September 30, 2024 • 22 mins
In the third hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain continue counting down to kickoff of tonight’s Seahawks game in Detroit, then chat with former MLB outfielder Steven Souza Jr about the end of the Mariners’ season Sunday, barely missing out on a playoff berth.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And some sad news today double dip of sad news.
First of all, to Ken Bay Matumbo, the Sonic Killer
from nineteen ninety four, thirty years ago, laying.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
On the floor holding the ball over his.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Head when the eight beat the One for the very
first time at the Coliseum. He passed away at the
age of fifty eight after a battle with brain cancer,
and Pete Rose, the all time hit king in the
history of Major League Baseball.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Has died at the age of eighty three.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I have told you this before, that is my least
favorite sports memory of my lifetime. Is it surpasses Malcolm Butler.
For me, it is worse than Malcolm Battle. I understand
it wasn't the Super Bowl Championship, but for me, it
was worse than Malcolm.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Michael Jordan suspended because the gambling.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Retired as our championship and he was out and the
Houston Rockets took advantage of it, and the Sonics did not.
You just wonder if they could have won a title,
or maybe a couple of titles during that run. When
people have been motivated nine ten years later to maybe
give him the damn arena they were looking for, right,
I mean, they would have been number three in line anyway,
behind the Seahawks and Mariners. I get that, but people
(01:04):
are motivated sometimes when teams win championships.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Man, and I I know this.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It wouldn't have hurt the cause it wouldn't have hurt
to have them wear a title of two. All right,
we're back here at the Emeral Quink Casino. I see
a guy wearing a Kenny Easy. You know what else
is really nice is your your guns. You must work
out a lot, By the way, I don't do any
of that stuff at all, but man, that guy's scared
to piss out of it and that crap. Those are
some clubs he's got attached to.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
His He just got out of La Fitness Jackson.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
You should see this guy, Holy Carol, He's got a
nice tan, all oiled up.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
He's got huge muscles. He's scared.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
You know, he kind of looks like he kind of
looks like Loafa. For a second, I.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Thought he was like, yeah, yeah, looks like one of
the avesters. Everybody says he looks like lovely. Well he
should get it to tupou Jersey. What are you doing
wearing forty five? Come on, we're here at the Emerald
Quink Casino getting ready for the game. Stephen Susa is
gonna join us next segment, no matter a minute and
break this thing down. Let's go round the room, Jackson,
you involved here. What do we see happening tonight, Dick
(02:02):
Fan go ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
I think we got a high scoring shootout. I think
Ryan grebb is gonna I think he's gonna try to
outscore the Lions. I don't think that's the best way
to go about it. I think the best way to
go about is keep the ball out of Jared Goff's hands.
But I don't think Ryan Goff Ryan Goff, I don't
think Ryan Grebb is is going to do that. I
think he's gonna try to put up thirty five. I
think the Seahawks get close. I just think in the end,
(02:24):
that defensive line, particularly in the second half, is just
gonna wear down. They're just they have no rotation. That
defensive line whatsoever, Hank Is is gonna get tired. They'll put
up a really good fight in a good effort. But
I'm seeing, yeah, thirty one twenty seven line, Jackson.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
I'll go thirty four to twenty one Lions. I think
I think the touchdowns. Yeah, I think they go like
thirty three carries for one hundred and eighty seven yards
and three touchdowns. I think I think Gibbs and and Montgomery,
who by the way, have both I both had over
seventy yards each of them in every game from a scrimmage,
are going to destroy us tonight. And I just don't
(03:02):
think that. I don't think that Geno can keep up.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I just don't think they give up that many points. Guys.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
I mean I'm not saying the Hawks won't lose the game, right,
I mean, you're on the road Monday night football, You're
three and ozhero. At some point the football gods will
will go against me. You're saying they give up thirty one?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Is that right? And you said thirty four? Guys?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Who was Who is the biggest star of the team
right now? Mike McDonald And what's his biggest star?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
The scheme?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, the scheme was the star. But he has.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Coached one game without his entire He only coached games
without Nuosu, not without all.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I understand that, but I also think that the scheme
is the star. And I think he's gonna have guys
in position to make plays. I realize that the guys
are out. I can see them giving up twenty seven,
twenty four, whatever and around that. But thirty four points, man,
unless one of those touchdowns comes in like absolute garbage time,
I'd be surprised if that happened.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
I touched on off. I'm just buying into this scheme, guys.
I I well, I think, but if we're.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
A touchdown off, that means they may have seventeen points
in the fourth quarter and that one of those touchdowns
come in garbage time when they score twenty four. I
just really believe in Mike McDonald and his scheme and
his play calling ability. I think he was pissed off,
like good and pissed after that Patriot game, and I
think you'll see a special performance out of him tonight.
And I totally agree, Dick with what you said last week.
If the Lions, excuse me, the Seahawks win this game tonight,
(04:26):
you're gonna start to hear people put the Seahawks like
in their top five in the NFL and power ring,
which means jack squat. They mean nothing, but their fans
like them, and they're fun for us to talk about,
and they get people excited. They sell the game, they
market the game. They win this game tonight, or hell,
even if they come close to winning this game tonight,
I think a lot of people's eyes will be open
(04:47):
to what this guy's doing on defense.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I agree, and I agree with everything you say about
Mike McDonald. Is a bad spot for Seattle. He beat
him twice in a row down there. We're three to
zero this year. It's just a bad spot, just like
I think it's a good spot for the Huskies. On Saturday, let's.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Get a break steven Susa. We'll join us in talks
some baseball. Put a bow on this turn of a season.
