January 20, 2025 • 19 mins
Bret Boone joins Dave Softy Mahler to talk about what the Mariners are doing in the baseball offseason so far and the few moves the club has made, the national thought about Seattle’s method in building their team, and the big moves from the LA Dodgers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, joining us right now on the radio program.
(00:02):
Good to visit with Brett Boon because there's been.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
A lot of.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Activity or lock thereof with our Mariners that we need
to talk about on a Monday night.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Booney, Happy New Year, how are you man?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Softy? Happy New Year. It's been a minute.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
It has been a minute, and the Mariners have not
done much in that minute, by the way, unless you
consider Blake Hunt, Donovan Solano, Austin Shenton, Miles Mastrabony, don't
get that guy's name wrong, by the way, Hagen.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Danner, and then Fujinami.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
What do you first of all, just make of the
Mariners offseason kind of in general terms and your reaction
to what they've done or what they haven't done so far?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Well, I think we finished the year last year and
you know, disappointed they didn't make the playoffs. And I
think it's the common theme with the Mariners, and you
hear it from not only fans, but people around the team,
other players just debate the industry in general is you
can't let this pitching staff go to waste. You've got
a golden opportunity with the five guys and the offense
(01:02):
doesn't match it. You needed to get some upgrade, So
I think, you know, I was. I was kind of
optimistical in the offsea. He's like, they've got to do something.
They've got to make a play for a big name,
a big bopper to come in and insert to help
Julio in center field. And so he's not the twenty
three year old superstar with it all on his shoulder
to bring somebody in, and to this point they haven't.
(01:24):
They I like the Solano move. Solano move came over
from San Diego's a pretty good player, but that's not
the type of move I think I was looking for.
You were looking for a meritors, fans were looking for
more of a splash. I'm kind of holding out a
little bit hope with the Alonso thing. It didn't work
out New York with the Mets. I thought he's gonna
sign with the Yankees, and the Yankees signed gold Schmidt,
(01:46):
and he's kind of a place. He's kind of in
a place now with nowhere to go. Still a big
bat for me, and didn't have his best year last year.
But I think the thing about Alonso that I'd like
is his bat travels. He can go to any yard,
any and He's got that type of power that if
he has an off ere, he's gonna hit thirty home runs,
and if he has a year where he puts it together,
(02:07):
he'll hit forty even at even at Tea Mobile Park.
So I still like that. Who knows, maybe with Alonso
and the position he's in and not working out with
the Mets, maybe he's willing to take a shorter deal
and go out and play and try to re enter
the market. So that might be a play that the
Mariners could do. Have no idea whether they'll do it
(02:28):
or not. I was looking at the at the payrolls,
and obviously you got the Dodgers, who, by the way,
I think this is all for not with the Dodgers
that they keep adding players like there. I mean they
got a they got a traveling All Star team and
for years and years, Softy, you saw it. Two thousand
and one. I get asked all the time, is this
the year where your record of one sixteen is broken?
(02:49):
And I always say that'll never be broken. Well, I
gotta have to rethink that. With the moves this Dodgers
team has made, if that team remains healthy with the talent,
it might be the greatest team. It might be all
or not with the Dodgers at the top, but they started.
You know, I think their payroll is something at like
three hundred and seventy million Mariners I think, falling in
about seventeenth. Correct me if I'm wrong, But I just
(03:12):
thought through to bump that payroll up. And I just
don't know why. You know there's a Bregman, he's still available.
I don't think Bregman's bat like Alonzo's I talked about.
I don't think it plays in Seattle. I think it's
a big yard. I don't think I think the part
that he's at right now, Bregman, I think that's a
place where he should have stayed and finished his career
with all those great years and those great teams that
(03:33):
he's played on. But it seems like that's not working
out now. So you know, I'm here and maybe Boston
for him, which sets up for he's got that pull
power and with that short porch and left pright better
for Bregman. But I'm looking at this, you know, I'm
thinking Tanner Scott, he was still around. Dodgers scooped him
up with they get him. No, Mariner's not getting him
to bulshit the bullpen. So as of now, they've stood
(03:55):
pretty past. I don't know if they've got something up
their sleeve. I don't know if they're going to pull
on Alonzo move or not. But I think as a
fan of the Mariners and someone that's been watching it
as closely as I have, and especially the fans in Seattle,
I would say right now they're kinda they're kind of
as pessimistic as you could be. They don't believe it's
going to happen, and I'm starting to get on their side.
I don't know what they're doing. I don't know the
(04:16):
ins and outs, I don't know the numbers behind the scenes,
but I know they're they're missing right now a golden
opportunity to put a really solid offense behind that that,
in my opinion, top three starting rotation in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, Bret Boon's with us first of all, on a
Monday night, we're at the Emerald Queen and Booty. Look,
I mean, they're they're allowing the root sports to backle
so really have a negative influence on how much money
they're willing to spend, right, I mean, whatever their budget
was that they set the root sports thing is just
blowing it to Kingdom come. So that's problem number one.
