March 24, 2026 • 35 mins
Where do we watch the Mariners this weekend? They're all over the place when it comes to viewing. How are you feeling about the potential return of the NBA to Seattle, with a vote announcement coming tomorrow? Ian, Anders and Jess share their thoughts. We can agree that we are confident in this next step. Joe Sheehan, The Joe Sheehan Newsletter shares his thoughts on the new way of televised broadcast in MLB. Joe shares his thoughts on the best teams in each division in the AL. He also takes a deep dive into the stars on the Mariners' roster, as well as the AL West. We Check in on the Texts and Talkbacks!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is baseball season. Mariner's getting going on Thursday. I
was here at Root Sports. I'm actually here at Roots
or not was I still am here at Root Sports.
It's the studios we use for the KRACK and Hockey
Network as well. Marriers don't use these anymore. It is
a ghost town. It is sad and depressing here. But
I say that I ran into an unnamed Mariner broadcaster
(00:22):
a moment ago. We were talking kind of a while,
you guess, like the whole question about where to watch
the games this weekend. Yeah, there's three different places, do
you know that? Not Mariner's broadcast. Wherever it's going to be,
however you're going to get it and whatever you're going
to pay for it. However that works out Thursday and Saturday.
(00:43):
Apple on Friday, Oh how you wanney? Yeah, and then
it's is a peacock or NBC on Sunday's right.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Wait do you still have Apple TV?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Because I just got it back only because I just
got a new phone. Oh came with the interesting. Oh
that's good, but yeah, sure fine, Uh, not much on
there I want to watch, but yeah it's fine, and
all those the soccer's there, so it's like a two
month three trials, so that's fine. But yeah, so yeah,
(01:15):
three different places to watch them this weekend. Like confused
yet no, not at all, not in the least for
opening weekend. And you see all the I might touching
on this with Joe because Joe always hasn't. As much
as Joe is a Joe, she's gonn join us at
one twenty hour baseball guy as much as Joe is
you know, the king of numbers and analytics, he was
(01:35):
on the ground floor of that, you know, years and
years ago when these things first became a big deal. Uh,
baseball perspectives and things like that. He's got great opinions
on just the business side of baseball too. And because
I don't know, if you've seen, the people are pissed. Yeah,
because Opening Day is on Netflix for a bunch of
teams too, and people are not happy about that, yeah
(01:56):
at all. And and I kind of get it. I mean,
I mean, I don't know, to me Opening Day, I
know that these guys are paying money, but Opening days
should be your guy, right, I just think it should
be your guy. And base baseball maybe more so than
I think baseball more so than other sports is you know,
(02:17):
the you really you bond with the broadcasters, and maybe
that's just because us here, and I say us here,
we have Dave, but we have Dave knee House had
Dave knee House. And this is Rick Rizz's final year
on the radio. Uh do they have a radio contract?
I don't know. I think they do. But and then
obviously Goldie does a great job and he is now
(02:38):
the defending Washington State sports broadcaster the year is Aaron Goldsmith.
So you want your guys, I want my guys on
the on the broadcast. But yeah, Netflix is doing it.
So the Yankees are on Netflix, and I guess they're
just losing their mind back keys, which now here's the
perverted part of me. And as you know me, well right,
you're allowed.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yeah, you know, yes, I.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Like New York angst. I'm all in. I'm all in.
I'm one hundred percent in on there.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
There's a reason why Nicki Scarlatta is a star in Seattle, Like.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Oh, Nicky, our buddy, we gotta get it back on
the mere it is yeah, yeah, no, it's it's good stuff. Okay,
So four nine four five one to come down to
texta on four nine four five one, just quick on
the NBA. I my understanding is that we won't hear
from Adam Silver until tomorrow, sometime between eleven thirty and
(03:32):
one pm Pacific time. His last media availability for something
like this, he was two hours late. Nice so and
I don't want to say he was late because that's
probably unfair. I mean, you guys know, I'm not a
huge fan of Adam Silver, but that's probably unfair to him.
I mean, there's stuff going on, so whenever stuff is done,
whenever he's done, he comes out and stands at the
podium and in a way we go. And obviously for
(03:54):
this there's two markets. There's only two markets that really
give up rats. You know what about what Adams so
Over says tomorrow, it's a board of governor speeding. If
you're one of the other current thirty teams, you probably
just are not even giving this a second thought. Nothing
burns with you. But it's a nothing burrow. But for us,
it's huge. So we'll probably hear something tomorrow and it
should be an important step in the process, an important
(04:17):
next step in the process. We're kind of gearing up.
We got some things going on. I think I can
say this Jess well, I can't because Softy already said
it on Instagram. Yea walking talks or whatever he does.
Driving with Dave. It was standing with standing with Dave today.
But we're gonna we're gonna be at the queen An
Beer Hall, starting it at one o'clock tomorrow, maybe even
(04:39):
earlier if I need to be there earlier. But well,
we're going to be up at the I'll be at
the queen An Beer Hall tomorrow and then Softy and uh,
I don't know Fan's here tomorrow, but I think Softy
afterwards at three and not a I would I would
phrase it like this, We're expecting good news. And if
there's good news and it's sports related and especially something
(05:00):
like this, you know this is we were the Saunic
station for a zillion years. We want you to come,
maybe grab a pint, celebrate whatever. I think. Simply Seattle
is going to make their way up there at some
point in the afternoon and things go well, And uh,
there's only one place to get Sonics gear. It's from
those guys, Simply Seattle dot com, Mollywap fifteen. Ye have
great gear two they do and that stuff. Honestly, if
(05:20):
something happens, it could sell out pretty quick.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
You know, if we get the news and the news
we're expecting tomorrow is the step in the process it
is necessary is now underway, and that is, you know,
officially exploring and taking bids for the two markets Seattle
and Vegas, and seeing where that takes us and where
we go. I think it was pretty evident from yesterday's
(05:46):
news with what's going on with One Roof foundation and everything,
that we know who one of the groups is and
maybe the only group. And frankly, it probably should be
the only group if for another reason they control the
building and it makes it makes all the sense in
the world for them. VAGA, this is a different story.
They don't really seem to have their blank together right now.
They've got building issues and everything else. I'm with you,
(06:10):
and there's a push for Nashville and some other places
and you know Vegas. Yeah, the league has had odd
number teams before, that's the thing. And then the NHL
obviously did it before when they went to thirty one,
before Seattle got a building and went to thirty two.
So there's a precedent for it. It can happen. Part of
(06:30):
me doesn't mind it, to be honest with you, if
it was just thirty one for now and Vegas has
to wait kind of like the reverse effect of what
happened with the NHL, like like the irony of that
would be amazing story. Yeah, Like, okay, well, Vegas, we
want you, but we're not going to go to Nashville
or Vancouver or Kansas City, uh for an NBA expansion franchise,
(06:52):
because's gonna wait for you, Vegas to get your building
and your ownership put together, mostly the building because they
don't want to play at Team Mobile Arena. They got
too many dates already there with not just the hockey
team but also with UFC and concerts. I mean, that
thing's that thing is maybe the one of the busiest
buildings in the country, is my understanding. So they don't
even need an NBA team in that building, and that
(07:14):
would be the twist on that would be spectacular. The
fact that now it's the issues on the other foot.
The way, the reason I'd really like that to be
the case is from a I'm way ahead, okay, I'm
just jumping way ahead expansion draft because then it's just
one team picking and not two, right, So you truly
(07:35):
have your pick. The last time they did this was
with Charlotte and they were able to protect eight players.
You know, all of a sudden, if you're going back
and forth and training picks with another team, your talent
pool is diminished greatly. Right, that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
And it's already going to be diminished, right, Well, you're.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Just gonna take on. It's gonna be a bunch of
bad contracts available, is what it's going to be.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Like.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I laughed because somebody said yesterday they're killing the cracket
on their expansion draft. And there's a couple of things
I killed them on even five years ago. But by
and large, they got what they could get, you know,
without taking on awful contracts or what have you. So yeah,
I mean it's I'd like to see that. But here
we are on the cusp of this, and so I'll
just kind of ask, and well, I don't think we'll
do cross talk today, guys, because we have a short show.
(08:17):
Softy had a short show, so we'll save some time
for Texans.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I'm sure he'll be okay with that.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I'm sure he'll be fine. I just how are we
how we feeling? Are we nervous? We're good, were excited?
Do we care? I mean I kind of. I'm just
because this is the last time pre announcement of one
way or the other. How we How are we feeling?
I'll ask you two guys, are we Are you just excited?
