Wow? No posts in August?

I have been completely slacking off and neglecting this place. Yes, Mariners Morsels is still alive. I do want to keep writing about the Mariners and baseball.

Honestly, though, what more can be said?

The Mariners have sucked me into apathy. I'll still watch the occasional game, but I'm finding myself not really caring much if I miss the game. I did see Beltre hit for the cycle yesterday and that was pretty darn sweet! Other than a few moments, the lure of baseball has been pretty un-strong for me for many reasons this year. I'm definitely spending more time posting in non-baseball-related FanPosts (Diaries, dammit!) over at LookoutLanding than I am posting in the game threads over there. And I went to more R's games this year -- though still not nearly as many as I'd hoped -- than I'll likely have gone to M's games.

The regime that has run the Mariners since the early 90's has sucked any sort of hope for the future out of me. I'm tired of being disappointed by Chuck and Howie. Come October, when this season is finally finished, and the M's are moving forward towards 2009 and beyond, if those two are still part of the picture, I'm not sure how things will change. Yeah, sure they'll get some new faces in -- but let's be clear, does anyone think those two have the knowledge and desire to completely overhaul the entire organizational philosophy the way it really needs to be done? I can't -- and won't -- trust them to right this ship. They have the money to do so, sure, but this administration (Chuck and Howie, specifically) are very likely to recieve the scarlet letter of becoming the first franchise to spend $100 million on a 100-loss club. If that's not enough to get ownership's attention, then really what will?

I've also spent a lot of time doing non-baseball things with my family. It hasn't just affected baseball -- I've also neglected my photography blogs. I'm still taking photos, but writing just hasn't been my thing this summer. Having also spent a lot of time with Churchill this summer, I can totally relate to his recognition that there's more to life than baseball, and see why he'd want to "retire" from ProspectInsider. I think Munchausen (rest his blog identity) would be proud :-)

Since the impact of this little blog isn't anywhere close to the impact of ProspectInsider, LookoutLanding, USSMariner, etc., I'm not as concerned about neglecting it. Obviously the other "authors" around here haven't had much to say here either, and it's honestly not that big of a deal to me. This place ultimately exists for those times when I want to jot some thoughts down that may not fit anywhere else I hang out in the M's blog-o-sphere. And the same goes for the others I've partnered around here with. MarinersMorsels is more of a sketch pad than a full-fledged art gallery. A Post-it Note, etc.

If the subtle backchannel chatter does come to fruition, though, and the M's ownership changes hands, you better believe I'll be inspired to write again. Even still, really, baseball has fallen a few notches down in the priority list.

And, honestly, I think I'm fine with that.

I'm still gonna root for George. And Adam. And Austin. I'll write more on all three of them very soon. I just have to finish sifting through the 2000+ photos my assistant and I took at a paid wedding gig. And a few other things, too.

Now Batting: WFB... Are You SERIOUS???

With Brad Wilkerson actually having a decent day, John McLaren decides to pinch-hit Willie Bloomquist for him in the 9th. Yes, the M's had just taken the lead on an Adrian Beltre 3-run bomb. And Richie walked ahead of him. McLaren put Cairo in to pinch run for Sexson, and then unexplicably pulled a heating-up Wilkerson for a woeful Willie Bloomquist. Seriously -- I realize Wilkerson's having a tough start to the season, and I'm on the bandwagon for replacing him sooner rather than later, but Bloomquist as a pinch hitter? At that moment in the game -- yeah, the M's had a 3-run lead already built up, and they still had outs to spare in the 9th -- with the way the 'pen has been shaky lately, a 3-run lead didn't feel comfortable. There were better options.

Greg Norton was on the bench, having just had a couple of successful games. He could've hit for Wilkerson if you REALLY want to ignore Wilkerson's reverse platoon splits. Then, with the lead, stick Willie in RF for defense.

You know things are bad when your manager pinch hits WFB for you. Vidro had some important hits, too, including an RBI double. Maybe the news that Clement and Balentien were not in the Tacoma lineup and that McLaren said they'd both be up "sooner than later" actually helped wake them up. I still think Wlad and Clement are better options, but whatever.

GS52 Watch:

Walked B.J. Upton, but got the save to push Baltimore into first place in the AL East.