FanPost

The Genius Who Wasn't

BP has an article up, by John Perrotto, on what to do with the Mariners. I'm finding almost anything to do with the Mariners interesting these days because Jack Zduriencik was hailed as a genius after his first season and because some fans remained (until recently, anyway) angry that the Pirates didn't hire him. The article is in the subscribers' area, but there's one passage that's especially interesting:


The Mariners improved by 24 wins in Zduriencik's first season, going from 61-101 to 85-77. However, they dropped back to 61-101 this year in a turbulent season that saw designated hitter/franchise icon/future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. retire after word leaked that he was sleeping in the clubhouse during a game; left-hander Cliff Lee get traded to the Rangers in July, just eight months after he was acquired in hopes of pushing the Mariners to their first World Series; manager Don Wakamatsu get fired not long after a dugout skirmish with second baseman Chone Figgins; well-respected professional scouting director Carmen Fusco made the sacrificial lamb and get fired because Zduriencik claimed he didn't know that pitching prospect Josh Lueke, acquired in the Lee trade, did jail time for sexual assault while in the Rangers' farm system.

Can you imagine the reaction if this happened with the Pirates? Every time they acquire a prospect who gets hurt a year later, or in a freak accident, Huntington gets accused of not checking the prospect out adequately. Maybe this provides some needed perspective.

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