For you Sweeney fans (like me!)..., I finally found the bench clearing video! Options

[Joseph]

After reading such lovely statements written by Mike Sweeney, one could hardly believe he once caused a bench clearing!
Well here's the proof, check out the video. He actually really took Jeff Weaver down to the ground hard, I'm surprised.

Sweeney Bench Clearing Video

Sweeney's my hero. If someone cracked about my Religion I'd probably do something similar.
May he play well with the Mariners in 09!

This post has been edited by Joseph: Feb 20 2009, 10:29 PM

[BatGrrl66]

Hold on here. We have Mike Sweeney? He is one of my favorite players, it is hilarious that he caused a bench brawl. He is a very nice guy....hmm.

[KingCorran]

He is a very nice guy....hmm.

...and Mr. Weaver is not.














Hope he landed one of those punches. =)

[CrustyJuggler]

After reading such lovely statements written by Mike Sweeney, one could hardly believe he once caused a bench clearing!
Well here's the proof, check out the video. He actually really took Jeff Weaver down to the ground hard, I'm surprised.

Sweeney Bench Clearing Video

Sweeney's my hero. If someone cracked about my Religion I'd probably do something similar.
May he play well with the Mariners in 09!

Whoa whoa.. What happened to turning the other cheek.?

[Joseph]

yeah, but when you have the power you do on the field, why not get a little attention too?
And considering it's Jeff Weaver... well... a little less likely to turn the other cheek.

This post has been edited by Joseph: Feb 20 2009, 10:59 PM

[DannyCore]

I just cant wait for the sweeney branyan platoon with a 900+ ops.

[Leo Gomez]

I just cant wait for the sweeney branyan platoon with a 900+ ops.

If that happens then I bet we can expect about a 950 ops from the Sweeney-Junior DH platoon

Not to sound like a broken record but I really, really, really hope Sweeney makes the team and gets a real chance. I've always liked the guy, even though he as on the As last year

[Leo Gomez]

From Baker, in reference to drills requiring players to practice situational hitting. He posted a video where the batter is given a situation, and must "do the right thing" like lay a bunt down, hit a sac fly, or it one on the right side of the infield to move a runner over. Here's what he had to say about my man Sweeney:

Keep an eye out towards the end for veteran first baseman Mike Sweeney (#5). See how he interacts with his teammates -- even speaking in Spanish to some.

Gosh I love this guy.

[Joseph]

I just hope this guy gets a good shot at playing with the M's this year (all year!)

[BatGrrl66]

It's gonna up to him he is a very nice person but if he can't perform he shouldn't be here. Here's to him having a good spring training because having a person like that on the team is not a bad thing at all. Tampa Bay are AL champions because they do have good veterans on the team. (Well, they do have awesome younger players but it is the veterans that are teaching them how to go beyond their physical talent).

I have a funny feeling that New York is NOT going to be a happy place this summer....the Mets have already proven they can't play when the cards are on the table, flat out the chemistry is wrong not the talent level. It seems like the 1980's (Bronx Zoo) concerning the Yankees. I think Larry Stone may have it right. 1) Tampa Bay 2) Boston 3) Yankees, imagine the gnashing of teeth if this is the reality. (It warms my heart in a hidden way).

What do I know? I don't follow sabermetrics and stats to the degree that a lot of posters on this site site do. I just go with what I feel and see with my experience of watching the game since I was a young girl as my guideposts. Though I do understand the value of sabermetrics quite clearly. Like doing calculus I know the answers but have trouble understanding or explaining the process, the steps behind the results.

This post has been edited by BatGrrl66: Feb 22 2009, 07:10 PM

[Lonnie]

I am, for the most part, not a fan or a detractor of Sweeney, but from what I have been reading so far it looks like he could be just what the doctor ordered as far as a player who brings the team together. Over at Shannon Drayer's blog she had these two tidbits to report about Sweeney:

"Jr's day on the field ended with a light moment as Mike Sweeney called out to the team to gather around the pitchers mound. He pulled Wak into the middle of the circle and said, "Skip, in honor of your birthday we passed around the hat to get you something." Jr was then thrown in Wak's direction to give him a big hug. Sweeney then stepped out of the circle and shouted to the fans, "It's my manager's birthday, can you help me out in singing to him?" which the crowd did."

And:

"Mike Sweeney, who can often be heard yelling encouragement to teammates during drills was actually heard yelling encouragement to the kids on the other side of the outfield fence trying to catch homerun balls"

I love reading about stuff like this. Guys like this seem to be rare in most sports and should be viewed for more than their onfield achievements. Guys like this can keep a clubhouse from becoming what we had last year if they can just play well enough to stay with the team.

Count me in on the Sweeney bandwagon!

Lonnie

[MtGrizzly]

Count me in on the Sweeney bandwagon!

But can he still play? I like the touchy-feely stuff as much as the next guy but you can't give a bench slot to a mascot. This team has been wasting its bench on players with all those "intangible" qualities since Gillick left. Part of changing the culture of this organization has to be ending this weird affinity for singing guys that everyone likes, regardless of their ability to actually help the team between the lines.

