SEATTLE MARINERS

Worse than 15 losses

Jul 25, 2011, 8:43 AM | Updated: 9:59 am

There are some things that can just knock you off of whatever path you think you may be taking that particular day. This morning I woke up with thoughts of what I would put in my insider report. Fifteen losses, Pineda struggling, what next in New York, lots of Mariners thoughts.

I turned on the computer, went to my email and saw the header that sent me straight to USS Mariner. Not for a new breakdown of the Mariners’ recent woes or perhaps a hot trade rumor. No, because the news was about the author, someone I consider a friend, who I just learned has leukemia.

Dave Cameron explains his situation in a beautiful post that you can and should read here. He is ready for the battle and his mind is in a good place. This doesn’t surprise me in the least. One of the things I have always loved about Dave that many of you probably don’t know, is that no matter how scathing an analysis he may have made about a Mariner or baseball situation there always was a smile on his face when he talked about it. His enthusiasm for what he was talking about, what he was passionate about, was impossible to hide. While I didn’t always agree with what he wrote, and at times it would absolutely piss me off, I would notice that whenever I had the opportunity to talk or debate things with him in person that smile and enthusiasm was always there and I always felt that regardless of whether or not I thought he was right or wrong about what he was advocating, it seemed it was coming from the right place within him.

That I can appreciate. I also appreciate what I have learned from his writings about the statistical side of baseball. It has given me headaches at times but it has enhanced my understanding of the game.

I know there is a lot of angst and anger about what we are seeing from the Mariners right now but I ask you today to please put that aside and channel that energy in a positive direction toward Dave. And least you think that a mind like his tied up in numbers and statistics does not believe in such forces, well think again. From his post.

Data isn’t always what is needed. If you’re a Pirates fan right now, does it help you at all to know that your team probably won’t keep this up? You’re not going to be making any decisions that will change the outcome anyway, so why not root for the outcome you want, even if it isn’t statistically probable?

Statistics can be powerful, useful tools, and at times, they can be critical to understanding what to do. Other times, though, they’re useless, and so, for this situation, I say screw the data; I choose hope instead.

Beyond thoughts and prayers Dave encourages people to donate blood and platelets to the Red Cross, always a good thing to do.

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