November 4, 2025 • 17 mins
Jim Bowden from The Athletic, SiriusXM, and MLB Network joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the incredible World Series last week, the Mariners season and where they go from here including an off-season plan, moves, and big decisions.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, joining us on the radio show from the
(00:02):
athletic former general manager in mains leagu baseball. Always fun
to have him on the radio program. Our friend Jim Bowden,
and Jim, first of all, thanks for doing this, man,
And second of all, I mean, first of all, dude,
we love the World Series because the Blue Jays got
their come up against the Dodgers. Heartbreak for them, painful,
just like us. Now they can taste it the way
(00:24):
we did.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Man.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
But what'd you make of the World Series? And where
do you put that thing on your all time great
World Series list?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Man? Yeah, So that is the number one World Series
I've seen of all time. And I've seen some great ones,
starting with the seventy five World Series with the Red
Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, but two thousand and one,
and I've just seen so many of them over the years.
Nineteen ninety eight, but this was the best World Series
that I've ever been at. It was incredible that the
(00:52):
eighteen inning game was beyond comprehension, to the point where
I still can't believe if it had gone to a
nineteenth being the Dodgers are going to pitch Miguel Rojas
like I still can't get over that that was going
to really happen. But yeah, then you get to Game
seven and we had that eleven any game where it
could have gone either way. As we all know, he
(01:13):
was the most exciting World Series I've ever been to.
So yeah, definitely gives you goosebumps, you know, to think
about it. Either team could have won the World Championship
without a doubt, and it tells Mariners fans how close
you were to winning a World Championship too.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Well, how do you view this season as a whole
for a Mariner fan, a long suffering Mariner fan like myself,
including you know in the alcs and even how the
World Series went, is that you know the level of
success that the Mariners saw or you kind of focus
on exactly what you mentioned there is like you know,
you got close, but close wasn't good enough.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
And this was the best year of the Mariners history.
For me. This is the closest they ever got to
the World Series. This was the best team they've ever
put together, and it was a team that could have
won the World Series but didn't. And that's just the
way it is. They could have easily beaten Toronto and
that they had beaten Toronto, that could have easily beaten
the Dodgers. There wasn't a lot of distance between Seattle
(02:11):
and Toronto, and there wasn't really a lot of distance
between Toronto and the Dodgers, as we all saw. So
that's how good the team was. I mean, you know,
sometimes it's a crap shoot. You know, when you get
into the playoffs, you know, the best team doesn't always win.
I think in this case, we saw the two best
teams at the end. I think at the end, Seattle
was probably the third best team. I had picked the
(02:32):
Mariners before the postseason started to get to the World
Series and represent the American League. That was wrong. I
underestimated a little bit of how elite Toronto was in
both contact and power and defense, and that really it
really showed up against Seattle, and it showed up against
the Dodgers. I mean, they didn't have a hole in
(02:52):
their lineup. There wasn't a guy that would come to
the play and say I could pitch to him. They
didn't have that guy. And it wasn't a player on
their field defensively that wasn't above average defender, nobody. And
so at the end of the day, those little things
when you get to these, you know, seven game series,
that's a lot of times the difference.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Maker former GM, Jim Bowden with us of course on
ninety three three Kjir FM and Jimmy. You've you've hired
managers before, you've fired managers before, you've critiqued your own
managers before. A lot of Mara fans were upset with
Dan Wilson for the way he handled the bullpen going
to Bizardo instead of a guy like Munno's in Game
(03:34):
seven to face George Springer, What was your reaction at
the moment and what was your reaction after the home
run regarding how much criticism Dan should or should not
have taken for that decision.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, I first guess you have that Munya is in
that situation at Bizarro. In no way am I losing
and not going to the World Series because I chose
Bizarro over Munos there. That was the moment you have
to use Munos. That's that's the moment. You have to
have sense of urgency. And I think that every manager
in baseball, I'm sure, paid attention to how the Dodgers
(04:08):
handled the World Series with their starting pitchers and the
sense of urgency and how they matched up and Toronto
did the same thing for that matter, but that was
the difference, you know in that series. Look, I traded
Dan Wilson. I'm a big fan of Dan Wilson. I
think he did a great job managing and I don't
think without Dan Wilson, I'm not sure that they get
(04:28):
to that point of that as far as they did
this year. He was very instrumental in getting him there.
