Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - Mailbag Extravaganza (Part the First)

Episode Date: December 13, 2020

Locked On Mariners Contributor Jon Miller joins D.C. Lundberg to answer fan questions in the latest Mailbag episode. Only two questions are gotten to, as replies to both questions each took up an entire half of the show. (Both of which also ran over time.) Find out how Jon and D.C. would run a big league ball club, including how they'd fashion a starting lineup & rotation, and what kinds of players they'd stock their team with. Also, listen as they tell some stories about the various games they've been to, and one very special ballpark in Cooperstown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Here's your host, D.C. Lundberg. Yes, indeed. Thank you very much, Joey Martin. This is actually the 200th episode of Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on podcast network brought to you by Built Bar. Please remember to download, rate, and subscribe to this program on whichever podcasting app that you personally care to use. Ask your smart device to play Lockton Mariner's podcast or any program here on The Logger's. Locked-on podcast network or T-L-O-P-N-O-P-N-L-L-O-N-R-N-R-N-R-N-R-B-N-L-O-P-N-R-G, if you are scoring at home.

As I said, this is the 200th episode of this program, episode 166 of this season, 200th episode overall, and to celebrate a big giant mailbag extravaganza. We're doing a mailbag episode for episode number number. 200. Here with me to reply to some of these emails or to all of these emails, Locked-on Mariner's contributor, Jonathan Miller. John, how are you doing? I'm doing well. Thank you so much for having me for this momentous occasion. His momentous occasion, which I didn't realize, was upon us until I looked at my episode count. But yes, today is our mailbag episode, and here with us once again to read said emails is my personal secretary, Clive Braithwaite

the fourth. Clive, how are you doing today? Thank you, D.C. I promise I won't say anything embarrassing about you or your guest on today's show like I did last time. I have not had the pleasure of meeting John Miller before. Mr. Miller, how are you doing today? I am doing very well, Clive. Thank you so much for asking. All right, Clive, go ahead and read the first email, please. Let's get to our first email. Pamela in Boise, Idaho asks, what would be your managing slash general managing style? What would your strategy be for both? How would you improve the mariners? What changes would you make? What policies to keep the players clean and in shape? Love the show. Well, that's kind of a heavy question, wouldn't you say, John, are a lot of heavy questions in there.

That really is. Let's start with managing, because that was the first thing mentioned. I am a proponent of a small ball type approach. I want my team to put the ball in play, run the bases aggressively and smartly, and put pressure on the defense. I want my lead-off hitter to get on base, who can run, who can steal a base for you.

I want a number two hitter who's a good contact hitter who can handle the bat and bunt if necessary. And then I want my three, four, five, and six guys to have good gap power. And then in the bottom of the lineup, you know, some more speed, some more guys who can get on base and set it back up for the meat of the order. And it does not hurt quite honestly to have a lead-off hitter

who has a little bit of home run pop like Ricky Henderson or Paul Molliter did who can give you an instant one-to-nothing lead. I'll let you reply to that question, John, before we get to the general managing part. Yeah, I go with a little bit of what you did, and that maybe a good example of my style would be kind of a combination of Lou Penella and Whitey Herzog,

who likes to have a good amount of speed, even from, because this is a Mariners podcast, will talk about the great King Gurfi Jr., who would want a guy like him, them to be able to take the occasional base, whether it's the stolen base or doing the Blue Pinella role, playing small ball and taking that extra base. Right, yeah. And you're talking about Whitey Herzog with the mid-80s Cardinals.

