August 7, 2026 • 18 mins
Softy and Dick get to hang out with Brett Boone in person and talk about how happy he is to be back in Seattle, why he isn't in the home run derby tonight, what is going on with the current team and what it would take to get the team going again.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming to you live from mare Elliott Avenue Studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. It's time for
our weekly conversation with former Mariners all star Brett Boone,
brought to you by Venue Kings. Visit venue Kings dot
com for all your ticket needs. Now with Boonie, here's
Softie and Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we're back on a busy Friday night right
here at Jimmy's on First And I gotta tell you,
marn And, it's always good to see this guy in person.
I was kind of hoping that when he walked in here,
people would maybe go a little more beatles for the guy.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
You know, I don't know we're getting Maybe it's just
been too long.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I mean, Brett Boone was last year in Seattle twenty
one years ago in two thousand and five.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
You spent some time with the Twins that year.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
But I don't think people realize they're sitting next to
a guy who had thirty seven home runs and one
hundred and forty one ribies and led the league in
two thousand and one. So we gotta wake this crowd
up to the greatness.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
They just came over, didn't you tell him. Didn't you
warn him Softia I was coming in.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
I said boone was coming around. Thought they meant maybe Aaron.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Well, it's good to see him. Man, you're in town
for the Top fifty thing. You made it, You made
the list. You're on the list. You know we heard
you heard your forty ninth, but only because Soirilla and
Bdard couldn't make it to the party.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
I'm just I'm just happy to be reque as now.
It is, uh, you know, it's it's.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
It's a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
And and I've come back to see a lot of
a lot of times over the years.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Uh, but usually it's.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
With you know, that group of the early two thousands,
and I see my teammates and love seeing them. But
this is kind of different because you're going back to
you know, Alvin Davis and Bruce Bocht, he was in
the room last night, and then wow, fast forward to
all the current players. So it's kind of you know,
you're you're drawn from the seventies through current. So that's
that's usually a group that doesn't get together at the
same time, so a little different. But it's good catching
(01:49):
up with guys and we're gonna we got a long weekend.
I'm gonna be seeing them a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
You know.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
Val was talking about you on the broadcast the other
day behind your.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Back the Volcano.
Speaker 6 (01:56):
Yeah, yeah, he was talking about you him, and he
was talking about how you were mad at him during
the home run der pitches, but he didn't really explain why.
And I was wondering, why the hell aren't you hitting
in the home run derby tonight?
Speaker 5 (02:09):
So because of the question, Well, they called me and
asked me to be in the derby and I said,
is is uh is junior hitting?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
I said? They said no. I said, is Buner hitting
in the home run derby?
Speaker 5 (02:20):
No?
Speaker 4 (02:20):
I said, do you think there's a reason they're not?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Well, I said, that's why I'm not, because what do
I have to gain, you know, to get out there.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
I thought about it and I thought, you know what
if I don't hit one.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Which is very possible at this stage point, and I
felt like I'd be fighting for my life, you know,
swinging it to just maybe maybe dink one over the fence.
And I thought, no, let the let the fans that
are still here that we're here. When I was here,
remember the good time. And I said you know, if
it was a softball situation where Junior and Edgar and
(02:55):
Buhner and myself could get out there, that would be fun.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It would be more our speed. But I'm telling you,
youth youth, youth is is very fleeting.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
And I don't know. I haven't seen the whole derby.
I haven't seen the roster, but I'm voting for whoever
is the the closest from retirement. They will win no
matter how many home runs they hit during their their
baseball career.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
So here, here's the roster. Sorry, let me just read
the roster to you.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
All right, Griffy, Buhner and Boomstick are coming, but only
to coach.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
All right, Okami, Ryan Roland Smith, he's got it.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
How old is he?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Who knows?
Speaker 5 (03:33):
He's probably okay, he's out Ryan Heally, he's got a chance.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Stephen Romero, Austin Nola, and your boy Bucky Jacobs.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
I'd say Bucky, no chance.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Austin Austin and Romero, Austin Romero and Heally. It'll be
between those three. But that guy, I'll tell you what
he's like a He's a cartoon character. He's just different
than the rest of us. He's training for it. I'm
sure he's gonna be well prepared.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
But it's tough to beat this youth. I mean, each
of was fifty years old, and he's phenomenal for fifty.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
But these guys are fresh off the field. It's gonna
be tough to beat those three.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So why was Val?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Why were you mad at Val?
Speaker 5 (04:13):
I was never officially mad. It was fake mad. It's
a long story. Two thousand and one was my first derby.
