The Solution

First off, the likelihood of the Mariners making the playoffs this year are unlikely but I think you can salvage some of the season while actually improving for the coming years.  I do think that they could get back into it but they need to start fixing this now!  Here is what should be done to improve this team now!

#1  Fire John McLaren - have a new manager in place Friday (they have an off day tomorrow)

#2  Bring up Fierebend as soon as you can....designate Baek for assignment and trade him (possibly  for Griffey)....put Fierebend in as the 5th starter and move Batista to RH setup guy.

#3  Trade for Griffey -  It shouldn't take more than a couple of midlevel prospects (Johnson/Baek) would be fair....he has little value and alot of money owed...on top of that Cincy is ready to do this!

With this I would have the lineup of the team as follows:

CF-Ichiro, 2B-Lopez, 3B-Beltre,LF-Griffey,DH-Ibanez,1B-Sexson/Clement,C-Johjima,RF-Balentien, SS-Betancourt

This would slot guys into spots and allow them to get comfortable.  I would platoon Sexson and Clement putting them in spots to hit against guys they can be successful with.  If they were worried about Clement defensively at 1B they could DH him against righties and play Ibanez at 1B...which he has done in the past.  Bottom line is I think this would be a much more consistent lineup.

I would have the bench as follows:

Bloomquist, Burke, Vidro, and the guy not playing 1B (Clement/Sexson)

The starting rotation would be:

Felix, Bedard, Silva, Washburn, and Feirebend

The bullpen setup would be:

Putz (CL), Rhodes (LH Setup), Batista (RH Setup), Morrow (RH), Rowland Smith (LH), Lowe (Situational), Green (Situational)

I think this slots your bullpen much better....gives you more veteran guys in the back and you don't just give up if the starter falters like they do with Baek.  I am not big on Green and would prefer Dickey on the roster as a spot starter/long reliever although I think Lowe may need to go to AAA and get his command back which is all I think he is missing.

The key is to get the guys where they no what the expectations are, where they are going to be successful and just start moving forward now!  Even assuming that they can't acquire Griffey they should still move forward with a standard lineup...only difference would be moving Ibanez to 4th, Sexson to 5th, and Clement at 6th....

I'm not sold on Feirebend, but I like the overall idea.  Beating a dead horse, but I want Griffey back... If only they would stop robbing his homeruns, he might be on the team by now.  I wouldn't mind having Dickey as a starter, but as it stands now, our rotation would be looking a lot better period with some run support.  I don't know that we need to screw with that.  They could have pitched better with a lead any day of the week.  And why are we carrying 3 catchers?  Put some speed on the bench.  We are broken and need fixing.  All of the potential and none of the results, the only way to fix that is a new manager...

FIRE MCLAREN.

GO M'S

Maybe we could call up good ol' Dan Wilson or John Olerud and see if they wouldn't mind sitting in as manager for a while.

2 things I'd change, one is dont stick Batista in the pen, they need to get Washburn out of the rotation if its anybody, the guy simple cannot be a productive every 5th day pitcher, he has 1 good pitch, he would be a great LH specialists, he always hits a wall whenever he gets close to 100 pitches so this way we wouldnt have to worry about....get Johjima out of the lineup is my other thing, somehow find a way...we are carrying 3 catchers cause Clement is not a real catcher, they have never viewed him as a catching prospect, its always been DH and for some reason 1B, that has been the talk since he was signed cause he does not have the arm or athletism for MLB catcher (though I dont understand then why they have played him at C for his whole minor league career with little 1B)

I just don't see any issue with Johjima.  My reasoning behind putting Batista in the bullpen is to strengthen the back end, not as a reflection on him as a starter.  Frankly, I think he'd help us much more there than in the rotation.  I am not saying that I am sold on Feirebend, but I will say there are many pitchers who come up intially and struggle a bit, go back down to AAA and return to be solid pitchers for a long time....many guys that have been top pitchers have done this......

Bottom line, I agree, get rid of McLaren.....my reasoning is more than just losses, he has no plan, no consistency, and lost the team....

While I hope that I'm wrong, but its not likely, there is no solution for this season.  The best bet would be to try ans set this team up for next by moving the pieces that are worth a damn for younger players that are just about MLB ready.

Please don't even bother saying that it doesn't work.  Just look at the hated A's, The Marlins, every 5 seasons, The Tampa Bay Rays, and the Rockies.  All these teams moved veterans for prospects that were ready to play. then use the money saved on the younger players to sign free agents to fill out the rest of their rosters. 

What we need in order to do this right is a good GM and either putting a gag on Armstrong so he doesn't ruin the credability of the GM,k or just get a new President.  Fiire McLaren as soon as possible.  It's pretty sad when even the players won't stand up for the guy.  While I hardly believed the players when they stood up for Hargrove, they don't even waste their breathe with McLaren.

