July 13, 2026 • 38 mins
In the third hour, Dick Fain and Alyssa Charlston-Smith talk all things Mariners at the All Star Break with former M’s pitcher and analyst Bill Krueger, then they discuss the issues for the team including logical reasoning for why the M’s are struggling, before hitting the Bellevue Rare Coins Golden Moment of the week with a controversy at the World Cup.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for our weekly conversation with Bill Krueger, brought
to you by the brand new Occidental Hall next to
Lumenfield on Occidental, Seattle's newest hot spot for sports fans,
with massive HD screens and a menu packed with Seattle's
best smash burger, wings and the best local craft beers
in town. Now with Bill Krueger, Here's SAFTI and Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Bill Welcome, how are you?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm yours?
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Good to be absolutely All Star week? Here we go
Home Run Derby coming up in a few moments. We
got the All Star Game coming up tomorrow. Kind of
a chance to kind of breathe and reflect and maybe
grade out our beloved Seattle Mariners for the first half.
If Professor Krueger, who has graded all the papers he
(00:48):
has taking a look at the midterm tests he is
grading those, how does your Seattle Mariners grade out with
their forty and forty nine record here at the All
Star break, Bill.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Well, the good news is we get the gray and
the curve, and the curve is soft and the right.
Aren't we happy about that? You know, like when you're
looking around the room and going, I feel okay on
the curve in this room school. Anyways, you know, I
think you'd have to say, honestly, after what they put
up last year and what they did in the off season,
(01:20):
you'd have to say C minus. I think you probably
give them a little bit more than that. When you
sort of say, well, what about an effort, I'd say
it's more like B because they played through a myriad
of injuries and they were all over the place and
little ones that nagged, but they sort of struck the
club in a lot of places, and of course in
(01:41):
some critical places. When your MVP level catcher missus a
month and probably played most of the first half injured,
and you're probably premiere setup guy has been out most
of the first half and the guy you basically traded
for that was going to ignite the off that's play
for like what two weeks. So I think when you
(02:04):
sort of tally that all up, you give them a
better grade and the minus it's more like B. But
you know, I'm a glass half full guy, so I
think they've got a lot more gas in the tank.
And this is sort of like when you play an
uneven first nine, And maybe there were a lot of
reasons why it didn't go well, but you shot forty five.
I'm just using forty five as a number. I don't
(02:24):
know why. That probably a good score for me, but
you're seeing yourself. Well, I'm starting over in the back
nine because I want to break ninety, right, and so
I got to put up a pretty good score. So
I think it's a good time to sort of regroup
and hopefully they start to get some better news around
their health and guys get a breather, and maybe they
can sort of say to themselves that same sort of adage,
(02:46):
I'm much better than this. Didn't go right the first
nine holes, but I got nine more to play, so
and it's certainly getting Julio right back at the start
of the second half is pretty big.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
God having him, yeah, take off second half as he's
done every single year of his career in the MLB
would be helpful. But I am curious Bill, as a
former player, you've been in these clubhouses. When you look
at the Mariners right now, they're number twenty eight in
slugging this time last year they were seventh, tied for
fourteenth and home runs right now this time last year
they were sixth. They're twenty two in OBP this time
(03:19):
last year they was seven. A big part of that
is cal Rawley. We know that obviously having the big
drop off, But when you're in that clubhouse as a player,
how much does a message of urgency help? And what
time of year for a guy like Dan Wilson does
that need to come into play when you're below five hundred. Yes,
you're still a wildcard team right now, but severely underperforming
(03:41):
compared to last year.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Well, it's a long journey and you're playing a game,
a long game of players that have to regroup each
day and start a new day fresh with a good mindset. Dan,
I think has done everything in his power to put
this team in a position of in He's been positive
with the players, He's taken all the slings and arrows.
(04:04):
There's been lots and lots of interesting conversations behind the
scenes that he tucked into himself. Okay, what it had
to do with things that had to do with the
craziness of the starting pitching staff and the craziness that
they tried to emplay on the team, which they did.
And honestly, I think there's four games right there that
they kicked away, four of them. So you might be
(04:25):
in a lot better shaping right now if you hadn't
decided to piggyback or play six man. And I don't
know what they're going to do with that going forward,
but he's pretty much had to swallow all that. And
you know, when you lean on right hand hitters that
weren't up the speed and didn't have good half, but
you're sort of committed to them, and he stuck behind him.
He stuck behind the players. That's what you hired him
(04:47):
to be, okay, And I think he's done an excellent
job in that regard. I think you're going to pay
dividends with players when you stay behind in and believe
in them in the long run because they're good players.
They haven't been hundred percent. Now should he be pointing
out things when guys are making the same mistake over
and over? He has the big leagues. You know you're
(05:07):
making base running mistakes, you're making bad reads, if you're
not hustling on plays. Yeah, I think he should let
those guys know that's not going to be tolerated. We
don't know what he says because he doesn't tell us
a lot, and I wouldn't say razor sharp media. Of course,
I'm part of media asked a lot of tough questions.
To be frank, Yeah, maybe you find out a little
(05:30):
bit more if you wouldn't just you know, if you
do to cut through the veneer a little bit and
bore down a little bit more on questions that you
really want answered. I think that in today's game, the
manager is a foreman. He's a foreman that needs to
talk to the media. Oh, I don't know, twice a
day for one hundred and sixty two plus thirty in
(05:52):
spring training, what's that three and four hundred times? That's
his job. Make sure the players are positive, make sure
that there's communication, and you stand behind him, and then
you've basically followed the script that's being handed to you
by the front office. That's pretty much the way it's
played today.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Bill Krueger joining us just here. Yeah, no, you're right.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Bill.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
You mentioned a bee for effort, and you alluded to
the Randy A. Rose Arena situation. We have seen three
balls now down the line. I think maybe the first
one can be more explained. Of Randy just doesn't read
fly balls very well. I can probably give him a
pass for that one. I have a tougher time giving
up him a pass for the second one. I've got
(06:40):
no tolerance for giving him a pass for the third one.
What we saw on Friday, I mean that guy pulled
up three seconds before the ball even hit the ground,
and the ball hit the ground six feet in front
of him.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So how did I mean that?
Speaker 6 (06:55):
To me?
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Seems like one for an ass chewing after the and
probably a benching at least the next game. We don't
know if an ass chewing happened, we know a benching didn't.
So how would you have handled that situation with Randy
a Rose Arena.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Well, he's your best player right now offensively. If you
don't have him in the lineup, you're you're you're a
little bit criokeety. That's such a word a lot of crickets.
So you know, he's been a good player offensively for him,
and I think he's playing less than hundred percent. He's
playing on a hamstream. It's not not right. And he
played every game up until that point. He has just
(07:34):
stole the base since today that he went on the
il for that, so he's not the same player. Plus
he's a below average defender. And right now, when you
start to play the music and you put people in
the chairs. There's not a lot of outfielders to be
had right now. Dominic knslone probably can't play the outfield
because he's got a bad handing MM. We've got people
like Kennedy out in the outfield or Wilson and Wilson
(07:57):
Wilson in the outfield. I mean that's and we've seen
the cast, the thousands that have played in the corner.
Who knows how healthy really is. He's had a bad back,
his arm isn't right to say, and then you got
your best player out for a week who covers everybody's mistakes,
and that's Julio. So there's a lot there. And it's
a big outfield in Miami at a big outfield in Tampa,
(08:17):
I'm sort of I'm not saying that you you tolerate
effort is something that everybody can can can can do
and so hopefully that message was delivered. He's he's a
little tricky. I think when you sign up for Randy Rosarini,
you're not sure you know exactly where he's coming from.
Every day. He certainly seemed distracted in Tampa. He certainly
(08:40):
seems to love being in Tampa. He almost didn't want
to leave. You wanted to just sit in the stands
and hope maybe the move didn't really happen right when
he when he when he was told that he was
leaving Tampa. So I don't know how to put your
finger on him. Look at what happened at the beginning
of the year, you don't think you think that was
just easy, easy gliding for Dan to deal with that one, right,
(09:01):
you know, and honestly, to be honest with you, you know,
there's obviously a disagreement on what who should have done
what in that situation, and the media is constantly microscopping
all that stuff. And maybe you know, Cal felt like
he was doing the right thing at the time, and
Randy took it, took offense. But here if you would
have heard what he said in spanishing English and they
(09:22):
had have played that every day, I don't think there
have been as many people supporting Randy on that one, because,
no matter what, you can't say those things about your teammate. Okay,
So that was that was a rocky ship that had
to be settled early in the season. So I think,
you know, there's probably a lot of he has to
be pretty tactful with Randy, I would I would think, yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
And this is really I mean, the first full full
season that we get I mean, if Randy isn't the
best teammate, this is really the year where you start
seeing affect others. I feel like it takes a little
bit of time, and there are moments where I've seen
where I'm like, oh, that doesn't really look like they
get along so well. Oh I don't know how much
those two get it. Just it's been in my mind
(10:04):
a few times, and not criticizing who Randy is, but
I think you're right, Bill. The way that was translated
was that was sharp from Randy early in the season.
