Episode 175: Colton Swanson & Joe Lacy (Mariner Mojo), And Examining The Payrolls Of World Series Winners

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[00:00:55] Welcome to episode number 175 of the Marine Layer Podcast.

[00:00:59] We welcome on Colton Swanson and Joe Lacy from Mariner Mojo.

[00:01:03] We'll have a nice discussion about the Mariners offseason.

[00:01:07] Jason will debate which homegrown Mariners talent should get an extension first.

[00:01:11] And then we'll chat with them a little bit about starting Mariner Mojo.

[00:01:15] Here's your guys' reminder.

[00:01:16] If you're listening audio-wise, do us a big favor.

[00:01:19] Download these episodes.

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[00:01:52] And we welcome you to this episode of the Marine Layer Podcast.

[00:01:55] Part of the Just Baseball Podcast Network.

[00:01:57] Recording here on Monday evening, October 21st.

[00:02:01] We have our World Series.

[00:02:03] We are seven games away now, Lyle, from the official start of the Major League Baseball offseason.

[00:02:09] That's fun then, but we're going to have a fun series to watch here too.

[00:02:13] A $300 million team and a $240 million team.

[00:02:18] Who would have thought?

[00:02:20] Hmm.

[00:02:22] Are we going to get into this now?

[00:02:24] Or do we want to do positive first and then go in?

[00:02:28] Lead off with some positivity, Lyle.

[00:02:29] You're a beaming ray of sunshine.

[00:02:32] All right.

[00:02:34] Let's see.

[00:02:34] We can talk about some Mariners that are going to be in this World Series.

[00:02:38] Former Mariners.

[00:02:39] Chris Taylor.

[00:02:40] Nestor Cortez.

[00:02:41] Sounds like he's going to get healthy.

[00:02:42] We said, we tweeted this out on Sunday, that no matter what now, Taylor Trammell gets a ring.

[00:02:48] Our guy.

[00:02:49] Let's go.

[00:02:50] Yeah, let's go.

[00:02:51] How long will it be before another Mariner that started the season on the Mariners?

[00:02:58] Like 40 man will get a ring.

[00:03:01] Somewhere and starts and finishes with the Mariners, a.k.a.

[00:03:04] When are the Mariners going to win a ring?

[00:03:05] Is that what you're asking?

[00:03:06] Well, no, because that's an impossible question to answer because that would require the team going to the World Series, which has never happened.

[00:03:13] Lyle.

[00:03:13] And I wouldn't want to make a brash prediction like that.

[00:03:16] No, no, no, no, no, no.

[00:03:17] That would be irresponsible of me.

[00:03:18] What do I want to do?

[00:03:19] End up on freezing takes exposed.

[00:03:21] Like I like I say, the Mariners will win the World Series in the next five years and they end up taking another hundred.

[00:03:26] Wait, hold up.

[00:03:27] That couldn't be me.

[00:03:29] Freezing takes exposed.

[00:03:30] You just went in between the whole takes exposed.

[00:03:32] Sorry.

[00:03:33] I got freezing cold takes and cold takes exposed.

[00:03:35] But you still didn't get it right.

[00:03:37] I'm messing it up here.

[00:03:38] Freezing cold takes the Twitter account.

[00:03:41] Yes.

[00:03:42] Old.

[00:03:42] That's what it's going to be.

[00:03:43] Yeah.

[00:03:44] Old takes exposed.

[00:03:45] There you go.

[00:03:45] Old takes exposed freezing cold takes.

[00:03:48] Mm hmm.

[00:03:49] There we go.

[00:03:50] And I wouldn't want to say something stupid like saying the Mariners are going to win the World Series within the next five years.

[00:03:57] Right.

[00:03:58] I wouldn't want to say that because then they take a hundred more years to win one.

[00:04:02] What do you said?

[00:04:03] What would people say?

[00:04:04] People would say that dumb podcaster said they'd win it in the next five years.

[00:04:08] And well, here I am.

[00:04:09] I'm retired now.

[00:04:11] I have to bring in my 20s when he opened his mouth and said that.

[00:04:14] And nothing's changed.

[00:04:16] Have you said that at some point?

[00:04:18] They're going to win in the next five years.

[00:04:19] I can't remember.

[00:04:20] No.

[00:04:21] Sorry.

[00:04:22] I've legitimately never said that.

[00:04:24] And the more they talk, the less the more the more inclined I am to believe that that's not going to happen.

[00:04:31] The Cubs went 108 years.

[00:04:33] I will say.

[00:04:35] Well, look, the Mariners are at 47 right now to beat that mark.

[00:04:39] You need 62 more years.

[00:04:43] So it's 60 in 62 more years.

[00:04:46] Right.

[00:04:46] My math is correct on that.

[00:04:48] That sounds right.

[00:04:49] I'm thinking more.

[00:04:50] I'm thinking more about less about your math with the hundred and eight.

[00:04:53] I'm thinking more about where we'll be at age wise.

[00:04:55] Wow.

[00:04:56] 62.

[00:04:57] I will be 88 years old.

[00:04:59] Yeah, we're going to be right up against it.

[00:05:02] If the Mariners win the World Series at 100 at the 108 year mark, you and I and I did 109.

[00:05:08] But still, anyways, it's it's going to be real close.

[00:05:13] Let's hope they're not setting any records because I don't think my heart would be able to take it at 88.

[00:05:17] Like it would be it would be unfortunate.

[00:05:19] It would be like sad and happy at the same time.

[00:05:22] Like my heart would give out watching them when it 109 years in actually.

[00:05:28] That would actually kind of be a sick way to go out.

[00:05:30] Like if you're in your 80s, think about it.

[00:05:32] You went out at the peak of your life.

[00:05:34] Yeah.

[00:05:35] Yeah, especially for us.

[00:05:37] It's like this is legitimately all we've wanted.

[00:05:39] We've gotten a football championship.

[00:05:41] I would imagine by then we'll have a basketball championship and a hockey a new a new basketball championship and a hockey championship to celebrate odds are in the next.

[00:05:50] By the time we're 88 years old, that will happen.

[00:05:53] But if it takes like a baseball thing, it's like this is the last thing I needed period.

[00:05:59] Yeah, so then you went out.

[00:06:01] You can say you went out over something you loved and that would be great.

[00:06:05] So you could have Julio Rodriguez is like grand kid who is the star of the team speak at your funeral.

[00:06:12] And like, you know, these are the these were the Mariners that Mariner fans that they just wanted it.

[00:06:18] They just wanted to see something.

[00:06:21] I remember.

[00:06:21] I remember back in my happy.

[00:06:23] It's happy that we brought it for them.

[00:06:25] I remember.

[00:06:26] Yeah, if Julio's son speaking at your memorial or our memorial, I remember back in my grandfather's day.

[00:06:33] These guys, these guys were pioneers.

[00:06:35] They tried to set records talking about Kyle Tucker trades who's now in the Hall of Fame, man.

[00:06:41] They they that Kyle Tucker in inner circle Hall of Fame, Kyle Tucker.

[00:06:46] Yeah, they those guys tried to make it happen for the Mariners.

[00:06:49] They did all they could.

[00:06:50] Wow.

[00:06:51] It's like another potential plaque in the Mariners Hall of Fame in the in the Hall of Fame with the Mariners have on because KTuck after realizing the fans, the great lengths fans would go to get him to another organization like climbing a mountain with people who have never hiked before.

[00:07:07] Hmm.

[00:07:08] Hmm.

[00:07:09] And realizing after he spends all this time in that org that it's like, I just have to wear a Mariners hat in the Hall of Fame now.

[00:07:17] I have to do it.

[00:07:19] Yes.

[00:07:19] All right.

[00:07:21] There is another piece of positive news we wanted to at least throw out there before we get to some other stuff.

[00:07:25] We realized we didn't do this a couple weeks ago and we should have, but I guess but we just we genuinely we just forgot.

[00:07:32] Kevin Martinez getting promoted to the president of business operations.

[00:07:36] Awesome.

[00:07:36] 10 out of 10 hundred out of 100 higher.

[00:07:39] I don't think you'll find a single person out there that does not like Kevin Martinez.

[00:07:42] I don't think you find a single person out there that says anybody but him was the right person for the job.

[00:07:48] And I don't know how many people love the Mariners more than Kevin Martinez.

[00:07:51] So all in all.

[00:07:52] Awesome.

[00:07:53] He's been in New York forever.

[00:07:55] He really worked his way up.

[00:07:56] So it's just so rewarding to see him get this position.

[00:08:00] He's been very nice to us.

[00:08:02] We've been around the ballpark chatting with him about a number of things like being on 710 just doing the content we do.

[00:08:08] It's like it's awesome.

[00:08:09] Like he's that he's the was the head of the communications department the executive vice president.

[00:08:14] Now he's the president of business operations, which is as high as you can get before you get to before you get to the ownership level.

[00:08:22] It's like that's like it's totally awesome that that he's in that position now very rewarding.

[00:08:28] And yeah, it's it's great for him.

[00:08:32] I am I going to make this joke.

[00:08:34] I'm going to make this.

[00:08:35] Are you going to make a joke.

[00:08:36] Can I can I can I add warmer beam of positivity before you before you before you make one of the Mariners organization.

[00:08:42] But my joke is positivity.

[00:08:44] Go ahead.

[00:08:45] That's good.

[00:08:46] It's funny.

[00:08:46] I was like looking back through my email inbox a while ago.

[00:08:49] Like I said, I remember I sent like Kevin Martinez an email on my college sometime.

[00:08:54] I don't remember what it was like he didn't eat like he had no idea who I was like and now all this time later.

[00:08:59] He knows who Lyle and I are because of this podcast.

[00:09:02] But back then it's like some random person who found his email.

[00:09:06] Right.

[00:09:06] And it's just emailing him asking for advice on like internships, I think.

[00:09:12] And he's nice enough to respond like it's like that kind of guy like a totally random person.

[00:09:17] I know most people don't just reply to random people in their email inbox.

[00:09:21] They don't know.

[00:09:22] Mm hmm.

[00:09:22] But like that's the kind of person Kevin Martinez is.

[00:09:24] Yeah.

[00:09:25] Awesome.

[00:09:26] Again, you will you will not find a person that says anything other than he was the perfect hire.

[00:09:32] He made easily the most sense and he's going to absolutely crush it.

[00:09:35] So I didn't realize he responded to you.

[00:09:37] That's pretty cool.

[00:09:38] Yeah, it was that it took me to two tries, but he did even still like a lot of people would not respond period.

[00:09:44] So that's cool.

[00:09:47] All right, I'm gonna make my joke.

[00:09:50] If and when the Mariners eventually get to their next postseason.

[00:09:56] Kevin needs to be chugging a beer bong in the clubhouse.

[00:09:59] Yeah.

[00:10:03] Now, if we ran that joke by him, would he laugh?

[00:10:07] I don't know.

[00:10:08] Maybe he'll find this.

[00:10:09] Would he get the reference?

[00:10:10] Look, so let's first question.

[00:10:11] And Kevin, if you're if you're listening to this by chance, just leave a comment down below.

[00:10:16] It'd be perfect.

[00:10:17] Be perfect.

[00:10:18] First of all, what do he know we're talking about?

[00:10:21] Yes, that video went viral.

[00:10:24] Yeah, that's true.

[00:10:27] But to what do you think?

[00:10:28] Would he think it's funny?

[00:10:30] That I don't know.

[00:10:32] Yeah, that's a good question.

[00:10:33] But I think it's funny.

[00:10:35] A lot of Mariner fans will think it's funny.

[00:10:36] Well, we we did talk about it on here when it happened.

[00:10:39] So and we were laughing.

[00:10:42] So yeah, I was well deserved.

[00:10:48] Point regardless, the Kevin Martinez thing seems like more of a long term solution of presidents of business operations.

[00:10:55] Correct.

[00:10:55] Which is good.

[00:10:56] You want stability at the top, like instability at the top is the worst thing an organization can have.

[00:11:01] Right.

[00:11:02] So now they will have, you know, a president of business operation who's who's been in the org for like 30 years.

[00:11:09] And then, you know, Jerry DiPoto on the baseball side, like or not, he's been there for 10 years.

[00:11:13] And look at the look at the look at the farm system.

[00:11:16] Like that's what stability does.

[00:11:18] You get systems in place.

[00:11:19] You tweak them.

[00:11:20] And at least for some parts of the org, they chug along wonderfully.

[00:11:25] Right.

[00:11:26] Yeah, 100%.

[00:11:27] And it seems like he is going to be in that position a while, which is nothing but a good thing.

[00:11:31] So I want to make sure we did that at least at some point because it was news and it's and it's very relevant.

[00:11:38] So, okay, we now have to go back to this World Series topic, but also go from the level of positions of president of operations baseball and business.

[00:11:50] Yes, it's time to climb the ladder above that because here we talk about ownership again.

[00:11:58] Lyle.

[00:11:59] Well, when you have two teams in the World Series that say we're going to spend a ton of money on superstar players and invest in winning and do that.

[00:12:09] Yeah, we're going to talk about it again.

