This Week’s Man Crush: Don Wakamatsu

You ever wonder what Don Wakamatsu says behind closed doors when no one is listening except for maybe his most trusted advisors? Do you think he just comes unglued after watching night after night of head-case baseball? You don’t think about it? Could you maybe play along then? Super, here we go.

He came as close as probably ever will to calling out a player the other night after Yuniesky Betancourt had yet another mental lapse to go along with his swing from your groin plate approach. Yuni isn’t the only free swinger in the lineup. There may be only three guys on the roster who have a semblance of a plan when stepping to the plate.

You really gotta feel for the skipper. He’s got a middle of the lineup that doesn’t produce offensively. A beginning and ending of the lineup that doesn't produce, either. An overweight and overpaid middle infield. A handful of non-major league caliber players signed to expensive multi-year deals that have to play. An on again, off again relief corps with no real closer. And a latter-half of the pitching rotation that is being filled by choosing names out of a hat.

M’s have dropped 9 of their last 10 games. They finish up with Texas this afternoon and then play their next seven games against the Red Sox and Angels. Not really the pushover opponents you’d like to see when trying to right the ship.

There are bright spots, though. There seem to be some live arms like Jason Vargas and Chris Jakubauskas. Jarrod Washburn is actually winning games and has an ERA around 3. Before his last two starts, Felix Hernandez was generating Cy Young talk. And Erik Bedard hasn’t gotten hurt and is looking like a prime candidate for a July trade.

Hang in there Don, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It may or may not be an oncoming train.

About the Man Crush: This is a weekly installment for the blog where, for good or for bad, I’ll highlight one stand-out player or sports celebrity.