On July 23rd an interesting series of events occurred.
First, I got married to my best friend, the former Sports Fiancee. She is now The Sports Wife. We had an awesome ceremony and wedding day that revolved around two of our favorite things--baseball and food. We got married at Pike Place Market in Seattle, in front of the fish throwers (who photobombed the wedding pictures). Then, we were off in pedal cabs (Greener Cab Company in Seattle is a great way to get around the downtown area, I recommend it for anyone heading to the Emerald City). We headed to Safeco Field, bride and bridesmaids with baseball bats, groom and groomsmen with gloves. We took pictures outside the field. We faked a game of baseball for the camera, we posed with our accouterments, we hammed it up. The New Sports Wife threw her bat instead of a bouquet. We had a drink at Pyramid microbrewery across the street. I went to get our tickets. We headed to Crab Pot to bash things with mallets and eat them (the Sports Wife started things off with her bat, of course).
After a brief nap, we all headed back to Safeco for the game. We heard on our way to the gate that Ichiro was traded to the Yankees. I brushed it off. I heard this rumor or something similar every time I approached a baseball field. The Yankees have a flotilla of outfielders, why would they take Ichiro? My groomsman, Bob the Pennsylvania-to-Denver Transplant, and I ran to get another ticket for a friend joining us. We ran back around the building to the rest of the wedding party (we got there early enough that only the main ticket office was open and we were going to get in at the Center Field Gate, which is the first one Safeco opens).
When we got back to our group, The Sports Wife looked at me, nearly with tears in her eyes. It wasn't a rumor. Ichiro was traded. I whipped out my phone to check the trade myself. Why would the Yankees take Ichiro? Why would the Mariners trade Ichiro? What could the Yankees have offered in exchange? Jeter?!? No. The Yankees sent the Mariners two pitching prospects, who would report to AAA Tacoma, and cash. I've written blogs defending the Yankees. I've looked at baseball as a business and a game where trades happen all the time, players move and re-move. But this time, they took my new wife's favorite. They took one of MY favorites.
Since deciding to visit Seattle as often as we can and go to a Mariners game equally often (with the exception of our February trips), I've grown familiar with the Mariner line-up. I can rattle off almost as many Mariners as Yankees these days. I can tell you who plays where and can usually get the starting pitcher (I may need to look at the previous night's/game's pitcher to see where we are in the rotation, but I have to do that with the Yankees, too). I can watch the Mariners every game on Root Sports. I have to wait until some channel (usually ESPN) airs the Yankees in my area.
Ichiro has been there the longest.
I cheer for the Mariners. Every game I've gone to, with the exception of three, I've cheered for the Mariners. Those three were last year when the Yankees were in town and Mariano was approaching the saves record. I've rocked out when they sent in League (last year's closer). I've screamed "BARTENDER, CLOSE MY TAB!" when they've sent in Wilhelmsen (this year's closer). I've headbanged to "Smells like Teen Spirit" as they introduced the starting lineup for the Mariners and to "We're not Gonna Take It" when they need a 9th inning rally. Holy Crap, I've rooted for the Mariners more times this year than I have for the Yankees!
I felt like the Yankees ruined our wedding day.
It had to be July 23rd. Why? Because the Yankees were coming to town and it would be the ideal time to make the switch? Because it would give Seattle a rip-the-BandAid-so-it-will-feel-better-sooner moment to say goodbye? Because the trade deadline was a week away? Why did it have to be our wedding day? We were still in our wedding clothes. We still had our bats and gloves.
The Mariners traded Ichiro to the Yankees for cash, Mitchell, Farquhar...and me.
Monday, I did a lot of things for the first time. I said "I do" in front of four friends, a photographer, an officiant, and total strangers. I got goosed by my best man as I peered through the hole in the glove sculpture in front of Safeco. I went to bed a married man. I rooted against the Yankees. The Sports Wife had a sign that said she married a Yankees fan, so it MUST be true love. But I wasn't a Yankees fan that night. Or the next. Or the next day. I rooted for the Mariners as Millwood lost, Hernandez won (and beaned three), and Luetge let a one-run lead slip away in the eighth. I bought a Felix Hernandez rookie card instead of a Jeter.
I put away my beloved Joe DiMaggio jersey and didn't wear it this trip. It didn't feel right. I couldn't support the Yankees as they took away Seattle's most beloved player. I did the research. The trade made sense. One of the Yankees speedy outfielders in that flotilla went on the DL for the rest of the season shortly before the trade. A handful of the other outfield flotilla members are approaching, or already are, 40. Ichiro is in the last year of his contract, so the Mariners could trade him and actually get something in return instead of losing him to free agency. The Mariners also get two young players for an old one (Ichiro is 38, but is still fast, stealing a base against his former team as soon as he got on base). Ichiro benefited in going from a last place team to a first place one. The Yankees shored up a sudden weak point with a strong veteran. Having Ichiro's speed when he's on base leads to more fastballs (which are easier to hit further if you know they're coming) for other Yankees because a fastball is the best way to throw a runner out when attempting a steal. Everyone benefits...except the fans. Except The Sports Wife who cried during the Wednesday afternoon game when Ichiro batted lead-off for the Yankees and got a standing ovation, to which he tipped his cap and bowed. And what about the lady in the front row of right field who brings the Ichi-meter to every game? It had a heart on it Wednesday. It still tracked his hits through the games. What did she do tonight? The Mariners played the Royals--without Ichiro on either team.
So this is how it feels when a team trades away the most beloved player. Not a player who finished his contract and moved on (like another player who wore 51, Bernie Williams), but a beloved player traded...gone...to the team that they were playing that night. So this is how it feels to watch a sports legend in a city go. This sucks. I wouldn't have to feel this if I keep rooting for the Yankees. We can usually tell who's going to stay and who's going to go. We don't get attached to them (although I did like Bernie and I'm not anxious to see Mariano or Derek retire). The Yankees always trade up. They don't rebuild.
This is how it feels for a team to make the move to rebuild and look to the future. The Sports Wife is extra critical of Carlos Peguero, who had to step into Ichiro's shoes. "He's not as fast." "What's with the batting average? I thought he was supposed to bring some offense." "Ichiro would have had that one, this guy doesn't need to be here." I have to wonder how many other Seattle fans are taking their frustrations out on the new guy. Heaven help Mitchell and/or Farquhar if they don't produce.
It feels different rooting for a team that doesn't just win. It is more exciting. When the Yankees would lose, I'd be frustrated and check what it meant in the standings. When the Mariners win it is sad, half expected, and dims the lights on the hope of a comeback from 16.5 games back. But we root for the team all the same. They are the underdogs. We know their faces. We give them nicknames (The Sports Wife and her bridesmaids think Ackley is "one sexy slice of man-pie."... I'm not even sure what that really means. They all yell Jesuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus when Jesus Montero comes up to bat (something I started when we went to the Giants-Mariners games in June). We know that Wilhelmsen is "Bartender" because he comes in for closing time.
I feel connected to these players. The Yankees are in the far away land of New York. They are celebrities and the talk of the town. Their fans are rabid and, at times, stuck-up and rude. I see and listen to them sometimes and wonder if that is what I sounded like when I defended them. No one is going to fault me for being a Mariners fan. The Mariners don't win enough or have a deep rivalry or deeper pocketbook.
Root for one team that always wins, but everyone hates. Root for another team that no one hates, but often loses. Ichiro requested a trade that worked out for almost everyone. For the fans, that remains to be seen.