Hope that teams like the Dodgers, Mets Red Sox, D Backs, The Rays  Cubs all stay in close races  up to the trading deadline.  This will increase the need and value of players  like Batista(good 5th starter or plus pen arm), Washburn(lefty specialist), Ibanez(plus plus bat as DH or OF in smaller ballpark), Rhodes (plus lefty or good set up man),

Just hold onto Sexson and Vidro and  nontender them at the end of the season.  You pick up 4 extra 1st round sandwich picks next draft.  No one will take them off our hands at their current salaries but by letting them go at the end of the season instead of waiving them will at least give us something of value in return. 

Dangle Ichiro during the off season and watch the bidding wars between the Mets  and the Dodgers escalate.  Both of these teams really wanted Ichiro when he came from Japan and when he was considering free agency.  A trade for Ichiro would definately command not only prospects but good current Major league talent as well.

Try and sign Badard long term.  If he wont re-up with the Mariners then Mmove him before his presence becomes a distraction.  A trade bor Badard would also command quite a bit, but unfortunately not as much as we gave up for him.  The team getting him will only be guarenteed only one season of Badard.  Unless he would agree to a sign and trade which would increase his value exponentially.

Trade Jojima this off season to the Reds for Griffey.  This would be the easiest trade to make since Griffey is a 10-5 rule player.  The Reds hands would be tied and they would pretty much have no choice as Griffey would hold all the power in this trade. 

Should the Mariners continue to struggle this season, they would have a very high 1st round pick next season along with 4 sandwich picks..  Thats like getting 5 1st round picks.  Throw that in the farm system along with everything we can get for all the above mentionsed trades and this franchise will become a dynasty with an abundance of talent and the money to bring free agents as well.

WAZZ is right Wash needs to go to the pen.  Bautista actually keeps us in the game, i don't know how, but he does..maybe because he doesn't give up a whole bunch of runs in ONE inning, he'll just spread the runs out throughout the game, which in all honesty..id rather have. its easier to come back down from two than six right away.

call me crazy, but i still think we can make the offs.  when MAC was coach, we were the hottest team after the all star break, we were even in first.  i think he is getting a raw deal from non performing players.

this might cause some stir.  but i think ichiro is our biggest problem..ill post a thread to see what people have to say...

The point of moving out Batista from the rotation is to strenghten the bullpen.  All you do by putting Washburn in the bullpen is add a lefty with less ability than Rhodes/Rowland Smith.....additionally, you still have the hole for a righthanded setup guy. 

Johjima is not a bad catcher....I can't believe some of the things said on this website.  Basically, no one on the team is any good...period...that is what is being said!  Every player gets ridiculed no matter who they are.....people bash on Beltre, Ibanez, Ichiro, Bedard, Johjima, Sexson, Vidro....if you hate this team so bad quit watching them.

We all know Sexson isn't what he was when we signed him 4 years ago but he still will hit 30HR and have 100 RBI's.....Vidro is dead money that will be gone at the end of the year.....the rest of these guys are not the problem....the problem is and will continue to be the mismanagement of the team.

If you don't think McLaren has lost the team then you are just ridiculous....we go on to talk about their poor, uninspired play...who do you think is supposed to handle that?  Additionally, he has ZERO direction for this team.....every day is something new!!

lets all face the fact fierabend SUCKS! so tht will not work out at all and kenji is a good catcher and i know for a fact tht clement is deffintly not as good as a fielding catcher as kenji and possibly not  as good as a hitter either. but i do agree on griffey lets bring him back maybe tht would hype up the team a little who knows... and lets get vidro out of here and use clement at 1B/DH  hes a good all around player

all i have to say is that the teams BEST hitter should be hitting at the three spot, and yall agree that BELTRE should be hitting there.

I like Beltre, i think hell turn it around if the rest of the team does, but in no way should he ever be hitting third.  TWO the highest, and thats a stretch he has too much power to be used that high.

with that said Ibanez and Lopez are the only canidates to be hitting third.  id rather have lopez because he gets more singles and doubles, and ibanez get knock one out the park.

MY LINEUP A: OUR LINEUP B: A LINEUP WITH TRADES ID LIKE TO SEE

A - ichiro / vidro-bloomquist-cairo / lopez / ibanez / beltre / johjima / sexson - clement / balentine / betancourt

B - ichiro / lopez / Jason Bay from the Pirates LF / ibanez DH / beltre / johjima (if he stays hot/consistent) / sexson - clement 1B (sexson aint goin no where, he's unmovable) / balentine / betancourt

*i think we can steal Bay away, they have outfeild depth and Bay is not performing like he used to even though he has eight homers.  we can possibly give away vidro, washburn/bautista, and some minors for Bay - Pirates need pitching help to stay competitive.

*another option would be Marcus Giles from the Padres - hes lefty, would be a lot cheaper and could bat number two - hes hitting about .270 right now  and can play all three out field positions.

*someone that would cost us a handful at 1B would be Adrian Gonzales from the Padres again, he has good power and can hit for average, and can get walks.  not to sure about his fielding, but im sure it would be better or as good as sexsons.