Improving The Mariners w/ Jim Duquette

Jim Duquette, formal general manager of the New York Mets stops by to chat about the Mariners, thoughts on their off-season, who can they land to improve their offense, how far are the Mariners from getting to the World Series, and much more.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
All right, let's get a littlemore baseball. Joining us to help us
from MLB Network Radio, former GMand Major League Baseball all around good guy.
And you know what he's you knowwhat he's gonna do right now,
He's gonna spend the next ten minuteswith us, and he is gonna he's
gonna tell us to relax. Hey, you people in Seattle, you're all
hopped up on that caffeine. Huh, and you see the sun for the
first time here in months, andyou think the world's your oyster. Well,

(00:22):
let me tell you something. Okay, calm down about the baseball team.
They're gonna be okay. At leastthat's what I'm hoping he's gonna tell
us. Jim Dukett Joys right nowin the Beacon Plumbing hotline, Jim,
welcome back to the show. Howare you? What's up? Guys?
How are you? I am gonnahostfully calm the massages a little bit,
although I am concert about a fewcakes with the US right now. For

(00:43):
sure. Man, you can't evencalm your own dog down. How are
you gonna calm down a fan base? H Thank you? We love dogs,
Jim. We're just giving you ahard time. She loves them.
We are dog people. We've gotmultiple Labradors. That doesn't sound like a

(01:04):
lab that sounds like one of thosethose one of those lap dogs, the
small lap dog. Guess it is. It is sure. My son is
just coming home at the same time. So yeah, the town was it's
all good. Well, we welcomeyou to show. All right, you
calm us down, because people outhere in Mariners Land, we we are

(01:25):
we are anxious of the start ofthis season. They find themselves a game
under five hundred there, nine anda half back of the Ranger, six
back of a wild card, andit just feels like they did not capitalize
on the momentum they had at theend of the season. How would you
kind of summarize the start of thisseason for the Mariners. I think that's
that's a stair as testament definitely,you know, not capitalizing Yeah, so

(01:49):
far after the mate that they had. I would agree with you there.
I think I think that the issue, well, first off, we know
that the bar is a little bitlower. Whether that's good or not,
it's um you know, to bedetermined, but the bar in terms of
just obviously the extra wildcard, right, So I think you start there,
they're a team from me that itis dangerous different when you get to the

(02:14):
postseason. Because of their pitching.I think the fat pitching is going to
be better and it's been a goodoverall I think for the most part,
carry them to this point. Butthere's been a little hiccup here recently and
because of the offense or the lackthereof UM. Yeah, that's where my
concerning is because it's gone on alittle too long for me overall, and
I think that that's something that wasa bit of a concern to some people.

(02:37):
I thought it was going to beimproved this year. We're seeing a
lot of strikeouts recently h overall wasa giascer Calenic, Torres Guglio. They're
in the top five and strikeouts UMin the league. So that's never you
never want to see your offensive playersin the in the lead in that category

(02:57):
because it's really there's a lack ofproduction that usually is associated with that.
I think that's what you've seen onthat front. But I'm optimistic because of
their pitching and the fact that Iknow they will be aggressive at the deadline
finding some other offensive peace. Well, Jim, you've been in Jerry Depoto's
shoes before your former GM at theMLB level, Can you give us some
insight into what it's like talking toownership when it comes to going after free

(03:21):
agents and looking at the bottom line. Yeah, you're right. I haven't
enjoyed that part of the job,talking to owners about asking for more money
when you're especially if your team isunderperforming. I think the thing with Jerry,
you know, because of all thingswent last year and I kind of

(03:42):
try to compare them. First,the first thing for me was getting that
postseason hurdle out of the way inwhich they did last year, right,
And if you guys remember the studentabout this time last year, they were
far worse in terms of the record, and so I think that the fact
that they've overcome that helps. Whenyou got up the owner, you have
so them on a couple of things. Hey, these guys are under performing.

(04:05):
Here's why, and here's why.I think it's going to get better.
And here's what we think in termsof adding to the pain, where
you know, and you kind ofbreak down the financial part of it,
which usually is about two months twomonth window there in the cost of that
of giving up prospects if you feellike you have enough to do that.