Are you nervous? Are you kind of apathetic? Andrews? We'll
start with you.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Uh yeah, I mean to me, I because I think
it's almost a foregone conclusion of what's going on. I'm
not taking this as like a huge deal. I think
it's another step and it's it gets it gets us
closer to where we want to be. But it's it's
not the full on announcement that Seattle is getting a team,
So it's not a job deal to me. But I
(09:01):
realized that this is something that needs to happen, and
you know, it's just part of the process.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Jess.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I am excited because I moved here right after the
NBA left, and when I was working back east at
that place we don't talk about it's four letters long.
I was so confident that this would never happen, and
then I moved out here the year after, and I
lived in an area that was very close to what
is now climate pledge arena, and I saw a lot
(09:29):
of companies, businesses dwindle because of the absence of the
NBA being here. I also, now fifteen plus years later,
am married to an NBA fan, And I love this sport.
I love it so much. I've been to the exhibition
matches here, and I am excited for that potential. And
(09:52):
I'm confident that it's going to happen. But it's not
happening tomorrow. A team is not going to just be
here next year.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
No, but it's a significant it.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Is it's a significant, significant step, and I am excited
about it.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I'll just say this, it's there's more. It has to
happen because if tomorrow it doesn't, If that step doesn't,
it's take place. I don't know if it's dead, but
it's gonna it pushes out that it pushes out again.
You know, we're looking at as it is, we're looking
at two full years, right, And you know, and I
think Anders, you and I were talking yesterday at one
point about you know, you've got a young son, like
(10:25):
putting him in your you know, watching a baseball game
with him at some point, watching a basketball game with
him at some point.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
And I would be very happy if he gets to
grow up with an NBA team, that'd be.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So and I will. And you know, Jess, you mentioned
the preseason games, and you know, we all have our
things that we do. Softy won't go to Starbucks, you know,
for example, even to this day, thanks to Howard Schultz.
I mine is really simple. And I've told Purple Sheet this,
you know, and and others that have tried to get
me to go to the exhibition games, NBA exhibition games here.
I will not do that. I will never go to
(10:56):
an exhibition game in Seattle for the NBA unless it's
a tea that says Sonics on the on the good
for you. I'm just not gonna do it because we're
an NBA city. We're not a we're not a secondary city.
We're not We're not the Sounders playing a game in
Spokane right the other day, which was pretty damn cool.
It was cool. Yeah, they jammed it, But we're not that. Okay,
We're not the Kraken playing a game, a preseason game
(11:18):
in Spokane or Anchorage or Portland or somewhere.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
No.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
No, this is this is different. This is this is
We're an NBA city and I will not, and I'm
telling you right now, I will never go to a
game in Climate Plager Arena involving the NBA unless it's
the Sonics period. End of story. I just won't do it.
I just will not do it. I like that. So
I'm hoping tomorrow that this because I think it's been
insulting every year they've done it. And I know that
(11:41):
my boss is probably want to hear me say that
from either the radio station or the hockey team, since
they're the ones to put it on. But I'm telling
you I won't go. We're an NBA city, and hopefully
tomorrow twenty four hours from right about now, we're having
a whole different conversation. We're getting even more excited fournin
four to five one of your thoughts, Joe, she and
talking all things baseball.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Next, it's now time for Ian's weekly visit with Joshian
of the Joshian Newsletter, brought to you by Northwest Hantling
Systems from forklifts, depellant raps, conveyors, toloading, doct equipment. We sell,
rent and service all your warehousing needs. Request a quote
(12:17):
today at NWHS dot com or Divasi call at four
two five two five five zero five hundred. Now here's
Ian with our weekly baseball fix from Joshian.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Well, this is it, man, this is this is where
we sit down with Joe. Joe, are you sitting down?
This is where we sit down with Joe. We're sitting down.
It's it's time to talk preseason preview. Opening week is here,
Opening Night for some is tomorrow. Get out your Netflix
subscription and then and then the Mariners and others open Thursday.
(12:48):
Opening weekend is here, Joe. I asked our guys yesterday,
our MOLLI wop guys, Chris and Nathan this And I
always like doing this because I think baseball is so unique,
so different than other sports. In the following and I'll
ask you the point question and I'll let you tell
me why, because I know you love the game. Why
is opening day special in baseball? Why is it special
and maybe even different than other sports?
Speaker 4 (13:09):
The end of the winter, at the beginning of spring,
even though when we start the season now closer to
winter than ever before, and it's that day where everybody's tied.
The first you can look and say, our guys can
do it this year. We can be the ninety one twins.
We can be the nineteen fourteen Braves. We've don long
history of oh you have no shot, and all of
a sudden you're in the playoffs. You're in the World Series.
(13:31):
And that's what that's what opening day is. Opening day
is the day you have home.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
I agree. I think it's it, and I think part
of it is what you said to Even like as
weird as it sounds, just the weather, it's like, hey,
we've kind of made it through winter more or less.
Although there's places and we've seen this before. Hell, I
remember the Marner's playing in the snowstorm a blizzard in
Minnesota a few years ago, so it could happen, but
it is. It is that time of the year, and
it just kind of kind of gives you a little
(13:56):
little pep in your step. All Right, there's a lot
of things to get to. I want to get to this.
I mentioned this to Andrews and Jests earlier. One of
the things I love about talking with you, even though
your your experience is certainly on some numbers and the
analytics side of being on the ground floor of those things,
you have great opinions on this. The business it self,
the business of baseball is different this year in terms
of people watching games. You know, the Sunday night package
(14:19):
is now different. There's a Netflix Opening Day package tomorrow
which has people in your neck of the woods of
New York up in arms because Michael Kay won't be
on the call or what have you, you know. On
the Marritors, for example, they'll have two local broadcasts which
we still are kind of in the gray about, not
sure where we're going to find them on Thursday and Saturday.
Then they have an Apple broadcast on Friday and national
(14:39):
broadcast on Sunday, all these different places. Like the NFL
does define games good bad for baseball.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I don't like the fragmentation. You know, there's a lot
of conversation right now about you know, an MLB round
up everybody's TV rights yea, and seldom is part of one.
I think there's a vision for that where fans hear
that and it's like, oh, no blackouts, We're gonna you're
just gonna be able to pay one price and get
MLB dot TV. And I can iss you that's exactly
(15:08):
not what ITLB is trying to do. And MLB wants
to round up everybody's rights, so that they can sell
them to seventeen different streamers so that it can get
money from all these different places, and you baseball fan
are gonna have to pay twelve dollars a month to
all of these different places. I don't think I think
this we've started on this route. You know, this is
this Netflix thing with Opening Night tomorrow, and they're going
(15:29):
to get the home run Derby as well, which frankly
doesn't bother me at all. But it's just the idea
that you're splitting up what was once an MLB dot
TV package that covered just about every game to a
whole lot of different places. And I know that's how
they make money, but I think it's going to be
a lot more anti fan than people are ready for.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Ut I'm a believer in there's a couple of sports.
If we look at just the four major let's include
the MLS to make it five. For my argument, I
think Andrews is okay with that, because I think the
argument is made with it. Yeah, of the five big leagues,
maybe even WNBA, but they WNB is pretty basic in
terms of where their games are. I don't think the
(16:07):
WNBA strays much further from ESPN or maybe Peacock or something,
but they're there. MLS was behind a paywall for Apple
for a couple of years. They finally got away from
the paywall, although you still have to have an Apple subscription.
The NHL has done a good They've got into bed
with ESPN, saying it may not be the best deal
we could get, but we need to be on ESPN.
(16:28):
So they're on with ESPN and T and T nationally,
and everybody does what they do locally. I think those
two sports, and baseball is the same. Baseball, I think
you need to make it as easy as possible for
the most amount of fans you can to find your games, Joe.
Not everybody is the NFL where people are going to
pay an extra twenty bucks you know here or there
for a one day subscription so they can watch their
team play on Christmas.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
No, and baseball's got this a lot more inventory too.
It's also a lot more local. Now there's I saw
a post yesterday and you make the argument, we'll look
at all of these national games. It will be I
guess there'll be a game on two D. There's going
to be Peacock. I mean, there's going to be options
if you've got all of these services, but I think
the main thing for baseball is, and you alluded to
this couple months ago, making sure that the people in
(17:13):
your city can watch your team as easily and necessarily
for nothing, at least as cheaply as possible. And there's
certainly some confusion now with so many rsns going under
or just giving up their baseball deals. It's not just hey,
I can turn on Route or Bally or whatever it's
going to be and find one hundred and forty five
Maritors games or Angels games. I think it's going to
(17:33):
be a little more complicated now. One of the things
we've seen with these teams that have been produced by
MLB is that they've worked out deals with local distributors
so that you're going to be able to flip the
channel one hundred and sixty three and get the barrinors.
