October 15, 2025 • 10 mins
Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain ahead of Game 3 of the ALCS against Toronto to talk about the opportunity for the team right now with some historical context, the massive playoff moments so far, and tonight’s huge game.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now back to the ALCS pregame show.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
There is nothing like postseason baseball.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Brought to you by Seattle's closest sports book. Snow call
me Casino in Hotel your place for a true in
game betting experience. Get in on the action at Seattle's
Closest Snow call me Casino in Hotel.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Now here's Saffi and dip.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Here's the pit swinging the cap fell off the first.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Play sad and it's take counting the ball here, cop dollars,
mere kiel, here time the great don't night nothing clums
dolls here, stop up, everybody, stores have ours? Take time
(00:45):
to pay that play?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Well, that was thirty years and thirteen days ago, Dick
Fane at the King No legendary call Rick Riz with
one of the greatest calls in the history of Mariner baseball.
And would have thought that we'd be sitting here thirty
years and twelve days later, still waiting for a shot
at the World Series. But I'll tell you what, man,
we can smell it, we can taste it. And I
(01:10):
know this guy's been waiting just as long as us,
forty two years on the job, and he could be
he could be about twenty eight hours away from seeing
his team play in the World Series. Our friend Rick
Riz joining us right now across the street at Tea
Mobile Park, Rico, how are you, man.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Oh, Softy and Dick, I'm doing just fine. That brought
back a lot of great memories. I got goosebumps again.
Listen to that thing. I mean, so got a broken
bed face it inside the park home run Grand Slam
with Actually so they're involved in there. But it was
incredible that everybody scored and the Mariners are off and
running was the one game play in game and they
(01:47):
finally made it.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Without the winning that game, we don't have.
Speaker 5 (01:50):
This beautiful ballpark and we're not here get an a
chance to get to the World Series this season.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
So man, that brought back.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
Some great memories. Thank you so much, guys. And now
we're making a lot of more more memories with this team,
a very special team here in twenty twenty five, you know,
thirty years later.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, let's hop by about eight thirty nine o'clock tomorrow night,
we're talking about maybe the biggest one ever. So Rick,
I gotta tell you, first of all, I was on
the golf course a couple of days ago with a
guy a little bit younger than us. And he said, hey,
did Rick Riz ever get a chance to call any
games with Dave Kniehouse?
Speaker 6 (02:20):
But maybe a coup, I don't know, maybe a couple,
just a couple, just a couple.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Twenty five years worth of twenty five times one hundred
and sixty two.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
What Oh, that's how many games I did with David?
What what would this? What would this?
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Honestly, man, this run have meant to him? And Rick
personally professionally, what does this mean to you?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Oh? Man, David would love this.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
He was the best, and you know at the prime game,
you know he never missed a big call. He added
to the drama, even with Junior's old time religion called
the home run and Edgar's double down the left field
line and right before the pitch where Edgar got the
double off of Jack McDowell's struck him out in the
(03:03):
ninth inning, Edgar had the double eleventh and he said,
oh man, the Mariners would love a line driving.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
The gap right now with junior speed. You know, that
would win the game.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Here's a swing in the line drive you know, Donald
Lovefield line, Joey Scories, here comes Junior they're gonna wave
him in.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I don't believe it.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
By Omaya just continues to the Mariners are gonna play
for the America League Championship. Holy smoke. I mean, it
was just amazing. He had what he did to, you know,
set up the drama. He had to create the drama
for many bitter years with the ball clubs that never
even got close to the postseason. They finally did in
nineteen ninety five. But he was the best ever. And
(03:38):
I had the privilege to sit next to David, the
Hall of Fame broadcaster for twenty five years, and he
taught me so much. He's one of the main lessons
he taught me was it if it's a bad game,
it doesn't have to be a bad broadcast. But all
of a sudden, in nineteen ninety five, the Mariners had
a great team. Fans came out to the Kingdome, and
that's why we're here today.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
That team saved baseball. For me.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I'm happy, you know, as a broadcast, earned as a fan,
and for these fans here at the ballpark. I'm happy
for them because they've been waiting for such a long
long time and now it's right here for the taking
and you know what, they're gonna take it. They're gonna
get to the World Series this year.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
I love it. I love it. Rick. Those two moments,
the one that we played and the one you just
described with Dave on the call Game five and ninety five.
