Valentine’s Day Special: Mariners Players We Love

Ryota’s All-Time Favorite Mariners Players

As a Japanese-American, I had a deep connection with Ichiro. Seeing someone on TV that looked like me meant a lot to me growing up. He is undoubtedly my favorite Mariners player ever, and I even have a big poster of him still hanging in my room.

Not only was Ichiro fun to watch, I even mimicked the way he played. I definitely incorporated his hitting approach into my game. I prided myself on making good contact, rather than hitting for power. I remember when I was a kid, I would practice robbing home runs on my couch just like Ichiro. To say the least, I wanted to be like Ichiro.

If it weren’t for Ichiro, I don’t know if I would still be a lifelong Mariners fan, because it has been a rough stretch of time. Even bigger than that, I might not have even been a baseball fan and played baseball up until college.

Ryota’s Favorite Mariners Right Now

My favorite current Mariners player continues to impress me, and I think my respect for him grows after every year. This guy is Marco Gonzales.

I don’t really know how to explain it, but something about the way he goes about his business is extremely admirable. Marco reminds me a lot of Russell Wilson of the Seahawks. Marco is very calm, collected, smart, a great leader, and talented.

Gonzales continues to improve year after year and based on the trend, he might be on track to make the All-Star team next year and potentially win a Cy Young in the near future. He also has a great story. His path to the big leagues hasn’t been all that easy. Gonzales was a highly touted prospect and then he had to get surgery, and many questioned whether he could come back.

The Mariners gave him a chance, and that leap of faith paid off. I have a lot of respect for Marco and he is my favorite player right now. But also, a quick shoutout to my second favorite player, Kyle Lewis.