Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - Potential Peak Years, Ejections, and Flan

Episode Date: June 24, 2021

Jon Miller joins D.C. to dive into the fan mailbag, where they field questions on many different subjects. When do the two of them think the Mariners will finally be ready to compete in the American League West? What does a normal day look like for D.C.? And most importantly, what did he find on his quest to find the perfect flan recipe? Also, it appears as if at least one listener is not a fan of Clive Braithwaite IV. Jon ends the show with a couple more umpiring stories, including a story which D.C. calls his favorite. 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.

Today on Locked-on Mariners, three eggheads play a tough trivia game where we give them the answers and they must provide the questions. Welcome to Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Here's your host, D.C. Lundberg. What a silly idea for a game show. No one would ever watch that. Thank you for tuning in today, ladies and gentlemen. I am D.C. Lumber. I actually like that show quite a bit. This is Locked-on Mariner's, part of the Lod. Locked-on Podcast Network or T-L-O-P-N or T-L-O-P-N or Tloppin as it were.

Please remember to download and follow this program on whichever podcasting app that you personally care to use. Ask your smart device to play Locked-on Mariner's Podcasts already program here on the Locked-on Podcast Network. This show could be a disaster, gang. I barely slept a wink last night. But the good news is we have John Miller here. John, how are you doing today? I am doing very well. Thank you so much for having me.

Would you ever watch a game show with such a silly concept as the one I described above? I don't know. I'd have to think long and hard about that one. I probably would just to give it a shot, but I don't think that show would last very long. Oh, no, no one would ever watch something like that, would they? No. Obviously, we're kidding. It's a great show. Still is a great show, even though Mr. Trebek has since passed away.

Some of the guest hosts they've had recently not done too well. But one person that I think that they should have a guest host, John, is Mr. Clive Braithwaite the fourth. Clive, how are you doing today? I'm doing well. We have some very interesting emails, including someone who was not a fan of my guest hosting. I cannot imagine who would not be a fan of Fly Braithway. Yeah, that was kind of an interesting email. We'll talk sort of about that later, I suppose.

But, Clive, what have we got first? You got a few emails asking the same thing, one of them from our old friend John in Fife, and two others from people who didn't leave their names. They all asked about your pilgrimage, and if you were successful in finding the perfect recipe for Flan. Yes, in fact, I did, and I found out that the secret ladies and gentlemen, I mentioned it's on the yesterday's show, not only just to include an extra egg yolk in the recipe, but to scale back on the egg whites and use nothing. nothing but egg yolks. I have no idea how to make flat ladies and gentlemen on, to be completely

honest. I'm not, I don't even like flan, but, uh, John, thank you for coming up with that joke because we really took it and ran with it. And obviously some of our listeners did as well. And I don't, uh, John, what are your thoughts on flan? Why not? If it's done well, it's actually pretty good. All righty then. And on that note, I think, we'll move on to the next email. Clive, what's next, sir? John In Fife also sent this in a few weeks ago, and it was addressed to you, me, and to John Miller. Are you excited for the Olympics that are finally taking place this summer?

Good question. Very good question. I know that I am. It's been a long time coming. I love the Olympics. Clive, what about you? Yes, I am. I love the Olympics. D.C. and John, what are your favorite events? My favorite event currently, unfortunately, does not involve any girls playing, but is baseball. Oh, yeah, it's back this year. I was going to say swimming and diving. I really enjoy swimming and driving in the track and field events, but baseball definitely, I'm glad it is back.

One thing I wish would return to the Olympics, which was never a metal sport, it was an exhibition sport in 1988 and 1992. I would love to see bowling return to the Summer Olympics. It's been considered to be included in the last couple of Olympics, and it hasn't made the cut where things like skateboarding are now in the Olympics. Give you a break. Oh, my goodness. I know. I mean, honestly, I am more of a fan of the Winter Olympics anyway.

