Howard Lincoln

From the Seattle Times…

"Frankly, I see little connection between superstars and winning. Good pitching, solid defense and good chemistry win games."

"It is a joy to walk into the clubhouse and be around such a fine, caring group of men. There is not a bad egg in the group. That fact is reflected in not only the way we play but the affection our fans have for this team. Frankly, I think it turns them on to have a team where everyone is expected to contribute - and not just a couple of superstars."

"It is easy to think that the superstar is the answer to everything. But in the interest of juicing ticket sales, you can undo your team. In no other sport is team more important than in baseball. I really believe that."

"Why, would you want to trade a man whose highest ambition in life is to play for the Mariners at Safeco Field for a mean-spirited man who has trouble understanding contractual obligation?"-Howard Lincoln on the Dodgers offering the Mariners Gary Sheffield for Ichiro Suzuki

"I like the idea that people want to play for us, that they want to play in Safeco Field and connect with the fans. Mike Cameron is a perfect example of what I'm talking about: a decent human being and an extraordinary player. To bring in some petulant superstar who complains he is underpaid is in my opinion a giant turnoff to the fans. They don't want that, and neither do I." -Howard Lincoln on the kind of players he wants in a Mariners' uniform

"We tried to keep him, but for us to give him that kind of money would have meant ending up in the same situation the Arizona Diamondbacks are (borrowing money to stay afloat) and Texas will be."-Howard Lincoln on the Texas Rangers signing Alex Rodriguez