore are still down there with their tents up despite the fact that the police are close by and rumors are in the air regarding the potential of some sort of sweep or harassment coming later in the night.

It is hard to keep track of everything that is going on down there but there is certainly a lot of interesting people from all walks of life constantly milling around, planning, meeting, talking laughing etc. Spent the day observing and talking to some new and old friends in the town square currently known as Westlake Park (though there is rumor of changing the name to something more reflective of the movement) while those consumers who still have money or room on their credit cards did the usual shopping thing as if in a daze.

The General assembly was lively as usual though as a Trade Unionist I am used to a little tighter form of running a meeting, but this is the new generation’s turn to try and make things work so I mostly sit back and observe in my fold-out chair. From time to time people come by and chat, but mostly I just watch this fledgling movement grapple with issues lending a hand when asked. I suppose these folks will be the ones to insure I am able to live out my retirement days when they come with some sort of security, so learning to detach now despite my concerns around randomness and chaos for the movement is probably my best bet.

We should have a couple of fairly nice days coming up so if you have not made it downtown yet to join the  99%ers this may be the time to move from online activism to the real thing. Once again I know this is rather obscure to be writing about this insurgent movement on a Mariners Blog but after spending two years writing about an underdog team that seemed to be constantly pitted in David vs. Goliath match-ups, the Occupy Seattle movement seems to be a natural transition! Go 99%! http://jeffsmariners.com

I joined five thousand people from all walks of life yesterday here in Seattle in a rally and march in support of the Occupy Seattle movement down at Westlake yesterday. Around the world other members of the 99% gathered to express their collective outrage at the 1% who control the worlds wealth and the politicians who enable them to rape and pillage the earth as part of the neo-liberal model of the unbridled free market economy.

I ran into a lot of old friends and comrades from the WTO protests here in Seattle as well as made new friends with young people from a new generation of activists for a better more sustainable world. The march itself wound its way from Westlake Park down to the Pike Place market then back to the park as the great spirit provided a little window of sun as we took to the streets.

After the General Assembly where direct democracy is practiced to discuss matters and set direction for the group, the park turned into a sort of festival of revolt as we enjoyed a day of freedom that we provided for each other with our solidarity and creativity. I met teachers and students, plumbers and housewives with kids, Democrats and non-aligned, hippies and good old boys, all gathered to say enough is enough in the hopes that the politicians and the rest of the 99% would hear our voice and take a look at where the present model of civilization is heading.

My spirit was lifted seeing the new generation take back their First amendment right to assemble on the town square to discuss their grievances as our founding fathers had in mind when this nation was born. Hope was in the air in Seattle and around the world on Oct. 15th as the Occupy Wall Street movement continues to grow and expand in the fall of 2011. When I left around midnight over 150 tents were filled with protesters camped in the park in defiance of orders from the mayor enforced by SPD to not allow camping in the public space as part of the effort to squash the peoples independent movement against corporate greed.We shall see what today brings, come on down….Go 99%! http:jeffsmariners.com

Please note: This Mariners Blog is being temporarily Occupied by the writer in solidarity with the Occupy Seattle movement, please feel free to go to a more conventional Mariners Blog for baseball news.

Due to extraordinary conditions caused by the excesses of Bankers, speculators, and other rogue elements of our society who have created a cushy world for 1% of the population leaving those of us in the other 99% broke and in debt, this site has been temporarily transferred from an ordinary Baseball Blog to a voice for the 99%.

If you live in the Seattle area please come down to Westlake Center tomorrow to support OccupySeattle  from noon to 4pm to lend support as we try to create a new world as part of an International day of action in the spirit of  the OccupyWallstreet movement. Please bring warm clothes, your spirits and hearts, and a tent and sleeping bag for those so inclined. In the event you are part of the 1% or apathetic please feel free to find another Mariners Blog to read for awhile. Thanks. In solidarity, Jeff Engels Go 99%! http://jeffsmariners.com

I just got back from my trip to Italy yesterday afternoon and finally got to watch some playoff baseball after trying to follow things via twitter and online reports. I managed to catch most of the Tigers-Rangers game yesterday including the grand-slam walkoff homer by Nelson Cruz to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the ALCS as the series now moves on to Detroit. The Tigers will be sending none other than ex-Mariner Doug Fister to the mound this evening to try and stop the explosive Texas offense.

I am sort of looking forward to watching the gangly Fister on the mound tonight just to see if he is doing anything different from his days here in Seattle. It is amazing to read how the fans in Detroit love Fister and that his trade has been called the best mid-season trade in baseball this year by some in the National press. Once gain this could go down in the long line of trades here in Seattle that resulted in player sudenly blossoming once they leave here and we get stuck with some mediocre players who don’t produce.

Of course unles the Detroit bats wake up tonight Mister Fister could find himself in familiar circumstances from his old Seattle day wherin he pitches a great game but still loses due to lack of run support. The Rangers lineup is so dangerous all the way through the order that this game for Fister could determine whether the Tigers can make a series of of it or go down with a whimper.

It is nice to see that all the East Coast teams are out of it this year and it is even possible that a small market team like the Brewers could win it all in 2011 which would perhaps give us some home here in gloomy Seattle. The Rangers look like the team to beat however as much as I hate to see our AL West rival win it all after all the punishment they have handed us over the past few years. But maybe Doug Fister will pitch the game of his life tonight and stop the Rangers machine…..stay tuned! Go M’s http://jeffsmar