Alex Rodriguez Says He Wants to Come Back and Celebrate with Seattle Mariners Fans

Alex Rodriguez, who has essentially been exiled from Seattle since leaving after the 2000 season, said in a radio interview on Tuesday that he would like one day to come back to Seattle and thank Mariners fans. The question is, will he ever be invited?

Unknown Date; Boston, MA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Seattle Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez in action against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park during the 1997 season Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking on Seattle Sports 710 on Tuesday, baseball legend Alex Rodriguez said he hopes to come back to Seattle one day to thank the fans who supported him in the early parts of his career.

Rodriguez spoke with Mike Salk and Brock Huard about his career, his time with the Mariners and leaving Seattle after the 2000 season so he could sign with the Texas Rangers for $252 million.

He addressed the money, the resentment from Mariners fans, if there's anything he regrets about leaving and more, but again, he re-iterated that he'd like to come back to Seattle some day.

Per the article on the interview:

“I’m disappointed that things ended the way they did,” Rodriguez said to hosts Brock Huard andMike Salk. “And I hope that one day with new ownership now and management – which I have a very good relationship with, I’m a big supporter of the Mariners, I follow them closely on TV, obviously the guys who do your TV work are really, really good – I hope that one day I get to come back and celebrate, at least thank the great fans of the Mariners for what they did for me.”

Rodriguez, who became a villain in his career because of his connection to the Steroid Era, is one of the most complicated figures in Seattle sports history.

He is arguably a top-two player in the Mariners history and he paired alongside Ken Griffey Jr. for the most exciting era in Mariners history. By that account, he's likely deserving of being in the Mariners Hall of Fame, especially since he is believed to not have used steroids in Seattle. However, when he left, he broke the hearts of nearly all fans and left a void in the fanbase that hasn't healed, even 23 years later.

Drafted No. 1 overall in the 1993 MLB Draft, Rodriguez made his debut with the Mariners in 1994, staying through the 2000 season. He made the All-Star team four times with the Mariners and won a batting title in 1996. He also hit 42 homers and stole 46 bases in an incredible 1999 season. He helped the Mariners to the playoffs in the 1995, 1997 and 2000 seasons.

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