All of the following statements are true.

1) Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller was clearly, at least somewhat, displeased by how the team's "piggyback" plan played out on Monday night as the M's beat the Athletics 9-1. 

2) The Mariners have spoken extensively over the last few days to Miller and Luis Castillo about the team's pitching plans, and all sides reportedly feel better about it.

3) Bryce Miller is under contract for 3.5 more years (through 2029), so there's a lot that can happen between now and the time that Miller needs to think about free agency or signing an extension.

All of that said, one of things I see most constantly on social media lately is some variation of "The M's are making Miller mad at a time when they should be trying to extend him."

Examining that question, I asked Buster Olney on the Wednesday's 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast for his thoughts. Could this situation now actually impact Miller's thoughts on the organization moving forward?

It absolutely can impact a relationship. It all depends on how the player absorbs it. If the player is thinking from 30,000 feet, you know, what's best for the organization. That's one perspective.

And if the player, and Bryce Miller's right, in his prime years, this is the time when he's working to make the money from his career, and it's best for him personally if he starts every fifth day. Luis Castillo has largely made his money. He's in a little different situation.

I've covered players who have felt both ways. I mean, you think about someone like Paul Goldschmidt, for example. He's a borderline Hall of Fame player. He had opportunities to maybe make more money someplace else, and re-sign with the Yankees, but he liked playing on the Yankees and he felt like, "This is the team I want to be on." So he accepted a lesser role to be on the Yankees this year, and he's really thriving.

Other players might land in a different spot. Other players might be like, "I want a full-time role." I don't think either perspective is wrong, but it 100 percent can affect a player's relationship with the team.

Bryce, I thought the other day watching that postgame interview, I thought he was dead honest. He told you how he felt. And if he were to land afterward on, "Look, I'm going to do everything I can to make it work within the team," you'd understand that. And if he continues to express discomfort, that's okay too, because this is a big time in his career, if that makes sense.

I responded to Olney's take on Friday's edition of the podcast:

"I think ultimately I'm not too worried about it, and the reason is this: one, winning talks, and two, money talks.

Bryce Miller is under contract for three and a half more years. If Bryce Miller is salty today about all of this, then if the Mariners win the World Series or keep putting themselves in positions to win the World Series, I think ultimately the Mariners will present themselves as a pretty good place to play and a pretty good place to stay when it comes time for Bryce Miller to be thinking about his future contract situation.

Secondly, money talks as well. If the Mariners come out with the best offer or with the most aggressive offer, or maybe with an early and aggressive offer, they're going to send a message to Bryce Miller that, "Look, we value you, we appreciate you, we want you here."

The dollar figure equals respect, and anybody who thinks differently is not thinking correctly. Dollars equal respect in professional sports. So Bryce Miller might feel disrespected right now, but if the dollar figure in front of him in the future shows him that respect, I believe that he will forget all about it."

You can listen to the most recent edition of the 'Refuse To Lose Territory' podcast featuring Foul Territory TV host Scott Braun here, or you can watch the episode on YouTube.

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