I'm curious going to third base. We don't know really
when Brendan Donovan could come back, if he's going to
be the same guy he was. He was your leader
in on base percentage. He was supposed to be your
leader at the top of the lineup. I think, what
twenty three hits in twenty five games this season, so
(10:27):
at least productive if he were to come back. Best
case scenario, what happens with JP the Colt Emerson, Like
Colt Emerson has had multiple rough stretches. Do you mess
with him at all at short stuff you leave him there,
or what happens if Brendan Donovan comes back and can
be a contributor at third base.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Well, I'm probably not as familiar with where Brendan plays best.
I mean, he's got a reputation for being a guy
that can move all over the field. He's probably his
best spot a second base, and he's not playing there. Okay,
the probably do his play caate. So he's at third,
he's in left, he's the DH. He gives a once
(11:08):
in a while blow to Cole Young, Right, that's what
they're going to do. Because if you decide to put
him in left, and you've got material Randy out there
that thinks said if he's a DH, he's not going
to make his premium effort on the free agent market,
then maybe he gets a little dabber down and gets
a little upset, right, And then if he's the DH
(11:29):
all the time, then what happens in the real league
can zone equation. You want to take your best slugger
and send him a trip away. And if you put
Donovan at third, JP's a better defender. Even though he's
been a little inconsistent with his arm. He's a much
better defender than Brendan Donovan. We've seen Brendan third. He's
he has to work hard to be average. Okay, he's
(11:50):
a really good offensive player. I don't know how good
a left fielder he is, but it can't He can
play better than what we've seen in left field, that's
for sure, because Randy hasn't played it very well. I
think it's going to be some kind of hard to
put your finger on it. But he's in the lineup
every day, right. I think that's kind of how it's
going to look. And Donovan's good enough and he knows
(12:12):
that's his his kind of his card. He didn't come
in and say, well, you know, I expect you know
to play this position. I'm a big deal coming over here.
I don't think he just wants to play and he
doesn't care where he plays. I don't think so. I
think you'll see him move around a bit, but he's
going to infuse some energy and some ability. Energy is
(12:33):
such a nice word, but what you really wanted guys
that can deliver and we need a lot more back
to ball skill in our lineup, and he certainly can
provide that. Well.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
This picture that you're painting, which is an accurate one
of kind of this land of misfit toys on the
Mariner defense and consequently the Mariner offense. I mean, is
this a poorly constructed baseball team on that side of
the of the roster bill.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Well, it's just that they're not very right handed. That's
the big problem. I think that you know, Donovan would
find his place and maybe it wasn't third, Maybe it
would have been third the whole season. I don't know,
but they are just not very right handed and it's
really stung them. They're like dead last against left handed pitching.
I mean, hit the kid on Sunday, but they just
(13:24):
haven't been able to find right handed bats. They kind
of didn't address it, and maybe they're hoping much like
they did last year lightning in the bottle, you get
two bangers at the deadline, but man, I don't think
that's going to be as easy this year. I think
they were fortunate to sort of stumble into those two
guys when the Arizona Diamondbacks slipped out of playoff possibilities
(13:46):
and just at the right moment where the marriage could
sweep in and get both those guys and they were huge,
but right now nobody seems to know whether they're in
it or out of it, so it's hard to guess
who who the sellers are going to be and what's
exactly available. So I have to wait and see on
that one. You know, you're solid up the middle. I mean,
(14:10):
Cole Young has proven to be an excellent second basement.
Cole Emerson can really play short even though he made
a mistake. It was a mistake of commission. You know,
he was trying to make a double play to in
the inning and he made a mistake, but he's played
very well at shortstop, very confident twenty year old. He
doesn't let bad it back to the in his defense,
he's played excellent. Okay, you got the center field or
(14:32):
he can really play, of course I talked about the catcher.
You got a first basement that can really play, although
he hasn't been as good the first half as he
was last year. So and you know JP's going to
play fine at third. Yeah. I mean, I think their
corner Ralph Field is not as good as you would
you would like to be. They're not a supreme defensive
defensive team, but they're fine. I think the big problem
(14:55):
is that when you try to tilt the lineup, they
just don't have any answers on the right hand side
of the play bill.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
You know what it's like to be on the mound
potentially when a one hundred mile an hour hit is
coming your way. Yesterday with Emerson Hancock, I was shocked
that he put his hand out. I know, it's a
one hopper, and you're like, he is a you know,
pictures are athletes. I believe it, but are you sticking
your hand out to potentially get in the way. I
(15:20):
mean that, Like I looked at my hand and I
was like, Emerson Hancock's right hand is literally worth millions.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
That was a scary moment.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
Is that something that you I'm just curious out of
your own instinct. Is that something that you would have
potentially reached out for you think?
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I don't know if it's because I was a position player,
you know, my whole life and really didn't become a
regular patriental. You know, after college I played first base.
I always played with my gloves, so I never ever
reached for a ball with my bare hand because I
was always reaching with my gloves. Okay, that's how you
play the game with the glove, right, So, yeah, you
(15:57):
don't reach out with your hand. I mean I got drilled.
They are with a line drive. I did get but
I've never had one hit my hand because I never
reached with my hands. So that's something you train yourself
away from. You know. Hey, every once in a while
someone snags one with their hand and they make the
highlights in the twenty four hour news cycle, but it's
(16:18):
not the right play. You always use your gloves, even
on a slow unless the ball is absolutely dead stopped.
You always go down with your gloves always. If you
want to be a good field there as a pitcher,
you should love.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
Yeah, I'm glad he's okay. X rays were negative.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
I was just be fine. Yeah, he's going to be fine.
He's because he got tight. It just tightened up on him.
I don't think it was because if they were really worried,
they wouldn't let him continue. Yeah, so he's gonna.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Be all right.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Bill, One quick one for you before we let you go.
A non Mariner related I had let off the segment
with this Zach Wheeler turning down the opportunity to play
in an All Star game. I mean, yes, he's a
multiple dime All Star. He had a great first half
of the sea and his numbers indicate that he absolutely should
have been earlier awarded the All Star Game. For me, though,
it just kind of turned me off when he eventually
(17:09):
was given the All Star nod and he turned it
down saying he's not going to participate.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
The process was a pity party. Just what do you
think about that?
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Well, he doesn't look good, but I kind of I
kind of feel for him. I do because it's a wrong.
They missed it by a mile. This guy is one
of the premier pitchers in our league. You should always
think about that too. It can't just be numbers. It's
got to be who the premier guys. This is the
All Star Game that people we want to see. In
(17:41):
my opinion, I think he's the best right I think
he's the best right hander in the game and maybe
the best pitcher in the National League. Okay, that's what
I think. So how in the world could he be
left off more than once? Yeah, it's a huge swing
in this ten and one with a two, one, three,
eighty nine sixty one hits plus he's he's great. He see,
(18:02):
he's baseball stupid. What is this when everybody gets the ribbon,
we don't even they don't even wear your uniform. So
who in the hell knows who doesn't represented exactly right?
We've got teams that don't even have a city attached
to them. So what I mean, you know, are we
really trying? I get kind of miffed and and so
I kind of I kind of tend to feel my
(18:25):
feelings are I kind of leaned toward him a little bit.
Maybe he should have taken a couple more deep breasts
and then let him let him know that that that
they should they need to get it right, but that
he would come, you know, that would have been the
right thing to do, for sure.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
I think, Yeah, Bill, always a pleasure. We'll talk to
you next week.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Okay, thanks, guys, You've got me.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
Bill Krueger has always some great thoughts there, and I think,
you know, some interesting thoughts on on Dan Wilson. I
can hear people throwing things at the radio with some
of the things that Bill said about Dan Wilson, but
I want to I'm back and chew on it a
little bit because some of it spoke to me. He
brought up a lot of good points about kind of
(19:07):
the potholes that this franchise has had to deal with
over the last three or four months.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
We'll talk about that next on ninety three point three KJF.
