Mariners President Kevin Mather's Comments (Latest- Mather Resigns)

[jjgott]

Controversy brewing in Seattle over comments made by Mariners President Kevin Mather to the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club: https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2021/2/21/22294212/mariners-president-kevin-mather-full-transcript-bellevue-breakfast-rotary-club

 

Highlights:

 

Complained that they had to spend $75,000 on an interpreter for Hisashi Iwakuma. Joked that once he threatened to fire the interpreter, Iwakuma's English "suddenly got better"

 

Randomly mentioned that prospect Julio Rodriguez's English wasn't very good, which prompted a meme-reply from Julio. FWIW, Julio has been working on his English for a while and called his parents after doing his first interview 100% in English.

 

Under no circumstances were the Mariners going to start the service clock of any of their prospects last year. "if we had an injury problem or COVID outbreak, you might’ve seen my big tummy out there in left field. You would not have seen our prospects playing in T-Mobile Park."

 

Disclosed that Jarred Kelenic turned down a long term deal and implied the Player's Union influenced Kelenic to turn down the deal. Said that Kelenic will start in AAA to "get more at bats" before being called up after the Super Two cutoff passes.

 

Claims the baseball industry lost $2.9 billion last year

 

 

Not a good look for a guy who already had to apologize for a culture of sexual harassment that resulted in multiple financial settlements.

[folly412]

If we had two of the top five prospects in baseball, I'd be pretty pissed if our President decided to knock the English of a 20 year old Dominican, and freely admit that he's keeping the other down to save money while dropping details of his contract negotiations. Made worse that Seattle's been the pits of baseball for a generation.

[Warning Track Power]

This is just plain stupid. The Mariners have the longest running streak of not making the playoffs in the four major sports and they appear to be rounding the corner to being good again. This tarnishes a lot of the shine. This guy should be fired tomorrow.

[BallFour]

This guy is pretty messed up in the head. I always wonder how ignorant people like this become in power in a field we all would die to work in. He is a minority owner as well? Not good.

[KeithStone53151]

This is just plain stupid. The Mariners have the longest running streak of not making the playoffs in the four major sports and they appear to be rounding the corner to being good again. This tarnishes a lot of the shine. This guy should be fired tomorrow.

 

He should be fired if the owner of the team decides he should be fired, not because a bunch of loud and salty fans think he should be fired.

 

That said, this is definitely a really bad look and gives kelenic real ammunition for his inevitable grievance in a few years. It's also going to be that much more difficult to bring talent to Seattle. All things equal, I think a player will probably choose to play for a different front office. Seattle will probably have to pay a premium while this guy is around.

 

And there's some stuff in there that's racially insensitive at the very least. I have a much bigger problem with that stuff than his admitting to service time manipulation. I would definitely like to see him face consequences from those comments and learn something from them.

[KeithStone53151]

Aside from that, I'm not buying the 2.9 billion number. I think that number is more likely to be lost revenue than a net loss. Like they brought 2.9 billion less through the door than they budgeted they would have brought in under normal conditions. That's pure speculation of course as very few have any idea what the brewers finances look like.

[Warning Track Power]

This is just plain stupid. The Mariners have the longest running streak of not making the playoffs in the four major sports and they appear to be rounding the corner to being good again. This tarnishes a lot of the shine. This guy should be fired tomorrow.

 

He should be fired if the owner of the team decides he should be fired, not because a bunch of loud and salty fans think he should be fired.

 

That said, this is definitely a really bad look and gives kelenic real ammunition for his inevitable grievance in a few years. It's also going to be that much more difficult to bring talent to Seattle. All things equal, I think a player will probably choose to play for a different front office. Seattle will probably have to pay a premium while this guy is around.

 

And there's some stuff in there that's racially insensitive at the very least. I have a much bigger problem with that stuff than his admitting to service time manipulation. I would definitely like to see him face consequences from those comments and learn something from them.

Interesting response. You basically defend his comments from loud and salty fans but then make the case more forcefully than I did for him to be fired.

[Simba2020]

Aside from that, I'm not buying the 2.9 billion number. I think that number is more likely to be lost revenue than a net loss. Like they brought 2.9 billion less through the door than they budgeted they would have brought in under normal conditions. That's pure speculation of course as very few have any idea what the brewers finances look like.