That's how I remember. Went to two World Series, 85 and 87, had Willie McGee at the top of the lineup, Speedster, and Vince Coleman, too. They were speedsters' contact hitters who could get on base that way. I don't remember them walking too often, but my memory might be failing me. An on-base percentage for a lead-off hitter, I do think is important, but I want somebody who's going to put the ball in play as well. I want him to be patient, of course, but I want them to take a lot of pitches and make the pitcher work,

and I want someone who's pretty much going to only swing its strikes. I would hope to have a good combination of batting average and on base. Similar approach for a number two hitter. I want someone who's going to make contact, move the runner over, even on just a ground-out, someone who I can hit and run with. The hit and run is probably the play I'd most often utilize. I like putting pressure on the defense. As far as a pitching staff goes, in terms of a starting rotation, I actually think the Mariners are going about it in a decent fashion. They're kind of modeling themselves after the Braves teams of the 1990s, who didn't have a lot of power pitchers,

but they had very good control and good movement to go along with that. Marco Gonzalez is the perfect example of this, and just as Sheffield's also becoming that kind of pitcher. But I would also try to get some innings-eaters in there. I do admire pitchers who can go seven, eight, nine innings consistently. Just as Sheffield is not that type of pitcher yet, and I don't know if he's going to be, because I don't think the Mariners value that too much, although I value that. I want guys who are going to go deep into ball games. Also, the Mariners seem to be filling their bullpen, mainly with simply power arms

who don't necessarily know where the ball is. going. And in my opinion, a pitcher has to have control. If he's walking people, leaving balls out over the plate, begging to be hit hard, that is a recipe for disaster. I value control and movement over velocity in both relief pitching and in starting pitching. Finally, I would also want to have two effective closers, which is very unorthodox for these days, but the Cincinnati Reds in 1990 had the three nasty boys who took turns closing and setting each other up, depending on who was coming up. in the lineup. And I would want to do the same thing. I would want a left-handed closer and a

right-handed closer. And I would swap them out depending on who's coming up at that time in the particular ballgame, use one of them as the eighth-inning setup man or seventh-an-eight-dating setup, and then the other one to close out the ballgame, and I would swap them interchangeably. Let's say you, John. And before I get to mind, so I'm guessing you wouldn't go too much with, like, a lefty specialist and put him in for one bat or throw two pitches or something. No. I want my pitchers to be able to get left. left-handers and right-handers out. I go for exactly that. I am, and I think I've heard you talk about this

before, I am old-fashioned. I would go for a four-man pitching rotation, and I am not wanting these guys to like, well, he went five innings, that's a quality start. No, I'm wanting a guy that can go at least seven. Yeah, absolutely. And it goes for the pitcher's ego, if he's, say, potentially a free agent in this what-if scenario, and he's getting a few more wins, or is seen as a workhorse because he's going 200, 250 innings. Being a workhorse is valuable in today's game. Because there are so few of them. Yes.

So doing that and if he per chance got that shut out instead of taking him out after seven or eight, that all of this is a boost to his stats and you will either as the GM be paying him more in the future or that will get him more in the future. I guarantee the pitch. one's that. That's actually a very good point and one that I hadn't thought of, but you're right. It's more lucrative for a starting pitcher to be that workhorse that you described,

because there are so few of them, there's a premium on it, but we are really running out of time, so we have to move on. This one email is going to take up the entire first half of the show, by the way, gang. We're going to talk about how we would set up a bench. For my bench, I value versatility. I would want reserves who can play multiple positions, and that also seems to be the Mariners approach. They have Tim Lopes, Dylan Moore, and Telegram Sam Haggretty, who can play the infield and the outfield. Jose Marmalajos can play first base and both corner outfield spots. I value versatility, and I'm a fan of the Mariners bench. What say you? Very much a fan of the Mariners bench, having the versatility, players who can play different

positions, having a little bit of pop to the bat, plus the speed to take that extra base and score that run is incredibly valuable to a team in the rebuilding process like the Mariners are. Yeah, and the other part of it is that I would want to have a Willie Bloomquist or a Rich Emerald off the bench who can go in and steal a clutch base for you late in a ballgame if necessary. And remember, both of those gentlemen also play the infield and outfield. And as far as the rest of the email, what would your strategy be for both managing and general? We haven't gotten to general managing. Well, I guess, you know, managing and general managing, We talked about what type of players we would stock our teams with.