But that doesn't mean I first guessed at the time.
I didn't second guess it afterwards. I just sat there,
I stood up and walked away, and I remember just screaming,
power in the world with everything on the line is
bizarre to the guy you choose to pitch in this spot.
(04:50):
And unfortunately I was right. And it is what it is.
I mean, look, we all have these moments in life,
right Like, I'm still mad. I'm still mad that the
Red Sox brought Jim Burton and that fits to Joe
Morgan instead of Dick Drago in Game seven of the
seventy five World Series. I'm still mad about that. So again,
you know, that's what makes baseball great. It is what
(05:11):
it is. And look that bizardro had gotten him out.
You know, you wouldn't even ask me that question, even
though I would have given you the same answer. Right.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Well, now the question is how do the Mariners respond,
where do they go from here? And how do you
think John Stanton responds to this? Do owners that are
hys historically budget conscious, like John Stanton has been, ever
change their stripes when it comes to kind of loosening
up the purse strings, maybe based on a great emotional
run or to do owners pretty much say it doesn't
(05:39):
matter what you did and how exciting the run was,
this is our budget for the next year. Now.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Owners are owners of humans, and I think that John
standon knowing how close he got to a World Series
and how close this team is and the fact that
you can run it back basically with the team. In fact,
I would be surprised if he's not hungry to finish
the job when you're that close. Right. So yeah, Now,
(06:06):
the priority, according to my sources are is first base.
That's the corner. You know, either corner, I get it,
but first base is where they're concentrating. They would choose
nail or over sores, which I would too. They'd like
to bring him back, and if not, I won't be
surprised if they make a run a Bellinger or Pete
Alonzo or someone of that nature. But they need to
get another bat back here. And Nail was such a
(06:28):
good fit, right. He can't hit good pitching, he can
hit postseason pitching. The bat just fits nicely between you know,
Raleigh and Azina. However you want to do your lineup,
but I think it's very important they try to bring
him back. And if they can't pivot to Bellinger, you know,
or even Pee Alonzo for that matter, but I you know,
(06:49):
it's critical that they get at least one corner infield
power impact BA this offseason.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
You have to Jim Bone to get with us, and
Jim you just mentioned Josh Naylor there and obviously got
to have him back. Fits this franchise like a glove.
Fans love him. The energy he brought to the clubhouse
was obvious. But he's going to free agency, and I
don't blame the guy. What do you think the market
will look like for Josh Naylor? How much will the
(07:20):
Mariners have to potentially pony up to keep this guy?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Okay, so I do an article on the athletic of
where I ranked the top fifty free agents in baseball,
and I make predictions about their salaries and where I
think the best fits are. And so in the case
of Josh Naylor, I have him at number seventeen on
(07:44):
my list. I've predicted four years at ninety million dollars,
and I have put the Mariners, Mets, Red Sox, Diamondbacks
and Guardians as the five teams where he fits the most.
But I'm hearing Diamondbacks and Guardians are going to be
in no so more likely just Mariners, Mets, and Red Sox.
How do I come up with four years at ninety million.
(08:06):
It's difficult because there's not a lot of guys to
compare him with. You've got Paul Goldschmith's five year on
hundred and thirty million dollar deal. You got Carlos Santana's
three years sixty. You got Josh Bells two years thirty two.
He can go back in time, Dan Connors heelings one
year twenty. So it gets complicated because it's not a
great prompts for first baseman. But you know, there's also
(08:27):
other choices out there. Kazuma Kamoto is coming over from
the m Giants, I have him ranked eighteenth nineteenth on
my list, so just right after Naylor. I think he
would be a guy that makes a lot of sense
for them. Another guy that makes sense is Tacola Rakami.
