Lookout Landing

We're into the big fish now. John, Joe, and Kate start things off with a discussion of the then-rumored, now fleshed out draft alterations, and how the dramatic changes are likely a sign of some permanent long-term alterations. Afterwards, they dive into the top-10. Joe and Kate debate which of Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn are more well-suited for the rotation and which might be the Mariners next high-leverage reliever/closer. Kate talks about her brief view of a Brandon Williamson bullpen before spring training was shuttered, and how Noelvi Marte has enticed folks already with his potential. John talks about how the shortened season may throw Kyle Lewis back into flux, but that his brief emergence was something Mariners fans hadn't had in years. Music: Sister Surround - The Soundtrack of Our Lives / CHANGES - KAYTRANADA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

0:00-17:00: Rony! Roni! Roné! That’s all there is going on right now. With the virus ruining all of our lives, we wonder aloud when we’ll see baseball again. We can look to other countries for guidance, I guess. Will baseball finally, at long last, decide to get weird? 17:10-25:55: As the season would have opened this week, we swap some favorite Opening Day memories, which as per yoojh, leads to a conversation about Matthew’s degenerate past. One of his favorite dirtbag memories is leaving school to watch this game. 26:00-42:20: Take a moment to relax if you can, y’all. Then get into these coronavirus-baseball questions with us. It doesn’t take long for us to talk about REGRETS. 42:25-51:00: Naturally, things shift toward cannibalism? The question is simple: what Mariner would you eat in a time of crisis? Kate also finds a way to talk about Dylan Moore, one of her many unmatched skills. If we agree not to eat baseball players, what is the best quarantine snack? Where does Pirates of the Caribbean land in the

John, Joe, and Kate get back together to talk through players 20-11 on the Top-30 list. A few of the 2019 draftees break into the list, as well as the cream of the bullpen crop. Kate waxes poetic about the importance of Cal Raleigh, and we dive deep on what Seattle is doing differently this time to bring about a different result than they did with Mike Zunino's development. Distinctions are drawn on Joe Rizzo/Austin Shenton and Braden Bishop/Jake Fraley, and everyone flaunts the rules of every restriction John tries to put in place. Plus, everyone picks a favorite between three of the most enigmatic arms in the system - Isaiah Campbell, Juan Then, and Sam Carlson. Music: "CHANGES" by KAYTRANADA / "Wildfire" by Mandolin Orange Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lookout Landing's three main prospect writers assemble, as John Trupin hosts Kate Preusser and Joe Doyle to break down prospects 30-21 on the LL Top-50 list for 2020. The focus for this group is a set of several relievers among the best in the system, as well as a couple undersized starters and a trio of similarly small position players. Can Ljay Newsome and Devin Sweet stick in the rotation? Is the closer of the future in this group? Is there a path to the bigs for Joe Rizzo? What exactly makes Jonatan Clase so exciting? Are young relievers more valuable to MLB's decision makers than we are prone to give them credit for? Did Kate pick the wrong time to go to Spring Training? All those questions answered and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

0:00-21:55: Podcasting in the age of ‘roni. We’re talking to Michael Ajeto, newest hire at Lookout Landing, about his debut article for the site. Mikey wrote about Justus Sheffield, who was making some changes in Spring Training before they shut down the whole operation. Listen to Mikey break down why Sheffield’s fastball has struggled, what spin rate has to do with it, and how he’s trying to work around these issues. 22:00-42:15: Moving forward (whenever the heck that is), what will it take for Sheffield to be a legitimate MLB starting pitcher? With so much data at our fingertips now, what are good ways to actually evaluate pitchers? Who are some of our favorite pitchers to watch (hypothetically speaking, of course)? The boys reminisce over Mike Leake’s almost perfect game. 42:20-46:55: What stood out in the tiny amount of Spring Training action we saw? Matthew praises the concept of longform content, especially during a time when people are in desperate need of entertainment. 47:00-1:04:00 Mikey walks us th