Speaker 8 (19:17):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood and this hour is
brought to you by Duke Seafood. Why don't you make
it at Duke's Night tonight. Reserve your table today at
Dukeseafood dot com. Now back to Softy and Dick on
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Softian Deck, go out the soft flo and Alyssa Charleston
grazing us with her presence today till seven o'clock. And boy,
we've had some diametrically opposed opinions about Dan Wilson on
this radio station today.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
There is no question about it at all.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
We've got our main man in the morning, Chuck Powell
for the first time ever calling for the firing of
our baseball manager. And then Bill Krueger coming on and
you know, listing out multiple reasons why the Mariners are
where they are right now, and none of them has
(20:10):
to do with Dan wilson struggles as a manager. Was
more like, hey, here's what Dan's having to deal with.
He mentioned the Randy colspat at the beginning of the
year and the fact, Okay, Doe, is Randy really.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Easy to coach or is he very difficult to coach?
Speaker 4 (20:26):
And is Dan keeping a lot of you know, in
house garbage in house and not airing out his teammates
that are being problematic. He mentioned cal Raley being injured
to begin basically to begin the season, out for essentially
a month and hasn't been the same. He mentioned the
(20:47):
rest of the injuries on this team, the Matt Brashes
of the world that have been hurt. Other Brendan Donovan,
your big free agent acquisition, has not even played this year.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
I would like how.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Many games twenty twenty five games the entire season, and.
Speaker 5 (21:03):
That feels like too many. Yes, you know, it doesn't
feel like he's big exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
And then the lineup being incredibly left handed and you've
got nothing against lefties.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So I thought those.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Were some good reasons that Bill brought up to Okay,
if you are going to be a Dan Wilson defender
and say or at least say, hey, he shouldn't be
fired right now.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Those were some pretty compelling reasons that he brought up.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
Yeah, and he also mentioned the Jerry Depoto piggyback situation,
which you mentioned is like the seventy thirty thing, which
I would stand behind.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I think you're right.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
I after hearing Bill talk about it, who is a
former pitcher and knows what it's like to be in
the big leagues, I lean more toward his argument just
because of time. Dan Wilson hasn't had a ton of time,
and I know managers sometimes get fired after a year.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
It's more rare in.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
Baseball than it is in hockey than it is in
basketball football. But he has dealt with quite a bit
in this season, and we were soon to forget that.
He did take the Mariners to the ALCS Game seven,
the furthest you know they've been.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
It's just like that.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Has to matter, that has to weigh. But he also
has a lot of talent on this team that other
managers have not experienced. How do you manage big personalities
You have to be able to to be in pro sports.
I mean, think about big threes and the egos that
come with them. It's frustrating because they've just been so
(22:27):
incredibly inconsistent, and Dan preaches consistency over and over and
over again. These guys when you're protecting them, they're big boys,
like stepping into the professional world. They can handle it
more so even than when Dan played, because they face
the scrutiny on social media. They get out of social
media because of the scrutiny, but they know what it's
like to play in the big leagues, and I think
(22:49):
hearing a certain amount of accountability is still something I
think you have to hear. There are some very rookie
mistakes that I think you see from Dan Wilson in
game management, but overall, he pulls more respect from his
players than I think Scott Service did and then other
managers did. So is that how much value do you
give that as a manager? Like he has a lot
(23:09):
of respect from those players. It's not showing right now though,
So how long police do you give him?
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Well?
Speaker 4 (23:14):
And it's a lot easier for me to give Dan
more of a pass than I gave Scott Service because
I thought, I mean, there was there was a tremendous
I said this on the air one hundred times.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I mean Scott's Service was condascending.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, like a condescending like I am an unbelievable He
came across like I am the greatest manager on planet Earth. Yeah,
I'm like, okay, Sparky Anderson, like, what the hell did
you ever do? Ill that I felt that asking question
as a manager, and I don't feel that about Dan Wilson.
So it's much harder to get on a guy that
you've known for thirty years, that you like the dude,
(23:47):
you really like the dude. And yet when you see
a team underachieve as much as they have, it has
to fall at least some on the manager.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Yeah, some of it falls on the player. Randy can't
dog it down the line, Okay, he can't do that
when he's going after a ball. Josh Naylor can't continually
just like boot balls all over the place at first base.
That shows a lack of focus. So a lot of
it's on the players. A lot of it's on Jerry
Depoto not putting together consistent right handed hitter hitting like
(24:20):
consistent that can that can take care of left handed pitching.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
He has not done a good job.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
He's tried to nickel and diamond for years bringing in
all these right handed hitters. That's just on these you know,
small little contracts, the latest being Rob Refsnyder and so
that's Jerry's culpability there, so a lot of it's on
other people. And I think anytime you have a team
this talented and they're under five hundred, it's a it's
a full system's failure, right, And I think a lot
(24:48):
of the scrutiny is on Dan because he's the easiest one, right,
He's the easiest one.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
But I need to see some improvement. I need.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I'm not ready to call for Dan Wilson's head. But
part of the reason I'm not really call for Dan
Wilson says because I don't know who else is out
there they're doing any better job than Dan Wilson. Like,
it's not like the NFL, where we know, hey, there's
this hot shot coordinator over here that if you don't
snap him up, somebody else is in the offseason, so
(25:17):
you better get him. It's not that situation in baseball
that the manager, as we mentioned earlier in the show,
means much less to winning and losing games than a
baseball or than a basketball coach or a football coach does.
But I need to see some improvement from Dan Wilson.
And that's the thing that I struggle looking at all
the time. I don't see improvement with the demeanor of
(25:39):
the team. I don't see improvement with the cleanliness, the
defensive cleanliness of the team.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Worst in baseball.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yeah, average, And I just I and I don't see
anything when when Dan Wilson comes to the mount and
he's gonna, you know, he's gonna be assertive and take
Logan Gilbert out of the game, and he lets his
pitcher argue his way back into the game, and then
the pitcher gives up a double and then takes him
out and then the three run home run happens, Like,
come on, man, So I need to see some improvement
which I'm not seen.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
I think the word you said, assertiveness, that's one thing
we really don't see from him. And I think it
comes from the lack of ego, which most people look
at a good as a good thing. Like the humility
he has is phenomenal, but at the big league level,
even Pete Carroll, every wonderful human that you can think
of that's like been a coach has to have a
level of ego that they.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
Insert into their team and into their job.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
And when it comes to the Randy situation, I think
as a team that could become some rotten roots that
grow worse within the team because you're not handling a
player that's a problem. Like I had teammates that were like,
this is a rotten apple, And when my coach addressed it,
that's when I gained a whole lot more respect for
him because they addressed the problem in the room. Yes,
(26:51):
you figure out how to mean and Randy is your
best offensive performing player, But is that because the clubhouse
is a little bit rotten right now? Is there something
that could be elevated and a mood and everything lightens
up when you're not dealing with a player like that
in an attitude because they've been put in their place.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
I think that makes a difference.
Speaker 5 (27:11):
And then also the other point that kind of came
to mind is like, for col Rawley's season last year,
that's not necessarily managerial success.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
And he buoyed a lot of their.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Problems last year.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
And when you get late into the season two, when
he came back and like at this point he was
breaking Ken Griffy Junior's home run record before the All
Star break, we're watching pregame for the home run derby
he won it last year, Like that is a big
part of the ALCS run. I think you have to
see a little bit more assertiveness and if there's a
if there's a manager eval in the exit meetings, that's
(27:45):
that's got to be one of the things that has
to be addressed in this whole Randy cow situation of
this season, Like there has to be an assertion and
a direct call out within the clubhouse or even to
the media to make it public that hey, we're not
going to stand for Randy not giving effort.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
And we know Jerry Depoto's m O. When he feels
like he's in the race, he makes trades to help
the baseball team. When he doesn't, you know what he does,
He trades Paul Seawald. I mean, and you know what
the Mariners record was when they traded Paul Seawald.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
It was fifty five and fifty one. It's better than
it is right now.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Now, there was an Astros team that was running out ahead,
but they were still very much in the wildcard race,
and Jerry Depoto said, now, this isn't the year, this
isn't the year I'm going to add to this team.
This is the year I'm just gonna kind of sort
of stand pat and trade Paul Seawald for dom Can's
own and you know.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Take you know, Rob Peter to pay Paul.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Who's to say he's not going to do that in
two weeks if this team is fifty five and fifty
one or fifty one to fifty five, yeah that's the
case maybe, and then we will be really pissed as
Mariner fans because we thought this was the team that
was going to the World Series three months ago. Five
ninety three point three KJFM, it's time.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
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Speaker 3 (29:09):
After review, that is no foul for number five and
number seven, that is a clear simulation find other season.
