WYMAN AND BOB

Jerry Dipoto ‘embarrassed’ by Mariners’ 2nd half, says tough decisions await in offseason

Sep 13, 2018, 4:54 PM

GM Jerry Dipoto's Mariners fell out of the playoff race in the second half. (AP)...

GM Jerry Dipoto's Mariners fell out of the playoff race in the second half. (AP)

(AP)

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto shares the frustration fans have felt during the team’s disappointing second half of the season.

‘He could face anybody’: M’s teammates look back at Iwakuma’s career

On his weekly Jerry Dipoto Show on 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny, Dave and Moore, he spoke at length about what has held the team back after a strong first three months of 2018, took accountability for the slide and signaled how the team’s poor record since the end of June will impact their offseason.

“We were in a position to do special things and we had a group that was playing together in a way that was so energizing for everybody around the team, and we watched it methodically and painfully be pulled apart over the course of these last two months – and it’s gotten worse as we’ve gone,” Dipoto said. “That has to be part of our decision-making heading into ’19, and frankly those are some tough decisions. We’re at a bit of a crossroads in looking at where we are as a club and trying to determine how we get to a championship level, because we’ve taken two steps forward and then three steps back – and that’s on us.”

Particularly disappointing for Dipoto is how the offense stopped producing at about the same time the Oakland Athletics made a push in the standings. The Mariners had a commanding lead for the second American League Wild Card spot in late June over Oakland, but now trail the A’s by 9 ½ games in the playoff race.

“It’s not like we had to go out and play .700 ball to wind up in the postseason,” Dipoto said of the team’s second half. “We just needed to do some of the things we were doing and hold serve, and we didn’t do it. That’s on us. We should be embarrassed by it, and I am.

“… We have a group of players, frankly it’s close to half our lineup since the midpoint of the season who just stopped getting on base with any regularity. … We have had roughly half our lineup just effectively disappear for half a season, and it’s really hard to score runs when only half of your lineup is working. Understanding that you can’t put three or four hitters in a position where they have to churn night after night, and that’s what we’ve done – and sometimes it’s not even three or four.”

Dipoto added that another thing that was a strength earlier in the season for Seattle has become the opposite over the past two months.

“In times of struggle you find out a lot about character, how people will answer in times of adversity, and frankly that was one of the highlights of this team in the first half of the season and it’s been one of the lowlights in the second half of the season. We have not responded to that adversity in the same way. … When teams pull apart when they no longer bind together and they don’t fight through the adversity. I’m not telling you anything you’re not watching. You’re seeing it every day and we’re accountable for that and we have to figure out how to get back on track.”

Listen to the full interview with Dipoto in this podcast.

Wyman & Bob

Mariners Roof Report

Brought to you by
Showers And Thunderstorms
High 52° | Low 42°
Roof is open
Red Sox at Mariners today at 7:10pm

Wyman and Bob

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Do the Seattle Seahawks need to trade back in the NFL Draft this year?

Do the Seattle Seahawks need to trade back in the NFL Draft this year? With no 2nd round pick, does it make sense for them to move out of the 1st round? Could any QB entice them to stay in the 1st round? Dave Wyman and Bob Stelton discuss that and what it might mean […]

1 day ago

Seattle Mariners Bryce Miller Logan Gilbert Bryan Woo...

Brandon Gustafson

Dontrelle Willis: Mariners’ rotation provides ‘quality every single day’

Dontrelle Willis, a former MLB pitcher and current analyst for FOX Sports, gives his Seattle Mariners insight ahead of opening day.

1 day ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Can this Seattle Mariners team make a playoff push this season? Bob’s Baseball Breakdown

Bob Stelton of Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob breaks down the state of the Seattle Mariners. With Spring Training in the rear view mirror, what did he see this offseason and spring? This week, Bob answers: – What stood out in Spring Training? – Which M’s surprised him in Spring Training? – Which player has […]

1 day ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Has the NFL gone too far with this most recent round of proposals?

Has the NFL gone too far with this most recent round of proposals? Are rule changes like the kickoff and scheduling changes to Christmas a sign of too much change? Dave Wyman and Bob Stelton discuss that and just what it might mean for the future of the NFL. Is too much change impacting the […]

2 days ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Would DK Metcalf’s tackle be illegal under the new NFL hip drop rules?

Would the famous DK Metcalf’s tackle be illegal under the new NFL hip drop rules? What will the NFL look like in a few years if they keep changes rules like this? Dave Wyman and Bob Stelton discuss that and what it might mean for the game of football in the future. Is this rule […]

3 days ago

Seattle Seahawks Sam Howell...

Brandon Gustafson

Schneider on if Sam Howell impacts Seahawks in the NFL Draft

Does trading for Sam Howell preclude the Seattle Seahawks from taking a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft? Here's what John Schneider said.

6 days ago

Jerry Dipoto ‘embarrassed’ by Mariners’ 2nd half, says tough decisions await in offseason