Meet at the Mitt: A Seattle Mariners podcast

0:00-30:00: Dear Mariners, give us one reason to stay here, and we’ll turn right back around. To unpack all of the terrible, no good Mariner news of the past week, we got Ryan Divish. The Seattle Times’ beat reporter and self-admitted Lookout Landing reader takes us through his experience with the infamous Kevin Mather self-immolation and his disappointment to find out that Jarred Kelenic’s public comments went to USA Today. Within the first 20 minutes, Ryan drops his favorite Jarred story, which is from the same day as “Smell you later”. 30:05-58:35: The Mariners have a cataclysmic mess to clean up. Matthew wonders how that process will unfold and asks Ryan if the things he’s seen within the organization point to any particular crisis management strategies. Where do the players – who have taken an increased percentage of the team’s overall power – fit into this equation? Ryan also dives into the age-old question, “What does a manager actually…do?” 59:40-1:22:25: We can all admit that several parts of this debacle are very funny. Let’s have a roast. We also find out that Ryan was moonlighting as a substitute teacher and get his account of watching the Mather video for the first time. He turns the tables on us with a question of his own about our comfort level with returning to T-Mobile Park in 2021. 1:22:30-2:06:00: Do the Mariners’ coaches and executives keep their jobs or is a major shakeup coming? Ryan then placates John by pointing out how perfect a Kolten Wong signing would have been. Some of y’all will be delighted to hear your Lookout Landing usernames mentioned on wax. This wide-ranging conversation ends with us debating who the next face of the Mariners is. Music: “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman // “Boomer” by Bartees Strange Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We called an emergency podcast to discuss the breaking news of Sunday, disgraced Seattle Mariners Team President & CEO Kevin Mather's comments to the Bellevue Rotary Breakfast Club. John and Kate are joined by recently returned staff writer Isabelle Minasian to, honestly, rage. The well-publicized comments run the gamut of unforced errors by the highest ranking official in the organization below club Chairman John Stanton, and Mather is hardly without previous marks against him. Thank you to all who sent in questions, including on what the long term implications of Mather's statements might be on the Mariners, and if there is anything the club can do to begin getting back in the good graces of their fans, players, and player development group. No music today, let the frustration, disappointment, anger, and hopefully a few drops of catharsis flow through you. Intro, as always, by OF Julio Rodríguez himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back! Kate, Joe, and John emerge from a healthy winter break to take a look at the Lookout Landing 2021 Preseason Top Prospects List. Who just missed? Who were we relatively high or low on? And what does each prospect need in 2021 to take a big step? We also touch on the new minor league baseball alignment as it has become formalized and of course take listener questions throughout. We recognize this is a Big ‘Ol Pod, and future episodes should hew closer to an hour or so, but we... had a lot to talk about! Grab a few cups of coffee. 0:00 - 13:45 - We start things off with discussion of the minor league realignment’s certification. The Mariners come out with a good deal of convenience, large (geographical) regions of the country are left in the cold. It’s a sad day for the West Virginia Power and many other communities around the country. For baseball fans in the Pacific Northwest, however, there will be full season baseball all across the state of Washington, Western Oregon, and Vancouver B.C. 13:45 - 1:28:00 - Let’s get into the list! We each talk about our favorite honorable mentions, with a few listener questions on guys like LHP Adam Macko and RHP Michael Limoncelli, as well as some love for recent LL podcast guest RHP Jarod Bayless. We take a pick ‘em approach to the list, highlighting a few players in each tier who really could show something. How much of the time is spent marveling that the back of the system is full of players who’d have been in the top 15 a couple years ago? Plenty, y’all. Plenty. Joe takes us down the Max Povse memory lane and joins Kate in some discussion of the variance on lists for how the organization’s system is perceived. John quibbles about depth issues in the system. At the 44-minute mark we take a quick deviation into discussing top international amateur prospect SS Felnin Celestin and how and when he might be eligible to sign with the Mariners as rumored. We have some lengthy discussions on a few players, including the Cal Raleigh (Rollie) timeline, what Sam Carlson’s Ivan Drago physique could translate to in games, and who we’re more enamored with between Logan Gilbert and Emerson Hancock. 1:28:00 - End - We take ten minutes at the end to hit a few more questions we didn’t get to, on some of the top prospects in particular. Who do we expect will debut this year among this list? Have the Mariners damaged their relationship with the Jarred Kelenic camp too severely by keeping him in the minors instead of calling him up and attempting to generate an extension as soon as possible. What should the Mariners be focused on developing and acquiring right now? Music: “Top of the Pops” - Art Brut / “Top of the World” - Alex Wiley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-14:30: Matthew and Kate brave a John-less podcast. Things get simmering with a conversation about the Ooples and Boonoonoos song. This quickly leads to us wondering if we’re annoying. 14:35-33:50: What to make of Ken Giles and his Astro past. Even if it doesn’t work out, the Mariners really won’t be any worse for it. The reason for that? A good farm system, and depth! This is still kind of tough to get used to, but the Mariners do have a good farm system, and it is definitively better than any other team’s in the AL West. We also marvel at how thoroughly Giles dominated the M’s while playing for Houston. Matthew gets in a “Go Mets baby love da Mets” and remembers the time Chasen Bradford acknowledged us online. 33:55-49:30: Matthew gets surprised by the recent news linking Taijuan Walker to our best friends. Then, we talk about the big guy. If you missed it, the Mariners are bringing back James Paxton on a one-year deal. This is brain-tingly exciting. The only real, legitimate knock on Pax is injuries, so if he stays healthy and earns himself another lucrative deal, we’re all in. Kate then talks about cysts and the dreaded Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Finally, importantly, shout out to the Maple Grove forever and always. 49:35-1:17:15: Listener questions! If you asked us a question on Twitter, congratulations. You are now, by law, eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Is there such a thing as too many lefties in the same rotation? The last question before some good ol’ fashion riffing: which quad-A player breaks out this year? Music: “E.V.P.” by Blood Orange // “Oldie” by Odd Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-15:25: A top 100 prospect joins a top one podcast. Taylor Trammell calls in from Atlanta, meaning we had to record at nine in the morning on the west coast. What physical activity caused Taylor to wake up early and without warning? Taylor also recently got engaged, and he shares that story with us. When the conversation shifts to baseball, Taylor tells us about the things he’s been focusing on this offseason. 15:30-33:40: After getting traded to Seattle, which Mariner prospects impressed Taylor the most? Kate makes Taylor re-live his experiences facing the Arkansas Travelers and drops yet another new pronunciation of Margevicius. This is the part where we learn that Taylor has an incredible baseball memory, which helps him remember the rare occasions when he’s lost his cool on the field. 33:45-47:25: What’s it like to be traded, and how did getting traded from Cincinnati to San Diego prepare him for later being traded from San Diego to Seattle? How did Yasiel Puig complicate things? Taylor peels the curtain back on the aesthetic issues that come with being traded, then reveals which Mariner jersey – which he calls “very impressive” – he’s most excited to wear. Is there any friendly competition within the team for the title of Best Dressed? 47:30-1:04:55: Griffey story! Find out which other giant of the game, besides Griffey, left Taylor starstruck. Our next question [Marc Maron voice], who are your guys? As a Black man, Taylor lists a lot of Black players as influences and mentors. Since he’s started making his way through the ranks, what has Taylor seen improve in terms of broadening MLB’s reach? What are some things that still need to be addressed? The importance of providing resources and education are the top things on the list. 1:05:00-1:21:00: Being from Atlanta, Taylor has some hard opinions on hip-hop. Matthew ends with the most hard-hitting questions of our time: Young Thug or Future? Outkast or Migos? Some prime early-2000s reminiscing sparks up before we sign off. Music: “U Played” by Moneybagg Yo (feat. Lil Baby) // “Slick Talk” by JID Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-27:00: These intros get drier and drier as we sink deeper and deeper into the pandemic, but this week we have John extolling the virtues of Rat-a-Tat Cat. This week’s guest is Jordan Shusterman of Céspedes Family BBQ, who is holed up in Maryland with his family, buried under nine inches of snow. We get going with a discussion on emergency catchers, inspired by Shed Long Jr. and Carson Vitale. Speculation about Raúl Ibañez’s new job at the league office follows. So does an open conversation about how many vegan prospects there are across the baseball landscape. 