Milton Bradley in trouble, should have played Stratego...

Milton Bradley/Courtesy: deadspin.com

Yeah, it was a cheesy headline, wasn't it....

Seattle Mariners outfielder/DH Milton Bradley spent part of his day on Tuesday in jail. The reason--he was arrested on suspicion of making terrorist threats to an un-named woman. He was taken into custody at his home in Los Angeles, and released 7 hours later on bail.

More from MyFoxLa.com RIGHT HERE

This, if it amounts to a serious legal issue, would not be Bradley 1st brush with the law, though most of his issues have been with his managers and Major League Baseball.  Bradley was alleged to have had police come to his home in 2005 on domestic violence calls, but no charges ever were filed.

The Seattle Times says this may be the last straw for Bradley. Read more RIGHT HERE

If this is indeed the end, Bradley will be known as one of the bigger enigma's in the history of baseball. He had a couple of very good years in LA, Texas, San Diego and in Chicago, but managed to piss off both teams enough that they were happy to get rid of him.

He got a huge deal to come to Seatlle. 3-years and $30 million and had done absolutely nothing for the Mariners. He took a leave of absence this past season to address personal mental issues, which is something we respect, but makes us wonder.

The Mariners are on the hook for $12 million for the guy this year and they don't expect him to start? Good luck trying to trade that contract. The team however, may try to void the contract depending on the wording contained in it.

Since Bradley seems to love Trouble, Trouble will love him...enjoy your retro-commercial:

Dave Niehaus Passes At 75

((HT: KCTS-TV9 Seattle))

Signature voices are slowly losing ground and their place in the soundtrack of our lives. In the days of transitive announcers, bouncing from contract to contract and city to city looking for their big break and even bigger payday, there were those few who stayed.

And those who stayed became part of the fabric of our houses, under our pillows on transistors, and part of the family.

Dave Niehaus was part of the family for a lot of people in the Pacific Northwest for thirty years as the voice of the Seattle Mariners.

He passed away at his home after suffering a heart attack- according to team officials.

Here's the story as it broke, thanks to our friends at KING5...


And here's an episode of the KCTS-TV show "Conversations" with Niehaus as the subject

DEVELOPING: Wakamatsu...please leave Seattle...now!

Better times in Seattle/courtesy: onlineathens.com

Well...so goes the Don Wakamatsu era in Seattle. The woebegone Mariners have fired their manager...and three coaches in large part due to the teams 42-70 season.

The Mariners, one of 2009's darlings, couldn't translate that success in 2010. They made a ton of offseason moves, picking up Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, Milton Bradley and others hoping to take that success one step beyond. It didn't work.

It had gotten bad enough that Wakamatsu got into an altercation with the aforementioned and under-perfomring Figgins in the dugout a couple of weeks ago.

More from the Seattle Times RIGHT HERE

There is a scheduled 5pm press conference up in the Great Northwest, where GM Jack Zduriencik is expected to announce that Daren Brown, manager of the AAA Team in Tacoma will take over for the rest of the season.

Along with Wakamatsu, bench coach Ty Van Burkleo, pitching coach Rick Adair and performance coach Steve Hecht were let go. Nowhere does it mention that the guy who acquired all of the so-called talent on the team, taking the fall for such a weak hitting, poor pitching roster.

All that Seattle fans can do is cross their fingers and hope for the best.

For your viewing pleasure, Figgins vs. Wakamatsu, from July 24th.

Is The Mariners Season THAT Bad...??? Chone-Nuff...

The team has decent enough pitching, but their offense would be 33rd in the Majors if such an option were available...

The Seattle Mariners had to deal with the Ken Griffey, Junior retirement earlier this year. Now, they have players signed to large contracts going after managers...

In the dugout...

Here's the play that caused manager Don Wakamatsu's consternation, and then video from the dugout, that is until it gets pulled...
((HT: FSNW/MLB/MLB Advanced Media/joannesiano))


Last night's loss was the Mariners' 16 in their last 20 games...

