Hi.

[clarknova]

I'm new. I'm a HUGE M's fan. I'm a Seattle transplant- born and raised an hour and a half north in Bellingham. I also like The Pirates (once when I told someone those were my 2 teams they asked me, "do you just hate being happy?"). No, I don't hate being happy. I also love the Seahawks, Huskies, and am a recovering Sonics fan. I live close to Safeco and go to a good number of games each year. My favorite M is Death to Flying Things. My current least favorite is probably Rob Johnson (although Jose Lopez is giving him a run for his money). My all time favorite M is Ken Griffey Jr. (I know, I'm a real renegade in that regard) and all time least favorite is Yuniesky Betancourt.

I read articles and blogs about the M's every day. I rarely comment because I'm usually pretty sure that depending on what site I'm on, I'll find myself either defending how much credence I put in statistics (Times) or how little I do (USSM), and usually I don't care enough to get into it.
I do however, love to talk baseball and most of my friends have no idea what I'm talking about and mock me for my "overinterest". The thought of a new site appeals to me because some of the others can be so "cyber cliquey".
I also tend to be wordy and will often try to inflect sarcasm in type which is generally not possible. I'm working on both of those...

I have 2 kids (both 7) who can make it about 5.5 innings before they begin whining to go to the play area.
I play drums in a band that strategically practices at the Old Rainier Brewery (so we can go to games after practice).
Topics I like discussing: "What the **** are we going to do now?!", "Realistic, and Non-Realistic Roster Moves", "Why our apparently crappy players, aren't SO crappy based on this random statistic...",
Topics I'll generally avoid: "Adrian Gonzales", "Trade Ichiro", and the suggestion that we should fire our manager or GM (yet).

Ok, that's me (after 4 cups of coffee by 10:45). What's up?! :D

[Igoe4Mariners]

Good stuff man. Welcome to the board like I said earlier. It's good to have you here man.

And yeah I generally never open the threads about trading Ichiro either. lol.

[JosephC]

Nice to meet you and welcome to the forum! Hoping to expand this site soon. It's harder to get Mariners fans on a forum than it is to build an Anti Gravity Machine.

Well since you stated it, I have to ask. You say Ken Griffey Jr. is your favorite M's player...

Do we let him go now that he can't perform, or do we hold onto him because he is a fan favorite?

[clarknova]

Thanks, and I can imagine it's tough to get them to come over. Everyone in the other threads are pretty set and seem to sort of need each other in an odd codependent ritual cyber bonding way. It's also hard to break in to that scene... I don't know if it's as hard as building an anti-gravity machine... lol.

Re: Griffey. Well, he's my favorite Mariner of all time. Not my current favorite by any means. I've been a Seattle sports fan more than half my life and I've never seen a professional team (with apologies to The Storm) win a national title. The Sonics did it about 10 months before I was born. I want to win. Griffey is not helping the team, and probably won't. I don't buy that there are not better options. He looks old, slow, and terrible. The bat speed is gone. I haven't even seen his patented "turn a double off the wall into a single" routine because he's on top of everything and only seems to get singles when he can punch a dribbler through the infield accidentally. NOT what we need out of our DH. We are a team that has great pitching and defense and plays in the AL with the worst offense. The OBVIOUS place to upgrade first is the embarrassingly under performing DH spot, in my opinion. I love the guy, I'll always love him as a fan. It was great to see some live homers last year, but he's done. Sweeney too. The only reason anyone wants to keep him around is sentimentality, and mines just about dried up. If he had VIDRO across his back (the numbers are eerily similar), this wouldn't even be a discussion. Best Mariner ever, but everyone gets old and slow someday, and there's no turning back. As far as the ticket sales argument that I hear... Not looking so good this year! I don't think he'll be on the team in July.

[Igoe4Mariners]

I agee with your assessment on Griffey, although it is certainly sad to see.