January 28, 2025 • 28 mins
In the second hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain visit with former baseball General Manager Jim Bowden to dive deep into the Mariners spending and ownership issues plus the AL West and Hall of Fame vote before reacting to what Bowden had to say.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us on the radio show here.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
He is former Major League Baseball general manager now does
work in media, including for the Athletic Jim Bowden is
with us right now on the program.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Jim, how are you man?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Well, I'm doing a lot better than the Mariner's front
offices right now. I can tell you that.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Good Lord, Well, you can probably figure out the vibe
coming from Mariner fans in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Why don't you just take the floor?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Man as a former GM is a baseball fan, as
a guy that appreciates the opportunity the Mariners have with
their rotation right now, what do you make of the
job the Mariners have done over the offseason so far
to make this team better?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Jim?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I mean it's disgusting, gross, embarrassing, and it makes you
want to go the toilet and throw up. I mean, look,
here's the thing about the Mariners, and let's let's be honest,
right because I don't think there's a baseball person that
will disagree with this. Their starting rotation one to five
is as good as there is in baseball. Now. Some
can argue, doctor your Yankees. Okay, that's fine. I get it.
(01:03):
At the very least, it's top four out of the
thirty teams, which means if you get to October, you
have a legitimate shot at running the table and winning
a World Series. Like you have a shot. You know,
the hardest thing to get in baseball today, the hardest
thing to get is a starting an elite starting rotation. Right.
(01:24):
And what are the teams that I just mentioned that
are with the Mariners of the best rotation, The Dodgers,
the Yankees and the Phillies, three of the biggest payroll
teams in our sport, right? Why because they can afford
to do it. Now. Seattle's not in that arena because
they have so many young starters. They were able to
do it with Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, et cetera,
(01:45):
et cetera, Bryce Miller, Brian wou and then of course
Castille who they pay. So here's the thing. When you
have that kind of rotation, that's when as an owner,
a GM or a president, that's when you overspend beyond
your budget try to win when you have that window.
You don't wait until that window is closed. Then it's
(02:06):
too late, And all of a sudden, all these starting
pitchers are that good. Guess what happens to them, they
end up making thirty a year or thirty five a year.
That's where they're all going, and then you can't afford
them anymore, or then you have to trade them a
year before they make that kind of money. So the
point is, when you have a chance to win, you
can't look at your you can't go into your counting
department and be told, well, you're gonna lose ten million
(02:27):
or fifteen million or twenty million if you do this
or do that. No, no, no, no no. This is
when you go to the playoffs, you give a shot
to win a World Series, and you build the baseball
back in your city, and then the fans will understand
when you have to break it down. They'll be okay
with it. If you win. They're okay with star players leaving.
(02:47):
Let me give you an example, the Houston Astros. They
said goodbye to George Springer, they still won. They said
goodbye to Carlos Korea, they still won. They just said
goodbye to Kyle Tucker. They still have a chance to win.
So I guess my point is, go win now. They'll
understand when you break it down, but you got to
spend now.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
So what is the culpability of Jerry Depoto, and how
is he viewed amongst his peers. Is he viewed as
incompetent in being able to find one half of his
baseball team and that's the offensive side. Or is he
seen more like a sympathetic figure that like, hey, dude's
hands tied, he can't do anything.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, you know it's the latter. Yeah, everybody understand that
he's in some jail cell in Seattle, handcuffed to his
hands are handcuffed to the chair, his feet are handcuffed
to the jail door, and he's not allowed access to
a phone. I mean, that's what everybody thinks. And the
thing is privately and publicly, and I mean this legitimately.
(03:47):
He takes full responsibility and deflects it from the owner.
He protects the owner to everybody on or off the record,
everything's a baseball decision. Ownership gets into flexibility, but nobody
believes it. Nobody he does. And the only way people
aren't gonna believe it is if the Mariners go out
and do something. And the thing, the sad part to
me is Scott Bors is looking for someone to take
(04:09):
Pete a Lonzo from the men, right Scott Bors wants
somebody to give him the Cody Bellenser deal at the
Cubs gave him two years ago. He's begging. He would
love to go to Steve Cohen and say you lost
the player, and yet he only has Toronto, who's somewhat playing.
He would love to be able to take Alex Bregnant
and get him that long term deal that beats the
Astros deal, but he didn't have it. And can you
(04:31):
imagine Seattle if you had Alonzo and Bregman to this
group with Julio and Roeblaze and Rally and the group
you have now, with that rotation, I would get to
spend October in Seattle. I would get to eat the
salmon and eat those oysters and have a blast up there.
Why can't I spend October in Seattle just because the
owner doesn't want to spend money with this rotation? Please
(04:52):
stop making me throw up.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, well, you're appreciing the choir, and we're way beyond
puken here. By the way, this has been going on
for almost fifty years, so we are wait, whatever's after vobiting.
We've been there now for about two decades, by the way,
so I totally hear you. Jim Bowden, former Baseball GM
is with us, and I mean you mentioned Alonzo there.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
So I think the thought.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
That people had up here is that because the Mariners
don't have any money, whether because of their TV deal
they have that's gone totally south on them by the way,
or a cheap owner for whatever reason, the only way
they're going to improve this offense is by trading a
guy like Luis Castillo, who I believe is though twenty
six million dollars twenty four million dollars for next season.
(05:32):
Do you still see Castillo as trade bait that could
result in a bat or two coming back to Seattle.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I mean I would do it in a minute. Yeah,
I would. And I think they've tried. I think they've
talked to Boston about Tristan Casss that's been pretty public.
I think they've talked to Baltimore about some of their prospects,
including Samuel Bisseo and Kobe Meo. So I think they
have tried to go down that route. I think Jerry
understands that that may be his only pathway to be
(06:00):
able to get the bets they need. So yeah, I
think they're very open to that you know, they were
in on nailor with Cleveland. They just didn't match up
like you would think. But you know, Seattle, I know
is a fact they have. They've been making tremendous amount
of efforts to try to upgrade first base, and then
I'm told either second or third base. I always thought
(06:21):
it was third base, but when I talked to out
the GMS, they correct me and say that you know
they're looking for second or third, that they're not really
married to one position or the other. So I know
he's been out there trying, but every everything he's trying
to do is trying to get someone to take Canada
if they pay it down or take the feo in
that deal. And they haven't been able to match up
with somebody. So Okay, I know he's trying and making
(06:42):
an effort. The hard part is you got to get
something done. And the hard part is opportunities like this
don't come along very often. So let's hope for some
reason the owner wakes up on the right side of
the bed tomorrow morning and calls Scott Boris and gets
gets one of those bats.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Well, we know the park newters the output. There's there's
no question about it.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
But they did show with Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson
at the end of last year that there was a
different approach at the plate. It saw I think it
was once a seven to one six OPS in the
second half the season was actually was middle of baseball.
