Veteran Seattle Radio Host Makes Interesting Claim About Mariners' Catcher Cal Raleigh

While the claim seems a bit wild, it's probably accurate at this point, especially locally. Nationally, Julio Rodriguez probably has a slight edge given that he's a two-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger and a home run derby participant with a big contract, but Raleigh's likely closing the gap given his MVP-caliber season. He's tied for the major-league lead in homers with 27.

From personal experience, I can tell you that Raleigh got the biggest ovation at Opening Day, and was a fan-favorite at spring training, and that was even before he started this unbelievable season. Local fans appreciate what he's turned into and how hard he plays, and it does feel like he's passed Rodriguez in the local market, especially as Julio struggles to hit for power and consistency.

As for the rest of the teams in town? It seems fairly cut and dry that Raleigh is ahead of any other athlete.

The Seahawks are in a bit of a transition, trading away DK Metcalf and Geno Smith this offseason, and they also saw Tyler Lockett sign with the Tennessee Titans. And while Jaxon Smith-Njigba is excellent, he's very quiet and has been playing second-fiddle to Metcalf for the last two years. The market doesn't know Sam Darnold yet and Devon Witherspoon, a defensive back, is a great player, but he's not on that level of popularity yet, either.

The WNBA's Seattle Storm have been solid for years, but they lost Sue Bird after 2022. She had a 21-year career with the franchise, leading to transition there as well.