27:05-42:25: The Mariners’ offseason...why? Matthew sees an opportunity to make this about Ginuwine and goes for it. A certain “superstar” is discussed, causing Kate to spiral toward misery, before reminding all of us that there are just some fans out there that will never be satisfied. 42:35-1:07:10: Has Jordan been vibin’ with J-Rod? There’s a pretty good conversation here about how to get the most out of baseball players, who often want to give you the least. Nobody in the entire Milky Way galaxy needs to hear about what minor league players like to hunt or see another video of them working out. 1:07:15-1:22:00: The news of Félix Hernández signing with the Orioles breaks as we’re recording! Live reactions! Matthew ends the show by hitting Jordan with some hard-hitting, rapid fire questions about Major League Baseball. Music: “Keep Their Heads Ringin’” by Dr. Dre // “Anybody” by Young Thug feat. Nicki Minaj Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-12:00: We’re back! Two episodes in two weeks, who knew that was even allowed? This week’s guest is Sam Delaplane, relief pitcher in the Mariners’ minor league system. Sam was with Arkansas in 2019 and took part in Spring Training, Summer Camp, and all the goings-on in Tacoma during the pandemic before recently being added to the 40-man roster. Sam is currently in Arizona, where he’s been bored enough to call in to our podcast! 12:05-35:00: How has being short influenced Sam’s baseball journey? Industry consensus tells us that the jump to Double-A is tricky, so let’s here what someone who’s done it in real life has to say. Which Twins legend with a .248 career batting average gave Sam a bunch of trouble in Arkansas, where he played with Kyle Lewis, Evan White, Justus Sheffield, and a truckload of current and future Mariners? 35:05-39:55: What’s the plan for 2021? What does a successful season look like for Sam Delaplane? He has something very specific and somewhat obvious in mind. 40:00-1:02:50: Let’s get silly, we know what you came here for. Kate fawns over Sam’s dog, who has picked up its own version of a slider. Stories from Summer Camp, living in a hotel, taking the T-Mobile mound, and peering into Kyle Seager’s mind come next. Sam tells us some of the inside information he learned about HOW TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. The show ends with his best stories about weird karaoke on a bus and his favorite minor league cities. Mad love to Utah Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-21:00: None of us are doing “well”, in the traditional sense, but today we’re doing better than other days. Braden Bishop, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, is on our podcast! Braden kicks things off by recalling his experience at the Spring Training shut down of 2020, revealing how he’s staying in shape, and making fun of Carson Vitale’s dance moves. For those who didn’t know, Braden also created the 4MOM Charity after his mother was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s. 21:05-38:25: What happened on a routine trip to CVS that altered his perception of America forever? The decision to scale back on Twitter, even though he was using it mostly to embarrass idiots, has gone a long way for Braden. Find out which former UW football player reached out to help him reach that point. What does his family, which includes several active police officers, think of Braden being so outspoken in support of Black Lives Matter? 38:30-50:25: What have other athletes said to Braden about being so open with his opinions? With so few athletes, particularly white MLB players, willing to speak out, he occupies a very interesting space. Kate points out that the WNBA has been leading the way for several years, while MLB is, uhhh…not. 50:30-1:12:25: Let’s get an MLB debut story! Braden had the (mis)fortune of debuting in Japan, during the game where Ichiro retired, as Ichiro’s replacement. Then, we get Griffey AND Ichiro stories! Don’t say we never did anything for you. Braden then shares some memories about his first games in America and the “welcome to MLB” moments that came with it, including the list of All-Star pitchers he had to face right out of the gate. 1:12:30-1:33:00: In normal Lookout Landing fashion, we gush over prospects, talk about lacerated spleens, and fawn over Braden’s barber skills. We apologize for the loud laughter during this part. Pay us for better editing equipment, Vox. Music: “This Thing” by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard // “Callin’ on Me” by Matt Martians Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-27:30: 2021 is here, and so is Roenis Elías, but that’s not why we’re here. Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News and Baseball Prospectus has blessed the mic for an episode about MLB at-large. As a New York-based writer, Bradford has some extensive thoughts on the Mets and their innovative, cutting edge strategy, which is trying to win baseball games by acquiring the best players. Where does he stand on the players that went from New York to Cleveland in the Lindor deal? What about the practice of pretty good teams actively trying to be the opposite of pretty good? 27:35-49:15: We discuss this clip of Bradford asking Francisco Lindor about Cleveland’s spending habits after they were eliminated from last year’s playoffs. What does this response tell us about the rest of the league? Baseball players’ general lack of knowledge about the union and labor relations, detailed in this 2019 article by Stephanie Apstein, also seems like an issue. Kate openly asks if the Tampa Bay Rays are a pyramid scheme. Matthew makes his claim for abolishing divisions and a new system for determining who gets the No. 1 overall pick. Bradford calls people who care about the draft “dorks”. 49:20-1:03:00: The Mets are interested in…Kyle Seager? Is this anything? You have to think Jerry Dipoto will at least make a phone call or six to Queens, just for old times’ sake. Right around this point the episode takes a vicious left turn toward blaccents, hip-hop tattoos, how every white guy is named Tyler, and public masturbation. 1:03:05-1:19:57: Getting back on track by forcing Bradford to talk about the Seattle Mariners before we say goodbye. Terms like “upside” and “not embarrassing” are bandied about. Music: “ST. PERCY” by BROCKHAMPTON // “Fade Away” by Susanne Sundfør Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the dead of winter, but that doesn't mean the farm is without activity. Joe, John, and Kate convene to discuss the latest moves, answer your questions, discuss the recently dropped MLB Pipeline Top-100 Draft Prospects list, and more! Seattle's trade of Jose Corniell and what it means for the farm, 0:00 - 20:00 - Fare thee well, Tim Lopes and Jose Corniell. We discuss our feelings on Seattle making a trade from their pitching depth, and the positives of such a move versus the concerns about dealing away a 17 year old with promise. Is it a sign of worrisome things to come that Jerry Dipoto is moving the youth out again? Or simply something the club can do thanks to the array of pitching prospects they've assembled at this point? We also fret at the uncertainty of the dreaded PTBNL and wonder which other players in the system might have been showcased at the instructional league with the purpose of trading. 20:00 - 36:00 - Who is next to go off the 40 man? Seattle's roster is stuffed full of relievers, but the club says they intend to add upgrades in the bullpen. Will we see DFAs of some of the players Seattle claimed this winter, or are longtime prospects like Braden Bishop or Donavan Walton at risk? Relatedly, what to do with left field? Jose Marmolejos gets a decent helping of disrespect from the hosts, albeit mostly due to his preferable role being not in the outfield, but what is the plan with Jake Fraley for that matter? Plus, a fun Willie Bloomquist factoid! 36:00 - End - Draft Talk! Kate thinks the tiers of this class break down pretty solidly for Seattle, even if they'll likely miss out on the current "Tier 1" group. Joe suggests this is the year the Mariners might finally go prep position player with their first pick, to the delight and shock of his compatriots. Kate is affronted at some C Ian Moller disrespect, John picks his 2021 Tyler Keenan, and Joe breaks down why the current climate is making it much easier on prep prospects than college ones. We also discuss the high ranking of local prospect OF Malakhi Knight, who comes in at No. 38 on MLB Pipeline's list, and why that's a well-earned bit of recognition at this point. Joe also breaks down what this time in winter looks like in the draft prep process for teams and prospects, and why the dead period isn't so dead for everyone. We finish out with a few listener questions, looking for the next Dylan Moore and crossing our fingers with a bit more optimism that attending live baseball might not be too far away in our futures. Music: "YO VISTO ASI" - Bad Bunny Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-7:45: Prior to the recent MLB-Negro League news, Andrea Williams, author of the upcoming book Baseball's Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues, called the Lookout Landing hotline. The prerequisite vibe check blends into a conversation about the parallels between today and some of the book’s themes. Andrea also reflects on the fact she’s publishing a book during a pandemic. 