[00:12:11] So here we are.

[00:12:14] So the two teams, the World Series on their rosters this year spent a combined about $550 million on their players.

[00:12:23] And by the way, that is including a $2 million AAV in 2024 and for the next decade for Shohei Otani because he's making $40 million after that.

[00:12:33] I will note, I think Shohei's deferred numbers included in this.

[00:12:37] So it's like 46.

[00:12:39] Is it?

[00:12:40] Yeah, if the money doesn't get paid out until later, but the cap hit still in cruise accrues.

[00:12:46] Okay.

[00:12:47] Okay.

[00:12:48] Well point being a lot of money on on both of these rosters.

[00:12:52] Yeah.

[00:12:54] So there's a lot.

[00:12:55] Which stat would you like to get to first by the way?

[00:12:57] Because there are some context and the reason we are bringing this up.

[00:13:00] We've talked about it a little bit before, but like it should not surprise you generally spending more leads to more winning.

[00:13:07] Is it perfect?

[00:13:09] No, it's not.

[00:13:10] But in terms of making it to the World Series, it's pretty straightforward.

[00:13:15] Since 1995, Lyle, 26 of the 29 teams to win a World Series have ranked in the top half of Major League Baseball in terms of opening day payroll.

[00:13:27] Let me say that again.

[00:13:29] Since 1995, 26 of the 29 World Series winners rank 15th or higher in opening day payroll.

[00:13:38] That seems like a correlation.

[00:13:40] That seems like almost an exact science.

[00:13:45] You want to go even deeper than that?

[00:13:47] I'll use a shorter sample, but it's more than a long enough sample.

[00:13:51] Let's go since 2011.

[00:13:53] Again, this is not about making the playoffs.

[00:13:56] Yes, teams with low payrolls can make the playoffs.

[00:13:59] Sometimes they might even win a series or two.

[00:14:01] I'm now talking about winning a World Series.

[00:14:04] The top of the mountain.

[00:14:06] What every organization aspires to, or so they say.

[00:14:10] What every organization aspires to.

[00:14:12] The winners of each World Series spend money.

[00:14:16] Significant money.

[00:14:18] Let's go through it.

[00:14:19] Let's go through the World Series winners since 2011 and what their payrolls are.

[00:14:24] 2023.

[00:14:26] Rangers.

[00:14:27] 5th.

[00:14:28] 2022.

[00:14:29] Astros.

[00:14:30] 8th.

[00:14:31] 2021.

[00:14:32] Braves.

[00:14:32] 10th.

[00:14:33] 2020.

[00:14:34] Dodgers.

[00:14:34] 1st.

[00:14:35] 2019.

[00:14:36] Nationals.

[00:14:37] 7th.

[00:14:37] 2018.

[00:14:38] Red Sox.

[00:14:39] 1st.

[00:14:40] 2017.

[00:14:41] Astros.

[00:14:42] That year they were 17th.

[00:14:43] Immediately after that they invested in their entire roster and got up into the top 10 for the foreseeable future.

[00:14:50] 2016.

[00:14:51] Cubs.

[00:14:51] 5th.

[00:14:52] 2015.

[00:14:53] Royals.

[00:14:53] Who were a total anomaly.

[00:14:55] But even them.

[00:14:56] They still ranked 13th.

[00:14:58] Significantly ahead of where the Mariners have been in recent years.

[00:15:02] 2014.

[00:15:03] Giants.

[00:15:04] 7th.

[00:15:05] 2013.

[00:15:06] Red Sox.

[00:15:06] 3rd.

[00:15:07] 2012.

[00:15:08] Giants.

[00:15:09] 7th.

[00:15:09] And 2011.

[00:15:11] Cardinals.

[00:15:12] 9th.

[00:15:12] Yeah.

[00:15:13] That's enough of a correlation.

[00:15:17] And if you want to dial back the sample larger.

[00:15:21] In terms of top 10 payrolls since 1995.

[00:15:25] 20 of the 29 World Series champions ranked in the top 10.

[00:15:29] 20 of 29.

[00:15:30] That's over.

[00:15:32] That's almost 70%.

[00:15:33] If not a little bit over 70%.

[00:15:34] I can't do that math in my head.

[00:15:36] 20 of 29 since 1995.

[00:15:40] Have a top 10 payroll.

[00:15:42] What a top 10 payroll would require the Mariners getting into the 200s.

[00:15:46] Just for reference.

[00:15:47] Because that's why we're bringing these numbers up.

[00:15:49] If the Mariners are playing the numbers game.

[00:15:51] And they liked.

[00:15:52] Like Jerry DePoto told us last year.

[00:15:54] To play the 10 year sample of 54%.

[00:15:56] That's a numbers game.

[00:15:58] Well this is our version of a numbers game.

[00:16:01] In terms of.

[00:16:02] What works.

[00:16:03] And really Lyle.

[00:16:03] You've kind of seen it in this playoffs.

[00:16:05] Like.

[00:16:06] Like you've seen it.

[00:16:07] Like the Soto swing on Saturday.

[00:16:09] Encapsulated it all.

[00:16:10] Because it's the best.

[00:16:11] And highest paid player.

[00:16:13] By this time next year.

[00:16:14] Like.

[00:16:16] Taking advantage of all of his talent.

[00:16:17] And why he's going to be worth so much money.

[00:16:20] But also it's just the depth.

[00:16:22] Like that's what it is.

[00:16:23] It's having.

[00:16:23] Just having better players.

[00:16:25] For the most part.

[00:16:27] It's being able to like.

[00:16:28] Hang on to more of your good players.

[00:16:30] Throughout the years.

[00:16:31] Like.

[00:16:31] You think the Guardians could have used Francisco Lindor.

[00:16:35] In that.

[00:16:35] ALCS.

[00:16:37] Like I think so.

[00:16:38] Yeah.

[00:16:38] But they traded him.

[00:16:39] Because they didn't want to pay him.

[00:16:41] Imagine if the Guardians.

[00:16:42] And the only reason they have.

[00:16:44] Jose Ramirez.

[00:16:45] Is because he took a.

[00:16:46] 200 million dollar under market deal.

[00:16:49] Mm-hmm.

[00:16:50] So.

[00:16:51] Imagine if you had.

[00:16:51] Both those guys together.

[00:16:52] On the left side of the infield.

[00:16:54] Right.

[00:16:55] So there's all these things.

[00:16:56] Like.

[00:16:56] There are three anomalies.

[00:16:58] Really Lyle.

[00:16:58] Like you pointed out.

[00:16:59] Two of them.

[00:17:00] When it comes to World Series winners.

[00:17:01] The last 25 years.

[00:17:03] It's.

[00:17:04] The 2015 Royals.

[00:17:06] 17th.

[00:17:06] It's the Astros.

[00:17:07] Again.

[00:17:08] Right before they started investing.

[00:17:09] So it almost.

[00:17:10] Doesn't count as an outlier.

[00:17:12] But.

[00:17:13] In the.

[00:17:13] In the technical opening day sense.

[00:17:16] They were.

[00:17:17] Outside the top 15.

[00:17:18] Well.

[00:17:19] The 2015 Royals were 13th.

[00:17:20] At least when you get to.

[00:17:21] End of year.

[00:17:22] Total payroll.

[00:17:23] End of year.

[00:17:23] They started the year.

[00:17:24] Outside the top 15.

[00:17:26] So.

[00:17:27] And if you look at the year.

[00:17:28] Before that.

[00:17:29] That when they faced the Giants.

[00:17:30] In 2014.

[00:17:31] They were significantly lower.

[00:17:32] They spent some more money Lyle.

[00:17:34] Knowing they were going to go win a world.

[00:17:35] They were going to go try and win a world series.

[00:17:37] In 2015.

[00:17:38] The year after that.

[00:17:39] So like.

[00:17:40] They.

[00:17:40] Like.

[00:17:40] They had an idea of what they were doing.

[00:17:42] At that point.

[00:17:43] Realizing what they had in their roster.

[00:17:45] Right.

[00:17:45] So.

[00:17:46] So.

[00:17:46] And it's the same thing with the Astros.

[00:17:48] The only real anomaly.

[00:17:50] The only team.

[00:17:51] Since 1995.

[00:17:52] That has gotten.

[00:17:53] Oh.

[00:17:53] Had.

[00:17:54] That has won a world series.

[00:17:55] Without spending.

[00:17:57] Much money at all.

[00:17:57] Is the 2003 Miami Marlins.

[00:18:00] That is it.

[00:18:02] And what happened to the Marlins.

[00:18:03] After that Lyle.

[00:18:04] They didn't make the playoffs again.

[00:18:05] Until 2020.

[00:18:07] Mm-hmm.

[00:18:08] That.

[00:18:09] That was it.

[00:18:10] That's it.

[00:18:11] That's it.

[00:18:11] Those are the.

[00:18:12] That's the only anomalies.

[00:18:14] That you have to work with.

[00:18:15] Everyone else.

[00:18:16] Has ranked inside the top 15.

[00:18:18] Since 1995.

[00:18:19] The Mariners right now.

[00:18:21] Are at 16.

[00:18:22] If they want to get inside the top 15.

[00:18:25] That requires about.

[00:18:26] 25 more million dollars.

[00:18:28] To catch the San Diego Padres.

[00:18:29] Like that's what it is.

[00:18:31] You can view what Lyle and I are talking about right now.

[00:18:33] As complaining about.

[00:18:34] Spending money.

[00:18:36] Sure.

[00:18:36] You could do that.

[00:18:37] But we're just reading numbers.

[00:18:39] Right now.

[00:18:40] And what like happens.

[00:18:41] Once you make the playoffs.

[00:18:43] And who actually wins the World Series.

[00:18:45] Like and that's what we all want.

[00:18:46] We want the Mariners to win a World Series.

[00:18:48] The numbers tell us.

[00:18:50] That in order to win a World Series.

[00:18:54] You need to add like 30 million.

[00:18:55] 30 to 35 million dollars.

[00:18:58] For what you've currently got.

[00:18:59] Forget being in the top 15.

[00:19:01] Look at the top 10.

[00:19:03] Again.

[00:19:03] I like using this 2011 sample a little bit better.

[00:19:06] Maybe because maybe because it fits our narrative.

[00:19:08] Maybe just because it's more recent.

[00:19:10] I don't know.

[00:19:10] But.

[00:19:12] Top 10.

[00:19:13] Again.

[00:19:13] Since 2011.

[00:19:14] Two teams.

[00:19:15] Two.

[00:19:15] Two.

[00:19:16] Have not been in the top 10.

[00:19:17] And the Astros almost don't count in that way.

[00:19:19] Because as soon as that team won.

[00:19:22] They invested in their whole roster.

[00:19:24] And extended all their in-house guys.

[00:19:26] And went out and spent.

[00:19:27] Etc.

[00:19:27] Mariners aren't extending in-house guys.

[00:19:29] After they did Julio and Luis.

[00:19:31] They still started 2024 at 18th in the league in payroll.

[00:19:35] They're not spending enough money.

[00:19:37] Get in the top 10.

[00:19:38] Go out and sign free agents.

[00:19:40] And stop.

[00:19:41] Stop worrying.

[00:19:43] Scare money.

[00:19:43] Don't make no money.

[00:19:44] I played that soundbite this morning.

[00:19:47] On the radio.

[00:19:48] And I.

[00:19:48] And I put it in our social post.

[00:19:50] Scare money.

[00:19:51] Don't make no money.

[00:19:52] Sing it YG.

[00:19:53] Scare money.

[00:19:53] Don't make no money.

[00:19:55] Get in the top 10.

[00:19:56] I did enjoy it when you dropped that.

[00:19:59] I was listening.

[00:19:59] Yeah.

[00:19:59] It was good.

[00:20:01] It was good.

[00:20:02] But you're right.

[00:20:03] Again.

[00:20:03] We could.

[00:20:04] Like.

[00:20:05] Like.

[00:20:05] This is just what the numbers say.

[00:20:07] We base a lot of things by the numbers.

[00:20:09] Like.

[00:20:09] Legitimately.

[00:20:10] If you don't spend.

[00:20:11] You don't win.

[00:20:12] Unless you luck into a.

[00:20:13] You essentially like.

[00:20:14] Pull what the Marlins did.

[00:20:17] And.

[00:20:17] Win your second world series in.

[00:20:19] How many years did they exist at that point?

[00:20:21] It was like.

[00:20:22] Eight.

[00:20:23] They.

[00:20:23] They won in 97.

[00:20:25] I don't remember what year they started.

[00:20:26] I know.

[00:20:26] But they were top 10 in payroll that year.

[00:20:28] Mm-hmm.

[00:20:29] Like.

[00:20:30] What did they come into the league in 95?

[00:20:32] 94?

[00:20:33] Whatever time they came in.

[00:20:34] Like.

[00:20:34] They won right away.

[00:20:36] Missed the playoffs.

[00:20:37] For all those years.

[00:20:38] Went back in 2003.

[00:20:40] And.

[00:20:41] Went all the way to the world series.

[00:20:43] It was at that point.

