By now we all should know how the Seattle Mariners operate, including what kind of player they typically seek out on the open free agent and trade markets. It’s rarely about the best player, but rather the best player who qualifies under their preposterous “good guy,” “local boy” or “fiery leader” requirements, which obviously eliminates them from acquiring better talent than they generally do.

The local connection syndrome is plain stupid, but that has been beaten to death over the years, as has the organization’s overwhelming desire for the good guy. Yeah, sure, they took a few chances the past few seasons on Carl Everett, a failed attempt, and Jose Guillen, who was probably the team’s best bat from April through September this past season.

But there’s a reason why Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong were each ok with GM Bill Bavasi handing out $10 million in guaranteed cash to Everett and Guillen, who displayed the tendency to wear out their welcome with several previous employers.

They miss Jay Buhner.

They don’t necessarily miss the 40 home runs, the consistent all-out hustle and the strong on-base skills, oh no. They miss two things in particular; his popularity with the fans that helped line their pockets, and the ingredient that inclined their desire for Everett and Guillen - fire.

Jay Buhner was a fiery leader who spoke out when no other players would. Whether it was a pep talk or tough love or a championship caliber speech laced with inspiring profanity, Bone was that kind of player.

So as you graze over all the ideas to improve the 2008 Seattle Mariners, remember who is making these decisions and the things they believe works in the game of baseball.

Just don’t get them confused with the beliefs of anyone smart enough to know that those attributes don’t win baseball games.

Buhner’s leadership would have meant nothing to the rest of that roster if he was a .220-hitting, no-field fifth outfielder who kissed the ass of the coaching staff to get playing time and a multi-year arbitration contract.

Junior, Edgar and the boys would have shut him up long before he could ever say “Fuck the wildcard.” He wouldn’t have mattered at all if he couldn’t play the game at a high level. I don’t know where you sit on this subject - for all I know, you buy into it, too - but I would think you’d prefer, for example, that your favorite team landed, say, Ryan Howard this winter rather than Jeff Conine, right?

So when you run across quotes like this…

“Listen… we’re not just a good team. We’re a great team, and don’t you fuckin’ forget that. And let’s go play one at a time and go prove that. Because let me tell you something….”

[The player] pulled on the sides of his gray road jersey. “There’s a reason why you wear this uniform….”

He paused for a beat, letting the suspenseful silence fill the rapt room.

“Because you’re a bad motherfucker.”

…remember that the reason why the player who said these words to his team before a rather crucial game this October is an MVP candidate year-in and year-out is not because he says these words to his team before crucial games in October.

It’s because he can hit at the highest of levels, smashing good pitching, bad pitching, mediocre pitching, terrible pitching, righty pitching, lefty pitching, starters, closers, at his home park and every road park in every situation and for average, for big-time power, leading his team into October to begin with.

So here’s wishing good luck [desperately needing it] to the Seattle Mariners front office and ownership representatives as they begin to unfold their plan to put a winning baseball team on the field at the Safe in 2008.

Most, if not all of us know that David Ortiz is great because he can rake with the best of them. Hopefully, at some point, Lincoln and Armstrong, and to a lesser extent Bill Bavasi and company either purchase a clue, or are replaced with those who are proud owners of said clues and treat the fans that have so unconditionally loved and supported this team - and their bank accounts - for the last 13 seasons, with the team they deserve.

Boston Red Sox fans paid dearly for their World Series titles, but they now have two because they are the best run big-market franchise in the game, making sound decisions regularly.

Seattle’s faithful has paid a price, too, and while it certainly hasn’t been 86 years, it’s been a lifetime for many. David Ortiz is a perfect example of what all teams should be after, but for the right reasons, not because he can make goosebump-raising speeches.

The job that Colorado Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd and his entire staff has done the past three seasons is a perfect example, too. Not because they went out and traded for 25 leaders or the hitters with the best batting average or the pitchers with the most wins. But because they went about things the right way, and didn’t force the issue and make mistake after mistake after mistake, setting the club back over and over.

The Sox are a perfect example of mixing payroll with youth, experience and a balanced staff of players, coaches and managers, to go with a front office whose ownership hired them to do a job and allows them the freedom in which to do it.

Is it that hard to copycat in baseball?