Mariners News: Bye Bye, Willie Bloomquist

Willie Bloomquist is no longer a good baseball player. And reports have it that he is no longer a Seattle Mariner. Reports also say that Chris Taylor is coming back to Seattle.

Bloomquist was hitting .159 this season and giving the Mariners nothing on offense. He plays relatively good defense and is a super utility man, which was always his best feature.

Even despite this season’s offensive ineptitude, Bloomquist is a career .269 hitter. He made a good career for himself, if this is the end of it.

I’ll always have a soft spot for Willie Bloomquist. He was the everyman’s baseball player. He did nothing great, but everything good enough. He reminded you of yourself. He possessed no great physical attribute. You watched Willie Bloomquist and thought “That could be me.”

When I was 10, I made my first all-star team. They asked me what number I wanted to wear, and I said “No. 24” for Ken Griffey Jr. They asked me for a backup choice, and the nervous me just said, No. 16.  I don’t know why. I don’t think the Mariners had a No. 16 then.

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Garrett Anderson and Joe Randa were No. 16’s, and when I got the number, I latched onto them as my favorite non-Mariners. But when Willie Bloomquist became an M from 2002-08, he became one of my favorite players.

That number stuck with me, and it was the bond that Bloomquist and I shared.

Even as I coach teams and play on men’s league teams. I’ll continue to wear it proudly.

Good luck, Willie. I’ll miss you. Even on the way out the door, you’re still a great guy.

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