How does what we saw on Friday with Jorge Polonco
in your opinion, compare with those two moments in Mariner history.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
You know, that's right up there, Dick and Softie, It's
right there with one of the greatest games ever played
with the Loanco getting to walk off base in in
the bottom of the fifteenth inning thirty years before that,
almost to the day where Edgar hit the double down
the left field line to put us, you know, into
the postseason after winning that one game, actually winning the
(04:58):
Meiclank Division Series in Game five against the New York
Yankees and soho the big hit in the one game playoff.
But it's right up there. It's one of the greatest
games of all time in the history of this franchise.
And right now, hore Ploco's becoming part of Mariners lore
because he's got eight hits, eight RBIs in this postseason.
(05:18):
He had two home runs off of Terrek Scoobel the
game's best pitcher, and then later onto the ballgame, with
the game tied at two, cal and Julio Head the
back to back doubles and the Mariners win that game
three to two. Is Game two of the Division Series,
which is the best of five. If they don't win
that game, they're in deep trouble. But they won the
game because of Placo. Blocko had the walkoff they hit
(05:39):
in the fifteenth inning in Game five, and then you know,
he's got the two singles to give the Mariners them
a tie and a lead against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
And that's why the Mariners are here right now at
two to zero with a chance to with two more
ones to get to the World Series. But Bloco has
been absolutely amazing. I just talked to him. I said,
five minutes ago, I said, do it. He says, I'm
(06:00):
just trying to keep it simple, trying to hit.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
The ball up the middle, and by doing that.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
He's come up with some of the biggest hits, not
only this year, but in the history of the franchise.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Well, let's talk about this pitching matchup Rick tonight, George
Kirby versus Shane Bieber. You know Bieber coming off to
Tommy John Blue Jay's traded for him at the deadline.
He was actually hurt on the on the IL I
think when they picked him up, and he's actually been
pretty good. I mean, his era may not show it,
but he's been pretty good for Toronto. So I mean,
how much do Danny and Pete Woodworth and company let
(06:30):
Kirby just roll tonight? And we saw the Dodgers last
night Games one and two with Yamamoto and Snell. They're
gonna ride those guys till their freaking arms fall off.
So how much do you think Danny will allow George
Kirby to go out there as long as he's feeling
it and just own this thing tonight.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
As long as he's feeling it and he's rolling, you know,
he said what thirty one strikeouts in his last three
outings during the course of the regular season, I think
they're going to try to ride him as long as
he's you know, getting people out, have quick innings, quick outs.
I think they're going to try to let him go
deep in the game because now the pitching has been
reset because of what Bryce Miller did in Game one,
(07:08):
allowed him to reset. Miller went on three days rest
and he went six innings. They would have been happy
with four, but he goes six, and now you get
to your high leverage guys.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Fire has been great this year.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Spire Brash, BuNos and the Mariners win that game, and
then Logan Gilbert doing the next night on two days
rest because he pitched two innings in the marathon a
few days before that. So I think with George now
getting the start tonight, third start of the postseason, on
four days rest, pitching on his fifth day, he's ready
to go. I think as long as he possibly can.