7:50-24:55: What caused Andrea to take an interest in baseball in the first place? After name dropping Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye, a confession arises from the rubble of Kansas City fandom. To kick off the deeper Effa Manley conversation, a brief primer is required. Not only does Andrea explain who Effa was and what she did, but also the layers of Black baseball that enrich her greater story. Branch Rickey, catch this fade. Just because Harrison Ford played you in a movie doesn’t automatically mean you get off scot-free. 25:00-37:30: What did Andrea think about the way things unfolded this summer, as she began promoting a book about Effa Manley and the Negro Leagues as America started paying more attention to race relations? It turns out, writing a book is very hard. What are some things that need to happen moving forward to ensure that progress doesn’t stall out? Andrea shares her promise of becoming “obsessed” with Effa and how much knowledge she had before putting pen to paper. This portion of the show also includes an examination of Jackie Robinson under a different lens. 38:30-1:03:53: The logos and graphic design of the Negro Leagues were cool as hell. Andrea details the perspective of her writing for this book, what she hopes to accomplish with it, and how seeking information from the correct sources is the most important part of learning. To put a bow on this lively conversation about what is sure to be a wonderful book, Andrea reads a passage from it. If you pre-order the book now using this link, you can get a personalized version from Andrea herself! Music: “untitled 07 | 2014-2016” by Kendrick Lamar // “New Year” by Beach House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-16:00: Things are happening! Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners are movin’ and shakin’. To make heads or tails of this, the podcast gang reconvenes to mostly just share their excitement about having actual news. While the acquisitions of Keynan Middleton and Rafael Montero are still just reliever acquisitions, there are things to get hyped about here. Kate also briefly forgets one of her longtime staff writer’s name. As someone who also hates Angels fans, we think Middleton will fit in beautifully with the Mariners. 16:05-39:05: 17-year-old pitching prospect Jose Corniell is gone. 30-year-old reliever Rafael Montero is here. What should we expect from the ex-Ranger, who was their closer in 2020? Also, he was a Mets prospect, because of course he was! Will we see Seattle add another bullpen arm from the AL West? Are the Mariners going to have a bullpen made entirely of 98 MPH fastballs? Matthew, Kate, and John wonder aloud who the M’s will deploy in the closer role. This segues nicely into a few of our listener questions. Now that the Mariners have added bodies to the bullpen, watching how they handle the fringe players will be an interesting dance. 39:10-1:00:45: Let’s recap all of the news that Seattle Times beat writer Ryan Divish blessed us with. Murphy and Haniger are back, Ty France is expected to play every day, and we have a second base competition. At one point during this section, John starts audibly talking with his hands. A Twitter user brings up an unspeakable atrocity, and debates about Taylor Trammell’s readiness and Jake Fraley’s anything-ness bubble to the surface. 1:00:50-1:13:45: Scott Servais has confirmed that they’ll roll with the six-man rotation, we just don’t know who will fill the final three spots. The 1993 comedic film Rookie of the Year gets some shine. Kate makes a late push to ghostwrite Scott Boras’ thoughts. Matthew sneaks in some content for the jersey number heads. Music: “Hard Feelings/Loveless” by Lorde // “Oh My” by Natalie Prass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-10:45: Surprise! Things actually happened! We are forced to start with a Chris Flexen sesh. If you’d like to read more about Flexen, our own Michael Ajeto has you covered. We also try to figure out why Mariners Twitter seems to be so obsessed with signing Garrett Richards. Where does this utterly whelming transaction leave the Mariners in the AL West picture, at least in December? 10:50-25:15: Pour one out for the minor leagues, especially our homies in West Virginia. Kate schools us on the history of the Clinton LumberKings, a former Mariners affiliate who unfortunately were a casualty of these latest cuts. John also uses the word “hooey” during this part. In all seriousness, it’s a huge bummer to be losing some of these teams. However, as Lookout Landin often does, we attempt to find the bright side. A listener question then gives us an excuse to talk about this Zac Grotz video again. 26:15-37:15: We’re doing a draft, which is certainly not an original podcast idea, but it is a fun one! The draft topic is: ballpark food at T-Mobile Park. In a best attempt to replicate the ballpark experience for y’all, each of us draft four food items from the stadium that are near and dear to our heart. John goes first and takes a designated hitter’s delicacy. The reasoning? An anti-soggy agenda. Matthew’s first pick is named after a player who’s no longer on the team, which could spell trouble. Kate grabs a bougie item that is inaccessible to the greater public. 37:20-54:35: As a veteran of the chicken wars, Kate knows her way around poultry. Her pick to kick off the second round is perhaps the best value pick of the whole draft, and it derails Matthew’s entire operation. A divisive fan favorite – albeit a lightning rod for criticism – immediately follows. 54:40-1:16:48: After some sweets and an American classic are chosen, the fourth round begins with another hefty sandwich. Matthew’s final pick is sure to send a chill down some of your spines. We bring it back to alternative nachos at the Mr. Irrelevant spot. If you’d like to hear someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, check out our recent episode with Seattle chef Eric Rivera. Tell us who you think had the best draft, as well as your favorite items that we left on the board! Music: “Thinning” by Snail Mail // “88” by The Cool Kids Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-23:45: Who are these people buying metric tons of toilet paper at the grocery store? Show yourselves! Matthew, Kate, and John examine both sides of the great Thanksgiving debate before Harry and Sally catch this fade. We also urge you not to forget our anniversary with Brodie van Wagenen. Roughly two years since the Robinson Canó trade talks started heating up, the former Mariner second baseman went and made his complicated legacy even more complicated. If you’d like to weigh in on the Canó saga, share your thoughts here. 24:45-43:10: What does a successful offseason look like for the Mariners. Matthew, if you can believe it, wants his favorite baseball team to actively try and get better. Kate bravely goes out on a limb to say that one of Jerry Dipoto’s recent reliever acquisitions was “okay” and even “decent for a while”. John invokes a Canadian legend we’d all love to see in a Mariner uniform again. We all fawn over Taijuan Walker’s commitment to being in Seattle even though he is not technically on the team. 43:15-1:18:40: Look, it’s Mitch Haniger taking a real life swing with an actual bat! What does this mean? The whole gang then laughs at Tom Brady for being old and washed before entertaining the idea of some signings from the Asian leagues. Michael Brantley also comes up during this part, though Kate is convinced he’s heading to an entirely different country. Matthew angles for a roster spot with the Yakult Swallows and urges against the dangers of coming up with fake trades all winter. Take a walk and enjoy the fresh air, please. If we must play the hypothetical game, sound off in the comments with your ideas for free agents the Angels can overpay and then waste. Music: “Lighterless” by Microwave // “20 Something” by SZA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate and John are joined by Austin Einhorn, founder of Apiros Movement Training. Austin talks about the work he's doing with Mitch Haniger, who he describes as his "dream client", offers a better vision of practice, and explodes a lot of the myths we hold both about athletic training and about our own bodies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-17:25: Wesley Robinson joins the show all the way from Pennsylvania, where he works as the press secretary for a State Senator. Though he grew up in Tacoma, Wesley admits he’s both physically and emotionally removed from the Pacific Northwest, save for his Mariner fandom. How does one follow the team from the eastern time zone? Matthew and Wesley swap stories about moving away from home and how that affects your baseball life. It takes less than 20 minutes for a conversation about Mariner fandom to include the phrase “this is rough” and “I’m going to remember Charles Gipson for the rest of my life”. 