I love luge, skiing, all the sliding sports. Curling, obviously, my favorite. But I love the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics. looking forward to both of them. One thing I really enjoy, John, in both of them, is the parade of nations, and especially the smaller nations that have delegations of just a few people or maybe just one, because they are so proud to be representing their country. And I think that it is so neat to see,

and also serves as a little bit of education as well. I love the parade of nations. I agree completely. It is always such a beautiful display to see the, the pride that everybody has for where they come from. It really is. It really is. Clive, what's next? Our other loyal emailer, Aidan Soames in East Hampton, Connecticut,

wrote in with two non-baseball questions. What classes are you taking in school? Also, what is a normal day like for you, your daily routine? Is that addressed to you or me? It was addressed to me, but I'll let you answer if you want to. Okay. Anyways, thanks again for email. once again, Aiden. I'm only taking one class at a time. I'm in a special program at Whitworth

Universities for Working Adults. It's an accelerated program where each class is six weeks, so it's an entire quarters worth of material crammed into six weeks. And my first class was an introduction to adult education, which kind of prepares us for what we're going to be expecting in future classes. So we have a group project and an individual presentation and a research paper, all of that within a six-week time span. The next class I'm taking is math class because I'm going to, I'm in an accounting and business program. And then the two classes after that are both business accounting and something else. So I've got this class and that class is going to end Monday. Then I'm going right into the math class the following week. And then that is

six weeks, and then the first accounting class, and then right after that, the next accounting class. And those are the two classes that I'm really looking forward to, because that's going to get right into the heart of my program. And John is a recent graduate, so I'll let him kind of speak about what he studied if he'd like to. I wouldn't mind at all. As D.C. said, I am a recent graduate. I graduated in December with my Bachelor of Biblical Studies, hoping to be a minister. I I've had contact with some churches. I hope they think I'm promising. I think they are promising.

Excellent. As for my daily routine, well, I wake up and I prepare the show, I record the show, I edit the show, I publish the show, and then I work on my class work after that. And with any time left, I just kind of relaxed and, you know, get some chores done and maybe do a little grocery shopping and things of that nature. I have a boring life, ladies and gentlemen.

And Monday night is class night. And then starting next class, pardon me, it's Mondays and Thursday night. So I'll have class two nights a week instead of just one. I don't know. I have a boring life, like I said. John, do you wish to share it a little bit more time? My life is about as boring as yours and not really worth commenting on. All righty.

That brings us to the trivia corner. and it's today we have this trivia question, really going out on a high note here in A-block. On this date in 1997, the longest home run in Kingdom history was hit. Who hit it and who served it up? We'll talk about it after this word from Wealthfront. Investing can be complicated, ladies and gentlemen, but whether you are a beginner or have been investing for years, Wealthfront makes it easy.

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Wealthfront is trusted with over $20 billion of assets, and you can get your first $5,000 managed for free by going to Wealthfront.com slash locked on MLB. All you need to get started is 500 smackers. Grow your wealth of the easy way and let Wealthfront do the work for you. To get your first $5,000 dollarinos managed for free for life, go to wealthfront.com slash locked on MLB to start growing your savings. Go to wealthfront.com slash locked on MLB to get started today. Answer to the trivia question. On June 24, 1997, none other than Mark McGuire hit the longest home run in the history of the kingdom, a fifth inning blast that was estimated to go 538 feet.

The pitcher was the big unit, Randy Johnson. Johnson struck out 19 Oakland days that day in a complete game effort, but lost 4 to 1. The Mariners didn't score until the ninth inning off reliever Billy Taylor and only collected five hits all game. The A's starting pitcher was Steve Carson. I remember that home run quite well because it was a game that was not televised in Seattle. So my mom and I were driving around in the car listening to it on the radio. And I actually remember exactly where I was when that home run was hit.

I was just a few houses down from mine in our neighborhood. But Mr. Johnson would strike out 19 batters again. later in the season on August 8th, but he would win this game, tossing a complete game shutout against the Chicago White Sox. Chris Clemens started for the White Sox, C-L-E-M-M-O-N-S, and was relieved by Bill Seamus and Nelson Cruz. Hmm, wait, Nelson Cruz? Yeah, but not the same Nelson Cruz who currently plays for the Twins.

This Nelson Cruz was a skinny right-handed pitcher who played six big league seasons with the Chai Sox, Tigers, Astros, and. Rockies. Coming up, more of your listener emails, including questions about the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa and D.B. Cooper. Now back to Lockdown Mariners and your host, D.C. Lundberg. Ah, yes, thank you very much, Joey Martin. We are back with John Miller and Clive Braithwaite-Wa-4, answering your listener emails.