(04:26):
I think that to me is goingto be after the big trade. The
test is do they have enough intheir system, you know, keeping guys
away from obviously like personal you're nottrading right, some of these guys that
you're gonna that you've seen you youwant to be able to use and you
know, to help you at themajor league level, not not be used
in a trade. So you know, the Harry Ford's handcocks those guys.

(04:49):
You don't want to have to giveup. But I think Terry is one
of those guys where he's so aggressivethat you know, to die right.
Pals in place, and I wouldput anybody, uh you know, on
the table in that sense, orhe will put them on the table if
need be. So I think ownershipwith everything going on there, with the

(05:10):
All Star Game coming in the waythat they played last year, and the
overall optimism with the team, Idon't think there's any other direction but to
add to this team, you know, at the right moment. The issue
to me, I talked about adozen GMS over the last month and a
half or so, is when isthat trade market gonna be open? Because

(05:31):
so many teams are within you know, within five or six games of a
postseason spot. Teams are aren't reallyaggressively shopping their own players. It's it's
kind of like take the temperature head. If we're out of it, this
guy would be available, and youstart that type of conversation. But that's
it's gonna be a while before Ithink you're gonna see a significant trade.

(05:54):
Okay, So based on what theydid here in the off season, I'm
curious to get your opinion. Andagain, Jim Dukeette is with us MLB
Network Radio, joining as former generalmanager in baseball in the Beacon Plumbing Hotline.
When you saw them coming coming offthe playoff victory over Toronto and they
you know, they they three greatgames against Houston. They get to the

(06:15):
off season and the moves they makeare a trade for Colton A Wong,
a trade for taoscar Hernandez. Theyhad Tommy Lastella, AJ Pollock and Cooper
Hummel. Those are their additions tothe off season. What what did you
make of that at the time.At the time I thought it was short
impact. The impact will back thatthey that they needed um and I remember

(06:41):
talking to Jerry at the time.You know, there was a lot of
good shortstops on the marketplace. Youknow, they have always loved JP Crawford
and obviously talked about his defense,um and how good it's spanning. You
know, he was good there lastyear that got outside to a contract extension.
But for me, that was theone area that even if they didn't

(07:01):
bring in shortstop to plant Crawford,one of those guys might have been willing
if you've spent the money to movepositions right and Turner ended up being a
short stop and stayed there, Billy, but there was a lot of talk
about him playing other positions. MIn the end, I think they needed
another impactful back, you know,to help out with Julio. Um,

(07:27):
because here's the thing. You youknow, as good as Julio is going
to be, there are a lotof guys out there that have had rough
second seasons, uh, you know, and when the league gets a sense
of how they can pitch to herewith their weaknesses, um, yeah,
there's an adjustment period that comes withthat. And that's just that's just one

(07:48):
of the guys. You know,Suarez has not really performed yet that there's
a lot of guys that I feltlast year had above average years by their
comparison to the back of the baseall card averages, and so you had
to kind of plant for that.And that's my only kind of I'd say
criticism of the way that the winterwas is I thought they would have done

(08:11):
a little bit more on the offensiveside. And you said that, I
thought, you know, three orfour of the guys that they brought in,
I thought we're a good addition.I just needed to be a little
more impactful. Jim, do youget the sense that it's hard to get
position players as free agents to cometo Seattle because it's so far away up
in the northwest corner of the UnitedStates and the fact that it's a pitchers
ballpark now to hitters one, Ithink that is an absolute challenge for sure.

(08:37):
You know, I think it getsit does get talked about a lot,
you know, I don't know,you know, every every free agent
you know talks about you know,what their priorities are, and so you
know, the travel aspect of it, I think plays a little bit.
You know, I'll say this achange in the schedule where you know,
it's not it's an unbalanced schedule nowkind of even that out a little bit,

(08:58):
not not entirely, but little bitin terms of you know, there's
a lot of travel now for teamsand for players. UM. But I
do think that that's the fact,you know, I think, um,
yeah, that is a challenge thatJerry and you know, Scott Service.
I think they have to overcome that. Um, A lot of times you
can overcome that with money, youknow, the next that it tends to
eliminate it. But yeah, itis, it is a challenge there I