(04:51):
Problem number two is that you're exactly right, and you know,
hr Harold Reynolds was on the Morning Show a week
ago and was voicing frustrations just like you are. And
then omarv Skel I think the former teammate ors repeated
those frustrations as well on social media. So now it's
not just fans and media, it's ex players like yourselves
that are coming on going what are we doing? We
(05:12):
got this once in a generation pitching staff that we're
thrown away. But let me go back to Alonzo for
a second, because his agent, Scott Boris, and I've always,
i guess been hopeful that the longer this goes, the
cheaper Alonzo will be. Put yourself. Put yourself in Pete
Alonzo's shoes. I mean you're in your thirties. Obviously, it's
(05:33):
maybe late February, early March, you don't have the deal
that your agent's been looking for. You are you willing
at that point to maybe sacrifice and take a one
year deal just to go play somewhere?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
I think, you know, to start it out, I think
Alonso had something on the table roughly in the neighborhood
of one hundred and forty million. I believe that. Obviously
I'm not in on the negotiation, but that's what I heard.
Then they dropped it down in ninety for three years.
Now I don't even know if it's that. So maybe
he's at a point where, you know, I got that
deal softy when I came back to Seattle after the
(06:06):
two thousand season, I signed a one year deal and
my agent said, hey, let's take this one year deal
and go play like hell. Now it was kind of
a scary move back then, but you know, it ended
up working out for me. Maybe Alonso's in a similar
position where it just hasn't worked out for me. He's
not coming off his best year. This is a time
where you really dedicate, you really put the time in
(06:29):
this offseason, get the mind right, and come back and
have a Pete Alonso All Star year that he's had
so many times in his career. So he might be
getting to that point where let's get the best one
year deal, let's go play like hell. Let's try this
again next year in free agency. He could be close
to that. So that's the case. Maybe the Mariners are
players there. But if he does agree to do a
one year deal, is it going to be the Mariners
(06:51):
that step up and the Mariners that want or in
Alonso that wants to go to the Mariners. It's got
to be a two way deal. And if there's other
organization and that look better to Alonso, why is he
going to sign with Seattle? I don't know the thing.
For me as a hitter, I look at that pitching
staff and I go, man, if you can add my
(07:11):
bet me being Pete Alonzo, we can make it better.
Julio coming off a down year last year, he's gonna
He's probably gonna have a better year this year. Crawford
was banged up, he had a down year last year.
The only guy that didn't have it down. Yere was
the kind of Roblade came out of nowhere, always high expectations.
It came over from Washington, had a really nice year
for him. Raleigh continued to be that great offensive catcher,
(07:33):
hit thirty plus homers. Raley, I don't think anybody expected that.
Ty Frantz was the first baseman. Raley had a nice
year from an unexpected source in a Rose arena. He's
had a lot of success at the big league level,
but for his credentials, he had a down year last year.
So maybe all those guys come back and have good
You had Pete Alonzo to that, Yeah you got something,
and I think more than that softy you add Alonzo
(07:56):
man that breathes a lot of adrenaline into that Seattle
fan base.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Well, it's a great point about Alonso though, and the
rest of baseball, because I'm sure there are other teams
like the Mariners, hoping that they can get Pete Alonso
on a short term deal as well if he's not
getting the contract he's looking for from the open market.
So there would definitely be competition for his services. But
Brett Boone's with us on the radio show, and I guess,
(08:22):
you know, one of the things that we're kind of
banking on. We talked about this on the show there,
Dave Me, Dick and Jackson that Hey, the aos looks
like it's maybe taking a step back. You know, Kyle
Tucker's gone, Verlander's gone, obviously, Bregman is going to be
moving on from Houston. The Astros may be ready to
kind of take a real step back from where they've been.
They did take a step back last year, but they
(08:44):
still won the division. Obviously, this Mariner baseball team, even
without the big move they've made over the offseason offensively,
are they still a factor for the West title?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
In your mind right now?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I think I'm never gonna count anything out with a
pitching step. Was absolutely floored last year they didn't make
the postseason because if you ever tell me, and I
thought at the end of the year last year, Seattle
Mariners at all thirty teams at the best starting rotation,
and I've always said you could put a Triple A
team out there if you give me the best rotation
in baseball. Well, that didn't work out for him last year.
(09:18):
Going to Alonso, that's the one thing Seattle has in
its favor. He knows the players know who have that
big time pitching staff. He knows Seattle Mariners have a
big time rotation. That might be a good point to
the Seattle Mariners if they do go after Alonzo going
to the American League West. I see, okay, in the basement,
Oakland or not Oakland. I'm sorry the Sacramento As. They're
(09:41):
going to be better, but what is better losing? They're
not going to lose a hunter games. Maybe not right.
