Episode 135: Evaluating Second-Tier Trade Targets

[00:00:00] Welcome to episode number 135 of the Marine Layer Podcast.

[00:00:04] Lyle and I have some more Mariners trade targets to break down.

[00:00:07] We'll go down on the farm and pick out a standout Mariners Meierleger.

[00:00:10] We have a Russell Wilson umpire of the week, and we'll close out

[00:00:13] the show with Speak Your Mind.

[00:00:15] Here's your guys' reminder before we start the show.

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[00:00:43] Let's get it rolling.

[00:00:56] And we welcome you to this episode of the Marine Layer Podcast, part

[00:01:00] of the Just Baseball Podcast Network.

[00:01:02] Recording Thursday evening, June 6th.

[00:01:05] And I'm here to report Lyle after a Mariner series victory in Oakland.

[00:01:10] Abraham Toro for the series two for 12.

[00:01:13] Struck out a couple of times today.

[00:01:15] Brian Wu threw one of the nastiest two seamers in on Abe today.

[00:01:20] And it looked like it broke his soul.

[00:01:24] Is the fact that he's on pace to be a three war player

[00:01:27] breaking your soul?

[00:01:28] A little bit.

[00:01:30] Just a little bit.

[00:01:30] Three wins!

[00:01:31] Three!

[00:01:32] He is, he, so just full transparency.

[00:01:35] He's not on this list of trade targets Lyle and I have today.

[00:01:38] But as I mentioned before, we started recording.

[00:01:41] Unfortunately, he's probably going to be on the next one.

[00:01:45] I wonder whose fault it is that he's not on the list.

[00:01:48] Was that...

[00:01:49] Hey, listen, I was digging around and picking out.

[00:01:52] I thought I picked, we have some good names picked out today, but Abe,

[00:01:56] promise you buddy, you're going on the next one.

[00:02:00] God, what a conflicted episode that's going to be.

[00:02:02] Conflicted episode.

[00:02:04] Conflicted episode.

[00:02:05] Imagine if he actually gets traded back here.

[00:02:07] I know you've talked about that before.

[00:02:08] That's going to be one of the best podcast episodes we've ever had.

[00:02:13] Yeah, I just don't know what I'm going to do.

[00:02:15] I don't know what I'm going to do.

[00:02:16] There's going to need to be a bit.

[00:02:18] But I'm not sure it is.

[00:02:20] We have run the bit this week.

[00:02:21] Apparently, I voted him for the All-Star game and no one else.

[00:02:25] But that's just what I'm told online.

[00:02:28] Well, that's what sources are saying.

[00:02:30] If it was tweeted out on our account saying, hey, it's TJ.

[00:02:32] It must have been you.

[00:02:33] Did you put my email account in there too?

[00:02:35] So it reminded me that I voted.

[00:02:37] Hmm.

[00:02:39] Not that not that I know of.

[00:02:40] So you didn't get the.

[00:02:41] Reminder out should should have done that.

[00:02:43] I don't want to gotten the notification before you tweeted it.

[00:02:46] Hmm.

[00:02:48] Yeah.

[00:02:48] TJ wants Abe in the All-Star game.

[00:02:50] Haven't you heard?

[00:02:52] I don't see a story that would be tell 2021 TJ Matthewson.

[00:02:58] Abraham Toro is an All-Star for the Oakland A's in 2024.

[00:03:03] It's in there.

[00:03:05] Really?

[00:03:06] Huh?

[00:03:07] No, I do not think your response would be really question mark.

[00:03:11] I think you would go full Frank the tank.

[00:03:12] No, he's not.

[00:03:14] No, you, you would just go full Frank the tank.

[00:03:16] The minute you see that he has made the roster.

[00:03:21] He's going to have to beat Mason Miller out for that one a spot.

[00:03:24] So I'm liking my chances.

[00:03:26] Well, there might be two with Brent Rooker.

[00:03:28] Well, yeah, there might maybe maybe the Oakland A's with two bad

[00:03:32] Oakland A's with two.

[00:03:34] I would like to throw this out there before we dive into some of the trade

[00:03:37] targets.

[00:03:38] So TJ and I were texting about this a little bit this afternoon,

[00:03:41] recording Thursday after Brian Wu had a six inning shutout start

[00:03:45] against the A's due.

[00:03:47] DRA is now one oh seven on the year.

[00:03:50] What a stud first off, but I want to propose this question to

[00:03:53] everybody listening, everybody watching on YouTube.

[00:03:56] TJ and I have differing opinions on this and we want yours.

[00:03:59] So how do you, how do you do that?

[00:04:02] You guys know by now, drop a comment on YouTube.

[00:04:04] If you're watching, send us a DM, whatever you want.

[00:04:08] If Brian Wu keeps this up, is he going to be an all star?

[00:04:12] And my answer shockingly is the optimist on this podcast is yes.

[00:04:18] So here's my thing about this is it's not that he doesn't deserve to

[00:04:22] be an all star because like you say, if he keeps up the pace, then

[00:04:24] he probably have a sub one ERA and what would it be?

[00:04:28] 10 it'd be 10, 11 starts a month from now.

[00:04:31] So that's what it would be.

[00:04:32] Like that is an all star caliber first half, and he'd probably get one, two,

[00:04:38] maybe more before the all star game actually happens.

[00:04:42] So first thing is so currently right now, unfortunately for him,

[00:04:46] he's outside the top 40 in American league starting pitcher war.

[00:04:51] That's a, I'd say a tough sell for a manager building a roster of pitchers.

[00:04:58] Managers don't all look at war, but.

[00:05:00] And the more innings you pitch, the more worry usually Garner.

[00:05:03] If you're pitching well, I don't know if he'll have the work, the,

[00:05:06] the innings workload to get there.

[00:05:08] And secondly, I don't know if the Mariners would want him pitching

[00:05:11] more innings in the all star game.

[00:05:12] They already have been very, very careful.

[00:05:15] They were careful with them again today on Thursday and

[00:05:18] watching his, his pitch load.

[00:05:20] He could have an all star caliber first half on the bump, but still not make it.

[00:05:24] I think that's where I'm at right now.

[00:05:25] What he's doing right now is he's trying to get the

[00:05:28] I'm going to be honest.

[00:05:28] It's not it.

[00:05:29] He has changed his pitch mix a little bit, but it hasn't been a drastic change.

[00:05:36] He's at his core been the same person he always is, which is a fast ball,

[00:05:42] heavy, get a lot of ground balls, not going to rack up a ton of strikeouts,

[00:05:48] but we'll get them in key spots and overall just not allow hard

[00:05:51] content to get in the way of the pitch.

[00:05:54] And it works and it's still worked in, in a small six game sample here to start

[00:05:58] this season, it's been pretty remarkable.

[00:06:01] He is exceeded my expectations.

[00:06:03] He still has things to do and work on.

[00:06:07] I think I've pointed to you.

[00:06:08] He's still very, he's still yet to really get through a third time

[00:06:13] in the lineup at all in his career.

[00:06:15] Like get to the top of the table, get to the top of the table,

[00:06:19] get to the top of the table, get to the top of the table, get to the top of the

[00:06:23] get through multiple, like multiple batters third time through the lineup.

[00:06:28] I think he did that today, but it was just a couple, right?

[00:06:31] What that next step for him of getting him forward and that's going to come

[00:06:34] with a larger workload, which we haven't seen yet.

[00:06:38] So that's all well and good, but I'm saying he's an all star.

[00:06:41] If he keeps us up for another month, you might not have the

[00:06:44] ending is going to be an all star or he deserves to be an all star.

[00:06:47] Oh no, I think he's got an actual chance to be, if he keeps

[00:06:50] this up for another month, how, how can you be a voter?

[00:06:53] How can you be a manager?

[00:06:54] If you keep this up for another month, you're sitting there with an

[00:06:57] ERA in the ones and say, Nope.

[00:07:00] Not at all start.

[00:07:02] I'm sorry, but like, I think if he keeps this up, he's getting in.

[00:07:06] And now he is for sure.

[00:07:08] You're saying, I think so.

[00:07:09] If he keeps this kind of pace up.

[00:07:11] Now here's where I agree with you.

[00:07:14] The Mariners not wanting him to pitch in the all star game

[00:07:17] and add more innings, even if it's one inning is a warranted take.

[00:07:22] I think with that logic, the Mariners may opt to not have him pitch in

[00:07:28] the all star game, but that does not mean he doesn't get to fly to

[00:07:31] Dallas, walk the red carpet dress for the game, be in the dugout, do

[00:07:36] the media sessions and all in all.

[00:07:38] Have a star next to his baseball reference page that says all star 2024.

[00:07:43] No, I think he keeps this up.

[00:07:45] I know he missed the first month.

[00:07:47] I think he's getting in.

[00:07:48] I don't know how you ignore a guy that could have like a one, two ERA or

[00:07:51] something and say, no, no, he's not an all star.

[00:07:56] This sounds like something we'll check in on in the end of the month.

[00:07:58] Cause I think we'll have a better idea.

[00:07:59] A lot can change if he has a blow up start, you know, that changes,

[00:08:04] changes his case, but if he doesn't allow a run for the rest of the rest

[00:08:07] of June, then he's probably got, he's got a pretty good case.

[00:08:11] Okay.

[00:08:12] So once again, call to action to all you guys, you're listening.

[00:08:17] You can send us a DM.

[00:08:18] You can't yeah.

[00:08:19] DM is probably the easiest.

[00:08:21] You could email us if you want to, but if you're watching on YouTube,

[00:08:25] go comment, leave us a comment.

[00:08:26] Is Brian Wu either going to be an all star or deserving of being an

[00:08:32] all star if he keeps this up for the next month, we want your take.

[00:08:35] This podcast is split.

[00:08:36] We want to hear from the crowd.

[00:08:37] So, so the other bit of news Lyle is we flow to the idea out there.

[00:08:42] It seemed like it made sense, but this week finally came to fruition

[00:08:45] that now recently minted top 100 prospect Logan Evans, our guy is

[00:08:51] moving to the bullpen.

[00:08:52] He had a great first two months starting in Arkansas dominant, but

[00:08:58] the Mariners decided this week that he's moving to the bullpen.

[00:09:02] He made his first bullpen appearance this week allowed one unearned run

[00:09:05] a pair of hits over two innings.

[00:09:08] This makes sense.

[00:09:09] This makes a lot of sense for what the Mariners need.

[00:09:11] And it makes sense for where Logan Evans is at.

[00:09:15] I think at first I was thinking, man, it's, it's a little early to take him out

[00:09:19] of the rotation because I feel like he still has more starting or starter

[00:09:22] innings left in him, but he actually doesn't cause he threw 78 total

[00:09:27] innings in 2023 that includes his time in college, his time post

[00:09:33] college and summer ball.

[00:09:34] And then it's time with the Mariners 78 total innings.

[00:09:37] He's at 53 right now and there's four months of the season left.

[00:09:41] So the Mariners are going to have to find some way to manage those

[00:09:45] Logan Evans, Evans innings.

[00:09:46] And if they think, okay, he could be valuable in this Mariners bullpen.

[00:09:51] Then let's use up the next 30 or 40 innings he has left this season and

[00:09:56] put them in the big league bullpen.

[00:09:57] And he's now on his way to do that.

[00:10:00] I can't wait.

[00:10:01] First off, this is going to be so exciting for him.

[00:10:04] Imagine telling Logan Evans a year ago today when he had an ERA that

[00:10:08] was not desirable in college that a year from now you're going to be in the big

[00:10:13] leagues.

[00:10:14] That's sick.

[00:10:15] Like first off, just as somebody who is now a friend of the pod,

[00:10:18] that's awesome.

[00:10:19] But in terms of the Mariners needs, man, this would be such a boost for them.

[00:10:23] You're talking about a guy that can ramp it up to 99 miles an hour.

