M’s fans, get ready for heads to roll

  • By John Sleeper / Herald columnist
  • Saturday, May 20, 2006 9:00pm
  • Sports

It shouldn’t be long now. Maybe Memorial Day weekend. Maybe sooner.

All the signs are there. Underachieving team. Underachieving players. Two major team meetings a quarter of the way into the season. Individual meetings followed by grim faces and silence.

We’ll soon receive reports that the Mariners have made a move. At a press conference, they’ll say they decided to “move in a different direction.” They’ll say they appreciated the effort, but the appreciated effort wasn’t reflected on the field.

And they’ll say they wish the best for those involved.

We’ve seen the routine so many times. And if any organization has a blueprint for the above scenario, it’s the Seattle Mariners.

Maybe it’ll be manager Mike Hargrove. Maybe general manager Bill Bavasi. Maybe both. Maybe it’ll be a prominent player. Maybe more than one. Maybe all of the above.

Maybe it will be the dreaded housecleaning. Indeed, do any in the Mariners organization feel any job security?

It’s not working. It hasn’t for some time. And once an organization establishes a pattern of mediocrity, heads roll.

This hardly is news. We see it occasionally in the highest levels of sports here in the Northwest, but not often. So when it happens, it’s big news, regardless of whether it was expected.

Only because of a bumbling NCAA investigation did the courts rule otherwise, then-Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges had little choice but to jettison Rick Neuheisel after repeated transgressions and embarrassments.

Bob Weiss is a sweetheart of a guy, but his record never indicated that he was a great candidate to coach the Sonics this past season, and the results bore that out.

A few years ago, I wrote that Bob Bender should have one more season to coach UW men’s basketball. Instead, Hedges showed him the door, hired Lorenzo Romar and look at what’s happened since.

The Huskies are a national power in men’s basketball, Romar could successfully run for governor and Bender landed on his feet in the NBA, currently as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks.

In that case, everybody won.

It’s often said that you can’t fire the players, although it’s often tempting.

* Whose fault is it that Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson are barely hitting .200? Is it Hargrove’s fault that Beltre has done little since the M’s signed him before last season?

* Is Bavasi or pitching coach Rafael Chaves to blame because relievers Julio Mateo, Bobby Livingston, Jake Woods, Jeff Harris and Eddie Guardado all have earned run averages above 5.00?

* Is it hitting coach Jeff Pentland’s responsibility that Jeremy Reed hits in the low .200s and too often simply looks overmatched at the plate?

* Should Chaves be fired because 20-year-old phenom Felix Hernandez is throwing like a 20-year-old?

* Is it the coaching staff’s fault that the team, once again, is near the bottom of the majors in homers, RBI, runs scored, on-base percentage and slugging percentage?

At some point, a player has to be responsible for his own job performance. Hargrove isn’t the one missing signs, failing to get bunts down or overthrowing the cutoff man.

In the past few days, Bavasi has been mentioned as the possible fall guy.

It’s up to higher management to decide whether Hargrove and his staff aren’t getting the players to listen, whether Bavasi’s talent judgment is faulty or if the problem stems from both.

Ultimately, the players have to look at themselves in the mirror.

In all probability, however, it’s too late to save the jobs of many in the organization.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

AquaSox outfielder Carson Jones gets settled in the batter's box during Everett's 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 6, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox show progress, but drop fifth straight to Canadians

Jones’ go-ahead, 3-run homer is spoiled in 4-3 loss to wrap up homestand.

Bryan Woo of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Toronto. (Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Three Mariners added to MLB All-Star Game

Major League Baseball announced today that Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez,… Continue reading

George Kirby (68) of the Seattle Mariners pitches in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenne / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Pirates finish historically bad offensive series in Seattle

Similar to the first two games of the series, the… Continue reading

Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark (32) and Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) guard each other during a free throw in a WNBA basketball game between the Aces and the Seattle Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena Friday, June 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter / Las Vegas Review-Journal / Tribune News Services)
Storm uses third-quarter thunderbolt to down Liberty

Rookie Dominique Malonga scored 11 and took over in the third quarter for Seattle.

AquaSox pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje follows through on a pitch during Everett's 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 5, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox blanked by Vancouver as losing skid continues

Everett generates just three hits in 3-0 loss to the Canadians on Saturday.

AquaSox infielder Charlie Pagliarini starts to swing at a pitch that he would launch for a two-run home run in Everett's 9-2 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 4, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox lack spark in Independence Day loss to Vancouver

Everett draws eight walks, but has just two hits in 9-2 loss to the Canadians.

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King's, stands next to the results board after winning the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)
Beard, Tupua shine at Nike Outdoor Nationals

The rising seniors make their mark on a national stage amidst a busy summer schedule.

Everett AquaSox shortstop Colt Emerson catches the ball at second base for the first out in a double play during the Opening Day game against the Hillsboro Hops on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Emerson’s preparation finally paying off in Everett

The AquaSox shortstop is coming off his best month in High-A. Here’s how it came together:

The Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, right, claps after stealing second base during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Witt Jr. and Mariners’ bullpen both slide, KC wins series

The Kansas City Royals found a way against the Seattle Mariners on… Continue reading

Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins (4) tries to drive past Dallas Wings guard JJ Quinerly (11) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game at College Park Center on Monday, May 19, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
Storm survive Dream on Diggins game-winner

Nneka Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler combined for 45 points in the 80-79 win.

Julius Miettinen listens to a coach during Kraken Development Camp on-ice session for forwards on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pair of Silvertips check status at Kraken Development Camp

Julius Miettinen hopes to take strides back in Everett, while Kaden Hammell turns pro.

Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with the team trident after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Mariners overcome Perez to beat Royals

The Kansas City Royals found themselves in another close encounter against the… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.