Bavasi still doesn't get it

I should be happy right? We somehow managed not to give up one of our top prospects for Al Freakin' Reyes. Woo! We didn't find a capable 4th starter either, but that was never really a possibility, soooo, whatever.

But then Bavasi just blew my mind. On KJR, Gastineau asked him if having Adam Jones in the hole didn't make it easier for him not to go after a position player at the deadline.

Billy Boy didn't dodge or dissemble, he revealed his weakness straight out. I'm paraphrasing, but it was basically, we don't trust young players in a pennant race. We want veterans for those spots.

Its not just that he believes that Sexson and Ibanez will turn it around despite mounting evidence to the contrary. He also believes that Adam Jones cannot contribute this season, no matter how good he plays.

Bill, I'd like you to meet Chris Duncan. As a rookie in 2006 he hit 296/363/589 in 90 games for the Cardinals. He hit 22 homers in a little over half a season and made a nice offense/defense platoon in left field with So Taguchi. Oh yeah, the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006.

This guy over here? Bobby Jenks. In 2005 he appeared in 32 games for the White Sox. He struck out 50 in just 39.1 innings, eventually earning the closer job. He saved 2 game in the ALDS and two more in the World Series. Which the White Sox won.

Its not just F-Rod in 2003, Bill! Rookies come up and contribute to playoff teams every year! Lew Ford, Justin Morneau, Chad Qualls, Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis, on and on and on.

Adam Jones can help this club, right now. He can help them make the playoffs, he can help them in the playoffs. If there is something specific your people see in Jones that tells them he's not ready, fine. But believing that he can't help because he's not a veteran? That's 7 kinds of stupid and it ignores mountains of available evidence.

Of course that's how most decisions get made in the Mariner front office. Ignoring mountains of evidence. Dammit.