The essential problem with the M's as an organization

I written about this before. I've called it "management by faith." The Mariners, over and over, make judgments about players based on little more than faith that someone can repeat their best seasons.

Where Billy Beane signs guys after down years or injuries for next to nothing, proverbially taking a flyer and cutting bait when it doesn't work out, Bavasi hands out 5 to 10 million dollar contracts to fading veterans like they were candy and stubbornly hangs on to those veterans until they are literally booed out of town.

Geoff Baker at the Times nails it in regard to this season:

But for too long on this team, too many veterans on this team have been guaranteed at-bats and favored spots in the order without seemingly having to earn them. This isn't about past performance any more. It's about putting the best lineup out there to help make sure a rare playoff shot doesn't slip through your fingers.

Just too many at-bats wasted on Sexson, Ibanez and Vidro. And too many guys allowed to just hit their way through slumps. What ever happened to giving a guy who is struggling a day off? You don't think Kenji needs a day off right now? Lopez? Instead the Mariners have faith. They keep rolling Sexson and Raul out there because they are sure that today, this very game, they are going to start hitting.

And Adam Jones keeps destroying AAA pitching.

And our playoff hopes go down the drain.