July 8, 2026 • 22 mins
Legendary writer Larry Stone joins Dick Fain and Hugh Millen to discuss the World Cup in Seattle and across the country over the last month, the United States loss to Belgium that ended their tournament run, the Mariners turning away from the piggyback system with their pitching rotation, Bryan Woo’s up and down season, plus Cal Raleigh’s year.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood. Letty you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is proudly 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 KJARFM.
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 digitsund
locations from Marysville to Lacy and everywhere in between. There's
a RAM there you now with Softie and Dick, here's
Larry Stone.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Just realize that the wife is out tonights with her
friends for a dinner, so I am responsible for dinner
for the kids. The RAM is answering the call for me.
It's very very simple decision, Larry. How you doing man,
I'm doing good. I just knocked a new RAM off
the list. I went to the one in Tacoma for
the first time. One oh man, that's that is so beautiful.
(01:07):
Absolutely beautiful. Did you sit outside on the patio?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Uh? No, no, we we sat inside, but it was
it was pretty crowded. The patio was was always full.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, the patio gets packed in the in the summertime,
no question about it.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Well, good stuff. We're gonna talk a lot of baseball with.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You, but first and foremost, I just want to let
you have the floor and give us your your overall
thoughts on the World Cup ouster by the United States.
And then how this city shined over the last two weeks.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Yeah, it really showed itselfself off, well, showed itself to
be a soccer hotbed. I was really my heart was
warmed by by all the the videos of people talking
about how much they loved Seattle and how much they
loved Boston and all the venues where the uh where
the the games were held, and the foreigners, many of
(01:58):
whom thought they were going to hate the US, turned
out to love it. You know. That was kind of cool. Uh.
And then that the game was just a huge letdown,
the Round of sixteen game against Belgium. It just seemed
like they they weren't they weren't in it, like Carli
Lloyd said, almost like they were playing scared and that
was a huge disappointment and kind of kind of left
(02:20):
a sour tase for the for the whole thing. But
I think overall the World Cup has been arousing success.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
Well the World Cup if you distinguish between the tournament
and the pageantry, and then you say, okay, now, now
let's put our sports eyes on the men's national team.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
What are your.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Thoughts if we just kind of focus on that, not
just the kind of the state of US men's soccer
and and or what needs to be done if if
there needs to be an improvement in there.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Well, first of all, Hugh, I'm not going to pretend
to be an expert on soccer the US men's team. Yes, uh,
not not my strong suit. But uh, I mean, you know,
I agree with the with the sort of the the
consensus that something needs to be done about the development system.
(03:13):
Uh you know, I'm not sure what, but making it
more accessible to more people uh seems to be, uh
what what is needed. And I kind of I agree
with that. I think that's a problem in a lot
of sports more than along, not not just soccer, but
and and the goalkeeping seemed to be kind of subcar
(03:37):
you know, the US is known for its for its
outstanding goalkeepers over the years, including you know, Casey Keller
and and and others. But uh, it didn't seem like
he was a world class goal goalkeeper. And and if
I'm wrong on that, you know you can correct me.
But that was just my assessment.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
That's wild.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
He plays in the MLS, so that should I should
tell you all you need to know about the level
for for free Aze. Well, you are expert in the
world of Major League Baseball, Larry, and we have seen
the end, at least temporarily of the piggyback. So looking
back on the piggy back, did you think it had
(04:13):
any impact positive or negative on where the rotation is
right now? Because, let's face it, the rotation is in
a very good place. I mean, Brian Wu on the
road notwithstanding, the rest of this rotation is looking really,
really good.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
I think it was eight of.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
The last ten games quality starts Eer and the twos
over the last ten games for the starting rotation.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Yeah, I mean, I don't think you could say it's
been a disaster that a lot of people predicted, you know,
it was. The rollout wasn't smooth at all. It wasn't communicated. Well,
I think that the turning point was when they all
got together and decided that they were going to do
this as a proof and that really hasn't happened. Twice
(04:57):
it was supposed to happen, and they've uh decided not
to at the last at the last minute. You know,
I think there at the point, Dick where they've they've
got to figure out a way to get another reliever
of quality in the bullpen. There's clearly only four guys
he trusted, he trusts out there with brash out and
(05:20):
you know, and there's many a game where you need
that fifth leverage arm and they just don't have them.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
So you know, well, they got a guy, they got
a game named Castillo that could be that guy.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I was just going to say that it just makes
too much sense to put Castillo out there. There's a
I mean, it's just there's a need for him, there's
a there, there's a surplus of starters. It just it's
a perfect solution. But you know, I still think that
they're that their ultimate solution is to try and trade Castillo.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
And.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Between now and the deadline, and if they move him
to the bullpen, that lowers his trade value considerably. So
I mean he's he's pitching great, he should have a
Certainly there will be some teams in need of starters
who who could use a Luis Castillo, So you know
that's something that really bears watching. Uh So, I honestly
(06:15):
don't think they're going to move them to the bullpen.
