Making Sense of the 2011 Mariners

We've entered the final week of Spring Training and Opening Day is almost here. Yes. Friday. Soon. With that in mind, the club has begun making the final cuts and additions to the roster:

-In a move that surprised no one, lefty Luke French was sent to Tacoma, while catchers Josh Bard and Chris Gimenez were relegated to minor league camp. French will join a whole cadre of pitchers who aren't quite major league material in Tacoma, all of whom will only be a phone call away when Bedard inevitable impinges something in his arm or Pineda gets destroyed by real hitters. Bard never really had a shot of making the team, but Gimenez had an outside chance of getting a bench spot. His demotion seemingly locked Josh Wilson onto the roster until...

-The team announced that Josh Wilson has been released. While Josh certainly had some fans in Seattle, the fact that he's nothing even approaching a major league player doesn't make this a huge loss, at least baseball-wise. Josh was well-liked in the club house and celebrated his 30th birthday only a couple days ago. Happy birthday, Josh! Your present is unemployment.

-Chris Ray and Jamey Wright officially made the team, but Royce Ring got cut. This is the closest thing we have to real surprises anymore, since most observes had predicted Ring would would double with Aaron Laffey as the lefties out of the 'pen. Eric Wedge had other plans, however, citing Ring's inability to pitch effectively to right-handers and go multiple innings. Suddenly, Tom Wilhelmsen is the favorite for that last bullpen spot, jumping all the way up from Single-A baseball. Oh, and he was a bartender the year before that. Maybe Tom and Josh Wilson need to have a little sit-down, inspirational chat...

So, everything is falling into place. With Wilson out of the picture, Luis Rodriguez might make the team, but a last-minute waiver acquisition is much more likely. A right-handed corner-infielder/outfielder with a bit of power would make everything look a bit better, as would an unexpected bullpen pickup. On paper, this Mariners team doesn't look like anything to special and anyone predicting anything other than last place is fooling themselves. However, contrary to much of what I've seen written this week, the chances of the team being as utterly embarrassing as last year's squad are minuscule. Yes, we didn't add much in the way of new players to the offense, but last year's career-lows across the board can't happen again. Our rotation looks much better and our bullpen will be merely bad instead of appalling. We're not a championship-caliber team, but there's no way we could have been with the resources at our disposal this offseason. Jack Z made some smart moves and improved the club. It's gonna be a couple seasons before everything starts humming along, but those days sure seem to be coming. Friday can't come soon enough.

Catching Up with the Seattle Mariners

It's been a while since I wrote about baseball. Spring Training has been a process, players have been cut and the future of Seattle baseball has become a bit clearer. However, there haven't been many big stories to talk about. However, with less than a week left before Opening Day down in Oakland, I'm kicking my baseball writing back into gear. First off, here's what our roster seems to currently look like.

Rotation
RHP Felix Hernandez
LHP Jason Vargas
RHP Doug Fister
LHP Erik Bedard
RHP Michael Pineda

Bedard is virtually a lock to make the team right now, which is amazing in and of itself. Erik's injuries have been well-documented during his time in Seattle, but he's been remarkably loyal and it looks like his fourth season with the club might actually see him contribute. Pineda also seems to have secured a rotation spot with six dominant, shutout innings against the Brewers this afternoon. It looks like our rotation coming out of the gate will be the best case scenario we could have hoped for as fans. Hooray.

Bullpen
RHP Brandon League (closer)
RHP Chris Ray
RHP Josh Lueke
LHP Aaron Laffey
LHP Royce Ring
RHP Jamey Wright
RHP David Pauley

If the rotation is the best we could have hoped for, this bullpen is a lot less encouraging. David Aardsma's injury didn't help an already shaky pile of bullpen candidates, but the implosions of guys like Dan Cortes, Manny Delcarmen, Nate Robertson and Cesar Jimenez have left us with stop-gap guys like Ring and Wright. They aren't all that great and we have to find room for them on the 40-man roster. Tom Wilhelmsen might make the team if the front office doesn't want to put too many guys through waivers. League has also had a disconcerting spring, walking too many guys and getting lit up when he does put the ball over the plate. Turning the game over to the 'pen might be very stressful this season.