The Angels have upgraded a little bit, but they upgrade
a little bit from being a real bad ball club.
They're going to be a little bit better. I think
Houston's the one team that has had kind of a
stranglehold on that division for the last six, seven, eight years.
I think you're right, they're gonna be the one team
(10:01):
that takes a step back. I don't think they're going
to win the division. But look out for the Texas Rangers,
the World Series champs two years ago. They re signed
Evaldi and the X factor always has been the X factor,
but he hasn't been able to stay healthy. Is they
If they got a healthy to Graham on the mound,
that makes all the difference in the world. Their offense
two years ago let the league into everything. Last year
(10:24):
a down year across the board, a lot of injuries
in Texas, so that could be a sneaky team that
I think is getting better. So overall, I think the
division's got a little better. I can't say the Mariners have.
I think they've stood pat I think they're the same
team they were a year ago with the only exception
is the Houston Astros I think are not going to
be as good as they as they've been in the
(10:44):
last six or seven years. So they're the only uh
that's going to take a step back.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Well, Brett Boone's with us on the show and booneye,
let me just ask you about some of the guys
the Marinders did pick up.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
You mentioned you kind of like Solano.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I mean, he's but he's not of grry you off obviously.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
You know, I was looking Softie. I'm looking at the
at the you know, the depth chart right now. I mean,
I love the more kid does a nice job. Ton
He's he's electric, he's got that enthusiasm. But you're gonna
put him in the lineup and expect to win a
World Series with him a third base. I mean, I
don't know. It seems like a couple of years ago
when they did make the playoffs, we we kind of
(11:24):
we got into the playoffs with a bunch of guys
that I thought, this guy's really not a starting player.
We got three guys that are kind of swing guys
that are playing every day. And I look at that
Mariners roster now and I think we got three or
four guys on championship caliber teams that are part time
players and and uh man I I've never been on
(11:45):
a team where you have a bunch of utility players
playing positions every day. It usually doesn't work out the
long run. So that's when I see they need something.
You know, the kid in San Diego, Kim, he's a
good player. He could play all over the ballpark. There's
been something's going on there though, because he has an injury.
There's a reason that nobody scooped him up yet, because
(12:06):
he is a real player and has a lot of
different positions he could play. So I don't know. I
just think Mariner's man, you need a big bopper. You
need somebody to take a little bit of the heat
off Julio because of you know, a lot of things. Julio.
You know, he didn't have a good year last year,
especially especially what we expect out of him. But I've
also given him a lot of grace. He's a young
(12:28):
player with the world on his shoulders, a big contract,
and I could tell you know, I was twenty two
to twenty three one time. I know what that's like
carrying a first I didn't have that type of pressure.
That's a ken Griffy junior type pressure and Kenny as
we all thought it was one of the greatest players
to ever played the game. So to put that kind
of pressure on a young player, Man, it'd be nice
to have somebody to take a leave a little bit
(12:49):
of that pressure from him. Once again, Lonzo's the guy. Man,
Alonso is the guy, and maybe you got to overpay.
Maybe he's looking for a one year deal and you
give him a bigger deal than the other guys are
willing to give him. Him any opt out or any
incentive bonus if he hasn't unbelieved. I don't know what
you do, but you got to get a big bat
like that, and that bat travels well.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I mean, you're putting all your eggs in one basket.
We'll see if they can pull it off.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
But Brett Boone's with us on the show and Miles
master Boney got signed in the same day the Mariners.
It turned out they were out on the Sasaki sweepstakes,
and he went to the Dodgers. Obviously, the news comes
out that they're getting master Bony.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I mean, the guy had a four to seventy ops
with a negative two war last year. I know you're
not a big war guy. But why should why should
why should any of these guys really get me going?
Man to be I mean, sell me on these guys, Blake.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Hunt, let me let me be honest with you, softie.
None of them should get you exactly. None of them
could get you excited. Solano or Solana he is a
solid player. He's a good player. He's not the difference maker.
He's not going to make a difference whether the Mariners
win the World Series or not. But he's a sell
(14:00):
a player. The rest of them, I wouldn't be excited
at all.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Well, that was your job was to come on the
show and get me fired up. So you have failed,
my friend. All right, Yeah, you go back and think
about it, think about what you've done and get me
fired up.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Man, here it is, it's a new year, and I thought,
you know, honestly, is the best policy. I know it
makes for good radio for bea to raw rashscoo Bob.
