The Mariners have work to do *off* the field…

The tattoo poll is still open until this Friday, so vote vote vote! So far, it looks like we need to win the AL West for me to get tattoos (my bank account thanks you all for your realism), but that second Felix Cy Young is in close pursuit!

Keep in mind, I haven’t really read around the ‘net this morning. I have pretty limited time during the morning, and most of it is spent fielding email, watching the news, and trying to siphon as much coffee into myself as possible. So I don’t really know what others might have to say about the thing I found in my inbox this morning.

My first reaction is not a good one, I’m afraid. Unless there is some sort of reverse psychology going on here, where Zduriencik is trying to humble Bradley into submission by giving him a third (fourth?) chance, I’m not sure I understand the org’s logic. Milton Bradley has not done well by us, and while I thought of his temper as a bit of “fire” at first, I’m afraid I really can’t approve of the whole domestic violence thing. This may sound hypocritical in light of my support of Josh Lueke, but I’m cutting Lueke slack specifically because he doesn’t have Bradley’s history. Lueke’s still young, and while I know that a lot of people find what he may or may not have done reprehensible, where alcohol is involved, situations like that get a lot more complicated, and outside of my own personal reasons, I refuse to judge with impunity in this case.

Milton Bradley, though? Well, do you judge a tornado by what it does when it’s just a mass of gray clouds, or do you judge it by what it does after it hits the ground for a few good long minutes?  I have to say, this move, so soon after the fact, is really surprising. I’m afraid I can no longer say that I believe the Mariners organization when they say they support the Refuse to Abuse program. We’ve got Bradley, we had Russell Branyan twice, and while looking for something else, I found this article from USSM from a few years back (Carl Everett, what the hell?!) Perhaps naively (actually it appears to have been borne more out of ignorance than anything else), I used to believe with conviction that if there was a problem like this, the Ms would take care of it immediately, or simply not allow men like that on our team. Now I don’t feel that comfortable making those claims. And I feel even less comfortable with it knowing that Julio Mateo was merely suspended, rather than being given walking papers, because the Mateo case, as I knew it with my vague awareness in 2007, was what I used to base my high opinions of this particular part of the Mariners on.

Now I know I’m wrong. And I’m disappointed, but for reasons other than what might seem obvious. I witnessed these sorts of situations in the news  previous to becoming a sports fan, and that combined with long-held personal beliefs led me to avoid and actively hate sports of all kinds. With the Mariners, I felt like I was safe in enjoying the  game because they “took care” of things like this. It’s kind of a blow to see that they don’t, not really, and that they’re no better or worse than any other sports team with a problem and a guy who can play. What makes things more offputting for me is that on that front, I’m still conflicted – I mean, playing is what these guys do for a living, it’s not like they can go out and be accountants or day laborers or something.

There are so many layers to this, and in my typical fashion, I can see it from all sides, which just causes further confusion. What’s sad is that this post was originally supposed to be about how awesome Garrett Olson is, and the fact that the Mariners signed this Chris Ray guy to a minor league contract, but no, I’m more upset about this than I am excited about those other things.

I’m hoping that my day at work allows me to chill out on some of this and give it some more rational thought. I’m still looking forward to FanFest this Saturday and seeing people and having my hot dog and being in the stadium – but this certainly puts a bit of a damper on things. If I thought it would do any good, I’d urge the Mariners to work a little a lot harder at Refusing to Abuse, but I doubt so very much that anyone in any position of power reads this…it needs to happen, though, guys. Fix it.


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12 Responses to The Mariners have work to do *off* the field…

  1. msb says:

    I read it as GM-speak. You don’t want to give the Players Union any ammunition when you do cut him.

  2. FanMan says:

    Mateo situation happen in the Mariners hotel room on the road, so the team had more 1st hand information…. it was of physical nature….
    Milton SAID something to a woman….. the actual charge has near zero indication of physical nature (that being said,what he is charged with is saying words to another person…it does NOT say something physical was involved….but information and charges do not indicate such)

    Reading the charges against Milton, I could react and Say “leave me along you jerk, I am gonna punch your face in”… that would get me charged under that statue…even if I have no intention of harming you…because the charge specifically says “intent” is not required.

    I’d like to know what Milton did actually before slicing and dicing him…. I’d feel alot better if the charges werent one of the laws that well…. If 10 people in the Safeco Field Beer garden could get arrested for saying the same words every game….. I dunno… I would feel better if the actual charges were the the vague laws that solely require on police discression (yes 90% of police are awesome…. but there are quite a few that just go “hey, thats Milton, lets arrest him, no way he isnt the problem here”.
    If it was some domestic physical violence, even if they charge him with putting his hand on another person, anything….anything…even if it was in response (such as when he threw the bottle near a fan, because the fan threw it at him first)…. It would be the end of Milton…. but its what he is charged of….. the only thing the authorities are saying with the charge….is….”Milton said something to someone….and…it wasnt even bad enough to arrest him for other verbal charges”

    The Mariners had 4 options
    1) keep him and ignore his physical assaults on his family.
    2) Have infomation that seems credible but not want to immediately execute someone…so you suspend so you can investigate and verify information (remember it happened on the road, so people making the decisions were thousands of miles away and not getting first hand info at the time)…..suspending someone is what is best before making a concrete decision (not to do so, well… trying not to pay his salary by getting rid of him…then finding out the info wasnt 100% correct….well….thats a bad organization…..and would keep players in the future from wanting to sign contracts here…..who wants to play for an organization that jumps to wrong conclusions?)…
    Once they decided..Yeah, Mateo is a piece of trash family abuser….they made the decision to get rid of him to another team that was willing to pay them a little bit of cash.

