M's Veteran Gives Solid Answer When Asked About Coach's Firing
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It was a very interesting day in Seattle on Friday for the Mariners. First, franchise legend Alvin Davis was honored by the City of Seattle in a nice ceremony, then the team fired offensive coordinator and bench coach Brant Brown after just one-third of a season, and then the M's beat the Angels, 5-4, on a late home run by Ty France.
The win moved the M's to 32-27 as they remain in first place, but the big story of the day really was Brown.
Brought in this offseason and billed as a great hire because of his outside-the-box methods, Brown was supposed to transform the offense. However, entering play on Friday, the M's led the league in strikeouts and were 28th in batting average. They also ranked near the bottom of several other offensive metrics. Despite being in first place, the M's decided to move on, signifying the pressure that the organization is under.
Speaking before the game, veteran and team leader Mitch Haniger gave a candid answer on the situation.
Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times on social media:
Haniger on Brant Brown’s firing: “unfortunately, our collective production as the offense kind of led to this decision, and, you know, all of us don't feel too great about that. Brownie is not the one to blame for that, it's not his fault. So as far as like other reasonings, I have no idea but we're just trying to get our stuff together and move on.”
Haniger on Brant Brown’s firing: “unfortunately, our collective production as the offense kind of led to this decision, and, you know, all of us don't feel too great about that. Brownie is not the one to blame for that, it's not his fault. So as far as like other reasonings, I…
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) May 31, 2024
That's a smart and veteran answer by Haniger, and what you would expect from a team leader. There's probably a little bit of truth on all sides here. Brown probably does share some blame for perhaps not being able to connect with this group, or maybe not helping the offense develop a good approach. However, the players also share some blame, as guys with real resumes just haven't lived up to expectations.
Even after a nine-hit performance on Friday, the M's had had five starters from Friday's lineup hitting under .225. And Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver, who didn't play, are both under .200.
As we move through the season, we will see if Brown really shared more fault, or if he was just made a scapegoat.
The Mariners play the Angels again on Saturday afternoon at 4:15 p.m. PT.
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