17:30-33:10: Going back to the beginning of Wesley’s fandom, which he pinpoints in 1992. Omar Vizquel’s departure led him down a dark and confounding yet everlasting path. After being told about the Mariners’ eternal struggles, and watching them at an early age, seeing them build a competent team hooked him forever. How does McDonald’s factor in here? Which point in Wesley’s journey has been the most stressful for him? 33:15-46:35: When you leave the Northwest, what sort of things do the people you meet say about it? What about when you move to Kentucky and your friends back home start spewing misconceptions about it? The one constant feeling of home, as Wesley explains, is funneled through the Mariners. Both dudes grumble over the stadium’s name change and how no other fan base has any attachment to the name Safeco Field. Which non-Mariner sporting event from early-2000s Seattle made Wesley a lot of money? We also remind you that no matter how big Russell Wilson gets or how synonymous he becomes with the city, HE IS NOT COOL. 46:40-1:16:05: Matthew and Wesley end the episode by talking about their experiences as Black men who love baseball, how most people find that strange, and why it’s Major League Baseball’s fault. The official end of the episode comes after a nuanced look at the future. Music: “I Feel It All” by Feist // “Big Fish” by Vince Staples Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-23:00: First, a much-needed mental health check. Then, Matthew introduces Kate and Mikey who are here to bat ideas back and forth about the Mariners’ offseason plans. Who is everyone’s GUY, aka the player they want above all else? Do we think they’ll go old or young? Is this the part when they finally spend money? Is another international signing on the horizon? Are a pair of once-great pitchers cooked for good? If you wanted to hear the words chaos Muppet, you came to the right place. 23:05-33:30: Throwing out some starting pitcher free agents and seeing if there’s any interest from the room. We land on a resounding no when it comes to a certain player who loves to start problems on Twitter. What does your heart sound like when you hear the phrase “James Paxton reunion”? Mikey and Kate get into an argument about Dan Wilson and then pitch an idea for a new statue outside the stadium. 33:35-52:45: Let’s talk relievers, famously a very exciting group! Would you rather go for quality or quantity at the bullpen grocery store? Who are some hard-throwing, wild thing-types that Seattle could target? Thankfully, there are a few who wear their hats in a crooked manner, which is a lovable baseball archetype. How do the Mariners current crop of relievers fit into this plan? 52:50-1:09:39: Is there any hope at all for the Mariners landing Francisco Lindor in a trade? What would that package even look like? Tell us in the comments what your offer to Cleveland would look like! The show takes a drastic turn at the end when Mikey learns about the Royals’ weird stance on pornography and Kate is overserved by 14 Hands. Music: “You Worry Me” by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats // “River Deep Mountain High” by Tina Turner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Kate, Joe, and John, the offseason is the furthest thing from break time. That's because the draft order is now settled, which means we've got another layer of clarity on where Seattle might be picking at No. 12 overall and beyond. Despite *gestures in every direction*, high school baseball showcases have continued across the country, giving scouting departments and public scouting enthusiasts the chance to watch from afar as the next wave develops. We take listener questions on who the M's could target now that they're just outside the top-10. Is this the year that the M's finally go with a high-upside prep position player? Do guys like Marcelo Mayer have a chance of making it to the M's? And how might they look to add another competitive balance pick as they have the past couple years? Music: "Symphonies" by Kid Cudi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-13:25: Ashley MacLennan of DRaysBay is here to try and figure out how Mike Zunino ended up in the World Series. Her and Matthew begin by rejoicing over the fact that the Astros lost and how strange it is to not play an non-divisional opponent all season until the League Championship Series. Then we get into the Zunino zone. What were Ashley’s thoughts when the Rays traded Mallex Smith and Jake Fraley to land Z? Did anything surprise her about Zunino’s skill set? Also does Tampa want Jake Fraley back? 13:30-29:40: How did the Rays use Zunino during the regular season? Can we expect that to continue in the World Series? With a player like Mike, the non-quantifiable things are arguably the most important. How does Ashley feel about that, and how does that affect the way she watches the team? A discussion about players excelling after finding the best fit for them blooms out of this. Will Mikey be able to just sit fastball and feast off the Dodgers’ velocity? 30:10-41:34: The Rays are great y’all, get over yourselves. Watching bullpen games is weird, but it certainly helps when all the bullpen guys have the best stuff you’ve ever seen. Lastly, as this is a Mariners podcast dripping with self-immolation, we remind you of the Dodgers’ history of success vs. Seattle’s. To cap things off, Matthew and Ashley talk about the Rays’ chances to actually win this thing. Music: “Benzi Box” by DANGERDOOM ft. Cee Lo Green // “Close Your Eyes” by Kim Petras Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-8:00: We have three guests! Four total people! Dogs and cats living together! We’ve decided to examine each of the teams still playing in the League Championship Series and figure out how the Mariners can steal some of their ideas. On the American League side, Kate Preusser kindly chose the Astros while John Trupin covers the Rays. Isabelle Minasian, Lookout Landing emeritus member and current Digital Content Specialist for the Baseball Hall of Fame, talks about the Dodgers while Matthew Roberson breaks down the Braves. After briefly getting sidetracked by pleasantries and a discussion about the Pittsburgh Pirates (?), we get to the meat of the show. 8:05-30:10: How did the Astros get to this point after being laughably bad when they first joined the American League? As Kate explains, everyone stupidly continues to trade with them, they exploit the lesser teams, and they also nailed a bunch of draft picks in the pre-death machine days. Houston also remains fairly inactive in international signing, something their current opponent does the opposite of. Matthew chimes in to whine about how the Astros remain good at everything even though they should be shuttered like a failing Arby’s. 30:15-53:50: John puts on his marine biologist hat to do some research on sting rays. As they are ocean creatures, they do not have a lot of money, but that has not stopped them. Like the Astros, the Rays have had a good draft history, but they haven’t had a top ten pick in quite some time. They’re just a maddeningly consistent franchise that knows how to operate within their constraints. You may also remember them fleecing Pittsburgh in the Chris Archer deal. That, plus having three capable players at each position, is a great strategy. 53:55-1:09:15: Which small nation do the Mariners need to annex in order to equal the Dodgers’ payroll? Isabelle reminds us that no team will ever be able to match the Dodgers in either financial strength or ability to avoid a full rebuild. The term “nurturing to tremendous success” gets introduced. How has this super team built itself without making many blockbuster trades? Outside of Mookie, a lot of the talent comes from the draft or reclamation projects. We call this a recurring theme, children! Make sure you’re sitting down when you hear their 2016 draft haul. 1:09:20-1:32:22: Finishing up with the Braves, the team that the Mariners could feasibly use as an actual blueprint for themselves. Matthew explains where the Braves’ top three starters from this postseason came from and then laughs for hours about Arizona trading a number one overall pick for literally Shelby Miller. There’s definitely something here that smells like Logan Gilbert and Emerson Hancock. On the offensive side, Julio is on the Ronald Acuña plan, and Dansby Swanson, who had a tumultuous minor league career, is sort of Atlanta’s Kyle Lewis. Atlanta and Seattle have both also shown that they’re willing to give their prospects the space to struggle. Music: “Do Si Do” by Jenny Lewis // “House Work” by Jax Jones ft. Mike Dunn & MNEK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-20:00: Matthew calls up chef Eric Rivera (who was recently profiled in a wonderful Eater story by Alberto Perez) to talk about his experiences as a fan of the Seattle Mariners. Eric is also the owner of the restaurant Addo in Ballard, which is doing a lot of easy to make and inexpensive take-out meals. How did Eric feel about micro dosing a baseball season? How does he feel about what Jerry Dipoto has cooked up at his executive table? 