Owen Yee’s Blog

cliff lee!

So yeah, I have not updated my blog in some time now.  There have been a few changes in my life since the last time I posted and maybe I will get to those eventually.  But first, I need to talk about some Seattle Sports!  I have spent way too much time lately looking up coverage on the latest Seattle sports news.

Two years ago, Seattle had one of the WORST sports years any city has ever endured.  We lost our NBA team, the Mariners lost over 100 games, the Seahawks won 4 games, the Husky Football team went 0-12.  That year sucked so bad I think I blacked out in misery.

The road to competitive sports can be a long and arduous journey, but news two days ago about Jake Locker returning for his senior year as a Husky, and Jack Z trading for one of the best left handed pitchers in the game right now has made be so happy.  It’s like somebody turned on the light when we were encompassed in darkness.

Yes, we have had some encouraging signs before this, the Mariners won 85 games (albeit very lucky) and the Huskies actually won some games (Beating USC and Cal was pretty awesome).  But I feel like the recent news has put us in a position to have a very good sports year in 2010.  Ok yes the Seahawks suck right now and I am still pissed but this is supposed to be a happy post.

First Jake.  THANK YOU! Thank you for turning down Millions of Dollars for next year.  I still believe you will make plenty of money a year from now.  But the thing that you will achieve next year that is more valuable than money is your LEGACY.  If you lead the Huskies to 8+ victories and a bowl win, you will always be remembered as the Quarterback that helped restore the program back to it’s original glory.

Yes the last two victories were against WSU and a distracted Cal team, but DAMN we looked good.  Only losing two offensive starters and 4? defensive starters, we really have a chance to do something special.

Ok now to some more juicy news!  Cliff Lee is a Mariner? WHATTTTT?  Where did this come from?

Ok so ever since Jack Zduriencik arrived in Seattle I have been excited.  Last season it was like watching McGuyver make a car out of rubber bands and orange peels.  We had a TERRIBLE club.  Slowly but surely it feels like he is turning our garbage can of a team to something that resembles an actual legitimate team.

Back to Cliff Lee!  As of right now here is the potential starting rotation:

1. KING Felix Hernandez 2. Cliff Lee 3. Brandon Morrow? 4. Ryan Rowland Smith 5. Snell/Olson/French/etc.

Best 1,2 Punch in Baseball.  If Brandon Morrow or Someone else can put a decent season together WOW.

If somehow the Mariners can make the post season (wow that has not been a realistic for I don’t know how long), having King Felix and Cliff Lee back to back in a series is ridiculous to even think about.

I forgot to mention that we didn’t even give up that much for Lee.  We didn’t give up Morrow, Saunders, Truinfel, Halman, or Moore.  Yes, the other guys (Aumont, Gillies, and Ramirez) might eventually be good one day, but they were single A players.  Admittedly, I am not expert, so I have no real idea how good these guys are at all.  But just the fact that the other names I mentioned were not part of the trade that is an accomplishment in and of itself.

Ok enough “analysis” there are much more qualified people going over this trade than me, I am just a fan that is getting more and more pumped about the upcoming baseball season.

Oh and one more thing Jack, I feel really guilty even asking for more since you have given so much but, could I have a BIG Bopper?  With all the prospects you saved, maybe we could get Adrian Gonzalez?

Fanasizing about our 2010 Lineup:

1. RF Ichiro Suzuki 2. 3B Chone Figgins 3. 1b Adrian Gonzalez 4. DH Russel Branyan/Griffey 5. CF Franklin Guttierez 6. 2b Jose Lopez 7. SS Jack Wilson 8. C Rob Johnson/(Ryan Doumit?) 9. LF Michael Saunders/Bill Hall

I am not asking for EVERYTHING, just Adrian Gonzalez…. such a stud.

This lineup is not close to Yankees or Phillies but it would be respectable, and with our pitching and defense, we could do some damage…

Oh well this is just more fantasizing….

