August 10, 2026 • 21 mins
Former Mariners pitcher and analyst Bill Krueger joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the ongoing issues with the Mariners right now, where the blame is spread on the team, Cal Raleigh’s stunning regression at the plate, how Dan Wilson has gotten better, how many decisions Dan actually makes, and Jeff Nelson not in the M’s’ Top 50.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood. Lady, you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is proudly brought to you by
Duke Seafood. Why not make it a Duke's night tonight.
Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood dot com. On Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJARFM.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
It's time for our weekly conversation with Bill Krueger, brought
to you by the brand new Occidental Hall next to
Lumanfield on Occidental Seattle's newest hot spot for sports fans
with massive HD screens in a menu packed with Seattle's
best smash burger, wings and the best local craft beers
in town. Now with Bill Krueger, here's Saftie and Dick all.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Right, big thanks to our friends at the Occidental Hall,
Queen Ann Beer Hall, Moss Bay Hall, and Kirkland the
Ox Hall. If you're at a Mariner game Seahawk game
right there across from the northwest corner of lumen Field
on Occidental great spot, check it out before and after
every game. The Occidental Hall could use a couple of
cocktails or four from the Ox Hall all that for
what we saw over the weekend. Our friend Bill Krueger
(01:03):
joining us right now on the radio show to talk
about all of it.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
How are you, man, I'm good.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
I'm good. Good to be on with you.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, always great to have your voice. Appreciate your candor,
your honesty, your approach, and I mean, why don't we just,
first of all, before we talk about some of the
stuff that was happening off the field this weekend?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
What'd you make of what you saw on the field.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
The Mariners starting a nineteen game stretch against some pretty
good teams, and they start off by going zero to three.
They get great starting pitching, but blow it all with
an offense that scored four runs.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
Your thoughts, well, they've been leaning on a couple of guys,
and if the couple of guys stop hitting, which is
only the natural course of the season. You know, if
Andy Rose Arena doesn't hit a bunch, or if Cole Young,
who's been awfully good all year, doesn't hit a bunch,
and if Canzone doesn't hit a bunch, there's not much
(01:56):
there really. I mean, you have got much in the middle,
and you don't have a plan to be This team
is structured around around slugging and potential stress that the
slugging causes and stress causes walks if you can force them.
I'm not so sure some of our bigger hitters understand
(02:17):
what stress can do, you know, if you can just
be a little more patient. But yeah, they're not scoring enough.
There's no question they're not getting their strength of the season.
And we can go back in time and talk about this,
the fact that they were sitting in a position where
their least starting pitching was all pitching great, and yet
they decided to, you know, slice the sixth guy into it,
(02:39):
and it costs them wins and who knows how that
disrupted the rotation itself, and you know, to win with
the starting pitching they have, those pictures need to go further,
particularly when you're one shortened the pen, and we are
one shorten the pen over the weekend because the spire's
ejection and those guys that you're trying to use to
cover the ones you like are worn out. I would
(03:03):
say that even with their low scoring inability or their
inability to score, they if they could have gotten more
from their pitting, had they been able to add another
reliever or been able to use Castillo in the bullpen
or whatever this scenario might have been, that would have
given him more balance. I think they'd be in a
much better position today even though they haven't swung the bat.
(03:25):
And we could talk at length about each of the hitters,
and I mean, certainly cal Rawley is it's it's, it's,
it's it's like a collapse, it's it's it's hard to
fath him, right. I mean, he's not a great pure hitter.
He never was. He was a two twenty hitter after
last year. But the fact that he's just kind of
(03:47):
lost himself the plate. I mean, he's just first pitch,
got to go for it. Hope it's in my zone,
swing hard. And then after that there's all this chase.
If you've got some ability to make and chase and
no two strikes ability and no willingness to stay on
the plate a little bit longer with your bat. And
if you watch some of these teams, and it goes
(04:07):
back to this, as we keep being hammered. Oh you know,
you got to have home runs. That's the only way
to win. And then we if you watch some of
these teams carefully, if you watch what Toronto did, to
get to the World Series last year. If you watched
how Tampa Bay plays, if you were able to watch
Milwaukee this year, you'd understand how baseball can truly be played.
(04:28):
And that's with the ability to put the ball in play,
the ability to have contact, the ability to play with speed,
and they just it's so hard to not have any
of that in your lineup.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
Well, Bill, why isn't there a plan B? Why is
there no in game offensive adjustments? Is it the players
aren't capable of in game adjustments? Or the philosophy of
the Mariners is no, We're just going to swing for
the fences and take our chances.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
It's the players that you can't write it on the
truck board at the beginning of spring training. Today's us
and to sit into the count. Today's lesson is to
use the whole field. It's the player that you are.
