%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20827.4%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20827.4%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%230C2C56%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%234D4D4D%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%230F9AA3%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23001C43%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M70.4%2C94.8C63.3%2C90%2C55%2C87%2C45.3%2C85.7c-7.7-1-11.8-3.1-13.1-4.7c-0.6-0.7-1.6-1.9%2C0.3-5.3%0A%09%09c1.9-3.2%2C7.7-3.9%2C12.2-3.9c5.1%2C0%2C8.9%2C1.2%2C12.6%2C3.8c4.3%2C3.1%2C9.5%2C2.9%2C13-0.7l5.1-5.1c2.1-2.1%2C3.2-4.9%2C3.1-7.7%0A%09%09c-0.1-2.8-1.4-5.3-3.7-7.2c-3.6-2.8-6.9-4.8-10.6-6.4c-5.9-2.5-13.8-3.7-23.5-3.7c-9.1%2C0-17.9%2C3-26.2%2C8.9%0A%09%09c-8.7%2C6.3-13.2%2C14.7-13.2%2C25c0%2C11.6%2C4.1%2C19.8%2C12.1%2C24.7c7.2%2C4.3%2C15.3%2C7%2C24%2C8c9.6%2C0.9%2C12.9%2C3.3%2C14%2C5.2c1.5%2C2.6%2C1.5%2C4.9%2C0%2C7.5%0A%09%09c-1.6%2C2.7-6.5%2C4.1-13.3%2C3.8c-6.9-0.3-12.3-2-16.9-5.3c-4.3-3.1-9.5-2.8-12.9%2C0.7l-5.2%2C5.1c-2.2%2C2.2-3.3%2C5-3.1%2C7.9%0A%09%09c0.2%2C2.8%2C1.6%2C5.4%2C4%2C7.2c3.7%2C2.9%2C7.4%2C5%2C12%2C7c6.8%2C2.9%2C15.3%2C4.4%2C25.4%2C4.4c10.8%2C0%2C20.4-3.3%2C28.6-9.8c8.5-6.6%2C12.8-14.7%2C12.8-24.1%0A%09%09C82.7%2C109.1%2C78.5%2C100.3%2C70.4%2C94.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M142.6%2C44.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8C92.9%2C71.1%2C87.6%2C84.3%2C87.6%2C99.9c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%0A%09%09c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8s28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8c10.5-10.5%2C15.8-23.7%2C15.8-39.2c0-15.6-5.3-28.8-15.8-39.2%0A%09%09C171.4%2C50.1%2C158.2%2C44.8%2C142.6%2C44.8z%20M161.9%2C120c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C169.2%2C108%2C166.8%2C114.6%2C161.9%2C120z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M248.3%2C44.8H215c-5.7%2C0-10%2C4.3-10%2C10v90.2c0%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10%2C10%2C10h33.3c33.8%2C0%2C51.6-19%2C51.6-55%0A%09%09C299.9%2C63.8%2C282.1%2C44.8%2C248.3%2C44.8z%20M248.3%2C126.5h-14.9V73.3h14.9c15.9%2C0%2C23.2%2C8.5%2C23.2%2C26.6C271.5%2C118.1%2C264.1%2C126.5%2C248.3%2C126.5z%0A%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M362.3%2C44.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8c-10.5%2C10.5-15.8%2C23.7-15.8%2C39.2c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%0A%09%09c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8c15.6%2C0%2C28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8c10.5-10.5%2C15.8-23.7%2C15.8-39.2c0-15.6-5.3-28.8-15.8-39.2%0A%09%09C391.1%2C50.1%2C377.9%2C44.8%2C362.3%2C44.8z%20M381.5%2C120c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C388.9%2C108%2C386.5%2C114.6%2C381.5%2C120z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M548.3%2C44.8c-2.6%2C0-4.9%2C1.1-6.7%2C3l-39.8%2C45.3L462%2C47.8c-1.7-1.9-4.1-3-6.7-3h-1.3c-4.2%2C0-7.3%2C4.2-7.3%2C10v90.1%0A%09%09c0%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10%2C10%2C10h8.5c5.7%2C0%2C10-4.3%2C10-10v-42.8l19%2C21.2c2%2C2.2%2C4.7%2C3.5%2C7.6%2C3.5s5.6-1.2%2C7.6-3.5l19-21.2l0.1%2C42.9%0A%09%09c0%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10%2C10%2C10h8.5c5.7%2C0%2C10-4.3%2C10-10V54.8C556.9%2C49.1%2C553.2%2C44.8%2C548.3%2C44.