August 12, 2026 • 18 mins
Legendary writer Larry Stone joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about how the 2026 Mariners season will end, the frustrating use of Michael Rucker, Jerry Dipoto’s future being in question, the lack of leadership and top players speaking to the media throughout the year, the money owed to Cal Raleigh, and Dan Wilson’s odd comments.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood. Lady, you know that
this hour of Softy in Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is probably brought to you by
Duke Seafood. Why not make it a Duke's night tonight.
Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood dot com. On Sports
Radio ninety three point three Kjarff.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
It's time for our weekly conversation with legendary sports writer
Larry Stone, brought to you by the RAM Restaurant and Brewery, Bigger,
better and fresher since nineteen seventy one, with eight fugit
sound locations from Marysville to Lacey and everywhere in between.
There's a Ram there you now with Softy and Dick.
Here's Larry Stone.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
All right, big thanks for our friends at the RAM
for sponsoring this little talk with Larry Stone every week
on the radio station.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Larry, great to hear your voice.
Speaker 5 (00:46):
How are you, pal, I'm doing great. How are you
guys doing it?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
We're good, man, We're good. So we went through this
exercise lost segment. Dick has officially declared right, the bms
are done. Yes, Jackson, you said what again?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
While card round loss and wild card round loss it best.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I am still like a complete bozo holding on to
hope because there are four games back on the wild
card and not ten games back on the wild card.
What does your gut tell you, big man.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
Well, if they get into the playoffs, I like their
chances because that means that that they're red hot, because
that's what they're gonna have to be to get into
the playoffs. But I'm leaning towards Dick's point of view.
You know, eight games under five hundred. Just to get
to five hundred, they'd have to play almost six hundred ball.
(01:34):
They'd have to go twenty five and seventeen down the stretch.
That's five ninety five. I'll just to get to five hundred,
and who knows if that will get you in the playoffs.
It might so, and to have a better record and
a better chance, they're going to have to play over
six hundred ball, and I just haven't seen any signs
of it. They're playing three ten. You know, they're nine
(01:57):
and twenty since that Miami series, So it's just they're
hitting in the wrong directions direction. I just don't see
any signs of of a turnaround coming. Well.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Unfortunately, and I said that prior to the Dan Wilson
debacle last night. And I don't understand, Larry, Please help
me understand why this manager continues to think that Michael
Rucker is a high leverage reliever.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Yeah, it just doesn't doesn't make sense. You know, he
said he liked the matchups, but I don't know what
matchups he was looking at because he doesn't get out
left handed hitters. He uh, you know, he's he's been
rocked in uh in leverage situations. You know, there are
(02:47):
other options there, and you know the spire wasn't available.
That complicated matters, but there were other things he could
have done. And even if you started him in the
inning once he once he was struggling, it was to
go to the bullpen. So I don't I don't get
that either, Dick.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah, Well, do you see this getting so out of control, Larry,
where both Dan and Jerry are gone over the offseason,
or do you believe that Jerry is still I guess
protected by John Stanton and that if there's a sacrificial lamb,
it's going to be the manager. I know you said
last week if they missed the playoffs, you got a
(03:25):
hard time envisioning Dan coming back.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Is there a point where this thing can get so.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Bad where John's got no choice but to move on
from Jerry.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
I think there is. It just completely unravels. I mean,
at this point, I think they're likelier to lose ninety
games than they are to make the playoffs in the
direction they're heading right now. And if that happens, I
would think everything would have to be on the table.
I mean, there's Jerry has a lot of things going
(03:55):
for him that he can that he can use to
make his case. You know, that would make his case,
but it would also be two playoff appearances in ten
of what is eleven years, and a season of extremely
high hopes that has turned into probably the most disappointing
(04:16):
season in franchise history, you know, if it continues at
the same pace. So I would think that he would
be in danger as well.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
I'm wondering if that the ninety loss situation that you're
outlining might be a good thing, Larry, because we've seen
what Jerry does when the team rallies and barely falls
short of the playoffs in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty three,
twenty twenty four, He's like Okay, we're close. We're close.
I don't need to do much. But if they lose ninety,
(04:45):
he has no recourse. He has absolutely no reason to
think that they're close. And maybe he would do something
in the offseason. Is that a Is that a crazy thought?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Well, I think the year terminology, he would do something
in the off season. I think he would do something
every off season if you could. I think I think
it falls on ownership to make that decision and give
him the resources. And we also are looking at a
potential walkout, and who knows when next season will start
and how many games sell play, so it's kind of complicated.
