ESPN MLB Insider Credits Seattle Mariners' New Hitting Coaches For Offensive Success

Speaking last week on the "Refuse to Lose" podcast, ESPN's Buster Olney spoke about the team's direction under Edgar Martinez and Kevin Seitzer.

Seattle Mariners second baseman Dylan Moore (25) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the second inning at T-Mobile Park on April 25. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Entering play on Monday, the Seattle Mariners have one of the best offenses in baseball.

They are third in home runs (42), first in walks (125), and tied for third in stolen bases (35). Seattle is also fourth in on-base percentage (.326) and fifth in OPS (.748).

It's a far cry from last season, when the M's led baseball in strikeouts and were 29th in batting average at .229.

While a lot of the credit (deservedly) is showered on players like Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco, the hitting coach tandem of Edgar Martinez and Kevin Seitzer likely deserves some credit as well.

Martinez was brought in as the hitting coach last season after some coaching changes and helmed the ship for the final 34 games of the year, in which Seattle showed significant improvement. He was elevated to Director of Hitting this season and pairs with Seitzer, who had a lengthy run as hitting coach in Atlanta with the Braves.

Speaking last Thursday on the Refuse to Lose podcast, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney discussed the role of the coaching staff and the growth of the offense. (This came before the Marlins series, in which Seattle scored 25 runs in three games).

"No ​tougher ​job ​in ​baseball ​than ​that of ​hitting ​coach, I ​think. ​Because ​so ​many ​current ​​players ​have ​their ​own ​personal ​hitting ​coaches ​that ​they ​work ​with ​in ​the ​offseason, some ​days, the ​morning ​of ​games. ​And ​so ​if ​something ​goes ​wrong ​​for ​a ​hitter, ​it's ​usually ​the ​hitting ​coach ​for ​the ​major ​league ​team ​that ​gets ​blamed. ​And ​it's ​also ​pretty ​clear ​that ​​having ​a ​different ​voice ​is ​important ​every ​so ​often, ​making ​a ​change, ​I ​think ​in ​this ​spot ​is ​important ​and when ​you ​have ​someone ​as ​credible ​as ​Edgar ​Martinez ​coming ​in, you ​know ​Kevin ​Seitzer, ​with ​all ​of ​his ​experience, speaking ​the ​language ​that ​the ​players ​will ​be ​able ​to ​understand ​and ​having ​the ​experience ​to ​be ​able ​to ​talk ​to ​them ​about ​working ​through ​issues. ​I ​think ​it's ​important ​and ​I ​do ​think ​there's ​a ​direct ​line ​from ​the ​change ​in hitting ​coach ​to ​what ​these ​guys ​are ​doing."

You can listen to the full interview with Olney below, and he'll be on again this Thursday.

The Mariners will play the Angels on Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. PT.