20:05-39:35: Let’s talk about the unwritten rules, which are stupid, and if you like them, guess what? You are also stupid. Eric spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico as a kid, which means he also learned a lot about how the game is played there. What are the main differences? Why does America hate fun so much? 39:40-51:10: Where, when, and how did this whole journey of baseball fandom begin for Eric? Steroids and The Peanut Guy were heavily involved. He also talks about living in Chicago as the Cubs finally got over the hump and all the thoughts it invited. This portion ends with a sad retrospective on a summer without live baseball. 51:15-1:07:30: Let’s make fun of ballpark food! Eric is uniquely qualified to talk about this, and he has some THOUGHTS. To summarize, make the food represent more of the players on the field. While the stadium does a good job of highlighting local beers, it remains insane that you can’t get a Seattle dog at any of the thousand kiosks around the concourse. This gourmet conversation ends with Eric evaluating the current food scene in Seattle. Music: “Who You Are” by Mannequin Pussy // “Vanished” by Crystal Castles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00 - 46:00 - We go through the Mariners full slate of rookies, from the two Rookie of the Year candidates to those who never quite got started. What's the ceiling for guys like Kyle Lewis and Justus Sheffield, and have they established trustworthy floors? Who among us still believes in under-performers like Justin Dunn and Jake Fraley? And what do we expect from some of the pitchers who flashed potential, like Yohan Ramirez, Joey Gerber, and Nick Margevicius? 46:00 - End - Let's talk Fall Developmental Camp! We take listener questions on the makeshift fall league/instructional league amalgamation Seattle is kicking off this week down in Arizona. While they take on the Padres, Rangers, and Royals prospects, we'll be hoping to get updates as possible, but it's hard to say how! We wonder about Taylor Trammell's time down in Arizona compared to a few of his new 17 year old teammates. Music: "No Tengo Para" by El Mayor Clasico and Rochy RD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-25:55: The show begins with Mariners’ minor league pitcher Jack Anderson giving us a few minutes of his time! Our conversation begins with some Midwest small talk before getting into the fear of losing the MLB draft’s late rounds. Jack is also a submarine style pitcher, which, as he puts it, was the first of its kind when his college team traveled to Cuba. Jack also tells us about how he stayed sharp during the COIVD shutdown. This segment ends with Jack explaining the work he’s doing for Young, Black & Lit, an Illinois-based organization committed to increasing access to children’s books that center, reflect, and affirm Black children. If you would like to help donate, or want to see videos from Jack’s Swings for Stories event, visit this page. The next part begins with a discussion of the Mariners’ Player Development Fall League roster, of which Jack is also a part of. 26:00-44:40: John Trupin logs on to talk about that roster as well as Jerry Dipoto’s recent comments about the team contending in 2021. Which free agent reliever is Jerry getting ready to overpay for? Kate thinks making a point of saying they will upgrade the bullpen is a distraction from the fact that he’s not spending on a Realmuto or LeMahieu. 45:40-1:08:29: Matthew takes a moment to regroup after learning that Chad Pinder is not Australian. He gracefully recovers in time to field listener questions. What to do with Justin Dunn? Which minor league starter could become a high-leverage reliever? Music: “Longshot” by Miike Snow // “The Creature” by La Luz // “Devil’s Pie” by D’Angelo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-15:40: We’re giving out awards! That are totally made up and hold no actual value or contributions to society! YAYYYYYYYYY! But first, a quick roundup about the state of the franchise and a shout out to the small sample gods. 15:45-57:15: Time for the awards, starting with favorite games, although Matthew takes a quick detour to make an important confession. When it comes time to actually pick games, we all veer into the Gonzales zone and learn about the existence of Jimmy Herget. Then, biggest surprises of this season, which was a surprise to begin with. Matthew and John talk about their experience in the Seattle Wiffle Ball League. The squad then picks their favorite newcomers to the Mariners’ organization. 57:20-1:30:41: Biggest disappointments of the year, come get y’all juice. To wrap up the festivities, we hand out the Tyler Smith Award for Most Forgettable and the Mark Canha Award for Best New Enemy. While it didn’t bring home the award, Kate mentions a new enemy in tweet form. We also all agree that baseball has progressed past the need for Sam Coonrod. Our lightning round at the end covers worst game and hottest player on the team. Music: “Harder Than You Think” by Public Enemy // “Deadlines (Thoughtful)” by Car Seat Headrest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-21:00: Hanna Brooks Olsen is here, just in time for plumes of ash to block out the sun and end humanity once and for all! As an Oregon resident, where does Hanna find the Mariners in the Oregon sports hierarchy? Hanna grew up in a household with dueling fandoms, which led to her grandfather’s ashes being scattered at a division rival’s field. After a brief rundown of the perceived itchiest player in Major League Baseball, we find out how Hanna fell hopelessly in love with baseball, which will always hit different on the radio. 21:05-45:20: Everyone’s got a beloved Mariner who wasn’t good at baseball. Hanna’s is a recently departed, perennially thicc middle reliever. During this segment, the concept of time takes Matthew behind the woodshed and absolutely beats him senseless. As Mariner fans, we have a protective turtle shell that shields us from danger but also allows us to hide in our own comforting isolation. Toomgis, Larry King, juggalos, and a Pioneer Square bar with carpeted tables also come up. 45:25-56:55: The Mariners, this year’s Mariners, aren’t a complete embarrassment! Thoughts? Feelings? We know we’re in a weird zone when Kyle Seager has a beard. Matthew and Hanna then talk about those moments where another person is confronted by the reality of how much you care about the Mariners. One more important announcement from this part of the show: Coors Light is good. 57:00-1:13:00: Asking Hanna about her favorite Mariner ever, the time she saw Daniel Vogelbach crushing chicken wings on Aurora, and Dave Niehaus’ death. Music: “Hella Good” by No Doubt // “Eugene” by Arlo Parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-34:05: Great news everybody, your saviors are here. All of the troubles of the world will be fixed by this very episode of the Lookout Landing podcast. First, how do we feel about the Mariners playing baseball games on a field that looked like a Def Leppard stage? Second, which is funnier, the Mariners being okay enough to be in the race, or the Astros being bad enough to let them in? Third, are these weird circumstances setting the M’s up to be America’s team? 34:10-58:10: Guessing, successfully, who the unlikely gem of the Mariners’ bullpen has been. Guessing, unsuccessfully, why Jarred Kelenic is still taking reps against nobodies rather than in MLB games that matter. Matthew and Kate disagree on whether Kelenic or Logan Gilbert should be up with the big club. 58:15-1:14:05: Twitter questions for that ass. Does José Marmolejos make the club next season? Do the players actually call him Donovan? We also have a fun look into what it sounds like when news breaks during a recording session. At the very end, each member of the podcast gang picks their ideal World Series and Matthew quotes one of the world’s most respected minds. Music: “All Day Long” by New Order // “Try” by Jill Scott Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0 - 15:00 General intro, bemoaning of the MiLB season lost. At about the five minute mark we get into our first listener question and the general state of the 2020 Mariners, surprisingly not as awful as we thought they might be! This is good! We roundtable our choices for the prospect who has surprised us the most at the big league level, and the answers might surprise you. Namely, we get a little fast and loose with the definition of prospect. 15:00 - 30:00: It’s never too early to talk big off-season signings, so that’s exactly what we do. There’s also some talk about the bullpen, and how Jerry Dipoto has spent money on the bullpen, and for that, we are sorry. 