Wak the f***? Donny, we hardly knew ye

Seafair weekend's two-game winning streak -- albeit, against the Kansas City Royals -- wasn't enough to save his job. When the Seattle Mariners' 2010 season plunged into the cesspool of the American League West division, the media rumbled with rumors of the demise of Manager Don Wakamatsu. But Mariners General Manager "Trader" Jack Zduriencik maintained that Wakamatsu remained his man.

Today, with the ball club 22½ games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers, Trader Jack delivered what should not have been a surprising message: Jetson, you're fired!

Wak the f***?

We're not disputing that Wakamatsu needed to go. His reserved, cerebral, zen style didn't befit a losing team that needed its butt kicked from the Rainier Valley to Issaquah and back. Wakamatsu couldn't motivate his players, and showed all the fire and passion of a Bic lighter during the Hanukkah Eve windstorm.

But the timing of Wakamatsu's departure is ironic to say the least. The Mariners celebrate Japanese Heritage Night during against the Oakland Athletics this evening. Major League Baseball's first Asian-American manager will be missing in action as the half-Japanese Wakamatsu will have cleaned out his office before the first pitch.

Wak the f***?

If Wakamatsu was slated to go, shouldn't the Mariners have fired him after Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday's loss?

Using the "Seattle Mariners as Genesee Park dogs" analogy, Wakamatsu would be the Mastiff -- an intelligent, reserved working breed who couldn't lead a Labrador retriever to a wading pool.

We told you that the label "Wak the f***?" had a short shelf life.