That's general managing. I think we knocked that one out. Strategy for both. I think we've really gone into detail on that one. How would you improve the Mariners? Wow. I guess I don't know really how to answer that question, to be honest with you, John. Well, I like what they've been currently doing.

The players that we have, we've got a rookie of the year. We have a lot of young talent. If we can keep building them up, working on their strengths and not babying them because we want to win and we know they want to win. Starting out a major league career, you don't want to be on a losing team and just kind of languishing in the basement of your division. True. I guess to improve the Mariners, the one part of the team that I would look at big time is the bullpen because it was just terrible last year. What policies to keep the players clean and in shape?

you know that question I don't know if I could give any sort of answer to that at all unfortunately I would hire a good coaching staff I guess John what's say you I would go with a good bench coach and have them bench slash

locker room coach of course then this would be a team policy anyone that comes into the organization would be regularly tested for whatever the substances are that are banned and lockers are pretty much open anyway from what we see in TV interviews and stuff, but regular locker checks, stuff like that,

and the player can be there. We're not just going through and rubbing gene and disturbing all their stuff, but... It's not a TSA search of the luggage. And then I think you may have mentioned this in the past. Maybe it was me. But the idea of having them at spring training, and you are actually going to play.

I'm a veteran. I've got a guaranteed spot on this team, so I don't need to do anything. No, we need to make sure you're in shape. I don't want any pitcher to, if he has a chance at one of these rare occasions and no-hitter-perfect game, anything like that, on opening day to be like, oh, well, I'm not in shape.

I have to leave after six or seven. Yeah, that goes two ways, though, because you also have to make sure your relief pitchers are ready, but going back to your point, The 1991 twins put an emphasis on winning in spring training, and that propelled them to the World Series championship. So I would put a premium on winning in spring training and not just getting ready for the regular season.

You got to install that winning mindset as early as you can with the team. We are way over time already, ladies and gentlemen. We're going to go to today's hall pass. Actually, before we get to today's whole pass, I have a correction to make on last hall pass. When the subject was Tommy John, I misread a statistic. I said that he had a 2-3-4 earned-run-run average. He has a 3-34 career earned-run-run average.

Sorry about that. That correction has been issued. And now for today's Hall Pass. Today's subject enjoyed a 19-year major league career in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, wound up with a 290-339-471 slash line that equates to an 8-10 OPS. 339 career home runs, 526 doubles. Those are among his 2,712 hits. He led the league in hits once, led the league in doubles twice, RBI once.

He is a two-time batting champion, two-time slugging percentage leader, one-time OPS leader, led the league in total bases three times, sacrifice flies once, pardon me, twice. He also led the league in intention. walks twice. He is an MVP award winner. He's also a seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner. He also has an All-Star Game MVP, and to go along with his regular season MVP win, he has a second-place finish, a third-place finish, and a fifth-place finish. Ladies and gentlemen, would you put this man in the Hall of Fame? I will tell you who it is after this word from Bilt Bar. Yes, indeed, Bilt Bar, the greatest protein

bars in the history of protein bars. Covered in 100% real chocolate, they taste as close to a candy bar as a protein bar can get. No gritty or chalky texture, no weird aftertaste. They taste great. High in protein, low in sugar, calories, and carbohydrates,

18 delicious flavors, which can all be found at builtbar.com. Do not forget about Boost drink powder or BiltGo energy shots. And again, the drink powder when mixed with plain iced tea, gives you a great flavored iced tea. builtbar.com again is the place to find these and if you use promo code locked on,

you will get 20% off of your next order of the greatest protein bars, drink powder, and energy shots ever to hit the face of the earth. Builtbar.com promo code locked on for 20% off of your order. The hall pass, the stats I mentioned and the highlights, Hall of Famer yes or no in your opinion out there. And John, what is your opinion? Would do those stats signify? of fame numbers to you.

