Mariners Manager Dan Wilson Talks Second Day of Postseason Scrimmages

Mariners Manager Dan Wilson Talks Second Day of Postseason Scrimmages

Day two of inter squads. Um, you know, looking forward to another a good day, a good work day, good productive uh time out on the out on the field. Um, you know, I thought yesterday went very very well and uh chance to do it again today at a different time a day. obviously wanting to see the ballpark at different, you know, times and uh today, you know, we likely will have uh definitely a later game at some point and and then uh you know, we’ll we’ll see yet as to be determined about on Saturday, but uh um you know, a chance to again get out, get some work. Uh the fans as we talked about yesterday uh really made for a you know an awesome afternoon and and uh gave us the energy and and uh you know looking forward to to that again tonight uh with a with a different group. Oh yeah. Um definitely keeping an eye on it and and uh you know that’s going to tell a lot of the story and then of course uh game times will will be determined later tonight. But um you know uh just uh keeping an eye on on that series and for sure what’s what’s happening in that. Any status updates on uh he’s going to throw a bullpen uh today and and then we’ll get a chance to to get a good read on him and and likely tomorrow see how he responds and um again just uh uh taking it each step of the way here and each step has been very good and and according to plan I believe and um you know that’s uh that’s all a good sign. Are you going to end up changing or altering these starting rotations at all depending on which department you face? Um uh we’re going to you know again we’re looking at everything and and uh you know I think we’ll have a lot of that information tomorrow as as we uh you know get everything you know compiled and and uh ready to go. Yeah, it really you know turned out to be an awesome evening. um you know what what kind of started out as a small event um you know turned into a big one and and uh you know can’t thank the Kraken enough for uh opening the doors and and uh a lot of their hospitality was incredible last night. Uh seeing Julio on the Zamboni was pretty cool. Um I got to admit uh very very cool moment to see him going around on that. Uh but just a great time for the the you know the guys, coaches, families, you know, to get together and and uh uh that is one of the benefits of this of this time and and we’ve talked about this group a lot just you know the love they have for each other and and what they’ve been through together uh and and those kind of nights are are really a a great example of of you know just celebrating each other and and uh enjoying each other’s company. Dan, how important is that particularly right now? they’ve been on the road, they probably going out doing things together, but when they’re at home, there’s so much more together outside of the time that they’re here. Yeah, I think it’s an important period for that. And and uh you know, I think with uh you know, what’s ahead um keeping keeping guys together, keeping them focused together um you know, I think is a big part of it. And I I think too with with families being involved, you know, this is this is baseball’s tough on families and so to be have families be involved as well, I think is very cool. Uh and and that’s what makes events like last night so special and um keeps the guys together, keeps your families together and that’s what it’s all about is is uh doing this together and um you know as I think about it from a coaching standpoint like you know you can’t do it without everybody together and um you know that’s a kind of a theme for us this year and and I think having those kind of nights together is is very cool. Dan, I I know you said that yesterday was more of a day in terms of any of the starters going to get any uh probably not. No. Um you know, we’ve been able to accomplish what we need to with the starters more in a bullpin session. Um and uh you know, today uh with with the luxury of of having some you know, relievers that we need to still see and and a couple of taxi squad guys as well. It’s been great. we’ll, you know, get a chance to get a lot of innings in and um, you know, get our five complete in and again and our guys get a chance to get some at bats. Um, so, you know, I think, uh, it it should be another great, you know, inter squad day, another a good day of, you know, good productive work for our guys. Dan, we’re talking to Josh here. Just a guy seen from afar. Obviously, professional has experience, but just what have you learned about him? personality. Yeah. Um, you know, uh, it’s he’s quite a player and and I think we’ve seen that. I think to me what stands out is just his, you know, um, how headsy he is and and and how much, um, you know, he really sees the game and he sees little things in the game, the details of the game. Um, and, you know, he’s he’s able to take advantage of those situations when he when he can. Um, a smart player. we saw, you know, against Colorado, he’s he’s a very clutch player as well. You know, that at bat to to drive in the three there, uh just huge. Um and uh you