But I'm telling you right now, don't be excited. If
you get Pete Alonzo get excited. Not only would that
get the fans pumped up and give that city some hope,
it would get the players in that clubhouse fired up like,
(14:34):
all right, ownership's got our Hey, weed Beer's made a
big move. It's similar to not on the same level
as a Sodo, but I think when the Yankees got
Soto from the Padres last year, there was an adrenaline
go through that clubhouse, like we got a key piece
that's gonna help. Yeah, be really good. You get an Alonso.
I'm not saying he has a Sodo effect, all right,
(14:56):
but with Seattle, you haven't had many big stars signed
from other teams in recent years, so I think that'd
be a big adrenaline us for a guy like a
Rose Arena for definitely a Julio for a cow Raley
man that would be probably well, well.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Hey, booty, booty, before you go, you mentioned the Dodgers.
How you think it's all maybe for not because they
might just win this thing walking away. And look, if
the Mariners make the World Series but lose to the
Dodgers in three games, even who cares, right, just get there.
Dodgers can have, Dodgers can have the title. I'd like
to get to a damn pennant for crying out loud,
but dude, o Tani pitching again?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Snell Yamamoto, Sasaki, Glas. Now they just signed Tanner Scott
yesterday to a gigantic seventy million dollar contract in their bullpen.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
I mean, this is just stupid.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Like you know I did. I went on with Jim
Bowden this morning and we were talking about the Dodgers.
I said, Jimmy, I'll tell you what I've never seen
on paper. If these guys are healthy, I've never seen
a better rotation. I've never seen a better team. I mean,
it just gets better and better. I mean, you got Snell, Glass,
(16:04):
snow Otani, Sasaki, Yamamoto, you'd be lucky to get Yamamoto fifth.
I mean, you got guys like May who hasn't been
able to stay healthy on any other team. He's a
number two guy. Then you got Gonsolin. He's in the
seven hole. And I'll tell you what, who's gonna if
he comes back. I would assume he'll sign with the
(16:25):
Dodgers for one more year, and that's Clayton Kershaw. Clayton
Kershaw with the Dodgers current rotation, would be the number
eight starter, one of the greatest left handers in the
history of baseball. He would be the number eight starter.
You just add Tanner, Scott to training and Layton the game.
For the Dodgers, you got Kim to play second base.
(16:46):
Now Conforto you add it. And then you got Otani, Betts, Freeman,
Will Smith, a Max Munsey, and he signed back to
Oscar Hernandez, who the Mariners had two years ago. That
went out and oh yeah, hit thirty homers and drove
in a hundred again. Yeah he struck out lot yep.
But I don't think the Dodgers really care. There is
loaded to any team I've ever seen, especially on the pitchings.
(17:06):
I couldn't imagine. I don't know how you put that rotator.
Okani could be the fifth starter. I couldn't. I used
to think Maddi small thing, glavit Man, that was a
tough rotation. Please give me a Kent Merker who was
really good. But in Atlanta at least you avoided those three.
Give me a Denny Nagel, who was a number one
starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when I went to Atlanta,
(17:28):
I thought that. Now I'm thinking, if we've got a
four game set and there's a double header, I'm facing
Otani the fifth game, and this guy's coming out throwing
a hundred with cy Young stuff. So yeah, it's as
good as any team I've ever seen. I'm that now.
Now you gotta stay healthy twenty four and twenty five.
Health is a big thing. It's become bigger over the years.
So the health is a big thing. But on paper
(17:50):
and the depth they have is ridiculous. If a couple
guys go down and you got a couple other Cy
Young ten, it's a step in the rotation. Pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Hey, before you go, you can follow Brett on his
Twitter out at the Boon twenty nine. His podcast link
is always up there. Conversation with Trek Scoubel who on
the cy Young obviously on his podcast The Work I
love interesting, but.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Let me interesting. He's a horse, He's a he's a horseman. Now,
but hang on to Belmont. When's the Belmont?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Let me ask you this be before you go each Heiro.
Tomorrow they're going to announce the Hall of Fame around
three o'clock. We all think each hero is getting in,
no problem, We're waiting to see you. On Felix, he
may have to wait a couple of years if he
gets in at all. Give me, give me, give me
thirty seconds before you go, and I mean thirty seconds
on what it was like to be a teammate of Eachiro, Suzuki.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Ea Hiro early on those early teams two thousand. Charismatic, funny, smart,
huge part of those teams that were so good in
the early two thousands. But the Mariners one of the
best catch throw Him and Jabun are best catch throw
outfielders I've ever played with.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Fishing as hell, change the defense, change how people play
defense because of his prowess getting home to first three
thousand plus hits and started his career eight years after
his Japanese career. Definitely a Hall of fame.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Boonie, you're the man, great stuff. Enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
That was about thirty four. That's fine, we'll get you back.
We'll get you back on the other end.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
You're the man. Great stuff. Enjoy and we'll talk soon, Buddy,
Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Pal, Thanks tofy all right.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Man, good stuff. Always good to hear the voice of
Brett Boone. We're gonna break. We're gonna visit with Lorenzo
Romar next on ninety three three KJRFM.