It definitely isn't just the loss in revenues. What I'm not certain about is did they actually lose $2.9 billion or, for example, did they lose $1.9 billion but were expected to make $1 billion.

[sveumrules]

This article attempts to break down 2020 MLB finances & apparently Manfred threw around a similar figure back in October...

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/12/22/mlb-teams-lost-1-billion-in-2020/

 

Commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly told Sportico in late October that MLB would suffer between $2.8 billion and $3 billion in “operational losses.”

[Outlander]

This article attempts to break down 2020 MLB finances & apparently Manfred threw around a similar figure back in October...

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/12/22/mlb-teams-lost-1-billion-in-2020/

 

Commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly told Sportico in late October that MLB would suffer between $2.8 billion and $3 billion in “operational losses.”

Good article, thanks for sharing.

 

It’s hard to take the claim fully at face value when the MLB spokesman clarifies, “the figures include non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization.”

Find anything hard to believe financially as well if I don't see it but every business has depreciation and amortization so not sure why that would make you not believe financial information.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

How's his Spanish?

[MrTPlush]

Kevin Mathers is from Madison, WI and is a UW-Madison graduate, I believe.

 

I think this is blown a bit out of proportion. The service time stuff, who cares, every team in baseball is the same way. Is anyone shocked about that? As far as dumping on a few players English...yah, not the best thing to do. However, I think one could work back from that without 'cancel culture' forcing him to be fired. Of course he has the history of not creating the best workplace environment, so it isn't like this is his first mistake. Sad part is a good chunk of baseball executives probably have similar ignorant thoughts about foreign players...that's what you get when the leaders in the sport are of certain demographics for the most part.

[KeithStone53151]

This is just plain stupid. The Mariners have the longest running streak of not making the playoffs in the four major sports and they appear to be rounding the corner to being good again. This tarnishes a lot of the shine. This guy should be fired tomorrow.

 

He should be fired if the owner of the team decides he should be fired, not because a bunch of loud and salty fans think he should be fired.

 

That said, this is definitely a really bad look and gives kelenic real ammunition for his inevitable grievance in a few years. It's also going to be that much more difficult to bring talent to Seattle. All things equal, I think a player will probably choose to play for a different front office. Seattle will probably have to pay a premium while this guy is around.

 

And there's some stuff in there that's racially insensitive at the very least. I have a much bigger problem with that stuff than his admitting to service time manipulation. I would definitely like to see him face consequences from those comments and learn something from them.

Interesting response. You basically defend his comments from loud and salty fans but then make the case more forcefully than I did for him to be fired.

 

There are other possible consequences than getting fired. Some sort of racial sensitivity training for one thing. I agree with plush to a degree regarding the whole cancel culture thing being gross. That said, I would like to see some sort of consequence.

 

Regarding kelenic, I like how this dude speaks about his confidence like it's a bad thing. I'd consider it a huge problem if he wasn't super cocky. Name an mlb star that isn't extremely confident/cocky?

[homer]

Can we avoid a cancel culture discussion? Thanks.

[PeaveyFury]

There are other possible consequences than getting fired. Some sort of racial sensitivity training for one thing.?

 

'Sensitivity training' is what corporations do to imply that they did something about a situation without really doing something about a situation.

[Jopal78]

This guy is pretty messed up in the head. I always wonder how ignorant people like this become in power in a field we all would die to work in. He is a minority owner as well? Not good.

 

Money (or Money and connections)?

[BallFour]

This article attempts to break down 2020 MLB finances & apparently Manfred threw around a similar figure back in October...

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/12/22/mlb-teams-lost-1-billion-in-2020/

 

Commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly told Sportico in late October that MLB would suffer between $2.8 billion and $3 billion in “operational losses.”

Good article, thanks for sharing.

 

It’s hard to take the claim fully at face value when the MLB spokesman clarifies, “the figures include non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization.”

 

 

Why would a non-cash expense make you not take the claim at face value? "Non-cash" expense still means cash flow out at one point and time.

 

I get not taking the claim at face value for other reasons but non cash expense isn't it for me.

[owbc]

He’ll be fired today. It’s the weekend or it would have been done already.