John McLaren was my picture through VP to me every
day during the regular season.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
It was great.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
I was comfortable. I put on a good show. Fast
forward to two thousand and three. We go to Chicago
and they asked me to be in the derby and
I said, yeah, I'll do it. I thought, these are
things that only come around a couple times in your
life if you're lucky. So every opportunity, I said, of course,
I'll hit in the home run derby and all I'm
going up against Bonds and this and that, and I
(04:46):
get there and I really haven't thought it through, and
I thought, wow, I don't have McLaren with me. So
I make a panic phone called it Johnny mack Booney.
I would have loved to have been there. I said,
I'll fly you out, first class route trip, put you up,
you and your wife, and he goes, I would you know,
I'd be there for you. But we're on a trip.
We're going to I forget where he was going. He's
going on like a three day little mini vacation with
his wife. He's like, we're bored in the plane. So
(05:07):
Johnny's out. So now I'm starting to panic. We get
to BP and I'm like, who am I going to
have throw to me? Well, Giombi he's, you know, from
the left side. He goes, Boonie, Hey, I'll tell you what.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Dave Valley throws really good BP.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Now I'd never face val come to find out. So
I said, Dave, I gotta go with you. He's like, no,
I'll give you good pitches. Hit well, Dave's got a
little cutter Okay, subtle, but it's there. And we're warming
up pre pre home run derby and I mean he's
getting the ball at the off the barrel and I'm
(05:42):
just hitting doubles.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Down the left field line grounders. I said, this isn't
going to work.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
I remember Alfredo Griffin was there from the from the
who I hit regular BP off and I had a
good session. I go running up to the to the
panic in in the clubhouse. Where's Griffin? I need him
for the derby.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Oh, he already got dressed. He went home. So I
look at Vallas. It's me and you, baby. This ain't
gonna be good. And I'll tell you what. It wasn't good,
And I came up. Val was the catcher in ninety two.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
When I came up, I'd been with him a lot
through the years, him doing the play by play up
in the in the booth. I've become really good friends
with David. I really like him. But that particular night,
I had no homers. He had me swinging miss He's
throwing that cutter and Giambi from the left side. That
cutter goes right into the barrel. Jomby put on a
huge show and he's like, yeah, Dave's great. I said, yeah,
(06:31):
he's great for you. But so for a couple of days,
I pretend like I was mad at him. With at
the end of the day, it's an exhibition. I got
a lot of crap from my teammates, from fans around
the league for the rest of the year, but I
had a patent comeback to any player, right, it got
on me. And what I say, I say, try getting
invited to be in a home run derby before you.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Have an opinion.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
That's right. They shut your mouth.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
But still deep down it's it's a horrible feeling.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
You think, oh, it's no big deal, it's just an
exhibition and the other players don't really care.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
But it's really a lonely place.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
When you don't hit any overs, you just want to hide, right,
And so that's the story without Last night on the
bus on the way home, they said, everybody were talking.
I said, Junior, you know if you do it, and
I'm talking to Kayeah, I ain't hit. No, I've already
won too many of those home run you know, as
Junior would say, and valves up front and he goes.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Boonie, if you hit, I'll throw to you. And I'm like,
oh no, and uh yeah. But that's the story.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Well, in a nutshell, Brat Boon's with us on the
radio show courtesy of Vanua Kings normally on Thursday, and
we said, hey, what the hell you're gonna be in town,
so come by and buy and hang out with us.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Here.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
What's the kind of vibe, like from the guys you
said you were hanging out with them last night. We
saw some pictures on social media. I'm sure there's chatter
about what's going on with the team right now, obviously,
like what are what are the guys saying? What are
the guys thinking about what's going on.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
I'll tell you I felt for those guys last night
because we had a dinner and it was you know,
as many of the fifty were in the room as
they could have got.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
There's a couple guys that had other.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Commitments and I haven't been here, but for the most part,
we had most of the guys in the room last night,
including current players and staff. Right So, Edgar was there,
Danny was there, you know, Julia was there, cal was there, Kirby,
I saw a few other guys and I just thought,
you know, I put myself back to when I was
a player and the way things have gone recently for
the Mariners. It's it's been tough sledding, and I'm thinking
(08:17):
I felt for these guys. I'm thinking this is the
last place as a current player, this is the last
place on Earth I want to be now celebrating the
fifty years. They're just trying to figure out we got
to we gotta find a way to win a game tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
But you know, for the most part, they put on
a good face.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
I stayed away from as many of them as I could,
because what do you say when things aren't going good?
As a player, the last thing you want is any
sympathy from other people. That's even worse than than you
know anything, it's hey, how that look on your face, like, hey,
how are things going? When you know how things are going,
So don't ask me how things are going. That being said,
(08:54):
it was good to see Danny and catch up with
Edgar a little bit, and and Edgar were sharing war
stories about being the hitting coach when you're not hitting
and what that's like, and the sleepless nights and and
just talking back and forth. So you know, once you
get past the initial things aren't going good.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, we know that. We got out of the way.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
It was just like old times and talking about the
guys in the room and talking about our kids and
what's going on.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
So it was it was pretty much just just normal.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
So do you think the players care that you're there
this week? And if they do, is that a good thing.