It was high middle in the last month and a
half of baseball. Do you see that potential going into
twenty twenty five or is that too small a sample
(07:22):
size and kind of a blip on the radar.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yeah, it's too it's too small of a sample size.
And be more concerned about the strikeouts than the ops. Yeah,
like that's where you need to focus. Get You got
to get you got to get rid of these team strikeouts.
You want to win this day and age. You got
to put the ball in play, especially in that ballpark.
You have to have contact in that part.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
The other thing that doesn't make any sense is you've
got to fix the batter's eye in Seattle. You know,
you've got too many opposing batters that complain about it
and no one does anything about it. And it's not
like it's that expensive. It's it costs you a fifth
outfielder or a sixth infielder. To sit there and fix it.
So help your own hitters. Try to get your hitters better.
I mean, they got to sit there and play. No
(08:04):
one else wants to play eighty one games with that
batter's eye. If it's complained about that much, then you
have to fix it. And the other thing, too, is
do what Baltimore is doing. It's okay if you have
to bring the walls in a little bit, it's okay
to do that. It's okay to spend a little bit
of money. I mean, I'm sorry, but if you have
to invest some of the money and take it out
of player payroll or take it out of international signings
(08:26):
to fix the wall and the batter's eye, to fix
your existing players, and you gotta friggin do it. I mean,
Julia Rodriguez should be forty homers forty steals. So if
we're not reaching that, let's try to find a way
to make the environment better for the players you have.
If you're not going to go out and spend the
money to go get the players to win a championship,
at the very least fix the things you can fix
(08:48):
to help your existing players.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Well, the batter's eye has been addressed multiple times since
Safego Field opened up in July of ninety nine, and
for whatever reason, they just can't get it right. I mean,
I think they have moved the fences in since they
opened up, and that still is not making a difference either.
So when it's all said and done, Jim and again,
Jim Bowden's with us on the air CBS the next serious.
He's all over the place, man, He's a jack of
(09:11):
all trades in baseball media. We're sitting here, it's January
twenty eighth. Pitchers and catchers are like two weeks away,
so Merrider fans expect anything of significance to help this
roster between now in the first of April.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Yeah, I can't answer that. I mean, based on their actions,
I can't give you any hope. But that being said,
we all know Jerry Depoto's one of the most aggressive
gms in baseball. It's been very bizarre to watch the
three most aggressive gms in the game, Jerry de Poto, Alexanthopolis,
and AJ Preller be extremely quiet, all three of them.
(09:45):
AJ Preller in San Diego, we get it. They have
no money. Alexanthopolis was unique until he signed profar last
week and then there's Jerry, who you know, he hasn't
seen a trade he doesn't like to make. I don't
know why it's that quot. I know he's willing to
talk about some of his top prospects in the system,
and I know he'll be creative if he has to
(10:06):
eat some money to trade at Castillo to get the
right batter too. So I think I want to stay
confidence in Jerry. I think we have to look at
this that he's gonna probably have to do it by
reducing payroll, not adding to it. But I still have
confidence and he's creating enough to do that. So maybe
you get the spring training in Arizona, uh, and maybe
(10:26):
there's a discussions continue and and the team kind of
comes together, you know, maybe they find that pathway, you know,
to make a deal or two that kind of fixes this.
So I'm gonna stay confidence. And look, I'll say this,
and I think this is an important note. Houston is
coming back to the pack. If they don't bring Bregman back,
and they've lost Tucker and Bregman, this is the only
(10:49):
left hand legit here in the lineup. Jordan Albarez. The
outfield right now looks like it'll be the worst in baseball.
So there's a really good chance that they could come
back to the pack and be third place, and it
could end up being Texas, Seattle, Houston, and then you've
got a path for a wild card even if you
don't make a move. So trying to be optimistic here,
betting on Jerry Depoto making a move in spring training,
(11:12):
and if the Astros don't sign Bregman, watching them come
back to the pack, perhaps you get in and good
things can happen. So let's stay positive. It's twenty twenty five,
it's a new year.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
You just released your your top ten major league breakout
candidates and the Mariners had number five, and that's Brian Wu.
So what do you love about Brian Wu? And what's
the upside there? What can Brian Wu eventually become in
major league baseball?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah, I mean, look, I think I think Wu can
end up being a guy that can start Game two
of a World Series, Game two of a playoffs. But
I think he's got that kind of ceiling. I mean,
we saw him really come on the last six weeks
of the season. I think you know, that walk ratio
that we saw down the stretch was amazing. And I
think as he continues to learn how to get hit,
(12:00):
to chase a little bit, go out of the strike
zone a little bit more than he does, I think
his he'll snumbers will even get better. And I think
he's very fortunate to be in the rotation with Gilbert
and Kirby and Bryce Miller. You know this, this this
group's gonna feed off each other, right, I mean, the
competition internally, I think helps them, and so WO kind
(12:22):
of look at him as like the fifth starter who's
got a chance to be the second starter when it's
all said and done. So I think this is the
year that he's going to break out and become a
WU guy.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well that's what we do in Seattle. We like to
call him WU a lot on the air. I like
to have some wins on the air as well. But
Jim Bowden is with us former GM talking to some
baseball Jim. The Mariners finished a game out of a
wild card spot last year, which is why this just
pisses me off so much. It's not like it's going
to take a lot to get this team over the top.
Baseball's made it easier than ever in the history of
(12:54):
the game to make the postseason and you can't get
there with the best pitching staff in the AL. I
think it was the first time since the o Wait
Blue Jays led the AL that somebody missed the postseason
but led the league in eer. But here's the point,
they missed the playoffs Jim by a game. Julio Rodriguez
had a seven thirty four ops a year ago. He
goes eight eighteen, eight fifty three the way he did
(13:16):
his first two years, they probably make it. What did
you see wrong from Julio Ronrigez last year? And how
confident are you he's going to bounce back?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I'm confidence, yeah, I mean it happens with young players.
The best thing that can happen to a young player
is failing and going backwards, because then they have to learn.
Then they have to go back and figure out what
they did right, what they need to and prove on.
And I have so much time, Like I think one
of the best things that Jerry did last year is
bringing the Edgar Martinez. You know, just let's just make
Jay Rod a hitter and then the power will follow.
(13:46):
Don't worry about the power. Let's just go. Let's just
go foul pole, the foul poll. Let's just hit line drive.
That's what Edgar is going to be able to teach him.
Stay back on the breaking ball and change ups. Don't
try to leave the league in homers, right, Just try
to try to get the highest on base percentage with
the hardest hit line drives. And he's going to be
a superstar. I'm telling you. I mean, he's one of
(14:08):
those guys I play fantasy baseball. I don't know if
you two guys do, but I'm going to be all
over jay Rod. I'm going to be taking him everywhere
because he's dropped so far and he's still the end
of the first round talent in fantasy because of that
potential that he's got. So I'm Keith the least of
my worries when I think of the Seattle Mariners.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Just saw whe Seattle's got six top one hundred prospects.