He's coming over from the Tokyo called Swallows. He's the
(08:47):
third baseman, first baseman. He's going to be more expensive
than Nailer. For me, you're probably looking at six years,
one hundred and sixty million because he's going to be
in the ballpark of Freddy Freeman meddles and type of
contracts there. But again, we're talking about an impact, left
handed power bat. So those are some of the guys
that are going to be out there as other options.
But yeah, Seatle's got to get one, and I trust
(09:09):
Jerry Depoto and John Stanton that they will get one.
I trust that, But.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
They won't get too, which will leave the other corner open,
and that potentially is Ben Williamson's spot. From what you
saw from Ben Williamson both offensively and defensively, we know
he's got the d but offensively, is that enough to
go with at third base for a team that wants
to win the Division again and go to the World Series.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Yeah, I don't know how to answer that outside of
it's okay to start the year there and see if
the bat develops again. Let's remember Toronto just won with
Ernie Clement and Adison Barger at third. Right, Williamson's elite defender.
I like elite defenders, I do. I mean in this
day and age makes the pitching staff that much difference.
I like catching the ball. It's extremely important because we
(09:57):
all know the special part of the Mariners is Brian
will Logan, Gilbert Luis Gersea, George Kirby and Bryce Miller right,
and Munio's closing, and then you know Brash Bizardo's spot
and all areas getting them. It's the pitching staff. Pitching
and defense love it. I need enough offense. But I
think if you saw first, I'm okay starting the year
with Williamson. And then as the season goes on, if
(10:18):
I need to trade for a third baseman down the road,
There'll be some available and I can make a move Ben.
Now that being said, if I'm a Mariner's fand do
I want to be greedy, sure yeah. Coachy put Bellinger
at first and Bashett at third. That's what If I'm
Jerry to poll That's what I'm telling Johnstan. I'm saying,
get checked out. This is the time, This is the time,
(10:41):
because after this, after this, our window is going to close.
Let's go finish the job. Bellinger and Bashett are both
in their twenties, both come off great years. Let's go
win the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Well, hallelujah to that.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I know a lot of people are tuning in Jim
and again Jim Bowden with us, and they agree. I mean,
you sound like us, You sound like like a Mariner
season ticket holder, man, right.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I mean it's like, oh, you know, don't we all
want to live on a twenty million dollar mansion on
the ocean? I do. I can't afford it, but you
might as well shoot for it and then figure out
how much the owner is willing to invest.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Jim, I think a lot of folks would be okay
with the rotation coming back as is. Would you tinker
with the idea you think if you're Jerry of moving
one of those arms for a bat or bringing the
fearsome fivesome back for at least one more run.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yeah, I hope the pitching looks more like the beginning
of twenty twenty four than what we saw in twenty five.
That's what I'm hoping. I'm hoping that they work very
hard to keep them healthy. I think Will Gilbert, Kirby
and Miller all come back, you know they're all twenty
five to twenty eight. I would shop Castillo, see what
the market could bring me. I'll see when you get
(11:48):
a younger starter there for a team that needs a
veteran there, I'd try to move on from him a
year early rather than a year late. That would be
my kind of guests there. Most important thing, though, is
Will Gilbert, Kirby, Miller being as healthy as they can
and putting them in the position of the best year
they possibly can in twenty twenty six, because those four
guys are going to determine if Seattle can win the
(12:11):
Division and if Seattle can get to the World Series.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
How available is Derek Scuble.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
He has to be available. Now, this is not being
confirmed by the Tigers. Okay, all they're saying is we're
trying to get starting pitching or leaf pitching. But I
want you to think about this. They're at least three
hundred million off in their offer. I'm not making this up.
They have, for whatever reason, their first offer to Schooble
(12:37):
is so embarrassing. I don't know where you go from there.
If you want to keep Eric's scuble, the first thing
you do is make an offer that makes the highest
paid pitcher in baseball history. You beat the Garrett Cole contract,
you beat Free, you beat Burns, you beat all of them.
That's what you start with. Okay, he's going to win
the Sight young to the second year in a row.