Might it up their game a little bit? Or do
you think it might be a bad game because they're like, crap,
we got Junior and Boone and.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
All these guys watching us play this week.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
I don't. I don't think that affects them one bit.
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
I can just speak as my you know, my experience
as a player. When the old timers come into town
and guys that you grew up watching and and really
admired and.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Respected a lot.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Uh, that's the last thing I think about is playing
well for them. I just think, no, I've got bigger
fish to fry than what Brett Boone thinks about by
swing right now.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
So no, this isn't a distraction to them at all.
Speaker 5 (09:58):
The distraction is having to go to the functions and
and it's kind of a sideshow when you're just trying
to win games.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
But I think it's a it's a great thing.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
The one thing I'll say about Seattle Mariners is all
the events through the years, and and and the reunions.
It's always been a first class job. Once again, and
not to be disappointed. Last night was first class. And
I'm sure the rest of the weekend is going to
be a real fun time and then probably the current
Mariner team will be glad that we're leaving town. So
you know, we can we can, we can get back
(10:28):
to baseball. Actually it might be a good thing when
things aren't going good. It's right, it's like, all right,
they won't talk about us. Let's talk about the old
guys that some guys forgot about and some guys that
you know are still uh still remembered.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Well, Boonie is what us. Brett Boone courtesy of NUA Kings.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Here's your next nineteen games, Tampa, the Yankees, Astros, Milwaukee Cubs, Philadelphia.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
That is, kid, that's a that's a tough strength because
I'm looking at the other guys and I'm talking about
the Houston Astros and I'm talking about the Texas Rangers.
Who's I think it's gonna be a three way battle
for that division and they're all so tight right now.
But I look at the Texas Rangers, for instance, They've
got the Angels two series I think in the next
ten to fifteen days. So yes, when you talk about
(11:08):
strength to schedule, Mariners are really behind the eight ball
right now. That being said, you got fifty games, you know,
I look at it this way. I look at this
Mariner team, and we've been talking every week since the
beginning of the season, and the high expectations that I
had for this Mariner ball club. Not only me, I
think all the analysts around the country thought this Mariner
team could be the best, best pound for pound team
(11:31):
in the American League. Well, it hasn't shaped up that
way so far, playing around five hundred. But to think
they haven't played even close to their capabilities and to
still be right in the hunt right now a game,
game and a half out of the wild card, I
think that's kind of a blessing, like, all right, let's
see how we do from here, and maybe that talent
(11:51):
will prevail in the long run. Tough schedule, but you know,
you gotta win games, and just because you have an
easy schedule sometimes people take those for grant. It's still
the big legs and they can any you get whooped
any any given night. But yeah, strength these guys are
right now definitely not the Mariners Mariners favor. That being said, talent,
I think of the three pitching bullpen offense, I still
(12:15):
give the talent edge to the Mariners out of the three.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Well, I think we've been fooled a few times thinking, oh, well,
that game, that game is a turnaround game, that game
is the one that's gonna spark seven out of eight,
and it's never happened. So what is it that turns
a malaise around in a dugout in a clubhouse?
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Like what what's real versus?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And that was just a good game.
Speaker 6 (12:33):
We're gonna go back to getting beat eleven nothing.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
The next day exactly.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
That went in four or five in a row, winning
three series in a row, and all of a sudden,
it starts to feel real because it's not something you
can will it's not something you can come to the ballpark. Okay, guys,
we're really gonna get serious now that that's that's that's fiction.
You come to the ballpark, prepare to play, and just
in the end kind of look at one another.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
It's a gut check and it's like, okay.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
And especially I've been on teams that have the high expectations,
expectations are everything. You coming into a team that you
don't have any expectations, it feels completely different than it
does now. But the way that Mariners played a year
ago in our one series away from going to the
World Series, expectations probably at an all time high in
the history of the city, and all of a sudden
(13:22):
be sitting there at five hundred. Man, you're starting to
feel it as a player, the weights starting to come down, like, well,
what are we going to do? You got Donovan back,
you got Taylor Ward that came over and at the
trading deadline. Hopefully that sparks their offense a little bit
because right now they need something.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Have we talked to you since the Ward trading? I
don't think we have.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
And the deal, the Castillo deal, you know, I think
it wasn't a big surprise that Seattle at the deadline.