All right, joining us right now on the radio program.
(00:02):
Good to visit with Brett Boon because there's been.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
A lot of.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Activity or lock thereof with our Mariners that we need
to talk about on a Monday night.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Booney, Happy New Year, how are you man?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Softy? Happy New Year. It's been a minute.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
It has been a minute, and the Mariners have not
done much in that minute, by the way, unless you
consider Blake Hunt, Donovan Solano, Austin Shenton, Miles Mastrabony, don't
get that guy's name wrong, by the way, Hagen.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Danner, and then Fujinami.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
What do you first of all, just make of the
Mariners offseason kind of in general terms and your reaction
to what they've done or what they haven't done so far?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Well, I think we finished the year last year and
you know, disappointed they didn't make the playoffs. And I
think it's the common theme with the Mariners, and you
hear it from not only fans, but people around the team,
other players just debate the industry in general is you
can't let this pitching staff go to waste. You've got
a golden opportunity with the five guys and the offense
(01:02):
doesn't match it. You needed to get some upgrade, So
I think, you know, I was. I was kind of
optimistical in the offsea. He's like, they've got to do something.
They've got to make a play for a big name,
a big bopper to come in and insert to help
Julio in center field. And so he's not the twenty
three year old superstar with it all on his shoulder
to bring somebody in, and to this point they haven't.
(01:24):
They I like the Solano move. Solano move came over
from San Diego's a pretty good player, but that's not
the type of move I think I was looking for.
You were looking for a meritors, fans were looking for
more of a splash. I'm kind of holding out a
little bit hope with the Alonso thing. It didn't work
out New York with the Mets. I thought he's gonna
sign with the Yankees, and the Yankees signed gold Schmidt,
(01:46):
and he's kind of a place. He's kind of in
a place now with nowhere to go. Still a big
bat for me, and didn't have his best year last year.
But I think the thing about Alonso that I'd like
is his bat travels. He can go to any yard,
any and He's got that type of power that if
he has an off ere, he's gonna hit thirty home runs,
and if he has a year where he puts it together,
(02:07):
he'll hit forty even at even at Tea Mobile Park.
So I still like that. Who knows, maybe with Alonso
and the position he's in and not working out with
the Mets, maybe he's willing to take a shorter deal
and go out and play and try to re enter
the market. So that might be a play that the
Mariners could do. Have no idea whether they'll do it
(02:28):
or not. I was looking at the at the payrolls,
and obviously you got the Dodgers, who, by the way,
I think this is all for not with the Dodgers
that they keep adding players like there. I mean they
got a they got a traveling All Star team and
for years and years, Softy, you saw it. Two thousand
and one. I get asked all the time, is this
the year where your record of one sixteen is broken?
(02:49):
And I always say that'll never be broken. Well, I
gotta have to rethink that. With the moves this Dodgers
team has made, if that team remains healthy with the talent,
it might be the greatest team. It might be all
or not with the Dodgers at the top, but they started.
You know, I think their payroll is something at like
three hundred and seventy million Mariners I think, falling in
about seventeenth. Correct me if I'm wrong, But I just
(03:12):
thought through to bump that payroll up. And I just
don't know why. You know there's a Bregman, he's still available.
I don't think Bregman's bat like Alonzo's I talked about.
I don't think it plays in Seattle. I think it's
a big yard. I don't think I think the part
that he's at right now, Bregman, I think that's a
place where he should have stayed and finished his career
with all those great years and those great teams that
(03:33):
he's played on. But it seems like that's not working
out now. So you know, I'm here and maybe Boston
for him, which sets up for he's got that pull
power and with that short porch and left pright better
for Bregman. But I'm looking at this, you know, I'm
thinking Tanner Scott, he was still around. Dodgers scooped him
up with they get him. No, Mariner's not getting him
to bulshit the bullpen. So as of now, they've stood
(03:55):
pretty past. I don't know if they've got something up
their sleeve. I don't know if they're going to pull
on Alonzo move or not. But I think as a
fan of the Mariners and someone that's been watching it
as closely as I have, and especially the fans in Seattle,
I would say right now they're kinda they're kind of
as pessimistic as you could be. They don't believe it's
going to happen, and I'm starting to get on their side.
I don't know what they're doing. I don't know the
(04:16):
ins and outs, I don't know the numbers behind the scenes,
but I know they're they're missing right now a golden
opportunity to put a really solid offense behind that that,
in my opinion, top three starting rotation in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, Bret Boon's with us first of all, on a
Monday night, we're at the Emerald Queen and Booty. Look,
I mean, they're they're allowing the root sports to backle
so really have a negative influence on how much money
they're willing to spend, right, I mean, whatever their budget
was that they set the root sports thing is just
blowing it to Kingdom come. So that's problem number one.