This will happen, although as I understand, they have not
actually announced the details of this in Seattle yet. I
thought so note Chris Stafford had a note on that
(17:54):
it'll happen and if you have if you do have
table or satellite in the area, you're going to be
able to to watch the team whether there's an additional charge,
I honestly don't know that's going to be on a
local basis. But for a lot of people who have
cut the cord and you just want to be able
to pull up their iPad or set up their grow
cool or whatever, all of these changes are going to
(18:16):
make things better for them because a lot of these
new love these new services are going to be blackout put.
So you're going to be able to watch your Mariners
as part of MLB dot tv without paying an extra charge.
And I guess there's an ESPN component to it now.
I have to be honest with you, I haven't looked
back carefully at it. I'll figure this all out, but
(18:37):
I get cable extra inning still, so the streaming part
of it doesn't even affect me. I'm just gonna I
watch a lot of games on my tele mission.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Joshi enjoined us. Big thanks to Eric Gordon for bringing
Johan back with us every week this baseball season. Each
week Joe is brought to you by Northwest Handling Systems
from forkliffs to pilot racks, conveyors, the loading dock equipment.
We sell, rent and service all your warehousing needs. Request
a quote today and WHS dot com or give them
a call for two five two five five zero five hundred.
That's for five two five five zero five hundred n
(19:06):
WHS dot com. And let's get to some baseball. Joe
on the field, All Mariner fans, you're gonna like, you're
gonna like about a week and a half, n even
a week ago. Joe Shean's division and World Series predictions.
I'll let you tell people who you think is gonna
get into the playoffs in the American League. Let's start there.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Joe Red Sox to win the American League East. I
think I'm a high man on the Red Sox. I mean,
most people are picking the tree of the Yankees and
the Blue Jays. The Earls have some backers. It's going
to be a great division. You can theoretically have five
teams above five hundred. You could have all three AL
Wild Car teams coming out of the AL East. But
give me the Red Sox with the pitching editions that
(19:44):
they made and with all their young talent coming through
the system in the Central. I ended up with the Tigers.
I thought in the offseason, I really like what the
Royals look like. But getting Valdez made a big difference
from me in terms of projecting the Tiger. So I
ended up with them a top the division and then
the Marriors in the West. I mean, you know, I
was all over them last year. I did have the
(20:05):
Rangers winning the division last year at the Marriers making
the playoffs, but by mid season it was clear if
the Marriers were the best team in that division wildcards,
I guess, I guess I should remember my own picks,
right Yan, And you know it's you could tell me
eleven teams make the playoffs in the ALE, and I
(20:25):
think they It's that kind of depth in that in
that mingue right now, I really do think that the
ALE is well ahead of the National League. So that's
what you got there. And then you know, I've bet
the Marriers winning the Pennant. I mean, I will see
what happens in October, but I bet the Marors winning
the Pennant.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
What is it about the Marriers that has changed from
a year ago when you had them as a wildcard team?
They didn't They didn't do a ton in the off season,
but they're kind of running it back in a sense. Donovan,
maybe the biggest acquisition of all, uh, they lose Polanco,
which I think a few of us here a little
curious how that's gonna work out, especially with the the
the infield. But what what is Joe Sheen like about
(21:01):
the Mariners.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
What's funny because I think come last August, after the
great start he had and then got hitting for four months,
I think everybody would have been happy to get rid
of Horat Polanko. And of course he had the big September,
he had the big offseason CV postseason.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
So.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Bounced around on that. But I think that's so many infielders.
You know. I looked at Koljong and you know, didn't hit,
but played really good defense. At the end of last year.
Colt Emerson hit well in spring training, it looks like,
and then though Leo riuas to play short while Crawford
comes back. We talked the last time, we talked about
my wanting Emerson just to take over the shortstop job.
I think he's writing he was a top five prospect
in Major League Baseball. He's ready to play in the
(21:37):
major league now. I think that by the end of
the year this will be a better team than it
is right now. But Donovan helps a lot gives him
a true leadoff hitter. Arazarena wasn't that guy. Julio Rodriguez
has never been that guy. They finally have somebody to
bat in the off and I think that's gonna help
the offense flow a lot better. Any of the top
four starters are the top four starters, now, you know,
I was high on Bryce Miller over the winter after
(21:58):
we saw from him in the off season. It should
be again in the post season. It's It's it's spring
training for talkers too, so I'm still kind of working
out some of the kings there. Okay, Bryce Millar obviously
the oblique injury from hell, It's going to be Hancock
to start the season. One of the big risks I
think the Maris have is a lack of depth, pitching depth.
(22:21):
If if they the next guy in line might be
Dane Dunning, who kind of washed out of the Ranger
system a couple of years ago. The top two pitching
prospects are down a ball, Kat Anderson. It was the
number three pick in the draft last year. I don't
know that they're going to get a whole off on
the system. So were they to have some of the
pitching injuries like they did to Gilbert last year, like
did the Kirby last year. That could be the one
(22:42):
thing that undercuts this season. They just don't have any
starting depth.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
They were Joshian joining us brought to by Northwest Handling
Systems show they had a historic season. Obviously, as we
all know from cal Rawley, regression probably seems to be
on the docket. I don't know if he's going to
go back to back sixty home run seasons. What do
you think is realistic to expect from and what do
they need from cal Rawley this year?
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Just to go back to being the guy he was.
If he just repeats what he did in twenty twenty four,
that's a very good player. He was already an All
Star caliber catcher, one of the best catcheres in baseball.
They gave the big extension getting that in just under
the wire. I think cal Rally would have been a
little more expensive at for twenty twenty five. So just
go back to being a thirty thirty five homewers good
(23:25):
ovp very good bye to play. Obviously. You know there's
a question as to how much framing is gonna matter
for Himing is still going to matter even in the
ABS world, so the things that he does wells will
be there. Maybe you want to get him a little
more rest. They're going with Garber the back of the catcher.
I do think that they've worked him very hard over
the last four years, and maybe you try to drop
(23:46):
him down to one hundred and thirty game guy one
hundred and twenty game guy, just to make sure that
he gets through the season. He was fine in the
second half last year, but in September we did see
him start to wear down a bit, So that would
be the one thing kind of managed to work a
load a little bit. But I just don't think obviously
you got projecting him at sixty one runs again. I
do think you can safely project them at thirty to
thirty five with a good OVP and good defense.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Joshi and Jonas Joshian newsletterle we'll tell you about that
at the end. Joshian dot Com. Just in the division
you wrote about two teams over under win totals. You
have the Angels under seventy and a half wins the
Astros under eighty six wins, calling them a five hundred team.
I'll ask you about those two teams and the Rangers
and the a Athletics as well. Like what's the Ale
(24:28):
West look like? To Joshian, the Rangers.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
Were very good last year and got undercut at the
end of the year by some injuries. They were the
Bookman wasn't good. They lost a lot of close games,
but you look at the underlying numbers and they were
really the second best team in that division behind the Matters.
I've got them as second best team this year in
part because I've got the Astros really starting to We've
seen the end of the Astros dynasty. I mean, they
were a true talent five hundred team last year. They
(24:52):
lost Valdez, picked up tatsy am I. They kind of running,
kind of running in place. Going into this year, the
Strangers team, they went out and added that Mackenzie Gore
to go with the Grom and the Evalde. They guy
rid of Marcus Semi and picked up Brandon Neimo. It's
gonna hurt the defense, but healthy offense, especially the OVP,
which was an issue to them. They've got to stay healthy.
Evan Carter, who had that great postseason two and a
(25:13):
half years ago. Now, if he can stay healthy, he'll
be a big loose for them both defensively in centerfield
and OVP in that lineup. I've got Wyatt Langford as
one of the breakout stars in twenty twenty six. So
just they do a little bit of everything. The offense
killed them last year. I think a healthy Carter, a
healthy Langford, adding Nemo all helps the offense. They got
to get a bounce back from John Peterson because I mean,
(25:35):
they just don't have that power back other than him.
He's guy who's gonna go out there slug five point
fifty against Rity's and give them a reasonable chance. But
I met them in the second best, clearly the second
best team in that division, and then to drop off
to the Astros around five hundred the A's seventy three wins,
and then the Angels are the worst team in the
American leg. The Angels are just they're just so bad,
and they're bad the way that isn't all that interesting.
(25:58):
They pushed up a bunch of prospects. You know, they
take a guy, they draft college, they have the well
developed guys, they push him to the majors and they
turn into two to three win players and that's great,
but you know, they haven't developed pitching since I don't know,
Frank Sinana or something. It's just been a really long
time they've been put a good pitching staff on the man.
You look at Jose Soriano, he's like a number three
or number four. He's their number one. You say to
(26:20):
COUCHA is the same thing the liberation the starter who's
being forced up to a one or two slot for them.
