News from the rapidly-sinking Mariners front: Bill Bavasi is out as general manager:

“Change is in order,” Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln said in a release. “We have determined new leadership is needed in the GM position. With a new leader will come a new plan and a new approach. A search will begin immediately for a permanent GM, and Lee [Pelekoudas] will be a candidate for the position.”

Bavasi was in his fifth season as Seattle’s GM, only once turning out a club that finished with a winning record. That was last year when Seattle won a surprising 88 games, and was in contention for a playoff spot into September. [espn]

I’m hoping that one or more of the sportsball experts in the author bullpen here will step up to the plate with some sort of insightful commentary later today. But when the team is on track to lose nearly as many games as millions on payroll, it doesn’t seem all that surprising that someone’s getting the axe.