Lineup
RF Ichiro Suzuki
3B Chone Figgins
LF Milton Bradley
DH Jack Cust
1B Justin Smoak
C Miguel Olivo
CF Michael Saunders
2B Jack Wilson
SS Brendan Ryan

There were a few interesting position battles this spring. Wilson and Ryan swapped positions, which may or may not be a good thing. Milton Bradley also went ballistic, in a good way, hitting for a high average and knocking in a dozen runs. Saunders' early spring struggles seemed to have him ticketed for more marinating in Tacoma, but Franklin Gutierrez's stomach issues seem to have opened up space for Saunders in center. This lineup doesn't look overpowering, but we probably won't embarrass ourselves every day. Big improvements from Smoak, Cust and even Olivo could help make baseball watchable until Dustin Ackley takes over at second around June.

Bench
C Adam Moore
INF Adam Kennedy
1B/OF Matt Tuiasosopo
OF Ryan Langerhans

Beyond a couple bullpen spots, the only space not settled on the roster is the second infielder bench spot. Kennedy will be there, but Tui, Josh Wilson and maybe Chris Gimenez are in the mix for that last seat. The facts that Tui bats right-handed, is already on the 40-man roster and can actually hit home runs have him squeaking ahead of the others in my book. This means Jack Wilson would shift to short if anything happened to Brendan Ryan, with Kennedy taking over at second if Ackley isn't called. I'm totally okay with that set-up.

With only a week left, it's probably worth noting who will be on the...

Disabled List
RHP David Aardsma (15-day)
RHP Shawn Kelley (60-day)
LHP Mauricio Robles (60-day)
3B Matt Mangini (15-day)
CF Franklin Gutierrez (15-day)

Franklin will hopefully figure out his digestive problems quickly. Depending on how Saunders deals with major league pitching, Guti's return could finally force the overachieving Langerhans to Tacoma or out of the organization entirely. Or, just maybe, the club with cut ties with Milton. As for Aardsma, he should back mid-April-ish, forcing someone like Jamey Wright into obscurity. Mangini will end up at Tacoma once he heals, while Kelley should be a key 'pen member for the Mariners around July. Robles will have surgery to remove "loose bodies" from his elbow before joining the Tacoma rotation mid-summer.

There could always be some ambitious waiver claims or trades in the next week, but the roster seems to have mostly settled into place. I'll be writing more as we countdown to 2011 baseball on Friday.

The Week in Albums: Mar. 15

Alright, I've got more hard drive more or less fixed and I can finally listen to music again. As it turns out, skipping last week worked for the best, since virtually nothing interesting was released this week. So, we're combining the past two weeks into one efficient, informative entry!

#1
Angles
The Strokes
RCA

We might as well start with what must be the most anticipated release of the year so far. Ten years ago, the Strokes released their debut album, Is This It, and were instantaneously enshrined in rock history. In the years since its release, Is This It has won over legions of fans and made a legitimate run at being considered the best album of the entire 2000s. The Strokes are a "big name band," where each of their releases is considered an event. The odd part of all this, however, it that the Strokes have barely released anything in their career. After Is This It, they've only recorded three more albums. Two of those (Room on Fire, First Impressions of Earth) were widely considered critical disappointments and the third is the shiny, new Angles. Judging for this weeks reviews, this new album isn't breaking the trend. Some say its boring, some say its too diverse, others say that everything sounds the same. The one thing everyone can agree on is that Angles won't be the album that rescues the Strokes. The album sounds like five different bands were forced to sit down together and record an album, which is no surprise judging from the reports of in-fighting between the band members. When catchy, Strokes-worthy singles like "Under Cover of Darkness" are squashed awkwardly against the Cars-lite stupidity of "Two Kinds of Happiness" or the dull, blandly moody "You're So Right," you can tell that something is off. Angles is full of too many different ideas and only a few of them are interesting. Perhaps its time the members of the Strokes moved on to other projects before this descent into self-parody becomes too painful.