So the bullpen's bad. The defense is the worst in baseball.
So you have a pitching staff that's not going to
strike down a ton of guys in front of a defense,
it's going to put a lot of balls in play
in tournament A hits. So I think the Angels are
really a disaster right now, and I'm not sure where
they go from here. They almost have to start completely over,
(26:43):
you know, kind of do what the Nationals are done,
kind of do with the Marlins have done to a
certain extent. Just to get back to contention.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I like to hear that, though, makes you know, hopefully
some some games that they can kind of shock up
as some series wins.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
No way end of the Astros dynasty.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I've been hoping for that the last five years. Thank you,
Thank you him in the studio, I think Joe. I
think everyone in seel Joe was likely to hear that.
To be honest with you, let's start with the Mariners.
Let's go yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, let's do it all right? Hey,
just real quick, Abs, you mentioned it. We saw it
(27:19):
in spring training, uh and and kind of kept an
eye on it. What are your thoughts? How is this
going to affect a game? What are fans going to notice?
What are you just I think, because that's a big
thing we're going to see just outside of the actual
people on the field.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
It's pretty seamless. I've experienced at a minor league games,
and fans do tend to like it. There's that moment
of ooh is it a ball? Or of strike upon
the video screen, because that's what you want to do.
You want to go to a baseball game and look
at a video screen. Uh. It's quick, it's and you
don't really notice it once you once you see it
once or twice. I will say that we've seen a
lot of aggressive challenging in the spring because people are
(27:51):
getting used to it. Let's try this out. There was
a game where five straight pitches were overturned. You won't
see as much challenging in the regular season because the
challenges have a value to them. You don't want to
waste them in a two out nobody on situation. You
don't want to waste them in a no two count.
You don't want to waste them with your worst hitters
of the lad up, so you have see less challenge.
I think the tactical aspects of challenging are going to
(28:13):
overwhelm me. You know, the ball strike part of it.
The Brewers had a great idea, which was they were
literally going to signal from the dugout with a green
or red sign whether the batter was allowed to challenge
based on the context of is at bat, and the
commissioner the league just immediately slapped that down. They want
this to be a player generated thing. But I guarantee
(28:34):
you the players are going to know going up to
the to the plate whether they're allowed to challenge or
not based on a game state.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
To a game, right, I think each each team has
to a game and then you wrong challenges.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
You can be wrong twice, you can be right as
many times as you want.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Okay, Yeah, so there has to be some Yeah, there
is some strategy with it, for sure. No doubt about it.
The Joe Shian newsletter for baseball fans, and we know
there's a lot of baseball and we especially saw that
last fault, especially in the month of October. What are
they getting with the Joshian newsletter in joshian dot com.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Yeah, it's good. I had a lot of a Marinus
fans come through you Ian last year and debscribed to
the newsletter. I'm glad they did. I hope more will
come on this year, but it just it's covered in
the game. I'm obviously stad had. I was one of
the original guys at Baseball Perspectives. That's kind of my framework.
But I think the writing is what makes it. I
think people really enjoy reading it. Right now is a
great time to sign up. The season previous series is
ongoing capsules on all thirty teams. They did today for
(29:30):
my annual Wins and Losses over Unders, a bunch of
player props in there. I do have separate gaming newsletter,
but once a year I do it the main feed.
What I had I had all the standings runs, loud Runs,
Prevented Wins Losses all came out last week. I just
haven't kind to sign up, so Joshian dot com. You
gets the excerpts. There was a complete piece from over
(29:51):
the weekend that had three of the team capsules on there.
There's a separate page you can check out that's a
whole bunch twenty twenty to thirty three pieces for the archives.
You can check out get all the information and help
you sign up.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Go check it out, Mariner fans, the writing is fantastic.
It's great stuff. You're a baseball fan, and we've got
a lot of them here. Go check it out Joe
Shean dot com. When we reconvene next week, so we'll
have a series under our belts here in Seattle and
all across Major League Baseball, so we'll have some actual
games to speak about. And I can't wait. We'll talk
to you then there you go. That is Joshi and
(30:24):
Joshian dot com. Love having them on every Tuesday. Best
during the baseball season. Yeah, I just it's listen. He's
a stat nerd, but he can talk on a level
we all understand.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Yeah, And I think for those of you who are
Mariner fans who maybe don't follow the rest of Major
League Baseball and you want to kind of get into
it a little bit more y just to kind of
see the scope of the league. You don't have to
watch every single game. That's a perfect place to kind
of see what's going on.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Is a great point too, because it's not like going
to like ESPN dot com, but every story is on
the Yankees, Okay exactly. I mean he actually talks about
all the teams, and in a different level than then
you see else. Take a break, come back, We've got
We've got a lot of text to get to. Four
nine four. I have won. That's next.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
From the R and R Foundation Specialist broadcast Studio. Now
back to Ian Fornez powered by Seattle Closest sports book,
Snow call Me Casino and Hotel on Sports Radio ninety
three point three kJ R FM.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
All right, let's get some text four one four if
I want to combat text line just kind of asked, hey,
ahead of what could be a big step tomorrow and
a special day tomorrow, what are we thinking? What are
we feeling? If you're a Seattle sports fan, Ryan don't care.
NBA is a trash products Stars missed twenty five percent
of the season. Regular season is pointless. I wish we
never lost the Sonics, But whatever ourybody, Keith Miller A
(31:44):
rare serious one for me. If when when we get
the Soups back in the full one hundred percent ball
in the air, players and fans, I'll be full gass
for them. Until then, I'm attired of the old of
the boy crying wolf and got off that roller coaster
after the Kevin Johnson King's heartbreak two o six. The
NBA is loosey with the foot fall in Seattle is
Charlie Brown. Every time we believe it's our time, the
NBA pulls the ball away. Can't be this point if
(32:04):
you don't have any expectations, begin with I want the
Sonics back, but don't trust the NBA. Marcus literally could
care less one way or the other. Been happy for
the people that are excited four to five Steve from
Stay our Sonics, Hey, Steve, what's up? Numbers years ago?
I'm with you in The NBA has been so dead
to me that I don't even know that Okay Se
won a title until yesterday. But I'll be back to
(32:25):
the day the Sonics return. It's like the first positive
one I'm looking at all these texts. It makes sense,
though I'm very curious I'm gonna be very curious because
oftentimes on the text line, even sometimes the talkbacks, I
think you too, since you're the ones that edit these
all the time, we agree, maybe we get it. They
(32:46):
tend to, especially texts, tend to trend towards more negative
than positive. Yes, But over the last couple of weeks,
when this stuff's been gaining traction and momentum, I think
we would all agree that by and large, there haven't
been a lot of positive. There has been a lot
(33:07):
of the feedback has been more negative than positive.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
I do have a question for the text line at
what for those of you who care, Like there's some
of you like Marcus and said he didn't care. But
you know, for those who are excited, he's excited for them.
But for those of you who are son expands and
want them back, at what point will you allow yourself
to get excited?
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Yeah, I mean Tomorrow's that'd be the question to asked tomorrow,
to be honest with you, right, because I think that
would be I think that wins over more people.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Yeah, what's the point of no return? If they vote
that there's expansion? Is is it like basically happening.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
If they vote tomorrow that you're moving ahead. Yes, it's happening.
I'm just taking bit.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
That's kind of what I thought too.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Yeah, I mean it's not the announcement, right, see the announcement. Correct.
My understanding is though that this is a little bit different.
This is not the NHL. There's no there's not gonna
be a ticket drive any of that kind of nonsense,
you know, where you've got to prove to the league
that you can sell tickets or like, you know, the
NHL wanted to see, hey, will people buy tickets? Right,
(34:09):
And that's why they did that because remember there was
a deposit attached to that. It wasn't free, but it
was like you didn't just say yeah, was it fifty
or five hundred or one hundred? It was enough where
you have significant Yeah, I mean it was it was.
It was they're not doing that here. Tomorrow is gonna
be fun. Like I'm just gonna tell you right now.
(34:29):
I think it's I think I think it'll change the
attitude a lot of folks. And this is a fun week.
We got opening day on Thursday, we got that tomorrow.
Jsn's got a press conference tomorrow. What the hell? You know,
what going on? Tomorrow, Softy has John Wilner coming up
as well as Everett fits You from Florida ahead of
the Kraken and Panthers at three point thirty, which is
the pregame show here on KJR. All right, beer Hall tomorrow,
(34:53):
Queen and beer Hall hopefully having a little celebrate the
hopefully having a pint or two to raise and celebration
of of Adam Silver finally doing something for our city.
That's my only negative. I think he's a zero man.
I think he is an absolute flat out he's zero.
I think he's on the Rob Manford level of my book.
