Wilson: Mariners focused on consistency and doing ‘the little things’

Jan 15, 2025, 9:39 AM

Mariners Insider, Seattle Sports

The first offseason as a manager is just about coming to an end for Dan Wilson as he will report to Peoria in early February with a bunch of “news” and “firsts” behind him. That includes a first visit as the manager of the Seattle Mariners on the Hot Stove Show.

“It’s been a learning experience almost everyday,” he told Rick Rizzs, Gary Hill and Shannon Drayer Tuesday night. “The staffing at the beginning of the offseason, talking with players, the Winter Meetings. Now it’s really a time where as a coaching staff and support staff we really hone in on the planning for spring training and really being there from Day 1.”

Drayer: What Donovan Solano signing means for the Seattle Mariners

Mariners 2025 spring training, according to Wilson, will look similar to the spring trainings of the recent past but some things will be done differently. Five weeks as manager at the end of last season gave him a look at how he believes the Mariners offense can improve. In August and September, it was hit the ground running for Wilson and adjust on the fly for the players. In Peoria there will be time to slow things down, get comfortable with different voices – including two new hitting coaches – and perhaps learn a little more about Wilson.

Could they get a little bit of Lou? Rizzs was curious to know if Wilson heard Lou Piniella’s voice in his head at times when he managed last season. While Wilson said all of his managers dating back to Little League were of some influence, yes, Piniella was very much there.

“The one thing that really sticks to me is the respect that Lou had and the ability to get from his players the best they had every single day,” he said. “I think we knew as players when you showed up at the ballpark, you had to bring your A-game every single day. There was no letting down. There was no getting by for a day, it was like you brought your A-game every single time you took the field, and Lou demanded that of us. That’s something as manager now I am hoping we continue to push with our guys. Get yourself prepared for 7 o’clock and then it’s no holds barred at that point. We’re going out and giving everything we’ve got.”

Wilson is looking forward to the time he will have with the club in Peoria and the opportunity to reinforce many of the things he saw the offense find success with late last year.

“It’s the focus on doing the little things, the focus on putting pressure on the defense, using the middle of the field, creating pressure on the bases,” he said. “Those are the kind of things we get to continue to work on now in spring training and get a little bit more adept at it and finalize our philosophy on how those things work. It’s a way in which we can continue to refine what our philosophy will be, what our identity will be as an offense. The hope is we come spring training and get ourselves into a consistent brand of baseball and take that from the beginning of the season right down to the end of the postseason.”

Consistency is a clear focus for Wilson and easier said than done over 162 games. The key is to avoid big swings both as a team and individuals, something easier said than done with the many challenges baseball throws at them. Wilson has been there before and has an eye out for what can derail consistency.

“There are a number of things,” he said. “Fatigue can become a factor in that. You have to be diligent about making sure guys get enough rest while getting the playing time they need to stay sharp. Slumps, ups and downs for individual players can cause trouble with that as well. Managing those kind of ups and downs with the individual player is very, very key.”

“Schedule, sometimes you get hit with some tough travel or a lot of road games, things that you have to really fight through. And any time you can prevent the mental breakdown from some of those outside factors, that is always advantageous as well.”

Wilson has seen rewards in the battle for consistency both as a player and, more recently, from the manager’s seat. It doesn’t happen overnight, but Wilson believes the team got a glimpse of it late last year. In Peoria, he will have the opportunity to set the team on the right path.

“I think what we saw towards the end of the year was the contagiousness of winning baseball,” he said. “Doing the little things and how they make the difference at the end of a game. And when you get on that path, I think the guys really get excited about the little things in the game and the winning starts to take care of itself as you get through the season.”

Find both hours of the podcast here. The Hot Stove Show airs Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. on 710 AM Seattle Sports and the Seattle Sports app.