Mike takes a hike

Sonny Keim — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:04:55 GMT

Give Grover a break. If he wants out, then he should be allowed to do so. He's been managing long enough to know when he's had enough. And I'm sure the fans here in the Cleveland area would love to have him asociated with the Indians once again.

Mike takes a hike

Larry Jines, Houston, TX — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:32:49 GMT

Clever but doesn't jive with stories of his players comments and Jose Guillen admonishing his teammates to really for Grover. Columnists are great - unfortunately, their obervations are so devoid of reality or facts. Not bad - to be paid for unfounded 'opinion'.

Mike takes a hike

J Cummings, Seattle, WA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:03:30 GMT

During the Seattle broadcast of today's game, announcers and fans alike praised Hargrove for putting family above job and having his priorities straight. I see it a different way. No one would be praising me if I quit my job right in the middle of a project, especially if I had signed a contract to stay on for a given amount of time. Hargrove must have decided not only to quit his job as Mariner's manager, but also to relinquish any hope of ever working in MLB ever again. Who would hire a manager who walked out mid-season on a winning team because he was stressed out and homesick?

Mike takes a hike

Jer Hennen,Fargo ND — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:18:24 GMT

How dumb of him...on a 8 game winning streak....playing great ball and he quits?
There is more to this story.
Is he boozin too much?

Mike takes a hike

KEN HOFFMAN BELLEVILLE MI. 48111 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:33:02 GMT

I DID`NT KNOW MIKE HARGROVE,
BUT I ALWAYS LIKED HIM AND ADMIRED HIM.SO GOOD LUCK MIKE
AND THE BEST TO YOU.

Mike takes a hike

Michael Clinton, Midland, TX — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:43:43 GMT

Unless Hargrove had some long-term emergency he should have completed the year and notified everyone this would be his last year of coaching.

Mike takes a hike

Mark Knapp, Berea,Ohio — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:45:41 GMT

In as much as Grover has been around for a number of years, and always has been a "class act", no hint of scandal or drug use, or wife abuse, accept the reality he just got tired and is going out on his terms, no demands, no screaming, just an admition of "enough is enough." Better to leave too early, than too late.

Mike takes a hike

A. Nonymous Denver-area, CO — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:06:16 GMT

If a seven game (well, 8 game) winning streak can't break him out of a personal/professional funk, it probably is best he walk away now. Give the M's a shot at contending for a playoff spot.

It is very easy to judge a man from a distance, but you really need to walk a mile in his shoes to truly see him.

Mike takes a hike

fmiller, foxboro, MA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:09:39 GMT

i love it when employees fire their employers!
funny, if he were to get fired by the mariners, then it is always accepted when management says, "we needed to go in another direction", but it's never well received when the employee tells the employer that the EMPLOYEE wants to go "in another direction"!
i love it!
good for you mike h!
you fired their butts!

Mike takes a hike

jim — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:25:07 GMT

it must be nice to just quit a job becasue you FEEL like it... most of us will never understand or enjoy that luxary

Mike takes a hike

DJ, seattle, wa — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:28:47 GMT

Sayonara just about says it all. Time to finish up business with Ichiro. Players trump managers, especially franchise players.

Mike takes a hike

Javi, NY NY — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:30:08 GMT

Sometimes I get the feeling that you write just to write without giving much thought to what you are actually writing. Take a step back and detach yourself from that desk or laptop you are attached to and join us again in the real world. You should admire Hargrove for his decision not judge him because you can't comprehend it. Must every decision be scrutinized to the point of nonsense? Look at your statements--they're offensive: "They've moved 97 times over the years. So it's not as if it's something they're not used to. And it's a little late to spend more time with the kids" A little too late? I hope that when I'm 89 it still won't be too late to be with my kids. A very disappointing perspective on a public figure whose decision should be respected.

Mike takes a hike

M Cummings, Bellevue, WA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:31:11 GMT

He is either a) clinically depressed or b) being forced out quietly by the management (no matter what Bavasi says in public) in order to make signing Ichiro more feasible. I wish him well and hope that it truly is on his own terms and not the result of some hidden agenda.

Take a look, though, at how much more differently the club has played since Grover left for his daughter's high school graduation...very small ball, daring, and very McLaren-style. McLaren will be an amazing manager for the M's. Go M's!

Mike takes a hike

P@, North Bend WA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:50:49 GMT

I don't think I'm out on a limb when I say there's going to be "More to this story" trickling out.

Mike takes a hike

Ryan D, Seattle, Wash — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:03:17 GMT

Celzic.... you completely miss the point. If Grove thinks the best chance the Mariner's have to making the post-season is for him to step aside, then he is putting the team first. The selfish thing to do would be to hang on and phone it in.

