Damage Control

Don't worry folks, Price isn't coming back (yet). Doba squashed the rumor, an action that should only surprise people above the age of 100 and below the age of 5. Even if Price and Doba are talking about a move, of course they aren't going to do anything publicly. And they'll deny, deny, and deny some more until Price and Doba actually decide what to do following this season. And don't be shocked if both stay put at their respective institutions in 2008. Right now they have their own teams to worry about and their own demons to wrestle, so rumors are just rumors until there's a press conference.

A common theme I see on the Cougfan forums is that a return of Price is "moving backwards". You mean, back to winning? Back to bowl games? How exactly is Price worse than Doba, especially when you consider Doba was a prominent member of his staff? I'd be happy with an up-and-comer taking over the cougs after Doba, but I'd also be just fine with Price. As long as the coach has class and wins ball games they should be welcome. And how can we fault Price for leaving? If someone gave you a million, or even a $100,000 dollar raise to leave your job for a new one, wouldn't you take it? Yes, it was disloyal. Yes, he shouldn't have coached the Rose Bowl. Now let's forgive and move on. And truly moving on means finding the best predecessor to Doba when the time comes. And that may very well be Mike Price.

Mariner news: John McLaren's lineups are a sign of absolute incompetence. I can't begin to tell you what's wrong with this:

1. Ichiro, DH
2. Vidro, 2B
3. Guillen, RF
4. Broussard, 1B
5. Beltre, 3B
6. Ibanez, LF
7. Jones, CF
8. Burke, C
9. Betancourt, SS

OK, who should be DH more often: Raul Ibanez or Ichiro? Can't we have a great defensive outfield for just one game? Jones-Ichiro-Guillen should be common sense on days like these. Then you have the disaster waiting to happen (Jose Vidro) at second base, and hitting second to help increase the team's GIDP totals. Here's how I would lineup the Mariners, based totally on performance this season:

vs. RHP (OPS in parentheses)

1 Ichiro CF (.842)
2 Broussard 1B (.805)
3 Beltre 3B (.827)
4 Ibanez LF (.753)
5 Vidro DH (.745)
6 Johjima C (.702)
7 Guillen RF (.671)
8 Lopez 2B (.679)
9 Betancourt SS (.674)

Sorry Richie, but you've been an overpriced piece of crap this season. Next:

vs. LHP

1 Ichiro CF (.818)
2 Johjima C (.962)
3 Guillen RF (1.112!)
4 Broussard 1B (.825)
5 Beltre 3B (.824)
6 Betancourt SS (.849)
7 Jones LF (2.000)
8 Vidro DH (.738)
9 Bloomquist 2B (.846)

I want to kick Vidro out of the lineup so bad, but Richie and Ibanez have such terrible stats against lefties that he earns a spot yet again. Willie Ballgame is an offensive improvement over Jose Lopez, who hits a paltry .612 OPS against lefties (still not as bad as Raul's .558). Part of me wants to believer Richie Sexson is still a major league hitter, and then part of me (my eyes) can see that he's batting .196. With 82 strikeouts. And with a potentially better player (Broussard) on the bench.

On paper this team is a mess. But somehow they're winning without Sexson hitting at all, with Raul struggling on offense and defense, and without Jose Vidro sucking as bad as I thought he would. This team doesn't make sense. My lineups don't even make much sense without the stats to back them up. Do we even have a true #3 hitter? #2 hitter? Why is Broussard on the bench so much? Why is Ibanez in the field? I give up. Johnny Mac's disregard for lefty vs. righty matchups coupled with a disregard for defense could be the straw that breaks the overachiever's back. And we lost 9-2 to the Sawks today. D'oh.