(04:51):
Problem number two is that you're exactly right, and you know,
hr Harold Reynolds was on the Morning Show a week
ago and was voicing frustrations just like you are. And
then omarv Skel I think the former teammate ors repeated
those frustrations as well on social media. So now it's
not just fans and media, it's ex players like yourselves
that are coming on going what are we doing? We
(05:12):
got this once in a generation pitching staff that we're
thrown away. But let me go back to Alonzo for
a second, because his agent, Scott Boris, and I've always,
i guess been hopeful that the longer this goes, the
cheaper Alonzo will be. Put yourself. Put yourself in Pete
Alonzo's shoes. I mean you're in your thirties. Obviously, it's
(05:33):
maybe late February, early March, you don't have the deal
that your agent's been looking for. You are you willing
at that point to maybe sacrifice and take a one
year deal just to go play somewhere?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
I think, you know, to start it out, I think
Alonso had something on the table roughly in the neighborhood
of one hundred and forty million. I believe that. Obviously
I'm not in on the negotiation, but that's what I heard.
Then they dropped it down in ninety for three years.
Now I don't even know if it's that. So maybe
he's at a point where, you know, I got that
deal softy when I came back to Seattle after the
(06:06):
two thousand season, I signed a one year deal and
my agent said, hey, let's take this one year deal
and go play like hell. Now it was kind of
a scary move back then, but you know, it ended
up working out for me. Maybe Alonso's in a similar
position where it just hasn't worked out for me. He's
not coming off his best year. This is a time
where you really dedicate, you really put the time in
(06:29):
this offseason, get the mind right, and come back and
have a Pete Alonso All Star year that he's had
so many times in his career. So he might be
getting to that point where let's get the best one
year deal, let's go play like hell. Let's try this
again next year in free agency. He could be close
to that. So that's the case. Maybe the Mariners are
players there. But if he does agree to do a
one year deal, is it going to be the Mariners
(06:51):
that step up and the Mariners that want or in
Alonso that wants to go to the Mariners. It's got
to be a two way deal. And if there's other
organization and that look better to Alonso, why is he
going to sign with Seattle? I don't know the thing.
For me as a hitter, I look at that pitching
staff and I go, man, if you can add my
(07:11):
bet me being Pete Alonzo, we can make it better.
Julio coming off a down year last year, he's gonna
He's probably gonna have a better year this year. Crawford
was banged up, he had a down year last year.
The only guy that didn't have it down. Yere was
the kind of Roblade came out of nowhere, always high expectations.
It came over from Washington, had a really nice year
for him. Raleigh continued to be that great offensive catcher,
(07:33):
hit thirty plus homers. Raley, I don't think anybody expected that.
Ty Frantz was the first baseman. Raley had a nice
year from an unexpected source in a Rose arena. He's
had a lot of success at the big league level,
but for his credentials, he had a down year last year.
So maybe all those guys come back and have good
You had Pete Alonzo to that, Yeah you got something,
and I think more than that softy you add Alonzo
(07:56):
man that breathes a lot of adrenaline into that Seattle
fan base.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Well, it's a great point about Alonso though, and the
rest of baseball, because I'm sure there are other teams
like the Mariners, hoping that they can get Pete Alonso
on a short term deal as well if he's not
getting the contract he's looking for from the open market.
So there would definitely be competition for his services. But
Brett Boone's with us on the radio show, and I guess,
(08:22):
you know, one of the things that we're kind of
banking on. We talked about this on the show there,
Dave Me, Dick and Jackson that Hey, the aos looks
like it's maybe taking a step back. You know, Kyle
Tucker's gone, Verlander's gone, obviously, Bregman is going to be
moving on from Houston. The Astros may be ready to
kind of take a real step back from where they've been.
They did take a step back last year, but they
(08:44):
still won the division. Obviously, this Mariner baseball team, even
without the big move they've made over the offseason offensively,
are they still a factor for the West title?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
In your mind right now?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I think I'm never gonna count anything out with a
pitching step. Was absolutely floored last year they didn't make
the postseason because if you ever tell me, and I
thought at the end of the year last year, Seattle
Mariners at all thirty teams at the best starting rotation,
and I've always said you could put a Triple A
team out there if you give me the best rotation
in baseball. Well, that didn't work out for him last year.
(09:18):
Going to Alonso, that's the one thing Seattle has in
its favor. He knows the players know who have that
big time pitching staff. He knows Seattle Mariners have a
big time rotation. That might be a good point to
the Seattle Mariners if they do go after Alonzo going
to the American League West. I see, okay, in the basement,
Oakland or not Oakland. I'm sorry the Sacramento As. They're
(09:41):
going to be better, but what is better losing? They're
not going to lose a hunter games. Maybe not right.
