Lookout Landing: for Seattle Mariners fans

Latest Episodes:

Lookout Landing Podcast 146: Jordan Shusterman of Céspedes Family BBQ Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

0:00-27:00: These intros get drier and drier as we sink deeper and deeper into the pandemic, but this week we have John extolling the virtues of Rat-a-Tat Cat. This week’s guest is Jordan Shusterman of Céspedes Family BBQ, who is holed up in Maryland with his family, buried under nine inches of snow. We get going with a discussion on emergency catchers, inspired by Shed Long Jr. and Carson Vitale. Speculation about Raúl Ibañez’s new job at the league office follows. So does an open conversation about how many vegan prospects there are across the baseball landscape.

27:05-42:25: The Mariners’ offseason...why? Matthew sees an opportunity to make this about Ginuwine and goes for it. A certain “superstar” is discussed, causing Kate to spiral toward misery, before reminding all of us that there are just some fans out there that will never be satisfied.

42:35-1:07:10: Has Jordan been vibin’ with J-Rod? There’s a pretty good conversation here about how to get the most out of baseball players, who often want to give you the least. Nobody in the entire Milky Way galaxy needs to hear about what minor league players like to hunt or see another video of them working out.

1:07:15-1:22:00: The news of Félix Hernández signing with the Orioles breaks as we’re recording! Live reactions! Matthew ends the show by hitting Jordan with some hard-hitting, rapid fire questions about Major League Baseball.

Music: “Keep Their Heads Ringin’” by Dr. Dre // “Anybody” by Young Thug feat. Nicki Minaj

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Lookout Landing Podcast 145: Sam Delaplane Jan 29, 2021

Show notes

0:00-12:00: We’re back! Two episodes in two weeks, who knew that was even allowed? This week’s guest is Sam Delaplane, relief pitcher in the Mariners’ minor league system. Sam was with Arkansas in 2019 and took part in Spring Training, Summer Camp, and all the goings-on in Tacoma during the pandemic before recently being added to the 40-man roster. Sam is currently in Arizona, where he’s been bored enough to call in to our podcast!

12:05-35:00: How has being short influenced Sam’s baseball journey? Industry consensus tells us that the jump to Double-A is tricky, so let’s here what someone who’s done it in real life has to say. Which Twins legend with a .248 career batting average gave Sam a bunch of trouble in Arkansas, where he played with Kyle Lewis, Evan White, Justus Sheffield, and a truckload of current and future Mariners?

35:05-39:55: What’s the plan for 2021? What does a successful season look like for Sam Delaplane? He has something very specific and somewhat obvious in mind.

40:00-1:02:50: Let’s get silly, we know what you came here for. Kate fawns over Sam’s dog, who has picked up its own version of a slider. Stories from Summer Camp, living in a hotel, taking the T-Mobile mound, and peering into Kyle Seager’s mind come next. Sam tells us some of the inside information he learned about HOW TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. The show ends with his best stories about weird karaoke on a bus and his favorite minor league cities. Mad love to Utah Jones.

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Lookout Landing Podcast 144: Braden Bishop Jan 22, 2021

Show notes

0:00-21:00: None of us are doing “well”, in the traditional sense, but today we’re doing better than other days. Braden Bishop, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, is on our podcast! Braden kicks things off by recalling his experience at the Spring Training shut down of 2020, revealing how he’s staying in shape, and making fun of Carson Vitale’s dance moves. For those who didn’t know, Braden also created the 4MOM Charity after his mother was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s.

21:05-38:25: What happened on a routine trip to CVS that altered his perception of America forever? The decision to scale back on Twitter, even though he was using it mostly to embarrass idiots, has gone a long way for Braden. Find out which former UW football player reached out to help him reach that point. What does his family, which includes several active police officers, think of Braden being so outspoken in support of Black Lives Matter?

38:30-50:25: What have other athletes said to Braden about being so open with his opinions? With so few athletes, particularly white MLB players, willing to speak out, he occupies a very interesting space. Kate points out that the WNBA has been leading the way for several years, while MLB is, uhhh…not.

