October 14, 2025 • 18 mins
Legendary writer Larry Stone joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the wild last week for the Seattle Mariners including the ALDS win and 2-0 lead in the ALCS now, Josh Naylor’s big addition and covering him, Jerry Dipoto’s legacy and what’s next.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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 Town
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 2 (00:21):
All right, here we go. Great time to have Larry
on the air. I don't remember having Larry on the
air and saying, God, you know what, this is really
a bad time to have them on.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Can we blow them off?
Speaker 4 (00:28):
This kind of sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Stupid time to have Larry on. That has not happened
one time this year. And I think the reason why
it hasn't happened Larry one time this year is because
this baseball team has been pretty good every single week
of the season. So it's always been a joy to
have you on the air. But this is why we
pay you. This is why you get compensated for moments
like this. You are built for this moment, Larry. We
(00:50):
know you can handle it. Two games away from the
World Series, the closest they've ever been in their existence
to a World Series appearance, and I'll be honest with you,
my friend, for me, it's a little bit overwhelming, it
really is. After the two games to non lead last night.
What are your thoughts on the way the series started
and the way the Tiger Series went for the MS
last week.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
Well, first of all, Softie, I watched your videos on
X and I'm a little physical.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I'm a little concerned for your health.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
But by the way, if you were about to say
you were physically sick, I don't blame you either.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
I wasn't going to say that.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Well, I mean, going back, we haven't even had a
show since the Friday fifteen inning game last week, I
mean an instant, classic, masterpiece, epic game. And then they
couldn't have gotten any any better in Toronto, I mean
exceeded anyone's expectations. I think I think most people Marrystans
(01:53):
would have been happy with a split, and they just they.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Owned them, and those those.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Two games, they just completely shut down a really good
offensive team. Yesterday that the Bats were working, I mean
everything is set up for for them to get to
the World Series. That that doesn't mean it's a done deal.
Teams have blown to nothing leads, but I really like
where they are.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
And I think everybody does.
Speaker 6 (02:17):
Lara, I'm glad you mentioned Game five. Were you there
on Friday night?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I was not there. My daughter went, but I did
not go.
Speaker 7 (02:25):
Well, obviously watched it right away. Yeah, and neither were
we We were at Husky Stadium. But Larry, how do
you compare that to Game five in nineteen ninety five
as far as the you know, just the overall elation,
just the drama, everything you saw.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
I mean, was it right there along those lines of
ninety five?
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Well, full confession, I wasn't there in ninety five. I
didn't come to Seattle to ninety six, and I was
actually covering the National League playoffs that year. But I
feel I've confident in saying that I've written more stories
about that game and talk to more people than anybody
in the history of Seattle journalism, So I feel like
I was there. I think it's very similar in sort
(03:13):
of the cathartic release that the fans had at that point.
They'd never made the playoffs, and you know, that was
their first playoff run, and to have a series like
that was just incredible, considering that the drama of the
stadium and all that, and this time it almost feels
like they've never been there because it's been you know,
(03:33):
they had a taste of it in twenty twenty two,
but I think most people feel like this is the
team that has the best chance of getting there, and
to have a game like that where it's just every
pitch so much as writing on every pitch and there's
so many disappointments along the way that the double plays,
the rallies thwarted. I mean, the tension was just off
(03:56):
the charts, and I think it was the same thing
in ninety five, and the release once they won was
similar as well.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, I mean, let's just talk about tomorrow. First of all,
Toronto's in dire straits. I mean, they're desperate, right. You
got to think that John Schneider is going to throw
the kitchen sink at Dan Wilson. How do we think
George Kirby responds, how do we think the Mariners respond tomorrow?
In a game that could absolutely crush This could be
a death blow to Toronto if they can just get
(04:23):
this thing done. And then imagine Larry, what that area,
that whole area is going to be like on Thursday
from dawn to dusk before Game four.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
Man, Yeah, well, yeah, I mean Kirby. I have faith
in Kirby just by what he's done in the postseason.
He's shown that he can handle the pressure. And I
mean he's been great in the two starts that he
had this year. He was great in twenty and twenty two.