According to you know, some of the pundits out there,
that's second in baseball to the Tigers. How does that
translate in your experience when you see a team that
has so many top one hundred guys, does it usually
translate to wins three four years down the road or
is it not that significant?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
I mean, it depends on the prospects he can. But
the good organizations know when to trade the ones that
are being over ranked, and they know how to keep
the other ones. And that's going to be the key.
I mean, let's circle back. Let's talk about the Baltimo
Oriols for a minute, because I think everybody would agree.
Three years ago, we all looked at the Oarls as
the best farm system in baseball, not even close. And
(15:11):
now all of a sudden, nobody likes their farm system right,
and all of a sudden, Heston cursed at isn't quite
what we thought he was going to be right to
all of a sudden, all these great prospects, you know,
some of them lived up to it, some became suspects,
and some became non prospects. So you've got to know
when to be able to deal with You've got to
be understand when they're overrated and when they're not. And
(15:33):
prospects aren't just to help you win a championship at
the big league level. They're also there to be used
to go trade for that proven major league peace to
help you win right now. So you got to balance
the two. You don't want to trade the guy that's
going to be in multiple All Star Games or win
Stiver Sluggers or MVP Awards. But some of these other
guys that you absolutely love and think they're going to
be great, they're not all going to be great. So
(15:54):
you've got to really know the ones you and no
one's going to know the players better than the Mariners
know the ones that are. Don't you afraid to trade
the others to go get the piece that you need
right now?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Jim Bowden, Jim, it's always great to have you on.
I just want to leave you with this. We can't
pay you in cash, but we can try to get
some more social media followers for you, so follow at
Jim Bowden GM on X. We'd love to have you
on every week and which we could pay you. We
have to fire somebody, but we'll pay you to join
us every week on the radio station. If you're interested.
We can have our people talk to your people. So
let's get that done. But I do want to ask
(16:24):
him before you go about each roll makes the Hall
of Fame, but there was one guy that did not
vote for him. If he falls one vote short of
being unanimous, going to Cooperstown, what are your thoughts on
each Ro making the Hall of Fame with one vote,
one vote short of being unanimous.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Well, the person that didn't vote for him is a
coward for not publicly coming out and saying who he is,
so he's a coward and not being transparent. Number two,
the writer should take his vote away and never allow
him to vote again, because that's it's just embarrassing to
the process. We had the same problem with Jeter. Jeter
(17:02):
should have been unanimous with Eachiro and Mariano and the
fact that Jeter and each Hero aren't and that it's
just a joke. It's embarrassing, and you wonder, you know,
is it a personal thing or you know, what could
it be? Like? I want to know, like if you're
going to have this huge Hall of Fame that we
all trust, I want to know who votes and who doesn't.
I always respect the voters to come out and tell
(17:24):
me who they voted for. And even when people that
I highly respect, like Joel Sherman, who didn't vote for
Andrew Jones, which is a total joke, at least he's
out there being accountable. I can't get mad at somebody
that sits there and is accountable for their vote. They
give me the reasons why I may not agree with them,
and I might get red in the face and scream
at him. But okay, I get it, but it's unacceptable.
(17:46):
But I love the fact that each heiro invited them
to a drink, come over for a cocktail. And I
hope whoever whoever didn't vote for him at some point
isn't a coward and comes out, tells us who he is,
tell us why, And I hope he goes in exact
cocktail and films it for social media because I think
it'd be cool.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I'm telling you with you, hey, just do me a favorite.
Next time you come on, have an opinion? Will you,
forgot's sake?
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Please next time?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I know I need to work on. That'll be better
next time I come on.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
God, it's good, all right. Jim Boden great stuff man.
Follow him on Twitter at Jim Bowden GM. We'll talk
down the roadman, Thank you, palp all right, what do
you say we come back and just react to that? Wow,
I need to hold back at all. We're at the
Queen hand Pier Hall might need a drink after that
right here on ninety three three KJRFM.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Now back to Sophie and Dick on your home for
the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl fifty nine. Sports Radio
ninety three point three KJRFM touched down.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Jim Boden, former Baseball GM is with us and what
do you make of the job the Mariners have done
over the offseason so far to make this team better?
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Jim?
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I mean, it's disgusting, gross, embarrassing, and it makes you
want to go to the toilet and throw up.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
So what is the culpability of Jerry Depoto and how
is he viewed?
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Everybody understand that he's in some jail cell in Seattle.
Is he hands are handcuffed to the chair, his feet
are handcuffed to the jail door, and he's not allowed
access to a phone.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Wow, Well that's uh. You know, maybe next time when
he comes on the air, he won't hold back. I'm
really hoping he kind of opens up. Yeah, he was
kind of boring. Next time he comes on the air.
And the second thing I thought of when he said,
what was the exact quote again from Jim Bowens disgusting, gross,
makes me want to go to the toilet and throw it,
I says, I hope Donovan Solano's not tuning in or
(19:28):
Austin Shenton or Miles.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Master Bony, what do we get into here?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
God, those guys are like, really, jeez, thanks a lot, pal,
Holy cow, He's right.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
He's one thousand percent right.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
And what's interesting to me, and I don't know if
you guys have noticed this, is that you're starting to
see some of the national types start to write about
what's happening in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And the reason why they're writing about it is because
they made the playoffs two years ago and they started
to become relevant again because they were a playoff team
and they have this phenomenal rotation. They have this phenomen
young star, at least we thought in Julio Rodriguez, and
they start to turn some heads. And so I think
it's natural for a lot of people around the game
to kind of gravitate towards the underdog and root for
(20:12):
the little guy.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Right.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
It's why people were so mad when the A's went
to Vegas, because they screwed over a pretty loyal fan base.
When the fans have been getting screwed for all those
decades down there, people still think and know the Mariners
are the only team left in baseball too, have never
played in the World Series. And I think that people
in general terms, not everybody, but a lot of people
that cover the sport are genuinely offended by how the
(20:37):
Mariners are pissing away this pitching talent. I mean, you've
got five guys in Logan, Gilbert, Brian Wu, Kirby Miller,
and Castillo that's making thirty seven point six million dollars
combined for next year, and twenty four of that is
going to Luis Castile. I mean, this is again I've
said it before, it's a gift from the gods to
have a rotation that good, that's eating up that little
(20:59):
of your budget, and people see them throwing the opportunity
away when they would beg for that opportunity, and they're
literally offended.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Dick by what's happening here in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
We should all have somebody in our lives as loyal
to us as I was to the Mariner ownership for
years and years and years, saying all right, this is
gonna turn around when they're ready to win. And that
ready to win has come and they haven't turned it around,
(21:30):
and that has been the most disappointing thing to me.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Because it has It would not take a huge stretch
of the pocketbook.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
No, I mean we're talking about a couple of bats.
