May 5, 2026 • 32 mins
In the second hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain chat with NBA broadcaster and former coach PJ Carlesimo about the ongoing NBA playoff series matchups, LeBron James’ continued greatness, and the status of NBA expansion, then Mariners play by play voice Aaron Goldsmith talks about Seattle’s start to 2026, Luis Castillo, and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, joining us right now on the radio show.
(00:03):
Because he's busy enough. We got to sneak in a
visit with him before he settles down to watch something everywhere. Oops,
tonight we'll give people the schedule, by the way. Yeah,
so let's see.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Uh, he was last night's Philadelphia New York like I
mentioned Saturday, he was at Philadelphia at Boston game seven.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Right.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
He was in Toronto and Cleveland on Wednesday and did
two games in the San Antonio Portland series.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Well, good thing he's thirty five years old.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Man Carlos is joining us right now on the radio
show talking to some NBA playoffs.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
PJ.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
You're you're gonna be seventy seven at the end of
this month. You ever thought about slowing down?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Yes, I'm not even thinking about it. My body's telling
me that the getting up to getting up this morning
to get back here for a couple of days was tough.
We got the Uh, we got games three and four
in Philadelphia this weekend at the New York Philly series.
So I need we need Philly to play a little better. They,
in fairness, they were tired, but the Knicks are cooking.
(01:02):
You mentioned what they've done not only three times in
a row they scored a million points, but they've won
four straight playoff games. Philly had won three straight going
into last night. I mean, it's hard to win a
playoff game. To win three in a row, as both
of them did to close out Atlanta and Boston respectively,
was really impressive. But last night the Knicks just continued
(01:25):
to play. Can't say they played as well as they
played in Atlanta. That was ridiculous, but it was close.
I mean, the Garden was jumping early and they just
got so far ahead. It was really quiet testing and
I kept looking at each other going the Knicks are
up twenty points and the Garden is like, really quiet.
I think the people were expected a much more competitive game,
(01:46):
and hopefully for us selfishly, the series will get better.
I was just talking to Mike Breen on the way
back from the airport. They have the game, ESPN's got
the game Wednesday night, and then we've got our radio.
We're back in Philadelphia Friday and Sunday. So hopefully that's
gonna be a good series. It's not the series anybody expected.
Everybody's been waiting all year for New York versus Boston.
(02:09):
But not to be.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So, why has New York popped the way that they
have because they scuffled against the Hawks until the end
of that series when they blew them out in the
last game. Why have they looked like the team that
we thought they were going to be all season long.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Well, they tweaked the offense. And it was funny because
before the game Mike Brown, who's you know, a good
buddy we worked together in San Antonio a bunch of
years ago, said they changed the offense to get they're
running it now more through Karl Anthony Towns, and they
have Jalen Brunson off the ball a little bit more.
(02:46):
It's not like he doesn't have the ball in his hands,
but not nearly as much. And for whatever reason, they
hit upon So they made two different changes. Mike had
away he wanted to play early in the year. It
wasn't really working out on the offensive. Then they tweaked it,
you know, try and get everybody involved, and they stayed
with that and for the most part it was working.
They won two more games than they did last year.
(03:07):
It wasn't like they didn't have a good year. But
I mean, their ownership right from the beginning said if
we don't win a championship, this is not a good year.
So you know, they didn't pretend what expectations were and
it wasn't working. You talked about it. They were on
the ropes against Atlanta in the first couple of games,
and they changed it again and it's really worked well.
(03:29):
Now it's a very short sample. It's only three or
four games. I'm not sure what game they actually changed it,
but it is working. The offense is flowing, they're passing ball.
They're really playing unselfish. That would have never called them
a selfish team. But the ball is really popping. They're
up and down the floor more. They lead all the
sixteen playoff teams in fast break points. They're playing at
(03:51):
a quicker pace. They're moving the ball from side to side.
And Katz got last four games in the Atlanta series,
he had two double doubles and two triple doubles. I mean,
that's incredible. So he loves it. He's happy. You know,
he's always kind of the center of the storm in
New York. Whatever he does, or Michael Bridges does, it's
never enough. So right now it's going great. He's very happy.
(04:16):
I mean, he was bubbling over in his postgame interview
last night. So hopefully if you're a Nick fan, they
can keep it going well.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
PJ Carlismo with us and PJ, the Spurs and that
team from Oklahoma are the heavy favorites, the two of them,
and then there's a big gap between them and the
rest of the NBA. How honestly surprised after watching the
entire first round unfold. How surprised would you be if
it was anybody besides Oklahoma City or San Antonio.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Winning the NBA title.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I'd be very surprised, But I would have told you
the same thing if we were Buzz on the show
yesterday afternoon, I'd have said san Antonio was so impressive
the way they closed out Portland. Portland played better than
people gave him credit for. They were really doing some
good things. Denny Outvia was playing out of his mind.
Robert Williams, the third off the bench, was really playing well.
(05:08):
Drew Holliday was playing like he's ten years younger, and
san Antonio just handled him. I never thought Minnesota would
go win and steal that game. One Game ones are strange.
You never know what's gonna happen. It's a feel out game,
and Minnesota was coming off obviously an emotional win against Denver,
but as undermanned as they are, even getting ant Man back,
(05:32):
that was a very very surprising result to me, and
we could very well end up there. We're not sure
where we're going yet from Philadelphia on Sunday, but I
think if I'm not mistaken, there's a game next Tuesday there,
so it kind of aligns for us to maybe go there.
But I thought San Antonio would win this series. I
didn't think they'd walk over Minnesota, but I certainly didn't
(05:55):
expect last night. I mean, you know, you're in a
hole right now. You cannot afford to lose your two
games in your own building. So it's gonna be interesting
to watch how the Spurs respond.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
PJ.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
The Lakers were given no shot to beat Houston. They
were eight to one underdogs in that series. Give us
your take on what Lebron was able to do in
that series and is there any shot for them in
this series?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I say no shot for them in this series. What happened?
Houston A didn't play well. B Kevin Durant didn't play.
I've lost track. I think he played one game. We
had Game one in that series where Kevin came out
right before the game and I could see he had
his head. This is, you know, an hour and a half,
(06:41):
two hours before the game. He was shooting around and
he was hanging his head, and I knew, and I
started down. We're in that chick her and radio spot
in Los Angeles, And before I could get down to
the court, I was just gonna go over and say
hello and ask him how he was feeling. He was gone.
He walked off the court. Five minutes later. The phones
started like lighting up that he wasn't going to play,
(07:03):
and that was a major problem. But that's not given
the Lakers enough credit. Lebron, in my opinion, I don't
think he would admit it. He did not mind at all.
No Luca and no Austin Reeves, and it's the Lebron
show like that we're used to. He's the middle of everything,
he has the ball, and he's going to be the
deciding factor in the series. He just took it and
(07:25):
ran with it and loved it. I mean, I know
how happy he was to be the main guy throughout
that series and show again that he's just he's kind
of supernatural. So he loved it. I don't know that
he could do it necessarily through four rounds of the playoffs,
but I just had to think. I wanted to see
him after the one game, just you know, kind of
(07:47):
wink at him and say, yeah, this isn't exactly breaking
your heart that you got to pick up the load now.
