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For almost exactly 22 hours after his February 5th remarks to the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club were uncovered on Twitter, Kevin Mather remained silent.
He didn’t say a word when it came up in the Lookout Landing comments this morning. He didn’t say a word when we published the full transcript earlier today (although the original video did disappear from YouTube later). He didn’t say a word when local reporters started calling him out. And he didn’t say a word when national baseball writers started weighing in, calling for his departure.
But he did, finally, release an official statement Sunday night.
Statement from Kevin Mather pic.twitter.com/R2PugeImF6
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) February 22, 2021
As some have noted, you can pick out the individual sentences that were crafted with a lawyer’s help, hopefully to avoid an inevitable grievance from Logan Gilbert or Jarred Kelenic. While that’s not surprising, I wonder if Mather could have released a video statement, or found some other way to come across a little more sincere.
Per Ryan Divish and other Seattle media members, the Mariners are planning to release a statement tomorrow morning. Personally, I question whether people in or around the Mariners’ orbit — whether prospects, current players, agents, coaches, or various front office members — can trust Mather in a leadership capacity. And that lack of trust is enough to justify a change in leadership, regardless of how problematic you view his words or how sincerely you accept his apology.
We’ll have more coverage in the hours and days to come.