(05:16):
But uh, you know, I think that's a fair evaluation
that you'd hope they would be motivated to make some
serious moves if that's happened. You know, the other scenario
that you also outlined about them coming close, I could
see that happening too, because of the weakness of their
schedule in September. You know, August has been a disaster
(05:37):
so far and may continue to be. But you could
see I could see them rallying and finishing three or
four games out of a playoff spot or even closer,
like they have so many times and then thinking exactly
what you just outlined that. You know, it's just a
lot of things went wrong this year with the nucleus,
is there? We don't need to do that much.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, I'm just appalled, Larry at the lack of public
facing leadership we find here from cal Raleigh. Last night,
I was telling Dick and Jackson off the air, I
don't even know what Josh Naylor's voice sounds like. Julio
seemingly never talks to anybody a Rose Arena, doesn't talk
to anybody, you know through his translator. We never hear
(06:15):
from ownership ever on any of this stuff.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I mean, am I nuts? Am I being too hard
on these guys?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
When I say that, I am almost grossed out by
the lack of public facing leadership that comes from this organization.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
I think Cal must have seen your tweet because he
made himself available. Yes, Dad, I think he did it
for Softy when you that.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Was Jackson's theory, and you know, look, I know I'm
a big deal, guys, but come on, that's going too far.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
You know.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I think it tells a lot about a player when
they stand up in the faith of adversity and make
themselves available. And I think back to Brent Boone. You know,
back in the in the early two thousands, he was
at his walker every single day, win or lose. Now,
granted those were good times. Most of the time that
(07:06):
was a winning team. Uh, but even when the team
wasn't going well. I remember one time Boone said, I'm
not you guys mind, I don't want to talk today.
I know I've talked to you every day, but I'm
just tired today. And an art deal said I really
need you today, Brett, and Brett said okay, and he
sat down and held his usual post team session.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Uh because artists seven foot tall and Brett's four foot three,
and he knows that art would have destroyed him if
you said no.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
That's why come on.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
The Hearts of Pussy get he went to destroyed anybody. Uh.
But yeah, I can't. I've lost my train of thought.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Now I apologize. You're talking about Brett Boone and all
that respons Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
The the Keystone players like that should should be available
and should face the music on a regular basis. That's
part of the responsibility of being of being a star. Larry.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
My take on Cal's comments were twofold one. I appreciate
him taking responsibility and saying that he's sucking this year.
But I'm tired of hearing Mariners players this year say quote,
you've got to bring the edge every day you get
a little lackadaisical and maybe have less energy. You don't
have quite the same edge that you should every day.
(08:31):
We've got to play with more urgency. Larry, we talked
about a quote that was exactly like that from Bryce
Miller like three months ago.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
So who was the onus on that?
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Three months later, the team is exactly as lackadaisical as
they was as they were three months ago.
Speaker 5 (08:49):
Yeah, that struck me too, that that quote. We're you know,
it's August twelfth. It's a little late in the game
to be saying we need to bring a little more energy,
particularly when you know that was seen as a problem
months ago. I mean, ultimately, it's the manager dictates the
energy of the team, I think, but the players need
(09:10):
to execute it that as well. And it's it's when
when you're not scoring runs, when you're scoring one or
two runs a game, it's just hard to manufacture that energy.
I know. You they show the shots of the guys
just hanging on the dugout looking uh, you know, dull
eyed and like they don't want to be there. But
that's you know, it's not like football, where you you know,
(09:31):
you're you're out for blood and you show that ferocity.
That's not the way baseball is. If you're not making
things happen on the base path, because you're going out
going down one, two, three, every inning, it's hard to
show that that desire, even though I you know, I
would just say they all have a desire to win,
and but if enough players are pointing it out, it's
(09:52):
it's got to be there and it's got to be
a problem. And you know, I think that'll be part
of the Epitaphs season, is that they just didn't bring it.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Yeah, I mean the energy is just lame, right.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
I mean, every time cal Rawley turns around to get
in an umpire's face, I'm hoping he just goes bananas
on the guy. Even Dan Wilson's ejections are kind of
just met they're lame, right whatever. I mean the other
day with lou Panela in the audience, I would have
thought that maybe Dan would have sosced it up a
little bit and you know, gotten his money's worth. But
do we have a cal Rawley problem? Larry, are you
(10:25):
starting to get concerned that the eighty five million bucks
left on this guy's deal is going to be an issue?