What's the argument. So once you've done that and I
(13:00):
you have a chance to sign him, But they haven't
done that. I don't get the impression that Ilitch is
going to approve a contract that's gonna be able to
sign him. So you can't wait till the trade deadline
next year, and you can't let him walk without compensation
like the Angels did show Atona. That's shit, stupid, that's dumb.
You should be fired for that. So I don't know
what the alternatives. I think you have to trade him. Sure,
(13:22):
I think you gotta trade him. Would it be worth
it to trade one of your young starters in a
package to get Schooble for one year with the team?
You have absolutely it would be Well.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
What do you think it would take together him.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Are we talking cold Emerson, were talking Kate Anderson empty
your farm system? What kind of trade package of prospects
do you think would get it done for what essentially
would be a rental player if they can't sign him
for six months.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
To more than your number one prospect. Think about the
Soto trade, right, Michael King, I think was the headliner
in that trade. I'm not talking about the Nationals Soto trade. Obviously,
you're not getting that for one year, you know. You
think about the Padres deal that they did with the Yankees.
That's the ballpark.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
So that include an existing starter for the Mariners and
your top prospect.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Are you just talking just multiple prospects?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Okay? No, I think I think you're gonna have to
give up Brace Miller probably and your top pitching prospect
and your top infield prospect, and and and now you've
got a chance.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
That sounds like that's that sounds rich to me.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Well, that's what it's gonna take. You're gonna you're gonna
have to do, Richard. It's gonna be painful. You're gonna
have to bleed, and you're gonna have to have a
broken bone if you want Scooball. Otherwise you could always
pivot and go after Freddy Peralta for a year.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
How about the bullpen, right, I mean they tried to
make it better with Ferguson, didn't really work out. I
don't know how serious they were about going after Duran.
But how do you think Jerry approaches the bullpen over
the offseason.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Yeah, he'll keep He'll keep finding the relievers. That's what
Jerry does. I'm not really worried about Jerry building a bullpen.
He'll build it, and if he can't build it in December,
he'll build it in March. If camp Bill in March, old,
build it in July's That's the least of my worries.
I need another bat or two that That, to me
is the goal. That's it, right, I mean Naylor and
(15:10):
Suarez got you into the ALCS. Sorry, without him, you're
not there. They got it done. Okay, we know that,
so let's go right back to it. Do you like
how to run it back best we can?
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Do you like the overall plan?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
I mean Jerry, Jerry's plan is simply Okay, let's see
what we have April, May, June, and July, and then
if we're in it, go for it if we're not
sell off?
Speaker 4 (15:32):
You like that overall plan?
Speaker 3 (15:34):
And is that and it sounds like that's kind of
what you're thinking that Jerry's going to do this year.
He signed Naylor or a reasonable facsimile thereof keeps the
rest of the team exactly the same, and we see
what we're our record is on July thirty first.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Is that kind of how you see the season plan out?
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I think that's an all probability what you're going to do.
But I think you always have to be obsessed with
getting better, and every single day you wake up as
a GM or president, your obsession has to be how
can I make this team better? And just keep working
on until the opportunities are there. They have a strong
farm system, they've kept together. They can make trades. They
(16:12):
did such a good job in training for Nara and
Suarez and holding onto their top prospects that cabinet. That
cabinet is still full, so they want to do something
more at the winter meetings they can. They can use
the prospects to get more controlled, younger first baseman, the
third baseman. They have packages that they can work with.
So Jerry has a lot to work with. It's going
(16:33):
to be fun to watch. But I think that one
big splash at first base is a necessity, and so
let's monitor that and see what happens.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Jim, what do you see from Kate Anderson? Number one
draft pick, he's twenty one out of LSU. What do
you see twenty twenty six looking like for this kid?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Halfway through the year? Maybe ready and let's go yeah, okay,
And again that's why I wouldn't be surprised if they
trade Castillo in the off season knowing that he's coming.
So I think that's the possibility. But yeah, halfway through
the year.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Ready, Jim Bowden, great stuff, man, Always love having you on.
Thanks again, my friend, and don't be a stranger. We'll
talk down the road all right.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Great to be with you as always, go marriage.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
You bet, man, Jim Bowden with us on the radio show.