Mike takes a hike

ichi-fan — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:06:47 GMT

Anything to increase the chance that Ichiro will stay in Seattle... and I'll admit I was never a Hargrove fan.

Mike takes a hike

Guy S. Newell — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:11:30 GMT

YOu make several good points, here. As a free-lance software engineer, I know there's a time to quit, and there's a time to just hang in there. As a manager or coach, you know when you take the job that you're making a commitment that comes in playing season increments. It didn't sound like he thought the team would be better off without him. Maybe he felt like his job was done. The pitching staff knows the rotation, everybody knows their job now... who knows?

Mike takes a hike

Bill, Portland OR — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:29:32 GMT

I wonder if "J Cummings" or "Jer Hennen" have bothered to gather more information than the slanted view Celizic provides before they made their comments?

For instance, do they know that his wife said he had spent four nights out of the last eight months in his own bed (the rest of them on the road or at the ballpark) - and he's been doing this for 35 five years?

As a Mariners fan, I am disappointed - but I certainly don't blame him. Anyone - even you, "J Cummings" - *should* be praised for putting family before work, no matter the circumstances.

Mike takes a hike

Bev Brooks, Federal Way, WA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:44:01 GMT

Something else is going on. Reports say the family is fine, Mike & Sharon are healthy...but it seems like Hargrove hit a crossroads and had to make a decision on how to spend his time. Did he hit the age of a sibling or parent who passed - some trigger to make him think twice about his life? He's had a personal wake up call...and we may never know the reason.

Mike takes a hike

Kay Fraa Seattle, Wash — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:47:39 GMT

This may be a good thing. Sure, the Mariners were winning under Hargrove's leadership but he did lack the passion. Has anyone seen him storm the mound and spit on the umpire? No. That's more of Lou. That man's got passion. And, hey, the Ms did GREAT under Pinella. So maybe it's been Hargrove's lack that's been pulling them back. Maybe we should invite back Pinella. With the Cubs doing so terribly, I'm sure he'd welcome a winning team :D

Mike takes a hike

John, Philadelphia, PA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:50:46 GMT

How about some real facts here Mike? You write an article filled with nothing but righteous indignation on your part while not being able to offer even a hint of speculation as to why Hargrove walked away. You have no idea what compelled him to leave his job, what if he or someone in his family has a terminal illness, god forbid? There are many reasons why he could have left and just because he doesn't share it with the media that makes him a bad person? I always thought you just looked like a moron, now it turns out you actually are one. Not to mention quite arrogant and ignorant as well.

Mike takes a hike

vinny T. — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:18:41 GMT

A boring article. No real point to it at all.

Mike takes a hike

Pete, Orange County CA — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:25:34 GMT

Good for Grover. It's ok for the employer to quite on its employees (urrrr fire or layoff) but its not ok for the employee to quite on the employer..Give me a break, Grover leaving is a win win situation. The Mariners will continue to win and his family will have their husband, dad back. Go ANGELS!!

Mike takes a hike

Jeff, Boise Idaho — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:53:12 GMT

If I remember right, when Grover was in Cleveland, he was ridiculed for not winning the big one after winning his division. I am tired of the media jumping on these coaches every time there team has success and they don't win the big one. Grover may have been looking in mirror and seeing the team being succesful,he dicided it was tiem to get out while they are doing well so he can't be the target if they don't make the playoffs. Let someone else take the undeserved heat this time.

Mike takes a hike

Robert Greene Pinellas Park, Fla — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:02:31 GMT

I see no problem. Just a old man wanting to retire. He is not going to go any further with that Seattle team he has right now then where he is. So leave on a winning streak, count your blessings and retire. To many hot young coaches waiting and Joe Torre should learn from this and get his butt out and retire also. He is his usual losing self. Yankees will never make it back until Torre is gone.

Mike takes a hike

T.J., Scottsdale, Az — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:28:00 GMT

Decisions like this typically involve a combination of factors. Yes, maybe he lost his passion. Maybe he felt his team was not responding to him. Maybe he felt that if he hadn't left, Ichiro and/or others would have. Maybe he just felt it was time for him to step out of the game for myriad reasons. Either way... Go M's! Over take Detroit and then the Angels! Just get to the playoffs baby! Anything can happen!

Mike takes a hike

Josh from Iowa — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:36:30 GMT

I don't see him begging to get back into baseball. I didn't hear him say " maybe later or in the future". Did you? Let the man leave in peace. There have been plenty of players and other coaches that have quit i.e. Sammy Sosa quit on the cubs now where is he... playing baseball again with the rangers. Yes he is a player and there is a slight difference but Hargrove is still a experienced manager and in the future if he does decide to comeback ,which I don't think so, there will be a team that will take him back.