[00:10:27] Honestly, we've never seen him in the bullpen.

[00:10:29] He's in the bullpen.

[00:10:30] Who's to say he can't hit triple digits?

[00:10:32] I wouldn't be shocked if he's going all out in appearances for an inning at

[00:10:35] time for a bullpen that has had a bunch of injuries and needs reinforcements.

[00:10:40] This would be huge.

[00:10:41] And it's a perfect way to balance the man, the workload of Logan Evans,

[00:10:46] because he's started about as many games as you could have him start for what

[00:10:50] his innings limit will allow this year.

[00:10:52] Now, what could you do with the rest of his innings?

[00:10:54] You could have them either make a couple more starts or say, Hey,

[00:10:57] why don't you pitch out of the bullpen?

[00:10:59] And because you are very clearly one of the 13 best arms in this

[00:11:03] organization already, you're getting into the bullpen.

[00:11:06] Yeah.

[00:11:07] So Logan Evans, this is Logan Evans.

[00:11:10] This is my call to you get ready for the mini mic question because it's

[00:11:14] coming now, especially if you are a member of this bullpen.

[00:11:19] I see what you guys do on a day-to-day basis and how much free time

[00:11:22] you have your common you're getting on the mic.

[00:11:26] Oh, he's getting on the mic and, and knowing Logan a little bit now,

[00:11:31] I bet you will be willing to do it.

[00:11:32] No, I'm 100% honest with you.

[00:11:34] Get ready for your top five slogan.

[00:11:36] Yes.

[00:11:37] Now here's the last thing I wanted to add.

[00:11:40] There have been some people all of a sudden starting to talk about is this

[00:11:44] transition for Logan Evans going to be permanent?

[00:11:46] I've seen, I listened to Ryan Debesh talk about this on Jason Puckett's

[00:11:51] podcast just recently saying, well, and I think Puckett mentioned it too

[00:11:55] about the idea of will this be a permanent transition the way Edwin Diaz

[00:12:00] was transferred from a starter to a reliever never went back.

[00:12:03] Matt Brash was transitioned from a starter to a reliever.

[00:12:07] They tried to let them work back as a starter the following season,

[00:12:10] but it didn't happen.

[00:12:11] He stayed in the bullpen.

[00:12:12] I've had some, I've heard some people talking about is this what's

[00:12:15] going to happen with Logan Evans?

[00:12:16] Is this just going to be a permanent transition?

[00:12:18] I don't think so.

[00:12:20] I think it's a little different with Brash and Edwin Diaz where those

[00:12:23] two very clearly, even though they were starting in the minor leagues,

[00:12:26] I think most scouts and analysts said their profile is more of a bullpen arm.

[00:12:33] So yes, they were transitioned to bullpen arms.

[00:12:35] What's happening with Logan Evans here, I think mirrors very much what

[00:12:39] happened with Dustin May and the Dodgers a few years ago.

[00:12:41] I think it's much more like that where they said, look, Dustin

[00:12:45] May is clearly one of the best arms we have.

[00:12:46] There is no room for him to start in the rotation right now, but how

[00:12:50] do we optimize him and help him win this ball club games in the big leagues?

[00:12:54] Put them in the bullpen when we need him.

[00:12:56] He's going to pitch out of the bullpen and for this season in 2024, I

[00:12:59] think that's exactly what they're going to do with Logan Evans in

[00:13:01] this off season will probably go back to being a starter.

[00:13:05] So I think he's going to be a starter next year, but I thought

[00:13:09] Puckett and Divish made good points on, on this thing.

[00:13:12] Ultimately players do want to be in the big leagues because the

[00:13:15] life is that much better than it is being in the minor leagues.

[00:13:18] And look at where the Mariners current rotation is right now.

[00:13:24] Are you breaking into that group as a starter?

[00:13:26] Probably not.

[00:13:27] It's going to be difficult, right?

[00:13:30] And teams don't carry a sixth starter.

[00:13:32] So it is ultimately up to the, it's up to the team first, because the

[00:13:37] team's going to decide with a player under contract what they're going to do.

[00:13:41] But then it's the player too, to either accept that, except maybe a

[00:13:47] bullpen role to be a big league or more than say, okay, well, I'm going

[00:13:51] to start, it could be a longer term, more beneficial long-term for me.

[00:13:56] But it doesn't guarantee me a spot in this very rotation.

[00:14:00] So it's, it's a balancing act.

[00:14:02] For example, if Emerson Hancock was, if he jumped to the bullpen and

[00:14:07] was throwing 99 with a wicked slider, do you think he'd be up right now?

[00:14:12] Well, I will say if he would do that, Emerson Hancock would

[00:14:15] be in the bullpen right now.

[00:14:16] But as Emerson's not really, he's not really a bullpen type arm.

[00:14:20] So at least not right now, right?

[00:14:22] If he was in the bullpen, he'd be at the big leagues.

[00:14:24] He'd be making a big league salary, flying on chartered flights with

[00:14:27] five star hotels, all these things that the players really covet.

[00:14:30] And they work so hard for.

[00:14:32] So it's a decision sometimes it's it, it all comes back to say that

[00:14:37] Logan Evans I think will still be a starter next year, but I wouldn't

[00:14:40] say it's something that is 100% set in stone for everyone.

[00:14:45] It's not set in stone, but I just think with him and how he

[00:14:47] profiles, I would guess he will remain as a starter.

[00:14:51] I don't know that I can't promise for certain.

[00:14:53] That is just my guess and my opinion.

[00:14:56] Right.

[00:14:56] And just cause you're in the bullpen doesn't mean that you can't start.

[00:15:01] No, you just, you just need to get ramped up a little bit.

[00:15:04] It's harder once the season starts.

[00:15:06] It's much easier to go from starter to reliever mid season

[00:15:08] than reliever to starter.

[00:15:10] You're so, yeah, you're right.

[00:15:12] So ultimately those are decisions, the Mariners and Logan

[00:15:16] Evans will have to make, but as of right now, bullpen for the rest

[00:15:20] of the season, it seems like it'll be right back in the rotation in

[00:15:24] the minor leagues next year.

[00:15:25] I would imagine unless there's an injury, but we don't,

[00:15:27] we don't wish for injuries here.

[00:15:29] No, no, of course not.

[00:15:30] And like I said, above all else, I think we're just really excited

[00:15:33] to now see them in the big leagues here soon enough.

[00:15:35] It could be by the all star break and yeah, we're going to be,

[00:15:38] we're going to be fired up for him.

[00:15:39] So shout out Logan.

[00:15:41] It'll be interesting to see how his outings look as a reliever

[00:15:44] here in AA for the next few weeks.

[00:15:46] And I think people are now keeping a very close eye on them.

[00:15:48] So let's get into these Mariners trade targets and let's go down

[00:15:53] to Tampa Bay to start.

[00:15:55] This is a guy we talked about in the off season, Lyle, Randy

[00:15:58] Arosa Raina, a guy who could potentially be available with Tampa Bay

[00:16:02] hovering around 500 this year for his career.

[00:16:06] He has been a very solid hitter.

[00:16:07] I mean, we're talking about a 126 WRC plus last year,

[00:16:11] 124 the year before that and 127 in his first full year in Tampa in 2021.

[00:16:17] But this year it hasn't been quite as good.

[00:16:19] He's got just a 79 WRC plus he's striking out a lot.

[00:16:23] He is walking a little bit.

[00:16:25] He's hitting for a tiny bit of power, but his value this year

[00:16:28] has really plummeted.

[00:16:30] Would this be a guy who'd make sense?

[00:16:33] Not the way he profiles right now, not when you've got an OPS

[00:16:37] nearly under 600 and the rest of his profile.

[00:16:40] It's concerning, which is crazy to say about a guy like Arosa Raina

[00:16:43] who's been he's not a superstar player, but he's in that star category

[00:16:48] between one.

[00:16:49] He's just got the fun personality and he's flashy and all that stuff.

[00:16:52] But he is a very, very good baseball player.

[00:16:55] I don't know what's going on with him this year,

[00:16:58] but he's not launching the ball at all.

[00:17:00] Like nothing he's hitting is going in the air.

[00:17:02] He's swinging and missing a lot.

[00:17:04] Strikeouts were already part of his game for the most part,

[00:17:08] but it's been amplified this year.

[00:17:10] And when you're not launching the ball, you're not barreling up the ball.

[00:17:14] His defense has honestly been below average.

[00:17:17] That's a problem in Seattle, even more so than other places

[00:17:20] and going from Tampa to Seattle with this profile.

[00:17:24] That doesn't scream success.

[00:17:25] And if it's not going to be a success for Esauk Paredes,

[00:17:28] who is having a great year, then it doesn't feel like

[00:17:31] it's going to be a success for Randy Arosa Raina.

[00:17:33] I don't know if this is a case of Randy being washed or something.

[00:17:36] He's only twenty nine and he's coming off a year last year,

[00:17:39] which you could argue is his best.

[00:17:41] I mentioned the one twenty six WRC plus, but he was also striking out

[00:17:45] the lowest mark he has in his career while walking the most.

[00:17:48] That's an ideal combination to have all while crushing the baseball.

[00:17:53] Now, again, the strikeout rate, as we mentioned, is ticked up this year.

[00:17:57] And. The strikeout rate is ticked up this year

[00:18:01] and the overall production is not there.

[00:18:02] And like you said, he's not he's not hitting the ball in the air enough

[00:18:06] and he's not hitting it in the right spot.

[00:18:08] Like, for example, launch angle sweet spot is something baseball

[00:18:11] savant tracks. It's how many balls do you hit between eight degrees

[00:18:14] and 32 degrees of launch angle, which is the sweet spot for a batted ball?

[00:18:18] He isn't the first percentile in baseball that so the ideal

[00:18:23] launch angle for a hit, he's doing the least in baseball,

[00:18:26] which is which is troubling.

[00:18:28] But I don't think that's something that's unfixable.

[00:18:31] So you sit here and think of Randy like, OK, like,

[00:18:34] could we tweak something here that could lead him?

[00:18:38] By the way, has still has a good hard hit profile.

[00:18:42] He's still hitting the ball hard.

[00:18:43] That's not an issue.

[00:18:44] It's where he's hitting the baseballs at the Mariners say, OK.

[00:18:49] He's not making that much money.

[00:18:50] He's making just eight million dollars this year.

[00:18:54] We'll have them for next year and the year after that.

[00:18:57] He's not a free agent until after the twenty twenty six season.

[00:19:01] If we think we could acquire two and a half years of a 29 year old

[00:19:06] Randy Rose Arena, we do one tweak here, one tweak there to his swing.

[00:19:11] He's already hitting the ball hard.

[00:19:13] He hits it in the air a little bit more.

[00:19:14] And then all of a sudden that production comes back

[00:19:18] and he's still got the good eye here.

[00:19:20] And he's going to give us value by hitting the ball over the fence

[00:19:22] and by walking a bunch like that.

[00:19:25] Could that could be a way you sell it?

[00:19:28] OK, so we should have preface this segment.

[00:19:30] And just for those listening and watching that they don't know,

[00:19:33] this is our under the radar Mariners potential trade targets.

[00:19:37] If you listen to the podcast two weeks ago from two Fridays ago,

[00:19:40] we did all the A level names. We did all the headliners.

[00:19:43] We did Robert. We did Vlad.

[00:19:45] We did Rooker. We did Pia Lanzo. All of them.

[00:19:48] So this segment and this podcast is more based around guys

[00:19:54] that would be a little bit under the radar.

[00:19:56] So all the names we're going to outline here on this show

[00:19:59] fit that mold.

[00:20:00] And Randy Rosarena right now is one of them

[00:20:02] because he's not hitting all that great right now.

[00:20:05] Here's my thing.

[00:20:07] If you had asked me three months ago,

[00:20:09] I would have said absolutely trade for Randy Rosarena.