[00:20:44] Lyle.

[00:20:44] My.

[00:20:45] One of my.

[00:20:45] Totally off topic.

[00:20:47] They like.

[00:20:47] They won two world series.

[00:20:49] Never.

[00:20:49] They went until 2020.

[00:20:51] Without losing a playoff series as a franchise.

[00:20:53] Which I just chuckle at.

[00:20:55] Like.

[00:20:55] That's.

[00:20:55] That's hilarious.

[00:20:56] But anyways.

[00:20:57] Like.

[00:20:57] That 0-3 team literally was the outlier.

[00:20:59] Mm-hmm.

[00:20:59] Like.

[00:20:59] That's it.

[00:21:00] Think about.

[00:21:00] Think about the.

[00:21:01] The other teams they were like.

[00:21:03] Battling with for the world series.

[00:21:04] Like.

[00:21:04] The two teams on the AL side.

[00:21:05] Were the Red Sox and the Yankees.

[00:21:07] They spent the most.

[00:21:08] Mm-hmm.

[00:21:09] That in 2003.

[00:21:10] And then 2004.

[00:21:11] They did it again.

[00:21:12] Red Sox won.

[00:21:13] Spent a ton of money.

[00:21:14] Mm-hmm.

[00:21:14] That's what it is.

[00:21:15] On.

[00:21:16] Like.

[00:21:16] That's what it is.

[00:21:17] And that.

[00:21:18] You know.

[00:21:18] This makes us think.

[00:21:19] We've talked about this a lot.

[00:21:20] In terms of how like.

[00:21:21] Baseball is portrayed.

[00:21:22] And how you were taught growing up.

[00:21:24] Like.

[00:21:24] Always.

[00:21:25] You're always taught.

[00:21:26] Like.

[00:21:27] The Yankees are the bad guys.

[00:21:29] Right?

[00:21:29] You're always taught that.

[00:21:30] They're the big bad Yankees.

[00:21:32] The evil empire.

[00:21:33] Like.

[00:21:34] The way Moneyball.

[00:21:35] Think of.

[00:21:36] One of our favorite movies.

[00:21:37] Moneyball.

[00:21:37] Portrays the Yankees.

[00:21:39] Like.

[00:21:39] Greedy.

[00:21:40] Taking all the A's players away from them.

[00:21:43] And the A's having to rebuild.

[00:21:44] The scrappy underdog roster.

[00:21:46] Scott Hatterberg.

[00:21:47] Etc.

[00:21:48] Etc.

[00:21:49] Etc.

[00:21:49] Like.

[00:21:50] Like.

[00:21:50] All these types of things.

[00:21:51] Now when we're sitting here thinking.

[00:21:52] It's like.

[00:21:54] Is that just a narrative?

[00:21:56] Is that just like.

[00:21:57] Is that just manufactured?

[00:22:00] Because now we sit here and think.

[00:22:01] It's like.

[00:22:02] Why did we think that?

[00:22:03] Was it just.

[00:22:03] Was it more fun to think of it that way?

[00:22:05] Or is it just being like.

[00:22:07] Oh no.

[00:22:07] It's actually.

[00:22:08] Think of it.

[00:22:08] It's okay for your team.

[00:22:10] Not.

[00:22:10] Not to totally try.

[00:22:13] Moneyball is one of the worst things to happen to baseball in 25 years.

[00:22:16] In our generation.

[00:22:17] It gave owners a one stop shop manual.

[00:22:19] For how they can just not spend money.

[00:22:22] And still spin this narrative to their fan base.

[00:22:24] About how.

[00:22:24] We're trying to win.

[00:22:25] No you're not.

[00:22:27] No you're not.

[00:22:29] No.

[00:22:30] It's that simple.

[00:22:31] It's a good movie.

[00:22:32] Great movie.

[00:22:32] I.

[00:22:33] And we love sabermetrics and analytics.

[00:22:35] It's one of our favorite baseball movies.

[00:22:36] The story is fascinating.

[00:22:38] But it's one of the worst things to happen to the game of baseball.

[00:22:41] The book.

[00:22:41] The movie.

[00:22:42] Well.

[00:22:43] People knew about the Moneyball Theory well before the movie came out.

[00:22:45] The book.

[00:22:47] Awful.

[00:22:48] Yeah.

[00:22:48] Awful.

[00:22:49] Anyway.

[00:22:51] Can we read one more stat on that.

[00:22:53] On that similar note.

[00:22:54] Go for it.

[00:22:55] As we know.

[00:22:57] This Mariners regime doesn't really spend money on position players in free agency.

[00:23:01] They don't really spend in free agency period.

[00:23:04] I just got to read this.

[00:23:06] The three biggest position players this Mariners regime has signed in free agency are.

[00:23:12] Mitch Garver.

[00:23:14] Two years.

[00:23:15] $24 million.

[00:23:16] That is the biggest free agent position player this regime has ever signed.

[00:23:21] Number two.

[00:23:22] AJ Pollock.

[00:23:23] One year for $7 million.

[00:23:26] And at number three.

[00:23:27] Nori Aoki for $5.5 million.

[00:23:30] Those three contracts combined.

[00:23:33] All the years.

[00:23:34] All the money.

[00:23:35] Comes out to $36.5 million.

[00:23:38] That's over a nine year stretch.

[00:23:41] Those are their three biggest contracts.

[00:23:44] $36.5 million.

[00:23:46] Aaron Judge this season is making $40 million.

[00:23:55] So what you're telling me is they should have signed Aaron Judge.

[00:23:58] No, that's not a smart strategy.

[00:24:00] Hmm.

[00:24:03] Wow.

[00:24:04] We've been told.

[00:24:04] We've been told it's not a smart strategy.

[00:24:06] So you're just like you're combining all of the hitters that the Mariners have signed in this regime.

[00:24:11] And it doesn't even equal Aaron Judge.

[00:24:14] Nope.

[00:24:14] That's insane.

[00:24:16] Nope.

[00:24:17] Wow.

[00:24:18] But then when a regime and a franchise misses the playoffs eight of nine years.

[00:24:22] And still refuses to change their philosophy and say, well, we know what we're doing.

[00:24:26] Well, it gets hard for fans to believe that.

[00:24:30] Very hard.

[00:24:34] How's Aaron Judge doing this postseason?

[00:24:36] I hear he's doing pretty good.

[00:24:37] He's finally got off the home run snide.

[00:24:40] Mm-hmm.

[00:24:41] Hmm.

[00:24:42] I'd say he's been worth that money.

[00:24:43] I'd say Soto's been worth that money.

[00:24:45] I'd say Garrett Cole's been worth that money.

[00:24:47] And only two of those contracts you mentioned are still in the big leagues.

[00:24:52] Yeah.

[00:24:53] Wow.

[00:24:54] Correct.

[00:24:54] Wow.

[00:24:55] That's just a flabbergast.

[00:24:56] Like, and you could do that with a lot of, a lot of players like Soto.

[00:24:59] You could do that with as soon as he gets paid.

[00:25:01] Mm-hmm.

[00:25:01] But yeah, I don't know.

[00:25:04] Lyle, I sat there and I watched Soto's go ahead home run on Saturday.

[00:25:08] I thought, no, it's just not smart.

[00:25:10] No, not a smart strategy.

[00:25:12] There is no dollar amount.

[00:25:13] You could pay Juan Soto where it's too much, but we know that.

[00:25:17] Do you hear like his breakdown of that at bat?

[00:25:19] Like him talking about it?

[00:25:21] Like his confidence is absolutely insane.

[00:25:24] I know.

[00:25:24] Like sitting up there, he's like, I know this dude cannot get me out.

[00:25:27] I know he's not going to throw something I'm going to miss.

[00:25:30] So I'm just going to sit here and wait for my pitch.

[00:25:32] Gets a fastball at the top rail, park show on the fence.

[00:25:36] He, he was built to be in New York.

[00:25:39] He's not going anywhere.

[00:25:40] He is not leaving the city of New York.

[00:25:42] I like, I wouldn't be shocked if the Mets make the highest offer knowing Steve Cohen.

[00:25:47] But if I had to pick between the two, I bet you he stays a Yankee and I'm pretty confident in he's not leaving the city of New York.

[00:25:53] Yeah.

[00:25:53] Just insane.

[00:25:54] Like what, what an insane baseball player.

[00:25:56] It's going to be a really exciting world series.

[00:25:58] Objectively.

[00:25:58] Awesome.

[00:25:59] It's going to be the, it's going to be the bump, the bump major league baseball needs, especially after last year.

[00:26:03] Like last year is not the biggest brains in the world.

[00:26:06] This one, like I think passing was on Dan Patrick this morning on Monday was saying like, this is going to be the test.

[00:26:14] Like this is going to be this, like the, like the, uh, what's the right word to use?

[00:26:20] It's going to be like the test of how, of how high major league baseball ratings ratings can get this, like in the, in this era of baseball, like cord cutters and the, the interest level in baseball.

[00:26:35] How high can it get?

[00:26:36] They can get 15.

[00:26:37] It'd be nice.

[00:26:39] I wouldn't be shocked.

[00:26:40] You got all the biggest stars on one stage, two biggest markets.

[00:26:43] This is an awesome world series.

[00:26:45] These people on Twitter talking about boycotting, and this isn't any fun.

[00:26:47] If you actually think that, then you're not a baseball fan.

[00:26:50] You just want to complain.

[00:26:51] This is an awesome world series.

[00:26:52] The only thing I will complain about is those ticket prices.

[00:26:54] My God.

[00:26:56] Yeah.

[00:26:56] The minimum get in price of all seven games is a thousand dollars.

[00:27:00] That's crazy.

[00:27:02] Yeah.

[00:27:03] Would we pay?

[00:27:04] Would we pay it if it was the Mariners?

[00:27:06] Well, probably, probably, but still crazy.

[00:27:10] They would still charge a thousand dollars for tickets in the playoffs.

[00:27:14] All right.

[00:27:15] Let's transition.

[00:27:16] Let's get to our interview with our friends, Colton and Joe.

[00:27:18] Before that, let's talk to you guys about our friends over at Pagatcha's Pub 85.

[00:27:22] Because it's an awesome spot to go watch games.

[00:27:24] It's an awesome spot to hang out with your friends and great food and drink specials.

[00:27:29] There's a happy hour from two to 6 PM Monday through Friday.

[00:27:32] Drinks are three and $4.

[00:27:33] Where are you going to find better deals than that?

[00:27:35] You won't.

[00:27:36] Those are awesome deals.

[00:27:37] And it's an awesome spot to go play darts, play pool.

[00:27:39] And again, with October being the best month on the sports calendar, watch all the sports

[00:27:43] you want to watch.

[00:27:44] There's 20 TVs in that place.

[00:27:45] If you want an awesome time with your friends, head over there.

[00:27:48] That's Pagatcha's Pub 85 over in Kirkland.

[00:27:51] We did actually talk about the Mariners with Colton and Joe.

[00:27:54] Not as much complaining about the payroll.

[00:27:57] Dove into a little bit of offseason, which was nice.

[00:28:00] A little bit of reflection on the roster.

[00:28:01] They did bring up a very interesting point about a player on the Mariners infield to consider

[00:28:06] for next season.

[00:28:07] And sort of a different perspective from how we've approached things on this podcast.

[00:28:11] So that'll be something you got to keep track of in this interview, which I thought was really

[00:28:15] good.

[00:28:16] So yeah, that stuff was all good.

[00:28:18] And they also have a very fun story of how they started their channel at Mariner Mojo on

[00:28:23] YouTube.

[00:28:23] One of the bigger Mariner content creators on YouTube.

[00:28:26] They do a lot of really, really good work.

[00:28:28] So if you don't, if you're not familiar with them, I'd go check them out.

[00:28:31] Mariner Mojo on YouTube.

[00:28:32] They're like, they're a lot of fun.

[00:28:33] We met them at the ballpark too.

[00:28:34] It's a, it's, it's a, a great conversation.

[00:28:37] Yeah.

[00:28:38] They become friends of ours.

[00:28:39] Like this Mariners content community has all gotten to know each other pretty well.

[00:28:42] And they've become friends of ours.

[00:28:43] They're both of them are very funny.

[00:28:45] They do a lot of fun stuff on YouTube.

[00:28:47] They're, they're very good friends.

[00:28:48] They're very relatable.

[00:28:49] So hopefully you guys see that in this interview.

[00:28:51] So hopefully you'll enjoy it.

[00:28:53] Cause we had a blast doing it.

[00:28:55] We won't keep you any longer.

[00:28:56] Let's get you to that interview with Colton and Joe.

[00:29:00] All right.

[00:29:01] We've got our friends, Colton Swanson and Joe Lacey on with us.

[00:29:04] You guys probably know him from the popular Mariners YouTube account.

[00:29:07] Mariner Mojo.

[00:29:08] They do some awesome stuff.

[00:29:09] They also host the hit it here podcast.

[00:29:11] You can find that audio video forum over on their YouTube channel, all that good stuff.

[00:29:16] Boys.

