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Kyle Seager has been a rock since he arrived.  But, a rock that continues to push itself and improve over the years.  2016 was the best year of his career, and the scary thing is that he still has lots of room to improve.

I like Seager.  He might not be my favorite Mariner of all time, but he’s quickly rising through the ranks.  His defense is solid, but I wouldn’t consider him a natural like Adrian Beltre.  His at bats aren’t really Appointment Television (unless it’s the bottom of the 9th or later and we’re looking at a situation where he can tie it or win us the ballgame).  He’s not some hyper-specimen sent to us from the Baseball Gods to reinvent the National Pasttime.

But, he’s really, really good.  And, in that sense, he might be one of the rarest of players.  Most guys go through prolonged slumps; Kyle Seager mostly avoids these (particularly after the month of April).  Most guys have down years, thanks to one significant injury, many multiple nagging injuries, or simple blind bad luck; Kyle Seager is the same as he ever was, when he’s not actively improving.  It’s uncanny!  He’s the one guy I never have to worry about!  So, let’s throw a few more gasoline bombs onto this jinx fire and see if we can’t get him injured in Spring Training.

You know what’s crazy?  Kyle Seager is 29 years old; he could still be at least as productive as he is now for another 10 years, easily!  He could go down as the greatest all-around career-Mariner in the history of the franchise!  When you package the defense, the power, the improving batting average and on-base percentage, the fact that he plays third base – which is one of the tougher spots to fill and fill well – and wrap it all up in a guy who plays every day and doesn’t really fall off regardless of who’s pitching against him, and we’re talking about a guy who is going to go down as one of the most valuable players we’ve ever seen.

In 2017, he’s the third in our crucial Big Three.  We need Kyle Seager to keep being Kyle Seager.  And, if he wants to find a way to be even better than he was in 2016, we might be talking about a guy in the American League MVP conversation.  Granted, he’s a long shot, but it’s not impossible.