That's the player that they've gone to acchoire, that's the
player that they have developed. And you know, the hope
is that as the future moves forward in a park
that's not very conducive for all runs, that you're going
(05:16):
to see a little bit more. That Cole Young's done
a great job, and you have to give Randy rose
Arenas a credit for being a pretty good all around
hitter this year, just so the rest of the lineup
doesn't give you a whole lot of that, right, They
just don't. And you know, the collapse of the middle
of the lineup, and you know, you look at numbers
and Jubio he's a little bit of an enigma because
(05:40):
he's able to get some hits here and there, because
he can run. He doesn't seem to know the strikes
on he swings off the plate, he gives it back
the way, but he'll run into one every once in
a while. And he just hasn't been that player that
jumps off the page at it that other teams fear.
They just don't get that from him. They prey upon
him if they're smart, you can make him chase in
(06:02):
the outfield. He hasn't been that all world guy that's
you know, covering all angles of center field. He looks
a little hesitant. He looks like he's worried about colliding
with somebody or colliding with the wall. He just doesn't
look quite like the same guy. And you know, we've
talked about cal Naylor is playing with a hurt wrist
and he's not a twenty five home run guy. He's
(06:22):
had some moments, then he has a big game, and
then he has a bad swing on Sunday. Now he
could be back to scratch again with the inside out,
you know, cut volley, with the tennis racket, the left field.
I don't know who knows what he's going to be
able to do. And Donovan is a mystery at this point.
Is he is He got the same game he had
to begin the season. He's just getting started on his
(06:43):
season again. And to me, he looks a little, I
don't know, a little heavy maybe, But I don't want
to kick on him because I don't know the player.
I don't know him at all. I haven't seen them
much of him, so I don't know, you know, no
depths to be had. Taylor Ward has yet to be determined.
I'm not so sure that I see him as a
pure leadoff hitter. I just don't. I mean, you look
(07:04):
at on base percentage and you throw them up there,
but then in the next breath, over the whole season long,
they're looking for the best hitter to hit number one
and number two because you want more baths. So it's confusing.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Right, Well, your point about Cal, I want to go
back and revisit that for a second. Bill, We don't
need to belabor the point, so just you know, a
few seconds whatever that none of us want to, really, guys, right,
criticize Julio and Cal. I mean, they're great news. You know,
by all accounts, they work their ass off. But guys,
come on, right, I mean, this is ridiculous now with
(07:36):
this season that cal Rawley is having. I mean, he
is an.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Absolute zero at the plate.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
If cal Rawley did not have the year that he
had a year ago, he may even be demoted right
now or benched. I mean, at what point do you
just kind of ask cal dude, what's going on? Like,
is everything okay? Did you break up with your girlfriend?
Everything happening you know privately?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Fine?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I mean, is there something going on that we need
to discuss? You want to go to Hawaii for a
week and get out of here? Like this has been
such a disaster of epic proportions with cal Rowley, I
just think it's almost fair to kind of sit him
down and just say, what in the hell is going on?
Because Billy's hurting the baseball team with his offense.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Literally, well, if you have to sort of resign yourself
that he is a down the lineup slugger that's going
to run into one year and there and hopefully can
strains from home bents together. That's who he is right now.
He's a great catcher, he's a great leader, and in
the catching position. Across baseball, there aren't a whole lot
of guys that really are offensive juggernauts. They're just not there.
(08:37):
The game is beriffed at that. Really, there aren't a
lot of guys that hit. Batting averages across baseball are down,
so you can kind of discount average a little bit.
But like I said, you know, he's a two twenty
career hitter with a lot of strikeouts. And last year
was a magical year. He was on time. The power
just just you know, it exploded onto the scene from
both sides, and he seemed to be able to handle
(09:00):
the fastball, stay back on the breaking ball. He became
an unstoppable force, right and maybe that was the best
that it ever could be. It doesn't mean he's not
a good player. He's their best solution because of his
catching ability. His ability to handle pitchers is very important.
To this team, and his demeanors is very solid. He's
a true professional. He thinks team first. He doesn't make excuses.
(09:25):
He's a dream, right, He's a dream and it's so unfortunate.
It just breaks your heart. It just crushes you to
watch him struggle and he doesn't make excuses. I just
am only trying to point out the fact that there
aren't a lot of adjustments and I'm not saying it's easy. Plus,
we don't know how injured he is. We just don't know.
We don't know anything because he won't fess up on
anything and make an excuse, right, So we just don't
(09:47):
know that. Okay, And again I'm not trying to overly
criticize these games. We're just sort of looking at what
we hope to get from these guys in order for
this team to be super successful and sometimes need the
collective to do more, and you know that hasn't been
always there as well.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Bill, Where's Dan improved as a manager in two years?
Speaker 5 (10:11):
Oh? I think he's gotten, you know, better understanding of personnel,
better understanding. Here's the thing you have to sort of
come to grips with. He played a long time in
the big leagues, as a catcher, and that gives you
an amazing perspective on how the game is played. He
had to be very close to managers. And that's why
so many catchers become managers, right, because you have an
(10:32):
understanding of offense, you understand pitching right, the psychology of pitching.