50:30-1:12:25: Let’s get an MLB debut story! Braden had the (mis)fortune of debuting in Japan, during the game where Ichiro retired, as Ichiro’s replacement. Then, we get Griffey AND Ichiro stories! Don’t say we never did anything for you. Braden then shares some memories about his first games in America and the “welcome to MLB” moments that came with it, including the list of All-Star pitchers he had to face right out of the gate.

1:12:30-1:33:00: In normal Lookout Landing fashion, we gush over prospects, talk about lacerated spleens, and fawn over Braden’s barber skills. We apologize for the loud laughter during this part. Pay us for better editing equipment, Vox.

Music: “This Thing” by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard // “Callin’ on Me” by Matt Martians

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Lookout Landing Podcast 143: Bradford William Davis on the Lindor trade, Mets/Padres power struggle, and state of MLB Jan 08, 2021

Show notes

0:00-27:30: 2021 is here, and so is Roenis Elías, but that’s not why we’re here. Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News and Baseball Prospectus has blessed the mic for an episode about MLB at-large. As a New York-based writer, Bradford has some extensive thoughts on the Mets and their innovative, cutting edge strategy, which is trying to win baseball games by acquiring the best players. Where does he stand on the players that went from New York to Cleveland in the Lindor deal? What about the practice of pretty good teams actively trying to be the opposite of pretty good?

27:35-49:15: We discuss this clip of Bradford asking Francisco Lindor about Cleveland’s spending habits after they were eliminated from last year’s playoffs. What does this response tell us about the rest of the league? Baseball players’ general lack of knowledge about the union and labor relations, detailed in this 2019 article by Stephanie Apstein, also seems like an issue. Kate openly asks if the Tampa Bay Rays are a pyramid scheme. Matthew makes his claim for abolishing divisions and a new system for determining who gets the No. 1 overall pick. Bradford calls people who care about the draft “dorks”.

49:20-1:03:00: The Mets are interested in…Kyle Seager? Is this anything? You have to think Jerry Dipoto will at least make a phone call or six to Queens, just for old times’ sake. Right around this point the episode takes a vicious left turn toward blaccents, hip-hop tattoos, how every white guy is named Tyler, and public masturbation.

1:03:05-1:19:57: Getting back on track by forcing Bradford to talk about the Seattle Mariners before we say goodbye. Terms like “upside” and “not embarrassing” are bandied about.

Music: “ST. PERCY” by BROCKHAMPTON // “Fade Away” by Susanne Sundfør

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22. They Might Be Mariners: Trading from the farm & MLB Draft Top 100 Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

It's the dead of winter, but that doesn't mean the farm is without activity. Joe, John, and Kate convene to discuss the latest moves, answer your questions, discuss the recently dropped MLB Pipeline Top-100 Draft Prospects list, and more! Seattle's trade of Jose Corniell and what it means for the farm,

0:00 - 20:00 - Fare thee well, Tim Lopes and Jose Corniell. We discuss our feelings on Seattle making a trade from their pitching depth, and the positives of such a move versus the concerns about dealing away a 17 year old with promise. Is it a sign of worrisome things to come that Jerry Dipoto is moving the youth out again? Or simply something the club can do thanks to the array of pitching prospects they've assembled at this point? We also fret at the uncertainty of the dreaded PTBNL and wonder which other players in the system might have been showcased at the instructional league with the purpose of trading.

20:00 - 36:00 - Who is next to go off the 40 man? Seattle's roster is stuffed full of relievers, but the club says they intend to add upgrades in the bullpen. Will we see DFAs of some of the players Seattle claimed this winter, or are longtime prospects like Braden Bishop or Donavan Walton at risk? Relatedly, what to do with left field? Jose Marmolejos gets a decent helping of disrespect from the hosts, albeit mostly due to his preferable role being not in the outfield, but what is the plan with Jake Fraley for that matter? Plus, a fun Willie Bloomquist factoid!