(35:14):
I'll change that tune tomorrow perhaps, so at one o'clock
it comes out and he has a press conference. It's
a little bit better than we've had lately. Dave, Softie
Mallar coming up again, John Wilder ever fits you join him.
Talk to you tomorrow for.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
The mild mannered and marginally objectionable Inverness. This is Paddled
Day saying so long everyone,
It is baseball season. Mariner's getting going on Thursday. I
was here at Root Sports. I'm actually here at Roots
or not was I still am here at Root Sports.
It's the studios we use for the KRACK and Hockey
Network as well. Marriers don't use these anymore. It is
a ghost town. It is sad and depressing here. But
I say that I ran into an unnamed Mariner broadcaster
(00:22):
a moment ago. We were talking kind of a while,
you guess, like the whole question about where to watch
the games this weekend. Yeah, there's three different places, do
you know that? Not Mariner's broadcast. Wherever it's going to be,
however you're going to get it and whatever you're going
to pay for it. However that works out Thursday and Saturday.
(00:43):
Apple on Friday, Oh how you wanney? Yeah, and then
it's is a peacock or NBC on Sunday's right.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Wait do you still have Apple TV?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Because I just got it back only because I just
got a new phone. Oh came with the interesting. Oh
that's good, but yeah, sure fine, Uh, not much on
there I want to watch, but yeah it's fine, and
all those the soccer's there, so it's like a two
month three trials, so that's fine. But yeah, so yeah,
(01:15):
three different places to watch them this weekend. Like confused
yet no, not at all, not in the least for
opening weekend. And you see all the I might touching
on this with Joe because Joe always hasn't. As much
as Joe is a Joe, she's gonn join us at
one twenty hour baseball guy as much as Joe is
you know, the king of numbers and analytics, he was
(01:35):
on the ground floor of that, you know, years and
years ago when these things first became a big deal. Uh,
baseball perspectives and things like that. He's got great opinions
on just the business side of baseball too. And because
I don't know, if you've seen, the people are pissed. Yeah,
because Opening Day is on Netflix for a bunch of
teams too, and people are not happy about that, yeah
(01:56):
at all. And and I kind of get it. I mean,
I mean, I don't know, to me Opening Day, I
know that these guys are paying money, but Opening days
should be your guy, right, I just think it should
be your guy. And base baseball maybe more so than
I think baseball more so than other sports is you know,
(02:17):
the you really you bond with the broadcasters, and maybe
that's just because us here, and I say us here,
we have Dave, but we have Dave knee House had
Dave knee House. And this is Rick Rizz's final year
on the radio. Uh do they have a radio contract?
I don't know. I think they do. But and then
obviously Goldie does a great job and he is now
(02:38):
the defending Washington State sports broadcaster the year is Aaron Goldsmith.
So you want your guys, I want my guys on
the on the broadcast. But yeah, Netflix is doing it.
So the Yankees are on Netflix, and I guess they're
just losing their mind back keys, which now here's the
perverted part of me. And as you know me, well right,
you're allowed.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yeah, you know, yes, I.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Like New York angst. I'm all in. I'm all in.
I'm one hundred percent in on there.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
There's a reason why Nicki Scarlatta is a star in Seattle, Like.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Oh, Nicky, our buddy, we gotta get it back on
the mere it is yeah, yeah, no, it's it's good stuff. Okay,
So four nine four five one to come down to
texta on four nine four five one, just quick on
the NBA. I my understanding is that we won't hear
from Adam Silver until tomorrow, sometime between eleven thirty and
(03:32):
one pm Pacific time. His last media availability for something
like this, he was two hours late. Nice so and
I don't want to say he was late because that's
probably unfair. I mean, you guys know, I'm not a
huge fan of Adam Silver, but that's probably unfair to him.
I mean, there's stuff going on, so whenever stuff is done,
whenever he's done, he comes out and stands at the
podium and in a way we go. And obviously for
(03:54):
this there's two markets. There's only two markets that really
give up rats. You know what about what Adams so
Over says tomorrow, it's a board of governor speeding. If
you're one of the other current thirty teams, you probably
just are not even giving this a second thought. Nothing
burns with you. But it's a nothing burrow. But for us,
it's huge. So we'll probably hear something tomorrow and it
should be an important step in the process, an important
(04:17):
next step in the process. We're kind of gearing up.
We got some things going on. I think I can
say this Jess well, I can't because Softy already said
it on Instagram. Yea walking talks or whatever he does.
Driving with Dave. It was standing with standing with Dave today.
But we're gonna we're gonna be at the queen An
Beer Hall, starting it at one o'clock tomorrow, maybe even
(04:39):
earlier if I need to be there earlier. But well,
we're going to be up at the I'll be at
the queen An Beer Hall tomorrow and then Softy and uh,
I don't know Fan's here tomorrow, but I think Softy
afterwards at three and not a I would I would
phrase it like this, We're expecting good news. And if
there's good news and it's sports related and especially something
(05:00):
like this, you know this is we were the Saunic
station for a zillion years. We want you to come,
maybe grab a pint, celebrate whatever. I think. Simply Seattle
is going to make their way up there at some
point in the afternoon and things go well, And uh,
there's only one place to get Sonics gear. It's from
those guys, Simply Seattle dot com, Mollywap fifteen. Ye have
great gear two they do and that stuff. Honestly, if
(05:20):
something happens, it could sell out pretty quick.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
You know, if we get the news and the news
we're expecting tomorrow is the step in the process it
is necessary is now underway, and that is, you know,
officially exploring and taking bids for the two markets Seattle
and Vegas, and seeing where that takes us and where
we go. I think it was pretty evident from yesterday's
(05:46):
news with what's going on with One Roof foundation and everything,
that we know who one of the groups is and
maybe the only group. And frankly, it probably should be
the only group if for another reason they control the
building and it makes it makes all the sense in
the world for them. VAGA, this is a different story.
They don't really seem to have their blank together right now.
They've got building issues and everything else. I'm with you,
(06:10):
and there's a push for Nashville and some other places
and you know Vegas. Yeah, the league has had odd
number teams before, that's the thing. And then the NHL
obviously did it before when they went to thirty one,
before Seattle got a building and went to thirty two.
So there's a precedent for it. It can happen. Part of
(06:30):
me doesn't mind it, to be honest with you, if
it was just thirty one for now and Vegas has
to wait kind of like the reverse effect of what
happened with the NHL, like like the irony of that
would be amazing story. Yeah, Like, okay, well, Vegas, we
want you, but we're not going to go to Nashville
or Vancouver or Kansas City, uh for an NBA expansion franchise,
(06:52):
because's gonna wait for you, Vegas to get your building
and your ownership put together, mostly the building because they
don't want to play at Team Mobile Arena. They got
too many dates already there with not just the hockey
team but also with UFC and concerts. I mean, that
thing's that thing is maybe the one of the busiest
buildings in the country, is my understanding. So they don't
even need an NBA team in that building, and that
(07:14):
would be the twist on that would be spectacular. The
fact that now it's the issues on the other foot.
The way, the reason I'd really like that to be
the case is from a I'm way ahead, okay, I'm
just jumping way ahead expansion draft because then it's just
one team picking and not two, right, So you truly
(07:35):
have your pick. The last time they did this was
with Charlotte and they were able to protect eight players.
You know, all of a sudden, if you're going back
and forth and training picks with another team, your talent
pool is diminished greatly. Right, that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
And it's already going to be diminished, right, Well, you're.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Just gonna take on. It's gonna be a bunch of
bad contracts available, is what it's going to be.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Like.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I laughed because somebody said yesterday they're killing the cracket
on their expansion draft. And there's a couple of things
I killed them on even five years ago. But by
and large, they got what they could get, you know,
without taking on awful contracts or what have you. So yeah,
I mean it's I'd like to see that. But here
we are on the cusp of this, and so I'll
just kind of ask, and well, I don't think we'll
do cross talk today, guys, because we have a short show.
(08:17):
Softy had a short show, so we'll save some time
for Texans.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I'm sure he'll be okay with that.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I'm sure he'll be fine. I just how are we
how we feeling? Are we nervous? We're good, were excited?
Do we care? I mean I kind of. I'm just
because this is the last time pre announcement of one
way or the other. How we How are we feeling?
I'll ask you two guys, are we Are you just excited?
Are you nervous? Are you kind of apathetic? Andrews? We'll
start with you.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Uh yeah, I mean to me, I because I think
it's almost a foregone conclusion of what's going on. I'm
not taking this as like a huge deal. I think
it's another step and it's it gets it gets us
closer to where we want to be. But it's it's
not the full on announcement that Seattle is getting a team,
So it's not a job deal to me. But I
(09:01):
realized that this is something that needs to happen, and
you know, it's just part of the process.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Jess.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I am excited because I moved here right after the
NBA left, and when I was working back east at
that place we don't talk about it's four letters long.