Lots of stuff to chew on there. Let's chew on
it next on ninety three to three KJRFM.
All right, joining us on the radio show from the
(00:02):
athletic former general manager in mains leagu baseball. Always fun
to have him on the radio program. Our friend Jim Bowden,
and Jim, first of all, thanks for doing this, man,
And second of all, I mean, first of all, dude,
we love the World Series because the Blue Jays got
their come up against the Dodgers. Heartbreak for them, painful,
just like us. Now they can taste it the way
(00:24):
we did.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Man.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
But what'd you make of the World Series? And where
do you put that thing on your all time great
World Series list?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Man? Yeah, So that is the number one World Series
I've seen of all time. And I've seen some great ones,
starting with the seventy five World Series with the Red
Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, but two thousand and one,
and I've just seen so many of them over the years.
Nineteen ninety eight, but this was the best World Series
that I've ever been at. It was incredible that the
(00:52):
eighteen inning game was beyond comprehension, to the point where
I still can't believe if it had gone to a
nineteenth being the Dodgers are going to pitch Miguel Rojas
like I still can't get over that that was going
to really happen. But yeah, then you get to Game
seven and we had that eleven any game where it
could have gone either way. As we all know, he
(01:13):
was the most exciting World Series I've ever been to.
So yeah, definitely gives you goosebumps, you know, to think
about it. Either team could have won the World Championship
without a doubt, and it tells Mariners fans how close
you were to winning a World Championship too.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Well, how do you view this season as a whole
for a Mariner fan, a long suffering Mariner fan like myself,
including you know in the alcs and even how the
World Series went, is that you know the level of
success that the Mariners saw or you kind of focus
on exactly what you mentioned there is like you know,
you got close, but close wasn't good enough.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
And this was the best year of the Mariners history.
For me. This is the closest they ever got to
the World Series. This was the best team they've ever
put together, and it was a team that could have
won the World Series but didn't. And that's just the
way it is. They could have easily beaten Toronto and
that they had beaten Toronto, that could have easily beaten
the Dodgers. There wasn't a lot of distance between Seattle
(02:11):
and Toronto, and there wasn't really a lot of distance
between Toronto and the Dodgers, as we all saw. So
that's how good the team was. I mean, you know,
sometimes it's a crap shoot. You know, when you get
into the playoffs, you know, the best team doesn't always win.
I think in this case, we saw the two best
teams at the end. I think at the end, Seattle
was probably the third best team. I had picked the
(02:32):
Mariners before the postseason started to get to the World
Series and represent the American League. That was wrong. I
underestimated a little bit of how elite Toronto was in
both contact and power and defense, and that really it
really showed up against Seattle, and it showed up against
the Dodgers. I mean, they didn't have a hole in
(02:52):
their lineup. There wasn't a guy that would come to
the play and say I could pitch to him. They
didn't have that guy. And it wasn't a player on
their field defensively that wasn't above average defender, nobody. And
so at the end of the day, those little things
when you get to these, you know, seven game series,
that's a lot of times the difference.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Maker former GM, Jim Bowden with us of course on
ninety three three Kjir FM and Jimmy. You've you've hired
managers before, you've fired managers before, you've critiqued your own
managers before. A lot of Mara fans were upset with
Dan Wilson for the way he handled the bullpen going
to Bizardo instead of a guy like Munno's in Game
(03:34):
seven to face George Springer, What was your reaction at
the moment and what was your reaction after the home
run regarding how much criticism Dan should or should not
have taken for that decision.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, I first guess you have that Munya is in
that situation at Bizarro. In no way am I losing
and not going to the World Series because I chose
Bizarro over Munos there. That was the moment you have
to use Munos. That's that's the moment. You have to
have sense of urgency. And I think that every manager
in baseball, I'm sure, paid attention to how the Dodgers
(04:08):
handled the World Series with their starting pitchers and the
sense of urgency and how they matched up and Toronto
did the same thing for that matter, but that was
the difference, you know in that series. Look, I traded
Dan Wilson. I'm a big fan of Dan Wilson. I
think he did a great job managing and I don't
think without Dan Wilson, I'm not sure that they get
(04:28):
to that point of that as far as they did
this year. He was very instrumental in getting him there.
