Seattle, WA
New Seattle Mariners Coach Kevin Seitzer Discusses ‘Aggressive’ Hitting Philosophy
During the last month of the season, there was an argument to be had that the Seattle Mariners offense was one of the most improved in baseball.
For most of the season, the lineup struggled with strikeouts, inconsistency and injury. There wasn’t a set lineup until August.
The offense ended up leading the league in strikeouts (1,625), but improved after hitting coach Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson was hired on Aug. 22.
Seattle ranked within the top 10 of the league in several offensive statistics after Martinez and Wilson took the reins. But it was reported that Martinez wouldn’t be back with the team in a full-time capacity in 2025, leaving the team looking for its fourth hitting coach in two seasons.
The Mariners found Martinez’s replacement in the form of decade-long Atlanta Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. Seitzer will be reporting to Martinez. The latter will oversee the hitting program as Senior Director of Hitting Strategy. He’ll travel with the team in a limited capacity, per reports.
Seitzer went on the Foul Territory podcast on Tuesday to talk about his new role and what his approach will be with Seattle.
“I’m in the beginning stages of digging in on these guys. But just going off what Edgar’s told me and (the) front office when we’ve had conversations through the interview process and after I got the job, some of the things they were saying is just Edgar got them in the middle of the field and using the off-gap. Getting back on the fastball, there was a lot of sitting on pitches, taking percentage of counts, or percentage of pitches in certain counts, and then kind of selling out to that. … Edgar just got them hunting the fastball, staying in the middle of the field the other way and just (being) aggressive. And for me, that’s my No. 1 M.O.. You got to have hitters that are aggressive. But the more you have a plan of where you’re hunting that fastball and trying to stay in the middle of the field — it helps with timing, helps with recognition, helps repeat that good swing path to stay inside the ball more consistently.”
New @Mariners hitting coach Kevin Seitzer on the approach and philosophy he’ll bring to Seattle:
💥 Be aggressive — Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 26, 2024
💥 Have a plan of where to hunt the fastball
💥 Stay in the middle of the field pic.twitter.com/eGJjvP10t5
Martinez was praised by players like JP Crawford and Julio Rodriguez for his simplified approach at the plate. Martinez will have a say in how the hitting program is constructed throughout the season. But based on Seitzer’s comments, it seems like his philosophy falls in line with Martinez’s.
Seitzer coached two National League MVPs in Freddie Freeman (2020) and Ronald Acuna (2023) and his offenses averaged a ninth-place finish in batting average in his decade in Atlanta.
If that success translates to the Pacific Northwest, then the Mariners’ offense will be much more effective in 2025.
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Olympians Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Erin Ambrose have all been placed on long-term injured reserve by their PWHL clubs after sustaining injuries during the Milan Cortina Games.
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Knight, a five-time Olympian and captain of the United States team that won gold, will be out of the lineup for the Seattle Torrent indefinitely after sustaining a lower-body injury in Italy, the team announced Friday.
Knight had three goals and three assists for the U.S. at Milan Cortina including a goal in the 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the final. She has three goals and seven assists during the current PWHL season.
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“While we’re eager to be at full strength and recognize the anticipation of Hilary’s return, we’re focused on putting her and our team in the best position for a playoff push,” Torrent general manager Meghan Turner said in a statement.
Minnesota Frost captain Coyne Schofield was placed on long-term injured reserve on Friday retroactive to Feb. 19 with an upper-body injury. Coyne Schofield scored three goals for the United States during the Olympics.
“I am incredibly proud of all our Frost Olympians who demonstrated true excellence on the world stage,” general manager Melissa Caruso said in a statement. “We are fully committed to supporting Kendall throughout her recovery, and our medical team will be working diligently to help her prepare for her return to the ice.”
The moves by the Torrent and Frost came a day after the Montreal Victoire announced that Ambrose has been placed on long-term injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 19 for a lower‑body injury suffered while representing Canada in the gold medal game. Ambrose had a pair of assists at the Olympics.
The Victoire’s Marie-Philip Poulin, Canada’s captain in Italy, was listed as day-to-day with an Olympics-related injury.
Victoire general manager Daniele Sauvageau said of the team’s Olympians “we are confident that they will be back in the lineup in the near future.”
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SEATTLE — Firefighters are responding to a car that drove into a ditch near Lake Washington Boulevard East and East Foster Island Road on Friday, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
Crews arriving at the scene reported that three people are trapped inside the car.
Firefighters were working to stabilize the car and get everyone out safely. Crews worked to remove the roof of the car to get everyone out, according to fire officials.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area while emergency crews respond.
The crash occurred in the area between the Montlake and Broadmoor neighborhoods, and traffic can be expected as emergency crews respond.
No additional information was immediately available.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway had a hat trick and added an assist in his return from a sprained ankle, Joel Hofer made 23 saves and the St. Louis Blues came off the Olympic break to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Thursday night.
St. Louis Blues 5, Seattle Kraken 1: Box score
Jordan Kyrou and Holloway — activated from injured reserve before the game — scored in a 23-second span early in the second period to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.
Pius Suter added a goal and two assists to help the Blues end a three-game losing streak.
Holloway completed St. Louis’ first hat trick of the season with 3:01 left, scoring into an empty net for his 11th of the season.
Kaapo Kakko tied it at 1 for Seattle in the first period, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots. The Kraken were coming off a 4-1 loss in Dallas on Wednesday night.
Kyrou made it 2-1 at 1:12 of the second off a feed from Pavel Buchnevich on a break. Holloway poked the puck past Grubauer off a scramble at 1:35. Suter scored at 1:56 of the third.
St. Louis’ Cam Fowler appeared in his 1,100th game, becoming the 10th active defenseman in the NHL to reach the mark.
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