M's win! 5-4

Finally, a game that leaves Mariners fans (especially me) feeling happy. Maybe I'm just used to listening to the homers praising the efforts or the attitude of the home nine, but I'm a bit shocked to hear the nationals skewering every one of the Mariners' lineup except Ichiro! for a collective slump that borders on malaise. It's just not something that Dave Niehaus et al. are willing to delve into, at least on the radio broadcast. I can't help but notice that Bret Boone looks smaller than he did last year. It makes me wonder if maybe the newly enforced steroid policy taking effect before the season has shrunken his bulk at the expense of his former gaudy stats.

This game leave me feeling good for the moment when my former high school classmate, Randy Winn, plays a significant part in tonight's win. He gets four hits, including his first home run, knocks in Ichiro! with a double in the 9th, then gambles successfully by stealing third on a 3-2 pitch walk to John Olerud, then scores on Boone's single to right. It was a great game by Winnbo; maybe the move back to left field took off some of the pressure that came from playing in Mike Cameron's shadow.

The win breaks up some of the dark clouds and vultures surrounding this team in its most dismal season in some Mariner's fans memory, but it does not change my opinion that management needs to break up this team. Basketball legend and Mariners fan Bill Russell appears in an interview with the ESPN team, and suggests that they are turning the proverbial corner. I disagree. There are far too many corners for this team to turn, and not enough horses to take the team back into contention. There is some hope for this season, however, in that the Angels and A's are not doing as well as expected, and I think that the Mariners can draw closer with continued shake-up of the team. Moving Randy Winn to leftfield (although done for purely practical reasons, as Ibanez gets hurt), bringing up some triple-A talent, and making shrewd deals for talent that can help us win now; these are moves that i want to see Bavasi making.

So, I'm not completely pessimistic about the Mariner's chances for the rest of the season. I just think that they need to blow up or restructure the team as in currently stands in order to turn this abomination into a respectable finish.