[00:29:16] How are we feeling at this point in the middle of October?

[00:29:19] Are you guys, are you guys more positive about the outlook of this off season than we

[00:29:23] are?

[00:29:23] Cause let me start by saying this, the bar's low to clear that there.

[00:29:27] There, there, there's not a whole lot to be positive about with this baseball team,

[00:29:31] nine times out of 10.

[00:29:32] Um, and especially when they started the off season, the way they did, um, you know,

[00:29:35] with whether it be the John Stanton article or Jerry at the end of the season.

[00:29:39] And there's a little media scrum that you guys saw, like, it's really hard to be paused

[00:29:43] by the team right now.

[00:29:44] It's also just hard.

[00:29:44] Cause the playoffs are going on.

[00:29:45] There's not literally nothing can happen.

[00:29:47] So it's like, it feels a little disconnected right now.

[00:29:51] I, I normally at this time every year, I'm like, man, I miss watching the Mariners right

[00:29:56] now, dude.

[00:29:56] I'm like, man, I do not have to watch the marriage right now.

[00:30:00] This feels great.

[00:30:01] So I think overall, we're pretty positive about where we're going to end up next year.

[00:30:06] Um, especially as Joe and I have been talking more and more about moves that can and should

[00:30:10] be made, but at the same time, they somehow find a way every single year to, to, to piss

[00:30:16] me off.

[00:30:17] So, so let me, let me follow that up with this.

[00:30:20] Cause usually I'd say the two of us, TJ and I are pretty positive about things too, but

[00:30:24] the, this season kind of broke the two of us paired with, I just watched a video that

[00:30:29] you guys put out there that Colton made the other day.

[00:30:31] And he was saying the same thing that the two of us have been saying over the last couple

[00:30:40] days.

[00:30:41] So I feel like, I feel like the four of us are all kind of sitting with a similar mindset.

[00:30:44] Although for all I know, maybe it's changed for you guys in the last couple of days.

[00:30:48] I don't know if like, I am more or less positive I'd say than like just anybody in general,

[00:30:55] but I will say I am leaning towards, and I was saying this a lot during the end of like

[00:31:00] the 2024 season.

[00:31:01] Like whenever I'd be like live talking to like the community, like physically, I was saying

[00:31:07] how I just want to role play or method act as a doomer for 2025, just to see how it feels.

[00:31:13] And maybe buying into like feeling like not as positive about the team is an easy way to do

[00:31:18] that.

[00:31:18] Cause I traditionally like will be like air on the side of optimism, like nine times out of

[00:31:23] 10, like I will be like, yeah, that makes sense.

[00:31:25] That's cool.

[00:31:26] Like I will continue to root for the team, like pretty much just for whatever cause, because

[00:31:30] like that's how I fan is like undying.

[00:31:33] Like this is what I watch.

[00:31:34] Like I, every time I turn on the game, I am expecting them to win as stupid as that

[00:31:38] is.

[00:31:38] Like, that's just how like my brain processes, like watching the Seattle Mariners play.

[00:31:43] And maybe if I go into it next year, assuming they're going to lose every game, my expectations

[00:31:47] will be a lot easier to meet.

[00:31:50] And being that like, I don't want to say like negative, like it's like this bad thing

[00:31:53] because as fans and like people who cover the team, like we have endured a lot of like slop

[00:32:00] when we shouldn't have to, because of like where the team has been at the core that they

[00:32:04] have, like the amount of like operating income and revenue that they earn.

[00:32:08] Like they should be able to put out a better product.

[00:32:11] They're just choosing not to.

[00:32:12] And like, you know, you're saying like, don't want to be fooled again.

[00:32:15] Like fool me once, shame on you.

[00:32:16] Fool me twice was last year.

[00:32:18] Fool me three times.

[00:32:19] Like we're there.

[00:32:19] Like we're, we're beyond the point of being fooled again, kind of a thing.

[00:32:23] So I don't know.

[00:32:24] Like, I think I will always just kind of be positive, but if I need to, I can method act

[00:32:28] into a more like pessimistic fan if need be.

[00:32:32] I think the hard strike the balance though.

[00:32:34] This is how I think about this.

[00:32:35] Like at, at the end of the day, we are all fans of the team and common goal.

[00:32:41] Most of, most of our summertime is spent sitting and watching games and whether like, whether

[00:32:47] we like the product in the field or not, we're sitting there and watching.

[00:32:49] It's like, it's so ingrained.

[00:32:51] So when we get to October and this is the first month we haven't had Mariners baseball

[00:32:54] in a while, we're sitting there thinking, well, I would enjoy a baseball game right now.

[00:32:58] Seriously.

[00:32:59] I think I would like watching Logan Gilbert go out there and throw.

[00:33:02] And I think we would rather just them go out there and win.

[00:33:05] So even if the, not all the players are there, unfortunately, like the fan part makes

[00:33:10] it, makes it really difficult.

[00:33:11] And I got to stand up for the thread, the needle trades.

[00:33:13] I'm not, I'm not just playing the other sides.

[00:33:15] I think it is okay to still like, if the context is right, like a thread the needle trade,

[00:33:21] one of the most important Mariners players this year, guys, Luke Rayleigh.

[00:33:25] Yeah.

[00:33:25] That was a thread the needle trade.

[00:33:27] Mm-hmm.

[00:33:27] He's your best hitter.

[00:33:30] Just a bit.

[00:33:30] Well, behind Cal.

[00:33:32] Oh, sorry, behind Cal.

[00:33:33] He's your second best hitter.

[00:33:35] Close enough.

[00:33:36] Big massive Grand Canyon gap.

[00:33:38] And then everybody else.

[00:33:39] So, so it like, it works.

[00:33:42] You can convince yourself, but just not as the number one, just like Luke Rayleigh was

[00:33:46] I think the hardest part for Joe and I specifically is we wholeheartedly believed in what they

[00:33:51] did last off season.

[00:33:52] Like Mitch Garver, like adding Mitch Garver, adding Jorge Polanco.

[00:33:56] Like what the heck happened?

[00:33:58] Like, those are guys that Jorge Polanco for 10 years has been one of the best second

[00:34:02] baseman in baseball, like most consistent anyway.

[00:34:05] And then all of a sudden he comes here and his knees destroyed or what have you.

[00:34:09] Or Mitch Garver puts up a great year at DH for the literal team that won the World

[00:34:13] Series.

[00:34:14] He comes here and we're like, the one thing he needs to do is stay healthy.

[00:34:17] He did that.

[00:34:18] And we didn't think that the one thing he needed to do was actually hit the ball.

[00:34:21] And I don't know.

[00:34:22] There was just, there was so much to it.

[00:34:23] And especially in the year where we saw what the pitching staff did.

[00:34:26] We saw what guys like Andres Munoz did going out there, even when his back, you

[00:34:30] know, was killing him or what have you.

[00:34:31] He was the one guy in the bullpen you could count on for so much of the year.

[00:34:34] And then you look at it.

[00:34:36] If the Mariners just didn't have the literal worst and most putrid offense we've ever seen,

[00:34:42] they would have made the playoffs.

[00:34:43] It would have been fine.

[00:34:44] And somehow the additions of like Mitch Garver does a second best DH available behind Shohei

[00:34:51] Otani.

[00:34:52] Like Jorge Polanco was probably like the best second baseman that was acquired going into

[00:34:58] 2024.

[00:34:59] And it just turns out both guys sucked.

[00:35:01] And Julio had a down year and JP had a down year.

[00:35:04] And like, so now here we are in October.

[00:35:07] Like I went back the other day just for fun.

[00:35:09] No.

[00:35:10] And just watched like a video from like the beginning of the season.

[00:35:13] We're like, yeah.

[00:35:14] Like this seems to be so much better.

[00:35:15] They're not going to strike out as much.

[00:35:16] It's going to be great.

[00:35:18] And now here we are.

[00:35:19] So did, did you go back and watch it because you went, you seeked it out yourself and found

[00:35:25] it?

[00:35:25] Or did somebody on Mariners Twitter at you and said, your take suck.

[00:35:30] Look at this from the beginning of the year.

[00:35:31] Uh, we get those quite a bit.

[00:35:33] Um, but no, I actually went back and watched it cause I was like, what did I say?

[00:35:37] Like, where was my head at?

[00:35:38] Cause right now I'm like, okay, clearly this was stupid.

[00:35:40] This didn't work, but it's like, where was my head out?

[00:35:42] You know, six, eight months ago.

[00:35:44] And I was so much more of a positive person.

[00:35:46] I feel like it's that way every year, but man, it was like, I was wholeheartedly convinced

[00:35:50] that these guys were going to, we're going to be the guys to fix this offense.

[00:35:53] And then it was the literal worst offense we've ever seen.

[00:35:57] So we're going to peek ahead and think about where the holes are in this roster going forward

[00:36:02] this off season.

[00:36:03] So Lyle and I tried to like, try to shrink it down.

[00:36:05] Cause there's, there's plenty of lineup spots that needs to be filled.

[00:36:08] But when you look at like out on the field, I think three clear spots that need to get filled.

[00:36:13] Something needs to change at third, second or first.

[00:36:17] What would your priority be of those three positions to get filled?

[00:36:22] Joe?

[00:36:23] Ooh.

[00:36:23] I think third base would be like the main one.

[00:36:27] Cause I think you've got enough guys in house to piece it together.

[00:36:31] If you had to say like, we're assuming the operating like payroll for next year is like 150, 155 million.

[00:36:38] What have you?

[00:36:39] I think you could survive and it's not like a, an ideal situation, but you could survive with a

[00:36:46] Ryan bliss, a Dylan Moore, a Josh Rojas, eventually leading to a Cole young in the second half at second

[00:36:52] base.

[00:36:52] So long as third base is literally not a black hole.

[00:36:55] I think you'd be okay.

[00:36:56] And I think first base, like Ray Lee, not like an unfortunate circumstance, but like basically just kind of got pushed out of the outfield.

[00:37:03] And by like, just like his capabilities, he's playing first base.

[00:37:07] I think that's where we will see him the majority of next year.

[00:37:10] So if you can get a bonafide third baseman and then supplement first base in some capacity elsewhere, like I, it's like the standard, like Justin Turner veteran presence kind of signing.

[00:37:20] I would be okay with it.

[00:37:22] So long as third base is like an actual dog, like that's where I would go.

[00:37:26] And then just allow, allow second base to continue to just be a black hole since Robinson Cano left.

[00:37:31] But so you want to sign Alex Bregman?

[00:37:35] Yes.

[00:37:36] Um, as so like, right, give hit me with the men in black, like thing and completely erase my memory about who Alex Bregman is.

[00:37:45] He's probably the most perfect fit for what the mayor's offseason needs are.

[00:37:49] I honestly think he'd be just too expensive, like for what the, like how much it would cost to sign him.

[00:37:55] But yes, like on paper, the player profile of Alex Bregman would be as close to a perfect fit as you can get.

[00:38:06] Yeah.

[00:38:07] I'm getting the sense you really don't like him, Joe, do you?

[00:38:11] Um, why would you assume?

[00:38:14] Yeah.

[00:38:14] I mean, I don't know.

[00:38:15] I think from a less of like my standpoint of like, if I could separate my emotions, like if I really, like if I really had to, like, yeah, I could watch Alex Bregman put on a mirror's uniform.

[00:38:24] It would just like be like, I'd want to throw up initially.

[00:38:28] And then I'd swallow that pill and realize like, okay, this guy's a winner.

[00:38:31] Like this guy does what he can on the baseball field to win baseball games.

[00:38:35] I think honestly, I am less, I have less animosity towards him than Colton does.

[00:38:40] Personally.

[00:38:42] I hate that guy.

[00:38:44] And I understand why my only retaliation to the people out there, especially on Twitter, when they say, no, I don't want to sign Alex Bregman.

[00:38:52] I don't like him.

[00:38:52] He played for the Astros, et cetera.

[00:38:54] I would say to all those people, go ahead and keep telling yourself that until we get into the dog days of the summer or down the stretch in September.

[00:39:02] He's winning you games, coming up with clutch hits, has like a 30 home run season.

[00:39:06] Then what are you saying?

[00:39:07] No, you're saying, oh, I'm so happy he's in our uniform.

[00:39:11] Yeah.

[00:39:11] I just also don't like the guy as a person.

[00:39:13] You know what I mean?

[00:39:14] Like it's so much more than just the baseball player.

[00:39:16] Like he just, I don't know.

[00:39:18] He rubs me the wrong way.

[00:39:19] Some way, somehow.

[00:39:20] But at the same time, I would agree with Joe.

[00:39:22] Third base.

[00:39:22] Like you have the guys at second or first to get by if you have to.

[00:39:27] Like if you have to bring up Tyler Locklear for a little while, I think you could survive.

[00:39:31] If Luke Raley is playing first base for you, you could survive.

[00:39:34] But at third base, like can you survive with Dylan Moore and Josh Rojas again?

[00:39:39] I don't know.

[00:39:40] Like offensively, I don't know if I can trust Josh Rojas again over there for another 162 games.