He's rested. I think, yeah, I think he's going to
(04:56):
pitch pitch very well. They're going up against Shane Bieber,
who is a cy Young Award winner a few years ago,
but he's not the same Pitture that he was then.
All the pressure is on them, you know, they know
that they can't lose this game, and they're walking into
as a hostile and the environment as they're going to face,
you know, all year. So I think for the Mariners,
(05:17):
the key is getting ahead on early like they have
all postseason. I think there's only one game where they didn't.
They weren't the first team that scored.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
That was the Springer home run the other day, and
they overcame. They overcame that.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
So I think if the Mariners can jump ahead as
they've done all postseason, I think I think that the
momentum is going to swing their way, the crowd and
all that, and I think it's going to be a
good outcome.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
Well, Larry, had they not won yesterday, we all know
what the number one topic would have been, and that
would have been Dan Wilson starting a pitcher that had
thrown one hundred and nineteen pitches since Tuesday against a
pitcher that had thrown fifteen pitches since Monday. What was
your take going into the game on the decision to
start Gilbert over Luise.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Uh, surprised, And uh, I didn't quite understand it. I,
you know, the the only rationale I could really come
up with was they really don't want Relise pitching on
the on the road in the postseason. Uh, this will
be his third start at home, and they've they've manipulated
the matchups so that he's he's pitched.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Only only at home.
Speaker 5 (06:28):
So but I I didn't like the idea of, well,
you know, why not go with the more rested guy.
But as with all the pitching decisions that Dan's made,
they've kind of worked out.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
They've won.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
They've won Gating one game, so it's Yeah, the beauty
is is that he has so many great choices.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
You know, they have a five.
Speaker 5 (06:47):
You watch these postseasons and you see teams have bullpen
games in in Game five, you know, deciding games of
the of the playoffs, and teams are.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Showing bullpen games.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
And the Mariners will never have to do that because
they have four good starters and if who comes back,
they'll have five and that's just a huge luxury to have.
So in a lot of ways, there's no there's no
wrong decisions for Dan, although.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
I think this was a last but it worked out.
It worked out.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
No, Dick's right, they would have lost the game. He
would have been barbecued. And I thought Larry that Dick
was going to ask about when he mentioned Game five,
They're gonna ask about Bryce Miller's performance in Game number one.
I mean, that really is just amazing, and that really
set the momentum, I think for the entire series so far.
When you go in there and you steal game one
and you get out of there on short rest obviously
(07:37):
kind of reminded me of Bobby Walcott in Game one
of the Indian Series and ninety five. Now, Bryce obviously
started way more games than Bob Walcott did at that
point in time, but where does that game kind of
sit for you on the list of all time great
clutch performances by a Mariner starting pitcher.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
What Bryce Miller did in Game one on Sunday night.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Yeah, it's got to go, you know, right near the top.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
It's not to the top.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
It was a heroic performance by Bryce, and I mean
particularly in light of the arc of the game. The
first pitch home run then was a twelve or thirteen
pitch walk that followed, and I think there was another
walk twenty seven pitches. I mean, I was thinking to myself,
I think I said it to someone I was watching
(08:22):
the game with, this is going to be an Emerson
Hancock game. We're going to be seeing Emerson Hancock early
because pitch count was so high. They were hitting, you know,
three balls over one hundred miles an hour we're hitting
that first inning. But whatever adjustment he made, it was incredible,
you know, to get through six innings with the pitch
count that he did. The whole team through one hundred
(08:43):
pitches that game, and twenty seven were in the first inning.
That means they averaged nine pitches an inning for the
final eight innings. They just completely shut them down. And
you know, after the final six innings yesterday and Sunday. Uh,
the Blue Jays virtually had no no offense whatsoever.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
They were completely shut down in both games.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
But Bryce Miller, uh, you know that that that's that
was the game of his life and it.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Was, you know, incredibly needed by the Mariners.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
Larry, I do not mean to sound like a cocky
Mariner fan up to nothing when I'm when I'm about to.
Speaker 6 (09:22):
Say that, I'm just gonna be I'm gonna be honest
with you.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
There we go.