We're not talking about a total overhaul of the offense.
We're not talking about bringing two or three guys in
on eight ten year contracts for two hundred and fifty million.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
No, we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
A couple of guys that you could get on one
or two year deals for fifteen million apiece.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, that's what we're talking about. And look, it may
not take much.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
I mean, they may be able to make the playoffs
with the roster they have now, just because the division
is so weak. I mean, you know what is Garb
we're gonna do? You know what is Luke Raley gonna do?
What is Julio gonna do better than last year? I'm
still not convinced that Handiger is going to be on
the roster, to be honest with you, come April, so.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Yes, to look completely different in March and springs. Not
even counting on that guy.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
But let's just say for giggles he does make the roster,
what does he look like? I mean, if any of
those guys just improve a little bit, you might be able.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
To pull it off.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
But even then, I don't think you give the ownership
really any credit. I mean, guys, if you take enough
swings and throw enough darts, eventually you're gonna hit a bullseye,
no matter who you are, no matter how lame you are,
no matter how bad you are as an owner. You know,
we talked about the Drew Brees thing with Tom Benson.
Who is that, you know, idiot umbrella twirling clown that
would run around the sidelines and he lucks into Drew
(22:53):
Brees and he wins a title. I mean, it's gonna
happen to somebody. And that's the crazy thing about the Mariners.
They haven't even lucked into it.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
They haven't even lucked into making the World Series.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
They haven't even lucked into gett into Game seven of
the ALCS. So I just think that the Mariners for now,
and this can change if they win big, and they
win big fast. I don't know how else to say this,
and maybe I'm being dramatic. I think they really have
screwed up here. I think they've really screwed up with
their fan base. I think they've really screwed up with
(23:22):
their credibility. You can sit around all you want and
talk about waiting for the opportunity, and then when the
opportunity is punching you right in the mouth and you
do nothing about it, you really have embarrassed yourselves and
you've embarrassed your fan base. And when you start embarrassing
your clients and you start embarrassing your fans, that's when
people get really angry, and that's when they turn and
(23:43):
they turn for good.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
Yeah, when you have bad baseball fan bases like Tampa Bay, Florida,
that's one thing. Because those teams actually built winners. They
made the playoffs. Heck, they won a World Series, and
people still didn't come to the game.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
Sarners are fourteenth at attendance.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Yeah, so if I if I'm the owner, let's just
say take Tampa Bay. Right, If I'm the owner of
of the Rays, and I build this team that consistently
wins ninety games, they go to the playoffs, maybe win
a playoffs series, They're like competitive with the Yankees and
the Red Sox, and I'm getting twelve thousand a night,
I'd probably throw my hands up to and.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Say forgets you guys.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
I'm gonna strip it down and spend sixty five million
dollars on payrol. Sure, but that's not what we have
here in Seattle. Would we ever per game like twenty
four thousand a game something like that?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Last year? So here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
So they were last year, which is a year off
of making the playoffs, right years early, two years off
of making they were fourteenth at attendance. Okay, when they
made playoffs in two thousand, excuse me, twenty twenty three,
they were tenth the year after they made it, Like
that's all it took is one little stupid playoff appearance
in their top ten. Twenty twenty two, when they made
(24:51):
the post in they were fifteenth. But this is what
I actually think is kind of cool. Never mind COVID
twenty nineteen, when they're still kind of in their rebuilding,
they were twentieth in baseball.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
They were a terrible where's sixty seven games?
Speaker 2 (25:02):
By all accounts, they should have been Tampa Bay, They
should have been Baltimore. They should have been Pittsburgh or
Kansas City. Yet they're twentieth and they're getting over twenty.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
They should have been Tampa at fourteen seven.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I mean, Baltimore's supposedly this great history baseball town. Whatever,
Pirates Tigers, and they're out drawing them. I mean, the
fans are doing their part. Don't ever blame the fans
for this at all. The fans are doing more than
they should. If there's anybody who's got a right to
say up yours and suck it, it's the Mariner baseball
fan base, and they're not doing it. And maybe again
(25:33):
that's part of the reason why the team just keep
doing what they do. Maybe you're right that John. By
the way, your question that you asked me about six
months ago, is John Stanton aware of how much people
hate his guts? They're very aware, trust me, they're very aware.
He's absolutely aware of the way people feel about this baseball.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Does he care well?
Speaker 2 (25:51):
I don't know if he cares enough. I don't know
if Chris Larson cares enough. I mean, I don't think
we talk enough about Chris Larson either. I mean, Chris
Larson is apparently the majority O. He's the one with
the biggest vote in the room. He's the one with
the biggest piece.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Of the pie. I can't even tell you what his
voice sounds like.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I just what I don't Trott and Stanton's ass out
there to take all these bullets for him.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
It's kind of weak, to be honest with you.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
What I don't understand is the thought of year to
year profits versus long term profitability, right right, And if
you were to just spend a little bit to get
a fifth hitter and a seventh hitter, how about that
right to just lengthen your lineup a little bit and
(26:33):
make yourself feel like, you know what, we don't have
to win every single one run game to make sure
we win ninety games to make the playoffs. That we
got a little cushion here, right, We're gonna make the
playoffs fairly easily. Think about the butts in seats you're
gonna get. Think about the future, the future sale price
of this baseball team. If you had a little bit
(26:54):
of history behind if you have a little bit of
winning behind it, you're eventually gonna sell the team. The
better you do, the more your team is worth. And
that's I mean, that's what I don't understand why you
wouldn't want to put the extra investment in your business
to make it sustainable in the long term and profitable.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Dodgers apparently made one hundred and twenty million dollars off
showy of Tani in year one, and they gave him
seven hundred million dollars and a lot of that's deferred
by the way, which is going to save them money
down the road, because seven hundred million in twenty years
from now won't look they're gonna make up everything dollar.