30:00 - end: Perfect Game chat! Joe puts some respect on Benny Montgomery’s name and Borat impression. Kate continually calls James Wood “Ed” Wood and for that she is sorry. Brady House and Jordan Lawlar are marveled over in a class that is especially strong on shortstops, hooray! Please don’t disappoint us again, Jerry. At about the 55 minute mark is a discussion of the top arms in this draft class, including Chase Petty, Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter, and how they all compare. There are a couple other questions in here too, because we can’t resist a little Ranger and Angel-bashing when the opportunity arises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-10:55: Calling our first ever guest (we think) in Europe to talk about all things Mariners. This week’s guest is author and podcast host Mike Duncan, who moved to Paris to write a book, while Matthew moved from Queen Anne to Fremont to have a quieter place to record podcasts. Mike and Matthew exchange pleasantries about life and baseball culture in France before diving into his history as an M’s fan. How has moving – first domestically, then internationally – molded Mike’s attachment to baseball? We also recorded this before the Bucks were eliminated from the NBA playoffs, so please do not make fun of Mike for saying they’re cool. 11:00-22:50: Favorite players from a 1980s childhood in the Pacific Northwest. The Mariners being a mystery to the rest of the world back then allowed for a singular experience and shameless bandwagoning once the playoffs rolled around. This opens a discussion about attending Seattle sporting events to see the other team’s great players. Then, an adorable story swap about seeing great pitchers in Seattle as their careers crawled to their conclusions. 22:55-41:25: How does Mike, a historian, feel about the general history of the Seattle Mariners? At what point does the mid-‘90s nostalgia become too much? We certainly didn’t expect a large chunk of this segment to go toward the 2016 team, but we’re glad it did. Most of you probably do this very often, but think about how truly, unfathomably, impossibly strange it was for Robinson Canó to willingly sign with the Mariners. 41:30-1:01:25: Mike hosts a podcast all about revolutions, so we ask the question, was there ever a point where you wanted the Mariners to stage their own revolution to depose their own leadership? Fill in the blanks: “_____ is a villain. ______? He’s a weird cat.” 1:01:30-1:21:20: Ending with a session on the current state of the organization and how we feel moving into the great unknown. Music: “Black Sheep” by Metric // “Numbers on the Board” by Pusha T Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-14:15: Amanda Lane Cumming is here to discuss her spectacular “War, Pandemic, and Seattle Baseball in 1918” three-part series. But first, we introduce Amanda and the things that make her baseball heart sing. Listen closely to this part for some juicy cocktail gossip. 14:20-29:20: What inspired Amanda to research a 100-year-old pandemic and the way that affected baseball? This is the part where you learn a library’s worth of information about shipyard baseball teams. As one of America’s shipyard hubs, Seattle was heavily involved in World War I baseball as a morale-building activity. Kate and Amanda also have a thoughtful discussion about history and the things we learn, or don’t learn, from it. It’s also finally time to examine Daddy Warbucks and his fetishization of orphan culture. 29:25-40:55: Which, shall we say, icky organization sponsored one of these offshoot baseball teams? Which current Midwestern MLB team used to have a much different, much bleaker, name? After the big reveal, Amanda shares some of the things she had to cut from the published versions of her stories. Spoiler alert: Babe Ruth is involved! 41:00-48:55: Not necessarily baseball related, but during WWI, the fervor of America’s anti-German stances led to several German items getting a name change. That and more as Amanda explains the process behind her extensive research and the challenges she ran into. 49:00-59:27: Now that Amanda has all this glorious information in her head, and has published so much of it so cohesively, what’s next for the “War, Pandemic, and Seattle Baseball in 1918” series? Finally, some lessons we can all learn from the early 20th century. Music: “My Brain is Hanging Upside Down” by The Ramones // “In For the Kill” by Shamir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate, Joe, and Mikey examine the trade return for Austin Nola and his reliever buddies, talk about the future of the franchise, look at how the Mariners are set up in 2021 and beyond, and make some very immature jokes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-12:25: John is gone so we’ve called upon the indelible Mikey Ajeto to take his spot! Mikey joins Matthew and Kate to discuss the Mariners’ recent turnaround and dig into possible trades. But first, let’s dump on the Angels! They’re really bad! One of the worst teams in the league, as it turns out! 12:30-32:55: Kate breaks down some of the reasons why Evan White’s hitting has improved lately. We also shower Austin Nola with the All-Star hype he deserves before going down the trade rabbit hole. How would we feel about the M’s trading Nola? What about Taijuan Walker and the bullpen guys? 33:00-44:55: How has Taylor Williams been so effective? Let Mikey, our pitching analytics expert, explain. We also mentally prepare for the possibility that Kyle Seager, father figure for the entire Pacific Northwest, could get traded. The most interesting part of this discussion, of course, is that there are already so many good third basemen across the league. Five dollars to anyone who has some dirt on Las Vegas’ totally legal sounding Bonanza High School. Should the Mariners try to build the whole team out of Kyles? 45:00-53:53: A eulogy for Daniel Vogelbach, who is not dead, just in Toronto now. Also, after literal years of putting up with audio issues, we are in the market for a new website or recording software to record and edit the podcast! If you have any experience with this, please suggest some good ones in the comments below. Ideally, we’d love a service that lets us edit each person’s vocal track individually, let guests call in via telephone, and adjust audio levels for individual stretches of the conversation. Thank you kindly. Music: “Freelance” by Toro y Moi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-30:00: We’re…a third of the way through the season? None of the Mariners have contracted the ‘roni, but strangeness still dominates this whole year. How do we fell about the way MLB, and specifically its players, have handled all this? Please refrain from getting horny at the team hotel. A good chunk of our happiness comes from being extremely correct. We’ve also reached a Zen state from watching inconsequential bullpen guys. This is part of the Tao of Mariners. 30:10-43:35: What is really the goal of this season? How does having a perennially on fire bullpen actually help the Mariners? Then we get lost talking about J.P. Crawford for an extended period of time. 43:40-57:15: We now move to the negative parts of this season, which go by the name White, Evan. He is, sadly, approaching a dangerous zone. Can someone check to see if Mallex Smith’s bat has a barrel? Sending either of them to the alternate site will do more harm than good though. Let people struggle without bullying them online or trying to diagnose things from your couch. 57:20-1:20:20: Ending, as always, with listener questions. This week’s batch is about Vogey and Mallex, the lack of minor leagues, and what the hell is happening in Tacoma? Find out which player Kate is secretly worried about. Music: “Moby Octopad” by Yo La Tengo // “Heatstroke” by Calvin Harris ft. Young Thug, Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate and John are joined by Mariners RHP prospect Jarod Bayless from his current training grounds in Dallas, TX. The 33rd round pick from 2019 out of Dallas Baptist University by way of San Jacinto CC is an enthusiastic adopter of the many technological assets available to baseball players these days, and he breaks down the various ways in which devices like Rapsodo, Trackman/Hawkeye, Motus, and others specifically help him develop. Bayless has chronicled his development - and struggles - on his Instagram page (@JarodThrows), offering a great training resource for those interested in pushing themselves from borderline talents towards big league potential pitchers. Music: "Daniel, You're Still a Child" - Declan McKenna / "Space Cadet" - Metro Boomin (ft. Gunna) Editor’s Note: We originally recorded this with Jarod back in late July, before the season began. Due to bizarre audio issues that required heroic efforts from the developers at Cast, this episode comes to you at last. That said, a brief chunk of this episode was excised to fix a recording issue, so this may have moments of slight audio confusion, however we HOPE it may all be just fine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-27:20: Matthew is back from some extreme chillin’ in Idaho and is now Idahosting this podcast again, restoring balance in the universe. While Matthew was gone, the Mariners played roughly 10 percent of the season, so he’s got some catching up to do! We’ve gathered some headlines from that period, and it’s up to John and Kate to fill him in on what happened. After getting updates on Kyle Lewis, we start talking neck. Then it’s on to Joey Gerber and his first MLB game against a man who debuted before his fourth birthday. 27:25-39:50: A direct plea to Rob Manfred and an appreciation of Rebelution, a band that J.P. Crawford apparently loves? Our last headline centers on Yusei Kikuchi and his recent masterful performance against Oakland. 