I think dealt one of their guys and I think,
preferably with the money in the in the age, Castile
was the one they wanted to move along. He had
a great tenure here, did a great job for them,
but all great things come to an end.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
He moved on.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Taylor Ward a year ago, I watched in Anaheim hit
thirty six home runs. Now his home run total is
way down, But I was the old guys, me and
Edgar Laws that we're talking about. Hey, but the ops
is very similar towards it a year ago. He's just
getting to it in a different way any change. And
a guy that's been a proven good player in that
clubhouse sometimes as a blessing something to kickstarts you get
(14:21):
you going.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
So getting Donovan.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Back, getting Taylor Ward, that could be. You know, when
you look at the core group of this, the Raleigh,
the Julios and the Rose Arena, that's the guys you
normally look to. But times like this, it's like, no,
we don't mind passing the tom. Maybe Donovan and Taylor
Ward can can light a fire and get something going.
They're looking forward from anywhere they can get it right now.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
The first thing I looked at Boone when we traded
for Taylor Ward is what's his team obal average?
Speaker 4 (14:46):
And it was in the ones and as.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Ops was in the fives. Does he know that?
Speaker 6 (14:50):
And it was one hundred and twenty seven five appearances too.
It wasn't a cup of coffee yet.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
He probably doesn't know it to the t and the number.
But it's like me when I used to go to Baltimore, Yeah,
and it was I don't.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Even want to know what my average is.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
I don't know want to know how many homers I hit,
how many RBIs I've driven in. But I know it's
not one of my best parks. So I'm just coming here,
all right, Let's get through it and tea mobile at
Safego back in the beginning, Uh, it was a place
where people came and they didn't like hitting here, you know,
when they moved.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
The fences in a little bit. It's a little bit
better than it used to be.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
Still plays a big park park on average for the
big all the big league stadiums. But it's still a
big park. But yeah, in the back of his mind,
he knows probably with those numbers you're just mentioned it
to me.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
He probably doesn't know the number, but he knows that
hasn't been my best stadium.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Well, before you go, there's tonight's lineup. Look where cal
Rawley's atting man and.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
And you know, call at this, tell people where he's
He's hit in eighth, eighth, and Julio's hitting fifth.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
If I would have told you back in March, we're
playing a game against the Tampa Rays on the seventh
of August.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Yeah, Canzone hitting clean up?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Cay Raw's hitting ethan, Julio's hitting fifth. I mean that is.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
It's like shocking.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
I'll tell you what do you see that? As players,
we all have egos. Cal Rawley the greatest. I'm gonna
say it right now. It's the greatest year offensive dye
catcher I've ever seen. Sixty. He hit sixty. That's rare air.
I couldn't even imagine hitting sixty. So coming off that
talk about expectations and cal the struggles that he's had,
(16:18):
and you feel for him. He's feeling. I'll guarantee you
tonight he saw his name in the eight hole. He's
not mad, He's thinking, you know what, this is the
way it is. I remember some years in the two
thousandth I thought I should be hitting seventh tonight. But
you know, I'm not, thank goodness, but I should be,
And if I was, I wouldn't have been. So that's
the thing where we're at a point in the season
(16:39):
where it's not about making everybody happy. It's I don't
think Danny's worried about hurting feelings right now. He's trying
to find a way to somehow get this team started
and get some wins on the UT.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I do want to ask one more, and I hate
to put you on the spot before you.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
You don't hate it, You're right, go ahead, So.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Exactly what we should be doing.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Larry Stone, you know, Larry covered baseball in this town
for a long time. Was on the air with us
the other so there you go, was on the air
with us. His dad was on the air and he said,
it's very hard to imagine Dan coming back if these
guys missed the playoffs. Do you feel like that that
this team would make a move. I'm not going to
ask you what you think, respect for your relationship with Dan,
(17:16):
you think these guys would make a move like that.
Would Danny maybe say I get it, it's not working,
I'll step down, let somebody else take over.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Tell me, well, I.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Don't think that's in his mind right now. That's now love.
Speaker 5 (17:30):
Danny's great teammate, good friend of mine. Would I be
shocked if they didn't make the playoffs they made a move?
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Absolutely not right.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
This is the big leagues, this is this is cutthroat,
it's it's it's just a different world. Everybody you get
hired to get fired, and everybody will. We all have
and we all will continue to do that. But I
don't think I think that's the last thing on his
mind right now is whether he's you know, how long
his tenure is going to be. Obviously he wants it
to be a long time. But yeah, the first thing
(17:57):
is making the playoffs. So no, I from what I've
seen in this game over the years, nothing would surprise
me with any franchise, not just necessarily Seattle Marriage. But
right now they've got they've got a task at hand.
They got roughly what forty fifty games?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Forty six?
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Yeah, all right, looking dapper man, Yeah, yes, hey, put
those shades back on.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Man.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Those look look expensive shades.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Right, they're blenders.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
By the way, Ansonitis my neck of the wood company
love them great.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
They're polarized and a good valu.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
You got to get a shot at those. Look at
that guy, Booney Booney. By the way, the gal is
sitting next to you is a big time Yankee fan.
