All three of John, Kate, and Joe link our podcast-creation-stones once more to cover a highly educated crop of Mariners draftees with minimal pizzazz on the surface. We came into this recording with dissatisfaction in our hearts, but worked our way to a better place. Have a listen!

Music: “Sister Surround” by Soundtrack to Our Lives / “CHANCES” by KAYTRANADA

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Kate and Joe talk about the Mariners sixth-round pick Emerson Hancock as well as review the first day of the draft as a whole. They also discuss Day Two strategies and targets, and how the Mariners might address the gaps in their system.

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Welcome to draft week, where the slots do matter and nobody knows what's going on. John, Kate, and Joe join forces all the same to offer our last thoughts before things go down this Wednesday and Thursday. The topics of conversation include...

And much more. Check out lookoutlanding.com for all our draft coverage, including Joe's final mock draft, with a big 'ol surprise at No. 10.

Music: "Kin II" by Midnight Survivor / "CHANCES" by KAYTRANADA

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0:00-11:45: A lovely reunion conversation is immediately interrupted by Kate updating us on her mobile, liquor-slurping neighbors. As per usual, this portends another conversation that has absolutely nothing to do with the intended purposes of this podcast. Before getting back on track, Matthew addresses the recent events in America and implores you to do what you can.

11:50-24:45: We get into MLB’s proposed plans for getting the season going. This includes some talk about timelines, player payment, and locations. All of this stumbles into open suggestions for how certain teams can recreate the environment of their home parks. This is the part where we’re contractually obligated to wonder if the Mariners could sneak into the playoffs and subsequently start an unbearable discussion about whether it counts.

24:50-49:55: Digging into listener questions! Thank you as always to those who submitted, we know it’s been a while since we spoke to you directly. Questions cover topics like how players will come out of this physically, the upcoming draft, and Dan Altavilla’s swelling derrière.

50:00-1:04:00: The part you’ve all been waiting for, infrastructure and Fourth of July “salad” debates! Thank you as always for listening to this beautifully weird show.

Music: “Americans” by Janelle Monáe // “Ultralight Beam” by Kanye West (Chance the Rapper verse)

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Among many other things, this was a grim few weeks for baseball in the United States. The Mariners cut 44 minor leaguers, including several players with longer tenures in the organization than anyone not named Seager. John, Joe, and Kate talk through a number of players whose careers in Seattle's affiliation came to an end this week, with a focus on the implications for the minor leagues going forward, what the Arizona Fall League may look like, and how independent baseball will be increasingly worth everyone's time.

At around the 35:00 minute mark, the discussion turns to the draft. Georgia RHP Emerson Hancock has been mocked to the Mariners a couple times now, representing a surprising shift for one of the premier arms in the pool. We go into what's precipitated that perceived slip and whether we'd be on board if he's still available at No. 6 (you can hear Kate screaming 'YES'!!!! without the headphones). Afterwards, we turn our focus beyond the first round and each talk through a few names at every pick - 43, 64, 78, 107, and 137, who could be available and would fit our desires and Seattle's needs, to provide some "ones to watch" for next week's draft.

If you have questions, next week's podcast will drop on Tuesday as a prep episode for the Wednesday and Thursday draft.

Music: "The Space Program" - A Tribe Called Quest / "CHANCES" - KAYTRANADA

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0:00-28:10: Mourning a Memorial Day without baseball before welcoming Mariner legend Bucky Jacobsen to the show! Bucky breaks down the origins of his name and how he went from the smallest kid in his school to a hulking MLB slugger. Which earthly process does Bucky’s career most resemble, and how did it come out of eastern Oregon? He also shares a story about his athletic career in the aquatic world.

29:15-43:55: Let’s dig in to Bucky’s career, starting with the day he got called up in 2004. You might not remember which beloved Mariner got released to make room for big #33. You definitely don’t remember what happened in his first game, which was a disaster for the Mariners but memorable for Bucky, especially because of a pregame ritual that ticked off the second baseman.

44:00-55:55: What changes has Bucky noticed in baseball culture today compared to when he played? Which future Hall of Famer did Bucky describe as having a “dump truck ass” when they crossed paths in the Venezuelan winter ball? This leads to some talk about the Mariners’ current crop of prospects and how they might progress.

56:00-1:20:00: Time for trivia! We ask Bucky if he knows the only Mariner to hit more home runs than him in less than 180 plate appearances. Can he name every pitcher he homered off? Finally, we end with an Ichiro story.

Music: “What’s Golden” by Jurassic 5 // “Knuck If You Buck” by Crime Mob

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Kate, Joe, and John tackle MLB's most recent proposals for how teams might handle the shortened season, and how minor league baseball and prospects may be impacted. With a taxi squad proposal involving 30 active players and 20 taxi squad "reserves", teams will be digging into their prospect pools for big league action this year if games take place. What might that roster look like for the Mariners? And are there players who might be better or worse suited for such an arrangement?

We also discuss the news of the day, with the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim laying off and/or furloughing much of their scouting and player development groups. After this podcast was recording, the Athletics informed their minor leaguers they would cease paying them, but would not release them from their contracts, beginning June 1. We discuss how these circumstances may have lengthy ramifications for some teams, the AL West in particular, and how that will likely bleed into the MLB Draft as well.

Music: "Wrecking Ball" - Bruce Springsteen / "CHANCES" - KAYTRANADA

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0:00-12:25: Gabey Lucas, a writer and editor for UW Dawg Pound and local comedian, joins the show to chat about the Mariners and all that surrounds this team. What has she been watching to fill the sports void? Korean baseball? Cornhole? Who’s been the biggest winner of quarantine? After exchanging pleasantries, Matthew and Gabey talk about SB Nation’s Dorktown documentary about the Mariners.

12:30-29:55: What are some of the similarities between the Mariners and UW football, or Seattle sports at large? It certainly doesn’t seem like a coincidence that a lot of the city’s sports history mirrors its dreary sensibility. As Mariner fans, the losing obviously hovers over a lot of our collective experience, but how often do you really think about the sustained failure? We also wonder how much sucking creates apathy in the players, as well as how Seattle’s personality as a city could be a turnoff for southern players.

30:00-45:35: Some Braden Bishop UW x Mariners crossover content! When will the Mariners have their next local kid make it with the big club? Why do we expect athletes to care about their job, and their employer, more than common folk?

45:40-1:08:00: How did Gabey get mixed up with the Mariners anyway? Which player’s name did Gabey utter as one of her first words? Who is her guy that wasn’t actually good at baseball? We end with a much-deserved appreciation of the changeup as a concept.

Music: “Solitude is Bliss” by Tame Impala // “Heart of Glass” by Blondie

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It's mock draft day on TMBM, and we're so excited to bring you a heaping serving of 2020 prognostication. John, Kate, and Joe have divvied up all 30 teams and make their selections, serpentine style, to give a sense of who might go where, and who that might leave available for the Seattle Mariners at picks No. 6, 43, 64, and 78.

We go in order from No. 1 thru No. 43 on air, as well as including our selections at No. 64 and No. 78, but the full draft, with explanations, can be found in the episode article on Lookout Landing dot com. Whether you're a Mariners fan or not, let us know if you'd be happy with how things shake out!

Music: "Things Can Only Get Better" - Howard Jones / "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" - New Kids On The Block

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With the grisliest work behind us, John, Kate, and Joe look into the cheerier tidings of more recent drafts, hoping to get a sense of what's gone wrong and right, and what we might expect from the Mariners in the 2020 Draft. We talk extensively about pitching development, and how Seattle's knack for it in recent years has been encouraging. Conversely, we address the way Seattle's drafts in recent years have directly led to the dearth of middle infield depth in the system, and how their preference for college talent in the top of the draft has become conspicuous. Kate claims the 2018 draft class is shaping up to be the defining one of Dipoto's tenure. We talk about 3B/2B Joe Rizzo, who has a magnifying glass on him for many of the reasons listed above. Plus, plenty of discussion on who Seattle might take with their options BEYOND the first pick. Colt Keith fans make some noise.

Music: "Ken II" by Midnight Survivor / "CHANCES" by KAYTRANADA

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