[00:20:11] We said it in the off season.

[00:20:13] You can only trade for so many guys.

[00:20:15] It's been very clear the Mariners not only need an immediate boost

[00:20:18] in offensive production, but need to get to the playoffs this year.

[00:20:22] They need to make they need to make something happen this year

[00:20:24] and trying to toy around with a midseason project

[00:20:28] with a guy that's way below average as a hitter right now,

[00:20:31] isn't hitting for a ton of power, isn't launching the ball,

[00:20:34] isn't playing great defense.

[00:20:36] I don't know, all of a sudden, I've got cold feet about this

[00:20:39] paired with I'm sure the Rays would still try to ask

[00:20:41] for a decent amount back for him.

[00:20:43] But if the price is lower and he's the second bat you acquire,

[00:20:48] is that the worst thing?

[00:20:50] Oh, if he's the second bat, sure.

[00:20:52] And if it's look, if it's going to cost you somebody

[00:20:55] that's outside of your gold standard prospects,

[00:20:59] what I mean is that that first wave and who do you want to qualify

[00:21:03] in that first wave Colt Cole Young, Harry, Lass,

[00:21:07] Belne, Barmello.

[00:21:08] I'll throw a typeed in there, too.

[00:21:09] Like if it's somebody past those guys.

[00:21:13] Sure. But.

[00:21:16] If it's going to be what Randy

[00:21:18] or Rosarino would have costed a couple months ago,

[00:21:21] and you have to try to fix a guy midseason, then I've got cold feet.

[00:21:25] Yeah, I think the way we preface this list

[00:21:28] of trade targets is most of these guys, if not all of them,

[00:21:32] would be the second guy you acquire.

[00:21:34] If the Mariners are going all out at the deadline to improve the offense,

[00:21:38] this is the second guy you're getting.

[00:21:41] There's I think one guy in this list who we think would be

[00:21:44] a potential number one.

[00:21:46] But the rest of this would be a number two.

[00:21:48] And I think Randy at a cheaper price, the raised

[00:21:52] I feel like don't have as much leverage as we would think because we know

[00:21:55] they don't like paying arbitration salaries and is going to go up again.

[00:21:59] And again, he's got to get two more times as salaries going to raise

[00:22:03] as a Tampa Bay Ray.

[00:22:04] And you know, we you and I both know they don't want to pay that.

[00:22:08] Right now, they're going to not if they don't know what's wrong with Randy.

[00:22:12] Sure. All right.

[00:22:13] So with that scenario painted more open minded, yes.

[00:22:18] If it's going to actually cost you a high level prospect,

[00:22:22] then I've got cold feet.

[00:22:24] So and if this is going to be the second bat you acquire,

[00:22:27] if the Mariners were to acquire two outfield bats or a first baseman

[00:22:31] and an outfielder, for example, I'm not saying any of these are going

[00:22:34] to happen, but if they were to acquire Luis Robert and.

[00:22:39] A Rosarina or I guess for our sake, because we've talked about

[00:22:42] Rooker a little more since we have, you know, concerns with Robert's health.

[00:22:46] It was going to be Rooker and a Rosarina.

[00:22:48] Sure, then a Rosarina is not the headliner all of a sudden.

[00:22:51] I'd be open to that if he's the headliner and they're trying to

[00:22:54] and the razor trying to ask for top level prospects.

[00:22:56] No way. Yeah, that's fair.

[00:22:59] Yeah, that's fair.

[00:23:00] But, you know, nobody nobody is perfect here.

[00:23:04] And if Randy was doing what he did last year,

[00:23:08] he would have been in our episode two weeks ago.

[00:23:10] Sure. And Yandy Diaz would, too, who's not on this list

[00:23:14] because Ty France is starting to hit and, you know, we've outlined

[00:23:17] some other guys in that first base, D.H.

[00:23:19] Mold, but same thing if Yandy Diaz was hitting the way he was supposed

[00:23:22] to be hitting, he'd be on the list two weeks ago.

[00:23:24] Ty's been better than Yandy Diaz this year. Correct.

[00:23:27] Yeah, I've been great.

[00:23:29] Yandy Diaz has not been great.

[00:23:31] That's why he's not on the list.

[00:23:32] But it is crazy how fast things change.

[00:23:35] All right. Second guy.

[00:23:37] We're going to get to in a minute before that.

[00:23:39] Let's take a pause here.

[00:23:40] We're going to talk to you about our friends over at Pagache's Pub 85.

[00:23:44] You know, one of these guys may be a Mariner at some point.

[00:23:48] Maybe you don't get to watch him a ton on TV right now,

[00:23:50] but if the day comes that the Mariners make a big trade,

[00:23:53] you want to get out with your friends and watch the Mariners games.

[00:23:56] You want to watch a new name Mariner in a Mariner uniform?

[00:23:59] Head out with some friends and do it.

[00:24:00] Head over to Pagache's Pub 85.

[00:24:02] You can hang out.

[00:24:03] You can eat some great food, some great drinks.

[00:24:05] You want to play pool, want to play darts.

[00:24:07] You've got a bunch of stuff to do.

[00:24:08] Like it's it's your one stop shop.

[00:24:10] And if you go during happy hour, drinks are three and four dollars.

[00:24:14] And that's from two to six p.m. Monday through Friday.

[00:24:16] So if you want to head out early, want to get some drinks,

[00:24:19] you want to watch the Mariners, we recommend it.

[00:24:21] That's all over at Pagache's Pub 85 in Kirkland.

[00:24:26] Guy number two, another exciting name,

[00:24:29] Jas Chisholm of the Miami Marlins on the year.

[00:24:33] He has a seven thirty five OPS, eight homers, one oh seven WRC plus

[00:24:38] one point two F war.

[00:24:41] And he currently has two and a half years on his contract.

[00:24:46] How do we feel about this one?

[00:24:48] Fun, this would be the most fun guy they could acquire easily.

[00:24:53] He's got a little bit of power.

[00:24:55] He's got a little bit of swag.

[00:24:57] He's an electric base runner.

[00:25:01] He would play the corner outfield.

[00:25:04] He hasn't played corner outfield, but I think he'd be OK at corner outfield.

[00:25:07] His defensive numbers are interesting, to say the least.

[00:25:10] But if you stick him out there in the corner, having a lot of fun,

[00:25:14] chain will be out, might hit a homer,

[00:25:17] toss his bat a million miles into the air.

[00:25:21] And by the way, he'll be productive like that.

[00:25:24] That's what you want, right?

[00:25:25] Ultimately, it's production.

[00:25:26] And, you know, looking at the team across the aisle

[00:25:29] that you're going to be training with here at the Miami Marlins,

[00:25:32] like seriously, how much is he really going to cost?

[00:25:36] Yeah, he's again, he's a one oh seven WRC plus guy.

[00:25:39] I know he's got two and a half years of control,

[00:25:41] so he is not going to cost you a bunch of top level prospects in your farm system.

[00:25:46] Your farm is not going to get gutted for jazz chism, that's for sure.

[00:25:48] So, yeah, I'm sure that the package would probably be reasonable.

[00:25:53] And like you said, I don't know the flurry to add to this team,

[00:25:56] to this city, to this region, be awesome and selfishly.

[00:26:00] Guys, a great quote.

[00:26:01] You think he wouldn't make great short form content

[00:26:03] if we got him on the mic? Oh, he would.

[00:26:05] Yeah. So we should.

[00:26:06] If Jerry doesn't want to do it, we should do the negotiating with the Marlins.

[00:26:11] We'll do that. I'm sure.

[00:26:13] Well, I think it'd be worth the investment.

[00:26:15] I mean, how hard can it be to negotiate with the Marlins?

[00:26:18] Well, you know, how's that Christian Yell's trade working out?

[00:26:22] Exactly. You know, it's funny.

[00:26:25] Aram put out that tweet, Aram Layton, who's the co-founder

[00:26:27] of Just Baseball and has been on this podcast.

[00:26:29] It went viral because the four guys,

[00:26:33] the Marlins got back for Christian Yelich are now all out of baseball.

[00:26:37] One of them. I'm going to blank on his name.

[00:26:40] Maybe I need to look at one of them is now trying to play college football

[00:26:42] at age 20, Monte Harrison.

[00:26:44] He's a former four star recruit. He's at Arkansas.

[00:26:47] Mm hmm. Yeah.

[00:26:49] And that's who it was, Monte Harrison and Louis Brinson,

[00:26:52] who was the headline of that deal, is out of baseball.

[00:26:55] He's not a major league baseball, that's for sure. So.

[00:26:58] But like like jazz has shown he is has

[00:27:02] like the potential to be electric.

[00:27:04] Twenty twenty two season was his best.

[00:27:06] He was an all star that year, had a one thirty six WRC plus in sixty games.

[00:27:11] That was peak jazz. Go back on YouTube.

[00:27:14] Like it's the Tavon Austin Joker.

[00:27:16] You go watch Tavon Austin, West Virginia highlights, but no, go watch

[00:27:19] Jazz Chisholm's twenty twenty two season highlights, because that was

[00:27:23] that was a fun season. But he's actually we're talking about this year.

[00:27:26] He's made some really quality jumps in areas you'd like to see.

[00:27:30] It's quality of contact is up.

[00:27:32] His barrel rate is up and his walk rate is up.

[00:27:34] Those are positive signs.

[00:27:35] I mean, his barrel rate is up there at 12 percent.

[00:27:39] Eighty second percentile.

[00:27:41] That's pretty good.

[00:27:42] He's not a huge guy overall, not a huge power guy.

[00:27:45] And when you look at the savant page, you see average about overall net

[00:27:51] average, but then you check out the value batting run value.

[00:27:55] Eighty first percentile base running run value.

[00:27:58] Something the Mariners need.

[00:28:01] Ninety seventh percentile, then fielding his average.

[00:28:05] Well, note that with the Marlins, he plays center.

[00:28:08] The Mariners should be in the corner outfield spots.

[00:28:10] And he, by the way, was a former infielder.

[00:28:13] If you want, if you dare to move him back on the infield,

[00:28:15] you could do that, too.

[00:28:17] So he's versatile.

[00:28:18] He's fast. He's fun.

[00:28:20] It's got a little bit of power.

[00:28:23] He's not going to cost that much.

[00:28:24] That's why I think this would be fun.

[00:28:27] He's actually on pace for about 25 homers right now, which is crazy, but he is.

[00:28:31] So.

[00:28:33] Yeah, all that combined, especially the fact that he can play

[00:28:35] infield and outfield for you, that helps a lot.

[00:28:39] I know he hasn't played second base this year, but if you need him

[00:28:42] to play second base, I'm sure he can do it.

[00:28:43] And like you said, if you can play center field, you can play the corners,

[00:28:46] especially if you're jazz Chisholm, I'm sure he can play left field.

[00:28:50] So if they, if the Mariners traded for him and had him play left field,

[00:28:53] I think that would be perfectly fine.

[00:28:55] And the two guys we've had lined so far with Chisholm and a Rosarena,

[00:28:58] because they have club control, that is much more appealing, as we know,

[00:29:02] to Jerry DePoto and Justin Hollander than probably a lot of the guys

[00:29:05] we're going to headline upcoming because they don't usually

[00:29:09] make trades for rentals.

[00:29:11] Can you just think of the personality difference

[00:29:13] with the current Mariners corner outfielders and then jazz?

[00:29:19] Listen, and that's no knock on any of the Mariners guys like people

[00:29:22] are who they are. But but yes, to your point of

[00:29:25] Dom Canzone, Luke, Rayleigh, Mitch Hanager, who are all, you know,

[00:29:28] they're more on the quiet side, at least from what we see as media.

[00:29:31] For the most part, paired with jazz Chisholm, that's

[00:29:35] that's pretty night and day different.