His manager is not being asked to make a lot
of decisions. The job of the today's manager is to
keep the clubhouse steady, to stand behind the players, to
be an extra communicator with the with the media of
three hundred and sixty times a year or whatever it is.
(10:54):
And I think Dan draws the line and saying, look,
I am behind my players. I am optimistic for my players.
See that if I do that with a good team,
that eventually will be rewarded because I've stood behind them. Right,
And the script is pretty strong. It's not done by
the manager. The manager's not sorting out these decisions. There's
a lot of information that comes his way. A lot
(11:15):
of stuff is sort of baked into the game. How
many pitches the guy can throw, what's the switch going
to be when we get a left handed uh uh
a pitcher coming in the game. How do we how
do we think about this, the rotation coming up, and
who's going to play, and and all that stuff gets
baked in long before the first pitch is thrown. So
(11:37):
I think he's probably been able to catch because what
happens is when you haven't been managing games. He's been
out of the game. I mean, he's been an instructor
and a broadcaster. It's different to be in the chair.
The game is all of a sudden, pretty fast, and
he's not had to manage people for all that time, right,
And that's where I think it's important to put people
(11:58):
in a position where they've had a chance to do
those things before they're putting this in this seat with
the ultimate responsibility. But for me, he's done a very
solid job. And this is the result of squarely decisions
with the with the starting pitching, and an under production
from a team that was expected to do more or not,
(12:20):
whether Dan Wilson decided to go to the left hand
or right at this moment when quite honestly, his book
with one arm behind his back most of the season.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, Bill, I got to ask you something because I
could I could hear people driving in their cars throwing
their hands up in the air, and I want you
to just I just want to give you a shot,
just to expand.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
On what you just said there.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, because I think I think people hear you say
things like Dan's doing a solid job and they say,
you got to be kidding me, right, I mean, I'm
sure there's a lot of people that had that reaction,
and you know, it sounds like you're putting this more
on just the players, you know, the veteran guys for
not getting the job done. But for somebody who would
walk up to you and say, Billy, come on, man,
this team has set games under There are four games
(13:02):
out in the division. They're drastically underperforming all over the place.
Why why in the world would you think Dan's doing
a solid job. Why don't you just expand on that.
For those that would have that question.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Well, I guess you know you're held you're held accountable
for the record, but you also look at where he
stepped in two years ago, on how he performed last year.
He gets credit for that, right, He gets credit for
those things, even though he probably uh managed the same
way last year, probably better this year because he has
more experience. This is the way that managers. Managers today
(13:34):
are foreman they're not decision makers, they're foreman. That's what
people just don't have a grip on. And that's not
just here, that's across baseball. The numbers are down down
the pike, and the lineups and all this stuff is
really decided by a committee, not by Dan Okay. And
you know, I guess I'll be held to that a
little bit because I don't have empirical facts. But that's
(13:57):
that's the judgment that I draw from the situation. And
so if you're looking for something to uh instill spirit,
you know, I I don't know that that you're gonna
you're gonna find it. You want to hire somebody that
comes in and lights fires under people and challenges people.
I don't know that that's the direction they're gonna go.
(14:20):
I think the players have to be able to pull
themselves up and be more, be better. I just think
it's it's just the unfortunate thing is the strength of
this team got collared a little bit. That's the pitching,
and that could have helped them quite a bit. And
I don't think that was dance decision. Do you think
Dance's decision to put to biggieback? You think Dance decision
(14:40):
to go to six man rotation, dance, decision to do
those things. Well, that's a big part of what's going
on with this team right It's a big part and
a little bit of underperformance in the middle, some injuries.
I don't think it's Dan Wilson h enlightened people up,
or Dan's ability to use the bullpen or the bench.
I don't think that's it at all. I think it's
more of the former got.
Speaker 6 (15:01):
It bill This offseason? Would it look considerably different if
this team goes into the tank and finishes seventy five
and eighty seven versus if they rally and have a
nice six weeks and maybe finish one or two games
out of the wild Guard and there's some good vibes.
Do you think it would it change what Jerry Depoto
(15:22):
does in the offseason, because if that's the case, I
almost want him to tail spin because I want real
change in the offseason.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
I think they have a very disciplined approach how how
they're going to manage this team. They've got a lead
starting pitching that's controllable. They've got two kids that are coming,
so there's an opportunity to probably potentially move one of
your pitchers to get something. Okay, you've got young players
at the brink. You know you've already seen. I think
(15:52):
cold Emberson is moss like Cole Young, he's a little
too early for the task. I mean, they rushed him
up because they had a mass of hole at third
and suddenly with his long term contract, they couldn't help
themselves but bring him up and put him at third.