But he was magnificent. But even if and when they
get Luca back, and I have no idea Austin came
back the other night, obviously, if they get Luca back,
I mean, that is some trio. But they're just OKC
(08:09):
is the real deal. They're so deep, they're so well coached.
They got a great, great player in Shay and have
got like four or five other really really good players.
I just they've proven that the champions. They've proven all
year they're the best team in the league. Again. Yeah,
and they have home court advantage, although home court advantage
has not manized so far in the playoffs. It's kind
(08:30):
of amazing what's been going on with so many road
teams winning games. But I'm going to be surprised if
OKAC gets knocked out by anybody along the way.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Well, we hope they slip on a banana peel and
bust their faces open. At least I do here in Seattle.
I got no love loss for those.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I don't think. Yeah, I don't think a lot of
people are pulling for them here for yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
No question.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
But look, you mentioned Lebron. He's going to be forty
two in December. As of now, we don't know what
he's doing next year. Right, Has he come back for
it twenty fourth year? Does he sit it out, does
he retire?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Whatever?
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Maybe the way this thing goes will dictate what he does.
But let's say Lebron called you up, he said, PJ,
I respect you. What should I do?
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Do I keep this thing going? Do I retire and
call it quits?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Well, I've got some semblance of a pretty damn good
game to walk away with my health.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
What do you think Lebron should do and will do
next year?
Speaker 3 (09:23):
I think he will do what his body tells him,
and I think it is as simple as that. He's incredible. No,
I don't say no. When Kobe was the same way.
They take not good exceptional care of their body. If
the average fan knew how hard they work to maintain
what they do. JJ Reddick was a kind of a
(09:45):
fitness freak. Also when he was playing, He's blown away
by watching Lebron day in and day out and what
he does to be able to play at this level.
I just say to Lebron, Lebron, what's your body telling you?
And I think he got to play with BRONI a
lot this year and it worked out a lot better
than I would have thought it was going to work out.
They still put it in games when it matters. It's incredible.
(10:09):
It's not going to surprise me if it works out.
And I have no idea about the trades or what
the demand would be or anything. I'm still not going
to be surprised if somehow, some way he ends up
in Cleveland for one year before before he hangs it up. Yeah, again,
that's just a hunch. You know, it's worked out really
(10:31):
well in LA. He may just say that that's it,
you know, this is it. But he is so accurate,
so Ohio centric, that it's not going to surprise me
if somehow, some way, at some point he makes his
way back to Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
PJ.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Of the complaints that I hear about the league from fans,
particularly in this city, who like to complain about the
NBA One of them that I really buy into, though,
is the fact that we're shooting eighty three pointers a game,
and only of the top eleven teams in three point
attempts this year, only one is left in the playoffs.
So well, the gms and coaches maybe pay attention to
(11:10):
that a little bit and maybe swing us away from
this three point shooting fest that we've had in the
regular season.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
I think they will. I think the playoffs are going
to dictate that NBA has always been and always will
be a copycat league, depending on who wins, if it's
okay see again, and depending how the playoffs go. Some
of these teams that shot the three so well in
the regular season and have struggled to do it and
the playoffs might say, hey, you know what, I know
(11:39):
what the analytics say, but what the playoff results are
saying is a different thing. I would not be as
surprised to see it slide back a little bit. Though
it's not going away. It's still going to be a
three point fest, there's no question about that. But I
do think the playoffs are going to dictate the PLO
(12:00):
and the results will dictate I think exactly what you're
talking about a slide back start next season.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, PJ Carlismo with us and PJ, you know, we're
all waiting this summer to maybe get some news on
the Sonics. I know Adam Silver came out the year Day,
last week whatever it was, and said there's a chance
that may not happen until the end of the year,
to which a lot of people start to get concerned
about stuff. If they're kicking the can down the road
even further, now, how far will they kick.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
It in the twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Are you getting any kind of gut feel from things
that you've observed people you've talked to around the NBA
about what that expansion process is going to look like
between now and.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
The end of the counter year.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
The sense in the league is now that there is
enough sentiment among the owners. I you know, again, we've
had this conversation, the three of us so many times.
I thought years ago it was on fast track. I
think they got some more pushback than they anticipated from
some owners. There's still some owners I think are not
in favor of it, But but I think now the
(13:02):
majority is the other way. I really do. I think
it's I think it's moving along now. It's certainly not
moving along as quickly as any of us in Seattle
would like. I keep here in twenty eight, twenty nine
maybe being the season that the expansion, you know, where
they actually have a team, and you know, they got
a lot of figuring out to do. But I mean,
(13:22):
it's not brain surgery. Like once they you know, pull
pull the trigger and say we're going forward, they can
figure out all the things how they're going to do it, expansion, draft,
all those things. How much is how much the team
is going to pay? And you got to wait and see,
you know, who's going to step up. It's hard for
me to imagine with what's going on in the values
of all the franchise, a lot of the professional sports,
(13:44):
but certainly in the NBA, that there's going to be
a shortage that people are going to step up and
be competitive and want to be the owner in Seattle
or want to be the owner in Las Vegas. So again,
I'm really optimistic, but you know, I've been that way
for a long time, and truth be told, it's taken
much longer than I anticipated it would take.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Well, do you think this bizarre Portland situation and the
new ownership and the arena problems that they're having. You
think that'll have any impact on what's happening potentially with expansion.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
A little tiny bit. Some owners are going to say, hey,
you know, I knew we were spending too much money.
If this guy does this and it works, we're going
to go forward. I think right now he's going to
see some pushback. I think Thiago Splitter was treated very,
very unfairly. You know, I'm always going to come down
on the side of coaches, but he didn't do a
good job. He did an excellent job this year. And
the number one criteria to me when you evaluate a
(14:42):
coach in the league is how does the team play
for him? You know, do they compete for him? Do
they like playing for him? And that was a resounding
ten out of ten in Portland. Those guys loved playing
for him. I thought they played their butts off. I
thought they overachieved. He handled an incredibly difficult situation and
they just ignore it. And they're talking to all these
(15:03):
other people allegedly, and I don't know if it's true.
They're not looking to pay a lot of money. That's
not a good thing. The message in general is not
going to be good. Ultimately, when a player makes a decision,
the money's going to be the biggest factor. But when
you start getting into secondary decisions, nobody's gonna like this
(15:24):
stuff that you know, if it's true check you know,
to checking out a hotels, they're not paying salaries that
you know, we're going to operate differently. I do not
think that's gonna fly in the NBA. I think some
people are going to say, yeah, we can cut back too,
but nobody's going to go as extreme as it appears
he's going right now in.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Portland, PJ. Ain't Carlosimo. Always great to hear your voice.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
I hope you can enjoy a nice night with a
glass of wine, maybe watch a little basketball, refresh, regroup
before you hit the road again.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Man, great stuff, and we'll talk soon. Man, thanks coach.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Great great being with you guys. Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
All right, But PJ.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Carlos and I just wonder how Jackson I want you
involved in this conversation to Sonic fans feel about, okay,
see winning another title because to me, the band aid
was ripped off when they won last year, right, I
mean that was the big one, right when they finally
got number one, it's still a scar. But yeah, yeah,
there's a scar. But it's like, you know, you're nervous
about the clowns moving in next door. They've already moved in,
(16:20):
and now they're bringing more clowns with him. Right, the
circus is just gonna get louder and louder with this
ball club. I mean, what's gonna piss you off is
when you realize that they got a dynasty going in
Oklahoma City and they might be able to win.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Three or five or I don't think something like that.