Next on ninety three three kJ ARFM.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Coming to you live from the Elliott Avenue studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is our
weekly visit with former Mariners outfielder Steven Susa Junior, powered
by Taco Time. For all your favorites and to order
ahead from any Taco Time restaurant, download the Taco Time
Northwest app today from the Apple App Store or the
(05:28):
Google Play stour. Taco Time a Pacific Northwest favorite since
nineteen sixty two. Now with Steven Susa Junior, Here's SOFTI
and Dick.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
All right, boys and girls, back here on Monday night
from the Emerald at Queen Casinos.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Stop by for Hawks and Lions.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
But what do you say we put a bow on
this turt sandwich known as the twenty twenty four Mariner
baseball season. I cannot think of a better person to
talk about that turn of a sandwich that our buddy
steven SUSA Junior courtesy of our pals at taco time.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
How are you, man, I'm doing great, said, did not
see him in, but doing great?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Well, I mean, this is obviously what a lot of
us have been fearing for a long time, is that
they were going to simply put waste the greatest rotation
ever in franchise history. And they've done that eighty five
and seventy seven, finishing technically two games behind Kansas City
with a tie breaker but one game in the standings.
You think about that eight to nothing lead they blew
at Kaufman Stadium. Over the summer, they protect that lead,
(06:29):
and the Mariners are in the playoffs starting this week. Man,
what are your emotions as we sit here for the
forty third time in forty eight years with a team
that's home for the holidays.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
Pal, Yeah, I mean you hit it on the head right.
There's so many moments where you could have, should have
would that it's truly disappointing to see them fall just
one game short. You know again, I mean this is
I saw Big State earlier today that you know, it's
been eight games basically over the last five years that
you know they've missed the playoffs, and it's heartbreaking to
(07:01):
get that close constantly, and especially you know, these guys
had a ten game lead early on in the year
where we you know, you're starting to talking about World
Series Bound with the how big it was, and then
you know, to see the collapse happen and the firing.
There's a lot of emotions for these guys. But you know,
I think you can have some hope with Dan at
(07:23):
the helm and Edgar going forward that you know, they're
definitely in a better position than when they started this year.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I'm wondering what John Stanton is seeing because we always
hear from the negative vocal, negative fan base right texting, us,
social media, and yet John Stanton sees forty one thirty
three thousand, and forty two thousand fans in his ballpark
having fun in the last three games of the season.
(07:50):
What do you think the vibe is of the entire
fan base. Is it more positive than maybe what we
think it is because we only hear from the people
that are ticked off.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
No, I think, you know, I think overall the fan
base is pretty frustrated with the lack of spending and
the lack of commitment. I think that's pretty evident, right,
And it comes from a place of, well, we're on
the on the doorstep of doing something really special in
the city, right, just like the Seahawks were several years ago,
you know, and really turned the city into a football town.
(08:21):
And I think that the fans just want a good,
honest effort to try and go for it. You know,
I don't think they're asking to spend two hundred and
fifty million, but you know, this is a payroll at anything.
When they know that there's been you know, articles that
have come out about the profitability of this of this organization,
and you know, if those things are true, then why
aren't you going out and getting players? Like what is
(08:43):
your motive here? And when the fantas Seattle know that
your motive isn't to win, they're going to be on you.
I think that's probably the more common feeling.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Yeah, I was thinking about that attendance Dick and Steven
over the weekend, and I wonder how many of those
seats were bought months ago by people thinking this was
going to be a big series.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
He also, right, well, but if you've got tickets, right,
I mean, what the hell? I mean?
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I gave my seats to a buddy of mine and
he still went on Sunday. If baseball had a rule
where you can only buy tickets for a game a
week before it was played, how many people would have
stepped up to buy tickets for this weekend. So I
really hope they don't look at the attendance this week
and say, we're good with our fan base. But you
know what the other point is, guys, even if they
are good with the fan base, they should not be
(09:24):
good with themselves. I mean, what does John Stanton want
his legacy to be? What does Chris Lawson want his
legacy to be in this town? Because if they simply
put ur just about making money, then yes they'll walk away.
But who can sleep at night with that mentality? My
got I'm getting just irritated even thinking about this. So
let's just think about what they have to do, guys
moving forward. Stephen Susan's with US. Jerry Depoto met with
(09:46):
the media Saturday, very impromptu conversation. Media was given thirty
minutes notice before Jerry Depoto met with the press, and
apparently that's gonna be it with the media. I think
it's a weasel move by them, but some people would
just uh. He did say that plan Z, which I
guess his code for last option would be to trade
(10:06):
any of their young pitching Brian wu Castillo, Kirby Gilbert,
those guys, Bryce Miller, whatever. Are you convinced one thousand percent,
Steven that this rotation will be back in tac next year?
Speaker 6 (10:21):
No, I'm not, you know. And then the reason I
say that is because they don't really have a lot
else to trade from. Like, you know, if you're going
to trade a Luke Raley, like that's a good player,
but it's not like you're going to get, you know,
a huge return back now unless you know his pivot
is I'm going to trade some of these prospects for
some bigger names, then yeah I can, I can for
(10:41):
sure buy it, you know. And that's what I think.
I think he should deal with that right deal from that,
because you're not going to have this rotation much longer.
And like I said, prospects are always prospects. So trying
to keep this rotation intact and deliver from a great
farm system that he's created should be a project A.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
There was a lot of talk a couple of months
ago that this whole swing for the fence's crap was
a Jerry Depoto analytics created thing. And yet we hear
Jerry on Saturday lauding the approach by Edgar Martinez and
Dan Wilson, saying, I love the way we're approaching hitting now.