Where's the short stop? And now is it short? He's
played fine at short, but he's not quite right hitting
the big leagues. He was in two fifty six and
(16:12):
Triple A. Is he going to be a good player. Yeah,
he's going to be a good player, just like Cole Young.
He's going to get a lot better in year two.
He's going to understand better how to hit in the
big leagues. He's going to get more experienced. And we've
got you know, a Royo coming, and Montes coming and
Johnny what's his last name, Quato.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
We got Johnny Cueto coming up.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
I'm not supposed to be the expert on the minor
league system. We have the players that and we have
an at least starting pitcher in Kate Anderson that's coming,
and he's going to step in the rotation. He's going
to be the left endor that they haven't had, and
he's going to be good right and Sloan's right behind him,
So you're going to have the ability to take a
starter and use him as a way to make a
team better rather than had to fish in the market.
(16:59):
Now they have some some some real needs. I mean,
I don't know where Donovan plays. I just don't know.
I don't know. It doesn't look like he can play third.
I've never seen him in the outfield. I don't know
if they're going to resign Randy. Randy's had a good
offensive season, but he's struggled to you know, defensively. They're
going to need more speed and ability in the outfield
for sure. Right I think third base is where they're
(17:22):
going to have to figure out where are they going
to go. I mean it sounds to me like a
Royo is an outfielder, they're going to try to make
him into a left fielder. That's where I said, that's
where I think that's headed, and that he could end
up being your left fielder next year. And young players
coming up and playing positions is fine, And then I
think what they're going to have to address is uh
bullpen help, that's a place where you can shop and
(17:47):
third base. Now, for me, that's kind of what just
sort of strikes my mind right off the top. But
then they have the money that they saved on Castill,
so you know, I think they should be held to
the like, let's use that money, right, it's a windfall, right.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
It is real quick, Dick.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
We got to get Billy's thoughts on our boy Nolly
getting left off the top fifty list. The guy with
the most pitching appearances in franchise history, bill only middle
reliever to ever make the All Star Game, does not
find himself on the top fifty all time.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
And the reeks of pettiness to me, how about.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
You, I don't know. I know Jeff Nelson is one
of the top fifty guys for sure, no question in
my mind. And there's a lot of the hard part
is separating the player's career and his ability from what
he did as a Mariner. Right, So you do Gick
credit for being a long tenured player, but Karl Skian
has some pretty good numbers about him, about Jim Presley
(18:48):
and what he did offensively, and Mitchie Sexon and then
Tino and Omar were great players, but they didn't quite
get it all done here, right, right, So there's a
lot of a lot to chew on there. But I
think and Edward dis I thought he was a miss
pretty pretty magnetic three years and he could stack that
(19:10):
up against you know, JJ, and you'd have an argument
there for sure. But if you're splitting hairs with these guys,
which I don't want to do, I mean, all these
guys were great, They're all great players, they're revered players.
They all made a huge impact on Mariner history. And
some of he didn't see and some he did. It's different.
It's a totally different park. You know, The Kingdom is
way different, and the time and the style of player
(19:32):
way different. Yeah, the Kingdome was tough to pitch in,
so don't try to compare numbers. Because Team Mobile even
before it was a mausleim to pitch in cold weather.
I mean, you you know, Kingdom a whole different deal. Plus,
you know, twenty five homers back in the eighties was
a lot of bombs. So there's a lot of like
to chew on there, right. So, but I think your
(19:54):
point on Jeff Nelson is absolutely one hundred percent a
huge miss.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Yeah, Billy Greats. Hopefully we'll have better things to discuss
next Monday when you come on the radio show.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Well, it got themselves a stretch. The numbers won't let
bo of their ability to come back and get in
this thing. So you have to be a believer. If
you love the Mariners, you have to and kind of
have that attitude, and the club has to grab onto that.
You know, everybody says it's not just twenty six independent
contractors going out and operating. There's momentum that's built around belief,
(20:28):
and there's momentum when good things happen, and they need
a little bit of like getting something to happen that
gets everybody going, and that's what you have to hope
and hold on to. Plus, they're going to play in
offensive parks town which could play to their favor, could
put in their favor. Their pitching is good, and now
their offense. You know, you get a ball spinning in
the air, it's on. It's gone in New York, it's
(20:48):
gone in Houston, it's gone. You know, all these parks
in the on the East, it's so much warmer, right,
So I don't need to go on and on, but
you have to keep the faith in being a great
fan of baseball in your hometown team.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Bill Krueger, great stuff. We're talking a week.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
Thank you, my friend, my pleasure.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
All right.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Bill Krueger with us. By the way, just referred to
Dan Wilson as a blank and not a manager. If
you'd like a pair of seats for the Boeing Classic
for one day, pair of passes for one day for
this coming weekend, it's the Qualmie Ridge. Text in your
first and last name, your email, and what Dan Wilson
is if he's not a manager. Bill Krueger used a
(21:31):
word to describe what he believes Dan Wilson is.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
He's an ephan Joe.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Text in that word to four nine four five one
will give away five pairs of passes to the Boeing
Classic coming up this weekend next on ninety three three
KJRFM
This is Duke of Duke Seafood. Lady, you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is proudly brought to you by
Duke Seafood. Why not make it a Duke's night tonight.
Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood dot com. On Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJARFM.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
It's time for our weekly conversation with Bill Krueger, brought
to you by the brand new Occidental Hall next to
Lumanfield on Occidental Seattle's newest hot spot for sports fans
with massive HD screens in a menu packed with Seattle's
best smash burger, wings and the best local craft beers
in town. Now with Bill Krueger, here's Saftie and Dick all.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Right, big thanks to our friends at the Occidental Hall,
Queen Ann Beer Hall, Moss Bay Hall, and Kirkland the
Ox Hall. If you're at a Mariner game Seahawk game
right there across from the northwest corner of lumen Field
on Occidental great spot, check it out before and after
every game. The Occidental Hall could use a couple of
cocktails or four from the Ox Hall all that for
what we saw over the weekend. Our friend Bill Krueger
(01:03):
joining us right now on the radio show to talk
about all of it.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
How are you, man, I'm good.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
I'm good. Good to be on with you.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, always great to have your voice. Appreciate your candor,
your honesty, your approach, and I mean, why don't we just,
first of all, before we talk about some of the
stuff that was happening off the field this weekend?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
What'd you make of what you saw on the field.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
The Mariners starting a nineteen game stretch against some pretty
good teams, and they start off by going zero to three.
They get great starting pitching, but blow it all with
an offense that scored four runs.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
Your thoughts, well, they've been leaning on a couple of guys,
and if the couple of guys stop hitting, which is
only the natural course of the season. You know, if
Andy Rose Arena doesn't hit a bunch, or if Cole Young,
who's been awfully good all year, doesn't hit a bunch,
and if Canzone doesn't hit a bunch, there's not much
(01:56):
there really. I mean, you have got much in the middle,
and you don't have a plan to be This team
is structured around around slugging and potential stress that the
slugging causes and stress causes walks if you can force them.
I'm not so sure some of our bigger hitters understand
(02:17):
what stress can do, you know, if you can just
be a little more patient. But yeah, they're not scoring enough.
There's no question they're not getting their strength of the season.
And we can go back in time and talk about this,
the fact that they were sitting in a position where
their least starting pitching was all pitching great, and yet
they decided to, you know, slice the sixth guy into it,
(02:39):
and it costs them wins and who knows how that
disrupted the rotation itself, and you know, to win with
the starting pitching they have, those pictures need to go further,
particularly when you're one shortened the pen, and we are
one shorten the pen over the weekend because the spire's
ejection and those guys that you're trying to use to
cover the ones you like are worn out. I would
(03:03):
say that even with their low scoring inability or their
inability to score, they if they could have gotten more
from their pitting, had they been able to add another
reliever or been able to use Castillo in the bullpen
or whatever this scenario might have been, that would have
given him more balance. I think they'd be in a
much better position today even though they haven't swung the bat.
(03:25):
And we could talk at length about each of the hitters,
and I mean, certainly cal Rawley is it's it's, it's,
it's it's like a collapse, it's it's it's hard to
fath him, right. I mean, he's not a great pure hitter.
He never was. He was a two twenty hitter after
last year. But the fact that he's just kind of
(03:47):
lost himself the plate. I mean, he's just first pitch,
got to go for it. Hope it's in my zone,
swing hard. And then after that there's all this chase.
If you've got some ability to make and chase and
no two strikes ability and no willingness to stay on
the plate a little bit longer with your bat. And
if you watch some of these teams, and it goes
(04:07):
back to this, as we keep being hammered. Oh you know,
you got to have home runs. That's the only way
to win. And then we if you watch some of
these teams carefully, if you watch what Toronto did, to
get to the World Series last year. If you watched
how Tampa Bay plays, if you were able to watch
Milwaukee this year, you'd understand how baseball can truly be played.
(04:28):
And that's with the ability to put the ball in play,
the ability to have contact, the ability to play with speed,
and they just it's so hard to not have any
of that in your lineup.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
Well, Bill, why isn't there a plan B? Why is
there no in game offensive adjustments? Is it the players
aren't capable of in game adjustments? Or the philosophy of
the Mariners is no, We're just going to swing for
the fences and take our chances.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
It's the players that you can't write it on the
truck board at the beginning of spring training. Today's us
and to sit into the count. Today's lesson is to
use the whole field. It's the player that you are.