know, what he has brought uh to to our club, he’s brought an intensity. He’s brought you know, that uh you know, extra level of of edge for our guys and and uh and in the clubhouse. Uh playing through some of the stuff that he’s had to play through uh shows you that that that, you know, intensity, that toughness. Um and you got to love to see that. I know he’s got a lot on his plate with, you know, his wife back home and and uh ready for what she’s going to go through. So, uh he’s a tough cookie and um you know, I think uh he’s just that’s what shows through to me as as a player is is how strong he is mentally and and on that side of the ball as well. So, uh he’s brought that to our guys, he’s brought that to our clubhouse and and uh that’s been huge. Dan, could you talk a little bit more about the quality of light in the ballpark and the way that that’s shifting? Like what are the challenges or differ. I know we saw some tougher ultimate fly balls yesterday with that sun coming straight in. Yeah, I mean, you know, this time of year is it’s very different than even during the middle of the summer when the you know, the sun’s at a completely different spot. So, uh getting used to it here in the fall, I think is is really important. Um not only from a from a hitter standpoint and and what the background looks like, what the the pitcher looks like. Um you know, seeing that bright, you know, the pitcher in the brightness while you’re in the darkness, you know, your eyes trying to be able to adjust to that. Um, you know, obviously the more practice you can get at that, the better. Um, but then defensively as well, um, you know, I think as as the uh, you know, the roof was opening last yesterday, it was kind of easy to see like, you know, from from a defensive standpoint, guys that were in the shade are now in this bright sunlight and that changes the defensive perspective, too. So, anytime we can get reps at that, um, I think is important and and we’re able to we were able to do that yesterday. We’ll be able to do it at a different time today. Um, you know, obviously 5 5:30 it’s going to be a little darker and and uh shouldn’t be as much of an issue, but again a chance to get out there today and see exactly what it’s going to be like. You guys had so much power this year. I think only two teams more homers. How do you sort of balance that? Understand that home runs are a big deal in close games, but also not just selling out all the time. Yeah. Um, you know, yesterday home runs were a big part of the the scrimmage. Um, you know, that’s uh that’s kind of what our team does. But, um, I think also again, and we’ve talked about the balance in our lineup, too. Uh, we’ve got we definitely have depth. We definitely have the the power in our lineup to to to go deep. Um, but I think also we have the ability to grind out at bats and we have the ability to get on base and steal a base and put pressure on the defense, go first to third, um, get ourselves in scoring position and then, you know, get a chance to get driven in. I think that’s, you know, another key for, uh, for what we do. And I think when you look at the playoffs, um, having multiple ways to score is key. Um, you know, typically these things, as we’ve seen in in a lot of these opening games, it comes down to something little. And, uh, whether that’s a home run, which is great on our part, or whether it’s, you know, getting a single with a guy at third base or a guy at second base, uh, we’re going to be able to do both. And I think that’s that bodess well for us as we go forward. You talked about Josh Taylor’s team. Was there a moment or a play after he came to you guys that really surprised you or showed you that? Um, I don’t know if I can pinpoint it to, you know, an exact day, but but I think you just that’s what you see from Josh right away, you know. Um, he’s here to to work. He’s here to play hard. Um, he’s here to win. And, um, you know, that’s uh, uh, that’s what you love to see from your guys. And and I think that was apparent from from day one. And um you know I think we we had expected that having played against him uh but seeing it up close, seeing it up personal, it’s something different. So um you know he’s just been a huge addition for our club. He’s also a big hockey fan by the way. So here it feels like it’s come out a little bit more. Yeah, no doubt. And I think you know it’s it’s not the grumpiness. It’s that that desire to win and um you know I think his his ability to sort of um express that his ability to spread that to the other you know to his teammates uh his ability to communicate uh with his teammates all that you know plays right into it and and uh we’ve seen that uh time and time again throughout the throughout this you know stretch run and um that’s going to loom large you know during the playoffs when when those you know those conversations those communications are very necessary during a ball He’s the guy that’s willing to step up and do it. Yeah, no doubt. Um, you know, our our pitching depth is depth is something we’ve talked about, you know, for a lot of years here. Um, and you know, again, we did, you know, fight our way through a couple of injuries