An ode to Kyle Seager: Here’s to appreciating an all-time Mariner

Kyle Seager is an all-time Mariner, representing the organization with class and excellence for his entire 11-year career with Seattle. Seager is a gritty, tough player that has missed significant time to injury just once in his career, he has been a mainstay through a lot of good and bad Mariners baseball. Here is my ode to an all-time Mariner, this one’s for you Kyle Seager.

I remember 2016 vividly. The Mariners had just fallen short of the playoffs (again) and had nothing but personal accolades to play for. Kyle Seager had never reached 100 RBIs in a season, and I so badly wanted to see him do it. In the final game of the season, already having set a season-high in home runs, Seager stepped to the plate and launched a deep fly ball to right field.

The ball was caught at the track, leaving Seager at 30 homers and 99 RBI for the season. Seeing Kyle launch home runs this season has been a joy to watch. With 34 home runs on the season, he will shatter his previous career-high. His renaissance to become a middle of the lineup masher has been one of the biggest impacts for the 2021 Mariners.

Kyle Seager is an All-Time, underappreciated, Mariners star.

As a 22-year-old Mariners fan, Seager has been the only true consistent through the years. Through the Jack Z years, the signings and departures of Cruz and Cano, and the rebuild, Seager has been there. If he plays in 154 games in 2021 he will have reached the mark 8 different times in a Mariners uniform, an outstanding feat.

Seager received a lot of frustration from fans as his batting average dropped, and perceived aging. The big market contract extension put a target on him, but he continues to produce. In  2021 Kyle Seager has once again proved doubters wrong. He ranks third on the team with 2.5 fWAR, just behind Ty France and Chris Flexen according to Fangraphs.

For his career, he has put up 34.8 fWar in a Mariners uniform, good enough for fifth on the Mariners all-time leaderboard. Only Griffey, Ichiro, Edgar, and A-Rod were more valuable offensive players than Kyle Seager for Seattle. There is no doubt in my mind his team option needs to be picked up, but just in case let’s reminisce.

With the possibility of only getting to see Kyle in a Mariner uniform 22 more times, we need to appreciate every chance we get. Thinking back to all the diving plays, a throwing arm that never seemed to miss, and that sweet lefty stroke can make you sentimental. Not to mention the impact he has had on the young players, who lovingly refer to him as ‘Cap’.

‘Cap’ has meant a lot to so many Mariner fans through roster turmoil and losing, we always had Seager. Some may remember him destroying the Rangers, his home run hugs with Nelly, or his unforgettable altercation with Jered Weaver that has turned into an all-time GIF.

He has a gold glove, an All-Star appearance, and once wore ‘Corey’s brother’ on the back of his jersey. He has saved not one, but two no-hitters with dazzling defense. Much like Felix Hernandez, just one thing has eluded him to this point in his career.

My hope has always been that we can get to see Kyle Seager play meaningful, playoff baseball in Seattle. Just in case we don’t get that opportunity I want to share with you some of my favorite moments through the years. This is my ode to you Kyle Seager, thank you for everything.