36:00 - End - Draft Talk! Kate thinks the tiers of this class break down pretty solidly for Seattle, even if they'll likely miss out on the current "Tier 1" group. Joe suggests this is the year the Mariners might finally go prep position player with their first pick, to the delight and shock of his compatriots. Kate is affronted at some C Ian Moller disrespect, John picks his 2021 Tyler Keenan, and Joe breaks down why the current climate is making it much easier on prep prospects than college ones. We also discuss the high ranking of local prospect OF Malakhi Knight, who comes in at No. 38 on MLB Pipeline's list, and why that's a well-earned bit of recognition at this point. Joe also breaks down what this time in winter looks like in the draft prep process for teams and prospects, and why the dead period isn't so dead for everyone. We finish out with a few listener questions, looking for the next Dylan Moore and crossing our fingers with a bit more optimism that attending live baseball might not be too far away in our futures.

Music: "YO VISTO ASI" - Bad Bunny

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Lookout Landing Podcast 142: Andrea Williams discusses her upcoming Effa Manley biography Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

0:00-7:45: Prior to the recent MLB-Negro League news, Andrea Williams, author of the upcoming book Baseball's Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues, called the Lookout Landing hotline. The prerequisite vibe check blends into a conversation about the parallels between today and some of the book’s themes. Andrea also reflects on the fact she’s publishing a book during a pandemic.

7:50-24:55: What caused Andrea to take an interest in baseball in the first place? After name dropping Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye, a confession arises from the rubble of Kansas City fandom. To kick off the deeper Effa Manley conversation, a brief primer is required. Not only does Andrea explain who Effa was and what she did, but also the layers of Black baseball that enrich her greater story. Branch Rickey, catch this fade. Just because Harrison Ford played you in a movie doesn’t automatically mean you get off scot-free.

25:00-37:30: What did Andrea think about the way things unfolded this summer, as she began promoting a book about Effa Manley and the Negro Leagues as America started paying more attention to race relations? It turns out, writing a book is very hard. What are some things that need to happen moving forward to ensure that progress doesn’t stall out? Andrea shares her promise of becoming “obsessed” with Effa and how much knowledge she had before putting pen to paper. This portion of the show also includes an examination of Jackie Robinson under a different lens.

38:30-1:03:53: The logos and graphic design of the Negro Leagues were cool as hell. Andrea details the perspective of her writing for this book, what she hopes to accomplish with it, and how seeking information from the correct sources is the most important part of learning. To put a bow on this lively conversation about what is sure to be a wonderful book, Andrea reads a passage from it. If you pre-order the book now using this link, you can get a personalized version from Andrea herself!

Music: “untitled 07 | 2014-2016” by Kendrick Lamar // “New Year” by Beach House

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Lookout Landing Podcast 141: Middleton, Montero, and news, oh my! Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

0:00-16:00: Things are happening! Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners are movin’ and shakin’. To make heads or tails of this, the podcast gang reconvenes to mostly just share their excitement about having actual news. While the acquisitions of Keynan Middleton and Rafael Montero are still just reliever acquisitions, there are things to get hyped about here. Kate also briefly forgets one of her longtime staff writer’s name. As someone who also hates Angels fans, we think Middleton will fit in beautifully with the Mariners.

16:05-39:05: 17-year-old pitching prospect Jose Corniell is gone. 30-year-old reliever Rafael Montero is here. What should we expect from the ex-Ranger, who was their closer in 2020? Also, he was a Mets prospect, because of course he was! Will we see Seattle add another bullpen arm from the AL West? Are the Mariners going to have a bullpen made entirely of 98 MPH fastballs? Matthew, Kate, and John wonder aloud who the M’s will deploy in the closer role. This segues nicely into a few of our listener questions. Now that the Mariners have added bodies to the bullpen, watching how they handle the fringe players will be an interesting dance.

39:10-1:00:45: Let’s recap all of the news that Seattle Times beat writer Ryan Divish blessed us with. Murphy and Haniger are back, Ty France is expected to play every day, and we have a second base competition. At one point during this section, John starts audibly talking with his hands. A Twitter user brings up an unspeakable atrocity, and debates about Taylor Trammell’s readiness and Jake Fraley’s anything-ness bubble to the surface.

