I was in Seattle the day the Randy Johnson trade went down. Mom was in Virginia Mason, I was holed-up with my dad in the little hotel across the street (trigger FRANNY comps)...walked across to the bar in the Sorrento Hotel for a beer, they announce it on the game broadcast, and 15-20 minutes later, in come Woody Woodward and Chuck Armstrong. I was the only one in the bar, and I had some interaction with both of them previously. Woody made eye contact, and asked "How you doing?", to which I replied, "probably better than you guys right now"...they laughed, sat down, and started buying me beers.
At one point, Woody looked at me and said, "I just traded a guy with a bad back that didn't want to be here for THREE big leaguers (Freddie, Guillen, Halama), and everyone in Seattle thinks I'm a fucking idiot"...In the business, this trade is known as a draw...csb
I see similarities with Russ, in that it became obvious that he didn't want to be here, a big star traded for guy(s) that no one knows or cares about, and everyone loses their shit...time will tell.
The Randy trade turned out terribly for the M's.
Guillen was far more fragile than RJ.
On the surface, absolutely, I agree. But, at the time of the trade, RJ was 9-10 with a 4-plus ERA. Post-trade, he was 10-1, 1.28. (Yes, I googled it, I'm not THAT much of a nerd, LOL!). He was pissed since before spring training that they didn't make an offer to extend, and he bitched out. Medicals played a big role in that, and you win some and lose some. IIRC, they never would have gotten Sele in 2000, because he signed with Baltimore, and their doctors wouldn't sign off on it.
I researched this in depth years ago and this is mostly a myth. His strikeout and walk rates were just as strong pro trade as post trade. He had a lot of balls randomly fall in for hits before the deal that evened back out after the deal.
The haul for him was semi-decent but it's inarguably a terrible deal. They would have been much better off with RJ than with Armstrong/Woodward plus the return.
I was in Seattle the day the Randy Johnson trade went down. Mom was in Virginia Mason, I was holed-up with my dad in the little hotel across the street (trigger FRANNY comps)...walked across to the bar in the Sorrento Hotel for a beer, they announce it on the game broadcast, and 15-20 minutes later, in come Woody Woodward and Chuck Armstrong. I was the only one in the bar, and I had some interaction with both of them previously. Woody made eye contact, and asked "How you doing?", to which I replied, "probably better than you guys right now"...they laughed, sat down, and started buying me beers.
At one point, Woody looked at me and said, "I just traded a guy with a bad back that didn't want to be here for THREE big leaguers (Freddie, Guillen, Halama), and everyone in Seattle thinks I'm a fucking idiot"...In the business, this trade is known as a draw...csb
I see similarities with Russ, in that it became obvious that he didn't want to be here, a big star traded for guy(s) that no one knows or cares about, and everyone loses their shit...time will tell.
The Randy trade turned out terribly for the M's.
Guillen was far more fragile than RJ.
On the surface, absolutely, I agree. But, at the time of the trade, RJ was 9-10 with a 4-plus ERA. Post-trade, he was 10-1, 1.28. (Yes, I googled it, I'm not THAT much of a nerd, LOL!). He was pissed since before spring training that they didn't make an offer to extend, and he bitched out. Medicals played a big role in that, and you win some and lose some. IIRC, they never would have gotten Sele in 2000, because he signed with Baltimore, and their doctors wouldn't sign off on it.
I researched this in depth years ago and this is mostly a myth. His strikeout and walk rates were just as strong pro trade as post trade. He had a lot of balls randomly fall in for hits before the deal that evened back out after the deal.
The haul for him was semi-decent but it's inarguably a terrible deal. They would have been much better off with RJ than with Armstrong/Woodward plus the return.
I concur, again, externally. Knew some guys on the inside that told me that RJ, prickly in the best of times, had pissed off a lot of people (teammates), to the point that he forced them to make a decision (probably some Russ comps there)... Having been a (small) part of similar discussions, risk management is first and foremost at the top of the list. Top end guy, back injury documented, big $$$ for an extension, poor recent performance and attitude...tough decisions. They could have re-signed him for $MM, he doesn't get cut on and blows out (back OR arm), or he gets cut on and it doesn't work, and they are on the hook for it, or he signs (doubtful at the time) and is pissed off in perpetuity, affecting his performance, and the guys that did it are looking for jobs (which is a part of every decision ever made in MLB)...Good stuff, DNC!