I think that's priority. It's got to be priority one
for the POTO is to get another leverage arm out there,
and preferably not wait till August third, which is the
trade deadline this year. You know they need to do
it now.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
Larr's stone with this, Yeah, no doubt. It seems like
you know, their their clear strength the starting pitches, and
and then and then they they have a clear weakness
in terms of the thin nature of their bullpen. You
think you would you'd make some adjustments there. But I
want to get back to Wu for a second, because,
uh here a guy obviously less than a year ago,
(06:52):
was an All Star pitcher, and the quote of the
first half of the year for me, uh this year,
probably for all all players. I can't remember Cal having
a money quote. But when Wu said, I am tired
of sucking, I'm curious, Larry, how often have you heard
(07:13):
major league ballplayers say that? And then, to the extent
that you've heard things like that, what is it you
that usually gets them turned around?
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah? I've heard similar things over the years. You know,
players extremely frustrated with their performance and sort of honing
up to it. And you know, I don't know if
there's a there's one thing that turns it around. I
think he's just got to dig deep and find whatever
is happening on the road, because he is pitching like
an all star at home. It's just when he gets
(07:44):
away from home, something is going wrong and I think,
you know, eventually it starts to mess with your head.
He needs to go out and have a strong outing,
I think on the road to turn things around. And
I think he's capable of it. You know, to me,
it looked like his stuff is as good as it
ever was. It's kind of inexplicable. Uh. You look at
the numbers, the velocity and all that. Uh, it's right
(08:08):
up there, I think, with with where where he was
last year when when you know, he was so dominant.
So you know, I honestly don't know what's gonna what's
going to turn it around. But you know there's about
five players that they need huge turns around turnarounds in
the second half, and he's on that list. And and
you know the list to me is topped by cal Rawly.
(08:28):
He's uh he he is the difference maker between where
they should be and where they are and he doesn't
need to approach what he did last season. But but
he can't be a negative war player like he was
in the first half.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
Oh, no question.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
And you know when it comes to WU, you're right
when it gets mental and when you start thinking about,
oh wait, I'm a different pitcher on the road than
I am at home, That's that's when trouble starts. Because
I went back and I looked Larry at his first
three years in Major League Baseball, and yes, he was
a better picture at home each and every year than.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
He was on the road. But it was like zero
point seventy five to one er better.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
It was.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
It was a marginal difference, which you would think that's
T Mobile Park, right, You're just going to be a
better picture at home at T Mobile Park then you
are going to be on the road. So we had
Joe shean or Ian had Joe Shean on yesterday from
Baseball Perspectives, he said it was too small a sample size.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
It's noise, So do you believe it?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
How much do you believe that it's just noise and
it'll correct itself, or because it's now in his head
as Hugh mentioned that that could carry all the way
through the season on the road.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Yeah, I tend to lean towards the noise because you know,
if he was struggling at home as well as on
the road, I would think that there's something mechanical going on,
there's something health wise going on. But if as he
continues to dominate, it tells me that it it probably
(10:00):
is more of a mental thing and that can be corrected.
I think, Uh, you know, he's he's always struck me
as a as a strong, you know, strong mental guy,
and he has a lot of confidence. You know, eras
can be affected wildly by one bad adding where you
go anything in two thirds and give up seven runs
(10:22):
or something like that. And I haven't looked by it
at his game by games rate recently. I'm not sure
that's the case. But uh, you know, half a season
is a short sample size, and you know half a
season with only half of those games on the road.
You know, Joe's right, it is it is. It could
be statistical noise, but uh, it's something that they need
(10:45):
to get straightened out. You know, there's still three months
of the season, so he has time to do that.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Larry Stone with us, Larry, you mentioned cal And and
it was good to see. How about that that doubly
hat off the wall from the the the left side
where he just looked like a tennis racket. He just
kind of reached down low and I'm gonna throw another sport.