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M674.4%2C99.8c0-15.6-5.3-28.8-15.8-39.2c-10.5-10.5-23.7-15.8-39.2-15.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8%0A%09%09c-10.5%2C10.5-15.8%2C23.7-15.8%2C39.2c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8c15.6%2C0%2C28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8%0A%09%09C669.1%2C128.6%2C674.4%2C115.4%2C674.4%2C99.8z%20M638.6%2C119.9c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C645.9%2C108%2C643.5%2C114.5%2C638.6%2C119.9%0A%09%09z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M811.6%2C60.6c-10.5-10.5-23.7-15.8-39.2-15.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8c-10.5%2C10.5-15.8%2C23.7-15.8%2C39.2%0A%09%09c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8c15.6%2C0%2C28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8c10.5-10.5%2C15.8-23.7%2C15.8-39.2%0A%09%09C827.4%2C84.3%2C822.1%2C71.1%2C811.6%2C60.6z%20M791.6%2C119.9c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C799%2C108%2C796.5%2C114.5%2C791.6%2C119.9z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M700%2C44.8h-8.3c-5.7%2C0-10%2C4.3-10%2C10l0.1%2C87.6v9.4c0%2C7.5-2.9%2C10.8-9.7%2C11l-0.8%2C0v-4.5c0-1.3-0.7-2.6-1.7-3.1%0A%09%09c-0.3-0.2-0.7-0.3-1.1-0.3c-0.7%2C0-1.4%2C0.3-1.9%2C0.9l-16.2%2C19c-0.5%2C0.6-0.8%2C1.5-0.8%2C2.4s0.3%2C1.8%2C0.8%2C2.4l16.2%2C19%0A%09%09c0.5%2C0.6%2C1.2%2C0.9%2C1.9%2C0.9c0.4%2C0%2C0.7-0.1%2C1.1-0.3c1-0.5%2C1.7-1.7%2C1.7-3.1v-6.6h7.9c8.9%2C0%2C16.4-2.9%2C22.2-8.7l0%2C0%0A%09%09c5.7-5.7%2C8.6-13.3%2C8.6-22.5l0-16.2V54.8C710%2C49.1%2C705.7%2C44.8%2C700%2C44.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Reason #3 to Stay: JULIOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Superstar factor
I don't know what it is, but somehow, the Mariners have had more than their fair share of Superstar players. Not just stars, but Superstars.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Edgar Martinez
Alex Rodriguez
Randy Johnson
Ichiro Suzuki
Felix Hernandez
The newest member in that group is Julio Rodriguez. The Mariners continue to find players that change the game and put the baseball world on notice. For some of them, it didn't pan out to team success, as such is the world of baseball.
It makes being a fan so much fun though. If you can tell me that you didn't enjoy it nearly every time that the Big Unit or King Felix stepped on the mound, I'll willingly call you a liar ala Bill Simmons to Roger Goodell. Or having to stop what you were doing to not just pay attention to an At Bat, but to fixate on it when Edgar, A-Rod, Griffey, or Ichiro stepped up to the plate.
We aren't just talking about great players here. We are talking about all-timers. Players who go down in history. The ones who create fans of a team.
That's Julio Rodriguez.
There is an argument that he is still 3-5 years away from his prime. That usually doesn't happen until 27-29, and Julio just turned 23. It's not just that he is amazing. It's that he should continue to get better. It doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, when Julio is involved in a play, you just find yourself gravitating towards it.
I'll never leave this team. Even if Stanton cheaps out. Even if they don't make the playoffs for another ten years. I don't think it'll happen, nor do I want to see them fail, but I'll be here for all of it. Let's hope you will too.