Honestly none of them. I knew Griffey wanted out as soon as they moved to Safeco.
Arod probably should be on the list, no? He didn't hurt either because I hated him anyways and I knew he'd bounce from Seattle asap when he first signed.
The unit leaving was welcome too. Total cock sucker and tanked in 1997.
For me it was probably Curt Warner. He was awesome. I later met him at one of his dealerships in Vantucky, and later still my ex wife was managing a resort restaurant here, served him, and got me a couple copies of his autograph. She thought I'd be excited but I was about 30 at that point and didn't gaf. Still have it somewhere though.
I seem to recall that management pissed off Randy when his dad died
Johnson was the ace the squad needed for the magical 2001 season
The Ms sure did less with more
They did need a stopper for the playoffs. His last opportunity to be thst for Seattle was a limp dick failure though. They needed someone, just not him.
I not much of a baseball fan and I was deployed in Bosnia when Junior left so I was kinda focused on other things like buying pirated CDs from Bosnians.
The only other one that comes close to hurting me was Payton but after the players strike in the mid-90s, I really didn’t give a fuck about the NBA.
It never hurts as much when you think that the players best years are behind them. It takes some hindsight, but on this list only Randy Johnson really had any seasons better than his ones in Seattle after he left.
The one that hurts the most in hindsight is losing Durant/Westbrook when the Sonics left. Those Thunder teams from the early 2010's would've been electric to watch in Seattle
RJ was a punch in the gut. The worst organization in baseball was told by their own doctors that his back was going to end his career. Second opinions? Nope. They wouldn’t extend him after that so he had a .500 half season of work to convince the team that he was damaged. After the trade to Houston he becomes the most dominant pitcher in baseball again. Goes 10-1 down the stretch. Leads them to the playoffs. Ten years of great pitching from him after that trade. He was a better player for longer than Griffey after they both left. We lost one of the three or four greatest center fielders and maybe the greatest left handed pitcher in major league history one after another. It was just so Seattle.
RJ was a punch in the gut. The worst organization in baseball was told by their own doctors that his back was going to end his career. Second opinions? Nope. They wouldn’t extend him after that so he had a .500 half season of work to convince the team that he was damaged. After the trade to Houston he becomes the most dominant pitcher in baseball again. Goes 10-1 down the stretch. Leads them to the playoffs. Ten years of great pitching from him after that trade. He was a better player for longer than Griffey after they both left. We lost one of the three or four greatest center fielders and maybe the greatest left handed pitcher in major league history one after another. It was just so Seattle.
Comments
The haul for him was semi-decent but it's inarguably a terrible deal. They would have been much better off with RJ than with Armstrong/Woodward plus the return.
Johnson was the ace the squad needed for the magical 2001 season
The Ms sure did less with more
Arod probably should be on the list, no? He didn't hurt either because I hated him anyways and I knew he'd bounce from Seattle asap when he first signed.
The unit leaving was welcome too. Total cock sucker and tanked in 1997.
For me it was probably Curt Warner. He was awesome. I later met him at one of his dealerships in Vantucky, and later still my ex wife was managing a resort restaurant here, served him, and got me a couple copies of his autograph. She thought I'd be excited but I was about 30 at that point and didn't gaf. Still have it somewhere though.
It was Johnson so I didn't fight him
Screw you, Howard Schultz. And fuck you, too, Steve Balmer.
Also - with college football changing, can we trade coaches and players soon?
more power to them but me no care
Edit: I wish all the pro teams and some of the non pro ones would all just go to Oregon and play
Griffey didn't want to be Mariner. It was obvious.
I had an eight game pack for the 2002-2003 Sonics. They sucked. Trading Payton wasn't the worst move ever.