39:55-1:11:06: Time for listener questions! Which player does Kate already anoint as a dark horse MVP candidate? Is there any chance for trades during this loopy, hard to figure season? The only thing that derails our intellectual, stimulating conversation is the news that Kyle Seager’s middle name is DUERR. As per usual, the conversation steers toward Dylan Moore’s confounding ass, DMX quotes, and Puerto Rican hip power. Music: “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg // “Masterpiece” by Big Thief Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The games at the big league level count at last, so John, Kate, and Joe take a look at how the Mariners prospects - hello Evan White and Kyle Lewis - are doing in their everyday roles. It's a listener mailbag episode, with questions on what the outfield will look like if Lewis turns into something like the player he's playing like right now, how to handle the pitching vs. hitting quality and development discrepancy in the Tacoma alternate site, and how Seattle's farm stacks up against the rest of their division. Music: "Space Cadet" by Metro Boomin' / "Mindmaker" by Lost Cousins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-31:30: We truly cannot believe we made it. Get in here, y’all. We’re gonna try to do a season real quick. We’re gathered here today to share three things that we’re excited to watch this year. Kate kicks us off with an awfully specific thing relating to Marco Gonzales. Then we talk some DEFENSE! Remember that the Mariners will be without infield wizard Perry Hill, at least in person, as the 68-year-old coach has opted to stay home. We’ll also have the wonderful joy of a balletic first baseman scooping and stretching for all 60 games. 32:00-49:15: Which starter’s pitch mix is getting John all riled up? Hint: it’s a guy who is, at least on a physical plane, embracing his new life on the west coast. What part of Kyle Lewis’ game is worthy of your number crunching? If any of you off the top of your head know what Jake Stahl is famous for, give yourself a pat on the back. 49:20-1:03:05: This could be an emotional season. Lots of things happening during these unprecedented times, folks! Somewhere in here the term “midnight breakfast” gets dropped for the first time in podcast history, surely. Matthew’s final pick involves inarguably the worst unit of the team. Henry Rowengarter gets a shout out too because we stay on topic around here. 1:03:10-1:29:00: Gather ‘round for listener questions. Check out Ben Gamel doing his absolute best to mimic everything Christian Yelich does, which ties into our first question. We end, naturally, by taking one wardrobe item from each Mariner and combining it on one body. We can’t wait to be mad about the Mariners with you again. Music: “Bodysnatchers” by Radiohead // “Foreplay” by Jalen Santoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-20:55: We have an actual player for the Seattle Mariners on the show! Joey Gerber, who is currently at Summer Camp with the team, calls in from the team hotel. What’s it like to have your entire life distilled into a baseball stadium and a hotel? Who’s in charge? Are the feds watching? We also learn what players Joey has gravitated to and how they’re passing the time. Joey shares his excitement to be in a temperate climate after growing up in the Midwest and spending last season between Modesto and Arkansas. 21:00-36:25: Joey has what scouts and writers love to call a “funky delivery”. Where did that come from? Being from a cold-weather area in an overlooked part of the country, how did Joey end up making a name for himself in baseball? Now that he’s here, what’s the approach to camp and seeing live hitting again? 36:30-49:55: What sort of dark magic had to happen for a dude from a town called Maple Grove to end up with the Mariners? Is there anything from back home that Joey wants to bring here, or vice versa? Who’s impressed Joey at camp so far? 50:00-1:26:00: Saying goodbye to Joey Gerber and hello to listener questions! Thank you to everyone who sent us things to talk about. We cover potential Mariner MVP’s, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Years while also re-casting The Breakfast Club with guys from Seattle’s roster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the season suddenly on, the TMBM crew scrambles to gather their thoughts. We discuss the draft, now further in hindsight, an eye-popping showcase for next year's high school studs, and of course the Mariners prospects-heavy taxi squad schemes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: At around the midpoint (30 minutes in) John’s audio quality drops off for some reason. It’s only a mild difference but he does get quieter, apologies for the inconvenience. 0:00-14:00: So they’re gonna do this baseball thing. Matthew, Kate, and John share their trepidation for the logistics of the MLB season in the throes of a resurgence (did we ever halt the first surgence?) of COVID-19 nationwide, and somehow end up talking about cup stacking and waveboards for a while. 14:00-28:00: We dig into the temporary (or not) rule changes. Universal DHs, runners on second in extra innings, no spitting, altered ILs, and of course, the wet rag. Whose ass is going to be soaking wet for us, the viewer? 28:00-End: Questions! What is an ideal shortened Mariners season in our eyes? Is there any way MLB doesn’t royally screw this up and get a ton of people sick? How should the Mariners handle their prospects? Where is Yasiel Puig at anyways? How will a trade deadline (and trade market) work or develop, and will it impact any of the potential short-term players on Seattle’s roster? Plus, who will have the most creative “safe” celebrations? Music: “Just” by Mark Ronson & Alex Greenwald (Radiohead cover) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-19:55: Ryan Rowland-Smith is here! The former Mariner pitcher and current Mariner analyst has his own podcast now, and he recently created an animation to go with it. What else has Ryan been up to during the lockdown? What does he miss the most about the rhythms of an MLB season? He mentions how unfortunate it is that many of the Mariners’ young pitchers’ development will be thrown off by this prolonged break. Find out which type of player Ryan thinks you should “never pick high up in drafts”. Of course, given that we are a serious baseball podcast, we also get into a conversation about the everyday hustles of Newcastle, Australia. 20:00-32:30: Ryan re-lives his first American experiences, which came in the lush meadows of Arizona. What would he do differently if he were a prospect today? This leads to some stories about how the Mariners ran their organization when Ryan was coming up through the ranks. Bill Bavasi, cover your ears. 32:35-47:25: It’s time to find out what was really happening in 2010. Were Chone Figgins and Casey Kotchman as toxic as we thought? (Spoiler alert: yes.) They didn’t even enjoy FanFest! Ryan also pulls the curtain back on those conversations that players have while shagging balls at batting practice. Which organization that he went to after leaving the Mariners had the most impressive player development system? 47:30-58:00: What is the state of baseball in Australia? Who are some of the kids Ryan is developing with his NxtGen Baseball program that we should know about? 58:05-1:39:00: Let’s remember some of Ryan Rowland Smith’s highest highs and lowest lows from a wild MLB career. Who does he remember having success against? Who does he remember having…not success against? What seemed to happen every time he pitched to Derek Jeter? We also get into Ryan’s experience on American Ninja Warrior an end with his definitive Jack Zduriencik story. Music: “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan // “Charity” by Courtney Barnett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-10:00: Dave Sims, the voice of the Mariners, joins Matthew to talk about life as a Black man in baseball and share some of his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement. How do we get more Black people – and people from other underrepresented groups – in the broadcast booth? What about getting more Black kids into baseball, and eventually into the majors? Enacting an entire culture shift is a daunting task, but it’s the only option for both baseball and society at large. 10:05-21:05: What’s it like for Dave to travel around the league and typically be the only Black person in the room? When he meets people from outside of the sports world, what is their reaction to finding out Dave works in baseball? Breaking news: BLACK PEOPLE LIKE BASEBALL TOO, and as Dave says, “We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.” 21:10-26:35: The Mariners have the largest population of Black players in the league. What has Dave’s experience with that group been like? How do we make sure this doesn’t become a one-off situation? 27:05-44:45: How did Dave, an East Coaster for life, end up in Seattle in the first place? How was it taking over for Dave Niehaus, and how did the community react at first? Which booth on the road is his favorite to call a game from? Which cities does he describe as having “good people, bad ballpark”? Where does Mike Trout rank among all the great athletes Dave has seen across the multiple sports he covers? What’s Dave’s favorite call from his 14 years of covering Mariner games? 