The Angels have upgraded a little bit, but they upgrade
a little bit from being a real bad ball club.
They're going to be a little bit better. I think
Houston's the one team that has had kind of a
stranglehold on that division for the last six, seven, eight years.
I think you're right, they're gonna be the one team
(10:01):
that takes a step back. I don't think they're going
to win the division. But look out for the Texas Rangers,
the World Series champs two years ago. They re signed
Evaldi and the X factor always has been the X factor,
but he hasn't been able to stay healthy. Is they
If they got a healthy to Graham on the mound,
that makes all the difference in the world. Their offense
two years ago let the league into everything. Last year
(10:24):
a down year across the board, a lot of injuries
in Texas, so that could be a sneaky team that
I think is getting better. So overall, I think the
division's got a little better. I can't say the Mariners have.
I think they've stood pat I think they're the same
team they were a year ago with the only exception
is the Houston Astros I think are not going to
be as good as they as they've been in the
(10:44):
last six or seven years. So they're the only uh
that's going to take a step back.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Well, Brett Boone's with us on the show and booneye,
let me just ask you about some of the guys
the Marinders did pick up.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
You mentioned you kind of like Solano.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I mean, he's but he's not of grry you off obviously.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
You know, I was looking Softie. I'm looking at the
at the you know, the depth chart right now. I mean,
I love the more kid does a nice job. Ton
He's he's electric, he's got that enthusiasm. But you're gonna
put him in the lineup and expect to win a
World Series with him a third base. I mean, I
don't know. It seems like a couple of years ago
when they did make the playoffs, we we kind of
(11:24):
we got into the playoffs with a bunch of guys
that I thought, this guy's really not a starting player.
We got three guys that are kind of swing guys
that are playing every day. And I look at that
Mariners roster now and I think we got three or
four guys on championship caliber teams that are part time
players and and uh man I I've never been on
(11:45):
a team where you have a bunch of utility players
playing positions every day. It usually doesn't work out the
long run. So that's when I see they need something.
You know, the kid in San Diego, Kim, he's a
good player. He could play all over the ballpark. There's
been something's going on there though, because he has an injury.
There's a reason that nobody scooped him up yet, because
(12:06):
he is a real player and has a lot of
different positions he could play. So I don't know. I
just think Mariner's man, you need a big bopper. You
need somebody to take a little bit of the heat
off Julio because of you know, a lot of things. Julio.
You know, he didn't have a good year last year,
especially especially what we expect out of him. But I've
also given him a lot of grace. He's a young
(12:28):
player with the world on his shoulders, a big contract,
and I could tell you know, I was twenty two
to twenty three one time. I know what that's like
carrying a first I didn't have that type of pressure.
That's a ken Griffy junior type pressure and Kenny as
we all thought it was one of the greatest players
to ever played the game. So to put that kind
of pressure on a young player, Man, it'd be nice
to have somebody to take a leave a little bit
(12:49):
of that pressure from him. Once again, Lonzo's the guy. Man,
Alonso is the guy, and maybe you got to overpay.
Maybe he's looking for a one year deal and you
give him a bigger deal than the other guys are
willing to give him. Him any opt out or any
incentive bonus if he hasn't unbelieved. I don't know what
you do, but you got to get a big bat
like that, and that bat travels well.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I mean, you're putting all your eggs in one basket.
We'll see if they can pull it off.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
But Brett Boone's with us on the show and Miles
master Boney got signed in the same day the Mariners.
It turned out they were out on the Sasaki sweepstakes,
and he went to the Dodgers. Obviously, the news comes
out that they're getting master Bony.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I mean, the guy had a four to seventy ops
with a negative two war last year. I know you're
not a big war guy. But why should why should
why should any of these guys really get me going?
Man to be I mean, sell me on these guys, Blake.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Hunt, let me let me be honest with you, softie.
None of them should get you exactly. None of them
could get you excited. Solano or Solana he is a
solid player. He's a good player. He's not the difference maker.
He's not going to make a difference whether the Mariners
win the World Series or not. But he's a sell
(14:00):
a player. The rest of them, I wouldn't be excited
at all.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Well, that was your job was to come on the
show and get me fired up. So you have failed,
my friend. All right, Yeah, you go back and think
about it, think about what you've done and get me
fired up.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Man, here it is, it's a new year, and I thought,
you know, honestly, is the best policy. I know it
makes for good radio for bea to raw rashscoo Bob.
But I'm telling you right now, don't be excited. If
you get Pete Alonzo get excited. Not only would that
get the fans pumped up and give that city some hope,
it would get the players in that clubhouse fired up like,
(14:34):
all right, ownership's got our Hey, weed Beer's made a
big move. It's similar to not on the same level
as a Sodo, but I think when the Yankees got
Soto from the Padres last year, there was an adrenaline
go through that clubhouse, like we got a key piece
that's gonna help. Yeah, be really good. You get an Alonso.
