Quite a Mariner weekend

I hope you had the opportunity to watch the retirement of Ken Griffey Jr.’s number 24. A few years ago I had the chance to see the induction of Randy Johnson and Dan Wilson into the Seattle Mariner Hall of Fame.

The Seattle organization has done some stupid things over the years but when it comes to welcoming back the few greats that this organization has had they go all out for the former players and fans to show huge appreciation for those greats. They may do it better than any other team in the Major Leagues.

Griffey’s number retirement was special. The former teammates; the greats that wore the number 24 for other teams and the other Seattle Hall of Famers from the Seahawks and Supersonics was something very special to Griffey and the Seattle fans.

Seahawks Cortez Kennedy and Steve Largent came to Seattle to be a part of the Griffey ceremony than to go to Canton, Ohio where the NFL Hall of Fame inductions were taking place. If that isn’t a show of respect for Griffey and the city of Seattle I really don’t know what it could be.

Supersonic Hall of Famers Spencer Haywood and Gary Payton were loudly applauded and Payton helped Griffey unveil a bronzed glove in recognition of Griffey’s great defense. It was also announced that a statue of Griffey would be in place next season outside Safeco Field.

When the unveiling of Griffey’s number next to Jackie Robinson’s 42, it was certainly a great moment that few if any will ever forget.

Junior had a very good speech and related his appreciation for Seattle. He finished it off with a word for the teams and the fans. He said to the group of Mariners in the dugout to keep fighting and to remember that they are playing for the city of Seattle.

He told the Mariner fans that they needed to support those guys in that dugout because they need to hear that support.

It was a great moment and as loud as the crowd got at times on Saturday and Sunday his words came through loud and clear at some very important times.

I’m not sure that a lot of people know how well Seattle supports its pro teams. I also don’t think a lot of fans realize how the former players appreciate the city. For anyone listening to the play by play on TV when Gary Payton came into the booth you could hear it in his voice. Payton visited with Dave Sims and Mike Blowers and they talked about Payton’s induction as a Seattle Sonic.

Payton wasn’t happy that Seattle no longer had a NBA franchise. He told the boys in the booth that Oklahoma City wanted to have a ceremony to retire his number.

Payton told them that he never played in OKC and that his number would not be retired there either. He’s hoping that something can happen and that his number would be retired in Seattle.

There were some great moments over the weekend and the Seattle Mariners organization came to play and did a great job of showing its remarkable appreciation for ‘The Kid’.

Griffey Jr. wasn’t the only former Seattle Mariner that made news this weekend. Ichiro Suzuki picked up his 3000th hit on Sunday. Over 2500 of those hits were accomplished in a Seattle Mariner uniform.

When he goes to the Hall of Fame I’m sure it will be in a Mariner uniform where he attained Rookie of the year and MVP awards in 2001 when Seattle won 116 games.

He also set a mark for most hits (262) in a season while wearing a Mariner jersey. He spent 12 seasons with Seattle and also had the opportunity to play with Ken Griffey Jr.

Lastly former Mariner Alex Rodriguez announced his retirement over the weekend. The Yankees sort of stated that they were going to release him in a week. Seeing the writing on the wall A-Rod announced that he would be retiring and the Yankees were going to keep him on as an advisor.

The Yankees still owe him $27 million for his last year of a 10 year contract. I’m not sure if they hope to get the $27 million out of him in advisor fees but we’ll see.

A-Rod burned a lot of bridges throughout his career. He was loved in Seattle until he signed an enormous contract with Texas and made a commercial trying to get Boeing to move to Dallas.

His issues with performance enhancing drugs and the denial and banned from baseball for a year will make it difficult for him to make the baseball Hall of Fame, and rightly so. As much as he had going for him his ego became bigger than the game itself.

So yes it was quite a Mariner weekend. Congratulations Junior and Ichiro. And A-Rod I think you overstayed your welcome.