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Well, the thought has crossed my mind. You know that
that will be a huge issue next year. Will this
Can he turn things around? I think from a mayor's
point of view, I think they need to hope that
it's a that it's a medical problem, an injury that's lingering,
(10:51):
you know, maybe the oblique still injured lingering, because if
it's not an injury and he's that means that he's
just forgotten how to hit, or in such a slump
that he can't get out of it, And to me,
that's worse than being hampered by an injury. So we'll
see next year. But yeah, there's a lot of years
and a lot of money he's still still left on
(11:13):
his deal. It reminds me of Chris Davis, of the Orioles,
who signed a I believe it was seven years, one
hundred and sixty one million dollar deal and then just
was it was terrible after that? He said. Matter of fact,
Chris Davis set the record for the lowest batting average
of a qualified hitter at one sixty eight after he
(11:33):
signed a contract, and Cal's below one sixty eight. I
don't know if he'll end up being qualified. He need
to have five hundred and two plate appearances. But and
then he was out of baseball, you know, two years later,
having done virtually nothing after he signed that big contract.
That's an even bigger contract than Cal had, So I mean,
it is not completely unprecedented. I don't think that's going
(11:54):
to happen to Cal. I would put my money on
him having a bounce back year next year. But until
he does it, there's going to be a lot of
nervous people in the Mariner's front office.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
We got another tough one tonight quote from Dan last night,
and I'm wondering, if Dan never gives us specifics on
anything on how things can be fixed, should we assume
that he knows how to fix them, or should we
assume that he doesn't know how.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
To fix them? Well, you know, I think I think
his postgame contract the comments are a big part of
his perception issue among the fans because everybody watches these
frustrating games and then his comments have no no bearing
on what we just saw you'll say something like I
(12:41):
remember one game where WU gave up like six runs
and five innings, and he goes, he made the pitches
when he had to. Well, no, he didn't, right or
or we battled, We really battled to the end in
a game where they, you know, the twelve of the
last thirteen batters made out. I think if it's hard
(13:03):
to have a belief in his ability to turn things
around when he's not even acknowledging the problem. I would
like to see him come out with a little more
fire after the game and acknowledge it. But I mean,
obviously he doesn't have the ability right now to get
thing turned around because it hasn't happened. You know, I
wouldn't say he doesn't. I would rule that out. I mean,
(13:24):
he's been around baseball a long time. I think I
think he's doing more behind the scenes than we realize.
It almost seems like he's just sitting there doing nothing.
But I think he's having meetings and discussions with the
players from my understanding, so but it's not breaking through.
It's not getting through.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I'm sorry I had to laugh at that, because I
mean it's like he's talking to players.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
We also, I mean, Larry, IM gonna be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
I mean all of us covered Dan as a player,
and he was never the most quotable guy. Okay, fine,
I think he's worse now than he was when he played.
I am actually surprised at how little he offers to
the media. I mean it's almost like he's either guarded,
or he's defiant, or he's nervous about something. Are you
(14:15):
a little bit even shocked like me at just how
little he's offering. And if we are surprised by that,
I mean, he's older, he's wiser, he's more mature. He
should be able to pick his words, you know, you know,
pretty easily. He should have confidence in himself as a
as a as a middle aged guy, more than he
did when he was a twenty five year old playing
(14:36):
catcher in the majors.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
But why is that why?
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Yeah, Well, I think early on I just thought, Okay,
he's new to the job. He doesn't want to Early on,
I think he didn't want to say anything that reflected
on Scott's service, because he was tight with service. He was,
and you know, he didn't want to come in and
say I'm going to do this because he's either the fray. Well,
it's going to reflecked on Scott, but that's long in
(15:01):
the past now, and it's almost like you use the
word nervous or guarded. I think that's the way it is.
It's almost like he's afraid of offending the players by
by speaking the truth. But I think the players would
prefer to hear, you know, him speaking out confidently and
(15:25):
addressing the issues that everybody sees, including the people in
the in the dugout and in the clubhouse. So I
think it's to his detriment, to be honest. I think
you're right. He was not a great quote as a player.
