Fastball

Former Seattle Mariner Backs Up Controversial End-of-Year Statement From Catcher Cal Raleigh

After Cal Raleigh made some controversial comments at the end of the season about the Mariners' lack of spending this season, former teammate Paul Sewald has backed him up.
Brady Farkas|
Former Seattle Mariner Backs Up Controversial End-of-Year Statement From Catcher Cal Raleigh
Former Seattle Mariner Backs Up Controversial End-of-Year Statement From Catcher Cal Raleigh

In this story:

Seattle Mariners

Let's flash back and set the stage a bit:

The Seattle Mariners missed the playoffs this season by 1.0 game. Despite boasting some of the best young talent in baseball, the M's watched as the Houston Astros won the AL West yet again, and as the Texas Rangers captured the wild card - and are now just 2.0 games away from the World Series. 

After the Mariners were eliminated from the playoffs in Game 161, catcher Cal Raleigh generated some controversy when he bemoaned the organization's lack of spending while the Rangers spent lavishly to create a winner.

You can follow that story here.

Several Mariners players including JP Crawford and Ty France publicly supported Raleigh, and this week, former M's closer Paul Sewald did the same.

Though Sewald was traded at the trade deadline, he spoke to Chris Rose about the situation.

Per Mariners' "X" user @MarinerMuse:

Paul Sewald on Cal Raleigh’s comments and the Rangers: 

“When your division rival literally takes you out at your home stadium like that, and all they did was go from last place to two games away from the World Series by spending money, it hits you harder… 

“They went from a team that we used to just wax, to taking our spot in two years by just spending. “

It can be spent irresponsibly. Look at New York and San Diego. Or it can be spent really really well like the two teams that are up 2-0 right now.”

Everyone who is speaking out seems to agree with Raleigh that additional resources need to be put into the major league team.

Now, will ownership listen? That's the question heading into the offseason.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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