The Reason Why the Julio Rodriguez Conversation is So Uncomfortable
Heading into Monday's game against the New York Yankees, the conversation around Seattle Mariners' star Julio Rodriguez is difficult.
Let me first admit, I was inspired by an interaction on "X" between longtime Mariners' social media personality Ty Dane Gonzalez Mariners" and @MarinerMuse that took place on Sunday.
So, upon watching Gunnar Henderson hit another home run for the Orioles on Sunday, Ty put out the following (which he has since deleted).
"Must be nice having your young superstar consistently produce like he's supposed to."
Or maybe not! pic.twitter.com/RfCUM3JhhL
— Mariner Muse (@MarinerMuse) May 20, 2024
And I started thinking about Julio, who is clearly the player that Ty is taking a shot at. By some measures, Julio is having a fine season. He has a seven-game hitting streak, with five multi-hit games in that time. That's good! He is also hitting .274, which is right in line with the averages he's put up the last two years, - and that's also pretty good in a league where it's considerably harder to hit than it ever has been.
Furthermore, he plays Gold Glove caliber defense in centerfield, and that's undeniably valuable. But in other ways, Rodriguez's season has been completely underwhelming. He has just two home runs, has just 14 RBI and has been, by all metrics, a wholly subpar baserunner.
In some corners of Mariners Twitter, you are chastised if you support him, and in some corners, you are chastised if you criticize him.
And it got me thinking about why - and what's the proper response to dealing with Julio's season?
First off, the Mariners have been a snakebitten franchise, left behind by Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez - and spurned by most free agents of the last decade. There's something special about Julio wanting to stay in Seattle, committing to Seattle long-term, welcoming being the face of a franchise so many others haven't wanted to be. Homegrown players always have a longer leash with fanbases because of that attachment.
There's a real bond between Julio and the city, and when you have that bond, it feels wrong to criticize.
On the other side of things, we've been told for years that Julio was the second coming, that he was the franchise savior, that he's a future MVP and that he's the one prospect who won't turn into Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley or Nick Franklin. If you have that much emotional capital built up in him, and if the organization has spent potentially $470 million on him, isn't it fair to expect, want or demand a better return on investment than a highly-paid singles hitter who plays great defense?
For me, this is where I lie with Julio. His talent is undeniable. He is the most talented player the Mariners have had on the position player side since Griffey. Because of that, he deserves a long rope and he deserves our support as a fanbase. You can't afford to alienate a star player with that kind of talent, because if you do, you'll end up suffering the same fate you did with all those other names above.
However, because of the money being paid, it's fair to ask for improvement. He has a good attitude - and that counts for a lot - but I'd like to see him make better swing decisions, not chase so many balls outside, and make a conscious effort to get to the inside pitch.
He has too much talent for you to run him out of town, but concerted improvement is not too much to ask for.
Post on social media accordingly.
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BRADY FARKAS