Inside The Mariners

Former WS Champion and Seattle Mariners Coach Discusses What Makes Edgar Martinez A Great Coach

Scott Brosius spent three years coaching in the M's organization (2016-2018), and he joined the Refuse to Lose podcast to discuss his career, some Mariners-related memories, and his thoughts on Edgar Martinez.
Seattle Mariners senior director, hitting strategy Edgar Martinez (11) and Dylan Moore (25) talk during batting practice before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park on May 10.
Seattle Mariners senior director, hitting strategy Edgar Martinez (11) and Dylan Moore (25) talk during batting practice before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park on May 10. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Though the Seattle Mariners have lost four straight games entering play on Tuesday, the team has still performed well through 40 games.

Thus far, Seattle is 22-18 and in first place in the American League West. They lead the division by 1.5 games. The biggest reason for the early success is the team's better offensive approach. At 197 runs scored, Seattle has scored the fourth-most runs in the American League.

A big reason for that? A full season of working with Edgar Martinez, who was hired as the team's Director of Hitting in the offseason, and the addition of full-time hitting coach Kevin Seitzer.

Martinez previously served as the Mariners' hitting coach, stepping aside after the 2018 season, and everyone who has come in contact with him seems to be a big fan of his approach and teaching methods.

That includes former Mariners' coach Scott Brosius, who spent three years with the organization (2016-2018), working alongside Martinez in 2017-18. He joined the Refuse to Lose podcast on Tuesday to discuss Martinez's effectiveness and much more, including beating the Mariners in the 2000 and 2001 ALCS's as part of the New York Yankees.

I ​think, ​you ​know ​what ​he ​brings, ​number ​one, ​is ​credibility. ​I ​mean ​he's ​Edgar, ​he's ​been ​there, ​he's ​done ​it, ​he ​was ​a ​great ​hitter, ​a ​self-​made ​hitter, if ​you ​look ​back ​at ​his ​career, ​late ​bloomer, ​you ​know, ​so ​lots ​of ​credibility. ​Did ​it ​for ​a ​long ​time. ​So ​that's ​number ​one. ​

But ​then ​number ​two, ​he ​has ​the ​ability ​to ​keep ​something ​that's ​difficult: ​hitting ​and ​keep ​it ​simple. ​And ​in ​today's ​world ​where ​there's ​tons ​of ​information ​out ​there ​and ​there's ​so ​much ​that ​hitters ​are ​seeing and ​​having ​to ​absorb, ​there's ​a ​place ​where ​just.... ​that's ​a ​true ​teacher's ​ability ​is ​to ​take ​all ​that ​stuff ​and ​be ​able ​to ​present ​it ​in ​a ​very ​simple ​way. ​And ​Edgar's ​approach ​is ​simple. ​Use ​the ​middle ​of ​the ​field, ​you ​stay ​fastball ready. I ​Kind ​of ​think ​those ​are ​things ​that, ​that ​are just kind of really ​foundational ​things ​of ​hitting ​that ​I ​think ​he's ​able ​to ​remind ​guys ​in ​this ​age ​of ​all ​these ​other ​things... that you can ​keep ​your ​approach ​simple ​and ​have ​success.

Brosius played 11 years in the big leagues with the Athletics and Yankees, winning three World Series titles in New York. He was also an All-Star.

You can hear the full interview in the podcast player below:

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