THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: No more time for M's Dipoto

The masses want Jerry Dipoto hanged.

High Noon.

A dirty cowboy, chewing on a cold cigar and growling through two weeks' beard, can pull the rope — then everyone can cheer, and finally head into the Filthy Mirror for a round of cold ones.

"R.I.P. Jerry.

"He did a hell of a job. It's a shame that cowboy could never find a player who might get a hit in the ninth.

"God bless ye, Jerry.

"Now let's have another one."

OK, we're kidding about Dipoto's fate — although I'm pretty sure a majority of Mariners fans would vote to send Jerry off on a rickety schooner and go back to finding someone else to run their club.

Dipoto's latest sin was hiring Dan Wilson, topped only by FIRING Dan Wilson.

The mobs weren't happy with either move.

Jerry himself admitted that, if he were somebody else, he'd want himself fired, too.

SO, HOW did we get to this spot?

A year ago, Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander were traveling across North America — watching the Mariners play peerless playoff baseball.

For a few minutes in Toronto, it looked very much as though the World Series would pit the Mariners against the Dodgers.

Millions in Seattle waited for the final outcome of the ALCS, the win that would break the curse and send their heroes to the Fall Classic.

But then Dan Wilson went full Dan Wilson.

"I didn't want to use Moony (closer Andres Munoz) until the ninth," Wilson decided as he looked at his 2-0 lead, two runners on for the Jays in the seventh, and George Springer coming to bat.

Wilson chose Eduard Bazardo to get out of the seventh — right-hander against the right-handed hitting Springer.

Unfortunately, neither Wilson nor Bazardo earned parades following the trip home.

Springer, who had been injured much of the year and generally had been ineffective, was still a savvy vet with power. He picked out the pitch he wanted from Bazardo, and drilled it far into the left-field seats — sending Rogers Centre into madness, but stunning the Mariners.

SPRINGER'S shot felt like it hung around the Mariners' necks, not just at the time but throughout the '26 season.

Slow start. Injuries. Blown saves. Silly misplays. Baserunning gaffes.

To use a popular phrase, the 2026 Mariners were a dumpster fire — with the only light from that blaze coming from Cal Raleigh's bat.

The Big Dumper won the Home Run Derby (hitting pitches thrown by his dad) in 2025 and went on to make MLB history with 60 homers.

Bottom line: 2026 was a blah season, wandering through summer with two major storylines — Raleigh's explosion and a seemingly relentless series of strategic goofs by the relentlessly baffled Wilson.

Coming into 2026, fans only wanted a team back in contention.

And an end to the guesswork by Wilson.

They got one of their two wishes,

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Longtime journalist Steve Cameron writes "The Cheap Seats" for The Press three times each week.