Speaker 9 (29:16):
Yeah at the number of.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
Paper and in that instance, oh hell, it's kind of great.
Lucy Switzerland absolutely furious.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
So I turned on the game after they were already
down a man against Argentina. So five point forty five
has kind of been during the World Cup our time
where we chat with Jackson on a little soccer here
and get to get up to date. We've got a
big game come up tomorrow on ninety three point three KJRFM,
another one on Wednesday, and so we will take the
air right after that that games. Both those games are
(29:52):
at twelve correct Jackson, Yes, tomorrow and Wednesday. So recap
us of what happened between Argentina and Switzerland.
Speaker 9 (29:59):
So what happened is you have this guy Mbolo who
plays for Switzerland and he gets a yellow card in
the first half for a deserve challenge.
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Second half he gets another yellow card.
Speaker 9 (30:12):
But what happens in that situation is why I chose
it to be our Bevy Red Cooin's Gold Moment of
the weekend because I think it was a perfect example
of officiating. And I know half the people hearing that
want to smack me over the head. The other half
are probably cheering it on because essentially what happened is
they go to the video review, a foul is.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
Called on a player for Argentina.
Speaker 9 (30:35):
Then they go to video review and say, wait a second,
was that.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Really a foul on the Argentina player. Did he even
touch him?
Speaker 9 (30:42):
Or do the Switzerland guy Imbolo just dive and fake
the injury and fake everything. And that's called simulation in soccer, okay,
and they go to the review and they say, no,
wait a second, the player for Argentina didn't touch him.
That's clear simulation by the Switzerland player. And rule by definition,
if you fake getting tripped, if you fake an injury,
(31:05):
you are simulating. That is a yellow card. That is
a written it's done, it's over. It happened in the
United States Paraguay game, the first game for the US
and the tournament. And so the referee comes back out,
we played the clip, he gives the yellow card. That's
Embolo's second yellow card, and he is sent off. And
you have a lot of people, half people probably saying,
(31:27):
come on, you can't eject a guy for that, and
the other half are saying, no letter of the law.
That's a fair yellow card. He's ejected. Regardless if it's
a first or a second yellow, it's a yellow. You
can't fake being tripped.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Well, a listen, Not only do I think it's a
good rule to have on in soccer, it's a perfect
execution of that rule. Yeah, I mean that's where we're
trying to get rid of in soccer. I guess I
don't understand other than if you got money on Switzerland.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
You're rooting for Switzerland. Okay, I get it. Take out
those people like who would see that?
Speaker 4 (31:59):
And what is the argument against? Okay, it's a rule
we want flopping out. So why do we have a
problem with giving a yell card to guy flopping? Yeah,
I don't understand that.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
I don't either.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Well, okay, the only thing I could see is, like
with basketball, sometimes with when a coach asks for a review,
can you change the call based on like something completely different?
So like now you can you can challenge a foul,
but creating something else if you see something else entirely,
creating a whole new like the var wasn't initially to
see if he was simulating, which is so funny, a
(32:32):
simulating flopping, right, It's a very classy way to say it.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
That's the thing.
Speaker 9 (32:36):
If they if they hadn't called a foul on the
Argentina player first, Yeah, if they had just said play on,
then it never gets reviewed and it never gets the
second yellow is never given. But because a foul was
called on the Argentina player, which I believe was going
to be a yellow because that was being reviewed, then
(32:56):
they said no, that's a flop that's a yellow.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
That's simulation.
Speaker 9 (33:00):
I would say the reason why people to Dick, to
answer your question straight up on why so many people
are up in arms and angry about this, it's because
you see flopping so many other times and it's not called.
But the key to remember to for for all those
people who are this is it was only done because
(33:22):
specifically they were looking about the foul on the Argentina player.
You can't just a referee can't just say yeah, that
looks like simulation. I'm just gonna go and look at
that like like. It's only in this context. So if
we want, we all want flopping and faking of injuries
to be part and to be gone from soccer. We
all want that. Soccer fans hate it just as much
(33:43):
as non soccer fans. This is what this is what
you have.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
To have happened.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
So Argentina then ends up beating Switzerland, and Argentina has
not exactly looked massively impressive in this World Cup, and
yet here they are in the final four.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Can I call it final four?
Speaker 5 (33:59):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (33:59):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (33:59):
My basketball basketball? My basketball brain says, final four England
and Norway.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
And we know that the English coach was not happy
with his team after the game. I mean, he gave
a two and a half minute monologue getting all pissy
at the at the guy asking him questions after the game.
So you know, it leads me to this this question.
Is what we're seeing tomorrow between France and Spain. Is
(34:26):
that basically the the de facto World Cup title game?
Speaker 9 (34:29):
So no, I would say that this the winner of
tomorrow's game, I think wins the World Cup. That's just
my personal take. At the same time, you know, I
think France right now is the overwhelming favorite. France would
beat Argentina, France would beat England, and I don't think
either of those games would be particularly close.
Speaker 6 (34:48):
Spain is a different kind of team.
Speaker 9 (34:51):
They love to They play kind of how do I
say this, They play Seahawks ball in the sense of
when when we had you know, kind of the poor offense,
doesn't have a guy on offense. They kind of have
a lot of really good players, two great players, but
no Killian Mbappe, no Messy, no Harry Kane for England,
no jew Bellingham for England.
Speaker 6 (35:12):
They just have a bunch of really really good players.
Speaker 9 (35:15):
They control games though their midfield's the best in the world.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
It's been the best throughout this World Cup.
Speaker 9 (35:20):
They control possession, they pretty much hold the ball, they
tire out defenses by having to run around and chase
the ball, and they eventually find their winning goal. Spain's
done it over and over and over. They've only had
a couple comfortable wins this whole run. So when it
comes to a France team that is just attack, attack, attack,
and we're so dang good at it, good luck stopping us.
(35:40):
Spain's idea of Okay, here's how we're gonna stop you.
We're gonna keep the ball the entire day game. Good
luck taking it from us. The chess match and the
you know, the art of war battle tomorrow between France
and Spain will be incredible to watch. If Spain finds
a way to win. I think Spain England and Spain
(36:00):
versus Argentina would both be excellent games. I think Spain
would win that, but they would be kind of toss ups.
Speaker 6 (36:07):
Interesting.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
I am curious about the rivalry with England Argentina. I
mean it's off the it's off the field. It's been
long documented, like sixties David Beckham days wore Yeah.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
I actually enough to remember the Falklands Islands Battle. I'm
actually old enough to remember that.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
It was a big damn deal.
Speaker 4 (36:23):
It was a big damn deal. We had like American
troops that were headed there. You know, it was a
big deal.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
So that's like intense.
Speaker 9 (36:29):
That is intense, and I think for England it's it's
this is probably the best team they've had since their
World Cup title team in sixty six. Wow, this is
this is the England team that could do it. They're
good in the back. Jude Bellingham is incredible, he's playing
like Zenadine's a down right now. Harry Kane as a
(36:49):
striker is amazing. He's really hot right now. And you
need a hot striker to win a World Cup and
all of these things together against the greatest of all
time in Mesa.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
See. But as to what you said, Dick Like, it's
the fact.
Speaker 9 (37:02):
That neither of these teams, England and Argentina have looked convincing.
Speaker 6 (37:07):
I mean, Argentina was taken to the brink by.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Cape Faraday, like, Argentine has been.
Speaker 9 (37:12):
Taken to the brink a couple times by teams that
they should steamroll England same way. I mean against Congo,
Congo nearly had them beat if it weren't for two
late goals by Harry Kane. So both of these teams
need to show a convincing win, and that's why I
think we could see something like three to three. I
think the excitement, the excitement level of Argentina England will
(37:34):
be far greater than Spain France.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I guess Sprains Spain's going four corners on the frame.
Speaker 9 (37:39):
Exactly, It's like, and this kind of goes to like
the the intense, you know, the art of the game.
