Lookout Landing

0:00-21:00: None of us are doing “well”, in the traditional sense, but today we’re doing better than other days. Braden Bishop, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, is on our podcast! Braden kicks things off by recalling his experience at the Spring Training shut down of 2020, revealing how he’s staying in shape, and making fun of Carson Vitale’s dance moves. For those who didn’t know, Braden also created the 4MOM Charity after his mother was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s. 21:05-38:25: What happened on a routine trip to CVS that altered his perception of America forever? The decision to scale back on Twitter, even though he was using it mostly to embarrass idiots, has gone a long way for Braden. Find out which former UW football player reached out to help him reach that point. What does his family, which includes several active police officers, think of Braden being so outspoken in support of Black Lives Matter? 38:30-50:25: What have other athletes said to Braden about being so open with his opinion

0:00-27:30: 2021 is here, and so is Roenis Elías, but that’s not why we’re here. Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News and Baseball Prospectus has blessed the mic for an episode about MLB at-large. As a New York-based writer, Bradford has some extensive thoughts on the Mets and their innovative, cutting edge strategy, which is trying to win baseball games by acquiring the best players. Where does he stand on the players that went from New York to Cleveland in the Lindor deal? What about the practice of pretty good teams actively trying to be the opposite of pretty good? 27:35-49:15: We discuss this clip of Bradford asking Francisco Lindor about Cleveland’s spending habits after they were eliminated from last year’s playoffs. What does this response tell us about the rest of the league? Baseball players’ general lack of knowledge about the union and labor relations, detailed in this 2019 article by Stephanie Apstein, also seems like an issue. Kate openly asks if the Tampa Bay Rays are a pyramid sch

It's the dead of winter, but that doesn't mean the farm is without activity. Joe, John, and Kate convene to discuss the latest moves, answer your questions, discuss the recently dropped MLB Pipeline Top-100 Draft Prospects list, and more! Seattle's trade of Jose Corniell and what it means for the farm, 0:00 - 20:00 - Fare thee well, Tim Lopes and Jose Corniell. We discuss our feelings on Seattle making a trade from their pitching depth, and the positives of such a move versus the concerns about dealing away a 17 year old with promise. Is it a sign of worrisome things to come that Jerry Dipoto is moving the youth out again? Or simply something the club can do thanks to the array of pitching prospects they've assembled at this point? We also fret at the uncertainty of the dreaded PTBNL and wonder which other players in the system might have been showcased at the instructional league with the purpose of trading. 20:00 - 36:00 - Who is next to go off the 40 man? Seattle's roster is stuffed full of relievers, but

0:00-7:45: Prior to the recent MLB-Negro League news, Andrea Williams, author of the upcoming book Baseball's Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues, called the Lookout Landing hotline. The prerequisite vibe check blends into a conversation about the parallels between today and some of the book’s themes. Andrea also reflects on the fact she’s publishing a book during a pandemic. 7:50-24:55: What caused Andrea to take an interest in baseball in the first place? After name dropping Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye, a confession arises from the rubble of Kansas City fandom. To kick off the deeper Effa Manley conversation, a brief primer is required. Not only does Andrea explain who Effa was and what she did, but also the layers of Black baseball that enrich her greater story. Branch Rickey, catch this fade. Just because Harrison Ford played you in a movie doesn’t automatically mean you get off scot-free. 25:00-37:30: What did Andrea think about the way things unfolded this summer, as s

0:00-16:00: Things are happening! Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners are movin’ and shakin’. To make heads or tails of this, the podcast gang reconvenes to mostly just share their excitement about having actual news. While the acquisitions of Keynan Middleton and Rafael Montero are still just reliever acquisitions, there are things to get hyped about here. Kate also briefly forgets one of her longtime staff writer’s name. As someone who also hates Angels fans, we think Middleton will fit in beautifully with the Mariners. 16:05-39:05: 17-year-old pitching prospect Jose Corniell is gone. 30-year-old reliever Rafael Montero is here. What should we expect from the ex-Ranger, who was their closer in 2020? Also, he was a Mets prospect, because of course he was! Will we see Seattle add another bullpen arm from the AL West? Are the Mariners going to have a bullpen made entirely of 98 MPH fastballs? Matthew, Kate, and John wonder aloud who the M’s will deploy in the closer role. This segues nicely into a few of our listene