He golfed with a tennis racket out to you know,
(11:10):
so he you know, his power obviously is there. But
I'm wondering We've just dissected in so many angles. You know,
I do wonder this. You know, if you looked at
a table with a whole pilot of dominoes on their side,
there had to be the first one that not started
knocking over all the rest, right and and I'm I'm
(11:32):
now as perplexed as as this season is for him.
The the the a Rose Arena thing, going back to
the WBC and getting bench to the w It's like
it was that like even though one little domino doesn't
have weight, well, you know, fifty dominoes have a lot
of weight, and and you know, I just wonder if
just the juju got just like slightly off calibration and
(11:57):
then and that led to more, and that led to
more and that led them. I don't know, I mean,
I'm grasping, right, where are you with.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Cal on this? Well? I think there's something to that.
I do think the accumulation of things, uh sets it
sets it into motion. I don't think it was so
much the Arosa rain of thing. I think it was
just the disruption of his schedule, his preparation with the
with the WBC, the you know, switch hitter takes a
(12:24):
while to get both sides in gear. He was where
they were training, you know, he wasn't He didn't have
the use of the facility as as often as he
would if he was back in Peoria. So I think
he just fell behind in that. Maybe the Randy thing
was just just a you know, something that that was
(12:44):
an irritant, but you know, maybe it played with him
a little bit. But I think the number one thing
was just the oblique injury. I think he was playing
hurt for a couple of weeks when he had that
over thirty something stretch. That's the large, biggest reason for
his average being where it is. And then he long
stint on the on the I l so uh, you know,
(13:05):
he said there was about a three week period there
where he looked like he was coming back and then
he then he sustained that injury and then it was
just lost and and now he's just finding his way back.
Even in that game yesterday, as he said, you know,
he had that double, two doubles, but in a key
situation with the bases loaded and no outs. I think
it was one out when he came up, struck got
(13:28):
struck out. And then in the tenth inning, you know,
people are talking about the bad base running, uh and
you know by by Wilson, and but Cal needed to
get that runner over the third had the ball hit
it to the left side. You know, you you're you're
batting left handed. I believe he was, and he hit
(13:50):
it to the right side and and that you know,
so two two at bats that were huge in that game,
and he didn't come through. And uh, you know last
year he was coming through in those sitchituations, and you know,
but also encouraging that four or five games now he's
hit up all hard one or two times each game.
And I still think at some point will he will
(14:12):
have a hot stretch and in a much better second half.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Well, I think one needs to happen, is what happened
in nineteen ninety one at Swane's. Now, he was busy
playing with the New England Patriots in nineteen ninety one.
But you remember what Swane's did for Dave Valley, right,
they started selling beers at Dave Valley's batting average. I mean,
which is too easy, right? Why do I need to
think of these things? Which bar around here is going
to start selling beers for a buck sixty four for
(14:38):
Cal's batting average?
Speaker 5 (14:39):
He even has Cal has his own beer.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
You just got to sell the big Dumper beer for
a dollar sixty four. I mean, it just it's perfect.
Do you remember that, Larry, when they did that for Valley?
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Well, I didn't come here, Dick into nineteen ninety six. Okay,
I've heard about it, and I've talked to Vally about it.
In You know, Valley's a great guy with a great
sense of humor, but he didn't have much of a
sense of humor about the pah. He didn't like that
at all. Like that.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I didn't like that at all. Well, Loves were talking
about Mariner catchers. We got a Mariner ketcher that's managing
this baseball team, Larry, and I just want to know, simply,
are you seeing any improvement from Dan Wilson over the
year and a half, what to almost two years that
he has been the manager of this baseball team. He
had another, to me quizzical decision last night when Andres Munos,
(15:34):
your lone leverage reliever.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
Who had just thrown only thrown ten pitches.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
You had already used Jose Ferrer for eight pitches, and
yet decided to take him out after eight pitches. You
decided to take Munos out after ten pitches. And I
put it on on Twitter before it even happened. Larry,
I was like, this, this thing's done, man, I mean,
bring you bring Rucker out there. This thing's done. So
give me your give me your twenty thousand foot view
(16:03):
of whether you've seen any improvement for this guy.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Well, first of all, even if they had used Mooney
Lunos for the tenth inning Rucker, they would have had
to see Rucker at some point, because that's true, they
hadn't scored. They hadn't scored in the top of the tenth.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
But they might have scored the eleven.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
So maybe you know, that's fair enough. That's fair enough. Yeah,
that's they're right. Maybe they break it open with five
runs in the in the in the they want to
need it.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
With Rucker, that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I have seen sign to answer your question, some signs
of improvement. Uh, you know, his use of pinch hitters.