"I didn't think there was much effort in that backup, and I made the decision to take him out of the ballgame," Wakamatsu said.

Wakamatsu said Figgins wouldn't be fined for insubordination.
Now, if he could only fine him for hitting .229 in the first year of a $36-million deal, right...???

DEVELOPING STORY: Griffey Junior Retires With 630 Homeruns

((HT: KING-TV Seattle))

Ken Griffey, Junior told the Seattle Mariners that he was done playing professional baseball, and manager Don Wakamatsu made the announcement before Seattle faced Minnesota.

"While I feel I am still able to make a contribution on the field and nobody in the Mariners front office has asked me to retire, I told the Mariners when I met with them prior to the 2009 season and was invited back that I will never allow myself to become a distraction," Griffey said in a statement.

"I feel that without enough occasional starts to be sharper coming off the bench, my continued presence as a player would be an unfair distraction to my teammates and their success as a team is what the ultimate goal should be," he said.

Known, probably, more for either falling asleep during a game and missing a pinch-hitting opportunity ((or not)), The Kid was hitting only .184 with no homers and 7 RBI this season. He retires with 630 homeruns and a lot of people thinking what could have been if he had been healthy for even a fraction of the 714 games he missed while a player.

Here's Wakamatsu reacting to the announcement...


And here's Junior making Ichiro stick to a chair...
((HT: MLB/sporto10101010))

Talkin' Baseball: The Seattle Mariners

This is the first of our previews of each MLB team. We begin with a team that was beat to hell last season, the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle Mariners

Manager: Don Wakamatsu (1st season)
2008 Record – 61-101 (dead last in the AL West)

Mariner fans, say hello to: Ken Griffey, Jr. (OF), Mike Sweeney (1B/DH), Endy Chavez (OF), Franklin Guiterrez (OF).

And say so long to: Raul Ibanez (OF), J.J. Putz (P)

The Mariners are in total rebuilding mode. Ownership canned everyone from the G.M. to the manager, the coaching staff, most of its scouting department and I’m sure the janitor was pink slipped to. New G.M. Jack Zduriencik has no honeymoon period. Zduriencik task is the get the M’s at least competitive again.

What To Like About The Mariners:

Clean Slate: 2008 is over, 2009 may be painful for Mariner fans but management seems willing to make the effort to put a better product on the field.

Starting Pitching: If the starting rotation of Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva & Ryan Rowland-Smith get things going, they could keep Seattle in some ball games. That rotation was very disappointing last season but there is potential.

Ken Griffey, Jr.: Mariner fans, he’s not the same Junior from 10 years ago but he’s the best player in franchise history (yes, I’m including A-Rod) and he was the single reason why Safeco Field was built to save the franchise. Griffey’s value on the field has declined but his value with the fans is still high. 16,000 tickets were sold the day he signed with Seattle. Griffey is older (almost 40), slower and is breaking down, but he can still turn on right handed pitching with some pop in his bat. Griffey will see time at left field and DH.

OSG Prediction: About the same as last year though they may avoid losing a hundred games. It will be a long year so Seattle should be more competitive in 2009 however, we just don’t see avoiding the cellar in the American League West.

Photo Courtesy: KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Back To The Future: Griffey Returns To Seattle

So much for that idea...

The Atlanta Braves have been turned down at the eleventh hour by outfielder Ken Griffey, Junior. Junior is now heading back to where it all began...

The Seattle Mariners...

According to the AJC, sources speaking on the condition of anonymity because the Mariners had yet to announce the deal.

The contract is for one year and is believed to be worth $2 million in base salary, plus incentives.

The 39-year-old Griffey is fifth on baseball’s career home-run list with 611.

More when we know more...

Is Junior Heading Back To Seattle?

It appears Ken Griffey, Jr's return to Seattle is imminent according to the Seattle Times.

Griffey and the Mariners look to be working on a one-year deal that could be announced sometime next week. A physical exam must be completed first. Griffey had surgery on his left knee in October.