This will be the last segment of the day to feature those listener emails. We will have a C-block, obviously, but not sure what we're going to talk about in C Block just quite yet. But at this time, we'll get back to the mailbag. Clive, what have we got next, sir? We have an umpiring question for John Miller from someone who didn't leave a name or hometown. However, my sources tell me that the question was sent in by Scott Bayo. Mr. Bayo asks, if arguing balls and strikes is against the rules and is supposed to be an automatic ejection, how come umpires don't toss players right away as

as soon as they start joring off. That is a good question. It really depends on what is said and who is saying it. If, for instance, it's a catcher arguing for their pitcher. The big thing is the catcher can, within reason, say whatever they want, so long as they don't turn around and look at the umpire. That's just kind of an unwritten thing. And I believe Dave Valley and a few others have spoken

on that. They're just like, yeah, you can be talking with the umpire, and a good catcher is talking with the umpire all game about anything. It is good to have someone to talk to. The catcher wants to form that alliance with the umpire to try to win his favor for his pitcher. Oh, you bet.

But there's also the, the catcher could be saying, come on, you got to give us that one. Could be saying all sorts of stuff like that. and the umpires used to it. That difference would be when the catcher turns around, or the batter can say something, and we see that from the stands,

or we see that from our television sets, and unless you're really good at reading lips, and very few of us are, we're not quite sure what is being said. We're always assuming that he's arguing, and he could be saying the same thing as a catcher. Come on, you've got to give me that one. oh, you know that was outside, where that may not be considered arguing.

It's dependent on what is said, and with every umpire, it's a little different as to what crosses that boundary. Some of them have shorter fuses than others. Yes, and that might depend on what has been said during that game, with that bad, or maybe even during that series, in which case, because the umpire only works, they played one game per series, it could have been when he was working over at first base, and that happens to be the first baseman or the right fielder, and they were saying something to him yesterday, and now behind the plate they're continuing on,

that's going to be like, oh, yeah, I remember you. And that may cause the short fuse. Yeah, if you're lighten up a second base umpire or another base umpire at a day later or two, days later, they've got the plate. Umpires have good memories. And another thing that you brought up is, you know, not only what is said, but, you know, how it is said, there's a difference between, oh, I think that pitch might have been a little outside, and you idiot, that pitch was outside. There's a difference between those two statements. Having seen this, there's a difference between

if I'm the batter and I'm talking, but I'm not looking at the catcher, I'm not looking at the umpire, I'm looking straight ahead. I'm looking at the pitcher. Yeah. You can say, within reason, whatever you want. It could be about the umpire, but you're not talking to him. It's when the batter turns and looks at the umpire, maybe throws their bat down or makes a gesture. It's obvious that you're arguing balls and strikes because you could be talking about anything.

We're not sure very rarely are they actually mic, so we're not quite sure what it is that's being said. If you start throwing equipment around, you're gone pretty much right away. Another thing to look for, ladies and gentlemen, if a pitch is close and it's called a strike, if the batter puts his head down and he looks like he's talking, he's probably saying something to the umpire, but he's not showing the umpire up. It happens all the time. Look for it next time that happens in a game, ladies and gentlemen.

Any other thoughts on that genre? Shall we move on to our next topic? We could spend two seconds probably time. Yeah, we can probably spend two segments talking about this. So we shall move on, which means it's time to hear from Mr. Braithwaite. We have two more emails, both from the same person. But I'd rather not read either, since this guy didn't like the show I guest hosted. I can certainly understand that, Clive.

Yeah, but we're going to read the first one because he sent in a good question a couple weeks ago. We're not doing the second one, but we're going to do the first one. Very well. But do I have to mention his name? Of course you do. Fine. His name is J.J. Barnes, and he asks, What year do you see the first year that the Mariners contend?

Personally, I have been saying 2022 since this started, with the peak being 2024 to 2026, yet fans seem frustrated when the team is around 500. What's your take? Oh, good question. It is a good question. Last year I was also thinking 2022, now I'm not so sure, and more like 2023 at this point, I think. I'm not sold on the pitching staff, just as Sheffield has regressed this year. He lost a feel for his slider and his change, and he's lost the command on all of his pitches.