That would drive me bananas.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
I don't think that's gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
I hope not.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I think there's one man that's gonna keep that from happening.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Wemby.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Wemby, that's right, Well, maybe he does it this year
because OKAC doesn't have a Wemby. I think San Antonio
is a year away from legitimately beating them in the playoffs, right,
but they will and when they do, Like, I just
don't see Oklahoma City as a team that has the
super star like he's gonna win the MVP.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
He's not a generational superstar.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
In the NBA like what he is?
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Jackson? What about you? Yeah, Bobby, it does.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
I mean, at the end of the day, like it'll
always bother me because like I get a I mean,
I think it's a different generational thing too, because for me,
the Sonics left when I was sixteen years old, right,
and I mean that was right there in.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
The prime thing.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
And and I kind of turned my life into Sounder
fandom from what could have very really been Basketball Sonics fandom,
and my entire life shifts one way, and I'm glad
the way it did, but like still, they altered my
and every kid in sports fans life who was around
my age then, And I don't know how how would
(17:46):
my life is as a as a broadcaster in Seattle
be different. Well, and they took away that opportunity and
and I will always be bitter about that.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Well, Tob Bryan Schmetzer when he comes out at five
forty five, the only reason why you're a sounderss fans
because there's NBA.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
If not for then you might be hosting Sonics Weekly
instead of Sounders.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Me.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Yeah, it's I mean that's really possible.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Yeah, well yeah, there's there's there's always you that bitterness
in the scar And you're right, Softie like it's now
like it is not an open wound. The scar is
over there. But even when you press down on it,
you still feel it. You feel it emotionally, you feel
it physically.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Don't touch it, as my parents used to say, don't
pick at it, don't touch it. Well thanks to PJ.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Carlism doesn't know anything about basketball.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
For joining us on the show. Aaron Goldsmith will join
at four point thirty, Julio Rodriguez at five p thirty.
Come it up because we continue from Jimmy's on first.
Speaker 6 (18:45):
Now back to Softie and Dick Gone your home for
the Huskies Krack and the twelfth Man Sports Radio ninety
three point three kJ R FM three two.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Hi, what.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Does it happen? Proford? That's going ahead to run run
all right, hey, before we get to that guy.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Aaron Goldsmith update from the NHL draft lottery, Toronto was
one the maple Leafs have won. They will pick first,
Santos they will pick second, Vancouver will pick third, Your
Seattle Kraken will pick wait for it seventh and the
upcoming NHL draft. Uh here to join us right now
to talk about that and give us his take on
who the Kracking should take at number seven and the
(19:36):
NHL Draft. Our friend Aaron Goldsmith from the Mariner TV
broadcast joining us right now on the show.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Aaron, you probably like the Serbian kid, right like the
rest of us do.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
What's your thought on I think he is a very
high ceiling softee very high.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Well, we appreciate the insight, but yeah, Cracking are gonna
pick seventh. Toronto has won the lottery. Well, hey, listen,
it's good to finally do this. The last time we
tried to do this the station almost burned down with
a generator fire or an electrical fire. The time before that,
I forgot and we didn't call Goldie, so that was
my fault. It's a miracle that we were actually able
(20:13):
to pull this off. So we've been looking forward to
having you on. Why don't you give us your thoughts
Aaron on the first thirty six games of the year
and your view from high above the field from your
broadcast booth on what you've seen in the first month
or so of baseball.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
Well, it's been a mixed bag, and you can probably
say that about most teams, maybe outside of the team
that's here at Team Obile Park. The Braves and the
Dodgers and maybe the Yankees to some extent as well.
But it's been a mixed bag of results for the
Mariners obviously, which is probably to be expected. A lot
of teams are going through that. The injuries recently have
not helped at all. The Boltin is really in a
(20:48):
tough spot. I think before we knew that cal Rawly
would play today, So let's go back to last night.
When you find out the gap spires on the injury list,
you're uncertain about cal Rawly's immediate future. Does he need
to go on the IL. I have a hard time
kind of thinking back the last time the Mariners twenty
six man roster has been this kind of influx and
beat up with as many really high profile, important guys
(21:12):
that have been unavailable. So it's going to be a
tough stretch of time I think for Dan Wilson to
manage that bullpen, in particular the back end. That bullpen
has been hit really hard. Obviously, they've lost the best
lefty and they're setup man as well, so they're eager
to have Brendon Donovan come back. I think it's a
tough book to judge entirely given the help of the team.
(21:33):
But there are definitely some things that they need to
clean up. But they've also had some things that they've
been very good at.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
So far this year.
Speaker 6 (21:38):
And the important thing is that they haven't buried themselves.
Right there is still in the certainly the front half
of the season, and they still are in position to
do really good things this season.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Well that's a day despite being banged up, like you mentioned,
I mean, they're fourth in the AL and run differential.
There's only three teams in the league over five hundred
right now. Do you think that continues? Is this league
really this media? Do you think we will see a
multitude of teams with ninety plus wins at.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
The end of the year.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
Well, I think the West is certainly that mediocre, and
maybe that gives the Mariners that maybe. I think it
certainly does give the Mariners a little more leeway to
try to figure some things out and to get healthy.
I mean, the A's right now are leading the division
and I had to look that up. I'm not a
big division standings guy on Sinco Tomyo, but the Mariners
(22:28):
are right there, even though they have not played great
baseball so far, and so there isn't really a team
in the American League outside of what the Yankees have
done so far this year, and the Rays have been
a surprise, but outside of New York, really where you go, Yeah,
that could be a real problem of a team, I
mean outside of that. I don't know who you're talking about,
(22:48):
so not you specifically, but you know what I'm saying. So, yeah,
it's a good time for the Mariners if there is
such a thing to be banged up in figuring some
things out. I think there's still plenty of runway left
or not just for the Mariners, but be you know,
to be fair about it for everybody.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Okay, Well, in the immediate the Luis Castillo situation is
at top of mind because here comes Bryce Miller very soon.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
Kate Anderson's ripping up double A Arkansas. You know, er
Bill Krueger.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Aaron was on the show with us yesterday and kind
of had the idea that maybe with the bullpen injuries,
that Bryce Miller is a bullpen arm when he gets activated.
Hancock's going nowhere obviously, but how do you see that
thing playing out in the next maybe who knows, a
couple of weeks.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
It's very tricky, right, it's a good problem to have.
Every team would love to have a upper tier starting pitcher,
and we've seen Miller be that in the past, come
back and get healthy, and every team would love to
have a logjam in their five man rotation.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
It's tough, man.