You know, it seems like he stopped doing the left
right thing. And the fifth inning, you know, with with
Railey and can Zone, and then the ninth inning comes
around and those guys are out of the game and
there's a right handed closer in there, and ref Snyders
(16:52):
you know, left the bat, you know when he was
before he went on the I l there's still a
lot of puzzling decisions on pitch usage. But it's you know,
a lot of that is due to the fact that,
as I said earlier, there's only four guys that he
trusts out there, and and that that leads to he's
(17:13):
being he's kind of forced to either maybe overuse guys,
push them longer than you want to. When you're thinking
about the big picture, of keeping these guys healthy in August, September,
and October, or putting a guy out there that that
that you don't that you really don't trust in big situations. So,
(17:38):
you know, the number one thing I think that Dan
Wilson has as a manager is he's a players manager.
He has their back and he gets them to play.
But you know, they're five hundred basically a five hundred team.
This is a team we thought was a World Series contender.
So if that's his strength and and he's not getting
(18:00):
them to play, you know, that's something that they're going
to have to reckon with. You know, it's it's this
is a team that's still in position to do all
the things that we thought they were going to do.
You know, they're in first place with an asterisk because
the division is weak. But you know, all you have
to do is get into the postseason and and get hot.
And so I think he's got the rest of the
(18:21):
season to try to do that. But you know he's
if his strength is getting the guys to play for him,
and uh be a player's manager, they've got to start
playing for.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
The hand ringing and the the grousing that we have
about Wilson, uh and and and that we observe. I
know that that Wilson in a game is not taking
texts or calls from on high.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
We don't think.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
But well, yeah, I shouldn't say I know it. Let
me let me let me rephrase that. I'm not going
to assert or or question whether that's happening. I think
in any individual game, at any individual decision right there
in that moment, I think that's Dan Wilson's. But I
could certainly see, you know, a broader umbrella that that
(19:15):
is placed over him, that maybe other managers are not experiencing.
So it leads to me, that leads to my question
that how much of this is coming from on high?
And uh and and therefore you know he's he's just
merely executing the mandate on a on a case by
(19:36):
case basis, game by game, inning by inning basis. But
he's doing what he's told to do in some shape
or fashion. And in that case, the criticism wouldn't be
with Wilson, it would be from those that are issuing
the edicts and the mandates. Where do you lie on that?
What does your hunch tell you?
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Well? I think I think you're right in that. I
don't think they're making phone calls down to the to
the dugout during the game. I honestly don't think that happens,
even a lot of people think that it does. But
they what they do is they they come up with
a strategy and a game plan, the piggyback being the
classic example of it. I don't think Dan Wilson came
(20:17):
up with that. I think it was a collaborative effort
with Hollander and Depoto, and Wilson had some input, I'm sure,
and also the pitching coach, But uh, you know, I
don't think that was Dan's brainchild. So you know, if
you don't like that, you probably you know, can blame
management more than that, you know. Another classic example is
(20:37):
the the few years ago, the decision to bring in
Robbie Ray to face Jordan Alvarez in that in that
infamous situation in Houston. You know, I think that was
something that had been decided upon beforehand by everyone involved,
and you know, Scott Servis took the bullet on that,
(20:58):
but uh, you know, I don't think that was his
decision alone. And I think that's the way they do things,
has sort of come up with it with a game
plan and a strategy and the manager executes it. So
probably he doesn't deserve all of the heat that he's getting.
But he's a good soldier and he's not going to
point the finger at management, Nor did Scott service.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
Larry always a pleasure. We'll talk to you next week,
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Sir, Sure sure, thank thank you guys.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
You bet that's Larry Stone, brought to you by the Ram.
Wednesday is Burger Day at the RAM. Sixteen ninety nine
gets you a burger side and a beer.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
How about that?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Find more restaurants that you can get a burger aside
and a beer for sixteen ninety nine. You will not
find many out there at all, especially ones that are
as good as the RAM. I want to talk a
little bit more about what Hugh brought up there as
far as kind of the edict on high and what
the plan is in the regular season versus towards the
end of the regular season in the playoffs. I got
a number for you and we'll kind of chew it
(21:55):
next on ninety three point three KJERFM yah
This is Duke of Duke Seafood. Letty you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is proudly 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 KJARFM.
