Legendary Manager Gives Seattle Mariners' Dan Wilson Advice as Team Rolls On
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The Seattle Mariners enter play on Monday at 66-53 and just 0.5 games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West race. Seattle hasn't won the division since 2001 and is the only franchise to never make the World Series.
However, this is the best lineup that the M's have had in years, so it feels like the best chance they've had to get to the Fall Classic since winning 116 games in 2001.
Throw up the 🤌🤌🤌 pic.twitter.com/i5mrNhLLEk
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 10, 2025
However, as the M's get to uncharted territory down the stretch, there is undoubtedly going to be pressure to finish the job and secure a postseason berth. And for a manager in Dan Wilson that's never led a team to the playoffs, that could potentially be a daunting task.
Fortunately, he's got experienced people on his staff in Manny Acta and Kevin Seitzer, and he's also got other connections in the industry at his disposal. Seitzer just helped the Braves win the World Series in 2021 and was regularly in the playoffs with Atlanta.
And apparently, former major league manager Joe Maddon, who won the World Series with the 2016 Chicago Cubs, is open to giving Wilson advice, as he did on MLB Network on Monday.
Speaking with Brian Kenny, Maddon implored Wilson to "do less, not more."
"Do less, not more."
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) August 11, 2025
- Joe Maddon's advice to Mariners first-year manager Dan Wilson with Seattle primed for a division race https://t.co/Vh1DZqdvDW pic.twitter.com/NxJZCeEdSI
Maddon said that Wilson should not overload players with information and should reduce the amount of time spent on the field for players. He said that the staff and players should trust what they've done all season long.
Mariners managerial history
Manager | Years | Record | Playoff Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
Darrell Johnson | 1977-1980 | 226-362-1 | 0 |
Maury Wills | 1980-1981 | 26-56-1 | 0 |
Rene Lachemann | 1981-1983 | 140-180 | 0 |
Del Crandall | 1983-1984 | 91-131 | 0 |
Chuck Cottier | 1984-1986 | 98-119 | 0 |
Dick Williams | 1986-1988 | 159-192 | 0 |
Marty Martinez | 1986 | 0-1 | 0 |
Jim Snyder | 1988 | 45-60 | 0 |
Jim Lefebvre | 1989-1991 | 233-253 | 0 |
Bill Plummer | 1992 | 64-98 | 0 |
Lou Piniella | 1993-2002 | 840-711 | 4 |
Bob Melvin | 2003-2004 | 156-168 | 0 |
Mike Hargrove | 2005-2007 | 192-210 | 0 |
John McLaren | 2007-2008 | 68-88 | 0 |
Jim Riggelman | 2008 | 36-54 | 0 |
Don Wakamatsu | 2009-2010 | 127-147 | 0 |
Daren Brown | 2010 | 19-31 | 0 |
Eric Wedge | 2011-2013 | 213-273 | 0 |
Lloyd McClendon | 2014-2015 | 163-161 | 0 |
Scott Servais | 2016-2024 | 680-642 | 1 |
Dan Wilson | 2024-2025 | 87-66 | 0 |
We'll have more on these comments on the upcoming episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast, which comes out Tuesday, Aug. 12.
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