Blah blah blah. So is this Jerry just throwing Scott
(11:22):
under the bus or do you think this was Scott's
thing all along? Because the hitting looks completely different with
Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Yeah, I'll answer that in two parts. So with Jerry,
like his perspective on hitting and the way he looks
at it in the organization is he looks at it like,
you know, the pitching side, where it's just strictly analytics,
Like he goes with the model of don't the guys
that don't chase guys that have a high walk rate
and slug and that's kind of what's inside of their
(11:53):
model of collecting players. We've seen that from whoever's come
up right, And so the interesting part of that is
what the mayor don't do well is they miss in
the zone a lot throughout the minor leagues, and in
the big leagues they would miss in the zone. And
so you can walk and or not walk, or not
chase and walk, and if you still can't hit the
ball when you need to, like, it doesn't really matter
what you do. So I think some of that responsibilities
(12:17):
falls on Jerry as far as like what Edgar and
Dan have done, And what I've heard from the GUIDs
is like, you know what, these two what's made them
really good is like they don't need these jobs. You know,
they're able to have these conversations without a fear of
losing their job. Like Dan doesn't need this job, Edgar
doesn't need this job, and yet they're willing to step
in and just kind of share their wisdom. And when
(12:38):
you get you know, it doesn't have to be guys
like that were former Mariners, but when you get players
that really want to be a manager and they've made
enough in their career and they're not trying to build
the legacy. I just think you get the most out
of your players and you don't live and die and
make these horrible decisions like putting your closer in the
sixth inning. Right. So all that to say, yeah, I
(12:58):
don't I don't think it's as much on Scott, but
I think it's a lot on Jerry.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I mean the third option, in regards to what Jerry's
tone was, here be my mind on our approach. I
like the way we're doing things now. I've been convinced
things differently. I mean, I just refuse to believe that
Scott's Service did the certain way for eight and three
quarters years without Jerry Topoto's blessing, Right, Because if Jerry
to Poto let Scott's Service go out there and do
(13:25):
things his own way for eight and a half years
and didn't like the way it was being done, then
he's an idiot for allowing Service to continue to do it.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Right, But four or five years ago the offense didn't
look like that.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Right.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
But okay, then let's just say four or five years
that's a significant amount of time, right, I mean, what
general manager would allow their manager to go out and
do things a certain way if they were convinced it
wasn't working.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
So I don't buy any of that.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I'm hoping that Dan Wilson Steven was able to get
through to Jerry to Poto along with Edgar Martinez to
get him to change his ways, and that starting the
next April, we'll see a different offensive approach.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Yeah, and I think that's his whole I think this
is kind of his last resort, right, like he wanted
to control everything. And you know, although I think Dan's
a very respectful they'll have a respectful relationship with Jerry
again at the end of the day. Like, if you're
gonna keep doing the same thing expecting the different results,
it's it's kind of insanity. So it's hopefully Jerry's let
(14:21):
go of something. I just said, like, hey, you know,
I don't have it all figured out, and if he has,
kudos to Jerry for doing that. But you know, they,
like I said, they're gonna have to roll with something
like this next year else they're going to be back
in another angry fan base.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I mean JP Crawford, Yeah, he went two for three
in his last game, but I mean, you saw the
numbers that I threw out there as like his ops
was like in the five forties and in the last
two three months of the season, he looks done to me?
Or do you see something different? You see a guy
that maybe was injured and trying to play through it.
Can can we afford to put him out as a
starter next year?
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Man, that's a good question. That's funny. I've been thinking
about this a lot. But you know, he had the
great year last year, and you definitely he's got to
get another chance next year because just you know what
injuries do to you in the middle of the year,
it's really hard to judge the player, and he's not
the most physically fit player to be able to battle
through those, so you know you can kind of cut
on some slack in there. But I will say, like,
(15:21):
if you take the twenty twenty three year out, like,
he's been a very average shortstop and I kind of
have said this before he signed that deal, So you know,
you need explosive players, and they've got some in the
minor leagues that are ready to step in and play
that position. So you just better be sure he's the
offensive player, the defensive player, and the leader that you
(15:41):
won on that team. Otherwise, you know, I would give
him a short leash.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yeah, JP Crawford two more years at eleven million dollars
per year twenty five and twenty six, twenty two million
dollars total. You know, he also has a big player
option for next year as Mitch Haniger. You know who
else is under contract for next year is Mitch Garver.
I mean, were rolling out those eyes again. I assume
that a Rose Arena ends up being your starting right
field or what kind of role does Mitch Handiger play,
especially if he picks up that player option next season?
Speaker 6 (16:10):
You know, I mean that's it's tough to have two
guys that struggle that bad with the player option and
like you're just forced to kind of, you know, take
them on and you have to give them a chance
or you can't just let that money just go to waste.
So I think, you know the same thing as this year, right,
Like hopefully Garvin and Handy can come in and they're
(16:30):
ready to go, and they're in a great spot and
they've made the adjustments. But you know, ultimately, like if
this team has the aspirations to win, they've got to
figure out you know, how to make them productive off
the bench, you know, so you give them a chance
to start early spring training and see if if it
looks different early on in the year, and then you know,
because you can't really control them to take that player
option and there's nothing else you can do.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I was trying to read the tea leaves of what
Jerry was talking about about payroll next year, and it
sounds like, Okay, it won't go down, It's naturally going
to go up because we've got guys going to arbitration
and having to make more money. But what I didn't
get the vibe was that he was actually going to
spend more money beyond what he's going to pay his
(17:15):
own players in raises. Is that kind of the vibe
you got from what you heard?