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 digitsund
locations from Marysville to Lacy and everywhere in between. There's
a RAM there you now with Softie and Dick, here's
Larry Stone.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Just realize that the wife is out tonights with her
friends for a dinner, so I am responsible for dinner
for the kids. The RAM is answering the call for me.
It's very very simple decision, Larry. How you doing man,
I'm doing good. I just knocked a new RAM off
the list. I went to the one in Tacoma for
the first time. One oh man, that's that is so beautiful.
(01:07):
Absolutely beautiful. Did you sit outside on the patio?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Uh? No, no, we we sat inside, but it was
it was pretty crowded. The patio was was always full.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, the patio gets packed in the in the summertime,
no question about it.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Well, good stuff. We're gonna talk a lot of baseball with.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You, but first and foremost, I just want to let
you have the floor and give us your your overall
thoughts on the World Cup ouster by the United States.
And then how this city shined over the last two weeks.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Yeah, it really showed itselfself off, well, showed itself to
be a soccer hotbed. I was really my heart was
warmed by by all the the videos of people talking
about how much they loved Seattle and how much they
loved Boston and all the venues where the uh where
the the games were held, and the foreigners, many of
(01:58):
whom thought they were going to hate the US, turned
out to love it. You know. That was kind of cool. Uh.
And then that the game was just a huge letdown,
the Round of sixteen game against Belgium. It just seemed
like they they weren't they weren't in it, like Carli
Lloyd said, almost like they were playing scared and that
was a huge disappointment and kind of kind of left
(02:20):
a sour tase for the for the whole thing. But
I think overall the World Cup has been arousing success.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
Well the World Cup if you distinguish between the tournament
and the pageantry, and then you say, okay, now, now
let's put our sports eyes on the men's national team.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
What are your.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Thoughts if we just kind of focus on that, not
just the kind of the state of US men's soccer
and and or what needs to be done if if
there needs to be an improvement in there.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Well, first of all, Hugh, I'm not going to pretend
to be an expert on soccer the US men's team. Yes, uh,
not not my strong suit. But uh, I mean, you know,
I agree with the with the sort of the the
consensus that something needs to be done about the development system.
(03:13):
Uh you know, I'm not sure what, but making it
more accessible to more people uh seems to be, uh
what what is needed. And I kind of I agree
with that. I think that's a problem in a lot
of sports more than along, not not just soccer, but
and and the goalkeeping seemed to be kind of subcar
(03:37):
you know, the US is known for its for its
outstanding goalkeepers over the years, including you know, Casey Keller
and and and others. But uh, it didn't seem like
he was a world class goal goalkeeper. And and if
I'm wrong on that, you know you can correct me.
But that was just my assessment.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
That's wild.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
He plays in the MLS, so that should I should
tell you all you need to know about the level
for for free Aze. Well, you are expert in the
world of Major League Baseball, Larry, and we have seen
the end, at least temporarily of the piggyback. So looking
back on the piggy back, did you think it had
(04:13):
any impact positive or negative on where the rotation is
right now? Because, let's face it, the rotation is in
a very good place. I mean, Brian Wu on the
road notwithstanding, the rest of this rotation is looking really,
really good.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
I think it was eight of.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
The last ten games quality starts Eer and the twos
over the last ten games for the starting rotation.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Yeah, I mean, I don't think you could say it's
been a disaster that a lot of people predicted, you know,
it was. The rollout wasn't smooth at all. It wasn't communicated. Well,
I think that the turning point was when they all
got together and decided that they were going to do
this as a proof and that really hasn't happened. Twice
(04:57):
it was supposed to happen, and they've uh decided not
to at the last at the last minute. You know,
I think there at the point, Dick where they've they've
got to figure out a way to get another reliever
of quality in the bullpen. There's clearly only four guys
he trusted, he trusts out there with brash out and
(05:20):
you know, and there's many a game where you need
that fifth leverage arm and they just don't have them.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
So you know, well, they got a guy, they got
a game named Castillo that could be that guy.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I was just going to say that it just makes
too much sense to put Castillo out there. There's a
I mean, it's just there's a need for him, there's
a there, there's a surplus of starters. It just it's
a perfect solution. But you know, I still think that
they're that their ultimate solution is to try and trade Castillo.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
And.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Between now and the deadline, and if they move him
to the bullpen, that lowers his trade value considerably. So
I mean he's he's pitching great, he should have a
Certainly there will be some teams in need of starters
who who could use a Luis Castillo, So you know
that's something that really bears watching. Uh So, I honestly
(06:15):
don't think they're going to move them to the bullpen.