So Baseball is finally here! I have been enjoying baseball these past few days and I love that Baseball Tonight is back. The Mariners are 1-2 out of the gate, but it is definitely not time to panic. Actually, I have been very encouraged by the baseball I have been watching. It is totally different from last year. Guys are working the count, getting into opponents bullpens, getting clutch hits. We got screwed yesterday and Morrow did mess things up but we played perfect baseball for 8 and 2/3rds innings. And Today although Carlos Silva definitely sucks really bad, the bullpen did its job and the offense put up a decent amount of runs. Hopefully we can win tomorrow and leave the series with a tie. All i know is, baseball in Seattle is much more enjoyable to watch than last year.

Every year I get pumped for baseball both for the Mariners and Fantasy Baseball.

So the Mariners might be terrible again but, I get optimistic every year. I mean we are in first place right now!

This could be the starting lineup for your 2009 Seattle Mariners:

51 Ichiro Suzuki RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
24 Ken Griffey Jr. LF
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
30 Russell Branyan 3B
5 Mike Sweeney DH
2 Kenji Johjima C
7 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
21 Franklin Gutierrez CF
——————————
34 Felix Hernandez RHP

Not the most intimidating lineup, but we could do some damage…. maybe….

Also my fantasy baseball draft is coming up this Saturday, more on that later.

It feels good to get back in the gym, although someone stepped on my toe and it started bleeding (playing basketball).   My shot or what I had at one point was  almost nonexistent.  I made like 4 layups and 1 jumper and missed too many open jump shots.  I love playing basketball though it is almost like non-exercise, I don’t feel any pain.  It must be the adrenaline.  Those that know me know that I can get a little competitive.  I love playing Defense even if the my opponent is taller, faster, and a better ball player than I am, cause it’s a challenge.  A lot of times there is nothing you can do, if he is good he will beat you, but that will not be for lack of effort on my part.  I was playing tonight and there was this one guy on my team that just stood there like a rock and never played defense at all.  He wasn’t even a big man he was a short guy that shoots.  I hate that.  I would rather have  an 90 year old on my team that hustled.  Anyways out for beer tonight with Soo Soo Coon, AKA PMURDER AKA Prachi.

Seattle sports has seen one of the worst years ever.  But the team that has brought us out of that slump is none other than the UW Men’s Basketball team.  Going 23-7 and 13-4 in conference play, they have been the first Seattle team to WIN in awhile.  So I had to give props to my school and the basketball team.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to watch a few games which just so happen to be on television down here in SF.  They haven’t always looked great, but they play gutsy basketball, hard Defense and resilient rebounding.  The chemistry and make up of the team is also perfect.  Romar has the perfect mix of veteran leadership (Brockman, and yes Dentmon) and young guys (Thomas, Pondexter) to hopefully take this team far in the NCAA Tournament.  GO HUSKIES! Win that Pac 10 Title outright against the cougs tomorrow!

It begins! This should be more interesting this year, you have the defending Champions Japan, a stacked Dominican Republic team, and a motivated USA team.  I am not sure that the WBC will ever become huge, but I think it is a good start to grow baseball around the world.  Plus, how can you not like baseball + international competition?  I did watch the first game of Japan v.s. China.  It wasn’t as ugly as I thought it would be.  Last year China got destroyed 16-2 to Japan in the preliminaries.  They only lost 4-0! haha. Ichiro went hitless (0-5) but I am not worried about him, he’ll get it going by the time the regular MLB season starts. Next game up?  Korea v.s. Chinese Taipei! Woot 1:30 AM in the morning.  I would like to see USA win it this year, it also doesn’t hurt that I have a few fantasy baseball players on that roster: (David Wright, Ryan Braun).   So yeah, go watch the WBC!

So baseball is about to start!  You might be asking me why I am so excited when my team lost over 100 games last year.   Good question.  I don’t know something about the beginning of a season where you just say to yourself, well maybe just maybe we can be good.  Maybe we don’t have a great shot but we have a shot and that is why you play the game!  Plus my childhood idol Ken Griffey Jr. will be making probably his final appearance as a Mariner and probably as a baseball player.  Of course he won’t be the superstar of yesteryear, but he just looks right in a Mariner’s uniform.  He went 0-1 in today’s spring training game against the Australian national team.  A walk and a long flyball to left field.  And in other notes Miguel “I am making $9 Million dollars this year” Batista gave up 4 ERs and didn’t even get out of the inning.  Wow….