So she wants to know about your brother before you
take off.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
But you can tell her when I leave.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
She wants to have a conversation with you. No, you
can handle that. You're the best.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Thanks Dudek with us on the radio show right here
on ninety three free kJ R f M
Coming to you live from mare Elliott Avenue Studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. It's time for
our weekly conversation with former Mariners all star Brett Boone,
brought to you by Venue Kings. Visit venue Kings dot
com for all your ticket needs. Now with Boonie, here's
Softie and Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we're back on a busy Friday night right
here at Jimmy's on First And I gotta tell you,
marn And, it's always good to see this guy in person.
I was kind of hoping that when he walked in here,
people would maybe go a little more beatles for the guy.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
You know, I don't know we're getting Maybe it's just
been too long.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I mean, Brett Boone was last year in Seattle twenty
one years ago in two thousand and five.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
You spent some time with the Twins that year.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
But I don't think people realize they're sitting next to
a guy who had thirty seven home runs and one
hundred and forty one ribies and led the league in
two thousand and one. So we gotta wake this crowd
up to the greatness.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
They just came over, didn't you tell him. Didn't you
warn him Softia I was coming in.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
I said boone was coming around. Thought they meant maybe Aaron.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Well, it's good to see him. Man, you're in town
for the Top fifty thing. You made it, You made
the list. You're on the list. You know we heard
you heard your forty ninth, but only because Soirilla and
Bdard couldn't make it to the party.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
I'm just I'm just happy to be reque as now.
It is, uh, you know, it's it's.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
It's a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
And and I've come back to see a lot of
a lot of times over the years.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Uh, but usually it's.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
With you know, that group of the early two thousands,
and I see my teammates and love seeing them. But
this is kind of different because you're going back to
you know, Alvin Davis and Bruce Bocht, he was in
the room last night, and then wow, fast forward to
all the current players. So it's kind of you know,
you're you're drawn from the seventies through current. So that's
that's usually a group that doesn't get together at the
same time, so a little different. But it's good catching
(01:49):
up with guys and we're gonna we got a long weekend.
I'm gonna be seeing them a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
You know.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
Val was talking about you on the broadcast the other
day behind your.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Back the Volcano.
Speaker 6 (01:56):
Yeah, yeah, he was talking about you him, and he
was talking about how you were mad at him during
the home run der pitches, but he didn't really explain why.
And I was wondering, why the hell aren't you hitting
in the home run derby tonight?
Speaker 5 (02:09):
So because of the question, Well, they called me and
asked me to be in the derby and I said,
is is uh is junior hitting?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
I said? They said no. I said, is Buner hitting
in the home run derby?
Speaker 5 (02:20):
No?
Speaker 4 (02:20):
I said, do you think there's a reason they're not?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Well, I said, that's why I'm not, because what do
I have to gain, you know, to get out there.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
I thought about it and I thought, you know what
if I don't hit one.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Which is very possible at this stage point, and I
felt like I'd be fighting for my life, you know,
swinging it to just maybe maybe dink one over the fence.
And I thought, no, let the let the fans that
are still here that we're here. When I was here,
remember the good time. And I said you know, if
it was a softball situation where Junior and Edgar and
(02:55):
Buhner and myself could get out there, that would be fun.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It would be more our speed. But I'm telling you,
youth youth, youth is is very fleeting.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
And I don't know. I haven't seen the whole derby.
I haven't seen the roster, but I'm voting for whoever
is the the closest from retirement. They will win no
matter how many home runs they hit during their their
baseball career.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
So here, here's the roster. Sorry, let me just read
the roster to you.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
All right, Griffy, Buhner and Boomstick are coming, but only
to coach.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
All right, Okami, Ryan Roland Smith, he's got it.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
How old is he?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Who knows?
Speaker 5 (03:33):
He's probably okay, he's out Ryan Heally, he's got a chance.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Stephen Romero, Austin Nola, and your boy Bucky Jacobs.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
I'd say Bucky, no chance.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Austin Austin and Romero, Austin Romero and Heally. It'll be
between those three. But that guy, I'll tell you what
he's like a He's a cartoon character. He's just different
than the rest of us. He's training for it. I'm
sure he's gonna be well prepared.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
But it's tough to beat this youth. I mean, each
of was fifty years old, and he's phenomenal for fifty.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
But these guys are fresh off the field. It's gonna
be tough to beat those three.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So why was Val?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Why were you mad at Val?
Speaker 5 (04:13):
I was never officially mad. It was fake mad. It's
a long story. Two thousand and one was my first derby.
John McLaren was my picture through VP to me every
day during the regular season.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
It was great.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
I was comfortable. I put on a good show. Fast
forward to two thousand and three. We go to Chicago
and they asked me to be in the derby and
I said, yeah, I'll do it. I thought, these are
things that only come around a couple times in your
life if you're lucky. So every opportunity, I said, of course,
I'll hit in the home run derby and all I'm
going up against Bonds and this and that, and I
(04:46):
get there and I really haven't thought it through, and
I thought, wow, I don't have McLaren with me. So
I make a panic phone called it Johnny mack Booney.