Speaker 7 (09:25):
I find myself after seeing Springer and Vlade and I'm like,
is that it? And then I look at their pitching
staff and their starters are twentieth in baseball, their bullpen
is sixteenth in baseball, and they have seven offensive starters
under seven seventy ops. Are you does this team impress
you that we're playing right now?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Well?
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Yeah, I think he got a note that Bobaschett one
of what one of their top.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Players, right but he's not there. He's not there. Anthony
sntan Dare was scratched yesterday.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
So they you know, I think they've they've been a
better team in the season than they are right now.
But uh, I think your point Dick is a valid one.
I think the Mariners are demonstrably a better team than
Blue Jays, and I think I think that's that's showing
and that that will prevail in the long run. You know,
you don't want to you don't want to give them
any life by by dropping this game. And you know,
(10:18):
Tim Boots had a story today with talking to Mitch
Garver about two years ago, when the when the when
the or was it three years ago when the Rangers
won the World Series? They won the first two on
the road and then lost the next three at home,
and then came back to win the next two on
on the road again. So, uh, you know, teams, it happens.
(10:40):
It doesn't happen very often, but teams have blown two
game leads after winning the first two on the road.
So yeah, I don't think you can get too cocky,
but uh, I think your your general point is a
valid one. The Mariners have a better offense. I think
they have a better starting staff and they have a
better bullpen, and that that.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Should tell the story.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Well.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Larry Stones with us courtesy of the RAM. Normally joins
us on Tuesdays at six, but we got cracking hockey
with Montreal coming up pregame three thirty faced off at
four and you guys remember the Natural when not the
Natural but Field of Dreams When Kevin Costner went to
see James Earl Jones Terrence Mayn and said, I want
you to write about this, about my experiences here when
(11:20):
they invited him into center field the cornfield, and Larry,
I really, first of all hope that you're planning on
writing about this number one, because just like not having
Dave Kneehouse around, this journey would not and I'm being serious,
like we bust your balls a lot, we have fun
here on the radio show, but it would not be
the same unless you put pen to paper. So I
really hope you're planning on doing that number one. And
(11:40):
then number two, I want you to write about Josh Naylor,
and I want you to write about his experiences and
becoming a dad and the home running hit last night
in Canada becomes the first Canadian born player to hit
a home run in Toronto and the playoffs are you
kidding me? Like really never happened before. And I'm just Larry,
I'm watching Josh Naylor play and I'm asking myself, how
the hell did Cleveland or Arizona. Let this guy go,
(12:03):
like you can't find room for that guy in your roster.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
Yeah, thanks for the for the kind words. I am
finding myself like regretting that I'm not with the with
the with the guys in Toronto writing this thing. It
would be so much fun, But I made the you know,
I made the choice to retire, so here we are.
(12:28):
But yeah, Naylor would be especially fun to write about.
He just seems like such an interesting character. And you
you know, you hear the interviews with him, and he
doesn't sound he sounds very reasonable, you know, he doesn't
he doesn't sound like a guy that that plays with
the intensity in the edge he does. He's you know,
he's kind of quiet and well spoken, and the contrast
(12:51):
is interesting. But I would, uh, yeah, he's I think
it's imperative, becoming more so by the day that they
do what it takes to bring this guy back. And
you know, I mean, the Diamondbacks made the decision that
they were out of it and that he's a free
agent at the end of the year, so'll get something.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
For him rather than having him just walk away.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
As it turned out that Diamondbacks really weren't out of it.
They contended till the last couple of weeks, so they
probably regret getting rid of Josh, if not Gino. So,
you know, the best trade deadline acquisition the Mariners have
ever made.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
I think that's safe to say.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
You know, Castillo Castillo used to be that, but I
think this is an even better one.
Speaker 6 (13:35):
Larry, you mentioned Wu earlier.