Soccer fan like me, I can't wait for for Spance. Uh,
Frank Frane, I'm just saying, yeah, exactly, Spain France. I
can't wait to see the intricacies of the strategy Battle
of tomorrow. But for all casuals on Earth, the more
(38:00):
exciting game, and it will be exciting, is Argentina England
on Wednesdays, and we got.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
Them both here on ninety three point three kJ R
FM one tips one tips off Gotta sorry manson basketball
Basketball Guy one tips off tomorrow at twelve, the other
tips off at twelve on Wednesday
It's time for our weekly conversation with Bill Krueger, brought
to you by the brand new Occidental Hall next to
Lumenfield on Occidental, Seattle's newest hot spot for sports fans,
with massive HD screens and a menu packed with Seattle's
best smash burger, wings and the best local craft beers
in town. Now with Bill Krueger, Here's SAFTI and Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Bill Welcome, how are you?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm yours?
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Good to be absolutely All Star week? Here we go
Home Run Derby coming up in a few moments. We
got the All Star Game coming up tomorrow. Kind of
a chance to kind of breathe and reflect and maybe
grade out our beloved Seattle Mariners for the first half.
If Professor Krueger, who has graded all the papers he
(00:48):
has taking a look at the midterm tests he is
grading those, how does your Seattle Mariners grade out with
their forty and forty nine record here at the All
Star break, Bill.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Well, the good news is we get the gray and
the curve, and the curve is soft and the right.
Aren't we happy about that? You know, like when you're
looking around the room and going, I feel okay on
the curve in this room school. Anyways, you know, I
think you'd have to say, honestly, after what they put
up last year and what they did in the off season,
(01:20):
you'd have to say C minus. I think you probably
give them a little bit more than that. When you
sort of say, well, what about an effort, I'd say
it's more like B because they played through a myriad
of injuries and they were all over the place and
little ones that nagged, but they sort of struck the
club in a lot of places, and of course in
(01:41):
some critical places. When your MVP level catcher missus a
month and probably played most of the first half injured,
and you're probably premiere setup guy has been out most
of the first half and the guy you basically traded
for that was going to ignite the off that's play
for like what two weeks. So I think when you
(02:04):
sort of tally that all up, you give them a
better grade and the minus it's more like B. But
you know, I'm a glass half full guy, so I
think they've got a lot more gas in the tank.
And this is sort of like when you play an
uneven first nine, And maybe there were a lot of
reasons why it didn't go well, but you shot forty five.
I'm just using forty five as a number. I don't
(02:24):
know why. That probably a good score for me, but
you're seeing yourself. Well, I'm starting over in the back
nine because I want to break ninety, right, and so
I got to put up a pretty good score. So
I think it's a good time to sort of regroup
and hopefully they start to get some better news around
their health and guys get a breather, and maybe they
can sort of say to themselves that same sort of adage,
(02:46):
I'm much better than this. Didn't go right the first
nine holes, but I got nine more to play, so
and it's certainly getting Julio right back at the start
of the second half is pretty big.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
God having him, yeah, take off second half as he's
done every single year of his career in the MLB
would be helpful. But I am curious Bill, as a
former player, you've been in these clubhouses. When you look
at the Mariners right now, they're number twenty eight in
slugging this time last year they were seventh, tied for
fourteenth and home runs right now this time last year
they were sixth. They're twenty two in OBP this time
(03:19):
last year they was seven. A big part of that
is cal Rawley. We know that obviously having the big
drop off, But when you're in that clubhouse as a player,
how much does a message of urgency help? And what
time of year for a guy like Dan Wilson does
that need to come into play when you're below five hundred. Yes,
you're still a wildcard team right now, but severely underperforming
(03:41):
compared to last year.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Well, it's a long journey and you're playing a game,
a long game of players that have to regroup each
day and start a new day fresh with a good mindset. Dan,
I think has done everything in his power to put
this team in a position of in He's been positive
with the players, He's taken all the slings and arrows.
(04:04):
There's been lots and lots of interesting conversations behind the
scenes that he tucked into himself. Okay, what it had
to do with things that had to do with the
craziness of the starting pitching staff and the craziness that
they tried to emplay on the team, which they did.
And honestly, I think there's four games right there that
they kicked away, four of them. So you might be
(04:25):
in a lot better shaping right now if you hadn't
decided to piggyback or play six man. And I don't
know what they're going to do with that going forward,
but he's pretty much had to swallow all that. And
you know, when you lean on right hand hitters that
weren't up the speed and didn't have good half, but
you're sort of committed to them, and he stuck behind him.
He stuck behind the players. That's what you hired him
(04:47):
to be, okay, And I think he's done an excellent
job in that regard. I think you're going to pay
dividends with players when you stay behind in and believe
in them in the long run because they're good players.
They haven't been hundred percent. Now should he be pointing
out things when guys are making the same mistake over
and over? He has the big leagues. You know you're
(05:07):
making base running mistakes, you're making bad reads, if you're
not hustling on plays. Yeah, I think he should let
those guys know that's not going to be tolerated. We
don't know what he says because he doesn't tell us
a lot, and I wouldn't say razor sharp media. Of course,
I'm part of media asked a lot of tough questions.
To be frank, Yeah, maybe you find out a little
(05:30):
bit more if you wouldn't just you know, if you
do to cut through the veneer a little bit and
bore down a little bit more on questions that you
really want answered. I think that in today's game, the
manager is a foreman. He's a foreman that needs to
talk to the media. Oh, I don't know, twice a
day for one hundred and sixty two plus thirty in
(05:52):
spring training, what's that three and four hundred times? That's
his job. Make sure the players are positive, make sure
that there's communication, and you stand behind him, and then
you've basically followed the script that's being handed to you
by the front office. That's pretty much the way it's
played today.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Bill Krueger joining us just here. Yeah, no, you're right.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Bill.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
You mentioned a bee for effort, and you alluded to
the Randy A. Rose Arena situation. We have seen three
balls now down the line. I think maybe the first
one can be more explained. Of Randy just doesn't read
fly balls very well. I can probably give him a
pass for that one. I have a tougher time giving
up him a pass for the second one. I've got
(06:40):
no tolerance for giving him a pass for the third one.
What we saw on Friday, I mean that guy pulled
up three seconds before the ball even hit the ground,
and the ball hit the ground six feet in front
of him.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So how did I mean that?
Speaker 6 (06:55):
To me?
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Seems like one for an ass chewing after the and
probably a benching at least the next game. We don't
know if an ass chewing happened, we know a benching didn't.
So how would you have handled that situation with Randy
a Rose Arena.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Well, he's your best player right now offensively. If you
don't have him in the lineup, you're you're you're a
little bit criokeety. That's such a word a lot of crickets.
So you know, he's been a good player offensively for him,
and I think he's playing less than hundred percent. He's
playing on a hamstream. It's not not right. And he
played every game up until that point. He has just
(07:34):
stole the base since today that he went on the
il for that, so he's not the same player. Plus
he's a below average defender. And right now, when you
start to play the music and you put people in
the chairs. There's not a lot of outfielders to be
had right now. Dominic knslone probably can't play the outfield
because he's got a bad handing MM. We've got people
like Kennedy out in the outfield or Wilson and Wilson
(07:57):
Wilson in the outfield. I mean that's and we've seen
the cast, the thousands that have played in the corner.
Who knows how healthy really is. He's had a bad back,
his arm isn't right to say, and then you got
your best player out for a week who covers everybody's mistakes,
and that's Julio. So there's a lot there. And it's
a big outfield in Miami at a big outfield in Tampa,
(08:17):
I'm sort of I'm not saying that you you tolerate
effort is something that everybody can can can can do
and so hopefully that message was delivered. He's he's a
little tricky. I think when you sign up for Randy Rosarini,
you're not sure you know exactly where he's coming from.
Every day. He certainly seemed distracted in Tampa. He certainly
(08:40):
seems to love being in Tampa. He almost didn't want
to leave. You wanted to just sit in the stands
and hope maybe the move didn't really happen right when
he when he when he was told that he was
leaving Tampa. So I don't know how to put your
finger on him. Look at what happened at the beginning
of the year, you don't think you think that was
just easy, easy gliding for Dan to deal with that one, right,
(09:01):
you know, and honestly, to be honest with you, you know,
there's obviously a disagreement on what who should have done
what in that situation, and the media is constantly microscopping
all that stuff. And maybe you know, Cal felt like
he was doing the right thing at the time, and
Randy took it, took offense. But here if you would
have heard what he said in spanishing English and they
(09:22):
had have played that every day, I don't think there
have been as many people supporting Randy on that one, because,
no matter what, you can't say those things about your teammate. Okay,
So that was that was a rocky ship that had
to be settled early in the season. So I think,
you know, there's probably a lot of he has to
be pretty tactful with Randy, I would I would think, yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
And this is really I mean, the first full full
season that we get I mean, if Randy isn't the
best teammate, this is really the year where you start
seeing affect others. I feel like it takes a little
bit of time, and there are moments where I've seen
where I'm like, oh, that doesn't really look like they
get along so well. Oh I don't know how much
those two get it. Just it's been in my mind
(10:04):
a few times, and not criticizing who Randy is, but
I think you're right, Bill. The way that was translated
was that was sharp from Randy early in the season.