I was so confident that this would never happen, and
then I moved out here the year after, and I
lived in an area that was very close to what
is now climate pledge arena, and I saw a lot
(09:29):
of companies, businesses dwindle because of the absence of the
NBA being here. I also, now fifteen plus years later,
am married to an NBA fan, And I love this sport.
I love it so much. I've been to the exhibition
matches here, and I am excited for that potential. And
(09:52):
I'm confident that it's going to happen. But it's not
happening tomorrow. A team is not going to just be
here next year.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
No, but it's a significant it.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Is it's a significant, significant step, and I am excited
about it.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I'll just say this, it's there's more. It has to
happen because if tomorrow it doesn't, If that step doesn't,
it's take place. I don't know if it's dead, but
it's gonna it pushes out that it pushes out again.
You know, we're looking at as it is, we're looking
at two full years, right, And you know, and I
think Anders, you and I were talking yesterday at one
point about you know, you've got a young son, like
(10:25):
putting him in your you know, watching a baseball game
with him at some point, watching a basketball game with
him at some point.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
And I would be very happy if he gets to
grow up with an NBA team, that'd be.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So and I will. And you know, Jess, you mentioned
the preseason games, and you know, we all have our
things that we do. Softy won't go to Starbucks, you know,
for example, even to this day, thanks to Howard Schultz.
I mine is really simple. And I've told Purple Sheet this,
you know, and and others that have tried to get
me to go to the exhibition games, NBA exhibition games here.
I will not do that. I will never go to
(10:56):
an exhibition game in Seattle for the NBA unless it's
a tea that says Sonics on the on the good
for you. I'm just not gonna do it because we're
an NBA city. We're not a we're not a secondary city.
We're not We're not the Sounders playing a game in
Spokane right the other day, which was pretty damn cool.
It was cool. Yeah, they jammed it, But we're not that. Okay,
We're not the Kraken playing a game, a preseason game
(11:18):
in Spokane or Anchorage or Portland or somewhere.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
No.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
No, this is this is different. This is this is
We're an NBA city and I will not, and I'm
telling you right now, I will never go to a
game in Climate Plager Arena involving the NBA unless it's
the Sonics period. End of story. I just won't do it.
I just will not do it. I like that. So
I'm hoping tomorrow that this because I think it's been
insulting every year they've done it. And I know that
(11:41):
my boss is probably want to hear me say that
from either the radio station or the hockey team, since
they're the ones to put it on. But I'm telling
you I won't go. We're an NBA city, and hopefully
tomorrow twenty four hours from right about now, we're having
a whole different conversation. We're getting even more excited fournin
four to five one of your thoughts, Joe, she and
talking all things baseball.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Next, it's now time for Ian's weekly visit with Joshian
of the Joshian Newsletter, brought to you by Northwest Hantling
Systems from forklifts, depellant raps, conveyors, toloading, doct equipment. We sell,
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(12:17):
today at NWHS dot com or Divasi call at four
two five two five five zero five hundred. Now here's
Ian with our weekly baseball fix from Joshian.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Well, this is it, man, this is this is where
we sit down with Joe. Joe, are you sitting down?
This is where we sit down with Joe. We're sitting down.
It's it's time to talk preseason preview. Opening week is here,
Opening Night for some is tomorrow. Get out your Netflix
subscription and then and then the Mariners and others open Thursday.
(12:48):
Opening weekend is here, Joe. I asked our guys yesterday,
our MOLLI wop guys, Chris and Nathan this And I
always like doing this because I think baseball is so unique,
so different than other sports. In the following and I'll
ask you the point question and I'll let you tell
me why, because I know you love the game. Why
is opening day special in baseball? Why is it special
and maybe even different than other sports?
Speaker 4 (13:09):
The end of the winter, at the beginning of spring,
even though when we start the season now closer to
winter than ever before, and it's that day where everybody's tied.
The first you can look and say, our guys can
do it this year. We can be the ninety one twins.
We can be the nineteen fourteen Braves. We've don long
history of oh you have no shot, and all of
a sudden you're in the playoffs. You're in the World Series.
(13:31):
And that's what that's what opening day is. Opening day
is the day you have home.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
I agree. I think it's it, and I think part
of it is what you said to Even like as
weird as it sounds, just the weather, it's like, hey,
we've kind of made it through winter more or less.
Although there's places and we've seen this before. Hell, I
remember the Marner's playing in the snowstorm a blizzard in
Minnesota a few years ago, so it could happen, but
it is. It is that time of the year, and
it just kind of kind of gives you a little
(13:56):
little pep in your step. All Right, there's a lot
of things to get to. I want to get to this.
I mentioned this to Andrews and Jests earlier. One of
the things I love about talking with you, even though
your your experience is certainly on some numbers and the
analytics side of being on the ground floor of those things,
you have great opinions on this. The business it self,
the business of baseball is different this year in terms
of people watching games. You know, the Sunday night package
(14:19):
is now different. There's a Netflix Opening Day package tomorrow
which has people in your neck of the woods of
New York up in arms because Michael Kay won't be
on the call or what have you, you know. On
the Marritors, for example, they'll have two local broadcasts which
we still are kind of in the gray about, not
sure where we're going to find them on Thursday and Saturday.
Then they have an Apple broadcast on Friday and national
(14:39):
broadcast on Sunday, all these different places. Like the NFL
does define games good bad for baseball.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I don't like the fragmentation. You know, there's a lot
of conversation right now about you know, an MLB round
up everybody's TV rights yea, and seldom is part of one.
I think there's a vision for that where fans hear
that and it's like, oh, no blackouts, We're gonna you're
just gonna be able to pay one price and get
MLB dot TV. And I can iss you that's exactly
(15:08):
not what ITLB is trying to do. And MLB wants
to round up everybody's rights, so that they can sell
them to seventeen different streamers so that it can get
money from all these different places, and you baseball fan
are gonna have to pay twelve dollars a month to
all of these different places. I don't think I think
this we've started on this route. You know, this is
this Netflix thing with Opening Night tomorrow, and they're going
(15:29):
to get the home run Derby as well, which frankly
doesn't bother me at all. But it's just the idea
that you're splitting up what was once an MLB dot
TV package that covered just about every game to a
whole lot of different places. And I know that's how
they make money, but I think it's going to be
a lot more anti fan than people are ready for.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Ut I'm a believer in there's a couple of sports.
If we look at just the four major let's include
the MLS to make it five. For my argument, I
think Andrews is okay with that, because I think the
argument is made with it. Yeah, of the five big leagues,
maybe even WNBA, but they WNB is pretty basic in
terms of where their games are. I don't think the
(16:07):
WNBA strays much further from ESPN or maybe Peacock or something,
but they're there. MLS was behind a paywall for Apple
for a couple of years. They finally got away from
the paywall, although you still have to have an Apple subscription.
The NHL has done a good They've got into bed
with ESPN, saying it may not be the best deal
we could get, but we need to be on ESPN.
(16:28):
So they're on with ESPN and T and T nationally,
and everybody does what they do locally. I think those
two sports, and baseball is the same. Baseball, I think
you need to make it as easy as possible for
the most amount of fans you can to find your games, Joe.
Not everybody is the NFL where people are going to
pay an extra twenty bucks you know here or there
for a one day subscription so they can watch their
team play on Christmas.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
No, and baseball's got this a lot more inventory too.
It's also a lot more local. Now there's I saw
a post yesterday and you make the argument, we'll look
at all of these national games. It will be I
guess there'll be a game on two D. There's going
to be Peacock. I mean, there's going to be options
if you've got all of these services, but I think
the main thing for baseball is, and you alluded to
this couple months ago, making sure that the people in
(17:13):
your city can watch your team as easily and necessarily
for nothing, at least as cheaply as possible. And there's
certainly some confusion now with so many rsns going under
or just giving up their baseball deals. It's not just hey,
I can turn on Route or Bally or whatever it's
going to be and find one hundred and forty five
Maritors games or Angels games. I think it's going to
(17:33):
be a little more complicated now. One of the things
we've seen with these teams that have been produced by
MLB is that they've worked out deals with local distributors
so that you're going to be able to flip the
channel one hundred and sixty three and get the barrinors.
This will happen, although as I understand, they have not
actually announced the details of this in Seattle yet. I
thought so note Chris Stafford had a note on that
(17:54):
it'll happen and if you have if you do have
table or satellite in the area, you're going to be
able to to watch the team whether there's an additional charge,
I honestly don't know that's going to be on a
local basis. But for a lot of people who have
cut the cord and you just want to be able
to pull up their iPad or set up their grow
cool or whatever, all of these changes are going to
(18:16):
make things better for them because a lot of these
new love these new services are going to be blackout put.