Mike takes a hike

michael everett wash — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:40:48 GMT

once again, our good old buddy celizic is found getting paid to shoot his mouth off when he really has no clue, experience, or knowledge of any of it at all. mike celizic is a jack of all trades, master, nor even mediocre player of none. go mow your lawn mike, or talk junk about the kid you pay to do it for you. you make me cringe when i see you have another of your mindless opinions. congrats and best wishes to grover, thanks for all youve done. enjoy......

Mike takes a hike

Tim Maguire, Mariners Fan, Juneau, Ak — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:25:38 GMT

You say you don’t understand burn out. The way this article is written I think you a victim of it. It takes pot shots at Hargroves family his character, and no real understanding of his reasoning. Your keen perception is “ how can you quit if your winning”. His team respected him as a manager and they played hard for him . When he felt he couldn’t give them the same 110 percent for the stretch run to the playoffs, he decided he should not be managing the team. He knows his assistant manager can take his place and do a good job. He explained his decision well if anyone took the time to listen. Which obviously you didn’t.

Mike takes a hike

Jan Page, Perryton,Texas — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:39:07 GMT

Mike and Sharon Hargrove happen to be very close personal friends of my husband and myself.Some people have very short memories when it comes to MLB. If you are winning, you are a wonderful manager and couldn't be replaced, but if you lose....heaven forbid the names you are called and the accusations made about you or your family.I have been sitting in the stands with his wife and heard the awful remarks. I have listened to radio shows after games in the ride home with Mike and Sharon and listened to announcers trying to out guess any decision he made. It was never right even when you were going to the World Series. I agree with Larry Jines. I know many of his past players who have nothing but good things to say about him as a manager. And as far as I am concerned, it is never too late to spend time with your kids and family whether they are grown and married or newly graduated. I noticed back up in the article, it said, "read about the family". Click on that and read it, and if you can be little the man talked about in that article, then you are missing out on an important part of life and if you knew Mike and Sharon you knew a long time ago that family is important.I wish them the best.

Mike takes a hike

Robert Siler, Ellensburg, Wash. — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 23:02:03 GMT

I wonder what the reaction would have been if the Ms had lost 7 in a row, on the verge of 8 straight and falling 11 games UNDER .500. Lots of folks would be cheering a Hargrove resignation, I bet. Sports fans can be pretty fickle.

Mike takes a hike

frcaron,castle rock Wa 98611 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 23:51:49 GMT

That is strange, but good for him to be able to walk away and both sides are happy.
FRC, Castle Rock, WA

Mike takes a hike

Jeffrey Fogg, Jensen Beach, FL — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:38:38 GMT

Whatever! Let the man be. I saw some of the games when they played the Pirates a couple of weeks ago while in Seattle. Seattle is a great city and the fans are there. They'll survive. The Team is most important! Baseball is full of individuals. Let them walk if they want to. Let them be! Who knows....maybe he got a lead that Scooter Libby wasn't going to prison and they are going fishing in the Bahamas!

Mike takes a hike

dean oyer, Vancouver, Wa. — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:15:49 GMT

Perhaps its good for his organization that he realizes and acknowledges that he is no longer up to his duties?? Managers get fired occasionally when the team is loosing; surely they can quit when their team is winning?? How many games a year do they "win"?? Maybe four or five?? Let him go in peace!!

Mike takes a hike

eric schmidt, west middlesex pa — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 03:37:01 GMT

there may be some other reason that he just does not want to disclose. his health or that of his wife. let us wait for another shoe to drop. if there is none then it was a curious move by hargrove with histeam in contention.

Mike takes a hike

renton, Kansas City, MO — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:41:25 GMT

ESPN radio said two weeks back that Ichiro didn't like Hargrove and Ichiro wouldn't re-sign as a free agent if Grover was still around. Maybe he got wind that he was a goner after the season anyway and didn't want to ride a dying horse much longer.

Mike takes a hike

Amye, Cleveland — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:45:57 GMT

This is a coach who's gone through things that no one else in baseball has, as a coach. He lost three Cleveland players early in his managing career to horrific accidents and one barely left alive to one of the said same accident. And I believe he went through a similar thing with the Orioles, though I could be wrong. Not to mention he's been involved with baseball since the 60s. I'm surprised he hasn't experienced burn out before.

Mike takes a hike

John Pileggi — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 00:00:59 GMT

Let's give Hargrove a break. How many people, in baseball or everyday life, have the honesty to stop taking a paycheck when they feel like they can no longer contribute? Yes, the team was on a high when he left, but they says so much more about where his heart was. Even unprecedented success did not make a difference. So, best wishes to an honest man who had the guts to say it was time for him to go.