Speaker 6 (17:21):
Yeah, that's that's exactly what I heard. You know, Logan
Gilbert's going to go up, cal Rowley's going to arbitration
like where Zarny gets paid little more, Julio gets paid
a lot more. Like it's so you're you're basically going
to spend an arbitration what an adding of a really
good player would be is what he alluded to. And
that's you know, I think That's what everybody's been kind
of getting really frustrated about, is there's only so long
(17:43):
that you have these really good players on minimum, and
then you have to start paying them. So then in
the times that you could have added when it wasn't
going to hurt you, you didn't, and now you're in
this position where it's only going to get more and more,
you know, throughout the years.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Yeah, well, I mean it's essentially over.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
I mean, cal Raley's going to arbitration, Gilbert's going to arbitration,
I believe.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Is George Kirby going to arbitration? I think he is.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I gonna double check that. But the window that you're
talking about, I think is done. I mean they got
a couple of guys, you know, Miller and Wu still,
but for the most part, the idea that they've got
you know, five six young guys that are killing it
on you know, minor league or excuse me, you know
early you know, pre arbitration contracts. Those days are done.
So at some point they will have to go out
(18:26):
and spend some money. What do you do with cal Raley?
I mean, you just go to arbitration three years in
a row. Or do you put a new deal in
front of him right now, and hope that Scott Boris
agrees to.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
It and Kirby is going to arbitration.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
Yeah, there you go, right, Yeah, Kirby is a super too,
so he's techonally got four years of arbitration. But you know,
in regards to cal yeah, I mean you try and
find something right where. Okay, they offered him something in
the in spring training and it was apparently it was
nowhere near you know, of the value, which is what
(18:57):
you do in those types of moments. There's nothing wrong
with that. But now that he's had, you know, a
thirty one hundred season and he's gonna be nominated for
the Gold Glove, no doubt led the league or close
to the top of the league, and you know, Runners
cops stealing, and I mean, you got to offer him
something close to that. You have to keep this guy here, right,
Like what he means to the city, what he means
to this clubhouse, what he means as an offensive and defense, Like,
(19:20):
there's no way you can't let this guy go. And
even if you have to match the deal or whatever,
it's like, he means just too much to this organization
to let him go. So they have to figure out
a way to get it done. He deserves every bit
of it. And on his side, you know, maybe it's
not as long because he's getting older, but you know,
if he gets paid his you know what he's worked
per year, I think nobody in this city would disagree
(19:41):
with that, and I think everybody at organization would agree
the same.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
So if you may have another Mariner question for you,
but I got to ask you where forty or fifty four,
fifty nine ranks in all the great things you've ever
seen a baseball player do in your lifetime?
Speaker 6 (19:58):
Yeah, can you imagine if he would have just been
healthy to like throw a season like throw this year
and like where he would have landed. I mean, no
doubt it's one of, if not the greatest offensive season
that we've ever seen from a player. But I just
keep thinking, like what if he would have thrown this
year and won the cy young? Like he's just making
the game look so easy. You know, it's just crazy.
(20:19):
The game is not that easy, guys. Like it's a
really tough game to hit and to pitch in the
big leagues, but to do it at the level that
this guy is doing. Running the bases, hitting homers, striking
out big leaguers is insane to me, Like, we may
never and we probably won't ever see another player like
Shoeltana so in his prime. If you ever get the chance,
(20:40):
go watch and play wherever you're at, because there will
be nothing like him.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Well, I'll just ask you one more before we let
you go.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
I saw where Buster Posey is the new Giants president
of baseball Operations. They just fired their pres of baseball ops,
which is the same job Jerry's gotten. They gave it
to Buster Posey down there. Would you want to see
the Mariners ever do something like that? Give that job
to a I don't know. I mean, who would be
a candidate for that job at Dan wilfs So, Dan
Wilson's our buster pussy. They gave him the manager Martinez.
(21:07):
I mean just putting a putting a ex player that's batted.
There was a position player that had success with this
franchise in charge of everything. Would you like to see
the Mariners make a move like that one day? And
who would that guy be?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
For you?
Speaker 6 (21:20):
Yeah? I would absolutely, I think. And you know what's
interesting about Busters? He had a small percentage of ownership
and the Tigers or sorry, in the Giants and then
they moved him over here, so he was very involved
in like the signings and kind of getting acclimated on
the front office side of things. I'm the same guy
as Ken Grippy Jr. Keangrickory Junior's got a small ownership
(21:42):
percentage right for the Mariners, very respecting the community. Like
I think he's learned in the business side of things
more and more. And you know that that job definitely
comes with an aptitude of learning how to navigate, you know,
staff leadership and stuff. So you know, I don't know
Grippy's person that well, but I know busters like that.
Dan is definitely like that. But having someone like that
(22:03):
that can really relate to players, I think we're seeing
the benefit from Philly with Sam Fold in Texas with
Chris Young, and it's something that I think is going
to start to really turn former players that are understanding
the grand scope of the game coming back into the
game more and more.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Yeah, all right, man, listen, great stuff.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
I appreciate you doing this all week our all year long,
every week courtesy of Taco Time. I can't think of
a better guy to have on the year to let
us vent Monday afternoon, so keep it up and we'll
catch we'll touch base over the offseason, all right.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Pal, Thanks man.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
All right, guys, talk to you later, all.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Right, Steven sus a courtesy of Taco Time. We've got
a break, a little
And some sad news today double dip of sad news.