I think that's priority. It's got to be priority one
for the POTO is to get another leverage arm out there,
and preferably not wait till August third, which is the
trade deadline this year. You know they need to do
it now.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
Larr's stone with this, Yeah, no doubt. It seems like
you know, their their clear strength the starting pitches, and
and then and then they they have a clear weakness
in terms of the thin nature of their bullpen. You
think you would you'd make some adjustments there. But I
want to get back to Wu for a second, because,
uh here a guy obviously less than a year ago,
(06:52):
was an All Star pitcher, and the quote of the
first half of the year for me, uh this year,
probably for all all players. I can't remember Cal having
a money quote. But when Wu said, I am tired
of sucking, I'm curious, Larry, how often have you heard
(07:13):
major league ballplayers say that? And then, to the extent
that you've heard things like that, what is it you
that usually gets them turned around?
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah? I've heard similar things over the years. You know,
players extremely frustrated with their performance and sort of honing
up to it. And you know, I don't know if
there's a there's one thing that turns it around. I
think he's just got to dig deep and find whatever
is happening on the road, because he is pitching like
an all star at home. It's just when he gets
(07:44):
away from home, something is going wrong and I think,
you know, eventually it starts to mess with your head.
He needs to go out and have a strong outing,
I think on the road to turn things around. And
I think he's capable of it. You know, to me,
it looked like his stuff is as good as it
ever was. It's kind of inexplicable. Uh. You look at
the numbers, the velocity and all that. Uh, it's right
(08:08):
up there, I think, with with where where he was
last year when when you know, he was so dominant.
So you know, I honestly don't know what's gonna what's
going to turn it around. But you know there's about
five players that they need huge turns around turnarounds in
the second half, and he's on that list. And and
you know the list to me is topped by cal Rawly.
(08:28):
He's uh he he is the difference maker between where
they should be and where they are and he doesn't
need to approach what he did last season. But but
he can't be a negative war player like he was
in the first half.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
Oh, no question.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
And you know when it comes to WU, you're right
when it gets mental and when you start thinking about,
oh wait, I'm a different pitcher on the road than
I am at home, That's that's when trouble starts. Because
I went back and I looked Larry at his first
three years in Major League Baseball, and yes, he was
a better picture at home each and every year than.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
He was on the road. But it was like zero
point seventy five to one er better.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
It was.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
It was a marginal difference, which you would think that's
T Mobile Park, right, You're just going to be a
better picture at home at T Mobile Park then you
are going to be on the road. So we had
Joe shean or Ian had Joe Shean on yesterday from
Baseball Perspectives, he said it was too small a sample size.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
It's noise, So do you believe it?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
How much do you believe that it's just noise and
it'll correct itself, or because it's now in his head
as Hugh mentioned that that could carry all the way
through the season on the road.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Yeah, I tend to lean towards the noise because you know,
if he was struggling at home as well as on
the road, I would think that there's something mechanical going on,
there's something health wise going on. But if as he
continues to dominate, it tells me that it it probably
(10:00):
is more of a mental thing and that can be corrected.
I think, Uh, you know, he's he's always struck me
as a as a strong, you know, strong mental guy,
and he has a lot of confidence. You know, eras
can be affected wildly by one bad adding where you
go anything in two thirds and give up seven runs
(10:22):
or something like that. And I haven't looked by it
at his game by games rate recently. I'm not sure
that's the case. But uh, you know, half a season
is a short sample size, and you know half a
season with only half of those games on the road.
You know, Joe's right, it is it is. It could
be statistical noise, but uh, it's something that they need
(10:45):
to get straightened out. You know, there's still three months
of the season, so he has time to do that.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Larry Stone with us, Larry, you mentioned cal And and
it was good to see. How about that that doubly
hat off the wall from the the the left side
where he just looked like a tennis racket. He just
kind of reached down low and I'm gonna throw another sport.
