The Myth of Rebuilding: When is it time to call it something else?

[cezero]

Just hoping they manage not to lose 90 games this year.

That's the benchmark of "success" for this team's ability.

Wedge's recent comments about the talent level of the team speak volumes.

I don't envy Z the work that he's going to have to do to try to fill over a dozen gaping holes it would take to get this team to be consistently at .500 or above. The good thing for him is that Howie and Chuck will probably extend him as long as the bottom line is still healthy enough for the Japanese majority owner.

Looks like not losing 90 games was a pipe dream after all.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Well last year this team scored 619 runs, we are at 576 through 150 games. Need 43 runs over the final 12 just to equal last years horrible/pathetic total. Its is actually mind boggling that offense will score less runs this year.
Keep in mind the fences were moved in this year and we supposedly focused on offense in the off season and ignored the pitching.

Man this is depressing.

 

[cezero]

the team is worth $644 million according to forbes. that's nearly $200 million more than the A's, and about $100 million less than the Rangers. we're not a small market by any means. and the value is going to explode thanks to the new media deal howie and chuck signed (a guaranteed $2 billion over 20 years due to majority ownership of ROOT Sports). the bottom line has improved enormously all the while the team has become one of the biggest jokes in the sports world. the ceo, president, and ownership have zero incentive to put any of that revenue into the team, whether we're talking team payroll, minor league recruiting and investment, or hiring a competent front office.

 

[Destroydacre]

28th an AVG
29th in ERA
28th in Runs Allowed

The Astros have now scored more runs than the M's.

Rebuilding in Seattle is a myth, plain and simple.

I'll try again next year, but really expect more of the same. Absolutely no reason to expect anything else.

The Astros have now scored more runs than the M's.

The Astros have now scored more runs than the M's.

Seattle's offense just makes me

 

[blstoker]

Seattle's offense just makes me

This shouldn't be a surprise. I always thought that the team sacrificed way too much pitching to help the offense, and the offense wasn't any better than it was last season. Sure, the M's hit more HRs, but they were the worst team in MLB at generating runs without hitting a long ball, and it wasn't even close.

 

[Tacoma_canuck]

This shouldn't be a surprise. I always thought that the team sacrificed way too much pitching to help the offense, and the offense wasn't any better than it was last season. Sure, the M's hit more HRs, but they were the worst team in MLB at generating runs without hitting a long ball, and it wasn't even close.

I know I haven't been posting for a while but I have been way up north in the oil patch for 2 years and don't get to follow the team as much as I would like. Having said that, I remembered a couple years ago, all I read on message boards was the argument we had to sign guys like Prince Fielder and hit more HR's. Another common theme was pitching and defense don't make you a winner. Well, we gave up some pitching but we still have some talent in that category but our defense is at the bottom of the league. Our HR's are near the top of the AL but we still don't score many runs. I said this then that people are way too obsessed with the long ball. It doesn't win games, only excites casual fans. The team is still horrible with risp and can't generate consistent offense.

As for the young guys and rebuilding, they now have to turn the corner and take the next step or it is yet another failure. Guys like Ackley, Smoak, Franklin, etc have no more excuses going into next year. They will have to get better and more consistent.