An Open Letter to Jerry Dipoto
Dear Jerry,
I’ve been a Mariners fan since I was a kid in the early 90s. If truth be told, in those early days I was probably a Griffey fan more than a Mariners fan but the end result was the same. Living in Salem, Oregon my dad and I would take in a weekend series in the Kingdome every summer. Every summer that is until 1995 when my parents moved this 10-year-old and his brother to the midwest.
Some might say I missed living through the magic of that year, and I guess I did. But I’ve always believed that only increased my Mariners fandom. That was MY team making that run. No one else in my 5th grade class, or my school, or my church was an Ms fan. As far as I was concerned I had to root hard enough to pull the weight of the entire Midwest.
When Joey cried, I cried. When Randy was traded, I cried. When Junior was traded, I cried. When the Mariners made the playoffs in 2000 I listened to the day games against the White Sox while in high school French class thanks to a Walkman radio and ear buds run underneath my shirt. In 2001 I stayed up until midnight nearly every night, following Ichiro and the run to 116. I still haven’t shaken Arthur Rhodes vs. David Justice.
I have a Mariners hoodie that says 2001 playoffs. Sadly it never really fit right and I have hardly worn it. Seems all too fitting given we haven’t seen the playoffs since. Of course there was never supposed to be a drought like this. Our can’t-miss draft picks missed (badly). Free agents like Beltre and Sexson were going to push us over the top. So were guys like Chone Figgins, Erik Bedard, and Cliff Lee, to say nothing of all the managers who were deemed to have the special touch.
As you know, Mariners fans have been blessed to witness oodles of star talent, lovable legends and cult heroes, and plenty of high hopes. Unfortunately those things have been joined too frequently by painful disappointment and doubt. All of that was on display during this past week in the pursuit of, and ultimate rejection from, Shohei Ohtani.
What’s the point of me writing all of this? It’s simple really—I just want to say thank you. Thank you, Jerry, for doing everything in your power to acquire a great player like Ohtani. Thanks for working hard and thinking creatively toward the goal of ending that playoff drought (and more). Thanks for the transparency of your front office. You tell the fans what you’re trying to do and then you actually go and do it. Thanks for doing a podcast to keep us informed and to let us get to know you as someone more than just a GM. Heck, thanks for keeping the offseasons exciting with your plethora of moves to improve the club.
The fan base is pretty crushed right now about losing out on the possibility of transforming the franchise. I know you’re just as disappointed. For at least this Mariners fan though, you have my full support as you work to bring baseball glory to the Pacific Northwest.
I can’t wait for your next move,
Kyle Olney