Speaker 7 (13:38):
Would you test him out of the pen or would
you just be comfortable just throwing him out there on
Friday or maybe Game six or Game seven. I thought
yesterday might have actually been a nice opportunity, up by
six runs to throw him out there for an inning
and see what happens.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Yeah, I think i'd start him just because he's used
to that and you could just monitor him. It sounds
like he's about fifty pitches. I think it's you know,
mayors don't want to have to use him because they'd
rather sweep and then then they wouldn't have to worry.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
About it for this series.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
But in a way, I think it would be good
just to get him out on the hill, and even
if it's for three or four innings, because he needs
to build on it for for f the you know,
for the world Series if they get there, if he
throws fifty in his start, you know, the game five start,
if there is one, then maybe he's up to seventy
(14:29):
five his next start and it's in the World Series.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
And then you could get him through five innings maybe.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
So I think I think it's important to get him
out there, you know, start that that what's really a
rehab situation going for him, and you know, uh, and
I think it's I just think it's more conducive to
do it as a starter, and then you could you
could set your bullpen behind behind that, knowing that on
(14:56):
that day you're probably.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Going to need five six innings of bullpen work.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Well, Larry Stone again, and I just say this about
Game three tomorrow that no team in the American League
Playoffs says one more games at home, and no team
is one fewer on the road than Toronto. I mean,
their home road splits are insane, fifty four and twenty
seven versus forty and forty one. They are under five
hundred on the road. They are totally It's like the Rockies,
they are a totally different team on the road. And
(15:21):
now you've got three games at T Mobile Park and
a buddy of mine text and said, hey, we got
two games, we got three game series against Toronto. You
win the series and you go in the World Series.
So Larry, the next time we speak next Tuesday, the
Mariners will either be in the World Series or their
season will be over next Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
All right, I mean, that is what we are dealing
with right now.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
So I want to ask you real quick, as Chuck
threw this out there of the year day, and I
was actually thinking about it before he brought it up.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
But I'll give him credit.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
If Jerry Depoto finishes this thing off and he gets
to the marin the MS to the World Series. For
as much heat as he's been taken the last decade,
are we now ready to call him the greatest Mariner
executive of all time?
Speaker 5 (16:01):
I think I think that's probably fair. This will be
their fifth straight winning This is their fifth straight winning season.
You know, they only got to the playoffs twice out
of those. But I mean, this team has been striving
unsuccessfully for a World Series for almost fifty years, and
whoever was going to be the guy who got it done,
(16:24):
I think is instantly a legend. And I think that
for all the for all the criticism and faults of Jerry.
He built this team, and if you look at it,
it was a pretty damn good job of building it.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
There's a lot of guys that he got.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
You know, in shrewd trades, under the radar trades, great drafting.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
And that, and that's the sort of thing. So it's
it's a well built team.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
And I think it's hard for a lot of fans
to give him credit just because there's so much animosity
and mudy for for the all the struggling years that
the fact of the matter is that this rebuilt it's
been pretty good.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Are we talking World Series next Tuesday with you?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
I think we are softy and dick.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
All right, dude, we'll talking a week. Man, have fun,
have fun watching the games.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
All right, all right, I'm gonna be there tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Love it.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Stop buy and see us at Jimmy's. All right, we'll
have a glass of Man of Chevet's waiting for you.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
How's that?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
I'm good?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
All right?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Man, Larry snow with us on the air. I mean god,
it's just you just hear things like that. Yeah, it's
like hits you. Are we talking World Series next week?
Speaker 2 (17:31):
We are okay, Well, let's make that happen, because in
one week from now again we're either talking.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I mean, they've been playing baseball.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
What was the tweet I put out last night, seventeen
thousand whatever days since their first game in Diego Saghee
in nineteen seventy seven, and now we are potentially fifty
four hours away, Dick from a World Series.
Speaker 7 (17:49):
And I think the crazy thing is, you're going tomorrow,
I'm going on Thursday. I'm either going to walk in
Thursday just in a celebratory let's just end this thing
and see it happen, or I'm gonna walk in going.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
We gotta win to ice.
Speaker 7 (18:01):
Absolutely, it's gonna be so weird, the vibe between winning
and losing tomorrow nervous?
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Do you get if they drop Game three and you're
walking into game four very rightly? Well, tickets for Game four,
which could be the clincher if they're lucky enough to
pull off tomorrow, three hundred and forty six bucks to
get in the door right now at Venue Kings, and Guys,
I'm telling you I would jump on that now because
those prices are gonna jump like a freaking kangaroo. If
the Mariners win tomorrow, all right, Cracking hockey against Montreal.