Simon's Grade:



#2
The Big Roar
The Joy Formidable
Atlantic

This debut from up-and-coming Welsh rockers the Joy Formidable hit the States last week. It enjoyed immense praise back in the UK, but naturally, the American critics were less receptive. The Joy Formidable are only a three-piece band, but they sure make a hell of a lot of noise. Frontwoman/guitarist Ritzy Bryan also seems to be a powerful force leading the band, utilizing her strong voice and impressive guitar pyrotechnics to great effect. At the album's best, such as the cataclysmic "Whirring," the sheer oomph and scale of the band is awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, the album doesn't always shift effectively into those high gears and the bludgeoning begins to feel exhausting over the course of a full length album. The Joy Formidable are a band to watch. The Big Roar proves that they have potential and aren't very far at all from truly realizing it.

Simon's Grade:



#3
Several Shades of Why
J Mascis
Sub Pop

Last week also saw the release of Several Shades of Why, a tender collection of acoustic songs from Dinosaur Jr frontman J Mascis. For a guy who's built his reputation on blistering sheets of guitar noise, these stripped-back, gentle songs work surprisingly well. Mascis has always had a bit of Neil Young character inside him and his thin voice lends itself very well to these emotive songs. The opener, "Listen to Me," could work very well as a dynamic, electric Dinosaur Jr track, but it also works here as a lilting guitar ballad. The title track is another clear highlight, with its skipping guitar hook and strings. I certainly didn't expect this album to be this strong and many other critics also seemed taken by surprise. Several Shades of Why probably won't crop up on too many year-end best-of lists, but it's strong, capable release from a veteran musician. You'll hear no real complaints from me.

Simon's Grade:



Also this week: No Color by the Dodos (2 pretzels)

Technical Difficulties

Due to issues with the hard drive that stores my music, my weekly album posts are being temporarily postponed. Stay tuned.

The Week in Albums: Mar. 11

#1
Collapse Into Now
R.E.M.
Warner Bros.

In a week without a positive critical consensus about anything, R.E.M.'s Collapse Into Now looms the largest among the many new releases. That doesn't mean people like it, but we really can't ignore one of the biggest bands of the past thirty years. Collapse Into Now is the band's fifteenth album and it shouldn't surprise you to learn that it sounds a lot like an R.E.M. album. While the reviews weren't exactly overflowing with praise, many critics described the album as a return to form, hearkening back to R.E.M. circa-1995. Lots of anthemic guitar parts and veiled lyrical ramblings from Michael Stipe, etc, etc. Personally, as a fan of 2008's under-appreciated Accelerate, I expected more from this new, late-era incarnation of the band. I've never been wild about the band's bigger, more polished moments and Collapse Into Now features nothing but those types of songs. If you're a big R.E.M. fan, you'll probably like this record. If you're not, it won't be the one to win you over. What more can you really say?

Simon's Grade:



#2
Smoke Ring for My Halo
Kurt Vile
Matador

Philadelphia-based songwriter Kurt Vile scored a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork this week, along with many other positive reviews. His fourth album features ten heartfelt, mostly-acoustic songs, featuring his mumbling voice and some nifty, upbeat work from his backing band, the Violators. Unfortunately, Vile does little to elevate himself out of the pack of Conor-Oberst-and-Elliott-Smith impersonators that populate every indie label in the country. At its best, Smoke Ring for My Halo uses off-kilter arrangements and bouncy melodies to create crafty little songs that worm their way into your brain (see: "Jesus Fever"). But mostly, it's just boring.