[00:39:46] Like defensively, sure.

[00:39:48] But with the bat, I just don't think I can do it.

[00:39:50] Now, the problem is, in my opinion, third base might be the hardest one to fill as well in all three of those spots.

[00:39:57] Because there's a lot of guys that are like, we talked about Brandon Lauza when we talked about, I think when we did the thing with Jake, I said Luis Garcia.

[00:40:03] Joe talked about Jonathan India.

[00:40:04] A lot of us talked about second baseman in those deals.

[00:40:10] Third base, like there's Alec Boehm, right?

[00:40:12] We've talked about a little bit.

[00:40:14] Like I think I don't necessarily know who else fits the bill other than like Alec Boehm.

[00:40:19] There's obviously the big ones of like Jordan Westberg could go play the infield for you somewhere.

[00:40:23] So it's like what is the hardest position to fill but also the biggest position of need?

[00:40:27] I think they both go hand in hand at third base.

[00:40:30] I think we're all in the same boat.

[00:40:32] That is the hardest position to fill.

[00:40:34] Like you just said, the guys that are out there that are either available via free agency, which obviously isn't happening, or trade.

[00:40:41] I think there is less options there than what you already have in house with the other two positions and then what you could go acquire at the other two positions.

[00:40:48] Because, yeah, I'm with you guys.

[00:40:49] If you had to piece it together at first base, you could.

[00:40:52] And just to be clear, I want all three positions significantly upgraded.

[00:40:56] However, I think we know they're not going to do that.

[00:40:57] And if you have to pick, yes, sign me up for third base.

[00:40:59] They need somebody to fill the hot corner.

[00:41:01] Because that's a premier offensive position in the sport.

[00:41:04] You can't run somebody out there that's putting up like a 550 OPS most of the year.

[00:41:09] So then, to fill third base, it sounds like you're not ponying up $100 million for Alex Bregman.

[00:41:15] You're going to have to trade somebody.

[00:41:18] Like, what level of player are you okay trading?

[00:41:21] We could go, like, pitchers.

[00:41:24] You could do any of the pitchers in the AA rotation.

[00:41:28] You could step it up a notch into your top five prospects.

[00:41:31] You could go as high as your top prospect.

[00:41:34] If you're not planning on trading a starting pitcher, of course, which is also included in this question.

[00:41:39] Is there a level of player you are comfortable trading to upgrade that position?

[00:41:45] Personally, I'm willing to give up anybody not in the top five.

[00:41:48] Maybe even, like, anyone not in the top five.

[00:41:49] If I have to give up Harry Ford, I will.

[00:41:52] Just to kind of pull the curtain back a little bit.

[00:41:54] Joe and I, we were talking about this a little before we started recording.

[00:41:57] We just recorded a video talking about the Mariners' perfect offseason, what they should go do.

[00:42:04] And we both traded for Alec Boehm in this scenario.

[00:42:07] Not to say that he's the perfect fit, but in terms of the constraints, we gave ourselves sure.

[00:42:11] We made very similar trades in that deal as well.

[00:42:13] So I think that we kind of have a fit in that.

[00:42:16] For me, I said Austin Voth, Josh Rojas, and Typeet.

[00:42:19] We both traded Typeet in that deal to the Phillies.

[00:42:23] And I think that's a good starting point.

[00:42:24] The Mariners, in terms of middle infield depth, they have quite a bit.

[00:42:28] Typeet's a guy who, Joe mentioned this specifically in the video, if he could stop striking out, then there's obviously a...

[00:42:35] God, if you would just, like, stop making an out every at bat by striking out, that'd be great.

[00:42:40] Unbelievable.

[00:42:41] But yeah, I think that Alec Boehm's the guy that fits.

[00:42:43] It's not the, you know, you're not getting a caliber of player like Alex Bregman.

[00:42:47] But you're getting a guy who adds a bona fide bat, maybe probably in the bottom third of your lineup, that I think makes quite a bit of sense.

[00:42:56] He's a guy that might be a little bit easier to be had than some other guys simply because of what it feels like is going on in Philadelphia with him.

[00:43:03] We could be all, you know, way over-dramatizing.

[00:43:07] Dramatizing?

[00:43:07] Dramatizing?

[00:43:08] Whatever.

[00:43:08] Close enough.

[00:43:09] Something like that.

[00:43:17] In Philly or what have you.

[00:43:18] So I'm not sure, personally.

[00:43:20] But, like, Alec Boehm's the guy that we both talked about trading for.

[00:43:23] I think that he's one that just makes the most sense.

[00:43:26] We're still on the topic of the infield here.

[00:43:28] So I wanted to ask you guys about something that you guys just talked about in a recent video.

[00:43:32] And I think it was you, Colton, that was diving in on this.

[00:43:34] Because the one spot we haven't talked about on the infield is shortstop, which I think most people assume the position's safe with the contract that J.P. Crawford still has and how long he's been here.

[00:43:44] But you talked about you don't think he's guaranteed a roster spot next year.

[00:43:50] Or you don't believe he should be guaranteed a roster spot next year.

[00:43:52] So for the two of you, let's dive into that a little bit.

[00:43:56] Like, what has you feeling that way?

[00:43:57] Yeah, this is something that we've both kind of talked about.

[00:44:00] It's, I think that he will have a roster spot next year simply because I think he's earned it.

[00:44:06] And, like, it's a spot where, for the Mariners, frankly, they can just say, oh, we got J.P. there.

[00:44:10] We're not worried about it.

[00:44:12] You probably should be.

[00:44:12] I mean, he was not good at all in 2024.

[00:44:16] His real one outlier year was actually 2023.

[00:44:19] Like, that's his outlier.

[00:44:20] It wasn't 2024 that's the outlier.

[00:44:22] Don't get me wrong.

[00:44:22] He was bad in 2024, more so than ever before.

[00:44:25] But you look at J.P. Crawford and offensively, he looked lost to the plate in 2024.

[00:44:31] If the Mariners want to meaningfully go out there and add.

[00:44:34] Like, again, in a perfect world, they sign Willie Adames and you're done.

[00:44:37] Like, then you have someone at shortstop.

[00:44:38] You don't have to worry about it.

[00:44:39] And so I think that J.P. Crawford, while I think it's the easiest way out for the Mariners to say, yes, he is a starting shortstop, I don't think that the Mariners, and I said this in the video, they can't leave any stone unturned.

[00:44:51] They have to look anywhere and everywhere to try to add some sort of offense to this baseball team.

[00:44:56] Because, frankly, what choice do you have?

[00:44:58] You have the best pitching staff in baseball.

[00:45:00] You have a lot of guys coming up through the minor leagues.

[00:45:02] But at the same time, you can't rely on those guys in 2025 to be everyday players for you.

[00:45:08] You have to try to go out there and find bona fide guys.

[00:45:11] And, frankly, the Mariners are bad at that.

[00:45:13] So I don't know if I'd really trust them to do that.

[00:45:15] But I just don't see any other option.

[00:45:17] And if they do go through the offseason and say, hey, J.P.'s the best option, then fine.

[00:45:22] Like, I'm okay with that.

[00:45:23] But you cannot go into the offseason like they have in years past and say, he's 100% the guy.

[00:45:28] We're not even going to think about it.

[00:45:29] It just doesn't work.

[00:45:31] And I think that's a fair point to think about.

[00:45:35] I don't like the idea of replacing four infield positions.

[00:45:39] Right.

[00:45:39] And especially not four infield positions when you have $15 million to work with to add on to what you already had.

[00:45:46] So, like, everything you're saying could absolutely be true.

[00:45:49] But to think about it this way, like, how much do you trust an outside shortstop coming in and hitting in year one?

[00:45:56] Especially based on that price point.

[00:45:58] And outside of Adamus, unless you're trading for somebody, is the level of player going to be worth the trouble it is to shuffle your roster around?

[00:46:07] Yeah.

[00:46:08] I don't think so.

[00:46:09] Probably not.

[00:46:09] And that's why I think, again, for the Mariners, it's the easiest.

[00:46:12] You don't have to try to upgrade at shortstop.

[00:46:14] You can only focus on the other three.

[00:46:16] And, yeah, you're right.

[00:46:17] I mean, the moves that it would take to go find a shortstop better than Adamus to sign, I just don't think it's available.

[00:46:24] At least for the Mariners with what they have to play with this offseason.

[00:46:28] I'm sure there are guys at the shortstop position that can be had.

[00:46:31] But I, top of my head, can't think of one that's better than, honestly, than what JP.

[00:46:37] Like, 2023 JP Crawford, one of the top shortstops in baseball.

[00:46:40] If he's that again, awesome.

[00:46:42] Then you upgraded right then and there.

[00:46:44] Because he's just better.

[00:46:45] But whether or not that's going to happen, I'm just not sure.

[00:46:49] This was a 2022-2023 offseason discussion.

[00:46:53] Right.

[00:46:53] Like, a very legitimate one with Correa and Turner and all those guys.

[00:46:58] Like, absolutely.

[00:46:59] But now it's like, just doesn't, like, it's just not a strong enough crop, I don't feel like.

[00:47:04] Like, I'm, like, I'm, I think JP Crawford can at least be an above-average hitter next year.

[00:47:09] Will he play good enough defense?

[00:47:12] Like, if he plays good enough defense and is an above-average hitter, that's all of his value.

[00:47:16] That's all the value you need from him for what you're paying him right now.

[00:47:19] And realistically, he does not need to be the best offensive player on the infield.

[00:47:23] It should be your third baseman or your first baseman.

[00:47:25] Pretty much.

[00:47:26] They solved this issue, guys, by looking at the available resources at first base that's out there.

[00:47:32] You have those resources there.

[00:47:34] And you do what you need to do at third base.

[00:47:36] And second base, you probably, you probably patched it together.

[00:47:39] But I think it's interesting.

[00:47:40] And you can make that case for some other spots on the roster, too.

[00:47:43] Same with DH.

[00:47:44] You're similar money.

[00:47:45] God.

[00:47:46] I mean, I don't think, people haven't talked about this a ton yet.

[00:47:50] I feel like we're at the point where it is not crazy to say it's time for JP to move off short to second base.

[00:47:56] If you find a shortstop to come into town that is better.

[00:47:59] Because back in 2021, or after 21, when all those free agent shortstops were out there, after 21, 22?

[00:48:07] Yeah, it was one of those two offices.

[00:48:08] After 22, I think TJ said.

[00:48:10] Where they said, okay, he's our shortstop.

[00:48:12] He'd been a really good defender at that point.

[00:48:14] He was a backbone of the team.

[00:48:15] I get it.

[00:48:16] Now, especially after the year he had, I don't think it's crazy to say if you find somebody that can play shortstop, yeah, now you're going to move to second base.

[00:48:23] So, to your point, Colton, if there is a shortstop out there that you like and that's better, you could always do that.

[00:48:29] And then that solves a second base issue.

[00:48:31] Yeah.

[00:48:31] Is there another one besides Adamus that you were looking at?

[00:48:35] I think, like, what, the other one would be, like, Ha-Sung Kim?

[00:48:39] But, like, is that really, like, an upgrade at, like, the offensive side of that?

[00:48:43] And I think you'd probably just stick him at second if you really want to.

[00:48:47] I mean, it's interchangeable.

[00:48:48] I think with the value you'd get out of Ha-Sung Kim at shortstop or second base.

[00:48:52] The thing is with, like, Adamus, like, just to, like, kind of, like, put a little bow on it.

[00:48:56] If he's seeking $200 million, the mares are done.

[00:48:58] They're toast.

[00:48:59] Like, if that is, like, actually true that he's looking for $200 million, like, it's never – it was never going to happen to begin with.

[00:49:06] Like, I think the highest I would have gone would have been, like, $150 million for, like, six years.

[00:49:10] But, like, if it's, like, going over $200 million, it's just, like, that's out the window at that point.

[00:49:16] Like, looking around –

[00:49:17] No, no, Joe.

[00:49:18] If Willie Adamus is seeking $200 million, you're done.

[00:49:20] If Willie Adamus is seeking $100 million, the mares are done.

[00:49:23] If he's taking $50 million, the mares are done.

[00:49:26] Sure.

[00:49:26] I guess to, you know, constraint yourself even more, yeah, the mares were – I guess the fact that he hit free agency, the mares were done to begin with.

[00:49:36] Like, the moment he touches free agency and brewers don't bring him back, they're like, no, we're done because of how John Stanton started the offseason.

[00:49:43] Like, we're not going to go get free – stupid.

[00:49:45] It's a bad strategy, Joe.

[00:49:46] I don't know what to tell you.

[00:49:47] It's a terrible strategy.

[00:49:48] It's a terrible strategy.

[00:49:50] I think, like, also, like, just to reflect, like, on those, like, that shortstop crop of players, like, the contract that Xander Bogarts got is, like, in hindsight, crazy.

[00:50:00] And, like, would it be worth it, like, in the short term?

[00:50:04] Like, it could have been.

[00:50:05] Like, for what that contract would do to you long term – and I know this is not, like, a winning mentality, but, like, that contract simply is just not worth it.

