Leone for Third–The Start of Mariner Blogging

It’s amazing where you can end up after a few clicks surfing online. While reading a Lookout Landing post last night, I noticed a list of other Mariner blogs. I ended up at “Leone for Third.” This is the original Lookout Landing blog, created by Jeff Sullivan back in 2003, when blogs were babies. The posts are pure gold, and definitely worth checking out. Jeff Sullivan was documenting the beginning of the Bavasi era, and he saw every bad move before it happened. Thank God those years are over.

So much has changed in 8 years, and yet, so much is the same. Before this 2011 season began, I wrote a post begging the M’s to make a run at signing Vladimir Guerrero. The market seemed to be drying up for Vlady, and Baltimore was the only team being mentioned for his services, so it seemed wise to to throw a contract offer his way. Back in December, 2003, Sullivan wrote this:

I’m also quite disappointed that we never so much as suggested that we’re even interested in Vladimir Guerrero. I thought the market would be much bigger for him than it’s turned out to be, and given that Baltimore appears to be the only serious suitor I don’t see the harm in throwing a contract his way to see if it sticks

Uh, kinda weird.

Anyways, do yourself a favor and check out http://www.leoneforthird.blogspot.com
In case you are lazy, here are some of the gems

Inspired both by USS Mariner and the AA play of Justin Leone, I have arrived. Not that this announcement deserves immediate acclaim, but I figure the more Leone supporters, the merrier.
We’ll see how this goes.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/11/2003 06:39:00 PM

I’m not too concerned about any individual contract Bavasi’s handed out, but rather all the contracts as a group. Ibanez won’t kill us at $4.33m a year. Neither will Guardado at $4m. Hasegawa’s not too much of a problem at $3m, either, and neither is Franklin at $1.7m. But when you put them all together, you realize that we’ve already spent $13m worth of our 2004 payroll on entirely fungible commodities. All right, so Guardado is something of a relief ace, but I’d be willing to take the downgrade from him to Madritsch if it meant we could invest that $13m in Vladimir Guerrero, wouldn’t you?
If we don’t sign Tejada, I’m going to be pissed.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/12/2003 06:29:00 PM

It’s funny what a bit of terrible news can do to your outlook on things. Since learning of our intentions concerning McCracken (is McCrap’in too obvious?), I’ve formed a decidedly bleak opinion regarding our chances of landing Miguel Tejada. How could a GM do something so right just moments after doing something so colossally stupid? I was planning on writing a somewhat lengthy post later this afternoon discussing the numerous benefits of signing Tejada, considering it an all but done deal, but now I think I’ll spend those two hours drinking things in the chemistry lab. Life sucks.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/13/2003 03:13:00 AM

In the interest of maintaining something of a readership, I urge all of you to send me suggestions on how I can improve this site. I’m new to the blogging game, and any advice would be much appreciated.
Also, if anyone knows how I could add a “Comments” link underneath all of my blogs, I will love you for life if you divulge your secret.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/13/2003 08:09:00 PM

Quinton McCracken is ours.
This is, without a doubt, the worst I’ve felt about the Mariners in a long, long time. What an absolute joke this front office is becoming.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/15/2003 12:32:00 PM

Terrific!!! More good news on the way: we signed Scott Spiezio!!!!!
Fire Bavasi.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/15/2003 12:49:00 PM

We’re apparently on the verge of trading Carlos Guillen for Omar Vizquel.
I give up.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 12/16/2003 08:09:00 AM

In case you were wondering what Bill Bavasi saw in Ramon Santiago, I found the answer:
“He can pick it up and throw it,” Bavasi said.
This comes as opposed to Carlos Guillen, who is apparently quadriplegic.
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 1/09/2004 12:59:00 PM

Top of the first inning, one on, two out for Mark Teixeira, hitting from the right side

Neihaus: “Teixeira’s done most of his damage from the left side of the plate…”
Jeff: “No he hasn’t, he’s hitting 24 points better as a righty-”
Neihaus: “…he’s hit 28 of his home runs as a lefty, and just nine from this side.”
Teixeira: *Two-run homer on next pitch*
Posted by Jeff Sullivan at 10/01/2004 09:16:00 PM

-Dan