New Seattle Mariners Coach Kevin Seitzer Discusses 'Aggressive' Hitting Philosophy
During the last month of the season, there was an argument to be had that the Seattle Mariners offense was one of the most improved in baseball.
For most of the season, the lineup struggled with strikeouts, inconsistency and injury. There wasn't a set lineup until August.
The offense ended up leading the league in strikeouts (1,625), but improved after hitting coach Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson was hired on Aug. 22.
Seattle ranked within the top 10 of the league in several offensive statistics after Martinez and Wilson took the reins. But it was reported that Martinez wouldn't be back with the team in a full-time capacity in 2025, leaving the team looking for its fourth hitting coach in two seasons.
The Mariners found Martinez's replacement in the form of decade-long Atlanta Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. Seitzer will be reporting to Martinez. The latter will oversee the hitting program as Senior Director of Hitting Strategy. He'll travel with the team in a limited capacity, per reports.
Seitzer went on the Foul Territory podcast on Tuesday to talk about his new role and what his approach will be with Seattle.
"I'm in the beginning stages of digging in on these guys. But just going off what Edgar's told me and (the) front office when we've had conversations through the interview process and after I got the job, some of the things they were saying is just Edgar got them in the middle of the field and using the off-gap. Getting back on the fastball, there was a lot of sitting on pitches, taking percentage of counts, or percentage of pitches in certain counts, and then kind of selling out to that. ... Edgar just got them hunting the fastball, staying in the middle of the field the other way and just (being) aggressive. And for me, that's my No. 1 M.O.. You got to have hitters that are aggressive. But the more you have a plan of where you're hunting that fastball and trying to stay in the middle of the field — it helps with timing, helps with recognition, helps repeat that good swing path to stay inside the ball more consistently."
New @Mariners hitting coach Kevin Seitzer on the approach and philosophy he'll bring to Seattle:
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 26, 2024
💥 Be aggressive
💥 Have a plan of where to hunt the fastball
💥 Stay in the middle of the field pic.twitter.com/eGJjvP10t5
Martinez was praised by players like JP Crawford and Julio Rodriguez for his simplified approach at the plate. Martinez will have a say in how the hitting program is constructed throughout the season. But based on Seitzer's comments, it seems like his philosophy falls in line with Martinez's.
Seitzer coached two National League MVPs in Freddie Freeman (2020) and Ronald Acuna (2023) and his offenses averaged a ninth-place finish in batting average in his decade in Atlanta.
If that success translates to the Pacific Northwest, then the Mariners' offense will be much more effective in 2025.
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