PRAISE THE BASEBALL GODS, MARINERS OWNER HAS DIED!!!

[seahawksfan234]

This has to be the best piece of news to hit Seattle Mariners baseball in as long as I can remember.

I don't think I have felt so much joy about something Mariners related in so long.

Before someone calls me a douchebag for celebrating a man's death, that is not what this is. I am celebrating the implications of his death on the Mariners franchise.

I am not sure what happens to his stake but I have to imagine it will be sold. At least that is what I hope. Nothing would make me happier than to see Mark Cuban buy the team.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

I was told his share belongs to Nintendo Of America so there won't be any changes.

 

[AceKeptic]

So, wait, WHAT? Is there an article on this?

Never mind, found it on another thread.

 

[dumbrabbit]

So it's good that the man who kept baseball in Seattle died?

 

[cezero]

If you call a feeble AAA club masquerading as a MLB club for the better part of a decade "alive", I guess.

I wouldn't wish death on anybody, but "indifferent" is the only word to attach to this team's CEO, President, and now deceased owner who lived in Japan. The only hope for this team is massive institutional change at the very top, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens now.

 

[Logicallylethal]

What's with all the negativity towards this guy? If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have baseball in Seattle...period

Seattle was one of the worst franchises for over a decade before Yamauchi bought the team. From 1977 to 1992 we were .500 or better only once. Since then we've had the magical 95 season, the incredible 2001 season, we've had 5 season winning 90 + games, and 10 seasons being over .500

We haven't been good for a while but there have been plenty of teams who have gone through worse stretches than our franchise has gone through under the management of Yamauchi.

 

[SeattleCoug]

I was told his share belongs to Nintendo Of America so there won't be any changes.

True but he still had the final say in all decisions from what I have heard. I know he and Lincoln had a great relationship as Lincoln helped him out with Nintendo around here yada yada yada.

Bottom Line is now that he is gone the guys in charge may not have the same relationship with Lincoln as him and the fact that team isnt performing may be reason for change there.

 

[cezero]

Seattle was one of the worst franchises for over a decade before Yamauchi bought the team. From 1977 to 1992 we were .500 or better only once. Since then we've had the magical 95 season, the incredible 2001 season, we've had 5 season winning 90 + games, and 10 seasons being over .500

how sad that that's considered positive for the franchise's legacy

new ownership is desperately needed, and your post does nothing but prove it

i know i'm weird, but i think it's possible for seattle to have a team that's better than mediocre most of the time. i guess my expectations are just really high.

 

[Destroydacre]

What's with all the negativity towards this guy? If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have baseball in Seattle...period

Seattle was one of the worst franchises for over a decade before Yamauchi bought the team. From 1977 to 1992 we were .500 or better only once. Since then we've had the magical 95 season, the incredible 2001 season, we've had 5 season winning 90 + games, and 10 seasons being over .500

We haven't been good for a while but there have been plenty of teams who have gone through worse stretches than our franchise has gone through under the management of Yamauchi.

We really don't have baseball in Seattle. Not MLB baseball at any rate. The Mariners could maybe compete at AAA.

We don't owe Yamauchi anything. He didn't save the Mariners out of the kindness of his heart. He purchased the Mariners to make a profit plain and simple. And that was it. It worked out for him. The Mariners continued to make money every year, and their value has skyrocketed in the past couple decades.

The "success" the Mariners have had under Yamauchi was not of his doing. About the only thing he ever did that had any meaningful impact was tell the FO to sign Ichiro. A good move for sure, but even then the idea was likely motivated by profit. Let's be honest here, 1995 was really a fluke of a season. Late season surges combined with another team choking is an extremely rare occurrence. 1995 was also almost 20 years ago. 2001 was 12. What has the team done recently? The only reason the M's have all those 90 win seasons was thanks to Pat Gillick and even then a chance to win a world series was sabotaged by Howie and Chuck not allowing Gillick to upgrade at the trade deadline in any season. All Gillick did was high tail it out of Seattle and bring a World Series to Philadelphia.