(18:28):
The boys got you next
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 Town
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 2 (00:21):
All right, here we go. Great time to have Larry
on the air. I don't remember having Larry on the
air and saying, God, you know what, this is really
a bad time to have them on.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Can we blow them off?
Speaker 4 (00:28):
This kind of sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Stupid time to have Larry on. That has not happened
one time this year. And I think the reason why
it hasn't happened Larry one time this year is because
this baseball team has been pretty good every single week
of the season. So it's always been a joy to
have you on the air. But this is why we
pay you. This is why you get compensated for moments
like this. You are built for this moment, Larry. We
(00:50):
know you can handle it. Two games away from the
World Series, the closest they've ever been in their existence
to a World Series appearance, and I'll be honest with you,
my friend, for me, it's a little bit overwhelming, it
really is. After the two games to non lead last night.
What are your thoughts on the way the series started
and the way the Tiger Series went for the MS
last week.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
Well, first of all, Softie, I watched your videos on
X and I'm a little physical.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I'm a little concerned for your health.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
But by the way, if you were about to say
you were physically sick, I don't blame you either.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
I wasn't going to say that.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Well, I mean, going back, we haven't even had a
show since the Friday fifteen inning game last week, I
mean an instant, classic, masterpiece, epic game. And then they
couldn't have gotten any any better in Toronto, I mean
exceeded anyone's expectations. I think I think most people Marrystans
(01:53):
would have been happy with a split, and they just they.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Owned them, and those those.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Two games, they just completely shut down a really good
offensive team. Yesterday that the Bats were working, I mean
everything is set up for for them to get to
the World Series. That that doesn't mean it's a done deal.
Teams have blown to nothing leads, but I really like
where they are.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
And I think everybody does.
Speaker 6 (02:17):
Lara, I'm glad you mentioned Game five. Were you there
on Friday night?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I was not there. My daughter went, but I did
not go.
Speaker 7 (02:25):
Well, obviously watched it right away. Yeah, and neither were
we We were at Husky Stadium. But Larry, how do
you compare that to Game five in nineteen ninety five
as far as the you know, just the overall elation,
just the drama, everything you saw.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
I mean, was it right there along those lines of
ninety five?
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Well, full confession, I wasn't there in ninety five. I
didn't come to Seattle to ninety six, and I was
actually covering the National League playoffs that year. But I
feel I've confident in saying that I've written more stories
about that game and talk to more people than anybody
in the history of Seattle journalism, So I feel like
I was there. I think it's very similar in sort
(03:13):
of the cathartic release that the fans had at that point.
They'd never made the playoffs, and you know, that was
their first playoff run, and to have a series like
that was just incredible, considering that the drama of the
stadium and all that, and this time it almost feels
like they've never been there because it's been you know,
(03:33):
they had a taste of it in twenty twenty two,
but I think most people feel like this is the
team that has the best chance of getting there, and
to have a game like that where it's just every
pitch so much as writing on every pitch and there's
so many disappointments along the way that the double plays,
the rallies thwarted. I mean, the tension was just off
(03:56):
the charts, and I think it was the same thing
in ninety five, and the release once they won was
similar as well.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, I mean, let's just talk about tomorrow. First of all,
Toronto's in dire straits. I mean, they're desperate, right. You
got to think that John Schneider is going to throw
the kitchen sink at Dan Wilson. How do we think
George Kirby responds, how do we think the Mariners respond tomorrow?
In a game that could absolutely crush This could be
a death blow to Toronto if they can just get
(04:23):
this thing done. And then imagine Larry, what that area,
that whole area is going to be like on Thursday
from dawn to dusk before Game four.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
Man, Yeah, well, yeah, I mean Kirby. I have faith
in Kirby just by what he's done in the postseason.
He's shown that he can handle the pressure. And I
mean he's been great in the two starts that he
had this year. He was great in twenty and twenty two.
He's rested. I think, yeah, I think he's going to
(04:56):
pitch pitch very well. They're going up against Shane Bieber,
who is a cy Young Award winner a few years ago,
but he's not the same Pitture that he was then.