Simon's Grade:



#3
Civilian
Wye Oak
Merge

Wye Oak are, for all intents and purposes, a clone of the band Beach House. Both bands consistent of guy-gal duos. Both bands are from Baltimore. Plus, both bands sound more-or-less the same: dreamy, hazy indie-pop flecked with electronic squiggles and smoky vocal performances. Of course, that doesn't mean Civilian is a bad record. Especially on tracks like "The Altar," Wye Oak show that they might be able to hold their own against their more established peers. In fact, their willingness to be more forceful and actually make some noise (see: "Holy Holy") is a huge mark in their favor. Civilian is a good sign, a key step in putting Wye Oak on the map. However, it's going to take at least one more strong album before they move to the front of the indie-pop ranks.

Simon's Grade:



Also this week: Lasers by Lupe Fiasco (2.5 pretzels), Constant Future by Parts & Labor (3 pretzels) and Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang by Raekwon (4 pretzels).

The Week in Albums: Mar. 4

#1
Wounded Rhymes
Lykke Li
LL

Rising to the top of a slightly thin week for album releases, Lykke Li's Wounded Rhymes was greeted with almost universal praise. The Swedish indie-pop star's second album is a searing collection of great songs, finding a very precarious balance between hooky catchiness and angular, left-of-center electronics. It can be hard to believe that songs like "I Follow Rivers," which sounds like a sort of Knife-lite art-pop, can be sequenced quite naturally along accessible ballads like "Love Out of Lust." Supposedly inspired by a rough breakup, Wounded Rhymes seethes with angst, rage and sexual frustration, best heard on the album's lead single, "Get Some." If Wounded Rhymes occasionally veers too far into maudlin territory, beautiful tracks like "I Know Places" and the ringing closer "Silent My Song" ensure that the album has plenty of powerful moments.

Simon's Grade:



#2
He Gets Me High [EP]
Dum Dum Girls
Sub Pop

Californian rockers Dum Dum Girls record noisy, messy rock songs, channeling the Supremes and Sonic Youth in equal doses. Building on the strength of their debut album, released last year, this new He Gets Me High EP further consolidates the band's strength. Three original songs, highlighted by the cacophonous title track, hint that something great could come from Dum Dum Girls in the future. The album's fourth track, an amped-up cover of the Smith's immortal "There is a Light that Never Goes Out," further demonstrates the power this young band is starting to tap into.

Simon's Grade:



#3
Different Gear, Still Speeding
Beady Eye
Beady Eye Records

While I usually use these recaps to cover albums that everyone liked, I do want to draw special attention to things that everyone absolutely hates. This debut from Beady Eye, the name Liam Gallagher chose for his post-Oasis band, might not be truly despised, but that's not for a lack of trying. Without his brother Noel around to write actual songs, Beady Eye's material trots out the most boring tropes of classic rock without adding even a pinch of originality to the mix. While this is nothing new for Oasis, at least Noel's blatant rip-offs were catchy. Now that Liam is leading the charge, we get brain-dead self-mythologizing like "Beatles and Stones." We'll see if this band holds together long enough to record a second album.

Simon's Grade:

The Social Network, Facebook and the Cultural Zeitgeist

So, The Social Network didn't win Best Picture at Sunday's Academy Awards. Despite many people predicting it would win (including myself), the late surge of support for The King's Speech ended up extending all the way to Oscar night. The King's Speech claimed awards for Directing, Writing and Lead Actor along with its Best Picture win, resulting in one of the more balanced and convincing wins in recent Oscar memory.

I'm not sure if you ventured onto Twitter after the awards, but people were pissed. Whether we're talking about the Aaron Sorkin loyalists or the college-aged movie fanatics, lots of people were voicing their disappointment with the awards. No voice was louder than Rolling Stone's resident movie critic (and my personal archenemy) Peter Travers. Although his official write-up of the show toned done the ire a bit (despite being titled "Worst. Oscars. Ever."), his in-the-moment reactions consisted of tweets like this:

"The King's Speech wins Best Picture. Justice is not done. The Academy again mistakes Oscar night for Valentine's Day." - Peter Travers, Feb. 27, Twitter

This tweet nicely summarizes most of the reactions I've read. Many critics claim that The Social Network is a once-in-a-lifetime film, that perfectly captures the mood and atmosphere of contemporary culture. Furthermore, many of the actors are young and unestablished, as compared to the cast of The King's Speech, who've been winning accolades for the past thirty years. It's easy to make The King's Speech look like the bad guy here: stiff, British movie full of old(er) people is victorious over the young, modern, edgy masterpiece. What could be more in touch with our modern lives than "Facebook: the Movie?" How could the Academy choose the safe and boring option over something so ground-breaking and relevant?

