Say it ain’t so: Mariners give Kent fan the cold shoulder

I have been asked by many fans to give my objective impression of the Mariners at spring training. Being a very positive person I loathe negative thinking, but I saw something through my lens that could throw a wrench into the season.

I spent much time near the team, up close and friendly. My position of choice was the dugout photo platform. Only one moment in the week was there another photographer to share the platform, so I had no competition to share space with the players as they passed within arm’s length, coming and going to the outfield and the infield. My 420 mm lens brought their faces and personalities to me as though I was reaching out to touch them when they circled the bases or strained for a fly ball. They are my team, my family, and my close allies in the world of baseball. I AM A FAN!

So what was wrong? Why was it uncomfortable? Certainly the general manager wasn’t uncomfortable. Certainly some of the individual players, at first, weren’t uncomfortable. Certainly they played their hearts out throughout spring training.

I studied back in my mind the few years that they were no less than great. What was the cloud that I saw at spring training? I began dissecting that cloud one piece at a time.

First I watched the gantlet where the players leave the field after the game, and I saw player after player walk in total avoidance of the fans, mostly little kids who wanted an autograph on a ball or piece of paper. Most players in the time that I watched walked with their eyes to the sky in the opposite direction of those fans who called their names.

The players were tired maybe, but the fans are their fans and had paid upwards of $25 a seat with all the stadiums of 6000 seats at capacity, full. Many came from miles away residing in a motel room for days to be A FAN.

The ushers and stadium officials were unbelievably courteous, leaving a blatant white-and-black effect when compared to the team, this fan’s team.

A few of the players tried to be friendly to me individually, but quietly whispered that they were getting in trouble and avoided eye contact after that.

Then, when at the end of the week I strolled into the press box to see what it contained and sat for a minute to sip a drink (remember I had enough press credentials to cover three photographers) someone (from the Mariners management) burst into my personal space with very abrasive language, launched an exceedingly critical tirade and told me to get out.

“Get out now and if you are seen in any Mariner spaces or press area again, you will be arrested for trespassing.”

I said, “I just found out that I have the only photograph of Griffy’s first home run and would be more than happy to share with the Mariners.” That certainly was not the wisest response, for it seemed to escalate his anger.

So, what is my through-the-lens, elbow-to-elbow objective impression of the Mariners’ future success?

They must remember why they are playing: The Fans. Someone upstairs is squelching the best attribute that the Mariners have in their camp, a true affection for the fans. They can have all the talent that a team can afford and all of the leadership to direct the team to win. But if you slap the fans too many times, they will go away.

My tirading friend, I found later, was a media man for the Mariners, treating a fan disgracefully.

If he and some other Mariners are the rule, fans, we are in trouble this season.

Let’s really hope that they are the exception, for positively, we have a great start for a great season.

Don DinAlpha XR is a Kent-based photographer, who operated on assignment for the Kent Reporter during the Mariners’ spring training in Arizona last month. Contact him through Editor Laura Pierce at lpierce@kentreporter.com, or by calling Pierce at 253-872-6600, ext. 5050.