[00:50:13] Like, if you're looking at what other shortstops are available to you, I really don't think there's one that you're going to get more value out of for what you're going to pay that person versus, like, what you could just roll with J.P. Crawford and figure out the rest of your infield.

[00:50:25] I understand that, like, moving him to second base is probably a lot of people's, like – especially if 2025 goes similarly or more closely similar to 2024 or even 2022 where he's, like, a league average bat.

[00:50:39] But, like, obviously 2024 he wasn't.

[00:50:41] But, like, thinking back to 2022 where he was a league average bat, defense was, like, eh.

[00:50:45] Moving him to second base, like, you survived there.

[00:50:47] But, like, at that point is, like, is anyone in your prospect system ready?

[00:50:52] Probably not fully for, like, taking the reins at shortstop and, like, going out and, like, finding a free agent.

[00:50:57] Like, it's just not a good free agent class for it in general.

[00:51:00] And then trading for his shortstop, like, around the league.

[00:51:03] Like, if – the only thing I could think of, and it's, like, not even that good of an idea, is if C.J. Abrams and the Nationals are really, like, in bad terms.

[00:51:13] Like, if it really was that big of an issue.

[00:51:15] But, like, I don't think it was.

[00:51:17] And I just think it's, like, a microcosm of, like, the end of the season kind of a thing.

[00:51:20] Like, if we're talking about blowing things out of proportion with, like, Boehm and stuff souring in Philadelphia, like, if people really think the Nationals are wanting to move off of Abrams,

[00:51:29] I would be very, very surprised if that does happen this offseason.

[00:51:33] We always talk about the Mariners needing to go above and beyond to get players to want to play there.

[00:51:37] I think his curfew in Seattle should be 5 a.m.

[00:51:41] 5 a.m.

[00:51:42] And the Mariners agree that when they trade for him, they will house him all year at the EQC.

[00:51:48] There you go.

[00:51:48] He's got a penthouse suite up there just ready to go.

[00:51:51] That's the way to get in there.

[00:51:53] Yes.

[00:51:54] Okay, last Mariners question I wanted to ask you guys before we get into a little bit about how the two of you have created your whole channel and your brand is

[00:52:00] We've done this with a few people now, and I'm always curious to get people's different takes on this.

[00:52:05] But if the Mariners were going to extend somebody in-house, you get to pick one.

[00:52:11] Who is it?

[00:52:13] Hmm.

[00:52:13] Hmm.

[00:52:15] You want to start?

[00:52:16] It's hard.

[00:52:17] Do you want to?

[00:52:17] Do you have a name?

[00:52:19] Cal Raleigh.

[00:52:20] Immediately.

[00:52:21] Cal Raleigh.

[00:52:21] There is nobody more valuable to you, especially with where, like, catching a good catcher is so hard to come by.

[00:52:28] It truly is.

[00:52:29] Like, we have seen, even throughout the postseason, like, look at the Yankee.

[00:52:33] Like, Austin Wells.

[00:52:35] Like, sure.

[00:52:36] But it's like, he's not Cal Raleigh.

[00:52:38] Nobody's Cal Raleigh.

[00:52:39] He is the most valuable catcher, probably, like, one of the most valuable catchers in baseball.

[00:52:44] He needs to catch less.

[00:52:46] He needs to maybe be a DH, you know, once in a while instead of catching 125 games wherever it was crazy in 24.

[00:52:52] But if you can keep one guy on your roster for the next 10 years, it should be Cal Raleigh because of what he provides to the team.

[00:53:00] He's the captain.

[00:53:01] He's the leader.

[00:53:01] Maybe not always the most vocal guy, but a guy who shows up, he's gritty, and he, frankly, is the best player on your team.

[00:53:11] And that might sound like the cop-out because of what he did in 2024.

[00:53:14] But, like, at the same time, I feel like that's something that we've kind of known for a while.

[00:53:17] Because you, Harry Ford is fine.

[00:53:20] I also don't, at the same time, know if Harry Ford is ever going to be a real replacement for Cal Raleigh.

[00:53:27] Or is he just going to be, I don't even have a good cop for him.

[00:53:31] Like, he doesn't have the power of Mike Zanino.

[00:53:34] Like, he doesn't necessarily have the, I think that Cal Raleigh is the best defensive catcher I've seen in forever.

[00:53:39] Like, there's so many, like, moving pieces to what Cal Raleigh brings to the team.

[00:53:45] He works with the pitching staff better than anybody I've ever seen.

[00:53:48] It's just, it's the easiest slam dunk in the world.

[00:53:50] It's also probably one of the hardest guys to extend, not named, like, George Kirby.

[00:53:53] I think George is probably harder to extend, because I, frankly, don't think he wants to stay here.

[00:53:58] I think that Cal would be a very tough one to try to extend.

[00:54:01] Like, he is the guy, if I could pick one, that I would extend.

[00:54:04] What about you, Joe?

[00:54:05] I think, just, like, to, not to piggyback, but, like, the idea for me, if, like, Cal is the guy,

[00:54:13] eventually Harry Ford can just, like, be, like, they can, like, alternate days.

[00:54:16] Or, like, they can pick guys that they want to catch for it, however it works.

[00:54:19] Like, having a perennial, like, top 100 prospect be a catcher in your organization.

[00:54:25] Sure, it's a high school catcher, so they don't always pan out.

[00:54:27] Like, the success rate of high school drafting catchers, it's not great.

[00:54:30] But, like, if there's a guy that one can mentor, mentor, I almost said mentor, that was weird.

[00:54:35] Mentor Harry Ford to the best of his abilities and, like, get the best out of him,

[00:54:39] I think Cal is a good option.

[00:54:40] And eventually, like, kind of, like, pass the torch of, like, here, I need to DH work

[00:54:44] because I was, like, literally ran into the ground, let me catch, like, say, 60 games a year

[00:54:49] and DH the other, like, 90 that I play.

[00:54:53] That, I think, then will then boost, like, Cal's offensive numbers and allow, like, I think just,

[00:55:00] like, roster cohesion as far as, like, a catching tandem, I think makes sense with a young guy coming up

[00:55:05] and then extending your current veteran catcher who is invaluable in a lot of different facets of the game

[00:55:12] outside of just what he's done on the field.

[00:55:13] I will just take his former roommate.

[00:55:16] I will take Logan Gilbert.

[00:55:17] I think that both, I've said it in, it was probably, like, a podcast or two ago.

[00:55:23] Both those guys, to me, encapsulate exactly what I want out of, like, what being a Mariner is about,

[00:55:29] if that makes sense.

[00:55:30] I think both of them bring about, like, the right mindset and could help create a, like, better culture in the clubhouse.

[00:55:37] Not to say, like, it's a bad, like, situation within the clubhouse.

[00:55:40] But I think if I had to pick one guy to pair with Colton's, I think Gilbert makes a lot of sense.

[00:55:46] I know that maybe long-term, like, did we witness Logan Gilbert's peak this year?

[00:55:51] Will he regress next year?

[00:55:52] Like, I think there's very valid conversations to have around, like, is Logan Gilbert the most valuable starting pitcher to try and extend?

[00:56:01] But I also think that out of the guys, like, currently existing on the roster,

[00:56:05] I would want him and Cal to be Mariners for as long as they can be because of what they mean in the clubhouse and on the field.

[00:56:12] I'm going to preface my follow-up question to that with, I do want to extend Cal because I think Cal's extremely valuable.

[00:56:19] He's your best, right now he's your best position player overall, all around.

[00:56:24] But there are valid concerns when it comes to extending catchers, especially ones who have caught as much as he has and with as much responsibility on his shoulders.

[00:56:34] How many years are you giving him?

[00:56:37] Like, four?

[00:56:38] Five?

[00:56:40] I'd probably go, like, five.

[00:56:41] Yeah, five, right?

[00:56:42] Because by the time the extension's done, he's most likely done catching.

[00:56:47] Mm-hmm.

[00:56:48] At least catching as much as he does.

[00:56:50] I look at it as, it truly depends on what you can get out of Harry Ford.

[00:56:55] If you, just like Joe was saying, if you can bring Harry Ford up and he is a valuable, like, everyday catcher.

[00:57:01] Like, if you can give him, like, the Tom Murphy treatment where you kind of just felt good either way.

[00:57:06] What's so funny over there?

[00:57:07] What?

[00:57:07] I'm sorry.

[00:57:08] I'm just nothing.

[00:57:09] Don't worry about it.

[00:57:10] Yeah, that's right.

[00:57:10] That's what I thought.

[00:57:11] If you could bring up Harry Ford and next year, he is a guy that makes sense to give Calis

[00:57:19] more time off.

[00:57:19] Because you can't do it with Mitch Garver.

[00:57:20] You can't.

[00:57:21] Guy sucks.

[00:57:22] Like, I hate to say it, he was bad.

[00:57:23] Odd year Garver's gonna go crazy.

[00:57:25] You take that back.

[00:57:26] I will eat my words immediately.

[00:57:27] That's a real thing.

[00:57:28] It's one of the most puzzling things ever to look at.

[00:57:31] If he goes off next year, like, nothing in this world makes sense.

[00:57:34] Except for odd year Mitch Garver.

[00:57:36] Like, everything else is, like, throw it out the window except odd year Mitch Garver.

[00:57:39] And just go from there.

[00:57:41] It's death, taxes, and odd year Mitch Garver.

[00:57:43] Exactly.

[00:57:44] Joe's been pounding the table for odd year Mitch Garver.

[00:57:46] So if that's what it takes to make Cal not catch 125, I don't want to see him catch

[00:57:50] as many games.

[00:57:51] That's, like, frankly where I'm at.

[00:57:52] Like, and you look at guys, I think back to, like, Matt Wieters is a guy who, catching

[00:57:56] for the Orioles, eventually moved over to first base.

[00:57:59] Like, he DH'd a little bit.

[00:58:01] I mean, even Salvi, like, Salvador Perez has DH'd quite a bit.

[00:58:04] So, it's not that, like, offensively he's a guy that even if he's not catching, I still

[00:58:10] think he's an incredibly valuable member of your team.

[00:58:13] Obviously a lot less.

[00:58:14] Like, if you're not catching the pitchers on your team, you're not nearly as valuable.

[00:58:18] However, depending on what kind of deal he'd be willing to sign, I might give him six.

[00:58:22] I think five or six.

[00:58:23] Maybe, like, with, like, an option year somewhere in there.

[00:58:25] And maybe some opt-outs for him just to kind of make things more friendly on his side.

[00:58:29] Makes a lot of sense.

[00:58:30] Value-wise, I don't know.

[00:58:31] I truly don't know, like, if you were to offer Cal Raleigh an extension right now, Joe, what's

[00:58:37] the AAV?

[00:58:38] Right now.

[00:58:39] Oh, yeah.

[00:58:39] Just, like, throw me on the spot.

[00:58:40] Yeah, just throw it at you.

[00:58:41] Oh, God.

[00:58:44] 15 million?

[00:58:45] I would go, like, I was going to say, like, I would go as high as, like, 18.

[00:58:50] I think.

[00:58:51] Yeah.

[00:58:51] Is where I would, like, kind of sit at.

[00:58:53] The issue is, I don't know if he takes it, because, like, he probably knows how valuable

[00:58:56] he is, and also, like, who his agent is.

[00:58:58] Although, that's not really sitting in good, like, it's not in good standings right now with

[00:59:03] people just dropping Scott Boris left and right.

[00:59:05] But I would probably say I'd go as high as 18.

[00:59:09] And I could be, like, you could twist my arm for a little bit more, like, in a final year

[00:59:16] kind of thing.

[00:59:16] Or, like, if you backload it funny.

[00:59:18] Or, like, do, like, weird incentives kind of a thing to, like, really make it worth it

[00:59:21] for him.

[00:59:21] But, yeah.

[00:59:22] I think 18 is, like, where I'd kind of sit at.

[00:59:25] And with the Mariners, I'm trying to think, offer him catcher rate or, like, DH first base

[00:59:29] rate?

[00:59:30] Because the value goes down for Cal, I think.

[00:59:33] And you could, like, front load it, maybe.

[00:59:34] Like you said, Joe, he's not going to take that.

[00:59:36] He's going to take a catcher rate, because that's where his value has been built up.

[00:59:40] Yeah, you could front load it, Joe, though.

[00:59:41] That's a good point.

[00:59:42] Like, if you front load it and, like, make it worth it for him in his, like, not, like,

[00:59:46] his final years, like, we're sending him out, like, on a Viking funeral for him

[00:59:49] as a catcher, but, like, if you front load it when he is at his most valuable, he will,

[00:59:54] I think, I mean, I'm speaking for him, he will appreciate it.

[00:59:57] Like, it just makes sense.

[00:59:58] Like, you're going to give him the most valuable when he is the most valuable, like, at his,

[01:00:03] like, in his playing career.

[01:00:05] And as he degrades, because he's caught so many innings over his entire career, and you

[01:00:11] transition into a DH, or maybe he does go to first base, like, every so often.