I'm curious going to third base. We don't know really
when Brendan Donovan could come back, if he's going to
be the same guy he was. He was your leader
in on base percentage. He was supposed to be your
leader at the top of the lineup. I think, what
twenty three hits in twenty five games this season, so
(10:27):
at least productive if he were to come back. Best
case scenario, what happens with JP the Colt Emerson, Like
Colt Emerson has had multiple rough stretches. Do you mess
with him at all at short stuff you leave him there,
or what happens if Brendan Donovan comes back and can
be a contributor at third base.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Well, I'm probably not as familiar with where Brendan plays best.
I mean, he's got a reputation for being a guy
that can move all over the field. He's probably his
best spot a second base, and he's not playing there. Okay,
the probably do his play caate. So he's at third,
he's in left, he's the DH. He gives a once
(11:08):
in a while blow to Cole Young, Right, that's what
they're going to do. Because if you decide to put
him in left, and you've got material Randy out there
that thinks said if he's a DH, he's not going
to make his premium effort on the free agent market,
then maybe he gets a little dabber down and gets
a little upset, right, And then if he's the DH
(11:29):
all the time, then what happens in the real league
can zone equation. You want to take your best slugger
and send him a trip away. And if you put
Donovan at third, JP's a better defender. Even though he's
been a little inconsistent with his arm. He's a much
better defender than Brendan Donovan. We've seen Brendan third. He's
he has to work hard to be average. Okay, he's
(11:50):
a really good offensive player. I don't know how good
a left fielder he is, but it can't He can
play better than what we've seen in left field, that's
for sure, because Randy hasn't played it very well. I
think it's going to be some kind of hard to
put your finger on it. But he's in the lineup
every day, right. I think that's kind of how it's
going to look. And Donovan's good enough and he knows
(12:12):
that's his his kind of his card. He didn't come
in and say, well, you know, I expect you know
to play this position. I'm a big deal coming over here.
I don't think he just wants to play and he
doesn't care where he plays. I don't think so. I
think you'll see him move around a bit, but he's
going to infuse some energy and some ability. Energy is
(12:33):
such a nice word, but what you really wanted guys
that can deliver and we need a lot more back
to ball skill in our lineup, and he certainly can
provide that. Well.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
This picture that you're painting, which is an accurate one
of kind of this land of misfit toys on the
Mariner defense and consequently the Mariner offense. I mean, is
this a poorly constructed baseball team on that side of
the of the roster bill.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Well, it's just that they're not very right handed. That's
the big problem. I think that you know, Donovan would
find his place and maybe it wasn't third, Maybe it
would have been third the whole season. I don't know,
but they are just not very right handed and it's
really stung them. They're like dead last against left handed pitching.
I mean, hit the kid on Sunday, but they just
(13:24):
haven't been able to find right handed bats. They kind
of didn't address it, and maybe they're hoping much like
they did last year lightning in the bottle, you get
two bangers at the deadline, but man, I don't think
that's going to be as easy this year. I think
they were fortunate to sort of stumble into those two
guys when the Arizona Diamondbacks slipped out of playoff possibilities
(13:46):
and just at the right moment where the marriage could
sweep in and get both those guys and they were huge,
but right now nobody seems to know whether they're in
it or out of it, so it's hard to guess
who who the sellers are going to be and what's
exactly available. So I have to wait and see on
that one. You know, you're solid up the middle. I mean,
(14:10):
Cole Young has proven to be an excellent second basement.
Cole Emerson can really play short even though he made
a mistake. It was a mistake of commission. You know,
he was trying to make a double play to in
the inning and he made a mistake, but he's played
very well at shortstop, very confident twenty year old. He
doesn't let bad it back to the in his defense,
he's played excellent. Okay, you got the center field or
(14:32):
he can really play, of course I talked about the catcher.
You got a first basement that can really play, although
he hasn't been as good the first half as he
was last year. So and you know JP's going to
play fine at third. Yeah. I mean, I think their
corner Ralph Field is not as good as you would
you would like to be. They're not a supreme defensive
defensive team, but they're fine. I think the big problem
(14:55):
is that when you try to tilt the lineup, they
just don't have any answers on the right hand side
of the play bill.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
You know what it's like to be on the mound
potentially when a one hundred mile an hour hit is
coming your way. Yesterday with Emerson Hancock, I was shocked
that he put his hand out. I know, it's a
one hopper, and you're like, he is a you know,
pictures are athletes. I believe it, but are you sticking
your hand out to potentially get in the way. I
(15:20):
mean that, Like I looked at my hand and I
was like, Emerson Hancock's right hand is literally worth millions.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
That was a scary moment.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
Is that something that you I'm just curious out of
your own instinct. Is that something that you would have
potentially reached out for you think?
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I don't know if it's because I was a position player,
you know, my whole life and really didn't become a
regular patriental. You know, after college I played first base.
I always played with my gloves, so I never ever
reached for a ball with my bare hand because I
was always reaching with my gloves. Okay, that's how you
play the game with the glove, right, So, yeah, you
(15:57):
don't reach out with your hand. I mean I got drilled.
They are with a line drive. I did get but
I've never had one hit my hand because I never
reached with my hands. So that's something you train yourself
away from. You know. Hey, every once in a while
someone snags one with their hand and they make the
highlights in the twenty four hour news cycle, but it's
(16:18):
not the right play. You always use your gloves, even
on a slow unless the ball is absolutely dead stopped.
You always go down with your gloves always. If you
want to be a good field there as a pitcher,
you should love.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
Yeah, I'm glad he's okay. X rays were negative.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
I was just be fine. Yeah, he's going to be fine.
He's because he got tight. It just tightened up on him.
I don't think it was because if they were really worried,
they wouldn't let him continue. Yeah, so he's gonna.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Be all right.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Bill, One quick one for you before we let you go.
A non Mariner related I had let off the segment
with this Zach Wheeler turning down the opportunity to play
in an All Star game. I mean, yes, he's a
multiple dime All Star. He had a great first half
of the sea and his numbers indicate that he absolutely should
have been earlier awarded the All Star Game. For me, though,
it just kind of turned me off when he eventually
(17:09):
was given the All Star nod and he turned it
down saying he's not going to participate.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
The process was a pity party. Just what do you
think about that?
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Well, he doesn't look good, but I kind of I
kind of feel for him. I do because it's a wrong.
They missed it by a mile. This guy is one
of the premier pitchers in our league. You should always
think about that too. It can't just be numbers. It's
got to be who the premier guys. This is the
All Star Game that people we want to see. In
(17:41):
my opinion, I think he's the best right I think
he's the best right hander in the game and maybe
the best pitcher in the National League. Okay, that's what
I think. So how in the world could he be
left off more than once? Yeah, it's a huge swing
in this ten and one with a two, one, three,
eighty nine sixty one hits plus he's he's great. He see,
(18:02):
he's baseball stupid. What is this when everybody gets the ribbon,
we don't even they don't even wear your uniform. So
who in the hell knows who doesn't represented exactly right?
We've got teams that don't even have a city attached
to them. So what I mean, you know, are we
really trying? I get kind of miffed and and so
I kind of I kind of tend to feel my
(18:25):
feelings are I kind of leaned toward him a little bit.
Maybe he should have taken a couple more deep breasts
and then let him let him know that that that
they should they need to get it right, but that
he would come, you know, that would have been the
right thing to do, for sure.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
I think, Yeah, Bill, always a pleasure. We'll talk to
you next week.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Okay, thanks, guys, You've got me.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
Bill Krueger has always some great thoughts there, and I think,
you know, some interesting thoughts on on Dan Wilson. I
can hear people throwing things at the radio with some
of the things that Bill said about Dan Wilson, but
I want to I'm back and chew on it a
little bit because some of it spoke to me. He
brought up a lot of good points about kind of
(19:07):
the potholes that this franchise has had to deal with
over the last three or four months.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
We'll talk about that next on ninety three point three KJF.