this year. Uh, but I think that makes you stronger. I think it makes you better, you know, I think it makes our guys, um, you know, that much more durable uh, here in this kind of a setting. Um, and, uh, it it’s such an advantage to have, you know, the five guys that we do that start ball games for us. Um and uh you know, we’ll just kind of see uh how this thing rolls out, but but you feel really good about who you’re sending out there every single day and and uh you know, they it’s at the point now where um you’ve got guys that have you know, very valuable experience and and uh you know, they’ve you got Logan who had 200 innings last year, so he knows what it’s all about. Like guys that can compete, guys know how to win, guys that can really sense the big moment. uh we’ve seen guys step up throughout the season and you know George has thrown some really big games for us now here down the stretch and and he senses those big moments and um so it’s it’s all that experience that they’ve gained over the last several years um having all of you know the the group of those guys uh with that experience I think is going to be huge here going into the playoffs team yeah I mean you know it’s It’s these pitchers are are very, you know, routine oriented and and when that routine gets kind of upset. Um it it can have some some bad consequences. Um but uh so there is an advantage for us again with this bye-week to be able to set our guys and for them to understand uh where you know hopefully they’re going to be and and and how that all works out with their schedule and so they can get on that normal routine that they’re usually on. And uh you know I think that’s been a big advantage of ours so far. Snider looked really sharp yesterday. I know he’s on the taxi squad. Ideally, you won’t have to use him, but with everything he’s gone through this year. Just how how good was that to see him just look sharp? We saw Gab. Yeah, no doubt. Um, you know, I think Colin having to go through injuries. I think you you learn a lot about yourself and and uh I I credit Colin a lot for for going down to Tacoma and and and you know, doing what he did and getting better. you know, we see that a lot where guys get a chance to go down there um and and work on a few things and and I thought the way he threw the ball yesterday showed that that he took advantage of that time and um you know uh a guy that was was big for us last year and and uh a guy that has you know a lot of a lot of good baseball in front of him yet. Um really good to see him on the mound yesterday and and uh doing what he did. If Brian Woo was unable to start in the ALDS, who would we see in that in that section of the rotation? Would it be Bryce Miller? Would it be Emerson Hancock? Yeah, I mean uh we’ll we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I think uh you know, again, today is going to be a big day for Brian and um but as we’ve talked about um you know, we have five good starters and and uh um we have we have depth there and and um you know, we’ll just uh we’ll assess as we go, but I think Brian um you know, it’ll be an interesting day for him to to you know, see how he feels today and see how he feels tomorrow. It’s been a fairly shifting field defensive midfield that you started the season with pretty that’s in positioning if any um I you know I think again when you uh our analytical department is is so good and and uh you know they help a lot with the positioning and and where guys are in the field um is that what you’re alluding to kind of yeah um and uh so I think you know the personnel that we have, the the defense that we have had, uh, I think has been outstanding and and, um, you know, I think it all those factors factor into to where they want guys to be, the positioning that they have, and and, um, um, it’s, you know, on all accounts has been outstanding and and continues to be. Um, and and, uh, that is a big factor going into the playoffs because you, you know, the defense taking care of the baseball and, you know, you talk about little things um, and and not giving 90 feet away. um you know, having a good defense, having a solid defense, being able to get the ground balls, uh a big part of of what, you know, how we’re going to be able to um you know, to to have success here in the postseason. And uh I think our guys do that very well. And and uh again, it’s a group effort from from analytics to coaches um and and then uh right on down to the players. Is that positioning optimized for like different per opponent based on maybe hitting tendencies of who the team is facing or more looking at what a player ranges? Yeah, I mean it’s it’s pretty inclusive of of a lot of the factors and and it’s it’s who’s pitching, um who’s hitting, um all those kinds of things that that go into it. And and uh you know, again, it’s uh it’s probably more math than I could figure out in my head, but uh you know, these guys do such a great job with it and and um you know, they they uh have really dialed it in and dialed the whole process 10.

Mariners Manager Dan Wilson met with local media ahead of the second day of postseason scrimmages.

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