Mariners president backs his staff - 美國職棒

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Armstrong says McLaren, Bavasi not in danger of losing jobs


NEW YORK -- Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said on Saturday that general
manager Bill Bavasi and manager John McLaren are in no danger of losing their
jobs.
"Their positions are secure," Armstrong told MLB.com from his Bellevue,
Wash., home. "They are not to be blamed for what's going on."

After Saturday afternoon's 12-6 loss against the Yankees, the Mariners fell
to an American League-worst 18-32 record, now riding a five-game losing
streak.

"In my 23 years, I have never ever seen anything like this," Armstrong said.
"We saw it the other way in 2001. I mean, you have to ask yourself, 'How did
the Mariners win 116 games that season with that roster, compared to this
roster?' This is just as inexplicable the other way."

Armstrong said that he doesn't blame the fans or the media for being so
disgruntled about the way the Mariners have played this season, especially
during the past week.

"I understand, believe me," he said. "It does get discouraging."

But he quickly added that McLaren and his coaching staff and Bavasi and his
front-office staff are doing all they can to get this team turned around,
saying it's clearly up to the players to perform to their capabilities.

That was the same message that Bavasi delivered on Saturday during an
18-minute conference call with Seattle-based media covering the team on its
current road trip, mentioning that he was hoping for a player or several
players to step forward and lead the team out of its doldrums.

"From our point of view, this is not a field-managerial issue, and I want to
make that clear," Bavasi said. "John is doing the job, and the team's
performance is not related to his work. It's purely related to player
performance and underachieving.

"The best teams take care of the stuff in the clubhouse. They make demands of
each other, and I'm not sure we have that going on. I know the popular
refrain during a period like this ... the manager becomes a topic. But it's
not a topic for us.

"We're looking for the players to step up and play like they can, not like
they want to."

Bolstered with a revamped starting rotation, a mixture of youth and
experience and a franchise-record $115 million payroll, the Mariners were
expected to challenge the Angels for the AL West title this season.

"I don't take it personally, but I take it to heart," Bavasi said. "The buck
stops here. We all had a lot of high expectations for this team. The key is
that the year is not over. It's time for somebody to step up and for us to
get us back in striking distance by the All-Star break.

"I feel responsible for this."

Breakdowns in virtually every aspect of the game have kept the Mariners in
last place since May 7.

"We are not in position to be talking about wins and losses," Bavasi said.
"Unfortunately, we don't have on this club, or so far haven't had, that
player or players who has it in his gut to take care of himself and have
enough left over to help somebody else do the job, or demand it. We don't get
a runner over from second or in from third, and the players tolerate it.

"Good teams just don't tolerate it. Sometimes, that is making demands on each
other, and good teams do that. They point things out that are being done
wrong and demand they do them right."

"I think [Bavasi's] right," Carlos Silva said after Saturday's start against
the Yankees. "I don't want to say anything negative. ... I'm not going to
point fingers at anybody. If people played hard no matter what, you're going
to see a different game. If you strike out or miss a play and you keep
playing the game, you're going to see a different game.

"It's like guys in here have a bad game or whatever, it's great that you stay
positive and stay with a good attitude, but man, I feel embarrassed, too. I'd
feel embarrassed."

Silva has been reluctant to say anything, public or otherwise, but that could
soon change.

"Somebody needs to do it, [and] I'm very close," Silva said. "I have a
responsibility here. It's like when I pitched in Detroit. I had a bad game, I
don't even want to see my teammates face the next day, because I care so much
about my team. If you don't feel embarrassed in this game when you're
struggling bad like this, it's because you don't care about this game."

Left fielder Raul Ibanez had a slightly different take, saying there are
veteran players speaking out.

"I know there are guys that get pulled aside in here when one of the veteran
guys sees it necessary," Ibanez said. "I can tell you from first-hand
experience that it does happen. I think everybody is doing the best they can,
there's no question about that. It's not a lack of effort. Everyone in here
is busting their tails, doing everything in their power to get this turned
around.

"Nobody's suffering more than the guys in this room and the guys out on that
field. I believe we're the ones suffering the most."

Armstrong said management has done what it can to give Bavasi and McLaren all
the support they need. The organization took a $3 million hit by releasing
outfielder Brad Wilkerson last month and might lose right-handed pitcher Cha
Seung Baek, who was designated for assignment on Wednesday and must clear
waivers to remain in the organization.

Bavasi and his staff are constantly talking to other clubs for potential
trades, but nothing is imminent.

"We would be hard pressed to make deals this far before the [July 31]
deadline for anybody that would be better than what we have," Bavasi said.

In the meantime, Bavasi agonizes along with everyone else who is associated
with the team.

"This is beyond frustration, and it's hard to fathom," he said. "It's not
that we are giving in, because we're not. Luckily, nobody has blasted away in
our division, and I think there is hope there.

"We're not devastated to the point where we are giving in, but it's a very,
very, very frustrating time right now. They are no fun to watch and are
playing bad, bad, bad baseball. But they do care and they're playing hard.

"This interview is not an attack on the players. You can't send out a memo
asking them to play better, but they need to put their effort in a little
different, more intelligent way and play the game right."

And until that happens, climbing out of the AL West cellar, and into a
pennant race almost every preseason prediction had them involved in, has very
little chance of materializing.


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