From John Fay's Enquirer blog this evening (7/29):

“This is totally unacceptable,” Baker said. “It is embarrassing. It is pitiful. This is terrible.”

I think I like Dusty so much more after this outburst. I think the thing I like the most about this outcryis that is could be directed at Jockhead and Old Man Castellini as much as it was directed at the players.

I mean really, Dusty must look at his options for filling out his lineup card every night and just sigh. Tatum, Tavares, Gonzalez, Nix...AAA, shouldn't be in the majors, shouldn't be in the majors, AAA.

Does anyone believe the resources committed this year were appropriate to field a competitive roster? Or maybe more accurate, does anyone believe the resources that were allocated CORRECTLY in the manner that would take to create a winner?

This weblog is being produced to educate Old Man Castellini, Jockhead, and Dustbag on what championship teams look like. IE, pitching, power, on-base percentage.

Let's review some of the player evaluations made during this past offseason in preparation for the 2009 campaign:

- signing Bill Tavares to a 2-year, nearly $7M contract. Currently hitting .243/.282/.294 (AVG, OBP, SLG), is there any doubt now that Jockhead could have left Dickerson to patrol CF and allocate that money to signing a corner OF?

- Passing on the chance to allocate Bill T.'s FA money to someone who can actually HIT, such as Bobby Abreu (1-year, $5M FA contract with the Angels) or dealing the bare minimum to Florida for Josh Willingham (.302/.414/.595, with 16 big bombs this year).

- Recently, believing that Wladimir Balentien's can alter AT ALL the death spiral that has become his career path.

I mean really, this is clearly a result of the subjective evaluation of one of Jockhead's henchman, Bill Bavasi, former GM of the Mariners. Let's not forget, Bavasi was fired after last season in Seattle after stringing together some of the worst seasons in Mariners history, and that's saying something in Seattle. Not to mention Seattle is a place where the resources and fan support are at a level that Pat Gillick proved in the late-90s, early 00's that success can and should be sustained in that market.

And now, Bavasi convinced Jockhead that Balentien's abhorrent K-rate which was perfected in the Minors, and continued true to form in Seattle. See WBs profile attached - http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/Wladimir-Balentien.shtml

Striking out nearly 28% of his career ABs, that is approaching Big Donkey K rates...career-wise, Dunner K's around 32% of his ABs. Yowsa.

- Lastly, the decision to break off Paul Bako and replace him with Ramon Hernandez. Now look, I fully comprehend what Bako brought to this team...very little offense, very good defense, kind of an interchangeable part behind the dish.

But was it really necessary to try and salvage the Freel contract by dealing for a larger burden in Hernandez? After all, clearly Freel was a moveable part after the O's successfully dealt Freel to the Cubs, who in turn have moved him to the Royals this season.The point being...Freel, had some value this year apparently. Ramon...ick. No value, big contract...where was the upgrade over Bako? Answer: nowhere.

We gotta start thinking differently in this town, folks.