He was a willing quote you can you know, go
to him any time and he would talk. But it
seems to me that he just it's become to load
these these sessions before and after the game that the
(15:47):
manager has to do. But that's a big part of
being a major league manager is you're the public face
of the team and you're the one conveying the you know,
what's going on to the public, and I don't think
he's very good at that.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Larry, what were his thoughts of the top fifty Both
guys that you saw that were like, wow he got in,
and also a guy or two that you saw that,
wow he didn't get in.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Jeff Nelson. Yeah, I mean Jeff Nelson. Hey, let Larry answer.
I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
Well, I know I know how deeply offended Dave was
on Nelly, and rightly so. He he should have been in.
I don't understand why he wasn't. I mean, he led
the he led the leads the team in appearances and
was a key part of two playoff teams. Uh. You
know I think that uh Smike Schooler probably should have
(16:42):
been on there. Those are the ones that jump to mind. Uh,
you know, Jim Beatty I think could have easily. You know,
I love Jim Beatty, but his record is is about
thirty games under five hundred as a pitcher. You know,
val love val but he he probably doesn't warrant being
(17:05):
on there. And I thought there was too many, maybe
too many players from the current team right right. I
think they could have they could have trimmed that down
a little bit as well.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah, Dave Valley was so bad we had sports bars
pricing drinks based on his batting average and in no
way is he a top fifty player.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Come on, why do you think Nelly was left off?
What's your take on that?
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Oh, you know, I I honestly don't know. I hope
it's not because he spoke out against the organization at
the trade deadline that that one year.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Yeah, but.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
I think on based on credentials, it would be hard
to leave him off. Now, anytime you have a top
any kind of ranking like that, there's gonna be there's
gonna be omissions that that people speak out against. So
it's a hard exercise when you've had, you know, as
many players as they they've had. But I think Nelly
(18:01):
was one that belonged on that list for sure, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I Mean, we can argue about fringe guys all you want,
but a guy that probably should have been in the
top thirty, let alone top fifty, for God's sake. So
I don't get it, man, But I don't get a lot.
To be honest with you, Larry, you're the best, great stuff.
Every time we have questions, you provide answers and we'll
do it again next week.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Man, Thanks for jumping on.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
All right, thanks thanks all right, Larry Stone with us
on the radio show. Why do we think Jeff Nelson
was left off? You any theories on that. Let's float
a couple of next on ninety three to three KJRFM,
This is Duke of Duke Seafood. Lady, you know that
this hour of Softy in Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is probably brought to you by
Duke Seafood. Why not make it a Duke's night tonight.
Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood dot com. On Sports
Radio ninety three point three Kjarff.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
It's time for our weekly conversation with legendary sports writer
Larry Stone, brought to you by the RAM Restaurant and Brewery, Bigger,
better and fresher since nineteen seventy one, with eight fugit
sound locations from Marysville to Lacey and everywhere in between.
There's a Ram there you now with Softy and Dick.
Here's Larry Stone.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
All right, big thanks for our friends at the RAM
for sponsoring this little talk with Larry Stone every week
on the radio station.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Larry, great to hear your voice.
Speaker 5 (00:46):
How are you, pal, I'm doing great. How are you
guys doing it?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
We're good, man, We're good. So we went through this
exercise lost segment. Dick has officially declared right, the bms
are done. Yes, Jackson, you said what again?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
While card round loss and wild card round loss it best.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I am still like a complete bozo holding on to
hope because there are four games back on the wild
card and not ten games back on the wild card.
What does your gut tell you, big man.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
Well, if they get into the playoffs, I like their
chances because that means that that they're red hot, because
that's what they're gonna have to be to get into
the playoffs. But I'm leaning towards Dick's point of view.
You know, eight games under five hundred. Just to get
to five hundred, they'd have to play almost six hundred ball.
(01:34):
They'd have to go twenty five and seventeen down the stretch.
That's five ninety five. I'll just to get to five hundred,
and who knows if that will get you in the playoffs.
It might so, and to have a better record and
a better chance, they're going to have to play over
six hundred ball, and I just haven't seen any signs
of it. They're playing three ten. You know, they're nine
(01:57):
and twenty since that Miami series, So it's just they're
hitting in the wrong directions direction. I just don't see
any signs of of a turnaround coming. Well.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Unfortunately, and I said that prior to the Dan Wilson
debacle last night. And I don't understand, Larry, Please help
me understand why this manager continues to think that Michael
Rucker is a high leverage reliever.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Yeah, it just doesn't doesn't make sense. You know, he
said he liked the matchups, but I don't know what
matchups he was looking at because he doesn't get out
left handed hitters. He uh, you know, he's he's been
rocked in uh in leverage situations. You know, there are
(02:47):
other options there, and you know the spire wasn't available.