[00:29:37] Yeah, like night and day.

[00:29:39] That thought popped into my head.

[00:29:40] Yeah, that's oh, yeah, that's a drastic difference

[00:29:43] in terms of the outgoingness, at least at least in public.

[00:29:47] Again, maybe maybe in the clubhouse, all those guys are way different.

[00:29:49] We don't know that.

[00:29:50] But it was how they they are around, I guess, the media

[00:29:54] or on TV. Yeah, there's there's a big difference.

[00:29:57] And you know, overall, if you acquire him, so I said he's going to be free

[00:30:00] agent up to the twenty twenty sixes, but he's not that expensive.

[00:30:03] He's cost he costs two point six million this year.

[00:30:06] He'll probably cost five next year and then seven and a half

[00:30:08] the year he walks. Right.

[00:30:10] It's not that much.

[00:30:11] No. Now, if we're going to highlight a couple of concerns,

[00:30:14] which we probably should, he I don't want to say he's a platoon bat,

[00:30:18] but he fares much better against righties than he has lefties in his career.

[00:30:21] You're talking about an eight hundred OPS against righties.

[00:30:23] And a six twenty five OPS in his career against lefties.

[00:30:26] So again, he doesn't platoon, but there there are some

[00:30:30] somewhat drastic splits and.

[00:30:33] He hasn't been Luis Robert injured in his career,

[00:30:36] but he has sustained his share injuries.

[00:30:37] So health is something to consider here, too.

[00:30:40] I like because he wouldn't cost that much.

[00:30:43] And he has club control.

[00:30:44] I am open minded the idea.

[00:30:45] I'm just outlining that. Yeah. And.

[00:30:51] He would you say he's the best player right now in the Marlins?

[00:30:54] Right. He doesn't you wouldn't have to be that anymore, right?

[00:30:57] So it was him and it was a rise than him.

[00:31:01] But now it's I think it's just him.

[00:31:03] So there would be I'd say less.

[00:31:05] The pressure would be like he'd be in Seattle to play.

[00:31:09] But it's not our season makes and breaks if you stay healthy.

[00:31:13] Right. Which is different, which would be different than Luis Robert,

[00:31:16] which the Mariner season, if they were to acquire him

[00:31:18] and then he would get hurt, would affect the Mariner season greatly.

[00:31:23] To answer your question, he is the most valuable position player on the Marlins.

[00:31:27] That's for sure.

[00:31:28] Now, by baseball reference, because I just pulled it up

[00:31:30] in terms of team war for this year, there are three pitchers ahead of them.

[00:31:33] Ryan Weathers, Tanner Scott, Declan Cronin.

[00:31:35] But Jazz Chisholm is the most valuable position player on the Miami Marlins.

[00:31:39] All right. Well, sounds sounds good to me and Jerry.

[00:31:45] So I overall like the idea of Jazz Chisholm.

[00:31:50] And I don't think he'll cost that much.

[00:31:53] Now, if we go to our next guy, different profile,

[00:31:57] different personality, different structure, it'll be Mark Kanna.

[00:32:02] We've talked and a lot around the Mariners community

[00:32:05] have talked about Mark Kanna for years now as a guy who could fit in Seattle.

[00:32:09] Talked about it when he was a free agent a couple of years ago.

[00:32:12] And now that he's in his walk year in Detroit,

[00:32:15] it's come back up that Mark Kanna could be an addition to this team.

[00:32:20] 114 WRC plus this year, six home runs.

[00:32:23] He's walking a decent amount.

[00:32:24] He's not striking out.

[00:32:25] He's been worth about one fan graphs when above replacement.

[00:32:29] He has been a remarkably consistent hitter in his career.

[00:32:33] What do you think about this?

[00:32:36] As a secondary piece, sure.

[00:32:39] He is almost always above league average as a hitter.

[00:32:42] I love the fact that he walks.

[00:32:44] I love the fact that he is not a huge strikeout guy.

[00:32:47] Mariners need a guy like that.

[00:32:48] And, you know, we can play corner outfields like corner infield.

[00:32:52] He can DH. He's got some versatility.

[00:32:54] I like Mark Kanna as a player,

[00:32:57] but if the Mariners and the trade deadline and their headline

[00:33:00] offensive acquisition is acquiring 34 year old Mark Kanna

[00:33:04] with two months on his contract.

[00:33:07] That's the caveat that would have not just me,

[00:33:11] but probably a lot of people up in arms.

[00:33:13] I like Mark Kanna as a player.

[00:33:14] I would like him if he's a second option, if you get him

[00:33:17] and a Brent Rucker of Lattie, whoever, but not as a headliner.

[00:33:24] He's just showing telltale signs of aging like his slugging

[00:33:27] has gone down every season as he's gone into his 30s

[00:33:31] and he's just slugging 387 this year.

[00:33:34] And that doesn't take away from the fact, again,

[00:33:35] he's still above average hitter by WRC plus

[00:33:38] and by a good amount at 114.

[00:33:41] But that's mostly because he is walks a bunch

[00:33:45] and it's helped him maintain a 350 on base percentage

[00:33:48] every season since 2019.

[00:33:50] It's not something you just make up.

[00:33:52] And looking at the rest of the Mariners lineup,

[00:33:53] they don't have a lot of 350 on base percentages in that lineup.

[00:33:57] So he would certainly be on and ahead of guys to hit him in,

[00:34:01] which would be good.

[00:34:02] But his defense isn't great.

[00:34:05] He is primarily a much better hitter against lefties.

[00:34:09] He's about a league average hitter against righties.

[00:34:12] And there's just not too much else you can do as a rental.

[00:34:15] I mean, he would come in to supplement and be a right handed hitting

[00:34:20] corner outfielder that you could have.

[00:34:22] You would essentially trade for him and want him to be better than Mitch

[00:34:25] Haniger, which right now he is.

[00:34:27] But both are in their mid 30s.

[00:34:28] So what if Canada gets to August and September

[00:34:32] and the wear and tear catches up and he slumps and struggles

[00:34:36] as a lot of older players do?

[00:34:38] It's just hard to maintain sometimes.

[00:34:40] So if you think in August and September,

[00:34:43] Mark Hanna is a better player than Mitch Haniger, then that works.

[00:34:48] But if you're not sold, you think the age might catch up to him.

[00:34:53] I don't know if that works.

[00:34:55] Well, unless you've got anything else on Mark Hanna,

[00:34:58] there is an option for a rental outfielder who's a little bit younger,

[00:35:02] who might be more intriguing.

[00:35:04] And many of you know his name, Tyler O'Neill.

[00:35:08] For the year, the former Mariners prospect has an 847 OPS,

[00:35:13] 11 bombs, 131 WRC plus 0.8 F war.

[00:35:18] Also a free agent at the end of the year and younger than Mark Hanna.

[00:35:22] Now this dude hits the ball with absolute force.

[00:35:27] His bat a ball profile is awesome.

[00:35:29] He hits for a ton of power.

[00:35:31] He's maybe more in shape than any player in baseball.

[00:35:35] However, the one thing that stands out is the same issue

[00:35:41] the whole Mariners team is having.

[00:35:45] Not just last year, but this year to strikeouts through the roof.

[00:35:49] Tyler O'Neill is striking out 33 and a half percent of the time.

[00:35:54] So how do you feel about this one?

[00:35:57] He might be one of the biggest outside of Joey Gallo,

[00:36:01] three true outcome guys in baseball at this point.

[00:36:04] So strikeout rates 33 percent.

[00:36:06] He's got his highest ISO of his career and he's walking a bunch.

[00:36:10] He's walking almost 13 percent of the time.

[00:36:12] So if you like action, he's probably not your player.

[00:36:16] So he's going to just try and match the ball in the air and pull it a bunch.

[00:36:20] Here's a problem, Lyle.

[00:36:22] What version of Tyler O'Neill would the Mariners get?

[00:36:26] In April, he put up an Aaron Junge Barry Bonds

[00:36:30] esc 206 WRC plus.

[00:36:33] But then in May before he got hurt and just came off the aisle yesterday

[00:36:37] on Wednesday, you get a 45 WRC plus.

[00:36:40] Who are they getting? Right.

[00:36:41] You're not trading for Tyler O'Neill to put up a 45 WRC plus

[00:36:46] on your roster because the Mariners already have that if they wanted it.

[00:36:51] This just feels like too streaky and too risky of a player

[00:36:56] for somebody like Jerry DePoto or Justin Hollander to trade for.

[00:36:59] He's an eat like he's had overall a good year anchored by a phenomenal April.

[00:37:03] If the Mariners have traded for him before the year,

[00:37:06] you could have guaranteed yourself a home run on opening day, considering

[00:37:10] considering he home runs on opening day.

[00:37:11] He hits a home run on opening day every year.

[00:37:14] But if you're talking about you need him for half a season or two months,

[00:37:18] doesn't feel like the most sustainable guy in the world you trade for.

[00:37:21] Honestly, between him and Mark Kana,

[00:37:25] the Mariners would probably be more inclined to trade for Kana.

[00:37:28] I agree. And I'm worried if you would even fit into T-Mobile Park.

[00:37:34] How much do we have to hear complaining about how fly balls don't

[00:37:38] carry in T-Mobile Park?

[00:37:39] Well, Tyler O'Neill this year has the highest flyball percentage

[00:37:43] and lowest line drive and ground ball rate of his career this year.

[00:37:45] So he's selling out for fly balls.

[00:37:48] Well, it just so happens that T-Mobile Park is the worst

[00:37:51] possible park to hit a fly ball in.

[00:37:53] Does that fit? No, not really.

[00:37:57] It's a little better in the summer.

[00:37:59] A little bit, yeah, but still not great.

[00:38:04] Even when it warms up, it still warms up everywhere else, too.

[00:38:08] Yeah, this this feels like a little too polarizing

[00:38:12] a player for Jerry and Justin to go trade for

[00:38:16] and for a guy that you're not really going to know what you're getting.

[00:38:20] And it's not just this year that he's been Jekyll and Hyde.

[00:38:23] Just look at how his career was.

[00:38:24] He in 2021, he had his major breakout.

[00:38:27] He's great in the field.

[00:38:28] He had a 143 WRC plus.

[00:38:30] And then the last two years in St.

[00:38:32] Louis, he was a league average hitter.

[00:38:35] So who are you getting?

[00:38:37] Right. Everyone thought Tyler O'Neill was a star going to be a star

[00:38:41] in 2021 after that, but he couldn't get it.

[00:38:44] I know things didn't really work out in the Cardinals organization.

[00:38:46] It was a really weird relationship.

[00:38:49] But I mean, even this year, it's been up and then it's been down.

[00:38:53] The highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

[00:38:56] So if you catch him on his two month hot streak at the end of the season,

[00:38:59] then Jerry DePoto will look like an absolute genius for swinging this trade.

[00:39:03] Because to be honest, if you think about it, right handed hitting power

[00:39:07] for consistently for two months is something the lineup could use.

[00:39:12] But you're not guaranteed to get it.

[00:39:16] No, again, this just doesn't feel like the player they would trade for.

[00:39:20] No matter what, whether he's hot or not, you're getting a ton of strikeouts.

[00:39:24] And I don't think the Mariners or any fans for that matter

[00:39:28] can put up with any more strikeouts, especially if strikeouts are going to go

[00:39:31] up by acquiring Tyler O'Neill.

[00:39:34] How about a less boom or bust outfield option

[00:39:37] and a more consistent offensive player?

[00:39:39] How about Michael Conforto, 31 year old outfielder

[00:39:42] for the San Francisco Giants is a 126 WRC plus this year.

[00:39:47] He's a rental making 18 million dollars this year.

[00:39:51] Average strikeout rate, average walk rate hits a ton of line drives

[00:39:55] is not an over the top power guy.

[00:39:58] What do you think about this?

[00:40:01] And Seattle royalty.