That's the player that they've gone to acchoire, that's the
player that they have developed. And you know, the hope
is that as the future moves forward in a park
that's not very conducive for all runs, that you're going
(05:16):
to see a little bit more. That Cole Young's done
a great job, and you have to give Randy rose
Arenas a credit for being a pretty good all around
hitter this year, just so the rest of the lineup
doesn't give you a whole lot of that, right, They
just don't. And you know, the collapse of the middle
of the lineup, and you know, you look at numbers
and Jubio he's a little bit of an enigma because
(05:40):
he's able to get some hits here and there, because
he can run. He doesn't seem to know the strikes
on he swings off the plate, he gives it back
the way, but he'll run into one every once in
a while. And he just hasn't been that player that
jumps off the page at it that other teams fear.
They just don't get that from him. They prey upon
him if they're smart, you can make him chase in
(06:02):
the outfield. He hasn't been that all world guy that's
you know, covering all angles of center field. He looks
a little hesitant. He looks like he's worried about colliding
with somebody or colliding with the wall. He just doesn't
look quite like the same guy. And you know, we've
talked about cal Naylor is playing with a hurt wrist
and he's not a twenty five home run guy. He's
(06:22):
had some moments, then he has a big game, and
then he has a bad swing on Sunday. Now he
could be back to scratch again with the inside out,
you know, cut volley, with the tennis racket, the left field.
I don't know who knows what he's going to be
able to do. And Donovan is a mystery at this point.
Is he is He got the same game he had
to begin the season. He's just getting started on his
(06:43):
season again. And to me, he looks a little, I
don't know, a little heavy maybe, But I don't want
to kick on him because I don't know the player.
I don't know him at all. I haven't seen them
much of him, so I don't know, you know, no
depths to be had. Taylor Ward has yet to be determined.
I'm not so sure that I see him as a
pure leadoff hitter. I just don't. I mean, you look
(07:04):
at on base percentage and you throw them up there,
but then in the next breath, over the whole season long,
they're looking for the best hitter to hit number one
and number two because you want more baths. So it's confusing.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Right, Well, your point about Cal, I want to go
back and revisit that for a second. Bill, We don't
need to belabor the point, so just you know, a
few seconds whatever that none of us want to, really, guys, right,
criticize Julio and Cal. I mean, they're great news. You know,
by all accounts, they work their ass off. But guys,
come on, right, I mean, this is ridiculous now with
(07:36):
this season that cal Rawley is having. I mean, he
is an.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Absolute zero at the plate.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
If cal Rawley did not have the year that he
had a year ago, he may even be demoted right
now or benched. I mean, at what point do you
just kind of ask cal dude, what's going on? Like,
is everything okay? Did you break up with your girlfriend?
Everything happening you know privately?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Fine?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I mean, is there something going on that we need
to discuss? You want to go to Hawaii for a
week and get out of here? Like this has been
such a disaster of epic proportions with cal Rowley, I
just think it's almost fair to kind of sit him
down and just say, what in the hell is going on?
Because Billy's hurting the baseball team with his offense.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Literally, well, if you have to sort of resign yourself
that he is a down the lineup slugger that's going
to run into one year and there and hopefully can
strains from home bents together. That's who he is right now.
He's a great catcher, he's a great leader, and in
the catching position. Across baseball, there aren't a whole lot
of guys that really are offensive juggernauts. They're just not there.
(08:37):
The game is beriffed at that. Really, there aren't a
lot of guys that hit. Batting averages across baseball are down,
so you can kind of discount average a little bit.
But like I said, you know, he's a two twenty
career hitter with a lot of strikeouts. And last year
was a magical year. He was on time. The power
just just you know, it exploded onto the scene from
both sides, and he seemed to be able to handle
(09:00):
the fastball, stay back on the breaking ball. He became
an unstoppable force, right and maybe that was the best
that it ever could be. It doesn't mean he's not
a good player. He's their best solution because of his
catching ability. His ability to handle pitchers is very important.
To this team, and his demeanors is very solid. He's
a true professional. He thinks team first. He doesn't make excuses.
(09:25):
He's a dream, right, He's a dream and it's so unfortunate.
It just breaks your heart. It just crushes you to
watch him struggle and he doesn't make excuses. I just
am only trying to point out the fact that there
aren't a lot of adjustments and I'm not saying it's easy. Plus,
we don't know how injured he is. We just don't know.
We don't know anything because he won't fess up on
anything and make an excuse, right, So we just don't
(09:47):
know that. Okay, And again I'm not trying to overly
criticize these games. We're just sort of looking at what
we hope to get from these guys in order for
this team to be super successful and sometimes need the
collective to do more, and you know that hasn't been
always there as well.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Bill, Where's Dan improved as a manager in two years?
Speaker 5 (10:11):
Oh? I think he's gotten, you know, better understanding of personnel,
better understanding. Here's the thing you have to sort of
come to grips with. He played a long time in
the big leagues, as a catcher, and that gives you
an amazing perspective on how the game is played. He
had to be very close to managers. And that's why
so many catchers become managers, right, because you have an
(10:32):
understanding of offense, you understand pitching right, the psychology of pitching.