(07:40):
I didn't talk to Danny you know about that this morning,
but I think that's the plan. But it is the postseason,
and you know, anything can happen. You know, you try
to all hands on that kind of thing. But I
think George is ready to go deep in this game.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
Rick talk about the importance of having a guy like
Mitch Garver in the clubhouse to remark the team what
it's like to win two on the road and then
get swept in three in a row at all.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, in a playoff series.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Yeah, you know, it reminds us that it's baseball. The
Mariners want to get this done in a hurry. They
win two games on the road, and the Rangers came
home and lost three in a row? What was it
to Houston? And then they came back and won. But
it's never over till it's over. They know that, and
they're going to go after the Toronto Blue Chase tonight
(08:30):
like it's game one of the postseason because they want
to get the job done. They don't want to take
this thing back to Toronto. They want they got three
games here at home. The goal is now two wins
away from the World Series, and they want to win
tonight one to tomorrow night. They want to wrap it
up as soon as possible. But it's baseball, and you
(08:50):
know Toronto's gonna be everything they've got tonight. But I
think this club is ready. Danny Wilson has done a
great job to coaching staff to get these guys ready
after it. But it's great to have a Mitch Garber
on this team who has gone through that and just
can remind the guys, hey, let's just concentrate on this
game tonight, good Game three, and we'll worry about tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Tomorrow. No question.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Man, just get it done any means necessary.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yea fit done. Their faces in the dirt.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It's time to step on it and and these guys
and whatever hope they've got and take it away. Man, dude,
I am so freaking happy for you, but I'll be
happier if they can actually wrap this thing up. So
all the compliments, all the flowers, let's just put them
off to the side and we can talk about that
when they get this thing done. So go get him, Rick,
have fun tonight and we'll talk soon, buddy.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Rick.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
All right, softie, thank you so much, Buddy. It's gonna
be great time here at to Mobile Park.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Appreciate it, guys, love it.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Rick Riz with us on the radio show Man forty
two years on the job, going back to nineteen eighty three.
Awesome man, Awesome that he's a part of this and
hope they can wrap it up partly for him. All Right,
we're gonna break, we'll come back. We're gonna here a
little bit from the skipper, I believe. Dan Wilson. Kevin
Harlan joins at five. We're at Jimmy's.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
Man.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
This place has been packed about one o'clock in the
afternoon right here on ninety three to three kjirfl
Now back to the ALCS pregame show.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
There is nothing like postseason baseball.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Brought to you by Seattle's closest sports book. Snow call
me Casino in Hotel your place for a true in
game betting experience. Get in on the action at Seattle's
Closest Snow call me Casino in Hotel.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Now here's Saffi and dip.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Here's the pit swinging the cap fell off the first.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Play sad and it's take counting the ball here, cop dollars,
mere kiel, here time the great don't night nothing clums
dolls here, stop up, everybody, stores have ours? Take time
(00:45):
to pay that play?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Well, that was thirty years and thirteen days ago, Dick
Fane at the King No legendary call Rick Riz with
one of the greatest calls in the history of Mariner baseball.
And would have thought that we'd be sitting here thirty
years and twelve days later, still waiting for a shot
at the World Series. But I'll tell you what, man,
we can smell it, we can taste it. And I
(01:10):
know this guy's been waiting just as long as us,
forty two years on the job, and he could be
he could be about twenty eight hours away from seeing
his team play in the World Series. Our friend Rick
Riz joining us right now across the street at Tea
Mobile Park, Rico, how are you, man.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Oh, Softy and Dick, I'm doing just fine. That brought
back a lot of great memories. I got goosebumps again.
Listen to that thing. I mean, so got a broken
bed face it inside the park home run Grand Slam
with Actually so they're involved in there. But it was
incredible that everybody scored and the Mariners are off and
running was the one game play in game and they
(01:47):
finally made it.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Without the winning that game, we don't have.
Speaker 5 (01:50):
This beautiful ballpark and we're not here get an a
chance to get to the World Series this season.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
So man, that brought back.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
Some great memories. Thank you so much, guys. And now
we're making a lot of more more memories with this team,
a very special team here in twenty twenty five, you know,
thirty years later.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, let's hop by about eight thirty nine o'clock tomorrow night,
we're talking about maybe the biggest one ever. So Rick,
I gotta tell you, first of all, I was on
the golf course a couple of days ago with a
guy a little bit younger than us. And he said, hey,
did Rick Riz ever get a chance to call any
games with Dave Kniehouse?