Well, here's the truth: The Social Network is NOT about Facebook. Nor is it about social networking. At no point in the film do we really see how the creation of Facebook has changed the way people interact. I'm sorry, Aaron Sorkin, but a scene where someone spontaneously turns "Facebook" into a verb doesn't cut it when it comes to representations of massive cultural change. Here is, in order of importance, what The Social Network is really about:

1) Mark Zuckerberg
2) litigation
3) intellectual property
4) friendship and loyalty

At its heart, The Social Network is a legal drama. The fact that the plot revolves around Facebook doesn't mean that the film actually deals with Facebook, as a phenomenon of cultural significance. As much as the critics are whining that The King's Speech is just another boring biographical movie, that description can just as easily be applied to The Social Network. Whether you're following Mark Zuckerberg or the King of England doesn't make a whole lot of difference. Both films hit the same beats: establishment of a flawed protagonist, attempts to overcome obstacles, unforeseen consequences and complications, and finally some level of resolution. Both films are based on true events and both films take wild liberties with their source material.

However, what The Social Network doesn't have is the emotional core of The King's Speech. By featuring a main character who is presented as borderline autistic, The Social Network's Mark Zuckerberg is a difficult protagonist to sympathize with. Of course, Sorkin goes one step further, implying that his ultimate motivation for creating Facebook was puppy-dog sadness and bitterness after being spurned by too many girls. Even if there was any evidence suggesting this was true (the book Sorkin adapted, The Accidental Billionaires, featured no interviews with Zuckerberg himself), this reduction of a complicated human being into a stereotype is ridiculous.

The Social Network does not tap into the cultural zeitgeist. It does not show what life is like for college students in the late 2000s. Hell, it doesn't even really show you Facebook. It is most certainly not "Facebook: the Movie." If it was, it would show how Facebook has utterly altered the way people, young and old, are communicating and relating to each other. It would show the weight of Facebook-mediated relationships. It would explore the very slippery concept of the "Facebook friend." It would show how this social networking site, created by a college student for other college students, has evolved into something white-collar employers use to evaluate their employees. Yet, The Social Network does none of those things. It's just another biopic. The King's Speech is also a biopic and it happens to be a better one. Now, can we all calm down and enjoy another year of movies?

Oh, Hey, Baseball...

It's easy to forget, but I do use this blog to discuss my beloved Seattle Mariners. Let's briefly run through the newsworthy stuff from the first days of Spring Training:

-we traded Matt Lawson, a utility infielder we picked up in the Cliff Lee deal, to the Cleveland Indians for Aaron Laffey, a left-handed pitcher who has failed to establish himself as a starter or reliever in recent years. Welcome to the team, Aaron. This would be a great year for you to figure shit out.

-Erik Bedard started a game and both of his arms are still attached. This is what good news looks like for Mariners fans. He even struck two guys out! Is nothing impossible?

-the giant group of guys we have competing for bullpen spots (or The Pile, as Lookout Landing has dubbed them) haven't produced too many standouts. Manny Delcarmen and Justin Miller got blown up during early games, while Denny Bautista doesn't even look like a minor leaguer at this point. Dan Cortes and Josh Lueke threw clean innings yesterday, though. Plus, remember, there is no way the bullpen could get worse than last year...

-...oh, and those hitters. None of them have done anything interesting, beyond the odd home run here or there for some of the young guys. Milton Bradley is hitting well, but my cynicism prevents me from thinking this means anything.