Speaker 6 (23:49):
What you don't want to do is if you put
a guy in the bullpen, then when Heaven forbid, there
is an issue down the road, and just the odds
being what they are, there will be an issue with
something down the road with another Mariner starter, because that's
just what happens in baseball today. Well, now you don't
have anybody stretched out who can make it an immediate
impact for you. Right, if you have somebody down Triple A,
(24:09):
you call them up and you plug and play. They're
ready to go. You have to build somebody back up again,
which I think would be an issue. I don't know
what the answer is. You could go to a six
man rotation. There are complications with that as well. What
you didn't lose something in your bolting because of that
(24:29):
with just a strict number of pictures you're allowed to
carry you piggyback two guys. I don't know it is.
I keep coming back to this, it's a good problem
to have. The opposite end of this problem, guys is
you're down to starting pitchers and now you have to
rush the guy. Even though KATEA. Anderson's in magnificent so far,
(24:49):
you have to rush the guy of the major leagues, right,
So it's a good place to be. I mean, heck,
I'm not trying to foreshadow anything, BA, but there there
might not be indeed for six man rotation and by
the time Bryce Miller is ready to go, who knows, right,
But they're in a good place that they have an
excess of something that is the most premium position in baseball,
(25:09):
which is starting pitching.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Well, what, Aaron, what's wrong with Castile? I mean, what
do you see, like if maybe you've had conversations with him.
Fifty five base runners allowed as last twenty eight and third,
that's a lot of base runners for him.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
What do you think is going on with Luis Castile?
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Well, for starters, I did think he looked significantly better
his last time of the mount. We saw the fastball
was more like what we saw from the fastball in
his season debut against New York. We saw even ninety
eight flash. I thought he threw maybe his best pitch
of the year when he ran ninety eight up and
in on a lefty for a punch out. I mean,
that's that's premium stuff from Luis Castillo. Now, is he
(25:47):
going to be the same guy that he was back
in the wild Card Series against Toronto a few years back? No,
I think those days are past him, but he should still.
He's certainly is still capable of being a serviceable starter.
And I mean for the Mariners it might be therefore,
but for other teams it would be two or three.
Just give them the Mariner's rotation depth. I don't think
(26:09):
that there needs to be mass panicked after four starts. Now,
there are parts of those four starts that weren't good.
There's just no way around it. I think Luise would
be the first one to tell you that. But all
things are magnified, whether you're on the mound or the
matter's box, all things are magnified in the first of
the season because we don't have anything else to judge
it on. Right, if if there was a runway of
(26:31):
a month and a half or two months before, those
those starts don't seem as bad as they were, even
though the impact remains the same, you just have you
have more to work off of. So he needs to
be able to get deeper into games. He knows that
the Mariners know that he's been hit around too much.
They've been nice where he hasn't had a good feel
for the slider. But we also I think with a
(26:53):
guy like Luis Castillo, in my opinion, he's earned the
right to get back on the horse and figure it out.
And I think we've thought signs of that his last time.
But it does need to be trending more in that
direction than what we saw in the weeks prior to that.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
You mentioned the word panicked.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
I'm not panicked about this defense, but I am concerned
about the defense because I don't think it looks as
sharp as it did last season. Or are you in
agreement with that, and how does that get cleaned up?
Speaker 3 (27:16):
If so.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I don't think the Mariners have been a premium that
I'm not suggesting that this is what you're saying. To
be clear, that the Mariners have not been a premium
defensive team for any number of the last handful of years.
They just they don't have those kind of defenders, kind
of defenders that they have are the ones is a
broad brush, they're accept the rule, but generally speaking, they
have the kind of guys who are going to make
(27:39):
the plays in the box. Right, They're going to make
the plays when the ball.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Is hit to them.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
A lot of especially rangey defense. Julio has proven over
the course of his career that he's an exception to that.
We've seen Cal be a premium defender behind home plate
as well over the course.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Of his career.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
But beyond that, right those days, JP of the of
the immense ranger behind him. He just needs to make
the plays in the box. And I think for the
vast majority of JP's career everyone has felt very confident
when the ball gets hit to him, like he's you
until a recent error, which I'm sure is among the
(28:15):
things they're referring to, like you feel good when the
ball is at the JP croppers, Right. That's what the
Mariners need to get back to, right. I don't believe
they're going to grade out exceptionally well on as above
average or depends to run saves, of which a grade
well because of one player, Cole Young. Right now, he's
got probably half of the drs. And I also think
when you start looking at the advanced stuff, that's not
(28:37):
meant to work on a six week samples. That's meant
to work on a six month sample. But the eye
test against the Royals in particular was not good.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
Right.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
They misplayed, They misplayed balls that they should have made
the playoffs. They have to get back to the BA
I think that's really the realistic expectation. If they can
do that, this can be a World Series aliber team.
But they got to make the plays that are no doubt.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Hey, Goldie, before you go, I'm certain and Aaron Goldsmith's
with us. I'm certain that there's some little seven or
eight year old kid running around who wants to be
Aaron Goldsmith, screaming for their parents all day long. So
what you guys do is important, and when one of
the brethren passes away, it resonates through the sport. We
(29:26):
saw a lot of people paying tribute last night all
over baseball to John Sterling, who died at the age
of eighty seven, one of the legendary Titans and baseball
radio history. Any thoughts on the passing of a guy
that called almost half of all Yankee postseason games.
Speaker 6 (29:46):
Yeah, it hit me hard and everyone else in our industry.
I think, unfortunately, I think there's a perception of John
in his later years of diminishing high side and not
seeing the all clearly and the things that that led to.
But I think when you really go back and you
listen to the body of work from John Sterling in
(30:07):
the most critical media market in the world, what John
did was remarkable. It really was. And his greatest gift
was who he was, and that he didn't pray from.
He found a way to be remarkably unique in an
industry that is becoming more and more kind of homogeneous
and everyone of sounding more and more alike. And I'm
(30:31):
sure I'm guilty of that to a certain degree. And
John was unapologetically him and it was great. And I
listened to so much the Yankees baseball on the radio
on my phone for the last decade plus, not because
I cared about the Yankees. I didn't care for the
Yankees at all. I wanted to hear John and Susan because,
(30:51):
you know what, it was a really good time. They
were having a great time, and because they were having
a great time, I had a great time. And I
became very front with John over the last few years,
and once I worked up the courage eventually to say
hello to him and introduce myself when I was a
young major league broadcaster, and he was an absolute prince
of a man who was always the best rest guy
(31:14):
and treated everybody with extreme grace, which maybe is not
expected of a Yankees personnel, but that certainly was the
case with John and with Susan. And he'll be sorely missed.
And it does whenever something like this happens, which no
one obviously likes, it is a nice reminder of the
power of baseball, the power of baseball and the radio
(31:36):
in particular, and the everyday picture of it. And for decades,
this man was in everyone's radio, coming through their speakers
wherever they were around the world at some time, and
a powerful impact that he had not just on Yankees fans,
but on baseball fans around the world.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Deal Well said, hey, listen man, great stuff, and glad
that we finally had a chance to get together and
have you on with us on the show. They say,
absence makes the heart grow fun And I am now
fonderer of you because we had to wait this long
to talk, So thank you, Thanks Goldie.