First of all, to Ken Bay Matumbo, the Sonic Killer
from nineteen ninety four, thirty years ago, laying.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
On the floor holding the ball over his.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Head when the eight beat the One for the very
first time at the Coliseum. He passed away at the
age of fifty eight after a battle with brain cancer,
and Pete Rose, the all time hit king in the
history of Major League Baseball.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Has died at the age of eighty three.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I have told you this before, that is my least
favorite sports memory of my lifetime. Is it surpasses Malcolm Butler.
For me, it is worse than Malcolm Battle. I understand
it wasn't the Super Bowl Championship, but for me, it
was worse than Malcolm.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Michael Jordan suspended because the gambling.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Retired as our championship and he was out and the
Houston Rockets took advantage of it, and the Sonics did not.
You just wonder if they could have won a title,
or maybe a couple of titles during that run. When
people have been motivated nine ten years later to maybe
give him the damn arena they were looking for, right,
I mean, they would have been number three in line anyway,
behind the Seahawks and Mariners. I get that, but people
(01:04):
are motivated sometimes when teams win championships.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Man, and I I know this.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It wouldn't have hurt the cause it wouldn't have hurt
to have them wear a title of two. All right,
we're back here at the Emeral Quink Casino. I see
a guy wearing a Kenny Easy. You know what else
is really nice is your your guns. You must work
out a lot, By the way, I don't do any
of that stuff at all, but man, that guy's scared
to piss out of it and that crap. Those are
some clubs he's got attached to.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
His He just got out of La Fitness Jackson.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
You should see this guy, Holy Carol, He's got a
nice tan, all oiled up.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
He's got huge muscles. He's scared.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
You know, he kind of looks like he kind of
looks like Loafa. For a second, I.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Thought he was like, yeah, yeah, looks like one of
the avesters. Everybody says he looks like lovely. Well he
should get it to tupou Jersey. What are you doing
wearing forty five? Come on, we're here at the Emerald
Quink Casino getting ready for the game. Stephen Susa is
gonna join us next segment, no matter a minute and
break this thing down. Let's go round the room, Jackson,
you involved here. What do we see happening tonight, Dick
(02:02):
Fan go ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
I think we got a high scoring shootout. I think
Ryan grebb is gonna I think he's gonna try to
outscore the Lions. I don't think that's the best way
to go about it. I think the best way to
go about is keep the ball out of Jared Goff's hands.
But I don't think Ryan Goff Ryan Goff, I don't
think Ryan Grebb is is going to do that. I
think he's gonna try to put up thirty five. I
think the Seahawks get close. I just think in the end,
(02:24):
that defensive line, particularly in the second half, is just
gonna wear down. They're just they have no rotation. That
defensive line whatsoever, Hank Is is gonna get tired. They'll put
up a really good fight in a good effort. But
I'm seeing, yeah, thirty one twenty seven line, Jackson.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
I'll go thirty four to twenty one Lions. I think
I think the touchdowns. Yeah, I think they go like
thirty three carries for one hundred and eighty seven yards
and three touchdowns. I think I think Gibbs and and Montgomery,
who by the way, have both I both had over
seventy yards each of them in every game from a scrimmage,
are going to destroy us tonight. And I just don't
(03:02):
think that. I don't think that Geno can keep up.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I just don't think they give up that many points. Guys.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
I mean I'm not saying the Hawks won't lose the game, right,
I mean, you're on the road Monday night football, You're
three and ozhero. At some point the football gods will
will go against me. You're saying they give up thirty one?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Is that right? And you said thirty four? Guys?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Who was Who is the biggest star of the team
right now? Mike McDonald And what's his biggest star?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
The scheme?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, the scheme was the star. But he has.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Coached one game without his entire He only coached games
without Nuosu, not without all.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I understand that, but I also think that the scheme
is the star. And I think he's gonna have guys
in position to make plays. I realize that the guys
are out. I can see them giving up twenty seven,
twenty four, whatever and around that. But thirty four points, man,
unless one of those touchdowns comes in like absolute garbage time,
I'd be surprised if that happened.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
I touched on off. I'm just buying into this scheme, guys.
I I well, I think, but if we're.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
A touchdown off, that means they may have seventeen points
in the fourth quarter and that one of those touchdowns
come in garbage time when they score twenty four. I
just really believe in Mike McDonald and his scheme and
his play calling ability. I think he was pissed off,
like good and pissed after that Patriot game, and I
think you'll see a special performance out of him tonight.
And I totally agree, Dick with what you said last week.
If the Lions, excuse me, the Seahawks win this game tonight,
(04:26):
you're gonna start to hear people put the Seahawks like
in their top five in the NFL and power ring,
which means jack squat. They mean nothing, but their fans
like them, and they're fun for us to talk about,
and they get people excited. They sell the game, they
market the game. They win this game tonight, or hell,
even if they come close to winning this game tonight,
I think a lot of people's eyes will be open
(04:47):
to what this guy's doing on defense.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I agree, and I agree with everything you say about
Mike McDonald. Is a bad spot for Seattle. He beat
him twice in a row down there. We're three to
zero this year. It's just a bad spot, just like
I think it's a good spot for the Huskies. On Saturday, let's.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Get a break steven Susa. We'll join us in talks
some baseball. Put a bow on this turn of a season.