Speaker 6 (02:20):
But maybe a coup, I don't know, maybe a couple,
just a couple, just a couple.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Twenty five years worth of twenty five times one hundred
and sixty two.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
What Oh, that's how many games I did with David?
What what would this? What would this?
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Honestly, man, this run have meant to him? And Rick
personally professionally, what does this mean to you?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Oh? Man, David would love this.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
He was the best, and you know at the prime game,
you know he never missed a big call. He added
to the drama, even with Junior's old time religion called
the home run and Edgar's double down the left field
line and right before the pitch where Edgar got the
double off of Jack McDowell's struck him out in the
(03:03):
ninth inning, Edgar had the double eleventh and he said,
oh man, the Mariners would love a line driving.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
The gap right now with junior speed. You know, that
would win the game.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Here's a swing in the line drive you know, Donald
Lovefield line, Joey Scories, here comes Junior they're gonna wave
him in.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I don't believe it.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
By Omaya just continues to the Mariners are gonna play
for the America League Championship. Holy smoke. I mean, it
was just amazing. He had what he did to, you know,
set up the drama. He had to create the drama
for many bitter years with the ball clubs that never
even got close to the postseason. They finally did in
nineteen ninety five. But he was the best ever. And
(03:38):
I had the privilege to sit next to David, the
Hall of Fame broadcaster for twenty five years, and he
taught me so much. He's one of the main lessons
he taught me was it if it's a bad game,
it doesn't have to be a bad broadcast. But all
of a sudden, in nineteen ninety five, the Mariners had
a great team. Fans came out to the Kingdome, and
that's why we're here today.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
That team saved baseball. For me.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I'm happy, you know, as a broadcast, earned as a fan,
and for these fans here at the ballpark. I'm happy
for them because they've been waiting for such a long
long time and now it's right here for the taking
and you know what, they're gonna take it. They're gonna
get to the World Series this year.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
I love it. I love it. Rick. Those two moments,
the one that we played and the one you just
described with Dave on the call Game five and ninety five.
How does what we saw on Friday with Jorge Polonco
in your opinion, compare with those two moments in Mariner history.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
You know, that's right up there, Dick and Softie, It's
right there with one of the greatest games ever played
with the Loanco getting to walk off base in in
the bottom of the fifteenth inning thirty years before that,
almost to the day where Edgar hit the double down
the left field line to put us, you know, into
the postseason after winning that one game, actually winning the
(04:58):
Meiclank Division Series in Game five against the New York
Yankees and soho the big hit in the one game playoff.
But it's right up there. It's one of the greatest
games of all time in the history of this franchise.
And right now, hore Ploco's becoming part of Mariners lore
because he's got eight hits, eight RBIs in this postseason.
(05:18):
He had two home runs off of Terrek Scoobel the
game's best pitcher, and then later onto the ballgame, with
the game tied at two, cal and Julio Head the
back to back doubles and the Mariners win that game
three to two. Is Game two of the Division Series,
which is the best of five. If they don't win
that game, they're in deep trouble. But they won the
game because of Placo. Blocko had the walkoff they hit
(05:39):
in the fifteenth inning in Game five, and then you know,
he's got the two singles to give the Mariners them
a tie and a lead against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
And that's why the Mariners are here right now at
two to zero with a chance to with two more
ones to get to the World Series. But Bloco has
been absolutely amazing. I just talked to him. I said,
five minutes ago, I said, do it. He says, I'm
(06:00):
just trying to keep it simple, trying to hit.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
The ball up the middle, and by doing that.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
He's come up with some of the biggest hits, not
only this year, but in the history of the franchise.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Well, let's talk about this pitching matchup Rick tonight, George
Kirby versus Shane Bieber. You know Bieber coming off to
Tommy John Blue Jay's traded for him at the deadline.
