RUNDOWN
Mitch opens from Portland, where he spent the weekend with his son and attended NCAA Tournament games—including Gonzaga’s elimination, which he thoroughly enjoyed. The guys dive into what makes March Madness special, highlighted by a classic David vs. Goliath battle between Arkansas and High Point.
Mitch is joined by Brady Farkas and Joe Doyle as the Mariners head into Opening Day with a surge of offensive production after a sluggish spring. The guys highlight breakout signs from Cole Young and Dom Canzone, while also addressing concerns around JP Crawford’s injury, Cal Raleigh’s uneven World Baseball Classic impact, and roster decisions in the infield and rotation.
Mitch welcomes Steve Phillips for his annual Opening Day visit, where the longtime MLB insider says the World Baseball Classic has players—especially hitters—more game-ready than ever to start the season. Phillips is bullish on the Mariners, calling this their best opportunity to win the division and make a deep run, while also addressing concerns around pitching durability and bullpen volatility. The conversation expands league-wide, with Phillips explaining why the Dodgers are both dominant and good for baseball, why Shohei Ohtani remains a near-lock MVP, and ultimately predicting a Dodgers–Mariners World Series.
Mitch and Puck open with some leftover tension from a previous discussion before diving into Mitch’s surprising admission that the World Baseball Classic didn’t resonate with him. Mitch explains that, despite the talent on the field, it doesn’t feel meaningful to the American baseball audience—pointing to player opt-outs and inconsistent participation.
GUESTS
- Brady Farkas | Host, Refuse to Lose podcast
- Joe Doyle | MLB analyst, Over Slot
- Steve Phillips | MLB Network / SiriusXM / Former Mets GM
- Jason Puckett | KJ-Aren’ts / Puck Drop
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 | Portland, Gonzaga’s Exit, and the Birthday Game; Mitch checks in from Portland after watching Gonzaga get bounced—and rolls into a loaded birthday trivia game.
15:49 | Mariners No-Table: Spring Bats Wake Up as Opening Day — The Mariners’ offense shows late life in spring training as Opening Day looms—but questions remain about lineup depth, health, and early-season readiness.
41:04 | Steve Phillips: Opening Day Buzz, Mariners Hype, and Dodgers Dominance: Steve Phillips says this might be the Mariners’ best shot yet—while the Dodgers loom as baseball’s overwhelming favorite.
1:02:38 | KJ-Aren’ts with Jason Puckett: WBC Doesn’t Land for Mitch — And It Gets Tense; Mitch admits he couldn’t get into the World Baseball Classic—and it sparks real tension in a separate conversation that clearly struck a nerve.
1:24:00 | Other Stuff Segment: Mariners Opening Day expectations, World Series odds and roster questions, Arozarena/Raleigh tension resolved, March Madness Speedo distraction, Brandon Roy response to Garfield allegations, WNBA reaches new CBA, Seahawks RB situation per John Schneider, Michael B. Jordan In-N-Out moment, Syracuse coaching hire (McNamara), Tiger Woods Masters return buzz RIPs: Robert Mueller (81), Dennis “Loverboy” Condrey (74), Rex Culpepper (28), Chuck Norris (86) Headlines: FDA eases tanning bed rules, Camel pageant disqualifications for “hump plumping,” Brain-eating virus claims, Fentanyl found in Barbies at Missouri store