0:00-10:45: Surprise! Things actually happened! We are forced to start with a Chris Flexen sesh. If you’d like to read more about Flexen, our own Michael Ajeto has you covered. We also try to figure out why Mariners Twitter seems to be so obsessed with signing Garrett Richards. Where does this utterly whelming transaction leave the Mariners in the AL West picture, at least in December? 10:50-25:15: Pour one out for the minor leagues, especially our homies in West Virginia. Kate schools us on the history of the Clinton LumberKings, a former Mariners affiliate who unfortunately were a casualty of these latest cuts. John also uses the word “hooey” during this part. In all seriousness, it’s a huge bummer to be losing some of these teams. However, as Lookout Landin often does, we attempt to find the bright side. A listener question then gives us an excuse to talk about this Zac Grotz video again. 26:15-37:15: We’re doing a draft, which is certainly not an original podcast idea, but it is a fun one! The draft topic

0:00-23:45: Who are these people buying metric tons of toilet paper at the grocery store? Show yourselves! Matthew, Kate, and John examine both sides of the great Thanksgiving debate before Harry and Sally catch this fade. We also urge you not to forget our anniversary with Brodie van Wagenen. Roughly two years since the Robinson Canó trade talks started heating up, the former Mariner second baseman went and made his complicated legacy even more complicated. If you’d like to weigh in on the Canó saga, share your thoughts here.  24:45-43:10: What does a successful offseason look like for the Mariners. Matthew, if you can believe it, wants his favorite baseball team to actively try and get better. Kate bravely goes out on a limb to say that one of Jerry Dipoto’s recent reliever acquisitions was “okay” and even “decent for a while”. John invokes a Canadian legend we’d all love to see in a Mariner uniform again. We all fawn over Taijuan Walker’s commitment to being in Seattle even though he is not technically on

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

0:00-17:25: Wesley Robinson joins the show all the way from Pennsylvania, where he works as the press secretary for a State Senator. Though he grew up in Tacoma, Wesley admits he’s both physically and emotionally removed from the Pacific Northwest, save for his Mariner fandom. How does one follow the team from the eastern time zone? Matthew and Wesley swap stories about moving away from home and how that affects your baseball life. It takes less than 20 minutes for a conversation about Mariner fandom to include the phrase “this is rough” and “I’m going to remember Charles Gipson for the rest of my life”. 17:30-33:10: Going back to the beginning of Wesley’s fandom, which he pinpoints in 1992. Omar Vizquel’s departure led him down a dark and confounding yet everlasting path. After being told about the Mariners’ eternal struggles, and watching them at an early age, seeing them build a competent team hooked him forever. How does McDonald’s factor in here? Which point in Wesley’s journey has been the most stressfu

0:00-23:00: First, a much-needed mental health check. Then, Matthew introduces Kate and Mikey who are here to bat ideas back and forth about the Mariners’ offseason plans. Who is everyone’s GUY, aka the player they want above all else? Do we think they’ll go old or young? Is this the part when they finally spend money? Is another international signing on the horizon? Are a pair of once-great pitchers cooked for good? If you wanted to hear the words chaos Muppet, you came to the right place.  23:05-33:30: Throwing out some starting pitcher free agents and seeing if there’s any interest from the room. We land on a resounding no when it comes to a certain player who loves to start problems on Twitter. What does your heart sound like when you hear the phrase “James Paxton reunion”? Mikey and Kate get into an argument about Dan Wilson and then pitch an idea for a new statue outside the stadium.  33:35-52:45: Let’s talk relievers, famously a very exciting group! Would you rather go for quality or quantity at the bu

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

0:00-13:25: Ashley MacLennan of DRaysBay is here to try and figure out how Mike Zunino ended up in the World Series. Her and Matthew begin by rejoicing over the fact that the Astros lost and how strange it is to not play an non-divisional opponent all season until the League Championship Series. Then we get into the Zunino zone. What were Ashley’s thoughts when the Rays traded Mallex Smith and Jake Fraley to land Z? Did anything surprise her about Zunino’s skill set? Also does Tampa want Jake Fraley back? 13:30-29:40: How did the Rays use Zunino during the regular season? Can we expect that to continue in the World Series? With a player like Mike, the non-quantifiable things are arguably the most important. How does Ashley feel about that, and how does that affect the way she watches the team? A discussion about players excelling after finding the best fit for them blooms out of this. Will Mikey be able to just sit fastball and feast off the Dodgers’ velocity? 30:10-41:34: The Rays are great y’all, get over y

0:00-8:00: We have three guests! Four total people! Dogs and cats living together! We’ve decided to examine each of the teams still playing in the League Championship Series and figure out how the Mariners can steal some of their ideas. On the American League side, Kate Preusser kindly chose the Astros while John Trupin covers the Rays. Isabelle Minasian, Lookout Landing emeritus member and current Digital Content Specialist for the Baseball Hall of Fame, talks about the Dodgers while Matthew Roberson breaks down the Braves. After briefly getting sidetracked by pleasantries and a discussion about the Pittsburgh Pirates (?), we get to the meat of the show. 8:05-30:10: How did the Astros get to this point after being laughably bad when they first joined the American League? As Kate explains, everyone stupidly continues to trade with them, they exploit the lesser teams, and they also nailed a bunch of draft picks in the pre-death machine days. Houston also remains fairly inactive in international signing, someth