He's got to earn his spot on the field, not off it. My $.02.

[Lonnie]

But can he still play? I like the touchy-feely stuff as much as the next guy but you can't give a bench slot to a mascot. This team has been wasting its bench on players with all those "intangible" qualities since Gillick left. Part of changing the culture of this organization has to be ending this weird affinity for singing guys that everyone likes, regardless of their ability to actually help the team between the lines.

He's got to earn his spot on the field, not off it. My $.02.

Don't harsh my buzz, dude. Don't go stomping around in size 72 hob-nailed boots of reality in my happy place!

Seriously though, when I say I'm on the bandwagon I mean that I am pulling for him to make the team, which means he has to perform.

Lonnie

[BatGrrl66]

Don't harsh my buzz, dude. Don't go stomping around in size 72 hob-nailed boots of reality in my happy place!

Seriously though, when I say I'm on the bandwagon I mean that I am pulling for him to make the team, which means he has to perform.

Lonnie

That all I ask, but intangibles are not to be discounted. But he has to perform on the field, this team cannot afford dead space concerning the ability to perform the job that they are hired for. I know I am not, are you? As JayZ says..."it's a hard knock life" and baseball is starting to learn that reality.

*Batgrrl now known as Buzzkiller*

This post has been edited by BatGrrl66: Feb 24 2009, 08:12 PM

[Toomany10pins]

I am, for the most part, not a fan or a detractor of Sweeney, but from what I have been reading so far it looks like he could be just what the doctor ordered as far as a player who brings the team together. Over at Shannon Drayer's blog she had these two tidbits to report about Sweeney:

"Jr's day on the field ended with a light moment as Mike Sweeney called out to the team to gather around the pitchers mound. He pulled Wak into the middle of the circle and said, "Skip, in honor of your birthday we passed around the hat to get you something." Jr was then thrown in Wak's direction to give him a big hug. Sweeney then stepped out of the circle and shouted to the fans, "It's my manager's birthday, can you help me out in singing to him?" which the crowd did."

And:

"Mike Sweeney, who can often be heard yelling encouragement to teammates during drills was actually heard yelling encouragement to the kids on the other side of the outfield fence trying to catch homerun balls"

I love reading about stuff like this. Guys like this seem to be rare in most sports and should be viewed for more than their onfield achievements. Guys like this can keep a clubhouse from becoming what we had last year if they can just play well enough to stay with the team.

Count me in on the Sweeney bandwagon!

Lonnie

Me too! I hope the guy makes the cut.

[BatGrrl66]

Should I be obvious, I am on the lovetrain...so shush! The man brings a certain something beyond "on the field performance, you saying I have to qoute stats to prove what I already know?" The man has qualities that are important beyond pure performance, but in the end he has to perform at the MLB level no matter the "intangibles". The Mariners have no room for error, trust me.

For the first time in their history they are learning how to make the hard choices that other small and mid market teams make every day. They have been riding 2001 about 6 years too late, payback hurts unless you are the Yankees. (It will hurt them this year, for that I am laughing that Alex is going where he belongs...shh, fake people piss me off).

Call me Grey Compass, given Rosy Compass is a bit too optimistic for me to buy.

*Just a fan that spends real money on the team....<<>>*

Flat out, I want to see this Organization run like the Oakland A's and the unnatural love for BS minor league flotsam to stop, in all the blogosphere, not just this one. But we have a hidden tool...money, use it right! Why are we acting like Minnesota and Kansas City when we can act like the New York Mets? We have the money to take our shots every to 2-3 years if management knows what the f*** they are doing.

This post has been edited by BatGrrl66: Feb 24 2009, 09:43 PM

[Jokestar]

You ROCK batgrrl. I like Sweeney, too. Something nobody has mentioned, is that Sweeney would make a good bud for Griffey to pal around with. You need somebody around your age to hang with sometimes. He could be a "Bone" fill in.

And your right about the M's having the money to make concerted runs at the WS. I'm hopefully optimistic about the new GM. From what I've been able to read about it, I think I like the direction he's trying. Only time will tell.

[Jpax]

Sweeney does sound like a keeper, and I hope he makes it. I have to agree with everyone on board though, that he has to 'earn the spot' not just be given it due to his intagibles like grittiness and hustle.

[Jpax]

I also wonder whether Sweeney would be worth his weight in gold in being not only a peacekeeper in the dugout, but also as a quick-to-make-everyone-laugh type of jokester. Someone who can keep everyone loose in the clubhouse and not allow pressure or tension to build up. Maybe esoecially important with a young team, to keep them loose and not focusing on pressure to the detriment of performance. I remember Griffey always kept eveybody loose when he was here in the late 90's.

[Zumbro Butternut]

As JayZ says..."it's a hard knock life"

As JayZ says?!?!? Ever see "Annie?"