(09:22):
no one. It gets warmer,the ball travels a little bit, but
especially the early months and the coolerweather. Yeah, it's tough for offensive
players to go out there. Whatis that because we we you know,
to along those lines of the questionfrom Jim is that we can't figure out
why they can't attract people here.It's a it's a great city to live

(09:43):
in. We understand the travel.They travel more than anyone. But they've
got a young, exciting team.They have an uber it appears at times,
especially with trades, uber aggressive withtheir general manager. There have always
been these whispers though that agents andplayers don't necessarily like dealing with Jerry Depotoum.
Does ownership truly want to write thebig checks for free agents. I

(10:05):
mean they'll they'll write one for atwenty two year old, you know,
superstar in Julia Rodriguez. But Imean, are there whispers or rumors just
around them that maybe the front officeis difficult to work with, does not
play a part into this at all. I don't here I listen. I
think there's always speculation if if theydon't sign the big guys, you know

(10:28):
you want to point to, youknow, whether it's and by the way,
I think, I think Jerry isfantastic when it comes to doing his
job at all levels. But yeah, in that area, you haven't had
the success. Like you said,you have to kind of look at it
um a little deeper or or isit it's hard to determine not being in
there if it's ownership, not longto go there. I will say,
though, when you kind of lookaround, there are a few teams and

(10:52):
I know I was talking about howthey should have signed impact. It's also
not the greatest business model at theend of at the end of the contract,
so you know, you're you're kindof playing the percentages in the sense
that all right, well, thoselast three or four years aren't going to
go well, and are you willingto kind of give those away in the
sense to be competitive here during thiswindow. And I think that's where every

(11:16):
organization has to come to that determination. Seattle. You know, those conversations,
I don't know what they're I thinkit makes more sense long term and
short term if you have a JulioRoger just you know, those are beat
those are obvious. It's a littlemore difficult to bite the bullet because if
you look at Turner and you lookat what Bogard's got this tast winter,
even judge those contracts are going toage well, you know, And so

(11:39):
I think that, um, that'sthe difficulty in this environment is you know,
after the CBA was signed, anda couple of jams told me this
off the record, they were like, I can't believe at how expensive they
got to sign, even border lineand marginal tab. So I think it's
a combination that things always But Ido think that the price tax got so

(12:03):
crazy this winter that it's possible theywent to you know, they tried to
hold the line and got up.Bit Hey, Jim, you mentioned about
the Mariners being a dangerous playoff teamif they make it in because of their
pitching. I think we all agreewith you on that. But how far
away are they from the World Series. This is a franchise that I mean,
I've been watching this team since seventyseven. They're the only one left

(12:24):
that has it even played in thein the World Series. So I mean
one bat away from perhaps making awild card playoff birth. But what more
needs to be done for them tofinally make it to the final round?
Well, you know, I thinkwith these you know, I've covered the
postseason now for the last dozen yearsfor a serious and there's usually usually a

(12:48):
recipe that you see with the twoteams that are remaining at the end,
and it starts with a good startingrotation. The Mariners had that. The
next past respect of that is usuallya dominating bullpen. They've been pretty so
on that front over the last coupleof years. Where they have it.
Where they where they fall short ison the offensive. It really look at

(13:11):
that and say, you know,they're bat an impactful bat and possibly a
second bat that's maybe not as impactfulto add as as death um to from
being a kind of balanced offense thatcan handle good pitching in the postseason.
Like you better have, um,you know, good offensive pieces when you're

(13:33):
when you're picking facing up against everyteam's best pitching in the postseason. That
that's it's a simplified, uh responseto you. It's obviously a little more
complicate. Usually it's it's a teamthat doesn't have a ton of strikeouts in
their in their offense too. Andthat's where you look at this group right
now and you're seeing a lot ofthat, a lot of of uh,

(13:54):
you know, non contact, noncompetitive at bat that's going to have to
change here in the second half.Jim Dukett is our guest MLB Network Radio
FOM on Twitter at Jim Underscore todo. Can't of course form a general
manager in a Major League Baseball toaddress the offense. Everyone is gonna want
to go out and get the samething. I mean, there's the markets,
say, where everyone wants hitters,and then this year feels like everyone

(14:16):
wants starting pitchers there as well.Who would make sense for Seattle? And
let me just give you a listof names, and I don't know if
anyone listen. The number one guyon the list is gonna be sho Hey
Otani. He's gonna be He's gonnainterest anyone. Now would the Angels think
about moving on for him or dothey think they can resign We can get