If indeed this is the case it's all news to Griffey.

"We don't know what we're doing next year with respect to Seattle. It's all rumors," Griffey said Thursday after finishing his round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California.

At least his getting some golf in before heading to spring training. Where ever that will be.

Yet Griffey says he's totally in the dark and that his "agent" is handing everything.

"I really don't even know. My agent is handling," Griffey said.

Remember Griffey is credited for saving baseball in Seattle and getting Safeco Field build. Look at the Mariners now? Junior may be 39 and his best days are long behind however he is a link to the M's past and would be a bright spot for a dismal team.

Plus he still wants to play.

"As long as it's still fun, I want to keep playing."

And Griffey is a bargain to boot.

Photo Courtesy: AP

Yankee Stadium Memories

Yankee Stadium is closing and everyone from the famous to the infamous has a story about their experience at the House That Ruth Built. Sadly, I only went to a Yankee game at the stadium once, but it was a great experience.

It was May 14, 1996. My fiancée’ (now my wife) and I went to an early season game with her cousin to Yankee Stadium. The Seattle Mariners were in town and I was excited about seeing Ken Griffey, Jr. and Alex Rodriquez play. Dwight Gooden was starting for the Yankees and though his dominant days on the mound were behind him thanks to his addiction to drugs, it was a nice side bar for me to at least see Doc Gooden bring it to at the time was a potent offensive line up for the Mariners. One that featured Griffey, A-Rod, Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez.

The game moved on rather unspectacularly as it turned into a pitching duel between Gooden and Seattle starter Sterling Hitchcock until the 6th inning, when the Yankees erupted for 2 runs and and Hitchcock’s night was done.

It was about that time when that half of the 6th was over that I suddenly realized that Gooden had not allowed a hit. My soon to be wife leaned over and said that this game is boring, no body is hitting.

“Boring game!!!” I thought. I’m sitting at Yankee Stadium and I might witness a no hitter. I’m on the edge of my seat.

As it turned out, the clock for Doc Gooden turned back to 1986 as he stymied the Mariners potent offensive line-up. As the drama built the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium was electric. By the time the top of the 9th came, the stadium was rocking and when the final out was recorded, the place went wild. My Yankees cap that I wore to the game became soaked after took a beer shower from fans sitting above me. I never could get the stale beer odor out.

My first and as it turned out, my only trip to see a game at Yankee Stadium I witness Doc Gooden’s no hitter. My soon to be wife and her cousin couldn’t understand why I was so giddy over this. It was big thrill for me and one I will never forget.

I hadn’t come down from that thrill 4 days later when something else very special happened. That’s when I married the love of my life. My wife said tongue and cheek “so much for the wedding being the highlight of your week.”

Marrying my wife is one of the biggest moments of my life but that night at Yankee Stadium was special. How many people can say they saw a no hitter the first time they saw a game at Yankee Stadium.

Photo Courtesy: New York Daily News, St. Petersburg Times

Safeco Sojourn

OK, I decided to take a road trip to the Emerald City of Seattle, and take in a Mariners game. Desperate, I know. I was hoping ManRam would have been traded to the M's instead of the Dodgers so I could have seen him, but hey, I still had Ichiro. Check out the photos below...



Ichiro has had such an effect on this city, I saw M's schedules in 10 different languages - Cantonese, Japanese, Chinese, etc. Every time he came up to bat or when into right field, the stands erupted.

Saw a great Dave "My, Oh My!" Niehaus tribute before the game started, after his long-deserved entrance into the Hall of Fame. Pretty cool.

Safeco Field is actually pretty cool. The set-up inside reminds me a LOT of Turner Field. Even though it looks like an unfinished airplane hangar from the outside, the inside is pretty cool. The skyline views are amazing.

And the chocolate covered strawberry kabobs were cool, too...ya just gotta try 'em.

Reporting from Seattle..
John V. Wood