But that doesn't mean I first guessed at the time.
I didn't second guess it afterwards. I just sat there,
I stood up and walked away, and I remember just screaming,
power in the world with everything on the line is
bizarre to the guy you choose to pitch in this spot.
(04:50):
And unfortunately I was right. And it is what it is.
I mean, look, we all have these moments in life,
right Like, I'm still mad. I'm still mad that the
Red Sox brought Jim Burton and that fits to Joe
Morgan instead of Dick Drago in Game seven of the
seventy five World Series. I'm still mad about that. So again,
you know, that's what makes baseball great. It is what
(05:11):
it is. And look that bizardro had gotten him out.
You know, you wouldn't even ask me that question, even
though I would have given you the same answer. Right.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Well, now the question is how do the Mariners respond,
where do they go from here? And how do you
think John Stanton responds to this? Do owners that are
hys historically budget conscious, like John Stanton has been, ever
change their stripes when it comes to kind of loosening
up the purse strings, maybe based on a great emotional
run or to do owners pretty much say it doesn't
(05:39):
matter what you did and how exciting the run was,
this is our budget for the next year. Now.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Owners are owners of humans, and I think that John
standon knowing how close he got to a World Series
and how close this team is and the fact that
you can run it back basically with the team. In fact,
I would be surprised if he's not hungry to finish
the job when you're that close. Right. So yeah, Now,
(06:06):
the priority, according to my sources are is first base.
That's the corner. You know, either corner, I get it,
but first base is where they're concentrating. They would choose
nail or over sores, which I would too. They'd like
to bring him back, and if not, I won't be
surprised if they make a run a Bellinger or Pete
Alonzo or someone of that nature. But they need to
get another bat back here. And Nail was such a
(06:28):
good fit, right. He can't hit good pitching, he can
hit postseason pitching. The bat just fits nicely between you know,
Raleigh and Azina. However you want to do your lineup,
but I think it's very important they try to bring
him back. And if they can't pivot to Bellinger, you know,
or even Pee Alonzo for that matter, but I you know,
(06:49):
it's critical that they get at least one corner infield
power impact BA this offseason.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
You have to Jim Bone to get with us, and
Jim you just mentioned Josh Naylor there and obviously got
to have him back. Fits this franchise like a glove.
Fans love him. The energy he brought to the clubhouse
was obvious. But he's going to free agency, and I
don't blame the guy. What do you think the market
will look like for Josh Naylor? How much will the
(07:20):
Mariners have to potentially pony up to keep this guy?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Okay, so I do an article on the athletic of
where I ranked the top fifty free agents in baseball,
and I make predictions about their salaries and where I
think the best fits are. And so in the case
of Josh Naylor, I have him at number seventeen on
(07:44):
my list. I've predicted four years at ninety million dollars,
and I have put the Mariners, Mets, Red Sox, Diamondbacks
and Guardians as the five teams where he fits the most.
But I'm hearing Diamondbacks and Guardians are going to be
in no so more likely just Mariners, Mets, and Red Sox.
How do I come up with four years at ninety million.
(08:06):
It's difficult because there's not a lot of guys to
compare him with. You've got Paul Goldschmith's five year on
hundred and thirty million dollar deal. You got Carlos Santana's
three years sixty. You got Josh Bells two years thirty two.
He can go back in time, Dan Connors heelings one
year twenty. So it gets complicated because it's not a
great prompts for first baseman. But you know, there's also
(08:27):
other choices out there. Kazuma Kamoto is coming over from
the m Giants, I have him ranked eighteenth nineteenth on
my list, so just right after Naylor. I think he
would be a guy that makes a lot of sense
for them. Another guy that makes sense is Tacola Rakami.
He's coming over from the Tokyo called Swallows. He's the
(08:47):
third baseman, first baseman. He's going to be more expensive
than Nailer. For me, you're probably looking at six years,
one hundred and sixty million because he's going to be
in the ballpark of Freddy Freeman meddles and type of
contracts there. But again, we're talking about an impact, left
handed power bat. So those are some of the guys
that are going to be out there as other options.