So you're going to be able to watch your Mariners
as part of MLB dot tv without paying an extra charge.
And I guess there's an ESPN component to it now.
I have to be honest with you, I haven't looked
back carefully at it. I'll figure this all out, but
(18:37):
I get cable extra inning still, so the streaming part
of it doesn't even affect me. I'm just gonna I
watch a lot of games on my tele mission.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Joshi enjoined us. Big thanks to Eric Gordon for bringing
Johan back with us every week this baseball season. Each
week Joe is brought to you by Northwest Handling Systems
from forkliffs to pilot racks, conveyors, the loading dock equipment.
We sell, rent and service all your warehousing needs. Request
a quote today and WHS dot com or give them
a call for two five two five five zero five hundred.
That's for five two five five zero five hundred n
(19:06):
WHS dot com. And let's get to some baseball. Joe
on the field, All Mariner fans, you're gonna like, you're
gonna like about a week and a half, n even
a week ago. Joe Shean's division and World Series predictions.
I'll let you tell people who you think is gonna
get into the playoffs in the American League. Let's start there.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Joe Red Sox to win the American League East. I
think I'm a high man on the Red Sox. I mean,
most people are picking the tree of the Yankees and
the Blue Jays. The Earls have some backers. It's going
to be a great division. You can theoretically have five
teams above five hundred. You could have all three AL
Wild Car teams coming out of the AL East. But
give me the Red Sox with the pitching editions that
(19:44):
they made and with all their young talent coming through
the system in the Central. I ended up with the Tigers.
I thought in the offseason, I really like what the
Royals look like. But getting Valdez made a big difference
from me in terms of projecting the Tiger. So I
ended up with them a top the division and then
the Marriors in the West. I mean, you know, I
was all over them last year. I did have the
(20:05):
Rangers winning the division last year at the Marriers making
the playoffs, but by mid season it was clear if
the Marriers were the best team in that division wildcards,
I guess, I guess I should remember my own picks,
right Yan, And you know it's you could tell me
eleven teams make the playoffs in the ALE, and I
(20:25):
think they It's that kind of depth in that in
that mingue right now, I really do think that the
ALE is well ahead of the National League. So that's
what you got there. And then you know, I've bet
the Marriers winning the Pennant. I mean, I will see
what happens in October, but I bet the Marors winning
the Pennant.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
What is it about the Marriers that has changed from
a year ago when you had them as a wildcard team?
They didn't They didn't do a ton in the off season,
but they're kind of running it back in a sense. Donovan,
maybe the biggest acquisition of all, uh, they lose Polanco,
which I think a few of us here a little
curious how that's gonna work out, especially with the the
the infield. But what what is Joe Sheen like about
(21:01):
the Mariners.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
What's funny because I think come last August, after the
great start he had and then got hitting for four months,
I think everybody would have been happy to get rid
of Horat Polanko. And of course he had the big September,
he had the big offseason CV postseason.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
So.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Bounced around on that. But I think that's so many infielders.
You know. I looked at Koljong and you know, didn't hit,
but played really good defense. At the end of last year.
Colt Emerson hit well in spring training, it looks like,
and then though Leo riuas to play short while Crawford
comes back. We talked the last time, we talked about
my wanting Emerson just to take over the shortstop job.
I think he's writing he was a top five prospect
in Major League Baseball. He's ready to play in the
(21:37):
major league now. I think that by the end of
the year this will be a better team than it
is right now. But Donovan helps a lot gives him
a true leadoff hitter. Arazarena wasn't that guy. Julio Rodriguez
has never been that guy. They finally have somebody to
bat in the off and I think that's gonna help
the offense flow a lot better. Any of the top
four starters are the top four starters, now, you know,
I was high on Bryce Miller over the winter after
(21:58):
we saw from him in the off season. It should
be again in the post season. It's It's it's spring
training for talkers too, so I'm still kind of working
out some of the kings there. Okay, Bryce Millar obviously
the oblique injury from hell, It's going to be Hancock
to start the season. One of the big risks I
think the Maris have is a lack of depth, pitching depth.
(22:21):
If if they the next guy in line might be
Dane Dunning, who kind of washed out of the Ranger
system a couple of years ago. The top two pitching
prospects are down a ball, Kat Anderson. It was the
number three pick in the draft last year. I don't
know that they're going to get a whole off on
the system. So were they to have some of the
pitching injuries like they did to Gilbert last year, like
did the Kirby last year. That could be the one
(22:42):
thing that undercuts this season. They just don't have any
starting depth.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
They were Joshian joining us brought to by Northwest Handling
Systems show they had a historic season. Obviously, as we
all know from cal Rawley, regression probably seems to be
on the docket. I don't know if he's going to
go back to back sixty home run seasons. What do
you think is realistic to expect from and what do
they need from cal Rawley this year?
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Just to go back to being the guy he was.
If he just repeats what he did in twenty twenty four,
that's a very good player. He was already an All
Star caliber catcher, one of the best catcheres in baseball.
They gave the big extension getting that in just under
the wire. I think cal Rally would have been a
little more expensive at for twenty twenty five. So just
go back to being a thirty thirty five homewers good
(23:25):
ovp very good bye to play. Obviously. You know there's
a question as to how much framing is gonna matter
for Himing is still going to matter even in the
ABS world, so the things that he does wells will
be there. Maybe you want to get him a little
more rest. They're going with Garber the back of the catcher.
I do think that they've worked him very hard over
the last four years, and maybe you try to drop
(23:46):
him down to one hundred and thirty game guy one
hundred and twenty game guy, just to make sure that
he gets through the season. He was fine in the
second half last year, but in September we did see
him start to wear down a bit, So that would
be the one thing kind of managed to work a
load a little bit. But I just don't think obviously
you got projecting him at sixty one runs again. I
do think you can safely project them at thirty to
thirty five with a good OVP and good defense.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Joshi and Jonas Joshian newsletterle we'll tell you about that
at the end. Joshian dot Com. Just in the division
you wrote about two teams over under win totals. You
have the Angels under seventy and a half wins the
Astros under eighty six wins, calling them a five hundred team.
I'll ask you about those two teams and the Rangers
and the a Athletics as well. Like what's the Ale
(24:28):
West look like? To Joshian, the Rangers.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
Were very good last year and got undercut at the
end of the year by some injuries. They were the
Bookman wasn't good. They lost a lot of close games,
but you look at the underlying numbers and they were
really the second best team in that division behind the Matters.
I've got them as second best team this year in
part because I've got the Astros really starting to We've
seen the end of the Astros dynasty. I mean, they
were a true talent five hundred team last year. They
(24:52):
lost Valdez, picked up tatsy am I. They kind of running,
kind of running in place. Going into this year, the
Strangers team, they went out and added that Mackenzie Gore
to go with the Grom and the Evalde. They guy
rid of Marcus Semi and picked up Brandon Neimo. It's
gonna hurt the defense, but healthy offense, especially the OVP,
which was an issue to them. They've got to stay healthy.
Evan Carter, who had that great postseason two and a
(25:13):
half years ago. Now, if he can stay healthy, he'll
be a big loose for them both defensively in centerfield
and OVP in that lineup. I've got Wyatt Langford as
one of the breakout stars in twenty twenty six. So
just they do a little bit of everything. The offense
killed them last year. I think a healthy Carter, a
healthy Langford, adding Nemo all helps the offense. They got
to get a bounce back from John Peterson because I mean,
(25:35):
they just don't have that power back other than him.
He's guy who's gonna go out there slug five point
fifty against Rity's and give them a reasonable chance. But
I met them in the second best, clearly the second
best team in that division, and then to drop off
to the Astros around five hundred the A's seventy three wins,
and then the Angels are the worst team in the
American leg. The Angels are just they're just so bad,
and they're bad the way that isn't all that interesting.
(25:58):
They pushed up a bunch of prospects. You know, they
take a guy, they draft college, they have the well
developed guys, they push him to the majors and they
turn into two to three win players and that's great,
but you know, they haven't developed pitching since I don't know,
Frank Sinana or something. It's just been a really long
time they've been put a good pitching staff on the man.
You look at Jose Soriano, he's like a number three
or number four. He's their number one. You say to
(26:20):
COUCHA is the same thing the liberation the starter who's
being forced up to a one or two slot for them.
So the bullpen's bad. The defense is the worst in baseball.