He golfed with a tennis racket out to you know,
(11:10):
so he you know, his power obviously is there. But
I'm wondering We've just dissected in so many angles. You know,
I do wonder this. You know, if you looked at
a table with a whole pilot of dominoes on their side,
there had to be the first one that not started
knocking over all the rest, right and and I'm I'm
(11:32):
now as perplexed as as this season is for him.
The the the a Rose Arena thing, going back to
the WBC and getting bench to the w It's like
it was that like even though one little domino doesn't
have weight, well, you know, fifty dominoes have a lot
of weight, and and you know, I just wonder if
just the juju got just like slightly off calibration and
(11:57):
then and that led to more, and that led to
more and that led them. I don't know, I mean,
I'm grasping, right, where are you with.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Cal on this? Well? I think there's something to that.
I do think the accumulation of things, uh sets it
sets it into motion. I don't think it was so
much the Arosa rain of thing. I think it was
just the disruption of his schedule, his preparation with the
with the WBC, the you know, switch hitter takes a
(12:24):
while to get both sides in gear. He was where
they were training, you know, he wasn't He didn't have
the use of the facility as as often as he
would if he was back in Peoria. So I think
he just fell behind in that. Maybe the Randy thing
was just just a you know, something that that was
(12:44):
an irritant, but you know, maybe it played with him
a little bit. But I think the number one thing
was just the oblique injury. I think he was playing
hurt for a couple of weeks when he had that
over thirty something stretch. That's the large, biggest reason for
his average being where it is. And then he long
stint on the on the I l so uh, you know,
(13:05):
he said there was about a three week period there
where he looked like he was coming back and then
he then he sustained that injury and then it was
just lost and and now he's just finding his way back.
Even in that game yesterday, as he said, you know,
he had that double, two doubles, but in a key
situation with the bases loaded and no outs. I think
it was one out when he came up, struck got
(13:28):
struck out. And then in the tenth inning, you know,
people are talking about the bad base running, uh and
you know by by Wilson, and but Cal needed to
get that runner over the third had the ball hit
it to the left side. You know, you you're you're
batting left handed. I believe he was, and he hit
(13:50):
it to the right side and and that you know,
so two two at bats that were huge in that game,
and he didn't come through. And uh, you know last
year he was coming through in those sitchituations, and you know,
but also encouraging that four or five games now he's
hit up all hard one or two times each game.
And I still think at some point will he will
(14:12):
have a hot stretch and in a much better second half.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Well, I think one needs to happen, is what happened
in nineteen ninety one at Swane's. Now, he was busy
playing with the New England Patriots in nineteen ninety one.
But you remember what Swane's did for Dave Valley, right,
they started selling beers at Dave Valley's batting average. I mean,
which is too easy, right? Why do I need to
think of these things? Which bar around here is going
to start selling beers for a buck sixty four for
(14:38):
Cal's batting average?
Speaker 5 (14:39):
He even has Cal has his own beer.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
You just got to sell the big Dumper beer for
a dollar sixty four. I mean, it just it's perfect.
Do you remember that, Larry, when they did that for Valley?
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Well, I didn't come here, Dick into nineteen ninety six. Okay,
I've heard about it, and I've talked to Vally about it.
In You know, Valley's a great guy with a great
sense of humor, but he didn't have much of a
sense of humor about the pah. He didn't like that
at all. Like that.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I didn't like that at all. Well, Loves were talking
about Mariner catchers. We got a Mariner ketcher that's managing
this baseball team, Larry, and I just want to know, simply,
are you seeing any improvement from Dan Wilson over the
year and a half, what to almost two years that
he has been the manager of this baseball team. He
had another, to me quizzical decision last night when Andres Munos,
(15:34):
your lone leverage reliever.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
Who had just thrown only thrown ten pitches.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
You had already used Jose Ferrer for eight pitches, and
yet decided to take him out after eight pitches. You
decided to take Munos out after ten pitches. And I
put it on on Twitter before it even happened. Larry,
I was like, this, this thing's done, man, I mean,
bring you bring Rucker out there. This thing's done. So
give me your give me your twenty thousand foot view
(16:03):
of whether you've seen any improvement for this guy.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Well, first of all, even if they had used Mooney
Lunos for the tenth inning Rucker, they would have had
to see Rucker at some point, because that's true, they
hadn't scored. They hadn't scored in the top of the tenth.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
But they might have scored the eleven.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
So maybe you know, that's fair enough. That's fair enough. Yeah,
that's they're right. Maybe they break it open with five
runs in the in the in the they want to
need it.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
With Rucker, that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I have seen sign to answer your question, some signs
of improvement. Uh, you know, his use of pinch hitters.