I would have loved to have been there. I said,
I'll fly you out, first class route trip, put you up,
you and your wife, and he goes, I would you know,
I'd be there for you. But we're on a trip.
We're going to I forget where he was going. He's
going on like a three day little mini vacation with
his wife. He's like, we're bored in the plane. So
(05:07):
Johnny's out. So now I'm starting to panic. We get
to BP and I'm like, who am I going to
have throw to me? Well, Giombi he's, you know, from
the left side. He goes, Boonie, Hey, I'll tell you what.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Dave Valley throws really good BP.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Now I'd never face val come to find out. So
I said, Dave, I gotta go with you. He's like, no,
I'll give you good pitches. Hit well, Dave's got a
little cutter Okay, subtle, but it's there. And we're warming
up pre pre home run derby and I mean he's
getting the ball at the off the barrel and I'm
(05:42):
just hitting doubles.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Down the left field line grounders. I said, this isn't
going to work.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
I remember Alfredo Griffin was there from the from the
who I hit regular BP off and I had a
good session. I go running up to the to the
panic in in the clubhouse. Where's Griffin? I need him
for the derby.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Oh, he already got dressed. He went home. So I
look at Vallas. It's me and you, baby. This ain't
gonna be good. And I'll tell you what. It wasn't good,
And I came up. Val was the catcher in ninety two.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
When I came up, I'd been with him a lot
through the years, him doing the play by play up
in the in the booth. I've become really good friends
with David. I really like him. But that particular night,
I had no homers. He had me swinging miss He's
throwing that cutter and Giambi from the left side. That
cutter goes right into the barrel. Jomby put on a
huge show and he's like, yeah, Dave's great. I said, yeah,
(06:31):
he's great for you. But so for a couple of days,
I pretend like I was mad at him. With at
the end of the day, it's an exhibition. I got
a lot of crap from my teammates, from fans around
the league for the rest of the year, but I
had a patent comeback to any player, right, it got
on me. And what I say, I say, try getting
invited to be in a home run derby before you.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Have an opinion.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
That's right. They shut your mouth.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
But still deep down it's it's a horrible feeling.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
You think, oh, it's no big deal, it's just an
exhibition and the other players don't really care.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
But it's really a lonely place.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
When you don't hit any overs, you just want to hide, right,
And so that's the story without Last night on the
bus on the way home, they said, everybody were talking.
I said, Junior, you know if you do it, and
I'm talking to Kayeah, I ain't hit. No, I've already
won too many of those home run you know, as
Junior would say, and valves up front and he goes.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Boonie, if you hit, I'll throw to you. And I'm like,
oh no, and uh yeah. But that's the story.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Well, in a nutshell, Brat Boon's with us on the
radio show courtesy of Vanua Kings normally on Thursday, and
we said, hey, what the hell you're gonna be in town,
so come by and buy and hang out with us.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Here.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
What's the kind of vibe, like from the guys you
said you were hanging out with them last night. We
saw some pictures on social media. I'm sure there's chatter
about what's going on with the team right now, obviously,
like what are what are the guys saying? What are
the guys thinking about what's going on.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
I'll tell you I felt for those guys last night
because we had a dinner and it was you know,
as many of the fifty were in the room as
they could have got.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
There's a couple guys that had other.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Commitments and I haven't been here, but for the most part,
we had most of the guys in the room last night,
including current players and staff. Right So, Edgar was there,
Danny was there, you know, Julia was there, cal was there, Kirby,
I saw a few other guys and I just thought,
you know, I put myself back to when I was
a player and the way things have gone recently for
the Mariners. It's it's been tough sledding, and I'm thinking
(08:17):
I felt for these guys. I'm thinking this is the
last place as a current player, this is the last
place on Earth I want to be now celebrating the
fifty years. They're just trying to figure out we got
to we gotta find a way to win a game tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
But you know, for the most part, they put on
a good face.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
I stayed away from as many of them as I could,
because what do you say when things aren't going good?
As a player, the last thing you want is any
sympathy from other people. That's even worse than than you
know anything, it's hey, how that look on your face, like, hey,
how are things going? When you know how things are going,
So don't ask me how things are going. That being said,
(08:54):
it was good to see Danny and catch up with
Edgar a little bit, and and Edgar were sharing war
stories about being the hitting coach when you're not hitting
and what that's like, and the sleepless nights and and
just talking back and forth. So you know, once you
get past the initial things aren't going good.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, we know that. We got out of the way.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
It was just like old times and talking about the
guys in the room and talking about our kids and
what's going on.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
So it was it was pretty much just just normal.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
So do you think the players care that you're there
this week? And if they do, is that a good thing.
