We’re trying out a few new things at the site this off-season and one of them is an open chat, similar to what they do over at FanGraphs. At appointed times each week, we’ll have as many of the staffers as I can round up available in the comments to chat and answer questions, about Mariners baseball, baseball in general, or whatever else people want to talk about.
As online spaces become more infested with AI-generated/bot and general low-quality conversations, we are making a big push this off-season
to enhance and expand the kinds of conversations for which this space allows and to try to be more intentional about facilitating those conversations. I don’t take it lightly to have the privilege of overseeing such a talented staff and rich community, and want to make sure we’re making the most out of the collection of people amassed around this frustrating, wonderful, often very silly baseball team.
We will try to vary this with different days and times because I know not everyone can commit to a weekday evening: staffer Eric would love to be here with you all but says this is the time he is being “emotionally terrorized” by his two small children. So in deference to Eric and the other parents, we’ll try to have some different times. If you have feedback on that, please let me know, either here in the comments or shoot me an e-mail.
Also, if you’re here as a “lurker”, welcome! (Let’s rebrand “lurker” to “future commenter”.) I spent a lot of years in your shoes. I hope this will be the push you might need to maybe finally make an account, or if you have one, to join in the conversation. Your voice matters. One thing I can promise is no one will flame you off the page for stating your opinion (unless you’re coming in to troll, in which case, allow me to introduce you to our boffo moderation team). Please say hi if you’re new; we’d love to meet you!
Eventually I’d like to expand this to have an in-person component, as well, because the off-season is so long and Fan Fest reminded me how much fun it can be to be in community with other baseball fans, but let’s get the ball rolling here and see how this goes. As a reminder, we’ll have staff in the comments for chatting from five to seven tonight, but feel free to hang around after the window ends.
For starting points for tonight’s conversation:
- Max Ellingsen and John Trupin will both be in the comments, so this is an excellent time for those of you who have prospect questions in general to ask questions (or for those dynasty fantasy baseball folks out there, both Max and John know lots about systems outside the Mariners, so feel free to ask non-Mariners questions). Max is also eager to talk about the 2026 Draft with anyone who will listen.
- Every year I am surprised about the response to the NRIs article. Are we as Mariners fans just conditioned to love a fringe player? Is there an under-the-radar dark horse on the list you are really excited about? Is it that an NRI list reminds us just how close to real baseball we are?
- Who’s going to Spring Training? When?
- A question I really liked from Corco in the Moose Tracks was “which hometown/birth city of a Mariners 40-man roster player would make the best vacation getaway?” I kicked that one over to the staff just to get conversation going and we felt like we should maybe establish some rules, otherwise it feels like one of the more exotic locations (Baní in the Dominican Republic, home to Luis Castillo; Würzburg, Germany, birthplace of Brendan Donovan; Seoul, South Korea, birthplace of Rob Refsnyder) would run away with it. Are we limiting ourselves to domestic options? Does Canada count?