That complicated matters, but there were other things he could
have done. And even if you started him in the
inning once he once he was struggling, it was to
go to the bullpen. So I don't I don't get
that either, Dick.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah, Well, do you see this getting so out of control, Larry,
where both Dan and Jerry are gone over the offseason,
or do you believe that Jerry is still I guess
protected by John Stanton and that if there's a sacrificial lamb,
it's going to be the manager. I know you said
last week if they missed the playoffs, you got a
(03:25):
hard time envisioning Dan coming back.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Is there a point where this thing can get so.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Bad where John's got no choice but to move on
from Jerry.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
I think there is. It just completely unravels. I mean,
at this point, I think they're likelier to lose ninety
games than they are to make the playoffs in the
direction they're heading right now. And if that happens, I
would think everything would have to be on the table.
I mean, there's Jerry has a lot of things going
(03:55):
for him that he can that he can use to
make his case. You know, that would make his case,
but it would also be two playoff appearances in ten
of what is eleven years, and a season of extremely
high hopes that has turned into probably the most disappointing
(04:16):
season in franchise history, you know, if it continues at
the same pace. So I would think that he would
be in danger as well.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
I'm wondering if that the ninety loss situation that you're
outlining might be a good thing, Larry, because we've seen
what Jerry does when the team rallies and barely falls
short of the playoffs in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty three,
twenty twenty four, He's like Okay, we're close. We're close.
I don't need to do much. But if they lose ninety,
(04:45):
he has no recourse. He has absolutely no reason to
think that they're close. And maybe he would do something
in the offseason. Is that a Is that a crazy thought?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Well, I think the year terminology, he would do something
in the off season. I think he would do something
every off season if you could. I think I think
it falls on ownership to make that decision and give
him the resources. And we also are looking at a
potential walkout, and who knows when next season will start
and how many games sell play, so it's kind of complicated.
(05:16):
But uh, you know, I think that's a fair evaluation
that you'd hope they would be motivated to make some
serious moves if that's happened. You know, the other scenario
that you also outlined about them coming close, I could
see that happening too, because of the weakness of their
schedule in September. You know, August has been a disaster
(05:37):
so far and may continue to be. But you could
see I could see them rallying and finishing three or
four games out of a playoff spot or even closer,
like they have so many times and then thinking exactly
what you just outlined that. You know, it's just a
lot of things went wrong this year with the nucleus,
is there? We don't need to do that much.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, I'm just appalled, Larry at the lack of public
facing leadership we find here from cal Raleigh. Last night,
I was telling Dick and Jackson off the air, I
don't even know what Josh Naylor's voice sounds like. Julio
seemingly never talks to anybody a Rose Arena, doesn't talk
to anybody, you know through his translator. We never hear
(06:15):
from ownership ever on any of this stuff.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I mean, am I nuts? Am I being too hard
on these guys?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
When I say that, I am almost grossed out by
the lack of public facing leadership that comes from this organization.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
I think Cal must have seen your tweet because he
made himself available. Yes, Dad, I think he did it
for Softy when you that.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Was Jackson's theory, and you know, look, I know I'm
a big deal, guys, but come on, that's going too far.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
You know.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I think it tells a lot about a player when
they stand up in the faith of adversity and make
themselves available. And I think back to Brent Boone. You know,
back in the in the early two thousands, he was
at his walker every single day, win or lose. Now,
granted those were good times. Most of the time that
(07:06):
was a winning team. Uh, but even when the team
wasn't going well. I remember one time Boone said, I'm
not you guys mind, I don't want to talk today.
I know I've talked to you every day, but I'm
just tired today. And an art deal said I really
need you today, Brett, and Brett said okay, and he
sat down and held his usual post team session.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Uh because artists seven foot tall and Brett's four foot three,
and he knows that art would have destroyed him if
you said no.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
That's why come on.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
The Hearts of Pussy get he went to destroyed anybody. Uh.