[00:40:02] Hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:40:05] Yeah, he was he went to Redmond High School, which is not our rival.

[00:40:09] It's not like Washington High School's rival.

[00:40:11] It would be like, I guess the it would almost be like your interleague rival,

[00:40:16] because Lake Washington and Redmond were in different regions like 3A, 4A.

[00:40:21] It would almost be like how the Yankees main rivals, obviously the Red Sox.

[00:40:25] But then it would kind of be like the Yankees Mets thing.

[00:40:27] That's like what Lake Washington and Redmond High School are like. Anyway.

[00:40:31] Michael Conforto as a baseball player, as a professional baseball player.

[00:40:36] Yeah, sure. For half a year, this could make a lot of sense.

[00:40:39] Now the something you're going to have to take into account.

[00:40:44] He has been platoon ish in his career.

[00:40:48] I'm not saying he always gets used as a platoon bat, but his lefty righty splits

[00:40:53] have have some fluctuation in his career.

[00:40:58] But even with that, even though he's much better against righties and lefties,

[00:41:03] he hits.

[00:41:04] And if you need a secondary bat that can play some outfield, play some D.H.

[00:41:09] It's a lot of left handed outfielders,

[00:41:11] but it's a guy that could make some sense.

[00:41:14] The lefty outfield stacking thing is real because as of right now,

[00:41:18] the Mariners don't need a lefty outfielder, which, you know,

[00:41:22] it would just be kind of weird to carry three left handed hitting corner

[00:41:26] outfielders doesn't really fit on a roster and doesn't fit for how the Mariners

[00:41:30] manage and structure their roster around a matchup.

[00:41:36] The other there's another interesting thing he's you know,

[00:41:38] he's walked a bunch in his career over 10 percent of the time for his career,

[00:41:42] but it's down this year.

[00:41:44] He was only a league average hitter last year and the year before that,

[00:41:47] he missed the entire season with what I believe was a shoulder injury.

[00:41:51] He's not the healthiest guy in the world,

[00:41:54] and he's not a good defender in the outfield.

[00:41:56] And so the bat itself right now looks good.

[00:42:01] But remember, he's on the other side of 30.

[00:42:04] He's had injury injury issues in the past and he's not a great defender.

[00:42:09] So this feels like if they were really going to trade for him,

[00:42:15] does this almost feel like he would be a D.H.?

[00:42:19] Sort of. And again, the reason I'm somewhat open minded to it is

[00:42:22] I do like the fact he can barrel it up.

[00:42:24] I do like the fact he doesn't strike out a ton.

[00:42:26] Just if you're if I know the the left handed corner outfield thing

[00:42:30] is going to get crowded.

[00:42:32] I'm just thinking of how do you get the offense better with a secondary piece?

[00:42:38] Can Forto has a chance to do that.

[00:42:40] Yes, you would force guys like Kanzo and Arreale

[00:42:43] or even maybe can for to start facing lefties more.

[00:42:47] But I still feel like it's worth the consideration, considering again,

[00:42:51] Michael can for those having a good year this year.

[00:42:53] I know his walks are down, but he is having a good year

[00:42:55] and he barrels it up.

[00:42:58] Yeah. So they I think would work.

[00:43:02] The other thing to note as he's one of two giants on this list,

[00:43:06] giants are right in the thick of the wild card race right now.

[00:43:09] So doesn't necessarily mean he would be available,

[00:43:11] but he would not cost that much.

[00:43:14] No, no, not for half a year.

[00:43:16] Oh, I should clarify, too, in case I didn't make it clear.

[00:43:19] Michael can for it.

[00:43:19] I was way older than the two of us are.

[00:43:21] I never like played him in high school or anything like that.

[00:43:24] And I was bringing up the high school thing

[00:43:25] because he went to high school way before we were in high school.

[00:43:27] It was just he went to the secondary rival school.

[00:43:30] That's all. But but yeah, I'd be open to this.

[00:43:33] I'd be like again, it would it would cause some maneuvering on the roster

[00:43:37] and it would cause Scott Service and Jared to have to think of some,

[00:43:42] you know, tweaked strategies for how to best put out a lineup every day.

[00:43:46] But if this is the guy that's available

[00:43:49] and you need two bats or you feel like you do

[00:43:53] one top level guy and one secondary level guy,

[00:43:57] I'm not saying it's the guy at the top of your list, but he has been productive.

[00:44:00] He won't cost a lot.

[00:44:01] Could be worth a thought.

[00:44:03] Now, well, some may think Michael Conforto would be the best here

[00:44:07] of this group.

[00:44:08] I actually think the last two guys are the two best hitting options,

[00:44:13] pure hitting options that the Mariners could go out and trade

[00:44:16] for on this list of secondary options.

[00:44:19] But before we get there, guys, summer is here.

[00:44:22] And that means it's time to get out to T-Mobile Park and watch the M's

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[00:45:32] Let's go north of the border for our pen ultimate guy

[00:45:36] on this trade list, Lyle, a catcher Danny Jansen.

[00:45:40] He's scheduled to be a free agent after this season.

[00:45:43] He split time catching with Alejandro Kirk the last few years.

[00:45:47] And this dude mashes a 142 WRC plus this year.

[00:45:52] He was at 116 last year and 141 in 2022.

[00:45:57] This dude hits.

[00:45:59] And I honestly think this guy, the value of bringing this guy over

[00:46:05] to split time with Cal Raleigh would be immensely valuable.

[00:46:09] He's got nearly one and a half F war in 33 games.

[00:46:15] He's been good. He's been very good.

[00:46:18] Here's my retort.

[00:46:20] How do you manage having three catchers on the roster

[00:46:24] that all need playing time right now?

[00:46:26] It's a little bit different because, yes, they have three catchers on the roster,

[00:46:29] but Sebi Zavala feels like he's been in the doghouse for a bit.

[00:46:33] He's on the roster. He's barely playing.

[00:46:37] So if you were to alter that and have Cal Raleigh,

[00:46:40] Danny Jansen and Mitch Garver all in the roster,

[00:46:43] how do you get all those guys in the lineup enough?

[00:46:46] I think this trade would make a lot more sense

[00:46:49] if Mitch Garver starts hitting the cover off the ball

[00:46:51] the next two months leading up to the deadline.

[00:46:54] Therefore, you feel very comfortable that he doesn't have to go back

[00:46:57] behind the plate and that you can essentially

[00:47:02] let's like addition by not even addition by subtraction,

[00:47:06] but you would manage you would you could justify trading

[00:47:11] to have Cal split time and then you could swap guys out of the the DH spot

[00:47:16] as you have the left handed hitting Cal and then the two right handed

[00:47:19] hitters, Jansen and Garver.

[00:47:21] And ultimately, while like besides the fact of taking some of the stress

[00:47:29] off of Cal, this dude just gets so beat up back there,

[00:47:32] especially as the season wears down, he's going to need off days.

[00:47:36] He's going to need rest days.

[00:47:38] And I think Jansen and his 142 WRC plus can be the guy to do that.

[00:47:43] Look, there's a lot of reasons it makes sense.

[00:47:46] It's another guy that would be a rental.

[00:47:47] So he probably wouldn't cost that much.

[00:47:49] I don't think the Blue Jays can get that much back for him.

[00:47:51] And I love the fact that he walks about 11 percent of the time.

[00:47:56] I love the fact that he is a 15 percent strikeout rate guy.

[00:48:01] Talk about a boost for the Mariners in that department.

[00:48:04] It's just again, how do you manage the three catchers?

[00:48:07] You can do it.

[00:48:08] And you're right.

[00:48:09] If Mitch Garver really gets going here in the next six weeks, this

[00:48:12] conversation gets much more real.

[00:48:14] But like every guy on this roster, there is some, I don't want to say

[00:48:20] hold back, but some caveat.

[00:48:22] So there is just a thought of how do you manage it all?

[00:48:27] How would you manage it on your roster?

[00:48:29] Your current roster would be really the question because Jansen's played

[00:48:32] part time pretty much his entire career.

[00:48:35] So it'd be nothing new to him.

[00:48:37] Oh, not playing every single day.

[00:48:39] He's managed to be this productive, not facing pitchers every single day,

[00:48:43] which is, which is remarkable.

[00:48:45] And even like Cal's like, man, you guys traded for another catcher.

[00:48:48] It's like, well, no Cal knowing that can't Danny Jansen's not going

[00:48:52] to be a Seattle Mariner next year.

[00:48:53] Highly unlikely he would be a Mariner next year.

[00:48:55] This would be a two month arrangement, but he swats, homers

[00:49:01] walks, doesn't strike out a whole lot.

[00:49:03] He's really a dead pole guy.

[00:49:05] Really?

[00:49:06] He's like a Brian Dozier level home run hitter.

[00:49:09] Pull, hold fly balls.

[00:49:11] So it works out, but I like this idea because I think it would benefit,

[00:49:15] it would benefit Cal so much to have Danny Jansen there.

[00:49:18] Just take the pressure off him a little bit.

[00:49:21] So maybe you could operate like this.

[00:49:23] Cal catches behind the plate four days a week.

[00:49:26] Jansen catches three days a week.

[00:49:28] And then additionally you get Cal one DH day in addition to

[00:49:31] the four days behind the plate.

[00:49:33] Sounds right.

[00:49:34] That would probably do a lot for Cal Raleigh.

[00:49:36] Keep them less bang up.

[00:49:37] And that would still give Mitch Garver at least five days hitting.

[00:49:41] If he's, if he's hitting right.

[00:49:43] This is, this is contingent on Mitch Garver hitting, right?

[00:49:47] Cause we know Mitch Garver's not getting jettisoned off the roster

[00:49:50] because he makes a lot of money.

[00:49:52] So if the backup catcher position is open and Garver's not occupying

[00:49:57] it cause he's not hitting, I think Jansen makes a lot of sense.

[00:50:00] Like just, if you think about it in the sense right now,

[00:50:03] of how the Mariners are operating, would you rather have Sebi

[00:50:05] Savala or Danny Jansen on the roster?

[00:50:08] Right.

[00:50:09] There you go.

[00:50:10] Yeah, it's Jansen.

[00:50:12] So, so sure.

[00:50:13] Yeah, it's a decent idea.

[00:50:15] Now I would hope that would fire people up if the Mariners

[00:50:18] deadline was they traded for Brent Rooker and also traded for

[00:50:22] Danny Jansen.

[00:50:23] That's a pretty good deadline.

[00:50:25] That's two real bats that you acquired.

[00:50:27] Is it a hot take to say this would be the most realistic

[00:50:30] Toronto Blue Jays trade option?

[00:50:32] No, no, it wouldn't because the Mariners aren't going to want

[00:50:35] to give up a huge package for either Vladi or Bichette.

[00:50:39] I would assume now Vladi is heating up, but so is Thai France.

[00:50:43] So how much the Mariners want to trade for a first baseman

[00:50:47] with no defensive, no defensive value, no value on the base

[00:50:49] pads when you have a first baseman playing very, very well.

[00:50:53] We'll see.

[00:50:54] But for two months of Danny Jansen, two months of, of

[00:50:57] essentially a backup catcher, how much can that even cost?

[00:51:00] How much can that even cost?

[00:51:02] Probably very little, very little.

[00:51:05] Yeah.

[00:51:05] You are again already plays half the time.

[00:51:08] So yeah, it would make a lot of sense.

[00:51:11] Danny Jansen for a few years now has been the best

[00:51:14] number two catcher in baseball.

[00:51:15] There was a year that people were talking about him and Kirk

[00:51:18] as both top 10 catchers, even though they split time.

[00:51:21] Right?

[00:51:21] So now notice we're not talking about Alejandro Kirk

[00:51:24] because he is not played as well.

[00:51:26] No, no, he hasn't.

[00:51:29] You know, a guy who has played well though.