All the pressure is on them, you know, they know
that they can't lose this game, and they're walking into
as a hostile and the environment as they're going to face,
you know, all year. So I think for the Mariners,
(05:17):
the key is getting ahead on early like they have
all postseason. I think there's only one game where they didn't.
They weren't the first team that scored.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
That was the Springer home run the other day, and
they overcame. They overcame that.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
So I think if the Mariners can jump ahead as
they've done all postseason, I think I think that the
momentum is going to swing their way, the crowd and
all that, and I think it's going to be a
good outcome.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
Well, Larry, had they not won yesterday, we all know
what the number one topic would have been, and that
would have been Dan Wilson starting a pitcher that had
thrown one hundred and nineteen pitches since Tuesday against a
pitcher that had thrown fifteen pitches since Monday. What was
your take going into the game on the decision to
start Gilbert over Luise.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Uh, surprised, And uh, I didn't quite understand it. I,
you know, the the only rationale I could really come
up with was they really don't want Relise pitching on
the on the road in the postseason. Uh, this will
be his third start at home, and they've they've manipulated
the matchups so that he's he's pitched.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Only only at home.
Speaker 5 (06:28):
So but I I didn't like the idea of, well,
you know, why not go with the more rested guy.
But as with all the pitching decisions that Dan's made,
they've kind of worked out.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
They've won.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
They've won Gating one game, so it's Yeah, the beauty
is is that he has so many great choices.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
You know, they have a five.
Speaker 5 (06:47):
You watch these postseasons and you see teams have bullpen
games in in Game five, you know, deciding games of
the of the playoffs, and teams are.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Showing bullpen games.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
And the Mariners will never have to do that because
they have four good starters and if who comes back,
they'll have five and that's just a huge luxury to have.
So in a lot of ways, there's no there's no
wrong decisions for Dan, although.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
I think this was a last but it worked out.
It worked out.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
No, Dick's right, they would have lost the game. He
would have been barbecued. And I thought Larry that Dick
was going to ask about when he mentioned Game five,
They're gonna ask about Bryce Miller's performance in Game number one.
I mean, that really is just amazing, and that really
set the momentum, I think for the entire series so far.
When you go in there and you steal game one
and you get out of there on short rest obviously
(07:37):
kind of reminded me of Bobby Walcott in Game one
of the Indian Series and ninety five. Now, Bryce obviously
started way more games than Bob Walcott did at that
point in time, but where does that game kind of
sit for you on the list of all time great
clutch performances by a Mariner starting pitcher.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
What Bryce Miller did in Game one on Sunday night.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Yeah, it's got to go, you know, right near the top.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
It's not to the top.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
It was a heroic performance by Bryce, and I mean
particularly in light of the arc of the game. The
first pitch home run then was a twelve or thirteen
pitch walk that followed, and I think there was another
walk twenty seven pitches. I mean, I was thinking to myself,
I think I said it to someone I was watching
(08:22):
the game with, this is going to be an Emerson
Hancock game. We're going to be seeing Emerson Hancock early
because pitch count was so high. They were hitting, you know,
three balls over one hundred miles an hour we're hitting
that first inning. But whatever adjustment he made, it was incredible,
you know, to get through six innings with the pitch
count that he did. The whole team through one hundred
(08:43):
pitches that game, and twenty seven were in the first inning.
That means they averaged nine pitches an inning for the
final eight innings. They just completely shut them down. And
you know, after the final six innings yesterday and Sunday. Uh,
the Blue Jays virtually had no no offense whatsoever.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
They were completely shut down in both games.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
But Bryce Miller, uh, you know that that that's that
was the game of his life and it.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Was, you know, incredibly needed by the Mariners.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
Larry, I do not mean to sound like a cocky
Mariner fan up to nothing when I'm when I'm about to.
Speaker 6 (09:22):
Say that, I'm just gonna be I'm gonna be honest
with you.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
There we go.
Speaker 7 (09:25):
I find myself after seeing Springer and Vlade and I'm like,
is that it? And then I look at their pitching
staff and their starters are twentieth in baseball, their bullpen
is sixteenth in baseball, and they have seven offensive starters
under seven seventy ops. Are you does this team impress
you that we're playing right now?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Well?
