Josh Naylor giving Seattle Mariners reasons to re-sign him

First base has long been a position where the Seattle Mariners have lacked stability. One of their most recent acquisitions, though, is looking like a potential long-term answer.

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Josh Naylor has played well since the M’s picked him up a week before the MLB trade deadline in July, and fans have been quick to call for the team to re-sign the pending free agent. In a recent interview with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob, Naylor’s own words provided some fuel to the fire.

First was his response to playing in Seattle.

“The fan base is crazy. It’s, like, almost electric,” Naylor said. “You can sometimes feel the ground shaking a little bit when something cool happens. … So far the fan base has been awesome. Even my family says they’re incredible and probably one of their favorites that they’ve had in my career, so they love coming here now just to kind of be a part of this atmosphere.”

Second, his eye-opening comments about hitting in the notoriously pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park – a reputation that was apparently news to him.

More: Seattle Mariners’ Naylor right at home hitting in T-Mobile Park

“I’ve always liked hitting here. … I think it’s a hitter’s park more than a pitcher’s park, to be honest,” he said. “I think it’s easy to hit here.”

Naylor’s comments are a “big deal”

Wyman and Bob have seen plenty of fans text into the show saying the Mariners should re-sign Naylor, and that combined with their conversation with Naylor has them thinking the idea has legs.

“We’ve had a lot of people text in – they love him,” Bob Stelton said. “I think they love his demeanor, they love certainly what he brings on the field. … It’s been a brief time he’s been here, but he’s made an impression on the field. I think he’s made an impression with his just singular focus, just being all business – and he was that when we talked to him.”

Naylor’s matter-of-fact personality make his comments stand out even more, and it helps that his family – something he always speaks of as greatly important to him – quickly feels a connection to the Seattle fans.

“That’s a pretty cool endorsement getting it from the family,” Stelton said. “… All these guys have commented on the fans this year, but it’s cool to hear a guy that we’re hoping will want to stay here talk about the fan base like that.”

Added Dave Wyman: “He’s no-nonsense so you know he’s not just saying that to try to gain favor from the fans.”

More than anything, though, it’s what Naylor said about hitting in T-Mobile Park that should really hit home for the Mariners.

“That to me is a big deal,” Stelton said. “That right there is a big statement, because that’s all we’ve ever heard about this place since the day it opened is how tough it is to hit here, how hitters don’t want to come here, and if you want a hitter to come here, you’re going to have to overpay them. And here’s a guy going, what are you talking about? That seemed completely foreign to him that it was referred to as a pitcher’s park.

“… I think that’s a big statement coming from somebody that most fans at this point are hoping re-signs here. Look, they still have to conduct the business. The money’s gotta be there. Who knows what kind of offers he’s gonna get. He’s gonna be a free agent after this year. But the fact that he likes hitting here, that’s a big statement. Man, that that struck me.”

Catch Wyman and Bob live from 2-7 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

Josh Naylor giving Seattle Mariners reasons to re-sign him

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