It's a pretty present. They make money and pay shove
money down their freaking throats. I don't know, they just
I mean, it's hard to argue that they have the passion.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
It just is.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
It's hard to argue that they want to win this
as bad as we do. And maybe this is the
year where they luck into it, right, and they got
a shot with this pitching staff. They got a shot,
But I just kind of feel like, my God, even
if they make it, you just don't want to give
the ownership any credit for any of it, because you know,
it's just all about their turn and they're lucking into
it with this great pitching staff, and they won despite
(27:56):
their offense.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
So let's hope it's not the case.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Let's hope, like you said, the pitching staff is great again,
which might be a lot to ask after the health
they had a year ago.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
That's knock on wood, right.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, but let's hope the offense can be semi productive
and at least make this thing fun.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
We're gonna break
Joining us on the radio show here.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
He is former Major League Baseball general manager now does
work in media, including for the Athletic Jim Bowden is
with us right now on the program.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Jim, how are you man?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Well, I'm doing a lot better than the Mariner's front
offices right now. I can tell you that.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Good Lord, Well, you can probably figure out the vibe
coming from Mariner fans in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Why don't you just take the floor?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Man as a former GM is a baseball fan, as
a guy that appreciates the opportunity the Mariners have with
their rotation right now, what do you make of the
job the Mariners have done over the offseason so far
to make this team better?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Jim?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I mean it's disgusting, gross, embarrassing, and it makes you
want to go the toilet and throw up. I mean, look,
here's the thing about the Mariners, and let's let's be honest,
right because I don't think there's a baseball person that
will disagree with this. Their starting rotation one to five
is as good as there is in baseball. Now. Some
can argue, doctor your Yankees. Okay, that's fine. I get it.
(01:03):
At the very least, it's top four out of the
thirty teams, which means if you get to October, you
have a legitimate shot at running the table and winning
a World Series. Like you have a shot. You know,
the hardest thing to get in baseball today, the hardest
thing to get is a starting an elite starting rotation. Right.
(01:24):
And what are the teams that I just mentioned that
are with the Mariners of the best rotation, The Dodgers,
the Yankees and the Phillies, three of the biggest payroll
teams in our sport, right? Why because they can afford
to do it. Now. Seattle's not in that arena because
they have so many young starters. They were able to
do it with Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, et cetera,
(01:45):
et cetera, Bryce Miller, Brian wou and then of course
Castille who they pay. So here's the thing. When you
have that kind of rotation, that's when as an owner,
a GM or a president, that's when you overspend beyond
your budget try to win when you have that window.
You don't wait until that window is closed. Then it's
(02:06):
too late, And all of a sudden, all these starting
pitchers are that good. Guess what happens to them, they
end up making thirty a year or thirty five a year.
That's where they're all going, and then you can't afford
them anymore, or then you have to trade them a
year before they make that kind of money. So the
point is, when you have a chance to win, you
can't look at your you can't go into your counting
department and be told, well, you're gonna lose ten million
(02:27):
or fifteen million or twenty million if you do this
or do that. No, no, no, no no. This is
when you go to the playoffs, you give a shot
to win a World Series, and you build the baseball
back in your city, and then the fans will understand
when you have to break it down. They'll be okay
with it. If you win. They're okay with star players leaving.
(02:47):
Let me give you an example, the Houston Astros. They
said goodbye to George Springer, they still won. They said
goodbye to Carlos Korea, they still won. They just said
goodbye to Kyle Tucker. They still have a chance to win.
So I guess my point is, go win now. They'll
understand when you break it down, but you got to
spend now.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
So what is the culpability of Jerry Depoto, and how
is he viewed amongst his peers. Is he viewed as
incompetent in being able to find one half of his
baseball team and that's the offensive side. Or is he
seen more like a sympathetic figure that like, hey, dude's
hands tied, he can't do anything.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, you know it's the latter. Yeah, everybody understand that
he's in some jail cell in Seattle, handcuffed to his
hands are handcuffed to the chair, his feet are handcuffed
to the jail door, and he's not allowed access to
a phone. I mean, that's what everybody thinks. And the
thing is privately and publicly, and I mean this legitimately.
(03:47):
He takes full responsibility and deflects it from the owner.
He protects the owner to everybody on or off the record,
everything's a baseball decision. Ownership gets into flexibility, but nobody
believes it. Nobody he does. And the only way people
aren't gonna believe it is if the Mariners go out
and do something. And the thing, the sad part to
me is Scott Bors is looking for someone to take
(04:09):
Pete a Lonzo from the men, right Scott Bors wants
somebody to give him the Cody Bellenser deal at the
Cubs gave him two years ago. He's begging. He would
love to go to Steve Cohen and say you lost
the player, and yet he only has Toronto, who's somewhat playing.
He would love to be able to take Alex Bregnant
and get him that long term deal that beats the
Astros deal, but he didn't have it. And can you
(04:31):
imagine Seattle if you had Alonzo and Bregman to this
group with Julio and Roeblaze and Rally and the group
you have now, with that rotation, I would get to
spend October in Seattle. I would get to eat the
salmon and eat those oysters and have a blast up there.
Why can't I spend October in Seattle just because the
owner doesn't want to spend money with this rotation? Please
(04:52):
stop making me throw up.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, well, you're appreciing the choir, and we're way beyond
puken here. By the way, this has been going on
for almost fifty years, so we are wait, whatever's after vobiting.
We've been there now for about two decades, by the way,
so I totally hear you. Jim Bowden, former Baseball GM
is with us, and I mean you mentioned Alonzo there.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
So I think the thought.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
That people had up here is that because the Mariners
don't have any money, whether because of their TV deal
they have that's gone totally south on them by the way,
or a cheap owner for whatever reason, the only way
they're going to improve this offense is by trading a
guy like Luis Castillo, who I believe is though twenty
six million dollars twenty four million dollars for next season.
(05:32):
Do you still see Castillo as trade bait that could
result in a bat or two coming back to Seattle.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I mean I would do it in a minute. Yeah,
I would. And I think they've tried. I think they've
talked to Boston about Tristan Casss that's been pretty public.
I think they've talked to Baltimore about some of their prospects,
including Samuel Bisseo and Kobe Meo. So I think they
have tried to go down that route. I think Jerry
understands that that may be his only pathway to be
(06:00):
able to get the bets they need. So yeah, I
think they're very open to that you know, they were
in on nailor with Cleveland. They just didn't match up
like you would think. But you know, Seattle, I know
is a fact they have. They've been making tremendous amount
of efforts to try to upgrade first base, and then
I'm told either second or third base. I always thought
(06:21):
it was third base, but when I talked to out
the GMS, they correct me and say that you know
they're looking for second or third, that they're not really
married to one position or the other. So I know
he's been out there trying, but every everything he's trying
to do is trying to get someone to take Canada
if they pay it down or take the feo in
that deal. And they haven't been able to match up
with somebody. So Okay, I know he's trying and making
(06:42):
an effort. The hard part is you got to get
something done. And the hard part is opportunities like this
don't come along very often. So let's hope for some
reason the owner wakes up on the right side of
the bed tomorrow morning and calls Scott Boris and gets
gets one of those bats.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Well, we know the park newters the output. There's there's
no question about it.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
But they did show with Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson
at the end of last year that there was a
different approach at the plate. It saw I think it
was once a seven to one six OPS in the
second half the season was actually was middle of baseball.
