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Mariners bat Rickie Weeks leadoff so he can make his dentist appointment

ByStanford Crissey|
Sep 19, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (23) in the batting cage before playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (23) in the batting cage before playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Rickie Weeks had a dentist appointment, so the team batted him leadoff

There are some people who will tell you that spring training stats and records matter. “They’re indicative of the season they’re about to have!” they’ll say. “You can see if teams play well and that tells you about their season!”

This is my counterpoint.

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Case closed. Spring training stats don’t matter. Things that matter aren’t preempted by dentist appointments.

I love that the Mariners were so willing to work around his dentist appointment. To be fair, we don’t know if it was a root canal or something serious, but if it was just a cleaning, there’s some serious dedication to tooth health in the Mariners organization.

Also, maybe don’t make dentist appointments in the middle of spring training games? There’s got to be another time you could go see that doctor, Rickie Weeks. That won’t fly in the regular season.

Or maybe it will. Maybe Lloyd McClendon is that boss who will just let his employees do whatever they want. Dentist appointment during a game? Sure! You can’t make it today? That’s OK! (I know what you’re thinking. You want me to introduce you to this boss. Sorry, but I charge a $100,000 headhunter’s fee before I can make that introduction.)

Weeks is 32 and debuted in MLB in 2004, so spring training is nothing new to him. Add in the fact that he’ll be a bench player for the Mariners rather than his accustomed role as a starter, and you can see why he might be a bit apathetic about the whole thing.

But still, a dentist appointment midgame? When your job is baseball? This may be a new low for spring training. (The high being, of course, Will Ferrell.)

Now, once again, for emphasis: spring training stats do not matter. Next time some one tells you they do, remember Rickie Weeks and his midgame tooth cleaning.

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