Changes...

Maybe you heard last Friday about Seattle Mariner manager Eric Wedge’s decision to not return as the team’s skipper. Wedge had a very trying year, to say the least. Things looked pretty good coming out of spring training but injuries to some key players, and poor performances from others made it very difficult for the club to get on a winning streak. The Mariners didn’t sweep a series until the All-Star break, which is a long stretch.

When the M’s returned to play, they swept another series and had an extended winning streak for the first time all season. There was hope again in Seattle. Then Wedge had a mild stroke and was off for several weeks. I’d have to say with the pressure these guys are under to win, I’m surprised more managers aren’t suffering from heart conditions or massive strokes. Eating on the road cannot be conducive to healthy living either.

Dealing with upper level management has got to be the most negative thing for any manager to deal with. We always hear that Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong really want to win for the fans. But Seattle has only had about seven total winning seasons and made the playoffs about four times. Those miniscule stats are compiled from over 35 years of mediocre Seattle baseball.

It is obvious that Wedge did not get that warm fuzzy feeling from General Manager (GM) Jack Zduriencik, Lincoln and Armstrong. Wedge has been there before in Cleveland. With talent, the Indians were winners. When management sold off their talent they struggled. Of course, Wedge was the scapegoat and he was fired.

This season there were poor performances by some and the road to Tacoma for call-ups and send downs was practically nonstop. The team got much younger and the growing pains were fun to watch at times and at others it was a bit brutal.

Oakland A’s Manager Bob Melvin cut his management teeth with Seattle and the M’s won 90 games. That was also the team’s last winning season about ten years ago. The Mariners were under .500 the next season and Melvin was fired.

Melvin has the A’s in the playoffs once again winning the American League West for the second year in a row. I’m sure Melvin learned a great deal during his time in Seattle but I doubt that he has done things that much different in Oakland than he did in the northwest. The main difference usually comes down to talent. Oakland has it and Seattle is still trying to acquire it.

For some reason teams think they can change fortune with a new manager and we’ve seen this play out and another guy gets hired with great expectations. They say, “This is the guy who can get this thing turned around! We’re excited for next season and hope to see all of our faithful Mariner fans starting next April.” Do they really think these guys have a magic wand in their back pockets that can be waved and all of a sudden Ken Griffey, Jr., Randy Johnson and Edgar Martinez will suddenly appear in their prime?

They certainly seem to think so, and that is a shame. If upper management worked as hard as the coaches and managers have, maybe we would have a team that we could really be proud of. And we could enjoy seeing the M’s in the playoffs every year or two instead of who knows when.

The failure of the Seattle Mariners isn’t because Wedge was the manager. I think Wedge did an admirable job and there was a sign of life with some of these kids playing. I don’t know who the next guy will be making out the lineup sheet but I’m sure he will have some great credentials for everyone to see. And maybe these kids will grow up and make the next manager look like a genius. But chances are there will be more issues that are beyond a manager’s control.

When that happens I hope they clean house on upper management and let the manager take care of business. I doubt that will happen and it will only be a matter of time when another new manager will be announced. After all that is the way that Seattle solves their shortcoming issues by making a few changes.