It was high middle in the last month and a
half of baseball. Do you see that potential going into
twenty twenty five or is that too small a sample
(07:22):
size and kind of a blip on the radar.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yeah, it's too it's too small of a sample size.
And be more concerned about the strikeouts than the ops. Yeah,
like that's where you need to focus. Get You got
to get you got to get rid of these team strikeouts.
You want to win this day and age. You got
to put the ball in play, especially in that ballpark.
You have to have contact in that part.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
The other thing that doesn't make any sense is you've
got to fix the batter's eye in Seattle. You know,
you've got too many opposing batters that complain about it
and no one does anything about it. And it's not
like it's that expensive. It's it costs you a fifth
outfielder or a sixth infielder. To sit there and fix it.
So help your own hitters. Try to get your hitters better.
I mean, they got to sit there and play. No
(08:04):
one else wants to play eighty one games with that
batter's eye. If it's complained about that much, then you
have to fix it. And the other thing, too, is
do what Baltimore is doing. It's okay if you have
to bring the walls in a little bit, it's okay
to do that. It's okay to spend a little bit
of money. I mean, I'm sorry, but if you have
to invest some of the money and take it out
of player payroll or take it out of international signings
(08:26):
to fix the wall and the batter's eye, to fix
your existing players, and you gotta friggin do it. I mean,
Julia Rodriguez should be forty homers forty steals. So if
we're not reaching that, let's try to find a way
to make the environment better for the players you have.
If you're not going to go out and spend the
money to go get the players to win a championship,
at the very least fix the things you can fix
(08:48):
to help your existing players.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Well, the batter's eye has been addressed multiple times since
Safego Field opened up in July of ninety nine, and
for whatever reason, they just can't get it right. I mean,
I think they have moved the fences in since they
opened up, and that still is not making a difference either.
So when it's all said and done, Jim and again,
Jim Bowden's with us on the air CBS the next serious.
He's all over the place, man, He's a jack of
(09:11):
all trades in baseball media. We're sitting here, it's January
twenty eighth. Pitchers and catchers are like two weeks away,
so Merrider fans expect anything of significance to help this
roster between now in the first of April.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Yeah, I can't answer that. I mean, based on their actions,
I can't give you any hope. But that being said,
we all know Jerry Depoto's one of the most aggressive
gms in baseball. It's been very bizarre to watch the
three most aggressive gms in the game, Jerry de Poto, Alexanthopolis,
and AJ Preller be extremely quiet, all three of them.
(09:45):
AJ Preller in San Diego, we get it. They have
no money. Alexanthopolis was unique until he signed profar last
week and then there's Jerry, who you know, he hasn't
seen a trade he doesn't like to make. I don't
know why it's that quot. I know he's willing to
talk about some of his top prospects in the system,
and I know he'll be creative if he has to
(10:06):
eat some money to trade at Castillo to get the
right batter too. So I think I want to stay
confidence in Jerry. I think we have to look at
this that he's gonna probably have to do it by
reducing payroll, not adding to it. But I still have
confidence and he's creating enough to do that. So maybe
you get the spring training in Arizona, uh, and maybe
(10:26):
there's a discussions continue and and the team kind of
comes together, you know, maybe they find that pathway, you know,
to make a deal or two that kind of fixes this.
So I'm gonna stay confidence. And look, I'll say this,
and I think this is an important note. Houston is
coming back to the pack. If they don't bring Bregman back,
and they've lost Tucker and Bregman, this is the only
(10:49):
left hand legit here in the lineup. Jordan Albarez. The
outfield right now looks like it'll be the worst in baseball.
So there's a really good chance that they could come
back to the pack and be third place, and it
could end up being Texas, Seattle, Houston, and then you've
got a path for a wild card even if you
don't make a move. So trying to be optimistic here,
betting on Jerry Depoto making a move in spring training,
(11:12):
and if the Astros don't sign Bregman, watching them come
back to the pack, perhaps you get in and good
things can happen. So let's stay positive. It's twenty twenty five,
it's a new year.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
You just released your your top ten major league breakout
candidates and the Mariners had number five, and that's Brian Wu.
So what do you love about Brian Wu? And what's
the upside there? What can Brian Wu eventually become in
major league baseball?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah, I mean, look, I think I think Wu can
end up being a guy that can start Game two
of a World Series, Game two of a playoffs. But
I think he's got that kind of ceiling. I mean,
we saw him really come on the last six weeks
of the season. I think you know, that walk ratio
that we saw down the stretch was amazing. And I
think as he continues to learn how to get hit,
(12:00):
to chase a little bit, go out of the strike
zone a little bit more than he does, I think
his he'll snumbers will even get better. And I think
he's very fortunate to be in the rotation with Gilbert
and Kirby and Bryce Miller. You know this, this this
group's gonna feed off each other, right, I mean, the
competition internally, I think helps them, and so WO kind
(12:22):
of look at him as like the fifth starter who's
got a chance to be the second starter when it's
all said and done. So I think this is the
year that he's going to break out and become a
WU guy.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well that's what we do in Seattle. We like to
call him WU a lot on the air. I like
to have some wins on the air as well. But
Jim Bowden is with us former GM talking to some
baseball Jim. The Mariners finished a game out of a
wild card spot last year, which is why this just
pisses me off so much. It's not like it's going
to take a lot to get this team over the top.
Baseball's made it easier than ever in the history of
(12:54):
the game to make the postseason and you can't get
there with the best pitching staff in the AL. I
think it was the first time since the o Wait
Blue Jays led the AL that somebody missed the postseason
but led the league in eer. But here's the point,
they missed the playoffs Jim by a game. Julio Rodriguez
had a seven thirty four ops a year ago. He
goes eight eighteen, eight fifty three the way he did
(13:16):
his first two years, they probably make it. What did
you see wrong from Julio Ronrigez last year? And how
confident are you he's going to bounce back?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I'm confidence, yeah, I mean it happens with young players.
The best thing that can happen to a young player
is failing and going backwards, because then they have to learn.
Then they have to go back and figure out what
they did right, what they need to and prove on.
And I have so much time, Like I think one
of the best things that Jerry did last year is
bringing the Edgar Martinez. You know, just let's just make
Jay Rod a hitter and then the power will follow.
(13:46):
Don't worry about the power. Let's just go. Let's just
go foul pole, the foul poll. Let's just hit line drive.
That's what Edgar is going to be able to teach him.
Stay back on the breaking ball and change ups. Don't
try to leave the league in homers, right, Just try
to try to get the highest on base percentage with
the hardest hit line drives. And he's going to be
a superstar. I'm telling you. I mean, he's one of
(14:08):
those guys I play fantasy baseball. I don't know if
you two guys do, but I'm going to be all
over jay Rod. I'm going to be taking him everywhere
because he's dropped so far and he's still the end
of the first round talent in fantasy because of that
potential that he's got. So I'm Keith the least of
my worries when I think of the Seattle Mariners.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Just saw whe Seattle's got six top one hundred prospects.