Speaker 8 (19:17):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood and this hour is
brought to you by Duke Seafood. Why don't you make
it at Duke's Night tonight. Reserve your table today at
Dukeseafood dot com. Now back to Softy and Dick on
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Softian Deck, go out the soft flo and Alyssa Charleston
grazing us with her presence today till seven o'clock. And boy,
we've had some diametrically opposed opinions about Dan Wilson on
this radio station today.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
There is no question about it at all.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
We've got our main man in the morning, Chuck Powell
for the first time ever calling for the firing of
our baseball manager. And then Bill Krueger coming on and
you know, listing out multiple reasons why the Mariners are
where they are right now, and none of them has
(20:10):
to do with Dan wilson struggles as a manager. Was
more like, hey, here's what Dan's having to deal with.
He mentioned the Randy colspat at the beginning of the
year and the fact, Okay, Doe, is Randy really.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Easy to coach or is he very difficult to coach?
Speaker 4 (20:26):
And is Dan keeping a lot of you know, in
house garbage in house and not airing out his teammates
that are being problematic. He mentioned cal Raley being injured
to begin basically to begin the season, out for essentially
a month and hasn't been the same. He mentioned the
(20:47):
rest of the injuries on this team, the Matt Brashes
of the world that have been hurt. Other Brendan Donovan,
your big free agent acquisition, has not even played this year.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
I would like how.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Many games twenty twenty five games the entire season, and.
Speaker 5 (21:03):
That feels like too many. Yes, you know, it doesn't
feel like he's big exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
And then the lineup being incredibly left handed and you've
got nothing against lefties.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So I thought those.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Were some good reasons that Bill brought up to Okay,
if you are going to be a Dan Wilson defender
and say or at least say, hey, he shouldn't be
fired right now.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Those were some pretty compelling reasons that he brought up.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
Yeah, and he also mentioned the Jerry Depoto piggyback situation,
which you mentioned is like the seventy thirty thing, which
I would stand behind.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I think you're right.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
I after hearing Bill talk about it, who is a
former pitcher and knows what it's like to be in
the big leagues, I lean more toward his argument just
because of time. Dan Wilson hasn't had a ton of time,
and I know managers sometimes get fired after a year.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
It's more rare in.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
Baseball than it is in hockey than it is in
basketball football. But he has dealt with quite a bit
in this season, and we were soon to forget that.
He did take the Mariners to the ALCS Game seven,
the furthest you know they've been.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
It's just like that.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Has to matter, that has to weigh. But he also
has a lot of talent on this team that other
managers have not experienced. How do you manage big personalities
You have to be able to to be in pro sports.
I mean, think about big threes and the egos that
come with them. It's frustrating because they've just been so
(22:27):
incredibly inconsistent, and Dan preaches consistency over and over and
over again. These guys when you're protecting them, they're big boys,
like stepping into the professional world. They can handle it
more so even than when Dan played, because they face
the scrutiny on social media. They get out of social
media because of the scrutiny, but they know what it's
like to play in the big leagues, and I think
(22:49):
hearing a certain amount of accountability is still something I
think you have to hear. There are some very rookie
mistakes that I think you see from Dan Wilson in
game management, but overall, he pulls more respect from his
players than I think Scott Service did and then other
managers did. So is that how much value do you
give that as a manager? Like he has a lot
(23:09):
of respect from those players. It's not showing right now though,
So how long police do you give him?
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Well?
Speaker 4 (23:14):
And it's a lot easier for me to give Dan
more of a pass than I gave Scott Service because
I thought, I mean, there was there was a tremendous
I said this on the air one hundred times.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I mean Scott's Service was condascending.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, like a condescending like I am an unbelievable He
came across like I am the greatest manager on planet Earth. Yeah,
I'm like, okay, Sparky Anderson, like, what the hell did
you ever do? Ill that I felt that asking question
as a manager, and I don't feel that about Dan Wilson.
So it's much harder to get on a guy that
you've known for thirty years, that you like the dude,
(23:47):
you really like the dude. And yet when you see
a team underachieve as much as they have, it has
to fall at least some on the manager.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Yeah, some of it falls on the player. Randy can't
dog it down the line, Okay, he can't do that
when he's going after a ball. Josh Naylor can't continually
just like boot balls all over the place at first base.
That shows a lack of focus. So a lot of
it's on the players. A lot of it's on Jerry
Depoto not putting together consistent right handed hitter hitting like
(24:20):
consistent that can that can take care of left handed pitching.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
He has not done a good job.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
He's tried to nickel and diamond for years bringing in
all these right handed hitters. That's just on these you know,
small little contracts, the latest being Rob Refsnyder and so
that's Jerry's culpability there, so a lot of it's on
other people. And I think anytime you have a team
this talented and they're under five hundred, it's a it's
a full system's failure, right, And I think a lot
(24:48):
of the scrutiny is on Dan because he's the easiest one, right,
He's the easiest one.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
But I need to see some improvement. I need.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I'm not ready to call for Dan Wilson's head. But
part of the reason I'm not really call for Dan
Wilson says because I don't know who else is out
there they're doing any better job than Dan Wilson. Like,
it's not like the NFL, where we know, hey, there's
this hot shot coordinator over here that if you don't
snap him up, somebody else is in the offseason, so
(25:17):
you better get him. It's not that situation in baseball
that the manager, as we mentioned earlier in the show,
means much less to winning and losing games than a
baseball or than a basketball coach or a football coach does.
But I need to see some improvement from Dan Wilson.
And that's the thing that I struggle looking at all
the time. I don't see improvement with the demeanor of
(25:39):
the team. I don't see improvement with the cleanliness, the
defensive cleanliness of the team.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Worst in baseball.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yeah, average, And I just I and I don't see
anything when when Dan Wilson comes to the mount and
he's gonna, you know, he's gonna be assertive and take
Logan Gilbert out of the game, and he lets his
pitcher argue his way back into the game, and then
the pitcher gives up a double and then takes him
out and then the three run home run happens, Like,
come on, man, So I need to see some improvement
which I'm not seen.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
I think the word you said, assertiveness, that's one thing
we really don't see from him. And I think it
comes from the lack of ego, which most people look
at a good as a good thing. Like the humility
he has is phenomenal, but at the big league level,
even Pete Carroll, every wonderful human that you can think
of that's like been a coach has to have a
level of ego that they.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
Insert into their team and into their job.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
And when it comes to the Randy situation, I think
as a team that could become some rotten roots that
grow worse within the team because you're not handling a
player that's a problem. Like I had teammates that were like,
this is a rotten apple, And when my coach addressed it,
that's when I gained a whole lot more respect for
him because they addressed the problem in the room. Yes,
(26:51):
you figure out how to mean and Randy is your
best offensive performing player, But is that because the clubhouse
is a little bit rotten right now? Is there something
that could be elevated and a mood and everything lightens
up when you're not dealing with a player like that
in an attitude because they've been put in their place.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
I think that makes a difference.
Speaker 5 (27:11):
And then also the other point that kind of came
to mind is like, for col Rawley's season last year,
that's not necessarily managerial success.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
And he buoyed a lot of their.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Problems last year.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
And when you get late into the season two, when
he came back and like at this point he was
breaking Ken Griffy Junior's home run record before the All
Star break, we're watching pregame for the home run derby
he won it last year, Like that is a big
part of the ALCS run. I think you have to
see a little bit more assertiveness and if there's a
if there's a manager eval in the exit meetings, that's
(27:45):
that's got to be one of the things that has
to be addressed in this whole Randy cow situation of
this season, Like there has to be an assertion and
a direct call out within the clubhouse or even to
the media to make it public that hey, we're not
going to stand for Randy not giving effort.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
And we know Jerry Depoto's m O. When he feels
like he's in the race, he makes trades to help
the baseball team. When he doesn't, you know what he does,
He trades Paul Seawald. I mean, and you know what
the Mariners record was when they traded Paul Seawald.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
It was fifty five and fifty one. It's better than
it is right now.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Now, there was an Astros team that was running out ahead,
but they were still very much in the wildcard race,
and Jerry Depoto said, now, this isn't the year, this
isn't the year I'm going to add to this team.
This is the year I'm just gonna kind of sort
of stand pat and trade Paul Seawald for dom Can's
own and you know.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Take you know, Rob Peter to pay Paul.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Who's to say he's not going to do that in
two weeks if this team is fifty five and fifty
one or fifty one to fifty five, yeah that's the
case maybe, and then we will be really pissed as
Mariner fans because we thought this was the team that
was going to the World Series three months ago. Five
ninety three point three KJFM, it's time.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
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Speaker 3 (29:09):
After review, that is no foul for number five and
number seven, that is a clear simulation find other season.