I would definitely consider him and having 10 players on my ballot. I might very well put his name down. Any guess of who that might be? Is that Dave Parker? That is indeed, Dave Parker. And I got to say, folks out there, I think these are Hall of Fame numbers. I think it's a shame this man's not in the Hall of Fame. He had a fabulous career.

Remember the throw in the 1979 All-Star game, which gunned down Brian Downing at the plate? He was in the deep in the right field corner and launched a throw on the fly to the catcher to get Brian Downing trying to score. That's where his All-Star MVP was in the kingdom. If you have not seen that highlight, gang, do look for it because it's an almost unbelievable throw. This man had a lot of talent. One of the more feared RBI men of his era. He did play for the 1989 Oakland Athletics who won the World Series. also won a World Series in Pittsburgh in 1979.

If you've got a question or comment, please do submit it to Lockedon Mariners at Gmail.com. We will read it and reply to it on a future mailbag episode. Questions or comments about any subject are welcome. Questions or comments on any subject are encouraged during this offseason where there's not a lot of baseball news. Locked on Mariners at Gmail.com is a place to send those emails. Please keep them appropriate because this is a family show. We will wrap up this mailbag edition on the other side of this commercial massage. Now back to Locked-on Mariners and your host, D.C. Lundberg.

Thank you again, Joey Martin. Welcome back to this extended edition, so to speak, of the Locked-on Mariners mailbag, the Friday mailbag. The first question, we only got to one question in the first half of the show, and it took so long that this mailbag extravaganza, so to speak, is going to wind up being a two-part episode. Locked-on Mariners contributor, John Miller is here to answer these questions with me, and Clive Braithwaite-the-fourth has joined us again to read the emails for us. Clive, what have we got next?

Next is loyal listener Aidan Soames in East Hampton, Connecticut. He said he lost count of how many questions he's asked for our mailbag episodes. For the record, this is the eighth show in succession. His email reads thusly, What was the most famous baseball game you have been to? For me, it was Game 4 of this past world. series. Also, what is your second favorite baseball team and least favorite team? Finally, what minor league ballparks have you been to? I only been to Dunkin' Donuts Park,

Hartford Yard Goats, Dodd Stadium, Norwich C Unicorns, I know awful name, a new Britishon Stadium, old home of the Connecticut Rock Cats. Now, I wish Jason Hernandez was able to record with us because this question is right up his alley. The most famous game I've been to, John is probably I haven't been to a whole lot of famous games. I was at the game in which Raphael Palmero got his 3,000th hit, which is now infamous. I was at the final game of the Kingdom.

I was at both turn-ahead the clock nights the Mariners did in Seattle. I was at the final game at Safeco Field before it was turned into a cell phone store, and I was at all three games of the final series Calroquin Jr. was in Seattle. Oh, and I was at the, game in which Mike Cameron made his great catch to Rob Derek Jeter of the Home Run about a week

into his tenure as a mariner. That's really it. I haven't been to a whole lot of really famous ones. What about you? The few games that come immediately to my mind, and I will give probably the most significant one for last. Okay. I was at the last game ever held at the Kingdom.

The last game ever held at Safeco Field. when it was under that name. Yes. And I was at the game where Ichiro got the hit that broke George Sistler's single-season record. Oh, wow. That's really cool. I had no idea you were at that one.