(14:37):
to him in a second Tim Andersonor Jack Peterson or Randall Gritchick of the
Rockies, or maybe even Brian Reynoldsif the Pirates want to. I know
they just signed him, but there'salways been some thoughts to maybe the pipist
that would move on from him ifthey could get a lot of younger players
in the future for him. Thatseems like a long shot. But does
anyone out there like that makes sense? Or do you have another name that

(15:01):
could possibly help this offense here inSeattle? Well, I don't know.
So I think you know a guylike he Anderson. You know he's he's
a winner, he's impact he canbe impactful at the top of the lineup.
Um, you know you'd have tomove profert. I think he's you
know, he's he wants to playshort stuff. I'm not sure it's a
perfect fit, but he would beone guy. Peterson's always been a guy

(15:22):
that that, um, you know, you want to have on your on
your team. He's a winner,he's he's been in the postseason last about
three four years. I think itis at least maybe more than that.
So I do like to take tryingto take those type of guys. There's
there's not a lot available. Theone the one team that I look at,

(15:43):
well, two teams, the WhiteSox and the Cardens are two teams
that and in particular the White Sex. You know, they have gone and
gun into this with the idea thatthere is win or bust and their team
hasn't been hasn't been U real impetitiveoutside of Okay, they had a one
one h postseason appearance and then theywere they were bounced, uh, and

(16:08):
it's kind of gone in the wrongdirection for them. For me, they're
at a point I think that theyhave to consider flipping the roster row.
And obviously on the penial front,they have Giolito. You mentioned Anderson.
Uh. I don't know if theywould make Amenas or Lee Robert available,
um, but those would be interestingnames that you try to uh to trade

(16:30):
for it because you can sign themup long term, so you know they're
you know, the Cubs would beinteresting to some degree, but I don't
see a fit there. The hardestpart, I think right now, it's
trying to find the match. Um. You know, if the Cardinals were
available, they have an outfield depthyou could you could you could potentially probably

(16:52):
way now he's not having a greatyear yet, he's he's also been injured,
the guy like Tyler O'Neill. Soso I think it's to be determined
who's a billable. I don't thinkoh, Tanny's going to be a bill
even if they were five hundred.Let's say they're below five hundred, I
don't think. I just look attheir owner and his track record is unwillingness

(17:14):
to trade impactful players at all.And I see them riding this out into
the sunset and basically going to theirfan base and saying, you know what,
we tried to sign the scot becauseit's going to be a number.
It's gonna be over four hundred million, probably closer to five hundred million,
and they'll make an effort to tryto sign them in the wintertime, probably
news out and say that the fanbase say we try to keep them,

(17:37):
that's why we didn't trade. That. That would be the story if I
were in this use that, ifI were the owner, if I was
the GM, I'd be proud ofthe table asking to trade and because he'd
get a huge houle like one,so too did Lessons. What do you
think he's gonna earn on the freeagent market? What do you think per
year in total of his deal isgoing to be? Well Trouk's number.
I think it's like four hundred andthirty two million. That was an extension

(18:00):
that ever the Angels. That's thehighest ever. It's going to be north
with that. Some people think it'sgoing to be over five hundred. I
don't think so. I think.I mean there's gonna be a lot of
suitors, a lot of bidders hemay get. I think the negotiations going
to go very similar to the wayJudges went right. The Angels have been
up the price tag. You're gonnasee a bunch of teams like the Dodgers

(18:23):
and the Mets, maybe the Yankees, maybe the Giants, maybe the Padres.
It's gonna be like five or sixteams. They're all going to be
bidding for her services. And youmight even get a team that jumps in
late like the Padres did late withJudge and give him more money that he
ends up accepting. But I thinkit's going to be a record a record

(18:44):
breaking deal. I don't see anyother way around it if you want the
player, and because of the waythat the number of teams and the type
of teams that have interested him,you know, Hey, jam is a
pleasure. We appreciate it. Ucan let the dog back in. Hey,
dog's not gonna get fit. Yeah, we appreciate the time today.
Hopefully we'll check in later this summer. Thank you so much today, all

(19:07):
right guy,