Speaker 9 (29:16):
Yeah at the number of.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
Paper and in that instance, oh hell, it's kind of great.
Lucy Switzerland absolutely furious.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
So I turned on the game after they were already
down a man against Argentina. So five point forty five
has kind of been during the World Cup our time
where we chat with Jackson on a little soccer here
and get to get up to date. We've got a
big game come up tomorrow on ninety three point three KJRFM,
another one on Wednesday, and so we will take the
air right after that that games. Both those games are
(29:52):
at twelve correct Jackson, Yes, tomorrow and Wednesday. So recap
us of what happened between Argentina and Switzerland.
Speaker 9 (29:59):
So what happened is you have this guy Mbolo who
plays for Switzerland and he gets a yellow card in
the first half for a deserve challenge.
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Second half he gets another yellow card.
Speaker 9 (30:12):
But what happens in that situation is why I chose
it to be our Bevy Red Cooin's Gold Moment of
the weekend because I think it was a perfect example
of officiating. And I know half the people hearing that
want to smack me over the head. The other half
are probably cheering it on because essentially what happened is
they go to the video review, a foul is.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
Called on a player for Argentina.
Speaker 9 (30:35):
Then they go to video review and say, wait a second,
was that.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Really a foul on the Argentina player. Did he even
touch him?
Speaker 9 (30:42):
Or do the Switzerland guy Imbolo just dive and fake
the injury and fake everything. And that's called simulation in soccer, okay,
and they go to the review and they say, no,
wait a second, the player for Argentina didn't touch him.
That's clear simulation by the Switzerland player. And rule by definition,
if you fake getting tripped, if you fake an injury,
(31:05):
you are simulating. That is a yellow card. That is
a written it's done, it's over. It happened in the
United States Paraguay game, the first game for the US
and the tournament. And so the referee comes back out,
we played the clip, he gives the yellow card. That's
Embolo's second yellow card, and he is sent off. And
you have a lot of people, half people probably saying,
(31:27):
come on, you can't eject a guy for that, and
the other half are saying, no letter of the law.
That's a fair yellow card. He's ejected. Regardless if it's
a first or a second yellow, it's a yellow. You
can't fake being tripped.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Well, a listen, Not only do I think it's a
good rule to have on in soccer, it's a perfect
execution of that rule. Yeah, I mean that's where we're
trying to get rid of in soccer. I guess I
don't understand other than if you got money on Switzerland.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
You're rooting for Switzerland. Okay, I get it. Take out
those people like who would see that?
Speaker 4 (31:59):
And what is the argument against? Okay, it's a rule
we want flopping out. So why do we have a
problem with giving a yell card to guy flopping? Yeah,
I don't understand that.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
I don't either.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Well, okay, the only thing I could see is, like
with basketball, sometimes with when a coach asks for a review,
can you change the call based on like something completely different?
So like now you can you can challenge a foul,
but creating something else if you see something else entirely,
creating a whole new like the var wasn't initially to
see if he was simulating, which is so funny, a
(32:32):
simulating flopping, right, It's a very classy way to say it.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
That's the thing.
Speaker 9 (32:36):
If they if they hadn't called a foul on the
Argentina player first, Yeah, if they had just said play on,
then it never gets reviewed and it never gets the
second yellow is never given. But because a foul was
called on the Argentina player, which I believe was going
to be a yellow because that was being reviewed, then
(32:56):
they said no, that's a flop that's a yellow.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
That's simulation.
Speaker 9 (33:00):
I would say the reason why people to Dick, to
answer your question straight up on why so many people
are up in arms and angry about this, it's because
you see flopping so many other times and it's not called.
But the key to remember to for for all those
people who are this is it was only done because
(33:22):
specifically they were looking about the foul on the Argentina player.
You can't just a referee can't just say yeah, that
looks like simulation. I'm just gonna go and look at
that like like. It's only in this context. So if
we want, we all want flopping and faking of injuries
to be part and to be gone from soccer. We
all want that. Soccer fans hate it just as much
(33:43):
as non soccer fans. This is what this is what
you have.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
To have happened.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
So Argentina then ends up beating Switzerland, and Argentina has
not exactly looked massively impressive in this World Cup, and
yet here they are in the final four.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Can I call it final four?
Speaker 5 (33:59):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (33:59):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (33:59):
My basketball basketball? My basketball brain says, final four England
and Norway.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
And we know that the English coach was not happy
with his team after the game. I mean, he gave
a two and a half minute monologue getting all pissy
at the at the guy asking him questions after the game.
So you know, it leads me to this this question.
Is what we're seeing tomorrow between France and Spain. Is
(34:26):
that basically the the de facto World Cup title game?
Speaker 9 (34:29):
So no, I would say that this the winner of
tomorrow's game, I think wins the World Cup. That's just
my personal take. At the same time, you know, I
think France right now is the overwhelming favorite. France would
beat Argentina, France would beat England, and I don't think
either of those games would be particularly close.
Speaker 6 (34:48):
Spain is a different kind of team.
Speaker 9 (34:51):
They love to They play kind of how do I
say this, They play Seahawks ball in the sense of
when when we had you know, kind of the poor offense,
doesn't have a guy on offense. They kind of have
a lot of really good players, two great players, but
no Killian Mbappe, no Messy, no Harry Kane for England,
no jew Bellingham for England.
Speaker 6 (35:12):
They just have a bunch of really really good players.
Speaker 9 (35:15):
They control games though their midfield's the best in the world.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
It's been the best throughout this World Cup.
Speaker 9 (35:20):
They control possession, they pretty much hold the ball, they
tire out defenses by having to run around and chase
the ball, and they eventually find their winning goal. Spain's
done it over and over and over. They've only had
a couple comfortable wins this whole run. So when it
comes to a France team that is just attack, attack, attack,
and we're so dang good at it, good luck stopping us.
(35:40):
Spain's idea of Okay, here's how we're gonna stop you.
We're gonna keep the ball the entire day game. Good
luck taking it from us. The chess match and the
you know, the art of war battle tomorrow between France
and Spain will be incredible to watch. If Spain finds
a way to win. I think Spain England and Spain
(36:00):
versus Argentina would both be excellent games. I think Spain
would win that, but they would be kind of toss ups.
Speaker 6 (36:07):
Interesting.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
I am curious about the rivalry with England Argentina. I
mean it's off the it's off the field. It's been
long documented, like sixties David Beckham days wore Yeah.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
I actually enough to remember the Falklands Islands Battle. I'm
actually old enough to remember that.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
It was a big damn deal.
Speaker 4 (36:23):
It was a big damn deal. We had like American
troops that were headed there. You know, it was a
big deal.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
So that's like intense.
Speaker 9 (36:29):
That is intense, and I think for England it's it's
this is probably the best team they've had since their
World Cup title team in sixty six. Wow, this is
this is the England team that could do it. They're
good in the back. Jude Bellingham is incredible, he's playing
like Zenadine's a down right now. Harry Kane as a
(36:49):
striker is amazing. He's really hot right now. And you
need a hot striker to win a World Cup and
all of these things together against the greatest of all
time in Mesa.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
See. But as to what you said, Dick Like, it's
the fact.
Speaker 9 (37:02):
That neither of these teams, England and Argentina have looked convincing.
Speaker 6 (37:07):
I mean, Argentina was taken to the brink by.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Cape Faraday, like, Argentine has been.
Speaker 9 (37:12):
Taken to the brink a couple times by teams that
they should steamroll England same way. I mean against Congo,
Congo nearly had them beat if it weren't for two
late goals by Harry Kane. So both of these teams
need to show a convincing win, and that's why I
think we could see something like three to three. I
think the excitement, the excitement level of Argentina England will
(37:34):
be far greater than Spain France.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I guess Sprains Spain's going four corners on the frame.
Speaker 9 (37:39):
Exactly, It's like, and this kind of goes to like
the the intense, you know, the art of the game.
Soccer fan like me, I can't wait for for Spance. Uh,
Frank Frane, I'm just saying, yeah, exactly, Spain France. I
can't wait to see the intricacies of the strategy Battle
of tomorrow. But for all casuals on Earth, the more
(38:00):
exciting game, and it will be exciting, is Argentina England
on Wednesdays, and we got.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
Them both here on ninety three point three kJ R
FM one tips one tips off Gotta sorry manson basketball
Basketball Guy one tips off tomorrow at twelve, the other
tips off at twelve on Wednesday
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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