[00:51:30] Last guy on the list.

[00:51:32] We saved him for last in terms of underrated trade targets.

[00:51:37] I think this is the one we're most fired up to talk about.

[00:51:40] Lamont Wade Jr.

[00:51:41] Of the San Francisco Giants late night Lamont for the year.

[00:51:46] He is he has corralled an eight 96 OPS.

[00:51:51] He's got two bombs, but don't let that fool you.

[00:51:53] One 68 WRC plus and an F war of nearly two.

[00:52:01] He's got a year and a half of club control.

[00:52:03] He has been the Giants best hitter.

[00:52:05] Go look at his savant page people.

[00:52:07] You want to fun exercise, go on to Lamont Wade's baseball

[00:52:10] savant page and pull it up because it is we've used the

[00:52:14] term bright red Kool-Aid on this podcast before that's what

[00:52:18] his savant page looks like it is bright red.

[00:52:21] So how are we feeling?

[00:52:25] Let's put to some context of how good his savant page is at

[00:52:29] the time of this tweet from Michael Fisher of codify.

[00:52:32] So he listed out how many 100th percentile stat cast

[00:52:36] rankings you have on your page.

[00:52:39] And he listed, it was a ranking of players in baseball.

[00:52:42] So Aaron judge leads all of baseball.

[00:52:43] He has nine one Soto is second.

[00:52:47] He has six should be unfair.

[00:52:48] The Yankees have top two, but this is what it is.

[00:52:51] Bobby Witt and Louisa Rice each have three and then at two

[00:52:56] the list goes Shohei Ohtani, John Carlos Stanton,

[00:53:00] O'Neal Cruz and Lamont Wade.

[00:53:03] Sounds like a group you would want to be a part of.

[00:53:07] What?

[00:53:08] This is the best guy on this list.

[00:53:12] Now there's a problem here.

[00:53:14] So I mentioned above with Michael Conforto, the

[00:53:16] Giants are in the playoff hunt right now.

[00:53:19] They are 500, a 500 team that is right there for the third

[00:53:23] wild card in the National League.

[00:53:25] Time will tell whether they will be there in two months,

[00:53:28] but the third wild card offers a lot of optimism to teams.

[00:53:33] So not only is Lamont Wade under contract next year as

[00:53:37] well, meaning the Giants don't have to deal him if they

[00:53:41] don't want to, but he's also their best player.

[00:53:45] So asking a contending team to trade their best player in the

[00:53:52] middle of a playoff chase is a steep ask.

[00:53:55] And with the Giants not being pushed into a corner,

[00:53:58] with him not being a free agent until after next season,

[00:54:01] the price for a platoon bat pretty much if what Lamont

[00:54:06] Wade has done, he's only had 12 at bats against lefties

[00:54:10] this year as a left-handed hitter.

[00:54:12] Doesn't that seem like a little much?

[00:54:15] Here's the only thing I'd say.

[00:54:18] I know the Giants are within a couple games of the wild card.

[00:54:22] They're also three under 500.

[00:54:25] And look, the NL wild card has been awful this year.

[00:54:28] That third wild card specifically terrible.

[00:54:30] I will be interested to see what that wild card

[00:54:33] standings page looks like at the end of July.

[00:54:36] If anybody's gotten hot, if anybody's caught fire

[00:54:39] and created some separation, I don't know.

[00:54:42] But if the Giants are really trying to get the last wild card spot

[00:54:48] with a 78 win season, that doesn't feel like a team

[00:54:52] that's winning the World Series.

[00:54:53] That doesn't feel like a team that's getting past the wild card round.

[00:54:55] They might get swept in two games in the wild card round.

[00:54:58] So if they don't really think they have the talent to do anything,

[00:55:02] would they really be that hesitant to trade Lamont Wade?

[00:55:06] It's like the Mariners, for example, right?

[00:55:08] We know why the Mariners traded Paul Seawald last year.

[00:55:11] Some people understood it.

[00:55:12] Most people understood it.

[00:55:14] There were still people that were unhappy with it out there in the Mariners world.

[00:55:18] But despite being a contending team, the Mariners still made that trade.

[00:55:22] So could the Giants be that sort of team this year?

[00:55:25] We're sure they're contending by definition,

[00:55:28] but they still go out and trade away some established players.

[00:55:33] Nothing's possible.

[00:55:35] Really? Nothing.

[00:55:37] Yeah, if they're going to win 78 games, I don't I don't see

[00:55:40] why they're so inclined to hold on to Lamont Wade.

[00:55:43] Here's a question I have.

[00:55:45] I'm wondering what his value will be two months from now,

[00:55:50] because let's give some context right now.

[00:55:51] He's hurt.

[00:55:52] He'll probably be out the rest of this month. Right.

[00:55:55] I forget exactly what he hurt, but it was a four week minimum injury

[00:56:00] the last week of May.

[00:56:01] So that puts him back on the Giants roster.

[00:56:07] End of June.

[00:56:09] Also. He's been a little lucky this year, not going to lie.

[00:56:13] It helps that he walks 20 percent of the time, it shrinks the sample size,

[00:56:16] but his babbip is over 460.

[00:56:20] It's a little high.

[00:56:21] It's a it's a little a little

[00:56:26] it just tells you that there could be there's there's some regression

[00:56:29] in this profile now still doesn't mean he's not hitting the ball

[00:56:33] the best quality possible, which he is.

[00:56:36] Baseball savant says so.

[00:56:37] But I will say it doesn't because he's hitting like Barry Bonds

[00:56:42] a little bit this year does not mean he's going to keep it up

[00:56:46] when the team pays the price of what he is currently hitting

[00:56:50] and what he actually does when he arrives on his new team,

[00:56:53] if he gets traded.

[00:56:55] So he has a grade two left hamstring strain for those that are interested.

[00:56:59] That'll keep him out a couple of weeks, like you said. Yeah.

[00:57:02] Also, the 20 percent walk rate is crazy.

[00:57:05] 20 percent.

[00:57:06] That's like that's nuts.

[00:57:08] Now, that probably won't sustain the babbip, probably won't sustain.

[00:57:12] And there are questions of say Lamont Wade's, the secondary bat

[00:57:17] you acquire, right?

[00:57:18] This would be the best secondary bat you could probably acquire.

[00:57:21] That would be a pretty insane secondary bat.

[00:57:24] Oh, I will note this is the one guy on I mentioned at the beginning.

[00:57:27] There's one guy who you could argue would be a number one bat

[00:57:30] and it would be Lamont Wade.

[00:57:32] OK, then if he's the only bat you acquire, if he's the headline bat

[00:57:36] you acquire, that makes this a little different.

[00:57:38] But I was going to say if you acquire Lamont Wade and Brent Rooker,

[00:57:41] if you require Lamont Wade and Vladdy,

[00:57:44] that does make some things tough to assemble with the roster.

[00:57:47] You'd probably move on from Hanegger

[00:57:50] one way or another if you trade for an outfield bat.

[00:57:52] But then if you trade for again, if you essentially flip out,

[00:57:57] let's say Wade for Hanegger,

[00:57:59] then you've got a lot of left handed bats all of a sudden.

[00:58:01] And if you were to acquire someone like Vladdy,

[00:58:04] how does that work with Vladdy, Wade, Ty and Garver?

[00:58:09] So, yeah, you're right.

[00:58:10] If they were going to acquire Lamont Wade, this might be

[00:58:13] Lamont Wade might be the guy they acquire

[00:58:16] if they strike out on all the real A level bats

[00:58:19] but still want some impact at the deadline and they settle for him,

[00:58:22] because then you can manage it.

[00:58:25] Yes, so then it would be Ty, Garver and Wade.

[00:58:27] You would have to find time for it.

[00:58:28] He's played in the outfield a little bit.

[00:58:31] So I think it's mostly been first base this year,

[00:58:34] but it doesn't mean he can't play in the outfield.

[00:58:35] You wouldn't be great in the outfield, but he could.

[00:58:39] He'd be there.

[00:58:41] And you could get him some DH days too by putting Garver

[00:58:44] at the back of catcher spot or giving Garver a day off.

[00:58:46] Yeah, you could make that work by just acquiring Lamont Wade.

[00:58:50] But if you have Wade and you try to acquire another A level bat

[00:58:53] and you make the team great, that would be awesome

[00:58:57] because then you would get two really good bats.

[00:59:00] How the Mariners would manage that roster wise, I don't know.

[00:59:03] And for that reason, I don't know if they'd give up

[00:59:06] the prospect package that it would cost for each of those guys at once.

[00:59:12] It would cost I think it would cost a lot to get Lamont Wade out of San

[00:59:15] Francisco. I think it wouldn't cost what you would pay for Vlady.

[00:59:20] But based on where his stock is right now, yeah, I think so.

[00:59:25] All right. So I don't just to think of it like.

[00:59:29] So I don't know.

[00:59:30] In the end, if you're trading for him again, I think you're right.

[00:59:32] So Garver would slide to the back of catcher role.

[00:59:35] I think Lamont Wade with DH, we've got a chunk of time.

[00:59:40] Yeah, get some additional days at first in the outfield

[00:59:42] when you have to have them there.

[00:59:43] But probably he would mostly be DHing against right handed pitching.

[00:59:46] Yeah, right.

[00:59:48] So it's just if you talk yourself into potentially sending

[00:59:52] a blue chip prospect to San Francisco for Lamont Wade,

[00:59:55] because hitters like this, you know, or not even all the eight year

[01:00:00] guys that we talked about are hitting like this.

[01:00:04] It's true.

[01:00:06] But you you still feel like he would cost a blue chip prospect?

[01:00:12] I don't know.

[01:00:13] The giant again, giants have leverage and he's not he's under contract next year.

[01:00:18] Yeah, yeah, they do.

[01:00:20] I just was under the thought that it would cost somebody a little further down

[01:00:26] your pipeline again.

[01:00:31] Maybe I was even thinking, again, somebody a little lower,

[01:00:34] like maybe like the Arroyo range, like past that first real wave of guys.

[01:00:41] That's interesting.

[01:00:42] You know, I'm honestly not sure.

[01:00:44] Like the number I would say the numbers and perception are very different.

[01:00:48] Yeah, they are.

[01:00:49] And again, I don't know what the rest of the league values Lamont Wade at.

[01:00:53] Do Jerry and Justin want to trade for a platoon left handed bat?

[01:00:56] I don't know either.

[01:00:58] He he's complicated.

[01:01:00] I would be very, very interested.

[01:01:01] I'd be happy if they acquired him.

[01:01:03] But he is a complicated trade piece.

[01:01:06] Yeah, certainly. I agree on that.

[01:01:08] So now that we've gotten to the end of this list,

[01:01:12] is there one guy if you were to circle back, that would be your number one.

[01:01:17] Are we excluding Wade out of this since he's a little different?

[01:01:19] I think, yeah, I think Lamont Wade's a pretty obvious number one.

[01:01:23] Besides that, I probably say Danny Jansen.

[01:01:28] I was thinking about Kim Porto.

[01:01:29] I was thinking about Randy, but it makes the most sense for not having to give up

[01:01:35] much at all in a trade and the fact you get Cal off his feet

[01:01:39] and the fact you're not relying on Garver to catch.

[01:01:42] And it's a real bat with room to go get an A level bat

[01:01:45] because acquiring Danny Jansen should not be your headline bat.

[01:01:49] That is very much a move that you can make to augment the roster.

[01:01:53] But to really level it up, you go get another bat that's better than Jansen.

[01:01:59] I agree. I 100% agree.

[01:02:01] So Danny Jansen, pack your bags.

[01:02:02] You're coming to Seattle. Thank you very much.

[01:02:04] Super quick. Just call to action to all of you listening.

[01:02:07] All I was going to say is if there is anybody we left off, tell us who

[01:02:12] who is somebody under the radar you would like to see the Mariners trade for

[01:02:16] or who somebody we didn't mention that you think should be on this list.