0:00-16:55: This episode begins with two decidedly non-experts, Matthew and guest Joe Veyera, talking about the coronavirus and how it will affect the podcast universe. Matthew then asks Joe how his fandom has evolved with age, particularly as the team fades into national irrelevance. What does one look to when winning is removed from the equation? How can we reasonably measure success in 2020? Matthew reminds the class that it’s important to have fun, whatever that means for you. 17:00-28:20: Say it with us, folks: AT LEAST WE’RE NOT THE KNICKS! Joe brags about being a Seattle lifer and a gift he received in 1996. The podcast duo identifies the path toward redemption, and it goes through Kernkraft 400. This conversation between two children of the mid-90s moves to how weird it is to both see the Mariners play the villains in a movie, and not having any real memories of Griffey. Matthew ends this segment with one of his trademark cross-sport comparisons. 28:25-42:25: Getting real deep on the passage of time a

In the debut of Lookout Landing's first ever prospects and minor leagues-focused podcast, host John Trupin and Managing Editor Kate Preusser kick things off talking about Lookout Landing's top prospects list. Episode one goes in depth on the 50-30 range, as well as some of the guys outside that group, detailing how the rankings came together, what players have the opportunity to make the greatest jump towards MLB impact, and why some guys have slipped. Music: CHANGES by KAYTRANADA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

0:00-14:45: A very rare in-person podcast recording! Matthew and Eric Sanford actually sit in the same room and talk to each other, eliminating the need for pesky computers and other audio trappings. Eric is about to embark for Spring Training and boy does he have some opinions. Listen up if you want to get educated before making a trip of your own, and also stick around for a glorious Dae-Ho Lee story which makes Eric sound like a Grade-A lurker! 14:50-24:55: The do’s and don’ts of seeking an autograph as an adult. If you want a more in-depth, written version of this, click here. How to manipulate your children into liking the same things as you. What sort of things should you do in Arizona when you’re not at a baseball field? If you like fusion restaurants where Guy Fieri has crushed a snickerdoodle, well, of course you like that. Eric will tell you where that place is. Also, if you’re interested in playing some Wiffle ball or just marveling at our stats, check out our league website. 25:00-35:10: What’s th

0:00-11:25: Spring Training has sprung! Surely we set a world record for quickest conversation about T-Pain and Yankee Doodle in the history of podcasts. Kate flexes about knowing Julio Rodriguez. What did seeing Julio and Jarred in Mariner uniforms do to our collective spirit? John gets existential about the concept of “mattering”. 11:30-32:45: Who is about to ether the Cactus League? Where will the rugrats open their respective seasons? Matthew remains admirably silent while the adults talk. Kate pulls the curtain back a little bit on Noelvi Marte. Who is the best Mariner friendship in this, our post-Marco & Wade universe? What reality show is responsible for last year’s Arkansas Travelers becoming even closer? Why is Julio so bad at Operation? 32:50-46:55: Who is the odd man out in Seattle’s great utility man battle? Now that the Mariners have an actually respected farm system with a decent player development system, which depth guys in the minors could make a jump soon? What parts of the farm will be most

0:00-9:45: Welcoming local musician Tomo Nakayama to the show! This is a momentous occasion, as pitchers and catchers have finally reported to Spring Training and one of them is Mariner legend Taijuan Walker. While Tomo admittedly took 2019 off from a baseball fan perspective, him and Matthew are both ready to lower their expectations again and immerse themselves in 2020. Then, we talk about Tomo’s upbringing, which started in Japan and came to Bellevue in the late 1980s. The rest, as they say, is history, just like Edgar Martinez’s mustache. 9:50-36:05: Who were Tomo’s guys growing up? What are his memories of the ’95 season? Talking about the familial aspect of former players becoming broadcasters and talking heads. Is it fair to have real animosity for players who chose to leave Seattle? We don’t know, but it is fair for Tomo to share his hilarious story about meeting A-Rod in person. He then talks about watching Ichiro streak across the sky and sharing an elevator with Dave Niehaus. 36:10-45:25: Having sp

0:00-17:15: First question, what goin on? Second question, how do we sneak John into the Mariners’ bullpen? This portends what is, no joke, probably the most in-depth discussion on the Mariners’ bullpen that anyone has had in months. Small steps, mankind, things of that nature…Read more about Yoshihisa Hirano from this titan of online reporting. 17:20-20:40: Please, Mariners, please, at the very least, give us some fun. Maybe that means Zac Grotz breakdancing on the mound. Goodbye to Reggie McClain. We hardly knew ye. Hello to Yoshihisa Hirano, who is wearing a single digit number. 20:45-35:35: What will the outfield look like as Mitch Haniger remains shelved? Do the Mariners have a third straight Opening Day upset in store? Matthew proposes a revolutionary approach to lineup management. John mentions one of the utility men that Seattle has run through the Dylan Moore-Shawn O’Malley car wash in hopes that some of their stuff seeps in. Allow us to introduce you to José “El Loco” Siri. What do we expect from Ni

