Memo to Adrian Beltre From Mariners Fans…We’re sorry!

And we miss you!

When the Seattle Mariners signed Adrian Beltre in 2005, fans showed mixed emotions. Mostly emotions of jubilation, but also those doubters that like to point out what happened in the past when an impact player switched leagues.

Nonetheless, the Mariners had found their next superstar and more importantly, a solution for the gaping hole on the hot corner.

Little did the fan base know what was going to happen the next 5 seasons.

Despite putting up better-than-decent numbers, Beltre was slowly labeled a bust in Seattle. You see, Mariners fans had bloodlust after watching Beltre kill the National League in 2004. He was young, up-and-coming and full of power. And he was gift wrapped for the Mariners.

Little did we know, most fans would be asking for a gift receipt by the end of his tenure in Seattle.

I realize that Beltre put up monster numbers in Los Angeles leading to his giant Mariners contract and that he put up stellar number after he left the Mariners. What fans cease to realize was how badly we would kill for the kind of production he gave us while he was with the team. Sure, they weren’t MVP numbers, but those numbers pale in comparison to what we have seen from the Mariners in the last 2 seasons.

Let’s break down the career numbers, shall we?

2004 – Los Angeles Dodgers

2005-2009 – Seattle Mariners

Average of 143 games, 564 at bats, 74 runs, 150 hits, 34 2B, 2 3B, 20 home runs, 79 RBI, 10 stolen bases, 2 caught stealing, 38 walks, 99 strikeouts, 0 sacrifices, .266 average, .316 on base percentage and .439 slugging percentage.

2010 – Boston Red Sox

2011 – Texas Rangers

Adrian Beltre is laughing at Seattle from Arlington, Texas

In 2010, Beltre’s 84 runs would’ve been best on the Mariners, beating Ichiro‘s team leading total of 74. His 189 hits would’ve been second on the team behind Ichiro‘s 214 and ahead of Chone Figgins‘ 156.

His 28 home runs would have dwarfed the Mariners leader Russell Branyan who hit 15.

His 102 RBI left Franklin Gutierrez‘s 64 in the dust. His .321 batting average was even higher than Ichiro’s .315.

If you compare Beltre’s Mariner career average numbers to the 2010 Seattle Mariners season, he would’ve tied Ichiro’s team lead of 74 runs, finished 3rd in hits, first in home runs, first in RBI, and second in average.

I was going to compare the Mariners 2011 stats to Beltre’s, but the numbers were even more dismal and caused me to become irrationally angry…like I was much of last season.

The point is that Beltre was practically booed out of Seattle a la Chone Figgins. After looking at those numbers comparisons, those numbers were a godsend.

Yes, the Mariners and their fan base were used to big numbers coming off a string of playoff runs, but the team and the fans took those numbers for granted.

For 2 seasons since Beltre left, Seattle has been scratching and clawing just to put up 1 or 2 runs on the board each game.

Now that Beltre’s gone and we look back, I think we would all like to have those numbers back in our lineup.

CLICK HERE CHECK OUT THE SEATTLE MARINERS CLUBHOUSE AT NWSB!