Next on ninety three three kJ ARFM.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Coming to you live from the Elliott Avenue studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is our
weekly visit with former Mariners outfielder Steven Susa Junior, powered
by Taco Time. For all your favorites and to order
ahead from any Taco Time restaurant, download the Taco Time
Northwest app today from the Apple App Store or the
(05:28):
Google Play stour. Taco Time a Pacific Northwest favorite since
nineteen sixty two. Now with Steven Susa Junior, Here's SOFTI
and Dick.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
All right, boys and girls, back here on Monday night
from the Emerald at Queen Casinos.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Stop by for Hawks and Lions.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
But what do you say we put a bow on
this turt sandwich known as the twenty twenty four Mariner
baseball season. I cannot think of a better person to
talk about that turn of a sandwich that our buddy
steven SUSA Junior courtesy of our pals at taco time.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
How are you, man, I'm doing great, said, did not
see him in, but doing great?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Well, I mean, this is obviously what a lot of
us have been fearing for a long time, is that
they were going to simply put waste the greatest rotation
ever in franchise history. And they've done that eighty five
and seventy seven, finishing technically two games behind Kansas City
with a tie breaker but one game in the standings.
You think about that eight to nothing lead they blew
at Kaufman Stadium. Over the summer, they protect that lead,
(06:29):
and the Mariners are in the playoffs starting this week. Man,
what are your emotions as we sit here for the
forty third time in forty eight years with a team
that's home for the holidays.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
Pal, Yeah, I mean you hit it on the head right.
There's so many moments where you could have, should have
would that it's truly disappointing to see them fall just
one game short. You know again, I mean this is
I saw Big State earlier today that you know, it's
been eight games basically over the last five years that
you know they've missed the playoffs, and it's heartbreaking to
(07:01):
get that close constantly, and especially you know, these guys
had a ten game lead early on in the year
where we you know, you're starting to talking about World
Series Bound with the how big it was, and then
you know, to see the collapse happen and the firing.
There's a lot of emotions for these guys. But you know,
I think you can have some hope with Dan at
(07:23):
the helm and Edgar going forward that you know, they're
definitely in a better position than when they started this year.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I'm wondering what John Stanton is seeing because we always
hear from the negative vocal, negative fan base right texting, us,
social media, and yet John Stanton sees forty one thirty
three thousand, and forty two thousand fans in his ballpark
having fun in the last three games of the season.
(07:50):
What do you think the vibe is of the entire
fan base. Is it more positive than maybe what we
think it is because we only hear from the people
that are ticked off.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
No, I think, you know, I think overall the fan
base is pretty frustrated with the lack of spending and
the lack of commitment. I think that's pretty evident, right,
And it comes from a place of, well, we're on
the on the doorstep of doing something really special in
the city, right, just like the Seahawks were several years ago,
you know, and really turned the city into a football town.
(08:21):
And I think that the fans just want a good,
honest effort to try and go for it. You know,
I don't think they're asking to spend two hundred and
fifty million, but you know, this is a payroll at anything.
When they know that there's been you know, articles that
have come out about the profitability of this of this organization,
and you know, if those things are true, then why
aren't you going out and getting players? Like what is
(08:43):
your motive here? And when the fantas Seattle know that
your motive isn't to win, they're going to be on you.
I think that's probably the more common feeling.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Yeah, I was thinking about that attendance Dick and Steven
over the weekend, and I wonder how many of those
seats were bought months ago by people thinking this was
going to be a big series.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
He also, right, well, but if you've got tickets, right,
I mean, what the hell? I mean?
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I gave my seats to a buddy of mine and
he still went on Sunday. If baseball had a rule
where you can only buy tickets for a game a
week before it was played, how many people would have
stepped up to buy tickets for this weekend. So I
really hope they don't look at the attendance this week
and say, we're good with our fan base. But you
know what the other point is, guys, even if they
are good with the fan base, they should not be
(09:24):
good with themselves. I mean, what does John Stanton want
his legacy to be? What does Chris Lawson want his
legacy to be in this town? Because if they simply
put ur just about making money, then yes they'll walk away.
But who can sleep at night with that mentality? My
got I'm getting just irritated even thinking about this. So
let's just think about what they have to do, guys
moving forward. Stephen Susan's with US. Jerry Depoto met with
(09:46):
the media Saturday, very impromptu conversation. Media was given thirty
minutes notice before Jerry Depoto met with the press, and
apparently that's gonna be it with the media. I think
it's a weasel move by them, but some people would
just uh. He did say that plan Z, which I
guess his code for last option would be to trade
(10:06):
any of their young pitching Brian wu Castillo, Kirby Gilbert,
those guys, Bryce Miller, whatever. Are you convinced one thousand percent,
Steven that this rotation will be back in tac next year?
Speaker 6 (10:21):
No, I'm not, you know. And then the reason I
say that is because they don't really have a lot
else to trade from. Like, you know, if you're going
to trade a Luke Raley, like that's a good player,
but it's not like you're going to get, you know,
a huge return back now unless you know his pivot
is I'm going to trade some of these prospects for
some bigger names, then yeah I can, I can for
(10:41):
sure buy it, you know. And that's what I think.
I think he should deal with that right deal from that,
because you're not going to have this rotation much longer.
And like I said, prospects are always prospects. So trying
to keep this rotation intact and deliver from a great
farm system that he's created should be a project A.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
There was a lot of talk a couple of months
ago that this whole swing for the fence's crap was
a Jerry Depoto analytics created thing. And yet we hear
Jerry on Saturday lauding the approach by Edgar Martinez and
Dan Wilson, saying, I love the way we're approaching hitting now.