[01:00:15] Just, like, he puts that into the toolkit and just makes it work.

[01:00:19] Like, you could argue that he'd be worth less.

[01:00:22] So, yeah, if you front load the contract, he's getting less later on.

[01:00:25] Like, that could allow some flexibility later on, too.

[01:00:27] Like, I think that makes sense, where I could see, like, if you, say, sign him to a five-year,

[01:00:33] $90 million extension tomorrow, the first you're being worth $20 million, the second you're

[01:00:39] being $22, and then it starts to, like, decline after that is where I can see stuff happening.

[01:00:45] Or, hear me out, you defer all the money.

[01:00:48] $2 million a year.

[01:00:50] Until they actually get a real owner, that, like, you just defer it, you continue to defer

[01:00:54] it as much as you can until a real owner actually thinks.

[01:00:57] Yeah, exactly.

[01:01:01] I think that's the best idea we've come up with.

[01:01:03] Yeah.

[01:01:04] That's right.

[01:01:04] Write that down.

[01:01:05] Write that down.

[01:01:05] Write that down.

[01:01:06] Write that down.

[01:01:07] All right, it's like, you know, it's like the payback, whatever you buy in four months.

[01:01:10] It's like, oh, we're going to do that with the whole rotation.

[01:01:13] How at Raleigh.

[01:01:13] Can I set that up with a firm, or what after pay are we using here?

[01:01:20] This whole Mariners team will come due in 2045.

[01:01:24] Oh, perfect.

[01:01:25] I'm in.

[01:01:27] So how about the two of you?

[01:01:28] For those who don't know, how did the two of you decide one day, we want to start talking

[01:01:33] about the Mariners and build our own platform for it?

[01:01:35] I'm a leech.

[01:01:39] I latched onto this sucker.

[01:01:41] My favorite things to talk about, because Joe and I have known each other since sixth

[01:01:44] grade.

[01:01:44] Like, we've been best friends forever now.

[01:01:47] We're not that old, okay?

[01:01:49] We've known each other, how long has that been?

[01:01:50] How long has that been?

[01:01:50] Like 15 years?

[01:01:51] How old are we?

[01:01:51] No.

[01:01:52] Does that sound right?

[01:01:52] Yeah, I mean, sixth grade's 11.

[01:01:54] Yeah.

[01:01:55] 15.

[01:01:55] 15 years.

[01:01:56] So it's like, we have always, and Joe hates it when I talk about this, but we have always

[01:02:01] liked doing video stuff.

[01:02:02] So we like to do skits back in the day, like on my iPod, like Nano.

[01:02:07] We just record ourselves doing the stupidest things.

[01:02:10] And so, we have always, dude, full disclosure, the Mariner Mojo channel, let's break the fourth

[01:02:18] wall here, used to be a Yu-Gi-Oh card channel.

[01:02:21] Hmm.

[01:02:21] It was originally a YouTube channel for opening Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

[01:02:26] Those videos do still exist.

[01:02:27] They are all private.

[01:02:28] No, you cannot see them.

[01:02:30] And so, one day, I was sitting here, and I was like, I just need to talk about the Mariners,

[01:02:35] man.

[01:02:35] This was August of 22, I believe.

[01:02:39] And it was, I need to talk about what's going on with this team, because I felt good about

[01:02:44] it.

[01:02:44] Like, they were in a playoff hunt for the first time, what it felt like forever.

[01:02:47] I mean, obviously, 2021 was like a year that no one thought was going to happen.

[01:02:50] So, like, we were playing off the good vibes there.

[01:02:53] And then we get into 22, and they start to play pretty well.

[01:02:56] And I'm like, okay, I feel good about where this team is.

[01:02:58] I need to do something.

[01:02:59] I had already been making Call of Duty videos as well.

[01:03:03] I've always loved content creation in some way, shape, or form.

[01:03:06] I was doing Twitch streams.

[01:03:07] I was doing the whole nine yards.

[01:03:09] And I'm like, man, I don't really like doing this.

[01:03:10] I want to talk about my baseball team.

[01:03:12] And so, I just made a video.

[01:03:13] The first video I ever made was called, are you guys sitting down?

[01:03:17] All right, here we go.

[01:03:18] Mm-hmm.

[01:03:18] The Seattle Mariners' Missing Wink instead of Missing Link.

[01:03:22] It was about Jesse Winker.

[01:03:24] I know.

[01:03:24] It's a masterpiece.

[01:03:25] Truly.

[01:03:27] I will say, I changed it to Missing Wink, like, a year later.

[01:03:32] It was originally Missing Link.

[01:03:33] That's true.

[01:03:34] Don't try and take credit for something that I did creatively.

[01:03:37] I'm the one that said it was a good idea.

[01:03:39] I just didn't want to do it.

[01:03:40] Sure.

[01:03:41] So, anyway.

[01:03:42] Did Jesse Winker comment on the video?

[01:03:44] No shot.

[01:03:45] Unfortunately, no, unless he was on a burner.

[01:03:47] It actually got a lot of views later.

[01:03:49] Like, it's gained quite a few views ever since.

[01:03:52] But when I first posted, it got, like, 30.

[01:03:54] But then...

[01:03:55] And I'll say that because I do know that Jesse Winker likes comics.

[01:03:58] So, by, like, comparison, maybe he's a big Yu-Gi-Oh! guy, too, and he was checking the channel out.

[01:04:03] Ooh.

[01:04:03] Maybe he was subscribed to Diane Colto back in the day, Joe.

[01:04:08] If Jesse Winker was watching the Yu-Gi Bros, I don't know where to be...

[01:04:14] I don't even know where to begin with how far out that would be as far as, like, a world-breaking moment for me.

[01:04:21] There's no realm of possibility where I think that that is something that I could stomach or even, like, process.

[01:04:29] So, that's how the channel got started.

[01:04:30] Joe, talk about, like, when you...

[01:04:33] Because I didn't tell Joe I was doing it at first.

[01:04:35] He was already subscribed to the Yu-Gi-Oh! channel.

[01:04:39] So, like, he was already subscribed to it.

[01:04:40] So, when I posted a video, he's like, what the heck is this?

[01:04:43] So, Joe, go ahead.

[01:04:44] So, I will say, that channel specifically did go through plenty of iterations.

[01:04:49] The most recent one before it became Mariner Mojo was a full-on, like, broad baseball channel called Base Knock Analytics.

[01:04:59] And you made a video about war and how it was, like, what war is, essentially.

[01:05:04] And then I was subscribed to that.

[01:05:06] And then I saw Jesse Winker come up in my, like, sub box.

[01:05:11] I saw the following videos, I think, about Felix Hernandez.

[01:05:16] It might have been...

[01:05:17] Or maybe it was about Julio.

[01:05:18] I can't remember.

[01:05:18] Julio's extension.

[01:05:19] Exactly.

[01:05:19] Yeah, I don't remember.

[01:05:20] Yeah, Julio's extension.

[01:05:21] There was a Felix, like, you know, 10-year or...

[01:05:25] Was it 10 years?

[01:05:26] Maybe it was 9-year.

[01:05:27] Regardless.

[01:05:28] It was around, like, the perfect game.

[01:05:30] And so, yeah, I just noticed it.

[01:05:32] And I, myself, also was making content at the time I was doing Rocket League eSports content.

[01:05:40] Under just, like, not like a faceless YouTube channel, but, like, I wasn't really showing my face a bunch on it.

[01:05:44] And I had about, like, 2,000 subscribers, like, doing okay.

[01:05:48] And I was, like, also at a point where, like, I just wasn't, like, in love with it as much as I was when I first started it.

[01:05:53] And I saw that and I'm, like, yo, that...

[01:05:55] I saw Colton's video and, like, that's sick.

[01:05:57] Like, why haven't we been doing this for the last, like, five years?

[01:06:00] Like, it just made so much sense as soon as I saw it to do that.

[01:06:03] And then it probably, like, a week and a half went by and I asked, like, hey, like, could I make a video just, like, for the channel?

[01:06:11] Not necessarily, like, committing to it fully because I didn't know where I was at with making...

[01:06:14] If I wanted to continue to make, like, Rocket League eSports content.

[01:06:17] And I think the first video that I made on my own was breaking down Luis Castillo's trade to the Mariners.

[01:06:25] But I think the first time I was featured was we did a September call-ups video.

[01:06:30] Like, who we thought should be call-ups.

[01:06:31] And Abe Toro was on the thumbnail.

[01:06:34] A little callback to Abe Toro.

[01:06:37] He did make the thumbnail on that one because of how clutch he was.

[01:06:41] You guys know he's a favorite on this pod.

[01:06:42] That's right.

[01:06:43] Oh, I had to name drop Abe Toro the moment I could.

[01:06:45] Do you guys realize he's the only person ever actually banned from appearing on this podcast?

[01:06:50] You will take anybody appearing.

[01:06:53] But if Abe Toro hits your line, you're blocking that number immediately.

[01:06:58] You're deleting the DM.

[01:07:00] You're blocking his account.

[01:07:01] Like, it doesn't matter.

[01:07:03] Abe Toro must have been a huge draw on a thumbnail, though, man.

[01:07:06] I mean, I'm telling you because he's such a name that, like, if I'm scrolling on YouTube and he pops up,

[01:07:13] I'm absolutely clicking on the video.

[01:07:15] You're like, that's a niche baseball player that I know.

[01:07:17] Click.

[01:07:18] It started with a Jared Kalanick on the thumb.

[01:07:22] And then I think we switched it to Abe Toro after the fact.

[01:07:26] Just, like, a different, like, style of packaging.

[01:07:28] But, yeah, I joined, like, probably, like, two weeks after that Colton had really started it.

[01:07:32] And then ever since then, we've just, you know, since, like, middle of August 2022, we've been going at it.

[01:07:39] But we had –

[01:08:09] And then you guys had started up in the off season of 2023, right?

[01:08:14] Yeah, November, right?

[01:08:15] So you guys hadn't made it around yet.

[01:08:17] I think we got in at, like –

[01:08:19] Like, we hit pay dirt kind of a thing.

[01:08:21] Like, we got in at the right time of, like, when people were starting to, like,

[01:08:24] Hey, I watch YouTube.

[01:08:26] Let me watch Mariner stuff on YouTube.

[01:08:28] So, like, at the beginning, we were just kind of, like, general –

[01:08:31] Like, not, like, news, but just, like, daily happenings.

[01:08:34] Like, kind of, like, roster speculation, stuff like that.

[01:08:36] Like, but it has evolved, like, as time has gone on.

[01:08:40] And we made it a goal last year to really focus on community building and just really get involved with, like,

[01:08:47] who not only, like, the fans of the team are, but, like, fans of, like, us as, like, individuals.

[01:08:52] But also, like, how do you bridge that gap of, like, they like content we make about the team that they like.

[01:08:58] How do we make it more so – not, like, about us, like, in a selfish way.

[01:09:01] But, like, how do we, like, let them into, like, the world of, like, how we like to approach stuff.

[01:09:06] Like, we've always been not, like, class clown type individuals.

[01:09:09] But, like, we won, like, dynamic duo superlative senior year of high school.

[01:09:13] Like, people know us as, like, a duo kind of conversation.

[01:09:16] Like, you think of Colton, you're probably thinking of me.

[01:09:19] You think of me, you're probably thinking of Colton.

[01:09:21] And, like, how do we kind of bring that to life on camera.

[01:09:25] And, like, filling out, like, a niche, like, talking about, like, part of, like, the Marist community.

[01:09:30] I don't know if there's, like, one that, like, is super fitting now.

[01:09:34] Because when we first started, it was a lot different.

[01:09:36] But I'd say, like, what we focused on a lot the last, like, calendar year was mainly community building, I'd say.

[01:09:43] I think that the thing for us, like Joe said, it evolved a lot.

[01:09:46] The video that really sent us over the top.

[01:09:49] And this might have been before you joined, Joe.

[01:09:51] So, I don't know.

[01:09:51] Was it before or right after?

[01:09:52] It was.

[01:09:52] It was before.

[01:09:53] I saw a video get over 100,000 views.

[01:09:56] And I said, I need in.

[01:09:57] Yeah.

[01:09:57] Because I know.

[01:09:59] I literally, like, backpacked onto this.

[01:10:02] It was just, like, your attempt at, like, a John Boy Media.

[01:10:05] That's exactly what it was.

[01:10:06] Yeah.

[01:10:07] It was a John Boy Media breakdown, essentially.

[01:10:09] Of an inning.

[01:10:10] Of the way a game ended in Anaheim back in 2022.

[01:10:13] I immediately recorded right after that.

[01:10:15] My mic sounded awful.

[01:10:17] I was, like, trying to scrub through the video.

[01:10:20] It was terrible.

[01:10:21] Got, I think it's at, like, 250,000 views now.

[01:10:23] It put the channel, like, over watch hours, over subscribers, all in one video.

[01:10:28] And, like, I was like, oh, my God.

[01:10:29] So, then I think I tried doing it again and it got no views.

[01:10:31] And so, like, okay, what do we do now?