He's leaving a lot of balls out over the plate to get hit. He's given up a ton of home runs, and he's walking more hitters than he did last year. I'm not sold on Justin Dunn either. He has command issues. and Marco Gonzalez needs to figure out whatever issues he's having as well. I'm convinced it's some sort of mechanical issue or a release point thing. He was way too good last year and had too good a command for it to just disappear on him like that. It's got to be a mechanical thing with him.

On the other hand, Chris Flexen has been a great surprise. He's put together some wonderful outings. You see, Kikichi has seemingly put it together as well. And you've got George Kirby and Emerson Hancock down in the miners. and I think that they're going to be key factors in the Mariners' future success since I'm unsold on Mr. Dunn and Mr. Sheffield. Obviously, we have no idea how they're going to develop. But if they develop, like the Mariners, expect them to, then I think a peak of 2024 to 2025 is actually right on the money. And yeah, there are a lot of fans frustrated with a team that's around 500.

That's to be expected. not a lot of fans of any team want to look into the future too much. It's all about what's happening now. And what's happening now is not the best product on the field. They've had their moments for sure. The four-game sweep of Tampa Bay, that's the high point of their season. Shedlong Jr. ending the game with the Grand Salami, Chris Flexen's game in which he pitched eight innings,

and was just basically masterful almost, also a high point in this season. So I can understand the fans' frustration, but you've got to look at the big picture. And I know, J.G, that you're doing that. But there are also a whole lot of fans who are not, and that's where the frustration comes in. John, what are your thoughts? My thoughts right now are that by possibly 23, but I would say 24, maybe, the Mariners could be a contender for one of the wild card spots. Yeah. It's tough to predict because it depends on how the younger players develop.

We haven't touched on Jared Kelnick, who came up to the big leagues earlier this season, just was not good, particularly right before getting sent back down when his strikeout rate went way up. But at the same time, he's so young. And I've said on the program, I'm not worried about him. I'm still not worried about him. He just needs time to develop. And I don't know if he's going to be Major League Ready at the end of this season. or next season, but he's also 21 years old.

So, you know, 2023, he'll be 23 years old. 2024, he'll be 24, he'll be 24. And by that time, he should be fine. But it's impossible to predict how anybody develops. Remember Dustin Ackley? I thought he was going to win a batting title, and he stunk. We haven't mentioned any of the rest of the offense. Either.

Kyle Lewis is on the shelf. We don't know what he's going to be like when he comes back. It could also depend on what we try. to get for Corey's brother when or if we trade him. The way he's swinging the bat, I don't know if that's going to be possible, especially considering that contract that he's got. But that's also a good point. I mean, some contending team might want a left-handed bat off of the bench.

Somebody mentioned this in a locker room session a few weeks ago, that somebody might not want to acquire him to start, but they might want a veteran pinch hitter off of the bench, and you might be able to get a little something for him. maybe not a top of the line prospect, or maybe not even a mid-level prospect, but somebody who projects out to be a bench player or role player, something of that sort.

I don't know. I'm just spitballing with this one, although the spitball's been illegal in baseball for over 100 years. We got to stop this. Otherwise, we're going to go way over time. We haven't even gotten to C-block yet. Clive, thank you very much for reading the emails today. You're very welcome. Tell Maisie I said hi.

Would you shut up about that, Clive? That is a lie, and you know it. Well, John Miller's going to stick around for segment three here today, but before we get to that, if you've got a question or a comment, send it into Lockdown Mariners at gmail.com. Questions and comments on anything are highly encouraged. Does it not have to do with the Mariners? It does not have to do with baseball or sports at all,

as evidenced by many of the questions we got here today. Coming up is Scott's service debuting on QVC this weekend, selling his own line of baked goods? No, no, he isn't, but his family recipe for chocolate chip cookies is to die for, literally, the secret ingredient to cyanide. Now this from Bet Online, the fastest and easiest way to bet on all your sports action. I hope he doesn't sue me over that.

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Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need, rockato.com. What I do you like that? Welcome back to Lockdown Mariners. Here once again is your host, D.C. Lundberg. Thank you very much, Joey Martin. Final segment today here on Locked on Manors. Mariners back with John Miller, no more listener email to get through. And we don't have very much time left in this show because the first two segments ran a little bit longer than I thought they were going to.