Seeing somebody's 3,000 hit is one thing, but a single season hits record, I mean, that dated back, you know, way before any of us or our parents were born. And to see Ichero break such an old record, that had to have been really, really special. Oh, that's great. As you've seen on the video, or if you were fortunate enough to watch the game live and taking the time to honor him like that, and he goes over to Sistler's

widow and says a few words to her. Yes. That was just very classy. Very classy. Indeed, each year I was one of the classiest men ever to wear a Mariners uniform. I happen to know a number of people who were at Felix Hernandez's perfect game. I've said this on the air before. The summer daycare program I worked for in Shoreline happened to be on a field trip to Save Go Field that day. I wasn't working there yet, but a lot of the staff who were there would become my co-workers a few years later. And when I was at the grocery store the other day, I happened to be wearing one of my Hall of Fame t-shirts, one of the ones that I picked up when you and I, John, were in Cooperstown for Griffey's

induction, and the cashier asked me if I was there, I said yes. And then he told me that he was at Felix Hernandez's perfect game. I can't escape it. And also, the combined no-hitter, one of my best friends was that. I've mentioned this on the show before, too. Calvin, one of my very best friends, his girlfriend at the time,

surprised him with tickets for his birthday to that night's ball game. And that happened to me, the combined no-hitter, which are combined no-haters are more rare than perfect games. And I know that Jason Hernandez, our friend and frequent guest on this program,

Jason Hernandez, was at Dennis Martinez's perfect game in 1991, and I believe he was also at Albert Pujols' 600th home run. I could be wrong about that, and when he listens to this episode, he will correct me, and I'll let you know on the air if I am correct about that. But that's basically it. And let's see, what else is in this?

email. What is your second favorite baseball team and least favorite team? John, I know your answer to your second favorite team, maybe not second favorite team, because they might actually be equal, but I'll let you go first. You are right. They are equal. The Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yes. And you've explained just recently on this program why you have an affinity for your Dodgers. It's a family, it's family tradition, basically, going back to the Brooklyn Dodgers days. Yeah, it really is. And it was one of those things we could have rebelled, but we were brought up to see how classy the organization

was. Everyone from Branch Ricky signing Jackie Robinson to his first big league contract, to guys like Sandy Kofax and John Driesdale, and then going into Ron Say and Steve Garvey, you've had great teams, great players, and some of these got just very classy organization, very classy as far as the players who their reputation in and out of baseball, even to this day, they're respected. Oral Hersheiser comes to mind as that type of person too. Absolutely. And you mentioned Steve Garvey and Ron say,

I would add Rick Monday to that list. And most of those men came up through the minor leagues and played for the Spokane Indians. In the 70s, the Spokane Indians were a AAA affiliate for the Los Angeles Dodgers. So there's the Spokane connection for the day game. And there is some news about the Spokane Indians and the Northwest League, which we'll get to next week on the program. And I'm really hoping Jason Hernandez is going to be able to join me for that. As far as least favorite team goes, it used to be the Yankees for me. It's not anymore.

I think it's everybody's least favorite team. That's got to be the Astros. I also do not like the Marlins very much. And it has to do with, you know, the way they won their two weeks. World Series, basically buying them. And then I don't think they're a very classy organization at all. When they became the Miami Marlins,

they did something that I think is just absolutely horrible. And there's some backstory to this. Their first team president was a man named Carl Barger. He passed away during the winter meetings in 1992 prior to their inaugural season. In his honor, they retired

uniform number five because his favorite player was Joe DiMaggio. When a new ownership group rebranded the team as the Miami Marlins, they unretired number five in a completely classless move. I do not like the Marlins. John, do you have a least favorite team that you'd care to mention on there? Currently, it would be in no particular order, the trash can bangers. I'm in agreeing with you on the Marlins.

And then just because of that long rivalry that goes back to the New York days, the Giants. Ah, yes. Very good. I cannot believe that I did not think of that on my own. But yeah, of course, the Giants, Dodgers, they don't generally like each other, do they? They do not. No. And Jason Hernandez can attest to this. You know, he bleeds Dodger Blue, so he is no Giants fan. And finally, what minor league ballparks have you been to? Well, I've been to the kingdom. No. Let's see. I've only been to two. I've only been to two. I've been to. to Everett Memorial Stadium. A cousin of mine worked as a vendor at Everett Memorial Stadium one summer about 15 years ago, I guess.