[01:02:19] Tell us now. Leave the A level guys off the list, because again,

[01:02:22] if you want to hear about the A level trade guys, go back two weeks ago

[01:02:25] and listen to that podcast episode.

[01:02:26] But under the radar, guys, let us know.

[01:02:29] Like, for example, we didn't talk about Yandy Diaz.

[01:02:31] We didn't talk about Brian De La Cruz from the Marlins.

[01:02:33] That's a name that's been floated out there a little bit.

[01:02:36] You've got some names that you have in mind that we didn't talk about.

[01:02:38] Tell us maybe they'll be on the next episode.

[01:02:41] Let's go down on the farm.

[01:02:45] All right, Lyle, who's your standout Mariners minor leaguer?

[01:02:48] So we talked about Logan Evans at the start of the show, right?

[01:02:50] And how he's transitioning to the bullpen.

[01:02:52] Mariners need some bullpen help.

[01:02:55] Here's another guy that isn't being talked about a lot right now

[01:02:59] that could absolutely help this bullpen post all star break.

[01:03:03] His name is Troy Taylor.

[01:03:05] He's in double A Arkansas right now.

[01:03:07] Right handed pitcher has a fastball in the mid to upper 90s

[01:03:10] and also has a good slider to pitch guy, 22 years old, so young.

[01:03:13] But he is a reliever.

[01:03:15] Here's what he's done this year because he started in Everett.

[01:03:18] Then he got promoted up

[01:03:20] for the year.

[01:03:21] Troy Taylor has an 09 ERA.

[01:03:24] He's had eight outings in double A so far, has not given up a run.

[01:03:29] He's given up just two hits and he has an 085 whip for the season.

[01:03:34] So allow me to say this again.

[01:03:37] Could the Mariners go acquire a bullpen arm? Absolutely.

[01:03:41] Is Logan Evans going to be up on the roster?

[01:03:43] Sure seems like it now.

[01:03:45] But if you want another bullpen arm that could really provide

[01:03:47] some reinforcements to this bullpen in the second half for a team

[01:03:50] that's probably going to need it.

[01:03:52] I would circle Troy Taylor.

[01:03:53] I would keep that eye on him because he is dominated in Everett.

[01:03:57] He's dominating right now in Arkansas.

[01:03:59] And once you're in Arkansas, especially as a reliever,

[01:04:01] you're one call away from the big leagues.

[01:04:03] There's no reason Troy Taylor can't be on this roster this year.

[01:04:07] The Mariners can monitor the trade market and look at what the price

[01:04:10] of a reliever is, but.

[01:04:14] They have now to, it seems like more obvious options

[01:04:17] in house what they what they would promote.

[01:04:20] I don't know if Troy Taylor's next to come up,

[01:04:24] but hearing the way they talk about him, it seems seems likely

[01:04:29] that him and Logan will see some time in the pen this year.

[01:04:32] And I know Carlos Vargas last time we checked on him

[01:04:35] in AAA was not doing great, but I know entering the season,

[01:04:39] the Mariners had thought highly of him.

[01:04:40] So like there are still options within the system.

[01:04:43] And Troy is certainly one of them, and he is earning the respect

[01:04:47] that he's getting.

[01:04:48] It will be easier for the Mariners to.

[01:04:51] Call up somebody from the minor leagues to fill a bullpen spot,

[01:04:54] then potentially overpay for a bullpen arm.

[01:04:57] I don't can't consistently say like I don't see Jerry overpaying

[01:05:01] for a bullpen arm.

[01:05:03] So if he wants the higher upside guy,

[01:05:07] it probably is in house.

[01:05:08] So it's going to be Logan or Troy ultimately.

[01:05:11] Yeah, I cannot see Jerry and Justin giving up one of their upper

[01:05:15] echelon prospects for Ryan Helsley.

[01:05:18] That just doesn't seem like a Jerry to Poto type move.

[01:05:22] Now, Ryan Helsley would be fun.

[01:05:23] Yeah, very. I agree.

[01:05:25] Could you see them giving up somebody within their top five

[01:05:27] to six prospects for him?

[01:05:29] I couldn't know.

[01:05:30] And I'm going to explain why, because my on the farm

[01:05:33] Mariners number five prospect, who I can't believe we've

[01:05:35] haven't talked about yet, Felanine Celestin,

[01:05:38] it is casually having an over 900 OPS

[01:05:43] in his first 22 pro games of the Complex League as an 18 year old.

[01:05:47] No big deal.

[01:05:48] Switch hitting shortstop, just crushing the ball,

[01:05:52] controlling the strike zone, 13 walks, 17 strikeouts.

[01:05:56] Yeah, he's going to be in Modesto soon.

[01:05:58] Just count it down. It's happening, dude.

[01:06:02] Again, I'm not going to put comps on anybody because it's not fair,

[01:06:06] but I will say it in this way, just like how I said

[01:06:09] a couple of weeks ago with Laz, the way he's hit in Modesto

[01:06:13] has looked like Jordan Alvarez, even though I'm not saying

[01:06:15] he's going to be Jordan in the big leagues.

[01:06:18] The way Felanine's playing in the Complex League right now,

[01:06:22] he looks like Francisco Lindor, like switch hitter,

[01:06:25] shortstop power speed. He's nuts.

[01:06:29] He's a guy that would make you feel more comfortable

[01:06:33] trading one of your other shortstop prospects,

[01:06:36] knowing that guy is in your system and knowing that you feel

[01:06:40] more comfortable that he's untouchable.

[01:06:43] You would be more comfortable trading someone else.

[01:06:45] Yeah, which is crazy to think about all of these

[01:06:51] all these shortstops in the systems.

[01:06:53] The last point here that's kind of funny, you and I were talking

[01:06:56] about the Hanegger trade earlier today.

[01:06:59] It's like, man, I wonder what Robbie Ray is doing.

[01:07:01] Well, Felanine had a hit off of Robbie Ray earlier this week.

[01:07:04] So that's what Robbie Ray is doing right now.

[01:07:07] Yeah, it says a lot about Felanine.

[01:07:10] Let's do this one little fun exercise too before we move on

[01:07:13] because we were talking about this.

[01:07:15] Who do you think the Mariners would be least likely

[01:07:18] or least willing to part ways within a trade?

[01:07:20] The three guys I said, like throw out what the third party

[01:07:23] prospect systems have all that.

[01:07:25] I mean, go from your gut. What do you think?

[01:07:28] My guess is the three guys they are least willing to part with

[01:07:31] are Colt, Emerson, Felanine and Laz.

[01:07:35] I would say those three guys are the guys they want the most.

[01:07:38] That would be my three.

[01:07:39] I would say I think the top two might be a little more solidified

[01:07:43] than top three, but the top two is Colton Felanine.

[01:07:47] Right. Like both those guys,

[01:07:49] when they get in the swing of things are Colt this week's

[01:07:52] now top 15 prospect.

[01:07:55] Felanine.

[01:07:57] In a year will be a top 15 prospect.

[01:08:00] So that's it.

[01:08:01] Laz has the issue that he's not

[01:08:05] he's not an up the middle guy

[01:08:06] and eventually will probably land a DH.

[01:08:09] Yeah, but the other two, yeah, are pretty solid.

[01:08:12] And then I think Johnny is the one after that.

[01:08:14] Sure, for sure.

[01:08:15] Yeah. And I was going to say that

[01:08:16] that is the thing with Laz is obviously he has to hit

[01:08:18] to have value since he's probably not going to play

[01:08:21] the field a whole ton in his career.

[01:08:22] Maybe he'll play first base at some point.

[01:08:23] We'll see. Maybe maybe he learns first base and can do that.

[01:08:26] But just in the sense of throwing Laz in there,

[01:08:29] in the sense of if he hits and if he projects

[01:08:35] how people are projecting him and plays like it again,

[01:08:38] that's that has the chance to be a lethal bat,

[01:08:41] which is why I feel like they probably want to keep him close.

[01:08:43] Isn't it funny how we didn't even mention two other top 30 prospects,

[01:08:47] Cole Young and Harry Ford,

[01:08:49] who are at the highest levels of the minors right now.

[01:08:52] But the reason we didn't mention them is because whenever

[01:08:55] you and I are bringing up these trade targets and it's like,

[01:08:57] all right, put together a package and it's usually going to include

[01:09:00] one of those two guys.

[01:09:01] So not exactly untradeable, unfortunately.

[01:09:05] Even though, yeah, you know,

[01:09:08] like that's just what happens in in baseball.

[01:09:10] Sometimes guys get traded.

[01:09:11] We don't know if they're going to get traded.

[01:09:12] But if you're just asking what T.J.

[01:09:14] and I's guesses are for who the Mariners are most likely to hold on to,

[01:09:17] I would guess it's it's those guys.

[01:09:20] So with that, Russell Wilson, umpire of the week time,

[01:09:25] we have some requests from the fans, from the listeners.

[01:09:29] We got some messages on Twitter this week saying, oh, the Russell Wilson

[01:09:33] umpire of the week is going to go hard this week because

[01:09:37] we have a special shout out to Hunter Wendelstadt,

[01:09:41] who has been on this program before, has been on this segment before.

[01:09:44] But after his horrendous start

[01:09:47] the other night in the first inning between the Mariners and A's

[01:09:50] and in a game in which he looked like he was essentially

[01:09:53] guessing what were balls and strikes paired with people on Twitter saying,

[01:09:57] oh, this guy has to be the winner this week.

[01:09:59] Fans spoke. We listened.

[01:10:02] He's our winner. Congratulations, Hunter Wendelstadt.

[01:10:05] And overall for the game, actually a solid performance.

[01:10:08] But because of that first inning and I think there's a little bit

[01:10:12] of carryover effect from what he did to Aaron Boone

[01:10:16] that he just had to have another appearance.

[01:10:19] I think it just made it easier.

[01:10:20] Once you embarrass yourself like you did when you tossed Aaron Boone

[01:10:24] out of a game for something a fan said, that makes your bar

[01:10:28] for appearing on this award a whole lot lower.

[01:10:32] Mm hmm. Yes, it does.

[01:10:34] So sure, there was probably some carryover.

[01:10:37] But again, paired with fans speaking and us being

[01:10:40] a podcast of the people, men of the people, we listen.

[01:10:44] Hunter Wendelstadt is our winner. And guess what?

[01:10:47] You deserve it.

[01:10:48] Like, again, he really did look like he was guessing half the time

[01:10:51] with calling balls and strikes the other night.

[01:10:53] It was not consistent.

[01:10:55] No, I do want to give a shout out, though, to I want to make sure

[01:10:59] I get the umpire's name right here on on Thursday for Thursday's game,

[01:11:03] because this thing that happened with Brian Wu when there was

[01:11:08] a pitch clock violation called on him

[01:11:10] when the home plate umpire literally had his back turned to Wu.

[01:11:14] That was crazy. Did you pick up on that today?

[01:11:16] Yeah, I did. Oh, my God.

[01:11:18] So let's make sure we get the umpire's name right, because same series.

[01:11:22] It's Wendelstadt's crew.

[01:11:24] But it was Nick Marley today and Wu was pissed about it.

[01:11:28] You saw him like barking at the umpire for good reason.

[01:11:31] He has back turned to Wu and says pitch clock violation

[01:11:34] when he didn't even have his eyes set on the pitcher.

[01:11:37] So shout out to you, Nick Marley.

[01:11:40] I'm sure there will be plenty of accountability for that.

[01:11:42] That harmless mistake.

[01:11:44] There always is. There always is, isn't there?

[01:11:48] Let's close out the show now with Speak Your Mind.

[01:11:51] Speak your mind, Spock.

[01:11:56] That would be unwise.

[01:11:58] What is necessary is never unwise.

