Seattle Mariners Fanfest 2012 at Safeco Field - January 28, 2012
I got a chance to talk to one of the up and coming young players for the Mariners named Mike Carp. While he was signing my program (using a sweet old lady or a child to get an autograph is a good plan) I mentioned how the M's in the 90s got young, put a group together and they all got good at the same time. He just nodded when I told him I hoped that the M's could be the Rays of the division instead of the Orioles as one has figured out how to be good and young and the other has hopelessly fell into seemingly permanent obscurity and fan malaise.
As always, it is fun to go and take a couple swings off a tee, I hit one over the fence, jogged on the base paths, and saw a couple of players. But, this year really felt slim when it came to the crowd. Years of not merely missing the playoffs but being awful over and over has had a huge impact on this franchise. Although, the guy outside with the picket sign about moving in the left field fence to attract right handed hitters showed a bit of passion.