He was actually hurt on the on the IL I
think when they picked him up, and he's actually been
pretty good. I mean, his era may not show it,
but he's been pretty good for Toronto. So I mean,
how much do Danny and Pete Woodworth and company let
(06:30):
Kirby just roll tonight? And we saw the Dodgers last
night Games one and two with Yamamoto and Snell. They're
gonna ride those guys till their freaking arms fall off.
So how much do you think Danny will allow George
Kirby to go out there as long as he's feeling
it and just own this thing tonight.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
As long as he's feeling it and he's rolling, you know,
he said what thirty one strikeouts in his last three
outings during the course of the regular season, I think
they're going to try to ride him as long as
he's you know, getting people out, have quick innings, quick outs.
I think they're going to try to let him go
deep in the game because now the pitching has been
reset because of what Bryce Miller did in Game one,
(07:08):
allowed him to reset. Miller went on three days rest
and he went six innings. They would have been happy
with four, but he goes six, and now you get
to your high leverage guys.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Fire has been great this year.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Spire Brash, BuNos and the Mariners win that game, and
then Logan Gilbert doing the next night on two days
rest because he pitched two innings in the marathon a
few days before that. So I think with George now
getting the start tonight, third start of the postseason, on
four days rest, pitching on his fifth day, he's ready
to go. I think as long as he possibly can.
(07:40):
I didn't talk to Danny you know about that this morning,
but I think that's the plan. But it is the postseason,
and you know, anything can happen. You know, you try
to all hands on that kind of thing. But I
think George is ready to go deep in this game.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
Rick talk about the importance of having a guy like
Mitch Garver in the clubhouse to remark the team what
it's like to win two on the road and then
get swept in three in a row at all.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, in a playoff series.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Yeah, you know, it reminds us that it's baseball. The
Mariners want to get this done in a hurry. They
win two games on the road, and the Rangers came
home and lost three in a row? What was it
to Houston? And then they came back and won. But
it's never over till it's over. They know that, and
they're going to go after the Toronto Blue Chase tonight
(08:30):
like it's game one of the postseason because they want
to get the job done. They don't want to take
this thing back to Toronto. They want they got three
games here at home. The goal is now two wins
away from the World Series, and they want to win
tonight one to tomorrow night. They want to wrap it
up as soon as possible. But it's baseball, and you
(08:50):
know Toronto's gonna be everything they've got tonight. But I
think this club is ready. Danny Wilson has done a
great job to coaching staff to get these guys ready
after it. But it's great to have a Mitch Garber
on this team who has gone through that and just
can remind the guys, hey, let's just concentrate on this
game tonight, good Game three, and we'll worry about tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Tomorrow. No question.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Man, just get it done any means necessary.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yea fit done. Their faces in the dirt.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It's time to step on it and and these guys
and whatever hope they've got and take it away. Man, dude,
I am so freaking happy for you, but I'll be
happier if they can actually wrap this thing up. So
all the compliments, all the flowers, let's just put them
off to the side and we can talk about that
when they get this thing done. So go get him, Rick,
have fun tonight and we'll talk soon, buddy.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Rick.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
All right, softie, thank you so much, Buddy. It's gonna
be great time here at to Mobile Park.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Appreciate it, guys, love it.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Rick Riz with us on the radio show Man forty
two years on the job, going back to nineteen eighty three.
Awesome man, Awesome that he's a part of this and
hope they can wrap it up partly for him. All Right,
we're gonna break, we'll come back. We're gonna here a
little bit from the skipper, I believe. Dan Wilson. Kevin
Harlan joins at five. We're at Jimmy's.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
Man.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
This place has been packed about one o'clock in the
afternoon right here on ninety three to three kjirfl
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com