But yeah, Seatle's got to get one, and I trust
(09:09):
Jerry Depoto and John Stanton that they will get one.
I trust that, But.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
They won't get too, which will leave the other corner open,
and that potentially is Ben Williamson's spot. From what you
saw from Ben Williamson both offensively and defensively, we know
he's got the d but offensively, is that enough to
go with at third base for a team that wants
to win the Division again and go to the World Series.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Yeah, I don't know how to answer that outside of
it's okay to start the year there and see if
the bat develops again. Let's remember Toronto just won with
Ernie Clement and Adison Barger at third. Right, Williamson's elite defender.
I like elite defenders, I do. I mean in this
day and age makes the pitching staff that much difference.
I like catching the ball. It's extremely important because we
(09:57):
all know the special part of the Mariners is Brian
will Logan, Gilbert Luis Gersea, George Kirby and Bryce Miller right,
and Munio's closing, and then you know Brash Bizardo's spot
and all areas getting them. It's the pitching staff. Pitching
and defense love it. I need enough offense. But I
think if you saw first, I'm okay starting the year
with Williamson. And then as the season goes on, if
(10:18):
I need to trade for a third baseman down the road,
There'll be some available and I can make a move Ben.
Now that being said, if I'm a Mariner's fand do
I want to be greedy, sure yeah. Coachy put Bellinger
at first and Bashett at third. That's what If I'm
Jerry to poll That's what I'm telling Johnstan. I'm saying,
get checked out. This is the time, This is the time,
(10:41):
because after this, after this, our window is going to close.
Let's go finish the job. Bellinger and Bashett are both
in their twenties, both come off great years. Let's go
win the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Well, hallelujah to that.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I know a lot of people are tuning in Jim
and again Jim Bowden with us, and they agree. I mean,
you sound like us, You sound like like a Mariner
season ticket holder, man, right.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I mean it's like, oh, you know, don't we all
want to live on a twenty million dollar mansion on
the ocean? I do. I can't afford it, but you
might as well shoot for it and then figure out
how much the owner is willing to invest.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Jim, I think a lot of folks would be okay
with the rotation coming back as is. Would you tinker
with the idea you think if you're Jerry of moving
one of those arms for a bat or bringing the
fearsome fivesome back for at least one more run.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yeah, I hope the pitching looks more like the beginning
of twenty twenty four than what we saw in twenty five.
That's what I'm hoping. I'm hoping that they work very
hard to keep them healthy. I think Will Gilbert, Kirby
and Miller all come back, you know they're all twenty
five to twenty eight. I would shop Castillo, see what
the market could bring me. I'll see when you get
(11:48):
a younger starter there for a team that needs a
veteran there, I'd try to move on from him a
year early rather than a year late. That would be
my kind of guests there. Most important thing, though, is
Will Gilbert, Kirby, Miller being as healthy as they can
and putting them in the position of the best year
they possibly can in twenty twenty six, because those four
guys are going to determine if Seattle can win the
(12:11):
Division and if Seattle can get to the World Series.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
How available is Derek Scuble.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
He has to be available. Now, this is not being
confirmed by the Tigers. Okay, all they're saying is we're
trying to get starting pitching or leaf pitching. But I
want you to think about this. They're at least three
hundred million off in their offer. I'm not making this up.
They have, for whatever reason, their first offer to Schooble
(12:37):
is so embarrassing. I don't know where you go from there.
If you want to keep Eric's scuble, the first thing
you do is make an offer that makes the highest
paid pitcher in baseball history. You beat the Garrett Cole contract,
you beat Free, you beat Burns, you beat all of them.
That's what you start with. Okay, he's going to win
the Sight young to the second year in a row.
What's the argument. So once you've done that and I
(13:00):
you have a chance to sign him, But they haven't
done that. I don't get the impression that Ilitch is
going to approve a contract that's gonna be able to
sign him. So you can't wait till the trade deadline
next year, and you can't let him walk without compensation
like the Angels did show Atona. That's shit, stupid, that's dumb.