    3)Drop him and not pay him, and pray that not investigating wouldnt come back to screw them (players union, the League offices, the press, fans thinking how stupid management is for getting rid of talent without actually finding out what went on) and get nothing but negative media.

    The Mariners early on in the whole Mateo thing when they had concrete info that Mateo used his hands for a “non-pitching” event, had already decided Mateo had pitched his last pitch in a Mariners uniform…… The only thing they did…was waiting several days (and keeping him away from the team during the time) and then making some $$$ from another team, instead of just letting him goto another team for zero dollars….if anything…in a round about way….the Mariners support with $$$ refuse to abuse….they recieved compensation from another team, and by doing so increase the bottom line and the Mariners ability to contribute to refuse to abuse……
    By suspending…taking extra days to move Mateo….. The other team who accepted Mateo’s actions…Paid the Mariners and helped them show that supporting such abuse, costs in many ways.

    • Megan Shear says:

      I’m not slicing or dicing anyone – I am merely disappointed, with my admittedly short tenure as a Mariners fan, to find that things are not the way I thought they were, and that there is no such thing as “zero tolerance”.

  3. Patrick says:

    Bradley hasn’t even been to court yet, we don’t know the legitimacy of the allegations. Sure, it’s easy to assume based on his past issues, but I think it’s best to wait just in case. Zduriencik knows this, they’re not going to rush to judgement until all the facts are in, especially since no matter what happens we are on the hook for most/all Milton’s salary anyways.

    • Megan Shear says:

      Nobody pays $50,000 in bail for NOT doing SOMEthing illegal. Bradley has a history of domestic violence (last case was against his then-wife in 2006, I believe). My point is that the Mariners aren’t walking their talk right now, and I find that a little less than positive.

      • Patrick says:

        I don’t know what you mean, people pay bail to get out of jail until their court date. Sure, the police/justice system probably had enough reasonable cause/evidence in order to arrest him and then set bail that high for something serious, but that doesn’t mean he did anything illegal. Wait till he appears in court before completely condemning him and the Mariners. Innocent until proven guilty right? I completely agree that I’m not surprised he was arrested for that and that I won’t be surprised if it turns out to be true and he gets convicted, lets see what Jack Z and the org says if that happens.

  4. Megan Shear says:

    People are not arrested with bail set for minding their own business.

    • FanMan says:

      Arrest and Bail doesnt = Guilt (and arrest and Bail on what he is charged with….ummmm…. What he has been arrested for….hundreds of people at MLB games a could get arrested for the same thing yelling at a opposing players, and fans would flip out if they were arrested for “only saying something” threatening.” Facts and info matter 99% more than someone being arrested….100,000s people get arrested, set out on Bail….then have charges drop later for being false or lack of evidence. )

      If Milton ran over someone, recieved a Negligent driving charge only (non-criminal citation), but information dictated intent of harm, but could not be proven in court so they just gave him a $167 fine for running someone over inentionally….
      I would lead the charge to ban him from Seattle….but that is because of actual info.
      He has been charged with “talking or writing” at someone…..I think it makes a big difference of the factors…. what did he say? who was it at? (store clerk, hooker on the corner, child, relative? have any reason to be vindictive?) was anyone drunk?
      Was there any physical altercation at all? Did the victim do something first, but no one witnessed it?

      Not even the smallest of info is known….at least with Lueke there is ALOT of info….. to make a semi informed opinion…..

      It is funny though… Peoples expectations and have negative feelings and thoughts about the Mariners for not having info in the Milton Case…..
      Just because the Police haven’t released information of what actually happened, I am not going to blame the Mariners for not knowing…..
      Its good that they actually wait to do things based on Real info and not making emotional mistakes.

  5. Megan Shear says:

    I believe we are talking past each other, or you are willfully not paying attention to what I am saying, so I will spell it out as clearly as I know how.

    No, his arrest and bail does not implicate guilt in this situation. HOWEVER, it DOES imply that he did something WRONG. The police don’t merely arrest random people for not doing anything wrong and minding their own business. Not in this country. And even K-Rod’s bail for physically battering his girlfirends’ father wasn’t set as high as $50,000.

    I seriously hope you get my point here, because I don’t think I can bear repeating myself again. PEOPLE WHO DON’T DO ANYTHING AGAINST THE LAW DON’T GET ARRESTED.

  6. FanMan says:


    Thats not actually true…… If you cant think of one example to make that false (Just one example of alone .a simple one is.. arrested, convicted, then proven someone else did it…(the numbers are higher that you would think…AND that is just people who went the distance…the number of charges dropped every year just in any state for someone who actually had zero involvment….)

    well….I did pay attention, I just disagreed with your statement and validity. If your statement is an opinion….okay…but it was stated as fact not an opinion.

    As far as Bail
    Minnesota 2011
    2 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with two small children
    1 count sexual activity with a dog/animal
    Bail $40,000

    Its why actual facts of the case are a better indicator of what a person has actually done. Bail is not an accurate indicator of severity. (even Jail time isnt….Online Poker charge is more years in Jail than most counts of Rape)

    you —“My point is that the Mariners aren’t walking their talk right now, and I find that a little less than positive.”
    They dont even know what he has done, except he “said something to someone” (that info isnt even known)

    Wanting the Mariners to “walk the Walk with Josh Leuke”…okay…completely understandable…
    But the Mariners have no idea what Milton has actually done…..The Mariners dont know, no one knows….expecting them to “walk the walk” ….at least let them find out what Milton Actually did.
    Maybe the Mariners will reverse what the did with Leuke in Miltons case and make you proud of the Mariners….but they have to be given a chance to have an idea what happen first.
    Yes, you can feel less than positive, but the cause of that is Milton, not the Mariners (you can blame the Mariners for Miltons actions if you want)

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