0:00-15:00: 100 episodes, countless laughs, infinite bad takes, they’ve all led to this moment. Just please don’t actually go back and count, we’ve probably made several counting mistakes. For this very enormous episode, we’ve decided to not talk about baseball at all. Instead, we answer all of your random, non-sports questions from Twitter. First up: when is it too late to say Happy New Year? John and Matthew then wax poetic about their favorite high school teachers. 15:05-26:50: Matthew defends two dirtbag California bands. Which Adam Sandler vehicle gets John the most conflictedly excited? Kate espouses a certain fast food chain’s breakfast menu. 26:55-40:20: We talk pets! Good, bad, annoying, alive, and those no longer with us. Stick around to find out which avian creature John considers his favorite animal.  40:25-1:01:00: Which one of us is trying to leave Earth for a new life on Mars? Then, somehow, we get into Kate speaking Latin and some philosophical musings. What happens to Mariner fans when we sta

0:00-12:25: Jeva Lange, a culture critic for The Week, joins the show to discuss her Mariner journey! Jeva grew up on the Eastside but lives in New York City and, in her own words, is an avid Mariner fan but also a bit detached. This means, unfortunately, that a huge part of her Mariner experience is watching them at Yankee Stadium. Pro tip from a New Yorker: Citi Field > Yankee Stadium. What was her reaction to seeing James Paxton in pinstripes all over town? How does she cope with having a boyfriend that actively roots for the Oakland Athletics? 12:30-29:05: How to explain the Mariners to non-sports people. Claiming bragging rights on prolonged suffering. Matthew and Jeva discuss things that can take your mind off of sports and also the ways those can backfire. However, we will always have the luxury of falling asleep to Mariner games, especially those of us on the east coast. How do we feel Twitter has shaped our approach to baseball? What about keeping score? A brief chat on the art of doing things by you

0:00-12:00: Kate’s feeling ill right now, and she doesn’t mean ill like really cool and awesome she means like she’s coming down with a sickness. Luckily, Starbucks (not one of our sponsors…yet), is here to help. John sort of Kramers his way in here around the five-minute mark and we shoot the breeze about the Mariners' relatively boring offseason. If you wanted Kendall Graveman and Carl Edwards Jr. buzz, you came to the right place. Matthew then makes a shocking confession about furniture. 12:05-25:55: Will Kyle Seager be traded before the season? A Twitter user asks us what kind of midseason moves we could see from the Mariners this year. 26:00-44:50: The Astros, they cheated! This is no longer an industry secret! Let’s make fun of them! Making sure we’re on the same page about Mike Fiers being good and A.J. Hinch being a good guy in performative ways only. Asking former college baseball player John Trupin how much sign stealing actually helps. Appreciating Tom Lawless and wondering what could have been had

0:00-18:15: Jordan Shusterman aka half of Cespedes Family BBQ aka Gringo Mr. Worldwide aka Yung Mariners Fan aka Mango White Claw joins the show! As the Astros keep pantsing themselves in public, we laugh at the fact that nobody has ever come close to embarrassing themselves quite like our Seattle Mariners. When unearthing Jordan’s fandom, we discover that he is maybe a bad decision-maker. Not in terms of how he got there, which was partially due to this beautiful publication, but because he went out of his way to support the M’s while growing up on the east coast. Shout out Jeff Sullivan and Trayvon Robinson. 18:20-33:55: Becoming true to the blue while also developing an online presence. Matthew references some of his best work from the teen posting days. Who is Jordan’s favorite bad Mariner? What was it like to meet James Jones in 2015? What about being at All-Star Media Day with Justin Smoak? How the Mariners mirror life in Seattle and also invoke Natasha Bedingfield. How is this crop of prospects differe

