Seager won't be in attendance as the team celebrates its 50 greatest players on Saturday.
On Saturday night, the Seattle Mariners will honor the 50 greatest players in franchise history when they host the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park.
While the game on the field will undoubtedly be important as the Mariners fight to stay in the American League playoff race, the gathering of franchise icons will be extremely special for fans.
In addition to providing nostalgia, the night also has a chance to provide closure for fans and Alex Rodriguez both, as Rodriguez announced that he is going to be part of the celebrations.
I've spoken several times about Rodriguez's decision to leave following the 2000 season, how it made me feel, and how I'm ready to move on after 25 years of grudge-carrying.
However, one person who apparently isn't ready to move on from their own situation is Mariners legend Kyle Seager, who is sure to be part of the 50 greatest team. As you may recall, Seager was famously unhappy about how things went down at the end of his career. Seager last played in 2021.
As noted by Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, Seager won't be coming to Seattle, saying instead that he has a commitment to coach his son's youth league team at a big tournament.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it up there,” Seager said via text earlier this week. “We’re actually heading up to Cooperstown Dream Park for a tournament, so I won’t be able to make it.”
For the record, I want to be crystal clear on this.
A) I've been to those tournaments at Cooperstown Dreams Park. They are incredible, and they are life-making memories for a family. If you can go to those tournaments, you absolutely should.
B) It's absolutely Seager's choice on whether or not to come to Seattle. While I can disagree, or wish it would be different, it's his choice and I respect his right to choose. If he still holds a grudge, that is his right. I still have grudges that I hold onto as well. It will pass - eventually - just like the Rodriguez grudge is passing, and just like any issues for Randy Johnson are now over.
But the reasoning doesn't make sense
Seager's note to Divish doesn't pass the sniff test. Seager coached in the championship game at the Cooperstown Dreams Park tournament on Tuesday night. It was chronicled on social media.
So Seager isn't "heading up" to Cooperstown. He's already been there. And the tournament is over.
If he wanted to be in Seattle, he could be. Again, it's 1,000 percent his choice, but his reasoning doesn't add up.
About Seager in Seattle
An 11-year veteran, he spent his entire career with the Mariners, hitting .251 lifetime with 242 home runs. He was a one-time All-Star and a one-time Gold Glover who had nine seasons of 20 homers or more, and two seasons of 30 or more.
He is clearly one of the most popular Mariners players of the 2000s.
Of note
The latest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast is out. You can listen here, or you can watch in the video player below.