You know, it seems like he stopped doing the left
right thing. And the fifth inning, you know, with with
Railey and can Zone, and then the ninth inning comes
around and those guys are out of the game and
there's a right handed closer in there, and ref Snyders
(16:52):
you know, left the bat, you know when he was
before he went on the I l there's still a
lot of puzzling decisions on pitch usage. But it's you know,
a lot of that is due to the fact that,
as I said earlier, there's only four guys that he
trusts out there, and and that that leads to he's
(17:13):
being he's kind of forced to either maybe overuse guys,
push them longer than you want to. When you're thinking
about the big picture, of keeping these guys healthy in August, September,
and October, or putting a guy out there that that
that you don't that you really don't trust in big situations. So,
(17:38):
you know, the number one thing I think that Dan
Wilson has as a manager is he's a players manager.
He has their back and he gets them to play.
But you know, they're five hundred basically a five hundred team.
This is a team we thought was a World Series contender.
So if that's his strength and and he's not getting
(18:00):
them to play, you know, that's something that they're going
to have to reckon with. You know, it's it's this
is a team that's still in position to do all
the things that we thought they were going to do.
You know, they're in first place with an asterisk because
the division is weak. But you know, all you have
to do is get into the postseason and and get hot.
And so I think he's got the rest of the
(18:21):
season to try to do that. But you know he's
if his strength is getting the guys to play for him,
and uh be a player's manager, they've got to start
playing for.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
The hand ringing and the the grousing that we have
about Wilson, uh and and and that we observe. I
know that that Wilson in a game is not taking
texts or calls from on high.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
We don't think.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
But well, yeah, I shouldn't say I know it. Let
me let me let me rephrase that. I'm not going
to assert or or question whether that's happening. I think
in any individual game, at any individual decision right there
in that moment, I think that's Dan Wilson's. But I
could certainly see, you know, a broader umbrella that that
(19:15):
is placed over him, that maybe other managers are not experiencing.
So it leads to me, that leads to my question
that how much of this is coming from on high?
And uh and and therefore you know he's he's just
merely executing the mandate on a on a case by
(19:36):
case basis, game by game, inning by inning basis. But
he's doing what he's told to do in some shape
or fashion. And in that case, the criticism wouldn't be
with Wilson, it would be from those that are issuing
the edicts and the mandates. Where do you lie on that?
What does your hunch tell you?
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Well? I think I think you're right in that. I
don't think they're making phone calls down to the to
the dugout during the game. I honestly don't think that happens,
even a lot of people think that it does. But
they what they do is they they come up with
a strategy and a game plan, the piggyback being the
classic example of it. I don't think Dan Wilson came
(20:17):
up with that. I think it was a collaborative effort
with Hollander and Depoto, and Wilson had some input, I'm sure,
and also the pitching coach, But uh, you know, I
don't think that was Dan's brainchild. So you know, if
you don't like that, you probably you know, can blame
management more than that, you know. Another classic example is
(20:37):
the the few years ago, the decision to bring in
Robbie Ray to face Jordan Alvarez in that in that
infamous situation in Houston. You know, I think that was
something that had been decided upon beforehand by everyone involved,
and you know, Scott Servis took the bullet on that,
(20:58):
but uh, you know, I don't think that was his
decision alone. And I think that's the way they do things,
has sort of come up with it with a game
plan and a strategy and the manager executes it. So
probably he doesn't deserve all of the heat that he's getting.
But he's a good soldier and he's not going to
point the finger at management, Nor did Scott service.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
Larry always a pleasure. We'll talk to you next week,
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Sir, Sure sure, thank thank you guys.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
You bet that's Larry Stone, brought to you by the Ram.
Wednesday is Burger Day at the RAM. Sixteen ninety nine
gets you a burger side and a beer.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
How about that?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Find more restaurants that you can get a burger aside
and a beer for sixteen ninety nine. You will not
find many out there at all, especially ones that are
as good as the RAM. I want to talk a
little bit more about what Hugh brought up there as
far as kind of the edict on high and what
the plan is in the regular season versus towards the
end of the regular season in the playoffs. I got
a number for you and we'll kind of chew it
(21:55):
next on ninety three point three KJERFM yah
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