You should be fired for that. So I don't know
what the alternatives. I think you have to trade him. Sure,
(13:22):
I think you gotta trade him. Would it be worth
it to trade one of your young starters in a
package to get Schooble for one year with the team?
You have absolutely it would be Well.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
What do you think it would take together him.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Are we talking cold Emerson, were talking Kate Anderson empty
your farm system? What kind of trade package of prospects
do you think would get it done for what essentially
would be a rental player if they can't sign him
for six months.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
To more than your number one prospect. Think about the
Soto trade, right, Michael King, I think was the headliner
in that trade. I'm not talking about the Nationals Soto trade. Obviously,
you're not getting that for one year, you know. You
think about the Padres deal that they did with the Yankees.
That's the ballpark.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
So that include an existing starter for the Mariners and
your top prospect.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Are you just talking just multiple prospects?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Okay? No, I think I think you're gonna have to
give up Brace Miller probably and your top pitching prospect
and your top infield prospect, and and and now you've
got a chance.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
That sounds like that's that sounds rich to me.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Well, that's what it's gonna take. You're gonna you're gonna
have to do, Richard. It's gonna be painful. You're gonna
have to bleed, and you're gonna have to have a
broken bone if you want Scooball. Otherwise you could always
pivot and go after Freddy Peralta for a year.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
How about the bullpen, right, I mean they tried to
make it better with Ferguson, didn't really work out. I
don't know how serious they were about going after Duran.
But how do you think Jerry approaches the bullpen over
the offseason.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Yeah, he'll keep He'll keep finding the relievers. That's what
Jerry does. I'm not really worried about Jerry building a bullpen.
He'll build it, and if he can't build it in December,
he'll build it in March. If camp Bill in March, old,
build it in July's That's the least of my worries.
I need another bat or two that That, to me
is the goal. That's it, right, I mean Naylor and
(15:10):
Suarez got you into the ALCS. Sorry, without him, you're
not there. They got it done. Okay, we know that,
so let's go right back to it. Do you like
how to run it back best we can?
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Do you like the overall plan?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
I mean Jerry, Jerry's plan is simply Okay, let's see
what we have April, May, June, and July, and then
if we're in it, go for it if we're not
sell off?
Speaker 4 (15:32):
You like that overall plan?
Speaker 3 (15:34):
And is that and it sounds like that's kind of
what you're thinking that Jerry's going to do this year.
He signed Naylor or a reasonable facsimile thereof keeps the
rest of the team exactly the same, and we see
what we're our record is on July thirty first.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Is that kind of how you see the season plan out?
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I think that's an all probability what you're going to do.
But I think you always have to be obsessed with
getting better, and every single day you wake up as
a GM or president, your obsession has to be how
can I make this team better? And just keep working
on until the opportunities are there. They have a strong
farm system, they've kept together. They can make trades. They
(16:12):
did such a good job in training for Nara and
Suarez and holding onto their top prospects that cabinet. That
cabinet is still full, so they want to do something
more at the winter meetings they can. They can use
the prospects to get more controlled, younger first baseman, the
third baseman. They have packages that they can work with.
So Jerry has a lot to work with. It's going
(16:33):
to be fun to watch. But I think that one
big splash at first base is a necessity, and so
let's monitor that and see what happens.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Jim, what do you see from Kate Anderson? Number one
draft pick, he's twenty one out of LSU. What do
you see twenty twenty six looking like for this kid?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Halfway through the year? Maybe ready and let's go yeah, okay,
And again that's why I wouldn't be surprised if they
trade Castillo in the off season knowing that he's coming.
So I think that's the possibility. But yeah, halfway through
the year.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Ready, Jim Bowden, great stuff, man, Always love having you on.
Thanks again, my friend, and don't be a stranger. We'll
talk down the road all right.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Great to be with you as always, go marriage.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
You bet, man, Jim Bowden with us on the radio show.
Lots of stuff to chew on there. Let's chew on
it next on ninety three to three KJRFM.
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