So my family and I saw a handful of Aqua Sox games that season, and my uncle got to throw out the first pitch before one of the games. One of my uncles was an editor for the Seattle Times, and a piece that he worked on won a Pulitzer Prize.

And to represent that group of editors and writers, they selected him to throw out the first pitch before an Aqua Sox game. So my entire family was at that one. And I remember that game for that and the fact that there was a mariner who was on rehab assignment who played in that game.

It was Greg Colbrin. Do you even remember that Greg Colbert was ever a mariner? Oh, my goodness. You are really wrecking my memory right now. And he was only a mariner for a short time. So that tells you what year this was. I think it was 2006, but I could be wrong about that. They also had a relief pitcher who was about 6'8, 6'4, 6'4.

nine. And I don't, I don't remember his name. He never reached the major leagues, but I have no idea, and I have no idea who it was. So that's my memories of Everett Memorial Stadium. And I've also been to a Vista Stadium here in Spokane. I want to say four times, three or four times. I've been to two opening days and another game. So I've been to three Spokane Indians games, and they are a lot of fun. John, what minor league stadiums have you been to? Okay, let me see. I have been to, well, it seems like I grew up at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. Yeah. Watching both the Tigers and the Tacoma Rainiers.

I have been to Everett Memorial Stadium. We have, of course, both been to a Vista Stadium in Spokane. Oh, yeah. And I have been to, I'm not sure if it's currently in use for this, but I know it was in the past. I have been to Jackie Robinson Stadium in Daytona Beach. Oh, very nice. I have to add one more to this list. I was there in the stadium, but there was not a ball game going on at the time.

Double-day field in Cooperstown. When my roommate Shannon and I went to Cooperstown for Edgar Martinez's Hall of Fame weekend, we spent some time in Double-Day Field, and it was pretty cool. It was, you know, wooden benches the whole bit. It was being renovated at the time. too, so that kind of took away from a little bit of it. But you can just feel the history there just sitting in the stands looking out at the field, even though there was equipment on the infield.

It was really, really cool. I've also been there. And when I went with my family, the year after you and me and Jacqueline went, we got to go in the stands and watch a game. Oh, wow. I don't remember what game, but that was every kid. dream watching a ball game in Cooperstown. Wow, that had to have been an experience, man.

Wow. And I remember thinking that this is just so surreal. I am in Cooperstown, a village that is literally built around baseball, and I am watching a ball game. That's, I know. I mean, even for me just being in the stadium, I can just feel the history there and to see a ball game going on there. I can't even imagine

When I entered the plaque gallery of the Hall of Fame I thought that was almost a religious experience And man, that had to have been a similar feeling Seeing a ball game at Doubled a field I remember when you and I first entered the plaque gallery Yes I consider that I mean of all places

For a baseball fan that is sacred ground Oh yeah and you can feel up there totally It would be like if you were to enter the White House or any one of the big memorials. If you were to enter the Capitol and you're with a kid, it's okay, don't run, you don't yell. There are a certain thing, you have a certain decorum, and that carries over to us being devout in our religion. If you enter the church, you enter the sanctuary, you enter the cathedral. There are certain things you do and do not do, and that carries over to double-day field

that carries over to the Plack Gallery at the Hall of Fame. It certainly does. It certainly does. We have to end this for today. We are way over our allotted time. We're going to continue the mailbag on our next episode. Maybe tomorrow, maybe later today, I'm not quite sure. I don't want to publish them right back to back.

But John Miller will be back with us. Clive Braithwaite the 4th will be back with us to reply to your emails on the next episode of Lockdown Mariners. Please remember to download rate and subscribe to this program You see whichever podcasting app you like to use Follow us on Twitter at L.O. underscore Mariners. Follow John on Twitter at Seattle Pilots 69 And follow me on Twitter at DC underscore Lundberg.

Thank you for listening to today's show, ladies and gentlemen. Please be with us for the next one as we wrap up the mailbag. This is Joey Martin saying join us back here next time for another edition of Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.