According to you know, some of the pundits out there,
that's second in baseball to the Tigers. How does that
translate in your experience when you see a team that
has so many top one hundred guys, does it usually
translate to wins three four years down the road or
is it not that significant?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
I mean, it depends on the prospects he can. But
the good organizations know when to trade the ones that
are being over ranked, and they know how to keep
the other ones. And that's going to be the key.
I mean, let's circle back. Let's talk about the Baltimo
Oriols for a minute, because I think everybody would agree.
Three years ago, we all looked at the Oarls as
the best farm system in baseball, not even close. And
(15:11):
now all of a sudden, nobody likes their farm system right,
and all of a sudden, Heston cursed at isn't quite
what we thought he was going to be right to
all of a sudden, all these great prospects, you know,
some of them lived up to it, some became suspects,
and some became non prospects. So you've got to know
when to be able to deal with You've got to
be understand when they're overrated and when they're not. And
(15:33):
prospects aren't just to help you win a championship at
the big league level. They're also there to be used
to go trade for that proven major league peace to
help you win right now. So you got to balance
the two. You don't want to trade the guy that's
going to be in multiple All Star Games or win
Stiver Sluggers or MVP Awards. But some of these other
guys that you absolutely love and think they're going to
be great, they're not all going to be great. So
(15:54):
you've got to really know the ones you and no
one's going to know the players better than the Mariners
know the ones that are. Don't you afraid to trade
the others to go get the piece that you need
right now?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Jim Bowden, Jim, it's always great to have you on.
I just want to leave you with this. We can't
pay you in cash, but we can try to get
some more social media followers for you, so follow at
Jim Bowden GM on X. We'd love to have you
on every week and which we could pay you. We
have to fire somebody, but we'll pay you to join
us every week on the radio station. If you're interested.
We can have our people talk to your people. So
let's get that done. But I do want to ask
(16:24):
him before you go about each roll makes the Hall
of Fame, but there was one guy that did not
vote for him. If he falls one vote short of
being unanimous, going to Cooperstown, what are your thoughts on
each Ro making the Hall of Fame with one vote,
one vote short of being unanimous.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Well, the person that didn't vote for him is a
coward for not publicly coming out and saying who he is,
so he's a coward and not being transparent. Number two,
the writer should take his vote away and never allow
him to vote again, because that's it's just embarrassing to
the process. We had the same problem with Jeter. Jeter
(17:02):
should have been unanimous with Eachiro and Mariano and the
fact that Jeter and each Hero aren't and that it's
just a joke. It's embarrassing, and you wonder, you know,
is it a personal thing or you know, what could
it be? Like? I want to know, like if you're
going to have this huge Hall of Fame that we
all trust, I want to know who votes and who doesn't.
I always respect the voters to come out and tell
(17:24):
me who they voted for. And even when people that
I highly respect, like Joel Sherman, who didn't vote for
Andrew Jones, which is a total joke, at least he's
out there being accountable. I can't get mad at somebody
that sits there and is accountable for their vote. They
give me the reasons why I may not agree with them,
and I might get red in the face and scream
at him. But okay, I get it, but it's unacceptable.
(17:46):
But I love the fact that each heiro invited them
to a drink, come over for a cocktail. And I
hope whoever whoever didn't vote for him at some point
isn't a coward and comes out, tells us who he is,
tell us why, And I hope he goes in exact
cocktail and films it for social media because I think
it'd be cool.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I'm telling you with you, hey, just do me a favorite.
Next time you come on, have an opinion? Will you,
forgot's sake?
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Please next time?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I know I need to work on. That'll be better
next time I come on.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
God, it's good, all right. Jim Boden great stuff man.
Follow him on Twitter at Jim Bowden GM. We'll talk
down the roadman, Thank you, palp all right, what do
you say we come back and just react to that? Wow,
I need to hold back at all. We're at the
Queen hand Pier Hall might need a drink after that
right here on ninety three three KJRFM.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Now back to Sophie and Dick on your home for
the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl fifty nine. Sports Radio
ninety three point three KJRFM touched down.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Jim Boden, former Baseball GM is with us and what
do you make of the job the Mariners have done
over the offseason so far to make this team better?
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Jim?
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I mean, it's disgusting, gross, embarrassing, and it makes you
want to go to the toilet and throw up.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
So what is the culpability of Jerry Depoto and how
is he viewed?
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Everybody understand that he's in some jail cell in Seattle.
Is he hands are handcuffed to the chair, his feet
are handcuffed to the jail door, and he's not allowed
access to a phone.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Wow, Well that's uh. You know, maybe next time when
he comes on the air, he won't hold back. I'm
really hoping he kind of opens up. Yeah, he was
kind of boring. Next time he comes on the air.
And the second thing I thought of when he said,
what was the exact quote again from Jim Bowens disgusting, gross,
makes me want to go to the toilet and throw it,
I says, I hope Donovan Solano's not tuning in or
(19:28):
Austin Shenton or Miles.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Master Bony, what do we get into here?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
God, those guys are like, really, jeez, thanks a lot, pal,
Holy cow, He's right.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
He's one thousand percent right.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
And what's interesting to me, and I don't know if
you guys have noticed this, is that you're starting to
see some of the national types start to write about
what's happening in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And the reason why they're writing about it is because
they made the playoffs two years ago and they started
to become relevant again because they were a playoff team
and they have this phenomenal rotation. They have this phenomen
young star, at least we thought in Julio Rodriguez, and
they start to turn some heads. And so I think
it's natural for a lot of people around the game
to kind of gravitate towards the underdog and root for
(20:12):
the little guy.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Right.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
It's why people were so mad when the A's went
to Vegas, because they screwed over a pretty loyal fan base.
When the fans have been getting screwed for all those
decades down there, people still think and know the Mariners
are the only team left in baseball too, have never
played in the World Series. And I think that people
in general terms, not everybody, but a lot of people
that cover the sport are genuinely offended by how the
(20:37):
Mariners are pissing away this pitching talent. I mean, you've
got five guys in Logan, Gilbert, Brian Wu, Kirby Miller,
and Castillo that's making thirty seven point six million dollars
combined for next year, and twenty four of that is
going to Luis Castile. I mean, this is again I've
said it before, it's a gift from the gods to
have a rotation that good, that's eating up that little
(20:59):
of your budget, and people see them throwing the opportunity
away when they would beg for that opportunity, and they're
literally offended.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Dick by what's happening here in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
We should all have somebody in our lives as loyal
to us as I was to the Mariner ownership for
years and years and years, saying all right, this is
gonna turn around when they're ready to win. And that
ready to win has come and they haven't turned it around,
(21:30):
and that has been the most disappointing thing to me.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Because it has It would not take a huge stretch
of the pocketbook.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
No, I mean we're talking about a couple of bats.