Speaker 6 (32:06):
Hey, my pleasure guys, good talking.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
You see you man.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Aaron Goldsmith with us, we're gonna break textimonials, and then
John Wilder joins at five.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
That guy Julio Rodriguez gonna join us. Yeah, how about
brough five thirty right here on ninety three three KJRFM
All right, joining us right now on the radio show.
(00:03):
Because he's busy enough. We got to sneak in a
visit with him before he settles down to watch something everywhere. Oops,
tonight we'll give people the schedule, by the way. Yeah,
so let's see.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Uh, he was last night's Philadelphia New York like I
mentioned Saturday, he was at Philadelphia at Boston game seven.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Right.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
He was in Toronto and Cleveland on Wednesday and did
two games in the San Antonio Portland series.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Well, good thing he's thirty five years old.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Man Carlos is joining us right now on the radio
show talking to some NBA playoffs.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
PJ.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
You're you're gonna be seventy seven at the end of
this month. You ever thought about slowing down?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Yes, I'm not even thinking about it. My body's telling
me that the getting up to getting up this morning
to get back here for a couple of days was tough.
We got the Uh, we got games three and four
in Philadelphia this weekend at the New York Philly series.
So I need we need Philly to play a little better. They,
in fairness, they were tired, but the Knicks are cooking.
(01:02):
You mentioned what they've done not only three times in
a row they scored a million points, but they've won
four straight playoff games. Philly had won three straight going
into last night. I mean, it's hard to win a
playoff game. To win three in a row, as both
of them did to close out Atlanta and Boston respectively,
was really impressive. But last night the Knicks just continued
(01:25):
to play. Can't say they played as well as they
played in Atlanta. That was ridiculous, but it was close.
I mean, the Garden was jumping early and they just
got so far ahead. It was really quiet testing and
I kept looking at each other going the Knicks are
up twenty points and the Garden is like, really quiet.
I think the people were expected a much more competitive game,
(01:46):
and hopefully for us selfishly, the series will get better.
I was just talking to Mike Breen on the way
back from the airport. They have the game, ESPN's got
the game Wednesday night, and then we've got our radio.
We're back in Philadelphia Friday and Sunday. So hopefully that's
gonna be a good series. It's not the series anybody expected.
Everybody's been waiting all year for New York versus Boston.
(02:09):
But not to be.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So, why has New York popped the way that they
have because they scuffled against the Hawks until the end
of that series when they blew them out in the
last game. Why have they looked like the team that
we thought they were going to be all season long.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Well, they tweaked the offense. And it was funny because
before the game Mike Brown, who's you know, a good
buddy we worked together in San Antonio a bunch of
years ago, said they changed the offense to get they're
running it now more through Karl Anthony Towns, and they
have Jalen Brunson off the ball a little bit more.
(02:46):
It's not like he doesn't have the ball in his hands,
but not nearly as much. And for whatever reason, they
hit upon So they made two different changes. Mike had
away he wanted to play early in the year. It
wasn't really working out on the offensive. Then they tweaked it,
you know, try and get everybody involved, and they stayed
with that and for the most part it was working.
They won two more games than they did last year.
(03:07):
It wasn't like they didn't have a good year. But
I mean, their ownership right from the beginning said if
we don't win a championship, this is not a good year.
So you know, they didn't pretend what expectations were and
it wasn't working. You talked about it. They were on
the ropes against Atlanta in the first couple of games,
and they changed it again and it's really worked well.
(03:29):
Now it's a very short sample. It's only three or
four games. I'm not sure what game they actually changed it,
but it is working. The offense is flowing, they're passing ball.
They're really playing unselfish. That would have never called them
a selfish team. But the ball is really popping. They're
up and down the floor more. They lead all the
sixteen playoff teams in fast break points. They're playing at
(03:51):
a quicker pace. They're moving the ball from side to side.
And Katz got last four games in the Atlanta series,
he had two double doubles and two triple doubles. I mean,
that's incredible. So he loves it. He's happy. You know,
he's always kind of the center of the storm in
New York. Whatever he does, or Michael Bridges does, it's
never enough. So right now it's going great. He's very happy.
(04:16):
I mean, he was bubbling over in his postgame interview
last night. So hopefully if you're a Nick fan, they
can keep it going well.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
PJ Carlismo with us and PJ, the Spurs and that
team from Oklahoma are the heavy favorites, the two of them,
and then there's a big gap between them and the
rest of the NBA. How honestly surprised after watching the
entire first round unfold. How surprised would you be if
it was anybody besides Oklahoma City or San Antonio.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Winning the NBA title.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I'd be very surprised, But I would have told you
the same thing if we were Buzz on the show
yesterday afternoon, I'd have said san Antonio was so impressive
the way they closed out Portland. Portland played better than
people gave him credit for. They were really doing some
good things. Denny Outvia was playing out of his mind.
Robert Williams, the third off the bench, was really playing well.
(05:08):
Drew Holliday was playing like he's ten years younger, and
san Antonio just handled him. I never thought Minnesota would
go win and steal that game. One Game ones are strange.
You never know what's gonna happen. It's a feel out game,
and Minnesota was coming off obviously an emotional win against Denver,
but as undermanned as they are, even getting ant Man back,
(05:32):
that was a very very surprising result to me, and
we could very well end up there. We're not sure
where we're going yet from Philadelphia on Sunday, but I
think if I'm not mistaken, there's a game next Tuesday there,
so it kind of aligns for us to maybe go there.
But I thought San Antonio would win this series. I
didn't think they'd walk over Minnesota, but I certainly didn't
(05:55):
expect last night. I mean, you know, you're in a
hole right now. You cannot afford to lose your two
games in your own building. So it's gonna be interesting
to watch how the Spurs respond.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
PJ.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
The Lakers were given no shot to beat Houston. They
were eight to one underdogs in that series. Give us
your take on what Lebron was able to do in
that series and is there any shot for them in
this series?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I say no shot for them in this series. What happened?
Houston A didn't play well. B Kevin Durant didn't play.
I've lost track. I think he played one game. We
had Game one in that series where Kevin came out
right before the game and I could see he had
his head. This is, you know, an hour and a half,
(06:41):
two hours before the game. He was shooting around and
he was hanging his head, and I knew, and I
started down. We're in that chick her and radio spot
in Los Angeles, And before I could get down to
the court, I was just gonna go over and say
hello and ask him how he was feeling. He was gone.
He walked off the court. Five minutes later. The phones
started like lighting up that he wasn't going to play,
(07:03):
and that was a major problem. But that's not given
the Lakers enough credit. Lebron, in my opinion, I don't
think he would admit it. He did not mind at all.
No Luca and no Austin Reeves, and it's the Lebron
show like that we're used to. He's the middle of everything,
he has the ball, and he's going to be the
deciding factor in the series. He just took it and
(07:25):
ran with it and loved it. I mean, I know
how happy he was to be the main guy throughout
that series and show again that he's just he's kind
of supernatural. So he loved it. I don't know that
he could do it necessarily through four rounds of the playoffs,
but I just had to think. I wanted to see
him after the one game, just you know, kind of
(07:47):
wink at him and say, yeah, this isn't exactly breaking
your heart that you got to pick up the load now.