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Yeah, I think he got a note that Bobaschett one
of what one of their top.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Players, right but he's not there. He's not there. Anthony
sntan Dare was scratched yesterday.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
So they you know, I think they've they've been a
better team in the season than they are right now.
But uh, I think your point Dick is a valid one.
I think the Mariners are demonstrably a better team than
Blue Jays, and I think I think that's that's showing
and that that will prevail in the long run. You know,
you don't want to you don't want to give them
any life by by dropping this game. And you know,
(10:18):
Tim Boots had a story today with talking to Mitch
Garver about two years ago, when the when the when
the or was it three years ago when the Rangers
won the World Series? They won the first two on
the road and then lost the next three at home,
and then came back to win the next two on
on the road again. So, uh, you know, teams, it happens.
(10:40):
It doesn't happen very often, but teams have blown two
game leads after winning the first two on the road.
So yeah, I don't think you can get too cocky,
but uh, I think your your general point is a
valid one. The Mariners have a better offense. I think
they have a better starting staff and they have a
better bullpen, and that that.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Should tell the story.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Well.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Larry Stones with us courtesy of the RAM. Normally joins
us on Tuesdays at six, but we got cracking hockey
with Montreal coming up pregame three thirty faced off at
four and you guys remember the Natural when not the
Natural but Field of Dreams When Kevin Costner went to
see James Earl Jones Terrence Mayn and said, I want
you to write about this, about my experiences here when
(11:20):
they invited him into center field the cornfield, and Larry,
I really, first of all hope that you're planning on
writing about this number one, because just like not having
Dave Kneehouse around, this journey would not and I'm being serious,
like we bust your balls a lot, we have fun
here on the radio show, but it would not be
the same unless you put pen to paper. So I
really hope you're planning on doing that number one. And
(11:40):
then number two, I want you to write about Josh Naylor,
and I want you to write about his experiences and
becoming a dad and the home running hit last night
in Canada becomes the first Canadian born player to hit
a home run in Toronto and the playoffs are you
kidding me? Like really never happened before. And I'm just Larry,
I'm watching Josh Naylor play and I'm asking myself, how
the hell did Cleveland or Arizona. Let this guy go,
(12:03):
like you can't find room for that guy in your roster.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
Yeah, thanks for the for the kind words. I am
finding myself like regretting that I'm not with the with
the with the guys in Toronto writing this thing. It
would be so much fun, But I made the you know,
I made the choice to retire, so here we are.
(12:28):
But yeah, Naylor would be especially fun to write about.
He just seems like such an interesting character. And you
you know, you hear the interviews with him, and he
doesn't sound he sounds very reasonable, you know, he doesn't
he doesn't sound like a guy that that plays with
the intensity in the edge he does. He's you know,
he's kind of quiet and well spoken, and the contrast
(12:51):
is interesting. But I would, uh, yeah, he's I think
it's imperative, becoming more so by the day that they
do what it takes to bring this guy back. And
you know, I mean, the Diamondbacks made the decision that
they were out of it and that he's a free
agent at the end of the year, so'll get something.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
For him rather than having him just walk away.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
As it turned out that Diamondbacks really weren't out of it.
They contended till the last couple of weeks, so they
probably regret getting rid of Josh, if not Gino. So,
you know, the best trade deadline acquisition the Mariners have
ever made.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
I think that's safe to say.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
You know, Castillo Castillo used to be that, but I
think this is an even better one.
Speaker 6 (13:35):
Larry, you mentioned Wu earlier.