His manager is not being asked to make a lot
of decisions. The job of the today's manager is to
keep the clubhouse steady, to stand behind the players, to
be an extra communicator with the with the media of
three hundred and sixty times a year or whatever it is.
(10:54):
And I think Dan draws the line and saying, look,
I am behind my players. I am optimistic for my players.
See that if I do that with a good team,
that eventually will be rewarded because I've stood behind them. Right,
And the script is pretty strong. It's not done by
the manager. The manager's not sorting out these decisions. There's
a lot of information that comes his way. A lot
(11:15):
of stuff is sort of baked into the game. How
many pitches the guy can throw, what's the switch going
to be when we get a left handed uh uh
a pitcher coming in the game. How do we how
do we think about this, the rotation coming up, and
who's going to play, and and all that stuff gets
baked in long before the first pitch is thrown. So
(11:37):
I think he's probably been able to catch because what
happens is when you haven't been managing games. He's been
out of the game. I mean, he's been an instructor
and a broadcaster. It's different to be in the chair.
The game is all of a sudden, pretty fast, and
he's not had to manage people for all that time, right,
And that's where I think it's important to put people
(11:58):
in a position where they've had a chance to do
those things before they're putting this in this seat with
the ultimate responsibility. But for me, he's done a very
solid job. And this is the result of squarely decisions
with the with the starting pitching, and an under production
from a team that was expected to do more or not,
(12:20):
whether Dan Wilson decided to go to the left hand
or right at this moment when quite honestly, his book
with one arm behind his back most of the season.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, Bill, I got to ask you something because I
could I could hear people driving in their cars throwing
their hands up in the air, and I want you
to just I just want to give you a shot,
just to expand.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
On what you just said there.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, because I think I think people hear you say
things like Dan's doing a solid job and they say,
you got to be kidding me, right, I mean, I'm
sure there's a lot of people that had that reaction,
and you know, it sounds like you're putting this more
on just the players, you know, the veteran guys for
not getting the job done. But for somebody who would
walk up to you and say, Billy, come on, man,
this team has set games under There are four games
(13:02):
out in the division. They're drastically underperforming all over the place.
Why why in the world would you think Dan's doing
a solid job. Why don't you just expand on that.
For those that would have that question.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Well, I guess you know you're held you're held accountable
for the record, but you also look at where he
stepped in two years ago, on how he performed last year.
He gets credit for that, right, He gets credit for
those things, even though he probably uh managed the same
way last year, probably better this year because he has
more experience. This is the way that managers. Managers today
(13:34):
are foreman they're not decision makers, they're foreman. That's what
people just don't have a grip on. And that's not
just here, that's across baseball. The numbers are down down
the pike, and the lineups and all this stuff is
really decided by a committee, not by Dan Okay. And
you know, I guess I'll be held to that a
little bit because I don't have empirical facts. But that's
(13:57):
that's the judgment that I draw from the situation. And
so if you're looking for something to uh instill spirit,
you know, I I don't know that that you're gonna
you're gonna find it. You want to hire somebody that
comes in and lights fires under people and challenges people.
I don't know that that's the direction they're gonna go.
(14:20):
I think the players have to be able to pull
themselves up and be more, be better. I just think
it's it's just the unfortunate thing is the strength of
this team got collared a little bit. That's the pitching,
and that could have helped them quite a bit. And
I don't think that was dance decision. Do you think
Dance's decision to put to biggieback? You think Dance decision
(14:40):
to go to six man rotation, dance, decision to do
those things. Well, that's a big part of what's going
on with this team right It's a big part and
a little bit of underperformance in the middle, some injuries.
I don't think it's Dan Wilson h enlightened people up,
or Dan's ability to use the bullpen or the bench.
I don't think that's it at all. I think it's
more of the former got.
Speaker 6 (15:01):
It bill This offseason? Would it look considerably different if
this team goes into the tank and finishes seventy five
and eighty seven versus if they rally and have a
nice six weeks and maybe finish one or two games
out of the wild Guard and there's some good vibes.
Do you think it would it change what Jerry Depoto
(15:22):
does in the offseason, because if that's the case, I
almost want him to tail spin because I want real
change in the offseason.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
I think they have a very disciplined approach how how
they're going to manage this team. They've got a lead
starting pitching that's controllable. They've got two kids that are coming,
so there's an opportunity to probably potentially move one of
your pitchers to get something. Okay, you've got young players
at the brink. You know you've already seen. I think
(15:52):
cold Emberson is moss like Cole Young, he's a little
too early for the task. I mean, they rushed him
up because they had a mass of hole at third
and suddenly with his long term contract, they couldn't help
themselves but bring him up and put him at third.
Where's the short stop? And now is it short? He's
played fine at short, but he's not quite right hitting
the big leagues. He was in two fifty six and
(16:12):
Triple A. Is he going to be a good player. Yeah,
he's going to be a good player, just like Cole Young.
He's going to get a lot better in year two.
