PEORIA, Ariz. — There might be no player who better symbolizes the Seattle Mariners’ rising fortunes than third baseman Kyle Seager.
It was just a year ago the Mariners and Seager offered the hope of promise and possibility. Now, they each face the expectation of continued improvement and eventual excellence.
The Mariners, after bolstering an 87-victory roster, are a trendy postseason pick, while Seager, now a returning All-Star and Gold Glove recipient, is one of the key reasons why.
“It’s an exciting time,” he said. “If you look top to bottom what this lineup can potentially do, there are a lot of dynamics to this that are pretty exciting.”
Seager, at 27, is handling success, and those heightened expectations, the way he handled last spring’s questions … by tinkering with his swing.
“I’m trying to find something that I like,” he said. “I’ve made little adjustments this whole time we’ve been here.
“It’s something I’m still continuing because I don’t want to have a start like last year — where I don’t get out of the gate too hot.”
Seager batted .191 a year ago in 68 spring at-bats and carried that slump into the season and saw him manage only 10 hits in 64 at-bats (.156/280/.219) over his first 19 games.
Then he hit two homers on April 23, including a three-run walk-off drive, in a 5-3 victory over Houston that enabled the Mariners to end an eight-game skid.
It signaled a turnaround for Seager and the Mariners.
“He’s a guy who can hit,” teammate Robinson Cano said. “Everybody knew that even before I came here. Sometimes, we just talk about who is pitching, and what he’s got.
“He’s a guy who listens, and that’s why he’s so successful. He can be really good. Trust me … you will see in the next few years how good he can be.”
By season’s end, Seager was an All-Star, had his Gold Glove and, shortly thereafter, a new seven-year contract for $100 million that wiped out his three arbitration years and four years of possible free agency.
“I think he proved to himself what he can do,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “Ultimately, I think Kyle has the type of personality and work ethic that should take him to a MVP-type of season.
“I look for that in the very near future. He can do it (this) year if he wants to.”
Meanwhile, Seager continues to tweak his swing.
“Just like always,” he confirmed. “I’ve found some stuff that I like. I’ve found some moves that I think will help me. Now, it’s just kind of refining it and getting it consistent.”
One goal is a continuing process from last season to refine his swing to enable him to hit the ball to all fields with power. Opposing defenses often overshifted their alignments last year and, increasingly, he made then pay.
“Just staying with that process,” Seager said. “When you get into better hitting positions, you’re able to do different things. I’m finding ways to not only get into those positions, but be explosive in those positions.
“If you get into those positions, but you’re not really using your hips or your body as well as you should, you’re going to lose a little bit. So I’m trying to get everything together.”
McClendon spent seven years as a hitting coach in Detroit before coming to the Mariners. He looks at Seager’s swing from that perspective, and sees hitter who should be able to hit to all fields.
“When you become that type of hitter,” McClendon said, “you become dangerous. You’re not just a pull hitter. He’s ahead of the game. He feels good about where he is.
“I think he’ll have an even better year than he did last year.”
Seager said the goal is simple: Hit the ball hard to all fields.
“I don’t know that I’ll ever have that much power to (left field),” he said, “but I need to be able to drive the gap. I need to be able to hit doubles out there and, occasionally maybe, run into one.
“For me, I need to be able to keep the ball out of the air to left field. If I can hit it hard on a line, that’s ideal for me.”
And the Mariners.
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