But he was magnificent. But even if and when they
get Luca back, and I have no idea Austin came
back the other night, obviously, if they get Luca back,
I mean, that is some trio. But they're just OKC
(08:09):
is the real deal. They're so deep, they're so well coached.
They got a great, great player in Shay and have
got like four or five other really really good players.
I just they've proven that the champions. They've proven all
year they're the best team in the league. Again. Yeah,
and they have home court advantage, although home court advantage
has not manized so far in the playoffs. It's kind
(08:30):
of amazing what's been going on with so many road
teams winning games. But I'm going to be surprised if
OKAC gets knocked out by anybody along the way.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Well, we hope they slip on a banana peel and
bust their faces open. At least I do here in Seattle.
I got no love loss for those.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I don't think. Yeah, I don't think a lot of
people are pulling for them here for yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
No question.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
But look, you mentioned Lebron. He's going to be forty
two in December. As of now, we don't know what
he's doing next year. Right, Has he come back for
it twenty fourth year? Does he sit it out, does
he retire?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Whatever?
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Maybe the way this thing goes will dictate what he does.
But let's say Lebron called you up, he said, PJ,
I respect you. What should I do?
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Do I keep this thing going? Do I retire and
call it quits?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Well, I've got some semblance of a pretty damn good
game to walk away with my health.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
What do you think Lebron should do and will do
next year?
Speaker 3 (09:23):
I think he will do what his body tells him,
and I think it is as simple as that. He's incredible. No,
I don't say no. When Kobe was the same way.
They take not good exceptional care of their body. If
the average fan knew how hard they work to maintain
what they do. JJ Reddick was a kind of a
(09:45):
fitness freak. Also when he was playing, He's blown away
by watching Lebron day in and day out and what
he does to be able to play at this level.
I just say to Lebron, Lebron, what's your body telling you?
And I think he got to play with BRONI a
lot this year and it worked out a lot better
than I would have thought it was going to work out.
They still put it in games when it matters. It's incredible.
(10:09):
It's not going to surprise me if it works out.
And I have no idea about the trades or what
the demand would be or anything. I'm still not going
to be surprised if somehow, some way he ends up
in Cleveland for one year before before he hangs it up. Yeah, again,
that's just a hunch. You know, it's worked out really
(10:31):
well in LA. He may just say that that's it,
you know, this is it. But he is so accurate,
so Ohio centric, that it's not going to surprise me
if somehow, some way, at some point he makes his
way back to Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
PJ.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Of the complaints that I hear about the league from fans,
particularly in this city, who like to complain about the
NBA One of them that I really buy into, though,
is the fact that we're shooting eighty three pointers a game,
and only of the top eleven teams in three point
attempts this year, only one is left in the playoffs.
So well, the gms and coaches maybe pay attention to
(11:10):
that a little bit and maybe swing us away from
this three point shooting fest that we've had in the
regular season.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
I think they will. I think the playoffs are going
to dictate that NBA has always been and always will
be a copycat league, depending on who wins, if it's
okay see again, and depending how the playoffs go. Some
of these teams that shot the three so well in
the regular season and have struggled to do it and
the playoffs might say, hey, you know what, I know
(11:39):
what the analytics say, but what the playoff results are
saying is a different thing. I would not be as
surprised to see it slide back a little bit. Though
it's not going away. It's still going to be a
three point fest, there's no question about that. But I
do think the playoffs are going to dictate the PLO
(12:00):
and the results will dictate I think exactly what you're
talking about a slide back start next season.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, PJ Carlismo with us and PJ, you know, we're
all waiting this summer to maybe get some news on
the Sonics. I know Adam Silver came out the year Day,
last week whatever it was, and said there's a chance
that may not happen until the end of the year,
to which a lot of people start to get concerned
about stuff. If they're kicking the can down the road
even further, now, how far will they kick.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
It in the twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Are you getting any kind of gut feel from things
that you've observed people you've talked to around the NBA
about what that expansion process is going to look like
between now and.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
The end of the counter year.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
The sense in the league is now that there is
enough sentiment among the owners. I you know, again, we've
had this conversation, the three of us so many times.
I thought years ago it was on fast track. I
think they got some more pushback than they anticipated from
some owners. There's still some owners I think are not
in favor of it, But but I think now the
(13:02):
majority is the other way. I really do. I think
it's I think it's moving along now. It's certainly not
moving along as quickly as any of us in Seattle
would like. I keep here in twenty eight, twenty nine
maybe being the season that the expansion, you know, where
they actually have a team, and you know, they got
a lot of figuring out to do. But I mean,
(13:22):
it's not brain surgery. Like once they you know, pull
pull the trigger and say we're going forward, they can
figure out all the things how they're going to do it, expansion, draft,
all those things. How much is how much the team
is going to pay? And you got to wait and see,
you know, who's going to step up. It's hard for
me to imagine with what's going on in the values
of all the franchise, a lot of the professional sports,
(13:44):
but certainly in the NBA, that there's going to be
a shortage that people are going to step up and
be competitive and want to be the owner in Seattle
or want to be the owner in Las Vegas. So again,
I'm really optimistic, but you know, I've been that way
for a long time, and truth be told, it's taken
much longer than I anticipated it would take.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Well, do you think this bizarre Portland situation and the
new ownership and the arena problems that they're having. You
think that'll have any impact on what's happening potentially with expansion.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
A little tiny bit. Some owners are going to say, hey,
you know, I knew we were spending too much money.
If this guy does this and it works, we're going
to go forward. I think right now he's going to
see some pushback. I think Thiago Splitter was treated very,
very unfairly. You know, I'm always going to come down
on the side of coaches, but he didn't do a
good job. He did an excellent job this year. And
the number one criteria to me when you evaluate a
(14:42):
coach in the league is how does the team play
for him? You know, do they compete for him? Do
they like playing for him? And that was a resounding
ten out of ten in Portland. Those guys loved playing
for him. I thought they played their butts off. I
thought they overachieved. He handled an incredibly difficult situation and
they just ignore it. And they're talking to all these
(15:03):
other people allegedly, and I don't know if it's true.
They're not looking to pay a lot of money. That's
not a good thing. The message in general is not
going to be good. Ultimately, when a player makes a decision,
the money's going to be the biggest factor. But when
you start getting into secondary decisions, nobody's gonna like this
(15:24):
stuff that you know, if it's true check you know,
to checking out a hotels, they're not paying salaries that
you know, we're going to operate differently. I do not
think that's gonna fly in the NBA. I think some
people are going to say, yeah, we can cut back too,
but nobody's going to go as extreme as it appears
he's going right now in.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Portland, PJ. Ain't Carlosimo. Always great to hear your voice.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
I hope you can enjoy a nice night with a
glass of wine, maybe watch a little basketball, refresh, regroup
before you hit the road again.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Man, great stuff, and we'll talk soon. Man, thanks coach.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Great great being with you guys. Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
All right, But PJ.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Carlos and I just wonder how Jackson I want you
involved in this conversation to Sonic fans feel about, okay,
see winning another title because to me, the band aid
was ripped off when they won last year, right, I
mean that was the big one, right when they finally
got number one, it's still a scar. But yeah, yeah,
there's a scar. But it's like, you know, you're nervous
about the clowns moving in next door. They've already moved in,
(16:20):
and now they're bringing more clowns with him. Right, the
circus is just gonna get louder and louder with this
ball club. I mean, what's gonna piss you off is
when you realize that they got a dynasty going in
Oklahoma City and they might be able to win.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Three or five or I don't think something like that.