[01:10:33] And so, we started, so, the way we look at it, at least the way I've looked at it over the past, you know, calendar year or so.

[01:10:39] We very much about buy a fan for a fan.

[01:10:43] Like, we want to bring as much of a fan perspective.

[01:10:45] And we know our strengths and we know our weaknesses.

[01:10:48] That's why we never do interviews on our channel because we suck at them.

[01:10:51] Frankly, we suck at them.

[01:10:52] We can talk to each other.

[01:10:53] I can't ask.

[01:10:54] I couldn't ask you guys questions and expect to sound intelligent.

[01:10:58] I would sound like an idiot.

[01:10:59] I'd be like, hey, Lyle, so.

[01:11:00] But that could be a selling point.

[01:11:03] I'd sound like an idiot.

[01:11:04] Well, we as a collective would sound like an idiot.

[01:11:08] I know, exactly.

[01:11:09] And then we add in a third person, whatever.

[01:11:11] Dude, we went to Arizona State.

[01:11:13] We're dumb.

[01:11:14] Somehow.

[01:11:16] We're all in the same boat.

[01:11:18] Yeah.

[01:11:18] It was like, so the way I look at it, Locked On, like, they are the kings of podcasts.

[01:11:24] Like, nobody does it better.

[01:11:25] You guys, like, short form content.

[01:11:27] You guys are so incredibly good at short form content.

[01:11:30] Joe and I have literally watched your guys' shorts and been like,

[01:11:32] like, how the hell do these guys do it?

[01:11:34] Because our shorts suck.

[01:11:35] We've had one do well.

[01:11:36] The rest of them suck.

[01:11:38] Okay.

[01:11:38] And so, listen.

[01:11:39] There's a couple that are, like, over 30K, mister.

[01:11:42] They all suck.

[01:11:43] I don't want to hear it from you.

[01:11:44] How cute is that over 30K?

[01:11:46] Listen.

[01:11:47] I don't know a lot.

[01:11:48] On Instagram versus YouTube, it's different.

[01:11:51] Yeah.

[01:11:52] YouTube's really interesting.

[01:11:53] YouTube, I don't feel like there's the ceiling.

[01:11:55] At least not with Mariner's content.

[01:11:58] Sure.

[01:11:59] The ceiling's, like, 10.

[01:12:01] Yeah.

[01:12:02] There's some that have gotten over 10.

[01:12:04] But you're right.

[01:12:04] Instagram seems to give you the higher ceiling.

[01:12:06] And sometimes TikTok, too.

[01:12:07] So, yeah.

[01:12:08] Different than YouTube.

[01:12:09] But, no.

[01:12:10] Yeah.

[01:12:10] It is cool.

[01:12:11] Anyway.

[01:12:11] We didn't mean to cut you off.

[01:12:12] But just in the sense of, yeah.

[01:12:13] The whole community is very cool.

[01:12:15] Yeah.

[01:12:15] That's, I mean.

[01:12:16] We kind of nailed down.

[01:12:18] Because Joe and I were making videos before that.

[01:12:19] Like, the 8 to 10 minute video of, like, trying to break things down.

[01:12:23] Edits.

[01:12:24] Like, videos over the top.

[01:12:25] That's kind of what we tried to break down as fast as possible.

[01:12:27] So, I wouldn't say we're the kings of that.

[01:12:29] Like, at all.

[01:12:30] We're not.

[01:12:30] I don't think we're the king.

[01:12:31] We're a jack of all trades.

[01:12:32] We've got to do a little bit of everything and see what sticks.

[01:12:34] I would say, like, the first year, that's what we, like, were really, like, focused in on.

[01:12:39] It was, like, that range of, like, any.

[01:12:41] Not even 8.

[01:12:42] I'd say, like, 6 to, like, 12.

[01:12:45] Sometimes a little bit over.

[01:12:46] To really kind of focus in on, like, retention.

[01:12:49] And try and get as many eyes on it that we could.

[01:12:52] Without losing a lot of, like, viewer retention fall off.

[01:12:56] Is kind of, like, where we started at.

[01:12:57] I think back to a comment that I think you have either screenshotted or bookmarked of.

[01:13:01] Like, you guys.

[01:13:02] I remember when you guys made good content.

[01:13:04] Right?

[01:13:05] And I think that shift happened where we stopped making those.

[01:13:08] Well, I want to say, like, hyper edited.

[01:13:10] Because we were never really, like, great editors.

[01:13:12] We just, like, put clips over.

[01:13:13] We'd put, like, pictures, text, whatever.

[01:13:16] But it shifted a lot to, like, more, like, long form.

[01:13:18] Like, conversation.

[01:13:20] Like, podcast oriented things.

[01:13:21] And just, like, pushing the 20 to 30 to even 40 minute conversations.

[01:13:27] That happened in our second year.

[01:13:28] The first year, it was very much like you could, like, go through, like, by date.

[01:13:31] It would be, like, 4, 5, 8, 6.

[01:13:34] Like, they would be very concise little pockets of videos.

[01:13:37] Whereas now they're longer conversations.

[01:13:39] And we do put out less of them.

[01:13:41] Simply because we're talking for 30, 35 minutes.

[01:13:43] As opposed to three of those being eight minutes long.

[01:13:47] Or four or ten minutes long.

[01:13:48] And so, I think, like, going year by year.

[01:13:51] I don't know what 2025 will hold for us.

[01:13:53] But I know, like, beginning it was, like, make sure we're getting out a video.

[01:13:57] Probably, like, every other day if we can.

[01:13:59] That's in order between eight to ten minutes to try and keep viewers engaged.

[01:14:03] Second year was about community building.

[01:14:09] And, like, doing live streams.

[01:14:11] Like, I did as many as I could, like, going live every Sunday.

[01:14:14] I know you guys started doing it in the evening as well.

[01:14:17] I can't remember.

[01:14:18] Like, it was probably, like, was it May or June you guys started doing, like, your Sunday night lives?

[01:14:23] It was the...

[01:14:23] No, we did it...

[01:14:24] I think we did it the whole season.

[01:14:26] Was it the beginning?

[01:14:26] From the beginning of the season?

[01:14:27] Okay.

[01:14:27] I think we started when the season basically started as just another way to let people send in whatever questions they wanted to send.

[01:14:34] Yeah.

[01:14:34] But it was along the same, like, the same idea of community building.

[01:14:39] Like, we don't get to interact with our community directly as much.

[01:14:43] That's, like, that's a great way to do so.

[01:14:44] I will just note my favorite moment from the season on the live stream is when we started.

[01:14:50] And Lyle and I were doing the Costco guys impressions.

[01:14:52] And you guys jumped in right away and were like, boom!

[01:14:56] Woo!

[01:14:56] Five out of five booms, dude.

[01:14:58] Yeah, dude.

[01:14:58] That was sick.

[01:14:59] That was amazing.

[01:15:02] Last question for me, guys.

[01:15:04] Is there, like, a favorite part of what this Mariners content community, in your guys' eyes, brings to coverage of the Mariners and how people digest content now as opposed to, say, let's say before the pandemic in, like, 2019, 2018?

[01:15:19] Hmm.

[01:15:20] I think that, for me, it is really getting to know the Mariners community in a whole new light.

[01:15:26] What we do, I never had any, like, feeling that we could have an effect.

[01:15:31] You know what I mean?

[01:15:31] Like, people will walk up to me and be like, oh, man, like, I really didn't think about this in your perspective.

[01:15:35] Like, oh.

[01:15:36] Like, I just, like, figured everyone kind of thought about things the same way.

[01:15:39] So it's very interesting to me to think about what we do now compared to how things used to be consumed.

[01:15:45] Because I used to write all the time, like, articles on, I wrote for Soto Mojo.

[01:15:49] I wrote for a bunch of different websites and whatnot.

[01:15:51] And it's like, I think about that now, and I would never in my life want to do that again.

[01:15:54] I hated it.

[01:15:55] I hated writing articles.

[01:15:57] So I'm like, let me just spew words out of my mouth and hope for the best.

[01:16:01] And, yeah, it's a very different feeling now, I think.

[01:16:04] And my favorite part of it is just getting to know the community, getting to know the people in it, and talking to people.

[01:16:09] I mean, we've met you guys multiple times.

[01:16:11] Like, we've met, you know, Connor and whatnot.

[01:16:14] And just other, like, fans and whatnot.

[01:16:16] I mean, Daydara.

[01:16:17] I mean, I don't think he expected a name drop, but he wanted it.

[01:16:20] Manny.

[01:16:21] Manny.

[01:16:22] Aaron McCacken and Joyer.

[01:16:23] Let's go.

[01:16:24] We've just met so many cool people.

[01:16:25] And some people are just like, hey, man, love the pod.

[01:16:27] I'm at work.

[01:16:28] I was at work literally yesterday, or the day before yesterday.

[01:16:30] And a guy walks up, he's like, hey, man, do you do the Marino Mojo podcast?

[01:16:32] I'm like, whoa.

[01:16:33] Oh, like, hey, well, hold on.

[01:16:36] I'm not in my element right now.

[01:16:37] Hold on.

[01:16:37] I'm just, like, stalking a shelf.

[01:16:39] Like, oh, hold on.

[01:16:40] Yes.

[01:16:40] Like, it's so strange to me to have that happen and to think that we have that much of an effect.

[01:16:45] Because we're just two best friends making videos on YouTube about something we love.

[01:16:49] You know what I mean?

[01:16:50] And then it's like the fact that something like that has that people actually watch it is crazy to me.

[01:16:56] That's cool.

[01:16:56] Yeah, we kind of feel the same way.

[01:16:58] And I also love just to add on one more thing, like how well all of us have gotten to know each other.

[01:17:03] Because it doesn't, like, I'll give a certain amount of people, like you guys included, some credit for doing that over the last year or so.

[01:17:10] In the sense of, you know, it's not tribal at all, this whole content community.

[01:17:14] Everybody, especially I'd say over the course of this last year, seems to really know each other now.

[01:17:18] Which is pretty cool.

[01:17:19] Because it makes it, like, it makes it easier to do things like this.

[01:17:22] And to, like, all collab on stuff.

[01:17:24] And to all meet up at games.

[01:17:25] Like, it's a cool thing that's kind of been created.

[01:17:28] My least favorite thing is, like, gatekeeping.

[01:17:30] You know what I mean?

[01:17:31] Like, people will be like, oh no, we can't, like, we can't talk to you.

[01:17:33] Like, you're the competition.

[01:17:34] It's like, no.

[01:17:35] Like, we're all on this thing together.

[01:17:36] We all talk about literally the exact same thing.

[01:17:37] We're all pulling the rope the exact same direction.

[01:17:40] And the fact that we can all literally be friends about it too is sick, man.

[01:17:42] Like, it's like meeting everybody and just, like, realizing we all have similar goals.

[01:17:47] We all have similar dreams.

[01:17:48] And we all have similar feelings about the team.

[01:17:49] A lot of us say a lot of the same things.

[01:17:51] And, yeah, people, it's said by somebody else a little bit differently and it clicks in someone else's head.

[01:17:55] Compared to how it clicked with how Joe said it.

[01:17:58] Maybe I said it differently and it clicked for Bob who's 73 watching this on his TV.

[01:18:03] You know what I mean?

[01:18:04] Classic Bob.

[01:18:06] I love it.

[01:18:07] Boys, this has been awesome.

[01:18:08] Colton, Joe, you guys are the best.

[01:18:10] Thanks so much for hopping on.

[01:18:11] For everybody listening, one more time, go check them out over at Mariner Mojo.

[01:18:15] They do awesome stuff.

[01:18:16] And we'll have to do this again soon.

[01:18:18] Absolutely.

[01:18:19] Appreciate it, guys.

[01:18:20] Appreciate it.

[01:18:22] Hope you guys enjoyed the interview with our friends over at Mariner Mojo.

[01:18:25] We have loved being a part of the Mariner's content community and those two are very much ingrained in it.

[01:18:30] So, we had a blast having them on the pod.

[01:18:31] We had a blast talking ball with them.

[01:18:33] We'll have to do it again soon.

[01:18:34] It's always fun to talk ball with those guys and a bunch of Mariner's content people in general.

[01:18:38] With that, that'll just about wrap up this edition of the Marine Layer Podcast.

[01:18:42] You guys know the drill.

[01:18:43] If you want to listen to the full-form podcast, do so.

[01:18:45] Wherever you get your audio pods, do us a big favor.

[01:18:48] Just be sure to download.

[01:18:50] Leave that five-star review when you're rating and reviewing.

[01:18:52] It does help us out a bunch.

[01:18:53] If you're on YouTube, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe.

[01:18:56] Subscribing's a big one.

[01:18:57] And follow us on social media.

[01:18:59] We're on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube shorts at MarineLayerPod.

[01:19:03] That's TJ.

[01:19:04] I'm Lyle.

[01:19:05] As always, we thank you guys for tuning in.

[01:19:07] Talk to you soon.

[01:19:08] Bye.

[01:19:08] Bye.

[01:19:08] Bye.

[01:19:08] Bye.