0:00-16:25: Welcoming Nat Baird to the show for his first appearance on the Lookout Landing podcast! Nat is the newest hire and also probably the coolest person on staff, as he gets to travel the world with his rock climbing school. As a teenager, Nat has also never inhabited the planet at the same time as a Mariner playoff game. He still managed to become a fan though, partially due to his own mishaps. 16:30-25:35: Surprise! We’re a rock climbing, Seahawks, and Utah Jazz podcast now. What “were” the Mariners when Nat first became aware of them in *gulp* the mid-2000s? Kate then explains what Seattle felt like as a baseball town, even though Nat wasn’t alive and Matthew could barely read at the time.  25:40-43:15: Why won’t Brodie van Wagenen add Matthew to his LinkedIn network? He’s been on TV after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbzLEkRty1Q&feature=youtu.be Never sleep on the A’s and never talk about the Mariners as a sure thing. Is it a sure thing that they’ll be better than the Orioles? Who is Nat’s

0:00-11:00: Welcoming Hillary Kirby, one of the founders, OGs, and co-leads of the Maple Grove to the Lookout Landing podcast! Hillary grew up in Ferndale with a British family, which is not typically a recipe for baseball fandom. As she describes, an elementary school teacher provided the entry point. Less than eight minutes in, John Olerud’s outstanding invitation to come on the podcast gets rescinded. Both Hillary and Matthew commiserate over their childhood heroes being not-so-great people. Edgar Martinez, though, would never do a shirtless interview. Duh. 11:15-28:00: Chatting shit about cricket, the wonders of cinema, and Mike Cameron stories! Then, getting into the Maple Grove’s humble beginnings. How did it start? Who was involved? Surprisingly, part of the reason has to do with Canadians being mean. Matthew recalls his first Maple Grove experience, which came during a seminal James Paxton start. Hillary effuses her extremely distant relative George Kirby, talks about Nintendo characters, and laughs a

0:00-13:45: Jeffrey discusses his upbringing on a Native American reservation, where baseball is competing for people’s interests with pro wrestling and Elvis, among other things. While he describes himself as a baseball fan (by way of the Bash Brothers) before a Mariners fan, Jeffrey came to love the M’s with a little help from his wife. Then, we move to baseball cards being a portal into the game. 13:50-24:10: A natural shift to young player talk and how that teaches patience. Full nostalgia comes next, with Jeffrey recalling his admiration for Mark Langston. The temptation of “What if?” rears its ugly head, but that’s nothing new around here. 24:15-32:15: Eat your heart out nerds, we’re talkin’ INTANGIBLES! Jeffrey mentions how much he likes a certain player that will not be named here. The one thing we agree, on though, is The King. Also, as Mariners fans, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing players leave Seattle and wind up in the playoffs. How do you approach that? 32:20-44:45: Where does Jeffrey’s exci

Spike Friedman joins the podcast! It was great! Follow Spike on Twitter for a look into his brain, or on Instagram to see his dog Edgar Martinez Friedman. 0:00-11:45: Obviously, we start with some Kendall Graveman and Wally Joyner goss. As always, then we get into Spike’s entry point to Mariner fandom and reminisce about our favorite guys who weren’t actually very good. Then, somehow for the first time in this podcast series, we mourn the Ben Broussard trade. 11:50-25:15: A love letter to Bret Boone, one of the few people who was probably stoked to become a Mariner. Jerry Dipoto may not be as accomplished as John Schneider, but at least he’s not a movie quote frat bro. Spike shares the story of moving away from the Northwest in 1995, a year in which things happened. How the Mariners' rise mirrored that of grunge music. 25:20-34:40: The requisite Edgar Martinez appreciation chat. Spike’s highest volume of Mariner consumption did not coincide with wins. The same can sadly be said about or deposed king of pit

0:00-14:00: How Kevin and Tristan began their lives as die-hard Mariner fans in Boulevard Park, all thanks to Rich Amaral and Russ Davis. They also explain the beauty of Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball. Would they have gravitated to baseball so hard if the Mariners were terrible in the 90s? 14:05-19:55: A reminder that Matthew’s birth saved the franchise. What do Tristan’s kids think of the current Mariners? Are children lacking an obvious entry point to baseball? 20:00-33:55: When did apathy kick in for Kevin and Tristan? Kevin mentions a gradual decline while Tristan praises baseball’s endless churn (sports, always better than no sports) before realizing he probably just doesn’t like baseball that much.   34:00-42:10: The spice levels elevate off the charts! Tristan starts by wielding a flamethrower toward all people that abandon their hometown squad for the Flavor of the Month team. Then, he goes off about 1995 and 2001 actually being the worst things that ever happened. Finally, Tristan