Dear Alex Rodriguez,
Don’t go.
You owe it to Seattle’s fans, to yourself and to baseball as a whole to continue playing with the Mariners.
It’s going to be tough not to go, A-Rod. The Rockies set you up with John Elway for a candlelight dinner and a “come to Colorado” speech. The Rangers will get you a perfect house next door to Mike Modano, the Dallas Stars’ all-star. The Dodgers are willing to increase their payroll by millions of dollars for you.
But don’t forget about Seattle, Alex. They’re sleepless over you.
Seattle loves you. Seattle needs you. The complaint against the Mariners has always been that they won’t build around a star player. But once Ken Griffey, Jr. — and his financial burden — left for Cincinnati, Seattle went out and acquired Rickey Henderson, Aaron Sele and John Olerud. Those players helped lift the M’s to the American League Championship Series, where they almost toppled the mighty Yankees.
Think about it logically, A-Rod. I know it’s tough, with all these people telling you how good you are by offering you more money than you could spend in a lifetime, but try to keep your level head.
Why leave Seattle? You’ll get a bigger contract, and you might have a better shot at winning the World Series. That’s what Griffey thought, and he brought down the Reds just like he brought down the Mariners. That’s what Randy Johnson thought, and he hasn’t gotten any closer, either.
Why stay with the Mariners? You will be the hero for fans everywhere. You will convert cynics like myself who think that fan loyalty and player loyalty are growing at opposite ends from each other in the money-driven world of sports. They’ll even move around the fences at Safeco Field for you because you’ve complained about your ability to hit there.
The Mariners management is keeping a low profile during the hype that is starting to build around your future. That’s because GM Pat Gillick and the rest of the Seattle higher-ups know they can’t compete financially with other clubs.
But is money really the issue, A-Rod? On your official Web site, you said, “The two most important things I’m looking for are stability and commitment” in management. Seattle has commitment and proved last season that stability can be arranged, even if the past would prove otherwise. The Mariners showed their stability just a few weeks ago, when they re-signed manager Lou Piniella.
For once, it would be nice to see a premier athlete pick the fans over the dollars. Yes, if I were a Rockies fan, I’d write a column convincing you that Coors Field was the place to play. If I loved the Braves, I’d mention the national television exposure. If I lived in Texas, I’d be telling you what a nice guy Mike Modano is. But if I were a fan of any of those teams, and you decided to stay in Seattle, I’d say you were a good man.
You may be only 25 years old, Alex, but you’re in a unique situation to help restore fans’ faith in the great American pastime.
My advice to you? Go out there and shake up the system a little bit. Be different. Be outrageous.
Stay in Seattle.