He's going to understand better how to hit in the
big leagues. He's going to get more experienced. And we've
got you know, a Royo coming, and Montes coming and
Johnny what's his last name, Quato.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
We got Johnny Cueto coming up.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
I'm not supposed to be the expert on the minor
league system. We have the players that and we have
an at least starting pitcher in Kate Anderson that's coming,
and he's going to step in the rotation. He's going
to be the left endor that they haven't had, and
he's going to be good right and Sloan's right behind him,
So you're going to have the ability to take a
starter and use him as a way to make a
team better rather than had to fish in the market.
(16:59):
Now they have some some some real needs. I mean,
I don't know where Donovan plays. I just don't know.
I don't know. It doesn't look like he can play third.
I've never seen him in the outfield. I don't know
if they're going to resign Randy. Randy's had a good
offensive season, but he's struggled to you know, defensively. They're
going to need more speed and ability in the outfield
for sure. Right I think third base is where they're
(17:22):
going to have to figure out where are they going
to go. I mean it sounds to me like a
Royo is an outfielder, they're going to try to make
him into a left fielder. That's where I said, that's
where I think that's headed, and that he could end
up being your left fielder next year. And young players
coming up and playing positions is fine, And then I
think what they're going to have to address is uh
bullpen help, that's a place where you can shop and
(17:47):
third base. Now, for me, that's kind of what just
sort of strikes my mind right off the top. But
then they have the money that they saved on Castill,
so you know, I think they should be held to
the like, let's use that money, right, it's a windfall, right.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
It is real quick, Dick.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
We got to get Billy's thoughts on our boy Nolly
getting left off the top fifty list. The guy with
the most pitching appearances in franchise history, bill only middle
reliever to ever make the All Star Game, does not
find himself on the top fifty all time.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
And the reeks of pettiness to me, how about.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
You, I don't know. I know Jeff Nelson is one
of the top fifty guys for sure, no question in
my mind. And there's a lot of the hard part
is separating the player's career and his ability from what
he did as a Mariner. Right, So you do Gick
credit for being a long tenured player, but Karl Skian
has some pretty good numbers about him, about Jim Presley
(18:48):
and what he did offensively, and Mitchie Sexon and then
Tino and Omar were great players, but they didn't quite
get it all done here, right, right, So there's a
lot of a lot to chew on there. But I
think and Edward dis I thought he was a miss
pretty pretty magnetic three years and he could stack that
(19:10):
up against you know, JJ, and you'd have an argument
there for sure. But if you're splitting hairs with these guys,
which I don't want to do, I mean, all these
guys were great, They're all great players, they're revered players.
They all made a huge impact on Mariner history. And
some of he didn't see and some he did. It's different.
It's a totally different park. You know, The Kingdom is
way different, and the time and the style of player
(19:32):
way different. Yeah, the Kingdome was tough to pitch in,
so don't try to compare numbers. Because Team Mobile even
before it was a mausleim to pitch in cold weather.
I mean, you you know, Kingdom a whole different deal. Plus,
you know, twenty five homers back in the eighties was
a lot of bombs. So there's a lot of like
to chew on there, right. So, but I think your
(19:54):
point on Jeff Nelson is absolutely one hundred percent a
huge miss.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Yeah, Billy Greats. Hopefully we'll have better things to discuss
next Monday when you come on the radio show.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Well, it got themselves a stretch. The numbers won't let
bo of their ability to come back and get in
this thing. So you have to be a believer. If
you love the Mariners, you have to and kind of
have that attitude, and the club has to grab onto that.
You know, everybody says it's not just twenty six independent
contractors going out and operating. There's momentum that's built around belief,
(20:28):
and there's momentum when good things happen, and they need
a little bit of like getting something to happen that
gets everybody going, and that's what you have to hope
and hold on to. Plus, they're going to play in
offensive parks town which could play to their favor, could
put in their favor. Their pitching is good, and now
their offense. You know, you get a ball spinning in
the air, it's on. It's gone in New York, it's
(20:48):
gone in Houston, it's gone. You know, all these parks
in the on the East, it's so much warmer, right,
So I don't need to go on and on, but
you have to keep the faith in being a great
fan of baseball in your hometown team.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Bill Krueger, great stuff. We're talking a week.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
Thank you, my friend, my pleasure.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
All right.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Bill Krueger with us. By the way, just referred to
Dan Wilson as a blank and not a manager. If
you'd like a pair of seats for the Boeing Classic
for one day, pair of passes for one day for
this coming weekend, it's the Qualmie Ridge. Text in your
first and last name, your email, and what Dan Wilson
is if he's not a manager. Bill Krueger used a
(21:31):
word to describe what he believes Dan Wilson is.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
He's an ephan Joe.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Text in that word to four nine four five one
will give away five pairs of passes to the Boeing
Classic coming up this weekend next on ninety three three
KJRFM
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com