That would drive me bananas.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
I don't think that's gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
I hope not.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I think there's one man that's gonna keep that from happening.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Wemby.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Wemby, that's right, Well, maybe he does it this year
because OKAC doesn't have a Wemby. I think San Antonio
is a year away from legitimately beating them in the playoffs, right,
but they will and when they do, Like, I just
don't see Oklahoma City as a team that has the
super star like he's gonna win the MVP.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
He's not a generational superstar.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
In the NBA like what he is?
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Jackson? What about you? Yeah, Bobby, it does.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
I mean, at the end of the day, like it'll
always bother me because like I get a I mean,
I think it's a different generational thing too, because for me,
the Sonics left when I was sixteen years old, right,
and I mean that was right there in.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
The prime thing.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
And and I kind of turned my life into Sounder
fandom from what could have very really been Basketball Sonics fandom,
and my entire life shifts one way, and I'm glad
the way it did, but like still, they altered my
and every kid in sports fans life who was around
my age then, And I don't know how how would
(17:46):
my life is as a as a broadcaster in Seattle
be different. Well, and they took away that opportunity and
and I will always be bitter about that.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Well, Tob Bryan Schmetzer when he comes out at five
forty five, the only reason why you're a sounderss fans
because there's NBA.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
If not for then you might be hosting Sonics Weekly
instead of Sounders.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Me.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Yeah, it's I mean that's really possible.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Yeah, well yeah, there's there's there's always you that bitterness
in the scar And you're right, Softie like it's now
like it is not an open wound. The scar is
over there. But even when you press down on it,
you still feel it. You feel it emotionally, you feel
it physically.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Don't touch it, as my parents used to say, don't
pick at it, don't touch it. Well thanks to PJ.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Carlism doesn't know anything about basketball.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
For joining us on the show. Aaron Goldsmith will join
at four point thirty, Julio Rodriguez at five p thirty.
Come it up because we continue from Jimmy's on first.
Speaker 6 (18:45):
Now back to Softie and Dick Gone your home for
the Huskies Krack and the twelfth Man Sports Radio ninety
three point three kJ R FM three two.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Hi, what.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Does it happen? Proford? That's going ahead to run run
all right, hey, before we get to that guy.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Aaron Goldsmith update from the NHL draft lottery, Toronto was
one the maple Leafs have won. They will pick first,
Santos they will pick second, Vancouver will pick third, Your
Seattle Kraken will pick wait for it seventh and the
upcoming NHL draft. Uh here to join us right now
to talk about that and give us his take on
who the Kracking should take at number seven and the
(19:36):
NHL Draft. Our friend Aaron Goldsmith from the Mariner TV
broadcast joining us right now on the show.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Aaron, you probably like the Serbian kid, right like the
rest of us do.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
What's your thought on I think he is a very
high ceiling softee very high.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Well, we appreciate the insight, but yeah, Cracking are gonna
pick seventh. Toronto has won the lottery. Well, hey, listen,
it's good to finally do this. The last time we
tried to do this the station almost burned down with
a generator fire or an electrical fire. The time before that,
I forgot and we didn't call Goldie, so that was
my fault. It's a miracle that we were actually able
(20:13):
to pull this off. So we've been looking forward to
having you on. Why don't you give us your thoughts
Aaron on the first thirty six games of the year
and your view from high above the field from your
broadcast booth on what you've seen in the first month
or so of baseball.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
Well, it's been a mixed bag, and you can probably
say that about most teams, maybe outside of the team
that's here at Team Obile Park. The Braves and the
Dodgers and maybe the Yankees to some extent as well.
But it's been a mixed bag of results for the
Mariners obviously, which is probably to be expected. A lot
of teams are going through that. The injuries recently have
not helped at all. The Boltin is really in a
(20:48):
tough spot. I think before we knew that cal Rawly
would play today, So let's go back to last night.
When you find out the gap spires on the injury list,
you're uncertain about cal Rawly's immediate future. Does he need
to go on the IL. I have a hard time
kind of thinking back the last time the Mariners twenty
six man roster has been this kind of influx and
beat up with as many really high profile, important guys
(21:12):
that have been unavailable. So it's going to be a
tough stretch of time I think for Dan Wilson to
manage that bullpen, in particular the back end. That bullpen
has been hit really hard. Obviously, they've lost the best
lefty and they're setup man as well, so they're eager
to have Brendon Donovan come back. I think it's a
tough book to judge entirely given the help of the team.
(21:33):
But there are definitely some things that they need to
clean up. But they've also had some things that they've
been very good at.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
So far this year.
Speaker 6 (21:38):
And the important thing is that they haven't buried themselves.
Right there is still in the certainly the front half
of the season, and they still are in position to
do really good things this season.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Well that's a day despite being banged up, like you mentioned,
I mean, they're fourth in the AL and run differential.
There's only three teams in the league over five hundred
right now. Do you think that continues? Is this league
really this media? Do you think we will see a
multitude of teams with ninety plus wins at.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
The end of the year.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
Well, I think the West is certainly that mediocre, and
maybe that gives the Mariners that maybe. I think it
certainly does give the Mariners a little more leeway to
try to figure some things out and to get healthy.
I mean, the A's right now are leading the division
and I had to look that up. I'm not a
big division standings guy on Sinco Tomyo, but the Mariners
(22:28):
are right there, even though they have not played great
baseball so far, and so there isn't really a team
in the American League outside of what the Yankees have
done so far this year, and the Rays have been
a surprise, but outside of New York, really where you go, Yeah,
that could be a real problem of a team, I
mean outside of that. I don't know who you're talking about,
(22:48):
so not you specifically, but you know what I'm saying. So, yeah,
it's a good time for the Mariners if there is
such a thing to be banged up in figuring some
things out. I think there's still plenty of runway left
or not just for the Mariners, but be you know,
to be fair about it for everybody.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Okay, Well, in the immediate the Luis Castillo situation is
at top of mind because here comes Bryce Miller very soon.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
Kate Anderson's ripping up double A Arkansas. You know, er
Bill Krueger.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Aaron was on the show with us yesterday and kind
of had the idea that maybe with the bullpen injuries,
that Bryce Miller is a bullpen arm when he gets activated.
Hancock's going nowhere obviously, but how do you see that
thing playing out in the next maybe who knows, a
couple of weeks.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
It's very tricky, right, it's a good problem to have.
Every team would love to have a upper tier starting pitcher,
and we've seen Miller be that in the past, come
back and get healthy, and every team would love to
have a logjam in their five man rotation.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
It's tough, man.
Speaker 6 (23:49):
What you don't want to do is if you put
a guy in the bullpen, then when Heaven forbid, there
is an issue down the road, and just the odds
being what they are, there will be an issue with
something down the road with another Mariner starter, because that's
just what happens in baseball today. Well, now you don't
have anybody stretched out who can make it an immediate
impact for you. Right, if you have somebody down Triple A,
(24:09):
you call them up and you plug and play. They're
ready to go. You have to build somebody back up again,
which I think would be an issue. I don't know
what the answer is. You could go to a six
man rotation. There are complications with that as well. What
you didn't lose something in your bolting because of that
(24:29):
with just a strict number of pictures you're allowed to
carry you piggyback two guys. I don't know it is.