 

You all can rationalize it however you want but the amount of damage done here is severe. Which is kind of impressive because Mariners fans already hate the Mariners as an organization and I didn’t even think there was this much collateral to destroy—but they had done a good job marketing the prospects which of course was all wiped out over the weekend.

[Warning Track Power]

There are other possible consequences than getting fired. Some sort of racial sensitivity training for one thing. I agree with plush to a degree regarding the whole cancel culture thing being gross. That said, I would like to see some sort of consequence.

 

Regarding kelenic, I like how this dude speaks about his confidence like it's a bad thing. I'd consider it a huge problem if he wasn't super cocky. Name an mlb star that isn't extremely confident/cocky?

While the statements in and of themselves are just bad (without going deeper) and deserve significant punishment, I think my concern as the Mariners owner with the statement would be the impact of credibility as an already forgotten organization. We haven't made the playoffs in 20 years and now our President is attacking our two best prospects that could help lead us there. More importantly, it appears to be for no greater reason than one declining a contract extension and the other not having English as a first language.

 

Pretty gross leadership.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

Not endorsing anything he said/did. But raising a question, how frequently do you think foreign players blur the lines for needing an interpreter? Would they fake it to a degree to get a friend a solid salary? If he saw that first hand his statement on that one topic would make sense. By no means do I think that’s the norm. Actually first time I’m hearing anything of the sort. But people in general, not just sports, do shady things to find cracks in the armor. Being in the business world myself, nothing really surprises me of what people will do. And sometimes calling the “crime” out is viewed worse than the act itself. Obviously, context and delivery are important to.

[PeaveyFury]

Obviously, context and delivery are important to.

 

The issue in my mind is why he felt the need to discuss the English speaking abilities of three different players in the first place. Unless he was at a Rotary meeting with English as a Second Language as its topic, why even go there? It suggests that he was either pandering to an audience with a questionable motive, or ranting about something that is an odd and problematic topic of conversation for him to bring up at all. Very strange...

[MrTPlush]

What exactly was he speaking at and how drunk was he? His comments are so random/rant/out there they sound like something that would come out of some guys mouth at a random bar at 2am.

[PeaveyFury]

What exactly was he speaking at and how drunk was he? His comments are so random/rant/out there they sound like something that would come out of some guys mouth at a random bar at 2am.

 

Agreed on the last point. I heard it was a Rotary club meeting, and those are usually over lunch....

[homer]

Not endorsing anything he said/did. But raising a question, how frequently do you think foreign players blur the lines for needing an interpreter? Would they fake it to a degree to get a friend a solid salary? If he saw that first hand his statement on that one topic would make sense. By no means do I think that’s the norm. Actually first time I’m hearing anything of the sort. But people in general, not just sports, do shady things to find cracks in the armor. Being in the business world myself, nothing really surprises me of what people will do. And sometimes calling the “crime” out is viewed worse than the act itself. Obviously, context and delivery are important to.

 

I think I'd give him a little more leeway if he was calling out just one guy but to go on a rant about more than one player is a problem.

[JosephC]

Kevin Mather is an excellent baseball executive. His organization recently swindled a bunch of dumb, dumb, dumb Seattle politicians out of another 135 million for stadium upgrades. Mission accomplished. And then, to show some good will after the free handout, the Mariners cut the payroll from 150 million to 100 million and will probably be down around 70 million this season. And after all that, people will now be offended over these comments, LOL.

 

I guess I have all my priorities screwed up. I'm more concerned over what that 135 million could have been used for (education, public health...rather than buying a $500 toaster) instead than what Mather has to say. Considering his history, everyone who pays attention already knows that he is a rich, money-grabbing, questionable-character sort of person. But whatever, idiot sports "journalists" will continue to act enraged about statements like this, and then turn around and act like it's just fine to give the same group of guys 100's of millions of dollars when they don't need it.

 

And as for the people who think I'm joking with the $500 toaster comment, see item 25 under Clubhouse Equipment on page 146 of this document-

http://douglas-sma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Safeco_LTCNA_Revised_Draft_III.pdf

But don't worry, YOU the people, are not really getting ripped off here because this is a fancy four slice model, unlike the $10 two slice piece of junk all of you non-essentials generally use. Players really need that, without that toaster the club just cannot expect to remain competitive.