The Seattle Mariners signed phenom Julio Rodriguez to a potential record-breaking contract that could keep him in Seattle through the end of the next decade.
During the press conference where Julio Rodriguez spoke to the media and his fans about the new massive contract he signed with the Seattle Mariners, he said, “I would love to be on the Mariners for the rest of my career and play in front of the Mariners fans for the rest of my career.” Number 44 would follow that up with, “I genuinely mean that. I love being here.”
When we look through MLB history, top players that have spent their entire careers with one team are getting fewer and further between. At 21 years old, no one really looks at their career that way. Instead, there’s a hope that the star will remain on the same team for a very long time, if not their entire career.
The Seattle Mariners fan base has felt that way about many young players; Ken Griffey Jr, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, and Ichiro all come to mind. Edgar Martinez spent all 18 years of his hall-of-fame career with Seattle. Kyle Seager is the only other player with 10 or more years of experience that stayed in Seattle for their entire career.
Julio Rodriguez could be the second. The day that Ichiro was enshrined in the Mariners Hall-of-Fame, Rodriguez signed a massive deal that is both club-friendly and player-friendly at the same time. It could keep Julio in the Emerald City until 2039, when he’s 38 years old.
Scott Servais said it best, “He’s going to be around longer than the rest of us.” Seventeen years is the potential, and only if he’s been successful. That’s the best part of this. If he’s been successful, the Mariners have probably been successful, and he stays due to that duality of success.”
Next: Page 2: A closer look at the numbers
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