[01:12:02] What is on your mind this week, Lyle?

[01:12:05] We talked about it for a minute before we started recording, but

[01:12:09] the NBA Finals reminds me of two things.

[01:12:11] Number one, despite us obviously wanting the Sonics back,

[01:12:15] I just I don't get juiced up for the NBA Finals, to be honest.

[01:12:18] I watch, but I just feel like it's so watered down from how it used to be.

[01:12:24] I just it's it's it's just again, for whatever reason,

[01:12:27] I don't get as excited anymore.

[01:12:30] And I got excited in years where the Sonics weren't here anymore, too,

[01:12:33] for a long time. It's just recent years.

[01:12:35] Not as much paired with Boston sports fans or as we like to call them,

[01:12:39] mass holes remind us that they continue to just be the most

[01:12:43] insufferable fans in sports.

[01:12:45] Well, yeah, I mean, shed a tear when a Boston sports team

[01:12:48] does not make a finals in any one of the four major sports in a given year.

[01:12:52] Oh, so difficult.

[01:12:54] Yeah, so difficult.

[01:12:55] Welcome to reality, except there is no reality

[01:12:57] because the Celtics are in the finals right now.

[01:12:59] So and just a casual, you know, 30 pointed they won, I think game one.

[01:13:04] They were up 30 in the first half when we hit record here.

[01:13:07] So just to just to just a story of trial

[01:13:12] and hardship and adversity and all this stuff.

[01:13:16] Man.

[01:13:19] So my dad gave me a hard time about this back when we had Jarrett Carabas on.

[01:13:23] And the next time we have him on, I mean, he did say he's down to come back on.

[01:13:26] So I'm sure at some point we'll have him back on.

[01:13:29] I need to be better about calling him out for something.

[01:13:34] If we hear something that's a little questionable, because

[01:13:37] what my dad said, we should have given him a hard time about and we didn't

[01:13:39] was when Carabas was sitting on this very program and talking about how,

[01:13:43] you know, being a Red Sox fan these days sucks and it's and you know, they just lose.

[01:13:48] Well, this feels this this plays right into the topic we're talking about here,

[01:13:53] which like a Boston sports fans complaining that they've seen four

[01:13:56] championships in their lifetime and now for a couple of years, it's been hard.

[01:13:59] Like the next time Carabas is on, I'm going to circle back with this.

[01:14:03] And I'm going to say, like, you know, you're on a Mariners podcast, right?

[01:14:06] Like, so, yeah, you're talking about only four championships in your lifetime.

[01:14:12] A couple of losing to do.

[01:14:13] Yeah, pal.

[01:14:13] How about five trips to the playoffs?

[01:14:16] Period ever.

[01:14:19] Ever.

[01:14:19] So we love Carabas.

[01:14:21] This is nothing.

[01:14:22] This is no, this is, this has nothing to do with Carabas.

[01:14:25] He's a friend of the pod.

[01:14:25] We loved having him on.

[01:14:27] He might be my favorite guest we've ever had on and we want to have him

[01:14:29] on a bunch more in the future, but I'm sure he'll take it well too,

[01:14:33] because he he he tosses out shit on a daily basis.

[01:14:36] So this all plays in the next time he's on one.

[01:14:41] I'm going to remind him and number two, Boston sports fans,

[01:14:45] especially if you're on social media, seeing them watch these finals.

[01:14:47] Oh my God, it's terrible.

[01:14:50] I'm still like to watch the NBA finals again, like a I'm going

[01:14:53] to have to probably live in a more populated area with, you know,

[01:14:57] like go out to a sports bar or something like, I don't know if at home

[01:15:01] I'm going to flip on the NBA finals like the Sonics when they come back

[01:15:05] will have to be playing in it for me to like really care.

[01:15:07] Oh, I will.

[01:15:08] It's either that or I will have had to because the Sonics are back

[01:15:11] and gotten a lot more invest reinvested back in the NBA.

[01:15:14] Because right now, again, like storylines are cool, but.

[01:15:19] You and I both know the Celtics are like way better than the Mavericks

[01:15:22] and it showed in Game One. Right.

[01:15:24] So like what what what's the mystery and the intrigue of the series?

[01:15:29] Look, I'm going to watch, but it doesn't mean like I watch every year.

[01:15:33] It doesn't mean I'm absolutely juiced up about it.

[01:15:36] I am a sports fan.

[01:15:37] When there's big events on, I watch and like again, I've watched

[01:15:41] I've watched an OK amount of the NBA playoffs this year and most years I do.

[01:15:45] But doesn't mean I'm like absolutely fired up the way I would be to watch

[01:15:49] the college football playoff, the NFL playoffs, the World Series,

[01:15:52] obviously things like that.

[01:15:53] Yeah. Well, I'm like different than you.

[01:15:55] Like I have I can count on one hand how many NBA games I've watched this year.

[01:15:59] Like, I'll pay attention to headlines, but especially with this,

[01:16:03] I don't have time. Yeah.

[01:16:05] OK, I don't watch in the regular season, but I'll watch in the playoffs.

[01:16:09] WWE on hardwood scripted all coming from the top.

[01:16:14] Oh, it's scripted.

[01:16:15] The best the best headlines in the NBA

[01:16:18] are the ones that happen off the court because off the court,

[01:16:21] there's more drama than a soap opera.

[01:16:24] Which is why people are so entertained with this finals.

[01:16:28] It is nothing to do with on the court.

[01:16:30] It is literally Kyrie versus the city of Boston.

[01:16:35] Exactly. That's what I mean.

[01:16:37] It's stuff like that that draws, which baseball could use a lot more of.

[01:16:40] To be honest, I've thought about that if there was more beef and.

[01:16:44] Come on, if there was beef and baseball,

[01:16:46] you don't think that would draw more eyeballs?

[01:16:47] Yeah, I was being sarcastic.

[01:16:49] Oh, yeah. Sorry. Yes. Yes.

[01:16:51] Well, Tim Anderson was good.

[01:16:53] Then he could beef with the city of Cleveland.

[01:16:56] But like, like, yeah, like that's the example.

[01:16:59] Like what are the villain Tommy Fam is a villain in baseball right now.

[01:17:02] Like who gives a fuck about Tommy Fam?

[01:17:05] Well, don't say that or he's going to get ready to fight you.

[01:17:07] Yeah. What does he train in multiple,

[01:17:10] multiple fighting styles in the offseason just in case?

[01:17:13] That could have been a speaker mind this week as Tommy Fam saying

[01:17:16] that he's going to beat somebody up if they start anything with them.

[01:17:20] Did you notice how when he slid in, he actually walked away from the confrontation?

[01:17:25] No one was holding it back. He could have swung on someone.

[01:17:27] Mm hmm. Yeah.

[01:17:28] You know, I'm almost feeling while like that was just talk and

[01:17:32] not actually backing it up.

[01:17:34] Yeah. People always like to say how tough they are.

[01:17:38] But like, remember, like he could have walked up

[01:17:40] and punched William Contreras in the face if you wanted to. Yeah.

[01:17:43] We need we need Shohei or Bryce Harper

[01:17:47] to come out with some quotes in the playoffs saying whatever team

[01:17:49] they're going to go up against is a bunch of losers or something like that.

[01:17:52] Hmm.

[01:17:54] Well, Shohei did get his publicity this year,

[01:17:56] but not in the fighting sense and and not because he wanted it.

[01:18:02] He like again, Shohei coming out and saying and talking trash about another team.

[01:18:08] That's real drama.

[01:18:09] Like Shohei did not ask for his interpreter to place all these bets.

[01:18:13] Well, at least Ipe knows now that he's not the worst baseball better in the world.

[01:18:19] Oh, that's true.

[01:18:19] Because that title will go to the guy that just got banned for life on the Padres.

[01:18:23] What what did what percent of the bets did he win?

[01:18:25] Wow. Oh, two percent.

[01:18:27] Yeah, something like that.

[01:18:29] That's insane.

[01:18:31] Two percent. Yeah.

[01:18:35] Crazy. How that should not be possible.

[01:18:37] No, no, it should not.

[01:18:40] Wow. Oh, you know, it's even more improbable, though.

[01:18:42] My speak your mind.

[01:18:43] Do you know we're a cricket country now?

[01:18:46] You know that?

[01:18:47] Apparently, we're great at a lot of things here in America, sports wise,

[01:18:50] especially we have our football.

[01:18:53] We're the best at that.

[01:18:54] We're the best at football.

[01:18:55] We're the best at basketball.

[01:18:58] Sometimes we're the best at hockey.

[01:19:00] Well, the fact that the the Canada hasn't had a Stanley Cup since 91.

[01:19:06] Yeah, let's say we're the best at hockey as well.

[01:19:09] Well, the US beat a cricket powerhouse in the Men's World Cup Pakistan today.

[01:19:17] One of the biggest upsets in sports history.

[01:19:20] USA, USA, USA.

[01:19:25] Is this a bigger upset than when Howard

[01:19:28] beat UNLV in college football as 45 point underdogs?

[01:19:33] You remember that? I do.

[01:19:35] Is this bigger in the sense of the world stage?

[01:19:40] Yeah, I don't know.

[01:19:42] In terms of like a Vegas money like that, I think it was only like plus 600.

[01:19:46] But you know, like Pakistan, India, Australia, like those are powerhouse

[01:19:52] cricket countries, powerhouse like cricket, by the way, as most people know,

[01:19:56] is the is the biggest sport in the world or second biggest,

[01:20:00] I think, behind soccer or football, whatever you want to say.

[01:20:04] Football, second biggest sport in the world.

[01:20:06] It draws enormous ratings.

[01:20:08] I think it's this I think it even out draws the

[01:20:12] the the Super Bowl and American football.

[01:20:15] Like that's how big it is.

[01:20:16] And as you know, in the state of American sports, like cricket's not very high.

[01:20:21] But the fact the US beat one of the powerhouses, I mean, that's like,

[01:20:25] gee, it's like the US men's national team losing to Trinidad and Tobago.

[01:20:30] Oh, wait. Sorry. Wrong sport.

[01:20:33] That's like.

[01:20:35] Oh, I want to make a joke about the the Olympic,

[01:20:38] the team USA basketball team who probably has has lost to some small countries

[01:20:43] recently, but I can't name those off the top of my head outside of the men's

[01:20:46] soccer one. Regardless, you get the point.

[01:20:49] Pretty historic upset today.

[01:20:51] So yeah, shout out cricket.

[01:20:53] That's all I've got because I didn't watch it.

[01:20:55] I don't know much about it, but shout out cricket.

[01:20:58] Yeah. So you know, the joke that was flown around this week

[01:21:01] on the Internet where it was like showing some cricket highlights

[01:21:04] and it's like an American like the American brain cannot comprehend this.

[01:21:09] And I forget what they someone responded with.

[01:21:11] I think it was it like a Justin Jefferson, one handed catch or something like

[01:21:16] the the the European mind or the Australian mind can't

[01:21:19] come around to something funny like that.

[01:21:21] And then this happens.

[01:21:21] So obviously we can comprehend it because we're the best.

[01:21:26] Apparently shout out USA cricket.

[01:21:28] That's all I get. Like I said, like, that's about all

[01:21:31] I can contribute to this one.

[01:21:33] One of the team USA's top players is his full time job.

[01:21:38] He's like a principal engineer at Oracle, like a software company,

[01:21:43] like software employees beat Team Pakistan.

[01:21:48] It's like how they say Babe Ruth used to dominate against milkmen

[01:21:51] in baseball who had offseason jobs.

[01:21:52] But oh, wait, he's actually Babe Ruth's not real.

[01:21:55] So no, he didn't. Right. Exactly.

[01:21:57] So, yeah. All right.

[01:22:00] That just about wraps up this edition of the Marine Layer podcast.

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[01:22:24] That's TJ Amlyal.

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