Mariners scrape together enough cash for decent Father’s Day gift, win series

These days, when I see my dad after Mariners losses, the first thing he says, quickly and with just a shade of bitterness, is: “I know, I know. Draft pick.” He’s never been a big follower of the minors, and forget college baseball—he had a momentary interest when UW was in it last year, but even that didn’t translate over to following the draft. I try to put names to what can be done with high draft picks, pointing out how well Isaiah Campbell is doing in the College World Series, or highlighting some players who might be top-ten picks next year. I save up videos on my phone to show him of Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert, but like many other long-term Mariners fans, he remembers too well doomed prospects of the past. All these names are just that: names. He prefers the here and now.

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