Might it up their game a little bit? Or do
you think it might be a bad game because they're like, crap,
we got Junior and Boone and.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
All these guys watching us play this week.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
I don't. I don't think that affects them one bit.
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
I can just speak as my you know, my experience
as a player. When the old timers come into town
and guys that you grew up watching and and really
admired and.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Respected a lot.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Uh, that's the last thing I think about is playing
well for them. I just think, no, I've got bigger
fish to fry than what Brett Boone thinks about by
swing right now.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
So no, this isn't a distraction to them at all.
Speaker 5 (09:58):
The distraction is having to go to the functions and
and it's kind of a sideshow when you're just trying
to win games.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
But I think it's a it's a great thing.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
The one thing I'll say about Seattle Mariners is all
the events through the years, and and and the reunions.
It's always been a first class job. Once again, and
not to be disappointed. Last night was first class. And
I'm sure the rest of the weekend is going to
be a real fun time and then probably the current
Mariner team will be glad that we're leaving town. So
you know, we can we can, we can get back
(10:28):
to baseball. Actually it might be a good thing when
things aren't going good. It's right, it's like, all right,
they won't talk about us. Let's talk about the old
guys that some guys forgot about and some guys that
you know are still uh still remembered.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Well, Boonie is what us. Brett Boone courtesy of NUA Kings.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Here's your next nineteen games, Tampa, the Yankees, Astros, Milwaukee Cubs, Philadelphia.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
That is, kid, that's a that's a tough strength because
I'm looking at the other guys and I'm talking about
the Houston Astros and I'm talking about the Texas Rangers.
Who's I think it's gonna be a three way battle
for that division and they're all so tight right now.
But I look at the Texas Rangers, for instance, They've
got the Angels two series I think in the next
ten to fifteen days. So yes, when you talk about
(11:08):
strength to schedule, Mariners are really behind the eight ball
right now. That being said, you got fifty games, you know,
I look at it this way. I look at this
Mariner team, and we've been talking every week since the
beginning of the season, and the high expectations that I
had for this Mariner ball club. Not only me, I
think all the analysts around the country thought this Mariner
team could be the best, best pound for pound team
(11:31):
in the American League. Well, it hasn't shaped up that
way so far, playing around five hundred. But to think
they haven't played even close to their capabilities and to
still be right in the hunt right now a game,
game and a half out of the wild card, I
think that's kind of a blessing, like, all right, let's
see how we do from here, and maybe that talent
(11:51):
will prevail in the long run. Tough schedule, but you know,
you gotta win games, and just because you have an
easy schedule sometimes people take those for grant. It's still
the big legs and they can any you get whooped
any any given night. But yeah, strength these guys are
right now definitely not the Mariners Mariners favor. That being said, talent,
I think of the three pitching bullpen offense, I still
(12:15):
give the talent edge to the Mariners out of the three.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Well, I think we've been fooled a few times thinking, oh, well,
that game, that game is a turnaround game, that game
is the one that's gonna spark seven out of eight,
and it's never happened. So what is it that turns
a malaise around in a dugout in a clubhouse?
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Like what what's real versus?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And that was just a good game.
Speaker 6 (12:33):
We're gonna go back to getting beat eleven nothing.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
The next day exactly.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
That went in four or five in a row, winning
three series in a row, and all of a sudden,
it starts to feel real because it's not something you
can will it's not something you can come to the ballpark. Okay, guys,
we're really gonna get serious now that that's that's that's fiction.
You come to the ballpark, prepare to play, and just
in the end kind of look at one another.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
It's a gut check and it's like, okay.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
And especially I've been on teams that have the high expectations,
expectations are everything. You coming into a team that you
don't have any expectations, it feels completely different than it
does now. But the way that Mariners played a year
ago in our one series away from going to the
World Series, expectations probably at an all time high in
the history of the city, and all of a sudden
(13:22):
be sitting there at five hundred. Man, you're starting to
feel it as a player, the weights starting to come down, like, well,
what are we going to do? You got Donovan back,
you got Taylor Ward that came over and at the
trading deadline. Hopefully that sparks their offense a little bit
because right now they need something.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Have we talked to you since the Ward trading? I
don't think we have.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
And the deal, the Castillo deal, you know, I think
it wasn't a big surprise that Seattle at the deadline.
I think dealt one of their guys and I think,
preferably with the money in the in the age, Castile
was the one they wanted to move along. He had
a great tenure here, did a great job for them,
but all great things come to an end.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
He moved on.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Taylor Ward a year ago, I watched in Anaheim hit
thirty six home runs. Now his home run total is
way down, But I was the old guys, me and
Edgar Laws that we're talking about. Hey, but the ops
is very similar towards it a year ago. He's just
getting to it in a different way any change. And
a guy that's been a proven good player in that
clubhouse sometimes as a blessing something to kickstarts you get
(14:21):
you going.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
So getting Donovan.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Back, getting Taylor Ward, that could be. You know, when
you look at the core group of this, the Raleigh,
the Julios and the Rose Arena, that's the guys you
normally look to. But times like this, it's like, no,
we don't mind passing the tom. Maybe Donovan and Taylor
Ward can can light a fire and get something going.
