[jaa36]

AG: Welcome back to The Wheelhouse. This is Aaron Goldsmith, and with me as always is Jerry Dipoto. Jerry, thanks for being on the show, in what we might say are difficult circumstances.

JD: Thanks Aaron, it's nice to get to talk to someone on the outside.

AG: Of course, for those of you living under a rock for the last month and a half, Jerry has been arrested and is currently being held in the King County Correctional Facility for multiple instances of aiding and abetting the use of performance enhancing drugs...

JD: Multiple ALLEGED instances of aiding and abetting the use of performance enhancing drugs!

AG: Right, Jerry. Thanks for the clarification. Those instances came to light in part due to some lackluster editing within this podcast, which tipped off the feds to some of these issues. Where do things stand with your case?

JD: Well, there's no proof that I did any of those things, and I'm pretty sure that the court will see that it was all "locker room talk." My lawyer Mr. Giulani seems to have a good grip on the case.

AG: Well, we wish you the best of luck with that situation. Now of course, the Mariners have fired you since then. Assuming you end up back on the outside, what's next for you?

JD: Well, I've always had an interest in parasailing.

AG: Take me through the Mariners' postseason experience this year. It was a bit of a disappointing ending.

JD: Sure was, Aaron. It was the second year in a row in which the Indians beat us. I think you can pretty well summarize the experience with two words: Corey Kluber.

AG: Kluber was pretty dominant, pitching a complete-game shutout in the first game, and then allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings in the final game of the series.

JD: We just didn't have an answer for him. Once he gets ahead in the count, the Klubot is tough to stop.

AG: And the powerful Cleveland lineup was difficult to contain as well, with the Indians hitting seven home runs in the series.

JD: Right. They're a great team, and Nick Williams, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Bradley Zimmer and Edwin Encarnacion all had great seasons for them. It's hard to lose to them two years in a row, but you can understand when it's a team like that.

AG: Jake Diekman was a bit of a bright spot, winning both of the games the Mariners took, and striking out five in 3 1/3 innings.

JD: Yeah, we had a few good performances between him and Kyle Seager.

AG: Now I know you can't talk about what happens next to the Mariners, since you've been fired and all that. But a pretty rough situation for them, with eleven players being suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs.

JD: Allegedly using performance enhancing drugs. Yes, Robbie Cano the biggest name in the bunch, but quite a few other big names in Dee Gordon, who of course set the single-season stolen base record with 166, Justin Smoak, Tim Beckham, Nelson Cruz, who of course is no longer with the team, Felix Hernandez, and then quite a few relievers in Eddie Diaz, Jake Diekman, James Pazos, Jorge Estrada, and Juan Nicasio.

AG: Yeah, it looks like it could be a rough season for the Mariners next year.

JD: Well, they're still not as bad as the Royals or the Marlins, after all.

AG: But a few bright spots for the Mariners in the award voting. Kyle Seager won his second consecutive Gold Glove and third in his career.

JD: Kyle gave away quite a few runs with his bat this year, but sure was solid with the glove. I'll tell you, I was disappointed that James Paxton didn't get much support in the Cy Young voting.

AG: A late slump may have doomed the Big Maple there. Well, Jerry, overall, give us your impression of the 2019 season.

JD: You can't argue with 98 wins and a division championship. Sure, I'd have loved to have won it all, but there were a lot of great teams out there.

AG: Any words of wisdom for the next general manager of the Mariners?

JD: Uhh... Let Dee Gordon run wild. Don't let Felix or Marco Gonzales past the fifth inning. Trade for expiring contracts at the trade deadline while the OOTP trade algorithm undervalues them.

AG: All solid words of wisdom. Well, let's take a question from the audience here. This is from George in West Seattle. He'd like to know, what do you think the odds are that you are back running another major league team at some point in the future, and will you continue this podcast now that you're no longer employed.

JD: That's a hard no on the second question. As to the first, well, now that Mike Scioscia's been axed in Anaheim, I could see myself ending up back there again.

AG: OK, Jerry, let's play one final round of Stump JD. This one, you'll be thrilled to hear, has a prison theme!

JD: Well played, Aaron.

AG: The question is, can you name the all-time stolen base, home run, wins, and saves leaders among players who have served, or will have served, at least three years in prison?

JD: Excellent question, Aaron! Well, let's see... for stolen base leader, you've got to have Ron LeFlore.

AG: Yup.

JD: And sticking with the Tigers theme, let's go with Denny McLain for the wins leader.

AG: Also correct.

JD: Saves, would probably be a guy from not that long ago, Ugueth Urbina.

AG: You got it. And the home run leader?

JD: That's tougher. I'd think about Lenny Dykstra, Willie Aikens... maybe Doug DeCinces?

AG: That's it, Jerry! Well done! You do know your prison-baseball history.

JD: Thanks, Aaron. I'm pleased to get one more win under my belt before doing some hard time.

AG: Well, Jerry, I've gotta say, I've really appreciated all your time over these last few years. I have no doubt that the next GM will be significantly more boring and less accommodating than you've been. Best of luck with the trial, and all that.

JD: Thanks, Aaron, much appreciated.

AG: And with that, we'll sign off one final time from The Wheelhouse.