Speaker 7 (13:38):
Would you test him out of the pen or would
you just be comfortable just throwing him out there on
Friday or maybe Game six or Game seven. I thought
yesterday might have actually been a nice opportunity, up by
six runs to throw him out there for an inning
and see what happens.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Yeah, I think i'd start him just because he's used
to that and you could just monitor him. It sounds
like he's about fifty pitches. I think it's you know,
mayors don't want to have to use him because they'd
rather sweep and then then they wouldn't have to worry.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
About it for this series.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
But in a way, I think it would be good
just to get him out on the hill, and even
if it's for three or four innings, because he needs
to build on it for for f the you know,
for the world Series if they get there, if he
throws fifty in his start, you know, the game five start,
if there is one, then maybe he's up to seventy
(14:29):
five his next start and it's in the World Series.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
And then you could get him through five innings maybe.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
So I think I think it's important to get him
out there, you know, start that that what's really a
rehab situation going for him, and you know, uh, and
I think it's I just think it's more conducive to
do it as a starter, and then you could you
could set your bullpen behind behind that, knowing that on
(14:56):
that day you're probably.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Going to need five six innings of bullpen work.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Well, Larry Stone again, and I just say this about
Game three tomorrow that no team in the American League
Playoffs says one more games at home, and no team
is one fewer on the road than Toronto. I mean,
their home road splits are insane, fifty four and twenty
seven versus forty and forty one. They are under five
hundred on the road. They are totally It's like the Rockies,
they are a totally different team on the road. And
(15:21):
now you've got three games at T Mobile Park and
a buddy of mine text and said, hey, we got
two games, we got three game series against Toronto. You
win the series and you go in the World Series.
So Larry, the next time we speak next Tuesday, the
Mariners will either be in the World Series or their
season will be over next Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
All right, I mean, that is what we are dealing
with right now.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
So I want to ask you real quick, as Chuck
threw this out there of the year day, and I
was actually thinking about it before he brought it up.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
But I'll give him credit.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
If Jerry Depoto finishes this thing off and he gets
to the marin the MS to the World Series. For
as much heat as he's been taken the last decade,
are we now ready to call him the greatest Mariner
executive of all time?
Speaker 5 (16:01):
I think I think that's probably fair. This will be
their fifth straight winning This is their fifth straight winning season.
You know, they only got to the playoffs twice out
of those. But I mean, this team has been striving
unsuccessfully for a World Series for almost fifty years, and
whoever was going to be the guy who got it done,
(16:24):
I think is instantly a legend. And I think that
for all the for all the criticism and faults of Jerry.
He built this team, and if you look at it,
it was a pretty damn good job of building it.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
There's a lot of guys that he got.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
You know, in shrewd trades, under the radar trades, great drafting.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
And that, and that's the sort of thing. So it's
it's a well built team.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
And I think it's hard for a lot of fans
to give him credit just because there's so much animosity
and mudy for for the all the struggling years that
the fact of the matter is that this rebuilt it's
been pretty good.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Are we talking World Series next Tuesday with you?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
I think we are softy and dick.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
All right, dude, we'll talking a week. Man, have fun,
have fun watching the games.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
All right, all right, I'm gonna be there tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Love it.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Stop buy and see us at Jimmy's. All right, we'll
have a glass of Man of Chevet's waiting for you.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
How's that?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
I'm good?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
All right?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Man, Larry snow with us on the air. I mean god,
it's just you just hear things like that. Yeah, it's
like hits you. Are we talking World Series next week?
Speaker 2 (17:31):
We are okay, Well, let's make that happen, because in
one week from now again we're either talking.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I mean, they've been playing baseball.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
What was the tweet I put out last night, seventeen
thousand whatever days since their first game in Diego Saghee
in nineteen seventy seven, and now we are potentially fifty
four hours away, Dick from a World Series.
Speaker 7 (17:49):
And I think the crazy thing is, you're going tomorrow,
I'm going on Thursday. I'm either going to walk in
Thursday just in a celebratory let's just end this thing
and see it happen, or I'm gonna walk in going.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
We gotta win to ice.
Speaker 7 (18:01):
Absolutely, it's gonna be so weird, the vibe between winning
and losing tomorrow nervous?
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Do you get if they drop Game three and you're
walking into game four very rightly? Well, tickets for Game four,
which could be the clincher if they're lucky enough to
pull off tomorrow, three hundred and forty six bucks to
get in the door right now at Venue Kings, and Guys,
I'm telling you I would jump on that now because
those prices are gonna jump like a freaking kangaroo. If
the Mariners win tomorrow, all right, Cracking hockey against Montreal.
(18:28):
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