44:50-51:37: Whenever MLB begins again, what should we expect from the Seattle Mariners? How would he feel about the legitimacy of a shortened season? At the end of the day, we just need to see these guys on the field again. Music: “Computer Love” by Zapp & Roger // “Broken Clocks” by SZA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All three of John, Kate, and Joe link our podcast-creation-stones once more to cover a highly educated crop of Mariners draftees with minimal pizzazz on the surface. We came into this recording with dissatisfaction in our hearts, but worked our way to a better place. Have a listen! Music: “Sister Surround” by Soundtrack to Our Lives / “CHANCES” by KAYTRANADA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate and Joe talk about the Mariners sixth-round pick Emerson Hancock as well as review the first day of the draft as a whole. They also discuss Day Two strategies and targets, and how the Mariners might address the gaps in their system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to draft week, where the slots do matter and nobody knows what's going on. John, Kate, and Joe join forces all the same to offer our last thoughts before things go down this Wednesday and Thursday. The topics of conversation include... Why is Emerson Hancock sliding in so many projections? And do we still want him if he's there at No. 6? Nick Gonzales or Max Meyer? Which of the top names could possibly slip to Seattle? What compels someone to go from Roswell, GA, to Roswell, NM? How do teams value organizational fit in a draft with so much talent? Who would we like most for Seattle at No. 6 and No. 43? And much more. Check out lookoutlanding.com for all our draft coverage, including Joe's final mock draft, with a big 'ol surprise at No. 10. Music: "Kin II" by Midnight Survivor / "CHANCES" by KAYTRANADA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-11:45: A lovely reunion conversation is immediately interrupted by Kate updating us on her mobile, liquor-slurping neighbors. As per usual, this portends another conversation that has absolutely nothing to do with the intended purposes of this podcast. Before getting back on track, Matthew addresses the recent events in America and implores you to do what you can. 11:50-24:45: We get into MLB’s proposed plans for getting the season going. This includes some talk about timelines, player payment, and locations. All of this stumbles into open suggestions for how certain teams can recreate the environment of their home parks. This is the part where we’re contractually obligated to wonder if the Mariners could sneak into the playoffs and subsequently start an unbearable discussion about whether it counts. 24:50-49:55: Digging into listener questions! Thank you as always to those who submitted, we know it’s been a while since we spoke to you directly. Questions cover topics like how players will come out of this physically, the upcoming draft, and Dan Altavilla’s swelling derrière. 50:00-1:04:00: The part you’ve all been waiting for, infrastructure and Fourth of July “salad” debates! Thank you as always for listening to this beautifully weird show. Music: “Americans” by Janelle Monáe // “Ultralight Beam” by Kanye West (Chance the Rapper verse) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Among many other things, this was a grim few weeks for baseball in the United States. The Mariners cut 44 minor leaguers, including several players with longer tenures in the organization than anyone not named Seager. John, Joe, and Kate talk through a number of players whose careers in Seattle's affiliation came to an end this week, with a focus on the implications for the minor leagues going forward, what the Arizona Fall League may look like, and how independent baseball will be increasingly worth everyone's time. At around the 35:00 minute mark, the discussion turns to the draft. Georgia RHP Emerson Hancock has been mocked to the Mariners a couple times now, representing a surprising shift for one of the premier arms in the pool. We go into what's precipitated that perceived slip and whether we'd be on board if he's still available at No. 6 (you can hear Kate screaming 'YES'!!!! without the headphones). Afterwards, we turn our focus beyond the first round and each talk through a few names at every pick - 43, 64, 78, 107, and 137, who could be available and would fit our desires and Seattle's needs, to provide some "ones to watch" for next week's draft. If you have questions, next week's podcast will drop on Tuesday as a prep episode for the Wednesday and Thursday draft. Music: "The Space Program" - A Tribe Called Quest / "CHANCES" - KAYTRANADA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-28:10: Mourning a Memorial Day without baseball before welcoming Mariner legend Bucky Jacobsen to the show! Bucky breaks down the origins of his name and how he went from the smallest kid in his school to a hulking MLB slugger. Which earthly process does Bucky’s career most resemble, and how did it come out of eastern Oregon? He also shares a story about his athletic career in the aquatic world. 29:15-43:55: Let’s dig in to Bucky’s career, starting with the day he got called up in 2004. You might not remember which beloved Mariner got released to make room for big #33. You definitely don’t remember what happened in his first game, which was a disaster for the Mariners but memorable for Bucky, especially because of a pregame ritual that ticked off the second baseman. 44:00-55:55: What changes has Bucky noticed in baseball culture today compared to when he played? Which future Hall of Famer did Bucky describe as having a “dump truck ass” when they crossed paths in the Venezuelan winter ball? This leads to some talk about the Mariners’ current crop of prospects and how they might progress. 56:00-1:20:00: Time for trivia! We ask Bucky if he knows the only Mariner to hit more home runs than him in less than 180 plate appearances. Can he name every pitcher he homered off? Finally, we end with an Ichiro story. Music: “What’s Golden” by Jurassic 5 // “Knuck If You Buck” by Crime Mob Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate, Joe, and John tackle MLB's most recent proposals for how teams might handle the shortened season, and how minor league baseball and prospects may be impacted. With a taxi squad proposal involving 30 active players and 20 taxi squad "reserves", teams will be digging into their prospect pools for big league action this year if games take place. What might that roster look like for the Mariners? And are there players who might be better or worse suited for such an arrangement? We also discuss the news of the day, with the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim laying off and/or furloughing much of their scouting and player development groups. After this podcast was recording, the Athletics informed their minor leaguers they would cease paying them, but would not release them from their contracts, beginning June 1. We discuss how these circumstances may have lengthy ramifications for some teams, the AL West in particular, and how that will likely bleed into the MLB Draft as well. Music: "Wrecking Ball" - Bruce Springsteen / "CHANCES" - KAYTRANADA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

0:00-12:25: Gabey Lucas, a writer and editor for UW Dawg Pound and local comedian, joins the show to chat about the Mariners and all that surrounds this team. What has she been watching to fill the sports void? Korean baseball? Cornhole? Who’s been the biggest winner of quarantine? After exchanging pleasantries, Matthew and Gabey talk about SB Nation’s Dorktown documentary about the Mariners. 12:30-29:55: What are some of the similarities between the Mariners and UW football, or Seattle sports at large? It certainly doesn’t seem like a coincidence that a lot of the city’s sports history mirrors its dreary sensibility. As Mariner fans, the losing obviously hovers over a lot of our collective experience, but how often do you really think about the sustained failure? We also wonder how much sucking creates apathy in the players, as well as how Seattle’s personality as a city could be a turnoff for southern players. 30:00-45:35: Some Braden Bishop UW x Mariners crossover content! When will the Mariners have their next local kid make it with the big club? Why do we expect athletes to care about their job, and their employer, more than common folk? 45:40-1:08:00: How did Gabey get mixed up with the Mariners anyway? Which player’s name did Gabey utter as one of her first words? Who is her guy that wasn’t actually good at baseball? We end with a much-deserved appreciation of the changeup as a concept. Music: “Solitude is Bliss” by Tame Impala // “Heart of Glass” by Blondie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's mock draft day on TMBM, and we're so excited to bring you a heaping serving of 2020 prognostication. John, Kate, and Joe have divvied up all 30 teams and make their selections, serpentine style, to give a sense of who might go where, and who that might leave available for the Seattle Mariners at picks No. 6, 43, 64, and 78. We go in order from No. 1 thru No. 43 on air, as well as including our selections at No. 64 and No. 78, but the full draft, with explanations, can be found in the episode article on Lookout Landing dot com. Whether you're a Mariners fan or not, let us know if you'd be happy with how things shake out! Music: "Things Can Only Get Better" - Howard Jones / "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" - New Kids On The Block Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices