{"id":733502,"date":"2026-06-29T20:21:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/733502\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T20:21:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:21:09","slug":"a-grip-on-sports-the-mariners-barely-treading-water-in-a-mediocre-american-league-need-to-make-a-managerial-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/733502\/","title":{"rendered":"A Grip on Sports: The Mariners, barely treading water in a mediocre American League, need to make a managerial change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A GRIP ON SPORTS \u2022 It\u2019s simple. The Mariners will not reach their goals this season unless there is a managerial change. Soon.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n

\u2022 Dan Wilson is, by all accounts, a great guy. A calming influence. A Mariner legend, still the best catcher to ever wear the uniform. Leader of the M\u2019s first division-winning team since 2001, when he played. Was in the dugout as Seattle\u2019s 2025 season ended just a few outs short of its first World Series. Has won 54% of his games<\/a>, which just seems weird<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And should still be sitting in the TV booth.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t any knock on Wilson as a person. Or as a baseball lifer. It isn\u2019t presentism, either, though Sunday\u2019s 6-5 come-from-ahead loss<\/a> in Cleveland \u2013 it\u2019s always Cleveland for the M\u2019s, isn\u2019t it? \u2013 presented the team\u2019s major issues in a microcosm. And helps to illustrate the why behind the needed change.<\/p>\n

In the 281 regular-season games Wilson has managed in the Major Leagues, his head-scratching bullpen decisions have popped up in about 200 of them. Sunday\u2019s was just the latest.<\/p>\n

Yes, the Mariners have dealt with injuries this year. Every year recently, it seems, in the bullpen. And, yes, the players are the ones making the plays, or not making them, at every position. But the best managers in every sport put their charges in the best spots to be successful. Wilson has rarely had that knack, especially with his bullpen.<\/p>\n

Sunday was just the latest example, though the seeds were sown Saturday.<\/p>\n

In that one, a 4-3 Guardians\u2019 win, Randy Arozarena hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth to pull the M\u2019s within the one run.<\/p>\n

Logan Gilbert had thrown his seven innings and Wilson went to his pen. Chose Jose A. Ferrer, who had worked the night before in Seattle\u2019s 3-1 victory. Understandable, though Ferrer\u2019s perfect inning Saturday \u2013 on 10 pitches \u2013 made his availability Sunday problematic. His track record throwing three consecutive days has been up and down. Then again, the two outings together were only 21 pitches.<\/p>\n

Emerson Hancock started Sunday, though all week he had been slated to be the M\u2019s second-half of a planned Saturday piggyback. Good thing the change was made. Hancock held the Guardians scoreless through four, gave up a single run in the fifth \u2013 after Cleveland had loaded the bases with no one out \u2013 and started the sixth with two outs, throwing 10 pitches. That put him at 92. He then threw six to Cooper Ingle, walking him.<\/p>\n

Leading 4-1 and certainly knowing Ferrer was not available, leaving the bullpen a bit short, Wilson pulled Hancock. Brought on one of his most dependable arms, Eduard Bazardo. The righthander gave up a double, then got a strike out. No runs. Ten pitches. Day done.<\/p>\n

With the top of the Guardian lineup up in the seventh, Wilson chose Gabe Speier, one of his two successful left-handed relievers. And Speier delivered, throwing a shutout inning, though giving up a couple two-out hits.<\/p>\n

But that left a gap. The eighth inning. A chasm built in the sixth when Wilson used Bazardo \u2013 for one out.<\/p>\n

His bridge builder? Michael Rucker, recently recalled from the minors. In his time in Seattle, Rucker had pitched in six games, none of them high-leverage situations. This one was. And he wasn\u2019t up to the task, facing five hitters, getting one out \u2013 a sacrifice bunt \u2013 and leaving the bases loaded for Josh Simpson, also recently recalled and whose last M\u2019s appearance was in May.<\/p>\n

Again, only one of Simpson\u2019s five appearances at this level would have been considered high leverage. He failed Sunday as well, though he actually retired the first guy he faced. Two consecutive ropes followed and the game was lost.<\/p>\n

Those two back-of-the-bullpen arms threw 39 pitches. Pitches that they never should have been forced to throw. Or either probably could have thrown in the sixth, when the bottom of the Guardian lineup faced Bazardo. Or maybe even Saturday, when Ferrer was used.<\/p>\n

Yes, Wilson was in charge last season when the M\u2019s won 90 games. But even then there were questionable decisions, many pointed out here, that cost them enough wins the American League Championship series could have finished at T-Mobile instead of in Toronto.<\/p>\n

And this season the M\u2019s have failed to take advantage of a weak A.L. West, scuffling to a 42-43 record. Second place behind the suddenly gelling Rangers.<\/p>\n

Wednesday is an off day for the team. At home. If Jerry Dipoto feels any urgency, that might work for a change. But Blue Jays, and their fans, come to town. Might be a bad way for someone to start. A six-game Florida road trip follows. Then the All-Star break.<\/p>\n

If M\u2019s don\u2019t miraculously make a U-turn by then and Wilson is still in charge, it\u2019s obvious Dipoto is not serious about winning this season. He should be. This team has as good a chance to win a mediocre American League<\/a> as anyone.<\/p>\n

The list of potential experienced replacements is long. And the M\u2019s have much to offer. The best young starting staff in baseball. A great top end to their bullpen, even with Matt Brash out again. A lineup that should be delivering more.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Would that, and a few million, be enough to attract Alex Cora to sign on, seeing how the Phillies \u2013 his likely landing spot \u2013 seemed to have turned their season around? Of, if you want an older guy with a calm demeanor, Bruce Bochy<\/a>, former M\u2019s skipper Bob Melvin or long-time Braves manager Brian Snitker or all out there.<\/p>\n

Any of them, along with Dave Martinez or Rocco Baldelli, would be an upgrade.<\/p>\n

The past two years, with Wilson running the place, the M\u2019s have left enough wins on the table to feed their fans\u2019 World Series dreams. It\u2019s time to put a new head chef in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, the conference is reborn Wednesday. John Canzano has some thoughts on that<\/a>, though his main focus is on how the demise of the old conference may have been the canary in the college athletics coal mine. \u2026 Washington\u2019s radio voice<\/a> is saying goodbye. \u2026 Football recruiting has yet to stop. Not for Oregon<\/a>. \u2026 Nor for Fresno State<\/a>, which has focused on local kids more than ever. \u2026 Utah State is trying to build momentum<\/a> now for next season. \u2026 In basketball news, the Colorado men\u2019s program will be a little different<\/a> going forward. \u2026 USC has the best roster<\/a> of the Eric Musselman era. \u2026 Boise State<\/a> knows it needs to improve its defense. \u2026 What will UCLA<\/a> look like next season \u2013 and beyond? \u2026 A former UCLA women\u2019s star<\/a> is having a dream season in the WNBA.<\/p>\n

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, even football coaches have a life outside their job. Ask UC Davis\u2019 Tim Plough<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Indians: Spokane won again, with another extra-inning rally topping Tri-City 3-2 in 10 innings. Dave Nichols has more in this story<\/a>. \u2026 Catcher Jack O\u2019Dowd was promoted<\/a> to Hartford after the game.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hoopfest: The rain held off, for the most part, long enough to allow the 3-on-3 tournament to finish up. Greg Woods was downtown to cover<\/a> the men\u2019s championships in the elite and the 6-foot-and-under divisions. \u2026 The event is dominated by non-elite competition, though, and we wanted to share this story<\/a> from Megan Howard and Cimarron Waldo from the middle school courts. \u2026 Tyler Tjomsland and Colin Mulvany\u00a0have a photo gallery<\/a> from the weekend as well.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mariners: Don\u2019t take my word for Wilson\u2019s consistently odd bullpen use. Ryan Divish delves into it on the Times\u2019 website<\/a> as well. \u2026 We linked Divish\u2019s game story above. And here too<\/a>. \u2026 There is this story about Josh Naylor and his conversation yesterday<\/a> with a former teammate.<\/p>\n

Tennis: We linked this Athletic story<\/a> on Wimbledon yesterday. It is on the S-R site today.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

World Cup: The real work starts<\/a> Wednesday, when the U.S. plays Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara. A win and Belgium is probably next in the round of 16<\/a>. In Seattle. \u2026 Canada<\/a> became the first country to advance to the next round, topping South Africa 1-0<\/a> with a late goal. \u2026 What have out-of-town fans been saying about the Lumen Field experience<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Golf: One hole. One made birdie putt. Victor Hovland topped Scottie Schefler<\/a> in the PGA\u2019s Travelers Championship playoff.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 If you don\u2019t know why I said above \u201cit\u2019s always Cleveland,\u201d then your memory isn\u2019t that long. Not back to 2001 at least. When the M\u2019s blew a 12-run lead to the then Indians and fell 15-14 in 11 innings. That loss cost the franchise the solo MLB record for most wins in a season, instead of tying the 116-win mark. And then there was the April game in 2012, when the M\u2019s led by six runs going into the ninth and lost 9-8. Until later \u2026<\/p>\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n

\u2022 Photos: The Spokesman-Review, Getty Images, Tribune News Service<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A GRIP ON SPORTS \u2022 It\u2019s simple. The Mariners will not reach their goals this season unless there…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":701972,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[363,99],"class_list":["post-733502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-mlb","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=733502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733502\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/701972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=733502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=733502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=733502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}