0:00-20:00: Matthew calls up chef Eric Rivera (who was recently profiled in a wonderful Eater story by Alberto Perez) to talk about his experiences as a fan of the Seattle Mariners. Eric is also the owner of the restaurant Addo in Ballard, which is doing a lot of easy to make and inexpensive take-out meals. How did Eric feel about micro dosing a baseball season? How does he feel about what Jerry Dipoto has cooked up at his executive table? 20:05-39:35: Let’s talk about the unwritten rules, which are stupid, and if you like them, guess what? You are also stupid. Eric spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico as a kid, which means he also learned a lot about how the game is played there. What are the main differences? Why does America hate fun so much? 39:40-51:10: Where, when, and how did this whole journey of baseball fandom begin for Eric? Steroids and The Peanut Guy were heavily involved. He also talks about living in Chicago as the Cubs finally got over the hump and all the thoughts it invited. This portion ends

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

0:00-25:55: The show begins with Mariners’ minor league pitcher Jack Anderson giving us a few minutes of his time! Our conversation begins with some Midwest small talk before getting into the fear of losing the MLB draft’s late rounds. Jack is also a submarine style pitcher, which, as he puts it, was the first of its kind when his college team traveled to Cuba. Jack also tells us about how he stayed sharp during the COIVD shutdown. This segment ends with Jack explaining the work he’s doing for Young, Black & Lit, an Illinois-based organization committed to increasing access to children’s books that center, reflect, and affirm Black children. If you would like to help donate, or want to see videos from Jack’s Swings for Stories event, visit this page. The next part begins with a discussion of the Mariners’ Player Development Fall League roster, of which Jack is also a part of. 26:00-44:40: John Trupin logs on to talk about that roster as well as Jerry Dipoto’s recent comments about the team contending in 2021.

0:00-15:40: We’re giving out awards! That are totally made up and hold no actual value or contributions to society! YAYYYYYYYYY! But first, a quick roundup about the state of the franchise and a shout out to the small sample gods. 15:45-57:15: Time for the awards, starting with favorite games, although Matthew takes a quick detour to make an important confession. When it comes time to actually pick games, we all veer into the Gonzales zone and learn about the existence of Jimmy Herget. Then, biggest surprises of this season, which was a surprise to begin with. Matthew and John talk about their experience in the Seattle Wiffle Ball League. The squad then picks their favorite newcomers to the Mariners’ organization.  57:20-1:30:41: Biggest disappointments of the year, come get y’all juice. To wrap up the festivities, we hand out the Tyler Smith Award for Most Forgettable and the Mark Canha Award for Best New Enemy. While it didn’t bring home the award, Kate mentions a new enemy in tweet form. We also all agree

0:00-21:00: Hanna Brooks Olsen is here, just in time for plumes of ash to block out the sun and end humanity once and for all! As an Oregon resident, where does Hanna find the Mariners in the Oregon sports hierarchy? Hanna grew up in a household with dueling fandoms, which led to her grandfather’s ashes being scattered at a division rival’s field. After a brief rundown of the perceived itchiest player in Major League Baseball, we find out how Hanna fell hopelessly in love with baseball, which will always hit different on the radio. 21:05-45:20: Everyone’s got a beloved Mariner who wasn’t good at baseball. Hanna’s is a recently departed, perennially thicc middle reliever. During this segment, the concept of time takes Matthew behind the woodshed and absolutely beats him senseless. As Mariner fans, we have a protective turtle shell that shields us from danger but also allows us to hide in our own comforting isolation. Toomgis, Larry King, juggalos, and a Pioneer Square bar with carpeted tables also come up. 45:

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

0 - 15:00 General intro, bemoaning of the MiLB season lost. At about the five minute mark we get into our first listener question and the general state of the 2020 Mariners, surprisingly not as awful as we thought they might be! This is good! We roundtable our choices for the prospect who has surprised us the most at the big league level, and the answers might surprise you. Namely, we get a little fast and loose with the definition of prospect. 15:00 - 30:00: It’s never too early to talk big off-season signings, so that’s exactly what we do. There’s also some talk about the bullpen, and how Jerry Dipoto has spent money on the bullpen, and for that, we are sorry. 30:00 - end: Perfect Game chat! Joe puts some respect on Benny Montgomery’s name and Borat impression. Kate continually calls James Wood “Ed” Wood and for that she is sorry. Brady House and Jordan Lawlar are marveled over in a class that is especially strong on shortstops, hooray! Please don’t disappoint us again, Jerry. At about the 55 minute mark is