But yeah, I can't. I've lost my train of thought.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Now I apologize. You're talking about Brett Boone and all
that respons Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
The the Keystone players like that should should be available
and should face the music on a regular basis. That's
part of the responsibility of being of being a star. Larry.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
My take on Cal's comments were twofold one. I appreciate
him taking responsibility and saying that he's sucking this year.
But I'm tired of hearing Mariners players this year say quote,
you've got to bring the edge every day you get
a little lackadaisical and maybe have less energy. You don't
have quite the same edge that you should every day.
(08:31):
We've got to play with more urgency. Larry, we talked
about a quote that was exactly like that from Bryce
Miller like three months ago.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
So who was the onus on that?
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Three months later, the team is exactly as lackadaisical as
they was as they were three months ago.
Speaker 5 (08:49):
Yeah, that struck me too, that that quote. We're you know,
it's August twelfth. It's a little late in the game
to be saying we need to bring a little more energy,
particularly when you know that was seen as a problem
months ago. I mean, ultimately, it's the manager dictates the
energy of the team, I think, but the players need
(09:10):
to execute it that as well. And it's it's when
when you're not scoring runs, when you're scoring one or
two runs a game, it's just hard to manufacture that energy.
I know. You they show the shots of the guys
just hanging on the dugout looking uh, you know, dull
eyed and like they don't want to be there. But
that's you know, it's not like football, where you you know,
(09:31):
you're you're out for blood and you show that ferocity.
That's not the way baseball is. If you're not making
things happen on the base path, because you're going out
going down one, two, three, every inning, it's hard to
show that that desire, even though I you know, I
would just say they all have a desire to win,
and but if enough players are pointing it out, it's
(09:52):
it's got to be there and it's got to be
a problem. And you know, I think that'll be part
of the Epitaphs season, is that they just didn't bring it.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Yeah, I mean the energy is just lame, right.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
I mean, every time cal Rawley turns around to get
in an umpire's face, I'm hoping he just goes bananas
on the guy. Even Dan Wilson's ejections are kind of
just met they're lame, right whatever. I mean the other
day with lou Panela in the audience, I would have
thought that maybe Dan would have sosced it up a
little bit and you know, gotten his money's worth. But
do we have a cal Rawley problem? Larry, are you
(10:25):
starting to get concerned that the eighty five million bucks
left on this guy's deal is going to be an issue?
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Well, the thought has crossed my mind. You know that
that will be a huge issue next year. Will this
Can he turn things around? I think from a mayor's
point of view, I think they need to hope that
it's a that it's a medical problem, an injury that's lingering,
(10:51):
you know, maybe the oblique still injured lingering, because if
it's not an injury and he's that means that he's
just forgotten how to hit, or in such a slump
that he can't get out of it, And to me,
that's worse than being hampered by an injury. So we'll
see next year. But yeah, there's a lot of years
and a lot of money he's still still left on
(11:13):
his deal. It reminds me of Chris Davis, of the Orioles,
who signed a I believe it was seven years, one
hundred and sixty one million dollar deal and then just
was it was terrible after that? He said. Matter of fact,
Chris Davis set the record for the lowest batting average
of a qualified hitter at one sixty eight after he
(11:33):
signed a contract, and Cal's below one sixty eight. I
don't know if he'll end up being qualified. He need
to have five hundred and two plate appearances. But and
then he was out of baseball, you know, two years later,
having done virtually nothing after he signed that big contract.
That's an even bigger contract than Cal had, So I mean,
it is not completely unprecedented. I don't think that's going
(11:54):
to happen to Cal. I would put my money on
him having a bounce back year next year. But until
he does it, there's going to be a lot of
nervous people in the Mariner's front office.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
We got another tough one tonight quote from Dan last night,
and I'm wondering, if Dan never gives us specifics on
anything on how things can be fixed, should we assume
that he knows how to fix them, or should we
assume that he doesn't know how.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
To fix them? Well, you know, I think I think
his postgame contract the comments are a big part of
his perception issue among the fans because everybody watches these
frustrating games and then his comments have no no bearing
on what we just saw you'll say something like I
(12:41):
remember one game where WU gave up like six runs
and five innings, and he goes, he made the pitches
when he had to. Well, no, he didn't, right or
or we battled, We really battled to the end in
a game where they, you know, the twelve of the
last thirteen batters made out. I think if it's hard
(13:03):
to have a belief in his ability to turn things
around when he's not even acknowledging the problem. I would
like to see him come out with a little more
fire after the game and acknowledge it. But I mean,
obviously he doesn't have the ability right now to get
thing turned around because it hasn't happened. You know, I
wouldn't say he doesn't. I would rule that out. I mean,
(13:24):
he's been around baseball a long time. I think I
think he's doing more behind the scenes than we realize.
