A Brief Conversation With the General Manager of the Seattle Mariners.

[melack]

Yesterday I decided to take a little stroll down to a park here in Seattle called Green Lake. As I was walking by the baseball fields, I noticed a familiar-looking man standing near the right field foul line, watching a men's softball league game. It took me a few moments, but soon it dawned on me that this man was none other than Seattle Mariners GM Bill Bavasi. Not one to shy away from opportunity, I decided to strike up a conversation with the man who decides all the roster moves for my favorite baseball team.

"Sorry to bother you," I said, "but you're Bill Bavasi, right? The GM?"

He shook his head yes.

"Thought you looked familiar..." I said.

He then mumbled something most likely to the effect of "Yeah, kid, you're right."

He didn't seem very thrilled to be bothered by some random baseball fan, so I decided to loosen him up with a joke. I noticed he was watching some 40 and over men's softball game where the skill level can only be described as 'at least they're having fun'. So I asked him, "So what are you doing here, scouting new talent?"

He didn't get the joke. "No," he replied somewhat tersely. "My buddy's in the game here, I'm watching him play."

"Oh, okay. So you're not ready to give any of these guys a contract just yet?"

He shook his head to suggest no, then mumbled something else I couldn't quite understand. Having been standing up the whole time he was there, he then decided to sit down on the ground. This was most likely his way of saying, I'm too polite to walk away, kid, but I'm going to put some height distance between us by sitting down. At this point I realized I had worn out my welcome with the Mariners GM.

"Well, take 'er easy Bill," I said as I walked away. He responded in no particular way by continuing to watch the game.

At this point, after some time to think about it, I think I blew my one chance at talking with the Mariners General Manager. This was my one chance to yell at him for his boneheaded roster moves he's made over the years without having to worry about, say, being thrown out of a game. It was my one chance to see if a professional baseball front office has any need for a very recent college grad with a English/Political Science degree  (None, I assume, but I should have found out). Oh well. At least I got to mess with the guy's head for a little bit.

[theinevitable]

I know that this is typical, but if someone was interested in talking to me about the thing which I did for my job, I would not avoid them by sitting on the ground. especially if the job was something like baseball, or music, or movies. I mean, a fan! come on!

[AugustWest]

My wife went to elementary school with Mark Lamping, President of the St Louis Cardinals.  I got to meet him at her elementary school reunion.  It was right after the group he was a part of took over the team, so there wasn't anything to yell at him about yet.

[Asherdan]

As a high profile baseball guy from a high profile baseball family dude has been dealing with being recognized and hobnobbed by fans most of his adult life. I'm sure a little 'Gawdammit, let me be a normal guy watching a buddies game' thought ran through his head when you threw the 'aren't you' question at him.

Considering he obviously wasn't in the mood, he handled it a lot nicer than telling you 'take a hike, kid'.

I think your right on one thing. With any sort of preparedness you mighta asked him who to talk to in the business office about openings for a recent college graduate. Then you can start the contact that person with an opening line of 'Hi so-and-so, Bill Bavasi told me you were the guy/gal to talk to...'

[melack]

Yeah, I don't harbor any ill-feelings towards him for his reluctance to engage in conversation with me. I can totally understand the pressure of a guy in his position and his desire to just relax once in a while and not have to talk baseball with passers-by. That said, I would never have been able to live with myself if I didn't at least say something to him, you know? If only for the story potential.

[Carlos del Vaca]

At the last Nationals game I attended, we were going up the ramp to the upper deck when we were passed by a guy who looked a hell of a lot like Nats GM Jim Bowden.  "Hey, is that Bowden?" I said to my friend, who is from St. Louis and wouldn't know Jim Bowden if Bowden sat down on his lap and wiggled.  So as maybe-Bowden was walking down the ramp we had just come up, I shouted "FIRE BOWDEN!"

Didn't get a reaction.  So, hard to tell.

[Asherdan]

A perfect example of why these dudes are wary in public.

[KeithHernandez]

Yea, but I think yelling Fire Bowden is perfectly acceptable.

In similar news, I will be at a dollar beer minor league game tonight yelling my head off.  Hope to make it to local news.

[side_show]

See, I have a time machine you can use, but I'll only let you use it if you walk up to him, knee him in the balls, and walk away.

[melack]

See, I have a time machine you can use, but I'll only let you use it if you walk up to him, knee him in the balls, and walk away.

I'll take two.

[Reni]

I went to grade school with the children of Ted Simmons and Bob Forsch......

1. Ted Simmon's son, Matt, kissed me in the gym when I was in 3rd grade......I smacked him, but remember it fondly.

2. Bob Forsch picked up his daughters a lot and I remember always being in awe because he was so damn tall.....he would drink out of the kiddie fountain too.....which was always a sight. He gave me an autograph.