I have no ill will towards Yamauchi and I am sorry to hear of his passing. But he is no savior of baseball in Seattle. As far as I'm concerned, the Mariners may as well have left in the 90's. My only hope is that Nintendo has no desire to keep the Mariners, and sells to an ownership group who will can Howie and Chuck and bring in a FO with the dedication to turn the Mariners into a championship team. We'll see what happens I guess.

 

[Logicallylethal]

Say what you want about 95...but if Yamauchi doesn't purchase the team...that "fluke" never happens. Go down the list of the all time best years in all of Seattle sports and outside of the 05 superbowl run, the finals vs the bulls and the title run for the sonics what other year tops that?

I understand that we haven't been good for a while but I'd much rather have a mediocre baseball team in Seattle then no baseball team in Seattle.

 

[dude82]

Real classy to be cheering at the news of someone's death when their worst offense was letting the baseball team they owned become awful. You know what's really sad? I knew that someone would react this way to the news when I first saw it. If you cheered this news, you are a sad, sad little man. There are more important things in life than sports and if you take your sports so seriously that you'd react to someone's death like this, it might be time re-evaluate your priorities in life.

R.I.P., Mr. Yamauchi. Thank you for keeping baseball in Seattle, regardless of why you did it.

 

[Tacoma_canuck]

Real classy to be cheering at the news of someone's death when their worst offense was letting the baseball team they owned become awful. You know what's really sad? I knew that someone would react this way to the news when I first saw it. If you cheered this news, you are a sad, sad little man. There are more important things in life than sports and if you take your sports so seriously that you'd react to someone's death like this, it might be time re-evaluate your priorities in life.

R.I.P., Mr. Yamauchi. Thank you for keeping baseball in Seattle, regardless of why you did it.

My thoughts as well. Regardless of your feelings about the man's motives or the teams horrible history, it is disrespectful to even say this, despite the disclaimer.

 

[1905 Giants]

Saying you're happy that the man is dead is contemptible.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

RIP to the man out of respect. Other than that he doesn't deserve squat or any praise. I've barely watched the M's this year because I can't watch this garbage anymore. Too many people jumping on the OP. what he said sounds very hollow but I can see where he's coming from. Not saying it was right to say it the way he did but I understand the relief. This team blows and have seen these guys BA the last month? All this praise for Zunino/Miller/Franklin... What the hell are you seeing because I see garbage.

 

[Tech_God]

Wow, what a D-Bag post from the O.P. classless and WAY too early.

 

[#1BostonFan]

So is this Cubans team now?

RIP to the owner.

 

[AceKeptic]

So is this Cubans team now?

RIP to the owner.

A few people here have already said how they'd like to see that happen, but it's WAAAAAAAY too early to speculate what will happen to Nintendo's part in the ownership.

 

[wazzu31]

Real classy post by a classless Seattle fan. Regardless of your feelings towards the Mariners that guy saved baseball in Seattle, hate his allowing Howard and Chuck to run the club ok, but to praise the gods because of his death?

I would love for Mark Cuban to own the M's but who is to say he will pay the right guys to make baseball decisions? The most players he has ever had to deal with doesn't even fill the roster, let alone the 40 man roster plus the prospects. Sure, buying amazing facilities is a plus but in case you haven't noticed the spring training facilities and Safeco Field are among the best in baseball.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

I get killed every time I post this but it is factual that Lincoln was instrumental in keeping the team in Seattle too.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Real classy post by a classless Seattle fan. Regardless of your feelings towards the Mariners that guy saved baseball in Seattle, hate his allowing Howard and Chuck to run the club ok, but to praise the gods because of his death?

I would love for Mark Cuban to own the M's but who is to say he will pay the right guys to make baseball decisions? The most players he has ever had to deal with doesn't even fill the roster, let alone the 40 man roster plus the prospects. Sure, buying amazing facilities is a plus but in case you haven't noticed the spring training facilities and Safeco Field are among the best in baseball.

I doubt that he "saved baseball in Seattle" out of the kindness of his heart.

He made a massive amount of money by purchasing the team. The man saw an investment opportunity and took it.

As I said, I honestly don't care if the post seems "classless" the fact is that this is likely good news for the franchise. We have been hoping for a change in ownership for a very long time. This could likely finally cause that outcome.