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Dave Niehaus: Who Will Replace the Legend for the Seattle Mariners in 2011?

Dave Niehaus had only called a few innings for the Seattle Mariners in the past couple of years on television before handing the rest of the television game duties over to Dave Simms.

For most of us, that change would have us quickly mute our televisions and turn on that radio to keep hearing the voice of Mr. Niehaus, the real Mr. Mariner.

So as we sit here tonight and rewatch “The Double” or when Randy Johnson closed out the Angels in the one-game playoff over and over and over again on YouTube, video tape or whatever other media that you have your classic Mariners moments on, we have to think about who is going to be the poor soul who is going to replace this legend.

How long does it take to replace a legend? Should we ask the Cubs if they’ve found a suitable replacement yet?

When I watch the Mariners, I really cannot imagine another voice calling the Mariners game in and game out.

The first name that comes to mind is Dave Simms, but no one in Seattle really enjoys listening to Simms and his stories that deal with baseball.

You can sense that Mike Blowers wants to physically hurt Simms in the booth after his 184th horrible joke that inning.

Simms is a great football announcer and seems like a really decent man, but I don’t think he is the right guy to take over for Dave Niehaus.

How about former voice of the Sonics, Kevin Calabro? Outside of Niehaus, Calabro is probably the next most recognizable voice in Seattle sports. He has just as many catchphrases and exciting moments.

Calabro called all the great moments from the early ’90s and on. He’s done a few Mariners games here and there, and he has been serviceable.

But as a full-time replacement to Dave Niehaus? I really don’t think he’d be up for it, especially with an NBA team returning soon to Seattle, and his heart would be there and calling the Sonics 2.0 games.

Rick Rizzs? He seems like the most likely candidate overall. He’s not as hated as Simms and has been by Niehaus’ side for years and has learned an awful lot about the business from him. Rizzs definitely has the voice and has been with the Mariners in some capacity or another for as long as I can remember.

I almost feel that Niehaus would pick Rizzs to be his replacement. I can say that I wouldn’t mind so much if Rizzs took over eventually, but I don’t view him as the long term replacement.

Do you?

For the first game of 2011, I feel the microphone should be silenced in tribute to Dave Niehaus. He’s called all but 100 games of the Mariners and I feel that leaving the microphone silent and letting our minds remember all the calls from the past and imagine him calling the game the only way he could call it.

It is going to be hard to replace him and for some of us who’ve been spoiled by his greatness, the person who takes over for him will never live up to the immeasurable standards put in front of them.

Dave Niehaus was family and you cannot replace family, the chair will always be empty and we’ll just have to rely on YouTube or other forms of media to hear the greatest voice to ever call the game of baseball.

Dave Niehaus is irreplaceable. 

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Mariners Broadcaster Davie Niehaus Dies at the Age of 75

This has just come across the wire, but legendary and Ford C. Frick winner Dave Niehaus has passed away today.

Niehaus was the voice of the Seattle Mariners since their inception in 1977. He is famous for numerous catch phrases such as “My, oh, my!” “Fly, fly away” and “Break out the rye bread and the mustard, grandma! It’s grand salami time!”

Dave Niehaus was one of the great voices in Seattle sports and it truly a shame that he never saw the Mariners bring home a world championship.

Dave Niehaus will never be able to be replaced as the voice of the Mariners, and right now I know everyone in Seattle and who supported the Mariners and listened to Dave call a game is deeply saddened.

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MLB Trade Rumors: Cliff Lee for Justin Smoak Trade Failure for Seattle Mariners

Well it has happened and it happened within the division, and most Mariner fans are sad to see Cliff Lee go—I would be lying if I said I wasn’t one of them.  

Lee was traded to the Texas Rangers today for Justin Smoak, a few Double-A arms, and a second baseman.

A lot of people are very excited about adding Smoak to the Mariners.

We needed a big, strong, powerful bat—a guy to take over at first base. Surely this does mean that Casey Kotchman is on his way out of town and Smoak will be getting the majority of starts at first from here on out.

I really don’t see that though and I think it would be stupid to have Smoak playing at first immediately.

Smoak has struggled so far this season in a hitter’s ballpark and now is coming to Safeco where good hitters go to die. Why should we expect anymore from Justin Smoak?

All I hear is about his potential, how good he could be, and so on, and so on, and so on.

How many times have the Mariners traded a good to great player and got a guy with a ton of potential or a guy that was projected to be good to great? How many times over and over and over again have the fans been disappointed?

Let’s list some names and just think about them for a moment.

Heathcliff Slocumb.

Butch Huskey.

Kevin Mitchell.

Russ Davis.

I could keep going on and on, but I’ll spare you. We all know the terrible trades of the past. Do I think this one will be better? I have no idea.

We’ll of course have to wait and see, but those in Seattle won’t have to wait very long; Smoak will be in uniform and at Safeco tomorrow.

I can’t say whether he’ll play or not, but maybe a little time in Tacoma would be better—let him gain his confidence back and let him get the bat going again.Tacoma is currently a winner (first place in the Pacific Coast League) and the Mariners, well, they are doing their best to get another top five draft pick.

I would have rather held out a little bit longer for a better package. I think we could have gotten a Dominic Brown from Philadelphia or a better package from the Reds.

The Reds were willing to give up basically their whole farm system to get Lee. The Reds have a lot of good prospects.  The Yankees have some good prospects and the Rays have some of the best prospects.

I hope this is not another “Smoak and mirror” trade with the Mariners and somehow, some way, I hope the Mariners bring back Cliff Lee in the offseason.

Then maybe I’ll feel better about this trade. Until then, I think this is going to be another huge failure.

I’m sorry, I’m from Seattle and you always have to expect the worst, but secretly pray for the best.

At least we’re not as bad as Cleveland.

Yet.

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