I keep coming back to this, it's a good problem
to have. The opposite end of this problem, guys is
you're down to starting pitchers and now you have to
rush the guy. Even though KATEA. Anderson's in magnificent so far,
(24:49):
you have to rush the guy of the major leagues, right,
So it's a good place to be. I mean, heck,
I'm not trying to foreshadow anything, BA, but there there
might not be indeed for six man rotation and by
the time Bryce Miller is ready to go, who knows, right,
But they're in a good place that they have an
excess of something that is the most premium position in baseball,
(25:09):
which is starting pitching.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Well, what, Aaron, what's wrong with Castile? I mean, what
do you see, like if maybe you've had conversations with him.
Fifty five base runners allowed as last twenty eight and third,
that's a lot of base runners for him.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
What do you think is going on with Luis Castile?
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Well, for starters, I did think he looked significantly better
his last time of the mount. We saw the fastball
was more like what we saw from the fastball in
his season debut against New York. We saw even ninety
eight flash. I thought he threw maybe his best pitch
of the year when he ran ninety eight up and
in on a lefty for a punch out. I mean,
that's that's premium stuff from Luis Castillo. Now, is he
(25:47):
going to be the same guy that he was back
in the wild Card Series against Toronto a few years back? No,
I think those days are past him, but he should still.
He's certainly is still capable of being a serviceable starter.
And I mean for the Mariners it might be therefore,
but for other teams it would be two or three.
Just give them the Mariner's rotation depth. I don't think
(26:09):
that there needs to be mass panicked after four starts. Now,
there are parts of those four starts that weren't good.
There's just no way around it. I think Luise would
be the first one to tell you that. But all
things are magnified, whether you're on the mound or the
matter's box, all things are magnified in the first of
the season because we don't have anything else to judge
it on. Right, if if there was a runway of
(26:31):
a month and a half or two months before, those
those starts don't seem as bad as they were, even
though the impact remains the same, you just have you
have more to work off of. So he needs to
be able to get deeper into games. He knows that
the Mariners know that he's been hit around too much.
They've been nice where he hasn't had a good feel
for the slider. But we also I think with a
(26:53):
guy like Luis Castillo, in my opinion, he's earned the
right to get back on the horse and figure it out.
And I think we've thought signs of that his last time.
But it does need to be trending more in that
direction than what we saw in the weeks prior to that.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
You mentioned the word panicked.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
I'm not panicked about this defense, but I am concerned
about the defense because I don't think it looks as
sharp as it did last season. Or are you in
agreement with that, and how does that get cleaned up?
Speaker 3 (27:16):
If so.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I don't think the Mariners have been a premium that
I'm not suggesting that this is what you're saying. To
be clear, that the Mariners have not been a premium
defensive team for any number of the last handful of years.
They just they don't have those kind of defenders, kind
of defenders that they have are the ones is a
broad brush, they're accept the rule, but generally speaking, they
have the kind of guys who are going to make
(27:39):
the plays in the box. Right, They're going to make
the plays when the ball.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Is hit to them.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
A lot of especially rangey defense. Julio has proven over
the course of his career that he's an exception to that.
We've seen Cal be a premium defender behind home plate
as well over the course.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Of his career.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
But beyond that, right those days, JP of the of
the immense ranger behind him. He just needs to make
the plays in the box. And I think for the
vast majority of JP's career everyone has felt very confident
when the ball gets hit to him, like he's you
until a recent error, which I'm sure is among the
(28:15):
things they're referring to, like you feel good when the
ball is at the JP croppers, Right. That's what the
Mariners need to get back to, right. I don't believe
they're going to grade out exceptionally well on as above
average or depends to run saves, of which a grade
well because of one player, Cole Young. Right now, he's
got probably half of the drs. And I also think
when you start looking at the advanced stuff, that's not
(28:37):
meant to work on a six week samples. That's meant
to work on a six month sample. But the eye
test against the Royals in particular was not good.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
Right.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
They misplayed, They misplayed balls that they should have made
the playoffs. They have to get back to the BA
I think that's really the realistic expectation. If they can
do that, this can be a World Series aliber team.
But they got to make the plays that are no doubt.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Hey, Goldie, before you go, I'm certain and Aaron Goldsmith's
with us. I'm certain that there's some little seven or
eight year old kid running around who wants to be
Aaron Goldsmith, screaming for their parents all day long. So
what you guys do is important, and when one of
the brethren passes away, it resonates through the sport. We
(29:26):
saw a lot of people paying tribute last night all
over baseball to John Sterling, who died at the age
of eighty seven, one of the legendary Titans and baseball
radio history. Any thoughts on the passing of a guy
that called almost half of all Yankee postseason games.
Speaker 6 (29:46):
Yeah, it hit me hard and everyone else in our industry.
I think, unfortunately, I think there's a perception of John
in his later years of diminishing high side and not
seeing the all clearly and the things that that led to.
But I think when you really go back and you
listen to the body of work from John Sterling in
(30:07):
the most critical media market in the world, what John
did was remarkable. It really was. And his greatest gift
was who he was, and that he didn't pray from.
He found a way to be remarkably unique in an
industry that is becoming more and more kind of homogeneous
and everyone of sounding more and more alike. And I'm
(30:31):
sure I'm guilty of that to a certain degree. And
John was unapologetically him and it was great. And I
listened to so much the Yankees baseball on the radio
on my phone for the last decade plus, not because
I cared about the Yankees. I didn't care for the
Yankees at all. I wanted to hear John and Susan because,
(30:51):
you know what, it was a really good time. They
were having a great time, and because they were having
a great time, I had a great time. And I
became very front with John over the last few years,
and once I worked up the courage eventually to say
hello to him and introduce myself when I was a
young major league broadcaster, and he was an absolute prince
of a man who was always the best rest guy
(31:14):
and treated everybody with extreme grace, which maybe is not
expected of a Yankees personnel, but that certainly was the
case with John and with Susan. And he'll be sorely missed.
And it does whenever something like this happens, which no
one obviously likes, it is a nice reminder of the
power of baseball, the power of baseball and the radio
(31:36):
in particular, and the everyday picture of it. And for decades,
this man was in everyone's radio, coming through their speakers
wherever they were around the world at some time, and
a powerful impact that he had not just on Yankees fans,
but on baseball fans around the world.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Deal Well said, hey, listen man, great stuff, and glad
that we finally had a chance to get together and
have you on with us on the show. They say,
absence makes the heart grow fun And I am now
fonderer of you because we had to wait this long
to talk, So thank you, Thanks Goldie.
Speaker 6 (32:06):
Hey, my pleasure guys, good talking.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
You see you man.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Aaron Goldsmith with us, we're gonna break textimonials, and then
John Wilder joins at five.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
That guy Julio Rodriguez gonna join us. Yeah, how about
brough five thirty right here on ninety three three KJRFM
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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