It almost seems like he's just sitting there doing nothing.
But I think he's having meetings and discussions with the
players from my understanding, so but it's not breaking through.
It's not getting through.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I'm sorry I had to laugh at that, because I
mean it's like he's talking to players.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
We also, I mean, Larry, IM gonna be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
I mean all of us covered Dan as a player,
and he was never the most quotable guy. Okay, fine,
I think he's worse now than he was when he played.
I am actually surprised at how little he offers to
the media. I mean it's almost like he's either guarded,
or he's defiant, or he's nervous about something. Are you
(14:15):
a little bit even shocked like me at just how
little he's offering. And if we are surprised by that,
I mean, he's older, he's wiser, he's more mature. He
should be able to pick his words, you know, you know,
pretty easily. He should have confidence in himself as a
as a as a middle aged guy, more than he
did when he was a twenty five year old playing
(14:36):
catcher in the majors.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
But why is that why?
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Yeah, Well, I think early on I just thought, Okay,
he's new to the job. He doesn't want to Early on,
I think he didn't want to say anything that reflected
on Scott's service, because he was tight with service. He was,
and you know, he didn't want to come in and
say I'm going to do this because he's either the fray. Well,
it's going to reflecked on Scott, but that's long in
(15:01):
the past now, and it's almost like you use the
word nervous or guarded. I think that's the way it is.
It's almost like he's afraid of offending the players by
by speaking the truth. But I think the players would
prefer to hear, you know, him speaking out confidently and
(15:25):
addressing the issues that everybody sees, including the people in
the in the dugout and in the clubhouse. So I
think it's to his detriment, to be honest. I think
you're right. He was not a great quote as a player.
He was a willing quote you can you know, go
to him any time and he would talk. But it
seems to me that he just it's become to load
these these sessions before and after the game that the
(15:47):
manager has to do. But that's a big part of
being a major league manager is you're the public face
of the team and you're the one conveying the you know,
what's going on to the public, and I don't think
he's very good at that.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Larry, what were his thoughts of the top fifty Both
guys that you saw that were like, wow he got in,
and also a guy or two that you saw that,
wow he didn't get in.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Jeff Nelson. Yeah, I mean Jeff Nelson. Hey, let Larry answer.
I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
Well, I know I know how deeply offended Dave was
on Nelly, and rightly so. He he should have been in.
I don't understand why he wasn't. I mean, he led
the he led the leads the team in appearances and
was a key part of two playoff teams. Uh. You
know I think that uh Smike Schooler probably should have
(16:42):
been on there. Those are the ones that jump to mind. Uh,
you know, Jim Beatty I think could have easily. You know,
I love Jim Beatty, but his record is is about
thirty games under five hundred as a pitcher. You know,
val love val but he he probably doesn't warrant being
(17:05):
on there. And I thought there was too many, maybe
too many players from the current team right right. I
think they could have they could have trimmed that down
a little bit as well.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah, Dave Valley was so bad we had sports bars
pricing drinks based on his batting average and in no
way is he a top fifty player.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Come on, why do you think Nelly was left off?
What's your take on that?
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Oh, you know, I I honestly don't know. I hope
it's not because he spoke out against the organization at
the trade deadline that that one year.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Yeah, but.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
I think on based on credentials, it would be hard
to leave him off. Now, anytime you have a top
any kind of ranking like that, there's gonna be there's
gonna be omissions that that people speak out against. So
it's a hard exercise when you've had, you know, as
many players as they they've had. But I think Nelly
(18:01):
was one that belonged on that list for sure, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I Mean, we can argue about fringe guys all you want,
but a guy that probably should have been in the
top thirty, let alone top fifty, for God's sake. So
I don't get it, man, But I don't get a lot.
To be honest with you, Larry, you're the best, great stuff.
Every time we have questions, you provide answers and we'll
do it again next week.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Man, Thanks for jumping on.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
All right, thanks thanks all right, Larry Stone with us
on the radio show. Why do we think Jeff Nelson
was left off? You any theories on that. Let's float
a couple of next on ninety three to three KJRFM,
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