They're looking forward from anywhere they can get it right now.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
The first thing I looked at Boone when we traded
for Taylor Ward is what's his team obal average?
Speaker 4 (14:46):
And it was in the ones and as.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Ops was in the fives. Does he know that?
Speaker 6 (14:50):
And it was one hundred and twenty seven five appearances too.
It wasn't a cup of coffee yet.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
He probably doesn't know it to the t and the number.
But it's like me when I used to go to Baltimore, Yeah,
and it was I don't.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Even want to know what my average is.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
I don't know want to know how many homers I hit,
how many RBIs I've driven in. But I know it's
not one of my best parks. So I'm just coming here,
all right, Let's get through it and tea mobile at
Safego back in the beginning, Uh, it was a place
where people came and they didn't like hitting here, you know,
when they moved.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
The fences in a little bit. It's a little bit
better than it used to be.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
Still plays a big park park on average for the
big all the big league stadiums. But it's still a
big park. But yeah, in the back of his mind,
he knows probably with those numbers you're just mentioned it
to me.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
He probably doesn't know the number, but he knows that
hasn't been my best stadium.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Well, before you go, there's tonight's lineup. Look where cal
Rawley's atting man and.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
And you know, call at this, tell people where he's
He's hit in eighth, eighth, and Julio's hitting fifth.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
If I would have told you back in March, we're
playing a game against the Tampa Rays on the seventh
of August.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Yeah, Canzone hitting clean up?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Cay Raw's hitting ethan, Julio's hitting fifth. I mean that is.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
It's like shocking.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
I'll tell you what do you see that? As players,
we all have egos. Cal Rawley the greatest. I'm gonna
say it right now. It's the greatest year offensive dye
catcher I've ever seen. Sixty. He hit sixty. That's rare air.
I couldn't even imagine hitting sixty. So coming off that
talk about expectations and cal the struggles that he's had,
(16:18):
and you feel for him. He's feeling. I'll guarantee you
tonight he saw his name in the eight hole. He's
not mad, He's thinking, you know what, this is the
way it is. I remember some years in the two
thousandth I thought I should be hitting seventh tonight. But
you know, I'm not, thank goodness, but I should be,
And if I was, I wouldn't have been. So that's
the thing where we're at a point in the season
(16:39):
where it's not about making everybody happy. It's I don't
think Danny's worried about hurting feelings right now. He's trying
to find a way to somehow get this team started
and get some wins on the UT.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I do want to ask one more, and I hate
to put you on the spot before you.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
You don't hate it, You're right, go ahead, So.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Exactly what we should be doing.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Larry Stone, you know, Larry covered baseball in this town
for a long time. Was on the air with us
the other so there you go, was on the air
with us. His dad was on the air and he said,
it's very hard to imagine Dan coming back if these
guys missed the playoffs. Do you feel like that that
this team would make a move. I'm not going to
ask you what you think, respect for your relationship with Dan,
(17:16):
you think these guys would make a move like that.
Would Danny maybe say I get it, it's not working,
I'll step down, let somebody else take over.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Tell me, well, I.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Don't think that's in his mind right now. That's now love.
Speaker 5 (17:30):
Danny's great teammate, good friend of mine. Would I be
shocked if they didn't make the playoffs they made a move?
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Absolutely not right.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
This is the big leagues, this is this is cutthroat,
it's it's it's just a different world. Everybody you get
hired to get fired, and everybody will. We all have
and we all will continue to do that. But I
don't think I think that's the last thing on his
mind right now is whether he's you know, how long
his tenure is going to be. Obviously he wants it
to be a long time. But yeah, the first thing
(17:57):
is making the playoffs. So no, I from what I've
seen in this game over the years, nothing would surprise
me with any franchise, not just necessarily Seattle Marriage. But
right now they've got they've got a task at hand.
They got roughly what forty fifty games?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Forty six?
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Yeah, all right, looking dapper man, Yeah, yes, hey, put
those shades back on.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Man.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Those look look expensive shades.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Right, they're blenders.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
By the way, Ansonitis my neck of the wood company
love them great.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
They're polarized and a good valu.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
You got to get a shot at those. Look at
that guy, Booney Booney. By the way, the gal is
sitting next to you is a big time Yankee fan.
So she wants to know about your brother before you
take off.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
But you can tell her when I leave.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
She wants to have a conversation with you. No, you
can handle that. You're the best.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Thanks Dudek with us on the radio show right here
on ninety three free kJ R f M
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