But I kind of want to go back and touch on an email. I think it was the first email in B Block where the listener was talking about ejections. And I wanted to kind of know what are some of the weirder ejections, what are some of the weirder instances in which you've had to eject a player or a coach or a manager? That, I actually cannot answer that one. I, in my 20 years so of umpiring, have never had to eject anyone. Oh, really? Oh, well, you got lucky then, I suppose.

Yes, I've seen it happen, but I've never done it. Can you tell us about some of the weird or ones that you have seen? One that pops into my head, the local umpire chief and I were working two, man game in a tournament, we get to, I think, the second or third, him and I, you stand on the sidelines, on the first baseline, in between the innings, and that gives you a chance to talk about this and that, and it's like, well, you know, you were out of position there, or how's my strike zone, or just whatever else. And he says, you know, the first base side is just really talking about your strike zone.

They don't like it and they won't shut up about it. I said, really, I haven't heard anything. And get to the, that was the second inning, get to the fourth inning now. And he says, they're really going at it. And then the start of that next half inning, he comes in, he was out behind the shortstop and he's talking to the coach and says,

okay, you need to cut this out. He can apparently hear it all the way from there, and we're told not to have rabbit ears. So I'm behind the plate. I can't hear it. The coach is 20 feet away from me. I can't hear it. My partner apparently can hear every word and, okay, you need to stop that. And they had a brief argument, and that coach got tossed right then and there.

Yes, indeed. We have time, John, for one more story before we get out of here for today. You've told me this one off the year before, and I'd like you to relay it. here on this show, the Steakhouse story. So in this working a weekend tournament, I'm working out on the basis here in a two-man game, I make a close call on a steal at second, call goes against the coach, he comes out moving rather quickly. I'm thinking, okay, we've got an argument coming here, and he unleashes on me

something along the lines of you just have to try the steakhouse down the road it's the best thing in the world when you get a break go out there let me know how it is he does that and then walks off the field and then the next year we had a break

my partner and I went to get a meal the very net and I told my partner about this I said you're never going to believe what happened he came out there and partners thinking man, he tore you a new one, he let you have, and then he just walked off. I told my partner about it. We get to the next game.

I'm working behind the play. We're exchanging lineup cards. The coach looks over at me, says, so did you try that steakhouse? What did you think? My partner's jaw just dropped at that. I love that. I love that story.

I forgot that that did not end in an ejection. He obviously came out to get his team fired up and was probably trying to get tossed, but you wouldn't give him the pleasure, would you? No, with something like that, I'm just so flabbergasted, having never heard something like that before when he comes out and he's got that look on his face and steam starts coming from his ears, you're thinking,

okay, I'd better get ready. And then he does something completely different. Makes me wonder if Lou Panella ever did that, but I'm guessing no. Because whenever he got ticked off, It was something with the game, something legitimately he was coming out to argue about. Ah, man, he was a dude.

But, John, we got to go. Where can the nice people find you on Twitter and on the locker room? It's always a pleasure. I can be found on Twitter and on the locker room at Seattle Pilot 69. And I can be found on the locker room at Lock on Manor. Still have not done my locker room for this week. I don't know when I'm going to be able to do it. Maybe tomorrow during the White Sox game, maybe over the weekend.

I have no idea. So follow me there to know when my room goes live. I also don't know, ladies and gentlemen, what we're going to be talking about on tomorrow's program since we still will not have a game to recap, but I will at least talk about the pitching matchup for tomorrow afternoon's game, probably towards the end of C block.

But joining me for tomorrow will be Dr. Johnny Fever, the noid, and a spool of dental floss. Please remember to download and follow Locked-on Mariners. Look for us at any podcasting yet that you can think of. Leave a rating and review of your podcast. app of choice so allows. Thank you for listening today, ladies and gentlemen, if you would like to participate in the next mailbag episode, Lockdown Mariners at gmail.com is the place to send those emails. Thank you once again to John Miller and do Clive Braithway to the 4th.

For joining me today, I am D.C. Lundberg. I'll be back with you tomorrow. Get all the sports news you need in under 20 minutes with the Lockdown Today podcast. Host Peter Bukowski will keep you updated on the latest news in every major sport with Lockdown's team of local experts. Locked On Today podcast on the Odyssey app or wherever you get podcasts. This is Joey Martin speaking for Locked on Mariners, part of the Locked On podcast network.