So you have a pitching staff that's not going to
strike down a ton of guys in front of a defense,
it's going to put a lot of balls in play
in tournament A hits. So I think the Angels are
really a disaster right now, and I'm not sure where
they go from here. They almost have to start completely over,
(26:43):
you know, kind of do what the Nationals are done,
kind of do with the Marlins have done to a
certain extent. Just to get back to contention.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I like to hear that, though, makes you know, hopefully
some some games that they can kind of shock up
as some series wins.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
No way end of the Astros dynasty.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I've been hoping for that the last five years. Thank you,
Thank you him in the studio, I think Joe. I
think everyone in seel Joe was likely to hear that.
To be honest with you, let's start with the Mariners.
Let's go yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, let's do it all right? Hey,
just real quick, Abs, you mentioned it. We saw it
(27:19):
in spring training, uh and and kind of kept an
eye on it. What are your thoughts? How is this
going to affect a game? What are fans going to notice?
What are you just I think, because that's a big
thing we're going to see just outside of the actual
people on the field.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
It's pretty seamless. I've experienced at a minor league games,
and fans do tend to like it. There's that moment
of ooh is it a ball? Or of strike upon
the video screen, because that's what you want to do.
You want to go to a baseball game and look
at a video screen. Uh. It's quick, it's and you
don't really notice it once you once you see it
once or twice. I will say that we've seen a
lot of aggressive challenging in the spring because people are
(27:51):
getting used to it. Let's try this out. There was
a game where five straight pitches were overturned. You won't
see as much challenging in the regular season because the
challenges have a value to them. You don't want to
waste them in a two out nobody on situation. You
don't want to waste them in a no two count.
You don't want to waste them with your worst hitters
of the lad up, so you have see less challenge.
I think the tactical aspects of challenging are going to
(28:13):
overwhelm me. You know, the ball strike part of it.
The Brewers had a great idea, which was they were
literally going to signal from the dugout with a green
or red sign whether the batter was allowed to challenge
based on the context of is at bat, and the
commissioner the league just immediately slapped that down. They want
this to be a player generated thing. But I guarantee
(28:34):
you the players are going to know going up to
the to the plate whether they're allowed to challenge or
not based on a game state.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
To a game, right, I think each each team has
to a game and then you wrong challenges.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
You can be wrong twice, you can be right as
many times as you want.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Okay, Yeah, so there has to be some Yeah, there
is some strategy with it, for sure. No doubt about it.
The Joe Shian newsletter for baseball fans, and we know
there's a lot of baseball and we especially saw that
last fault, especially in the month of October. What are
they getting with the Joshian newsletter in joshian dot com.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Yeah, it's good. I had a lot of a Marinus
fans come through you Ian last year and debscribed to
the newsletter. I'm glad they did. I hope more will
come on this year, but it just it's covered in
the game. I'm obviously stad had. I was one of
the original guys at Baseball Perspectives. That's kind of my framework.
But I think the writing is what makes it. I
think people really enjoy reading it. Right now is a
great time to sign up. The season previous series is
ongoing capsules on all thirty teams. They did today for
(29:30):
my annual Wins and Losses over Unders, a bunch of
player props in there. I do have separate gaming newsletter,
but once a year I do it the main feed.
What I had I had all the standings runs, loud Runs,
Prevented Wins Losses all came out last week. I just
haven't kind to sign up, so Joshian dot com. You
gets the excerpts. There was a complete piece from over
(29:51):
the weekend that had three of the team capsules on there.
There's a separate page you can check out that's a
whole bunch twenty twenty to thirty three pieces for the archives.
You can check out get all the information and help
you sign up.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Go check it out, Mariner fans, the writing is fantastic.
It's great stuff. You're a baseball fan, and we've got
a lot of them here. Go check it out Joe
Shean dot com. When we reconvene next week, so we'll
have a series under our belts here in Seattle and
all across Major League Baseball, so we'll have some actual
games to speak about. And I can't wait. We'll talk
to you then there you go. That is Joshi and
(30:24):
Joshian dot com. Love having them on every Tuesday. Best
during the baseball season. Yeah, I just it's listen. He's
a stat nerd, but he can talk on a level
we all understand.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Yeah, And I think for those of you who are
Mariner fans who maybe don't follow the rest of Major
League Baseball and you want to kind of get into
it a little bit more y just to kind of
see the scope of the league. You don't have to
watch every single game. That's a perfect place to kind
of see what's going on.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Is a great point too, because it's not like going
to like ESPN dot com, but every story is on
the Yankees, Okay exactly. I mean he actually talks about
all the teams, and in a different level than then
you see else. Take a break, come back, We've got
We've got a lot of text to get to. Four
nine four. I have won. That's next.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
From the R and R Foundation Specialist broadcast Studio. Now
back to Ian Fornez powered by Seattle Closest sports book,
Snow call Me Casino and Hotel on Sports Radio ninety
three point three kJ R FM.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
All right, let's get some text four one four if
I want to combat text line just kind of asked, hey,
ahead of what could be a big step tomorrow and
a special day tomorrow, what are we thinking? What are
we feeling? If you're a Seattle sports fan, Ryan don't care.
NBA is a trash products Stars missed twenty five percent
of the season. Regular season is pointless. I wish we
never lost the Sonics, But whatever ourybody, Keith Miller A
(31:44):
rare serious one for me. If when when we get
the Soups back in the full one hundred percent ball
in the air, players and fans, I'll be full gass
for them. Until then, I'm attired of the old of
the boy crying wolf and got off that roller coaster
after the Kevin Johnson King's heartbreak two o six. The
NBA is loosey with the foot fall in Seattle is
Charlie Brown. Every time we believe it's our time, the
NBA pulls the ball away. Can't be this point if
(32:04):
you don't have any expectations, begin with I want the
Sonics back, but don't trust the NBA. Marcus literally could
care less one way or the other. Been happy for
the people that are excited four to five Steve from
Stay our Sonics, Hey, Steve, what's up? Numbers years ago?
I'm with you in The NBA has been so dead
to me that I don't even know that Okay Se
won a title until yesterday. But I'll be back to
(32:25):
the day the Sonics return. It's like the first positive
one I'm looking at all these texts. It makes sense,
though I'm very curious I'm gonna be very curious because
oftentimes on the text line, even sometimes the talkbacks, I
think you too, since you're the ones that edit these
all the time, we agree, maybe we get it. They
(32:46):
tend to, especially texts, tend to trend towards more negative
than positive. Yes, But over the last couple of weeks,
when this stuff's been gaining traction and momentum, I think
we would all agree that by and large, there haven't
been a lot of positive. There has been a lot
(33:07):
of the feedback has been more negative than positive.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
I do have a question for the text line at
what for those of you who care, Like there's some
of you like Marcus and said he didn't care. But
you know, for those who are excited, he's excited for them.
But for those of you who are son expands and
want them back, at what point will you allow yourself
to get excited?
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Yeah, I mean Tomorrow's that'd be the question to asked tomorrow,
to be honest with you, right, because I think that
would be I think that wins over more people.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Yeah, what's the point of no return? If they vote
that there's expansion? Is is it like basically happening.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
If they vote tomorrow that you're moving ahead. Yes, it's happening.
I'm just taking bit.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
That's kind of what I thought too.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Yeah, I mean it's not the announcement, right, see the announcement. Correct.
My understanding is though that this is a little bit different.
This is not the NHL. There's no there's not gonna
be a ticket drive any of that kind of nonsense,
you know, where you've got to prove to the league
that you can sell tickets or like, you know, the
NHL wanted to see, hey, will people buy tickets? Right,
(34:09):
And that's why they did that because remember there was
a deposit attached to that. It wasn't free, but it
was like you didn't just say yeah, was it fifty
or five hundred or one hundred? It was enough where
you have significant Yeah, I mean it was it was.
It was they're not doing that here. Tomorrow is gonna
be fun. Like I'm just gonna tell you right now.
(34:29):
I think it's I think I think it'll change the
attitude a lot of folks. And this is a fun week.
We got opening day on Thursday, we got that tomorrow.
Jsn's got a press conference tomorrow. What the hell? You know,
what going on? Tomorrow, Softy has John Wilner coming up
as well as Everett fits You from Florida ahead of
the Kraken and Panthers at three point thirty, which is
the pregame show here on KJR. All right, beer Hall tomorrow,
(34:53):
Queen and beer Hall hopefully having a little celebrate the
hopefully having a pint or two to raise and celebration
of of Adam Silver finally doing something for our city.
That's my only negative. I think he's a zero man.
I think he is an absolute flat out he's zero.
I think he's on the Rob Manford level of my book.
(35:14):
I'll change that tune tomorrow perhaps, so at one o'clock
it comes out and he has a press conference. It's
a little bit better than we've had lately. Dave, Softie
Mallar coming up again, John Wilder ever fits you join him.
Talk to you tomorrow for.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
The mild mannered and marginally objectionable Inverness. This is Paddled
Day saying so long everyone,
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