FanHouse JayBuhner

The Dugout continues to meander through every team in the major leagues, stopping briefly to superficially mock each one. On Tuesday we visited the Rangers and their horrible pitching staff. This time around, we visit the Seattle Mariners and their horrible hitting.

The Mariners disappointed on the field in 2008, and the team responded by firing general manager Bill Bavasi, manager John McLaren, and everyone on Earth who has ever heard of the Mariners. Their most celebrated personnel move, though, has been the re-acquisition of Ken Griffey, Jr. Meanwhile, the team's negotiations with Penny Hardaway and the "Dan vs. Dave" guys continue to progress.

Mariners fans, your Dugout is after the jump.

One of my most pleasant baseball memories was a summer night in the mid-90's in the bleachers of Yankee Stadium. The Mariners were in town, it was a good rivalry at the time and the crowd was in full-throated splendor. Jay Buhner and Ken Griffey were getting razzed all night long and Buhner just stared toward home plate, never looking back.

Griffey, though, would turn his head every now and then, grinning and that just got the crowd going more. Late in the game, a ball went into the right-centerfield gap and Griffey dove to make a splendid catch. After returning the ball to the infield he turned to the bleachers, put his glove on his left hand and spun it while smiling even wider. The bleachers had no choice but to applaud him.

I thought of that today after reading Sportphile's excellent breakdown of the media's ignorance of his upcoming 600th home run.

I believe this is so unfair and hypocritical because Ken Griffey may be the first player in the last 35 years to reach 600 without cheating. He's being forced to quietly make history in the shadows.

As much negative press ESPN gave Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa for their alleged steroid use, you'd think they would take the initiative and celebrate a man who did things the right way.

Griffey hit homer no. 597 last night against Houston and, barring another injury, should get there well before Memorial Day.

A look at some of baseball's old-school scuffles....

The date is June 6, 1993. We are at Camden Yards. Mike Mussina beans Bill Haselman and it is on like Donkey Kong.

Interesting note about this brawl: it nearly ended Cal Ripken's consecutive games streak. During the mayhem, he hurt his knee and it swelled so badly he told his wife he didn't think he was going to play the next day. But, we all know Cal stuck it out. What a trooper that man is.

This fight actually gets pretty out of hand and goes for a long time as far as baseball brawls are concerned -- around the 3:20 mark it really ramps up a notch. Also during the clip, one of the announcers gets pretty irate complaining that the cops aren't doing anything. Um, guy, it's a fight between over 50 people in a professional baseball game. Do you want them to start busting out the riot gear and tear gas? Because that's about the only way you can corral something like this. Relax buddy.

Our friend Jay Buhner is in the mix here. Also, don't miss Randy Johnson's mullet!

Enjoy.

I'm not quite sure when this picture was taken, but I'd venture to guess it was snapped during one of the M's first two home games this season.

Anyways, as you can see, former Mariner Jay Buhner there is getting quite comfortable with Willie Bloomquist's and Raul Ibañez's um, assets.

I don't really know what direction to take this in, so I'll defer to Lookout Landing's Positive Paul :

Seriously. Back in the days of Griffey, Edgar, A-Rod and Buhner, Buhner was my favorite. I loved the other guys, sure, but, man Buhner, I really miss the craziness he and Jr. would display in the outfield during pitching warmups, etc.

I'm still a HUGE Buhner fan. But, man, does the dude have issues. How can you not love a guy that does this to "Bill"?

Well, that's one way to look at it.

HT: Can't Stop the Bleeding, Lookout Landing

Jay Buhner always stood out from the crowd during his playing days, what with his shaved head and funky goatee, not to mention the fact that he was always wearing his trademark wraparound glasses long before they were considered cool.

But time is a cruel mistress, passing Buhner by and robbing him of his sense of cutting edge style, and it's never been more evident than when he arrived at the Mariners camp earlier this week:

Ichiro Suzuki was wearing a tight pink T-shirt with glittering silver designs on it, plus camouflage patched jeans, shiny silver shoes and a small, matching bag that Buhner called a "man purse.'' ...

"Aren't you precious?'' Buhner said to the man who replaced him in right field six years ago.

Don't worry about Ichiro's feelings, though. I think he's just confused who this big bald guy is that's been hanging around the locker room.

"He said to me, 'Bye, Bill,''' the laughing Buhner said. "Today, he comes in and says, 'Hi, Bill.' He thinks my name is Bill.''

(via DCSportsChick)