THE CHEAP SEATS WITH STEVE CAMERON: Payoff on the way for Mariners
THERE’S HOPE.
I know, I know, long-suffering Mariners fans have been hearing that for way too long.
You could have been born, played with kiddie toys, gone to high school, become old enough to vote, and gone to fight in Afghanistan since Seattle last made the playoffs in 2001.
But that futile yearly battle to cross the 85-win threshold and then still watch the postseason on the couch is over.
GM Jerry Dipoto can call it a “step-back,” but with the blessing of owner John Stanton, what Jerry did was blow up the whole organization and trade away every semi-valuable veteran that someone would take.
In return, he stole a boatload of amazing prospects — especially from the Yankees and Mets, which makes it even more fun.
Meantime, the Mariners were upgrading their scouting, drafting and instructional pieces all across the board.
The payoff is almost certainly coming.
You’ll likely see exciting glimpses of it in the latter parts of this season, and after that, well, 2021, ‘22 and beyond are going to be lots and lots of fun.
BE SURE and check Sunday’s paper, where we’ll dig down and take a serious look at the Mariners’ present and future, but for today ...
Let’s just enjoy the dream.
Jerred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez.
The two kid outfielders — they’re 20 and 19, respectively — have been linked almost as a package deal since they began zooming up through Seattle’s minor-league system (although Kelenic signed and started with the Mets).
It’s almost impossible not to be impressed by this pair.
We can talk about their tools and their future in a sec, but first I’ve got to tell you a story about Kelenic, who had advanced all the way to Double-A Arkansas by the end of last season.
He’s wowed everyone in the Mariners’ Arizona camp, and there must be a temptation to keep him on the major league roster right now.
Instead, Dipoto has vowed to let Kelenic further refine his swing and see better pitching for a bit by starting this season at Arkansas.
Rodriguez is a year behind in age and minor-league level, but like Kelenic, he’s mentally ahead of his class — and with a 6-4, 225-pound frame filling out almost perfectly — he’ll have the chance to add home-run lift to a swing that has produced averages over .300 at every stop so far.
Jarred and Julio.
Or Jarred and J-Rod, because TV people can’t resist.
Both have impressed Mariners staff and other campers with their maturity even more than their tools — which is truly saying something.
The Seattle organization expects them to be outfield fixtures at T-Mobile Park for a decade, even though there are already two very promising rookies — Kyle Lewis and Jake Fraley, penciled in to start on either side of center fielder Mallex Smith on opening day.
Last September, former No. 1 draft choice Lewis hit six home runs in his first 10 games, which had never previously been done in the major leagues.
The Mariners are flush with young talent, which means that if there are a couple of busts (gonna happen, because it’s baseball), another platoon of gifted youngsters is poised to step in.
OH, WAIT!
I promised you a story.
Enjoy ...
Kelenic entered Monday’s otherwise-routine Cactus League game against Colorado in the sixth inning.
He hit a bullet in his first at-bat, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.
The next time around, though, Jarred got his money’s worth – and wound up with teammates calling him “Babe” or “Bambino” because…
Well, here’s what happened.
With his parents and other members of his family down from Wisconsin to watch, Kelenic crushed a first-pitch fastball from Alexander Guillen -- sending a rocket far, far over the wall in right-center.
But prior to the homer, Kelenic produced a spring-training version of Babe Ruth’s famous “Called Shot.”
Standing in the on-deck circle, Kelenic watch Guillen throw -- and fairly casually told Carson Vitale, the Mariners’ field coordinator, what was going to happen.
“I called it in the most non-arrogant way possible,” Kelenic said. “I looked at his fastball. And I just said to Carson: ‘Listen, man, if I get one heater, I’m going to hit it out. I swear.’
“The rest is history. I don’t know what else to say.”
Manager Scott Servais confirmed the story afterward: “He said he was going to hit a home run if the guy threw him a fastball, which he did.”
Servais marveled how Kelenic thinks about the game, and that he’s always learning more.
Uhhh ...
Yeah.
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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns for The Press appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He also contributes the “Zags Tracker” package on Gonzaga basketball each Tuesday.
Steve’ various tales from several decades in sports — “Moments, Memories and Madness” — run on Sunday.