I'm not saying he has a Sodo effect, all right,
(14:56):
but with Seattle, you haven't had many big stars signed
from other teams in recent years, so I think that'd
be a big adrenaline us for a guy like a
Rose Arena for definitely a Julio for a cow Raley
man that would be probably well, well.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Hey, booty, booty, before you go, you mentioned the Dodgers.
How you think it's all maybe for not because they
might just win this thing walking away. And look, if
the Mariners make the World Series but lose to the
Dodgers in three games, even who cares, right, just get there.
Dodgers can have, Dodgers can have the title. I'd like
to get to a damn pennant for crying out loud,
but dude, o Tani pitching again?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Snell Yamamoto, Sasaki, Glas. Now they just signed Tanner Scott
yesterday to a gigantic seventy million dollar contract in their bullpen.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
I mean, this is just stupid.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Like you know I did. I went on with Jim
Bowden this morning and we were talking about the Dodgers.
I said, Jimmy, I'll tell you what I've never seen
on paper. If these guys are healthy, I've never seen
a better rotation. I've never seen a better team. I mean,
it just gets better and better. I mean, you got Snell, Glass,
(16:04):
snow Otani, Sasaki, Yamamoto, you'd be lucky to get Yamamoto fifth.
I mean, you got guys like May who hasn't been
able to stay healthy on any other team. He's a
number two guy. Then you got Gonsolin. He's in the
seven hole. And I'll tell you what, who's gonna if
he comes back. I would assume he'll sign with the
(16:25):
Dodgers for one more year, and that's Clayton Kershaw. Clayton
Kershaw with the Dodgers current rotation, would be the number
eight starter, one of the greatest left handers in the
history of baseball. He would be the number eight starter.
You just add Tanner, Scott to training and Layton the game.
For the Dodgers, you got Kim to play second base.
(16:46):
Now Conforto you add it. And then you got Otani, Betts, Freeman,
Will Smith, a Max Munsey, and he signed back to
Oscar Hernandez, who the Mariners had two years ago. That
went out and oh yeah, hit thirty homers and drove
in a hundred again. Yeah he struck out lot yep.
But I don't think the Dodgers really care. There is
loaded to any team I've ever seen, especially on the pitchings.
(17:06):
I couldn't imagine. I don't know how you put that rotator.
Okani could be the fifth starter. I couldn't. I used
to think Maddi small thing, glavit Man, that was a
tough rotation. Please give me a Kent Merker who was
really good. But in Atlanta at least you avoided those three.
Give me a Denny Nagel, who was a number one
starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when I went to Atlanta,
(17:28):
I thought that. Now I'm thinking, if we've got a
four game set and there's a double header, I'm facing
Otani the fifth game, and this guy's coming out throwing
a hundred with cy Young stuff. So yeah, it's as
good as any team I've ever seen. I'm that now.
Now you gotta stay healthy twenty four and twenty five.
Health is a big thing. It's become bigger over the years.
So the health is a big thing. But on paper
(17:50):
and the depth they have is ridiculous. If a couple
guys go down and you got a couple other Cy
Young ten, it's a step in the rotation. Pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Hey, before you go, you can follow Brett on his
Twitter out at the Boon twenty nine. His podcast link
is always up there. Conversation with Trek Scoubel who on
the cy Young obviously on his podcast The Work I
love interesting, but.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Let me interesting. He's a horse, He's a he's a horseman. Now,
but hang on to Belmont. When's the Belmont?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Let me ask you this be before you go each Heiro.
Tomorrow they're going to announce the Hall of Fame around
three o'clock. We all think each hero is getting in,
no problem, We're waiting to see you. On Felix, he
may have to wait a couple of years if he
gets in at all. Give me, give me, give me
thirty seconds before you go, and I mean thirty seconds
on what it was like to be a teammate of Eachiro, Suzuki.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Ea Hiro early on those early teams two thousand. Charismatic, funny, smart,
huge part of those teams that were so good in
the early two thousands. But the Mariners one of the
best catch throw Him and Jabun are best catch throw
outfielders I've ever played with.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Fishing as hell, change the defense, change how people play
defense because of his prowess getting home to first three
thousand plus hits and started his career eight years after
his Japanese career. Definitely a Hall of fame.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Boonie, you're the man, great stuff. Enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
That was about thirty four. That's fine, we'll get you back.
We'll get you back on the other end.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
You're the man. Great stuff. Enjoy and we'll talk soon, Buddy,
Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Pal, Thanks tofy all right.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Man, good stuff. Always good to hear the voice of
Brett Boone. We're gonna break. We're gonna visit with Lorenzo
Romar next on ninety three three KJRFM.
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