Blah blah blah. So is this Jerry just throwing Scott
(11:22):
under the bus or do you think this was Scott's
thing all along? Because the hitting looks completely different with
Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Yeah, I'll answer that in two parts. So with Jerry,
like his perspective on hitting and the way he looks
at it in the organization is he looks at it like,
you know, the pitching side, where it's just strictly analytics,
Like he goes with the model of don't the guys
that don't chase guys that have a high walk rate
and slug and that's kind of what's inside of their
(11:53):
model of collecting players. We've seen that from whoever's come
up right, And so the interesting part of that is
what the mayor don't do well is they miss in
the zone a lot throughout the minor leagues, and in
the big leagues they would miss in the zone. And
so you can walk and or not walk, or not
chase and walk, and if you still can't hit the
ball when you need to, like, it doesn't really matter
what you do. So I think some of that responsibilities
(12:17):
falls on Jerry as far as like what Edgar and
Dan have done, And what I've heard from the GUIDs
is like, you know what, these two what's made them
really good is like they don't need these jobs. You know,
they're able to have these conversations without a fear of
losing their job. Like Dan doesn't need this job, Edgar
doesn't need this job, and yet they're willing to step
in and just kind of share their wisdom. And when
(12:38):
you get you know, it doesn't have to be guys
like that were former Mariners, but when you get players
that really want to be a manager and they've made
enough in their career and they're not trying to build
the legacy. I just think you get the most out
of your players and you don't live and die and
make these horrible decisions like putting your closer in the
sixth inning. Right. So all that to say, yeah, I
(12:58):
don't I don't think it's as much on Scott, but
I think it's a lot on Jerry.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I mean the third option, in regards to what Jerry's
tone was, here be my mind on our approach. I
like the way we're doing things now. I've been convinced
things differently. I mean, I just refuse to believe that
Scott's Service did the certain way for eight and three
quarters years without Jerry Topoto's blessing, Right, Because if Jerry
to Poto let Scott's Service go out there and do
(13:25):
things his own way for eight and a half years
and didn't like the way it was being done, then
he's an idiot for allowing Service to continue to do it.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Right, But four or five years ago the offense didn't
look like that.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Right.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
But okay, then let's just say four or five years
that's a significant amount of time, right, I mean, what
general manager would allow their manager to go out and
do things a certain way if they were convinced it
wasn't working.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
So I don't buy any of that.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I'm hoping that Dan Wilson Steven was able to get
through to Jerry to Poto along with Edgar Martinez to
get him to change his ways, and that starting the
next April, we'll see a different offensive approach.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Yeah, and I think that's his whole I think this
is kind of his last resort, right, like he wanted
to control everything. And you know, although I think Dan's
a very respectful they'll have a respectful relationship with Jerry
again at the end of the day. Like, if you're
gonna keep doing the same thing expecting the different results,
it's it's kind of insanity. So it's hopefully Jerry's let
(14:21):
go of something. I just said, like, hey, you know,
I don't have it all figured out, and if he has,
kudos to Jerry for doing that. But you know, they,
like I said, they're gonna have to roll with something
like this next year else they're going to be back
in another angry fan base.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I mean JP Crawford, Yeah, he went two for three
in his last game, but I mean, you saw the
numbers that I threw out there as like his ops
was like in the five forties and in the last
two three months of the season, he looks done to me?
Or do you see something different? You see a guy
that maybe was injured and trying to play through it.
Can can we afford to put him out as a
starter next year?
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Man, that's a good question. That's funny. I've been thinking
about this a lot. But you know, he had the
great year last year, and you definitely he's got to
get another chance next year because just you know what
injuries do to you in the middle of the year,
it's really hard to judge the player, and he's not
the most physically fit player to be able to battle
through those, so you know you can kind of cut
on some slack in there. But I will say, like,
(15:21):
if you take the twenty twenty three year out, like,
he's been a very average shortstop and I kind of
have said this before he signed that deal, So you know,
you need explosive players, and they've got some in the
minor leagues that are ready to step in and play
that position. So you just better be sure he's the
offensive player, the defensive player, and the leader that you
(15:41):
won on that team. Otherwise, you know, I would give
him a short leash.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yeah, JP Crawford two more years at eleven million dollars
per year twenty five and twenty six, twenty two million
dollars total. You know, he also has a big player
option for next year as Mitch Haniger. You know who
else is under contract for next year is Mitch Garver.
I mean, were rolling out those eyes again. I assume
that a Rose Arena ends up being your starting right
field or what kind of role does Mitch Handiger play,
especially if he picks up that player option next season?
Speaker 6 (16:10):
You know, I mean that's it's tough to have two
guys that struggle that bad with the player option and
like you're just forced to kind of, you know, take
them on and you have to give them a chance
or you can't just let that money just go to waste.
So I think, you know the same thing as this year, right,
Like hopefully Garvin and Handy can come in and they're
(16:30):
ready to go, and they're in a great spot and
they've made the adjustments. But you know, ultimately, like if
this team has the aspirations to win, they've got to
figure out you know, how to make them productive off
the bench, you know, so you give them a chance
to start early spring training and see if if it
looks different early on in the year, and then you know,
because you can't really control them to take that player
option and there's nothing else you can do.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I was trying to read the tea leaves of what
Jerry was talking about about payroll next year, and it
sounds like, Okay, it won't go down, It's naturally going
to go up because we've got guys going to arbitration
and having to make more money. But what I didn't
get the vibe was that he was actually going to
spend more money beyond what he's going to pay his
(17:15):
own players in raises. Is that kind of the vibe
you got from what you heard?
