The Bitterman's account of Game 3

My friend Davey is one of the very best sports fans that I know.

I’ve known him since we were high-school sophomores in central California, which means he’s seen me in my most insecure, my most ridiculous and my most vulnerable.

It also means he’s willing to give me a hard time in ways that most people are not, and when the subject of my dislike for the Oklahoma City Thunder came up in our group chat earlier this year, after observing that I was apparently going to take this hatred of the Thunder to the grave, he suggested that I had “written one hundred columns on it or something.”

Well, make it 101 because I opened up my spleen on Wednesday night and let it rip for The News Tribune!

As far as bits go, I’ve decided this is a pretty good one. I have a fun time writing about it, and people seem to like reading though I fear my friend Davey is tiring of the gimmick.

The only potential problem I see is that I’m not sure how I would react should the Thunder actually win this series (still totally a possibility by the way).

Would I be graceful, congratulate the team on its effort?

That’s probably what a gentleman would do.

But why would I start behaving like a gentleman now.

What’s happened to the Mariners?

Same thing that usually happens during Jerry Dipoto’s watch.

They constantly flirt with being almost good but have a really hard time truly committing to it. Periodically, they string together a few wins and get our hopes up. Then they lose five of six like they just did on the road trip through Anaheim and Arizona and remind us that this is a team that is just good enough to break your heart.

I can’t tell you for sure where this season will end up, but based on history it will probably be one or two games short of a playoff berth.

Here is a chart that shows Seattle is pretty much right on track to replicate what is has done—on average—since Dipoto took over baseball operations.

In Wednesday’s newsletter, I wrote about what Randy Johnson had to say about Howard Lincoln the Tuesday broadcast of Seattle’s game at Arizona.

Turns out that most people had a reaction that was similar to mine, which was to laugh at one of the suits behind Seattle’s baseball team getting aired out by an aggrieved player.

Now, here’s something interesting that came out of the discussion, though. One of the Apostrophians left a comment on Wednesday’s post that got me thinking:

(Speaks quietly): I agree with Cassie.

I don’t think Johnson’s number should be retired in Seattle, I just don’t feel all that strongly about it. The reason I don’t feel all that strongly is because it doesn’t hurt anybody and will probably be a fun event for fans and something that seems to be important to Johnson himself.

If that’s something that will strengthen the relationship between Johnson and the team, great. I know that fans will want to see him.

But ..

He’s (quite justifiably) had his number retired in Arizona.

He was (quite understandably) inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame as a member of the Diamondbacks.

Similarly, it should go without saying that the No. 51 is going to be retired in Seattle largely because of what Ichiro did while wearing it.

That doesn’t diminish what Johnson did. It doesn’t nullify the possibility of retiring the same number for two different players.

While I don’t want to sound like a conpsiracist, it sure seems like the decision to retire Johnson’s No. 51 next year could be a gesture to appease his still-lingering feelings about management. Or perhaps it’s another example of this franchise’s desire to sustain a perpetual kumbaya over the ‘95 team, and if that’s the case, it makes it even funnier that Johnson took this moment to vent some of his lingering feelings.

Like I said, I’m not adamant in my opposition, and if this was what needed to strengthen the relationship between Johnson and the franchise, fine. Go for it. I also don’t care if Johnson takes a flamethrower to the reputation of Seattle’s upper management. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed him doing just that.

I don’t need the Mariners to retire Johnson’s number to know how important he was to the franchise or remember how exciting it was to watch him pitch for Seattle.