We're not talking about a total overhaul of the offense.
We're not talking about bringing two or three guys in
on eight ten year contracts for two hundred and fifty million.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
No, we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
A couple of guys that you could get on one
or two year deals for fifteen million apiece.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, that's what we're talking about. And look, it may
not take much.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
I mean, they may be able to make the playoffs
with the roster they have now, just because the division
is so weak. I mean, you know what is Garb
we're gonna do? You know what is Luke Raley gonna do?
What is Julio gonna do better than last year? I'm
still not convinced that Handiger is going to be on
the roster, to be honest with you, come April, so.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Yes, to look completely different in March and springs. Not
even counting on that guy.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
But let's just say for giggles he does make the roster,
what does he look like? I mean, if any of
those guys just improve a little bit, you might be able.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
To pull it off.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
But even then, I don't think you give the ownership
really any credit. I mean, guys, if you take enough
swings and throw enough darts, eventually you're gonna hit a bullseye,
no matter who you are, no matter how lame you are,
no matter how bad you are as an owner. You know,
we talked about the Drew Brees thing with Tom Benson.
Who is that, you know, idiot umbrella twirling clown that
would run around the sidelines and he lucks into Drew
(22:53):
Brees and he wins a title. I mean, it's gonna
happen to somebody. And that's the crazy thing about the Mariners.
They haven't even lucked into it.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
They haven't even lucked into making the World Series.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
They haven't even lucked into gett into Game seven of
the ALCS. So I just think that the Mariners for now,
and this can change if they win big, and they
win big fast. I don't know how else to say this,
and maybe I'm being dramatic. I think they really have
screwed up here. I think they've really screwed up with
their fan base. I think they've really screwed up with
(23:22):
their credibility. You can sit around all you want and
talk about waiting for the opportunity, and then when the
opportunity is punching you right in the mouth and you
do nothing about it, you really have embarrassed yourselves and
you've embarrassed your fan base. And when you start embarrassing
your clients and you start embarrassing your fans, that's when
people get really angry, and that's when they turn and
(23:43):
they turn for good.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
Yeah, when you have bad baseball fan bases like Tampa Bay, Florida,
that's one thing. Because those teams actually built winners. They
made the playoffs. Heck, they won a World Series, and
people still didn't come to the game.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
Sarners are fourteenth at attendance.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Yeah, so if I if I'm the owner, let's just
say take Tampa Bay. Right, If I'm the owner of
of the Rays, and I build this team that consistently
wins ninety games, they go to the playoffs, maybe win
a playoffs series, They're like competitive with the Yankees and
the Red Sox, and I'm getting twelve thousand a night,
I'd probably throw my hands up to and.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Say forgets you guys.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
I'm gonna strip it down and spend sixty five million
dollars on payrol. Sure, but that's not what we have
here in Seattle. Would we ever per game like twenty
four thousand a game something like that?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Last year? So here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
So they were last year, which is a year off
of making the playoffs, right years early, two years off
of making they were fourteenth at attendance. Okay, when they
made playoffs in two thousand, excuse me, twenty twenty three,
they were tenth the year after they made it, Like
that's all it took is one little stupid playoff appearance
in their top ten. Twenty twenty two, when they made
(24:51):
the post in they were fifteenth. But this is what
I actually think is kind of cool. Never mind COVID
twenty nineteen, when they're still kind of in their rebuilding,
they were twentieth in baseball.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
They were a terrible where's sixty seven games?
Speaker 2 (25:02):
By all accounts, they should have been Tampa Bay, They
should have been Baltimore. They should have been Pittsburgh or
Kansas City. Yet they're twentieth and they're getting over twenty.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
They should have been Tampa at fourteen seven.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I mean, Baltimore's supposedly this great history baseball town. Whatever,
Pirates Tigers, and they're out drawing them. I mean, the
fans are doing their part. Don't ever blame the fans
for this at all. The fans are doing more than
they should. If there's anybody who's got a right to
say up yours and suck it, it's the Mariner baseball
fan base, and they're not doing it. And maybe again
(25:33):
that's part of the reason why the team just keep
doing what they do. Maybe you're right that John. By
the way, your question that you asked me about six
months ago, is John Stanton aware of how much people
hate his guts? They're very aware, trust me, they're very aware.
He's absolutely aware of the way people feel about this baseball.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Does he care well?
Speaker 2 (25:51):
I don't know if he cares enough. I don't know
if Chris Larson cares enough. I mean, I don't think
we talk enough about Chris Larson either. I mean, Chris
Larson is apparently the majority O. He's the one with
the biggest vote in the room. He's the one with
the biggest piece.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Of the pie. I can't even tell you what his
voice sounds like.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I just what I don't Trott and Stanton's ass out
there to take all these bullets for him.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
It's kind of weak, to be honest with you.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
What I don't understand is the thought of year to
year profits versus long term profitability, right right, And if
you were to just spend a little bit to get
a fifth hitter and a seventh hitter, how about that
right to just lengthen your lineup a little bit and
(26:33):
make yourself feel like, you know what, we don't have
to win every single one run game to make sure
we win ninety games to make the playoffs. That we
got a little cushion here, right, We're gonna make the
playoffs fairly easily. Think about the butts in seats you're
gonna get. Think about the future, the future sale price
of this baseball team. If you had a little bit
(26:54):
of history behind if you have a little bit of
winning behind it, you're eventually gonna sell the team. The
better you do, the more your team is worth. And
that's I mean, that's what I don't understand why you
wouldn't want to put the extra investment in your business
to make it sustainable in the long term and profitable.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Dodgers apparently made one hundred and twenty million dollars off
showy of Tani in year one, and they gave him
seven hundred million dollars and a lot of that's deferred
by the way, which is going to save them money
down the road, because seven hundred million in twenty years
from now won't look they're gonna make up everything dollar.
It's a pretty present. They make money and pay shove
money down their freaking throats. I don't know, they just
I mean, it's hard to argue that they have the passion.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
It just is.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
It's hard to argue that they want to win this
as bad as we do. And maybe this is the
year where they luck into it, right, and they got
a shot with this pitching staff. They got a shot,
But I just kind of feel like, my God, even
if they make it, you just don't want to give
the ownership any credit for any of it, because you know,
it's just all about their turn and they're lucking into
it with this great pitching staff, and they won despite
(27:56):
their offense.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
So let's hope it's not the case.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Let's hope, like you said, the pitching staff is great again,
which might be a lot to ask after the health
they had a year ago.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
That's knock on wood, right.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, but let's hope the offense can be semi productive
and at least make this thing fun.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
We're gonna break
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