1:00:50-1:13:45: Scott Servais has confirmed that they’ll roll with the six-man rotation, we just don’t know who will fill the final three spots. The 1993 comedic film Rookie of the Year gets some shine. Kate makes a late push to ghostwrite Scott Boras’ thoughts. Matthew sneaks in some content for the jersey number heads.

Music: “Hard Feelings/Loveless” by Lorde // “Oh My” by Natalie Prass

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Lookout Landing Podcast 140: The Ballpark Food Draft Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

0:00-10:45: Surprise! Things actually happened! We are forced to start with a Chris Flexen sesh. If you’d like to read more about Flexen, our own Michael Ajeto has you covered. We also try to figure out why Mariners Twitter seems to be so obsessed with signing Garrett Richards. Where does this utterly whelming transaction leave the Mariners in the AL West picture, at least in December?

10:50-25:15: Pour one out for the minor leagues, especially our homies in West Virginia. Kate schools us on the history of the Clinton LumberKings, a former Mariners affiliate who unfortunately were a casualty of these latest cuts. John also uses the word “hooey” during this part. In all seriousness, it’s a huge bummer to be losing some of these teams. However, as Lookout Landin often does, we attempt to find the bright side. A listener question then gives us an excuse to talk about this Zac Grotz video again.

26:15-37:15: We’re doing a draft, which is certainly not an original podcast idea, but it is a fun one! The draft topic is: ballpark food at T-Mobile Park. In a best attempt to replicate the ballpark experience for y’all, each of us draft four food items from the stadium that are near and dear to our heart. John goes first and takes a designated hitter’s delicacy. The reasoning? An anti-soggy agenda. Matthew’s first pick is named after a player who’s no longer on the team, which could spell trouble. Kate grabs a bougie item that is inaccessible to the greater public.

37:20-54:35: As a veteran of the chicken wars, Kate knows her way around poultry. Her pick to kick off the second round is perhaps the best value pick of the whole draft, and it derails Matthew’s entire operation. A divisive fan favorite – albeit a lightning rod for criticism – immediately follows.

54:40-1:16:48: After some sweets and an American classic are chosen, the fourth round begins with another hefty sandwich. Matthew’s final pick is sure to send a chill down some of your spines. We bring it back to alternative nachos at the Mr. Irrelevant spot. If you’d like to hear someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, check out our recent episode with Seattle chef Eric Rivera.

Tell us who you think had the best draft, as well as your favorite items that we left on the board!

Music: “Thinning” by Snail Mail // “88” by The Cool Kids

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Lookout Landing Podcast 139: The podcast about nothing Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

0:00-23:45: Who are these people buying metric tons of toilet paper at the grocery store? Show yourselves! Matthew, Kate, and John examine both sides of the great Thanksgiving debate before Harry and Sally catch this fade. We also urge you not to forget our anniversary with Brodie van Wagenen. Roughly two years since the Robinson Canó trade talks started heating up, the former Mariner second baseman went and made his complicated legacy even more complicated. If you’d like to weigh in on the Canó saga, share your thoughts here.

24:45-43:10: What does a successful offseason look like for the Mariners. Matthew, if you can believe it, wants his favorite baseball team to actively try and get better. Kate bravely goes out on a limb to say that one of Jerry Dipoto’s recent reliever acquisitions was “okay” and even “decent for a while”. John invokes a Canadian legend we’d all love to see in a Mariner uniform again. We all fawn over Taijuan Walker’s commitment to being in Seattle even though he is not technically on the team.

43:15-1:18:40: Look, it’s Mitch Haniger taking a real life swing with an actual bat! What does this mean? The whole gang then laughs at Tom Brady for being old and washed before entertaining the idea of some signings from the Asian leagues. Michael Brantley also comes up during this part, though Kate is convinced he’s heading to an entirely different country. Matthew angles for a roster spot with the Yakult Swallows and urges against the dangers of coming up with fake trades all winter. Take a walk and enjoy the fresh air, please. If we must play the hypothetical game, sound off in the comments with your ideas for free agents the Angels can overpay and then waste.

Music: “Lighterless” by Microwave // “20 Something” by SZA

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Lookout Landing Podcast 138: Mitch Haniger's trainer Austin Einhorn Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

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.

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