Speaker 6 (17:21):
Yeah, that's that's exactly what I heard. You know, Logan
Gilbert's going to go up, cal Rowley's going to arbitration
like where Zarny gets paid little more, Julio gets paid
a lot more. Like it's so you're you're basically going
to spend an arbitration what an adding of a really
good player would be is what he alluded to. And
that's you know, I think That's what everybody's been kind
of getting really frustrated about, is there's only so long
(17:43):
that you have these really good players on minimum, and
then you have to start paying them. So then in
the times that you could have added when it wasn't
going to hurt you, you didn't, and now you're in
this position where it's only going to get more and more,
you know, throughout the years.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Yeah, well, I mean it's essentially over.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
I mean, cal Raley's going to arbitration, Gilbert's going to arbitration,
I believe.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Is George Kirby going to arbitration? I think he is.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I gonna double check that. But the window that you're
talking about, I think is done. I mean they got
a couple of guys, you know, Miller and Wu still,
but for the most part, the idea that they've got
you know, five six young guys that are killing it
on you know, minor league or excuse me, you know
early you know, pre arbitration contracts. Those days are done.
So at some point they will have to go out
(18:26):
and spend some money. What do you do with cal Raley?
I mean, you just go to arbitration three years in
a row. Or do you put a new deal in
front of him right now, and hope that Scott Boris
agrees to.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
It and Kirby is going to arbitration.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
Yeah, there you go, right, Yeah, Kirby is a super too,
so he's techonally got four years of arbitration. But you know,
in regards to cal yeah, I mean you try and
find something right where. Okay, they offered him something in
the in spring training and it was apparently it was
nowhere near you know, of the value, which is what
(18:57):
you do in those types of moments. There's nothing wrong
with that. But now that he's had, you know, a
thirty one hundred season and he's gonna be nominated for
the Gold Glove, no doubt led the league or close
to the top of the league, and you know, Runners
cops stealing, and I mean, you got to offer him
something close to that. You have to keep this guy here, right,
Like what he means to the city, what he means
to this clubhouse, what he means as an offensive and defense, Like,
(19:20):
there's no way you can't let this guy go. And
even if you have to match the deal or whatever,
it's like, he means just too much to this organization
to let him go. So they have to figure out
a way to get it done. He deserves every bit
of it. And on his side, you know, maybe it's
not as long because he's getting older, but you know,
if he gets paid his you know what he's worked
per year, I think nobody in this city would disagree
(19:41):
with that, and I think everybody at organization would agree
the same.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
So if you may have another Mariner question for you,
but I got to ask you where forty or fifty four,
fifty nine ranks in all the great things you've ever
seen a baseball player do in your lifetime?
Speaker 6 (19:58):
Yeah, can you imagine if he would have just been
healthy to like throw a season like throw this year
and like where he would have landed. I mean, no
doubt it's one of, if not the greatest offensive season
that we've ever seen from a player. But I just
keep thinking, like what if he would have thrown this
year and won the cy young? Like he's just making
the game look so easy. You know, it's just crazy.
(20:19):
The game is not that easy, guys. Like it's a
really tough game to hit and to pitch in the
big leagues, but to do it at the level that
this guy is doing. Running the bases, hitting homers, striking
out big leaguers is insane to me, Like, we may
never and we probably won't ever see another player like
Shoeltana so in his prime. If you ever get the chance,
(20:40):
go watch and play wherever you're at, because there will
be nothing like him.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Well, I'll just ask you one more before we let
you go.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
I saw where Buster Posey is the new Giants president
of baseball Operations. They just fired their pres of baseball ops,
which is the same job Jerry's gotten. They gave it
to Buster Posey down there. Would you want to see
the Mariners ever do something like that? Give that job
to a I don't know. I mean, who would be
a candidate for that job at Dan wilfs So, Dan
Wilson's our buster pussy. They gave him the manager Martinez.
(21:07):
I mean just putting a putting a ex player that's batted.
There was a position player that had success with this
franchise in charge of everything. Would you like to see
the Mariners make a move like that one day? And
who would that guy be?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
For you?
Speaker 6 (21:20):
Yeah? I would absolutely, I think. And you know what's
interesting about Busters? He had a small percentage of ownership
and the Tigers or sorry, in the Giants and then
they moved him over here, so he was very involved
in like the signings and kind of getting acclimated on
the front office side of things. I'm the same guy
as Ken Grippy Jr. Keangrickory Junior's got a small ownership
(21:42):
percentage right for the Mariners, very respecting the community. Like
I think he's learned in the business side of things
more and more. And you know that that job definitely
comes with an aptitude of learning how to navigate, you know,
staff leadership and stuff. So you know, I don't know
Grippy's person that well, but I know busters like that.
Dan is definitely like that. But having someone like that
(22:03):
that can really relate to players, I think we're seeing
the benefit from Philly with Sam Fold in Texas with
Chris Young, and it's something that I think is going
to start to really turn former players that are understanding
the grand scope of the game coming back into the
game more and more.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Yeah, all right, man, listen, great stuff.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
I appreciate you doing this all week our all year long,
every week courtesy of Taco Time. I can't think of
a better guy to have on the year to let
us vent Monday afternoon, so keep it up and we'll
catch we'll touch base over the offseason, all right.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Pal, Thanks man.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
All right, guys, talk to you later, all.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Right, Steven sus a courtesy of Taco Time. We've got
a break, a little
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