CLEVELAND -- A homecoming throughout this road trip has given Colt Emerson a hefty dosage of both nostalgia and perspective, blended through the huge presence of those he loves most while doing what he loves most.
And because of those very distinct emotional states, you’d never know that the Mariners’ 20-year-old rookie infielder had been mired in the toughest two-week stretch of his extremely young career.
However, he snapped out of it with a big night to lead Seattle to a much-needed, 3-1 win over Cleveland on Friday night -- headlined by a solo homer in the third inning.
“I'm in such a great position, and I'm in the big leagues,” Emerson said. “Like, I've got no reason but to be positive about where I'm at. And a lot of guys in this team have the same view and the same outlook on it, because at the end of the day, this is baseball, but this isn't our identity, you know?
“If you make it your identity, then it crushes you. I love this game. I love everything about it. I respect the heck out of it, and I'm just going to keep being me and keep doing my thing.”
Pretty polished commentary, but probably what you’d expect from a seasoned veteran and not someone whose childhood peers here in Ohio are mostly all in college.
Yet, this is precisely who Emerson has always been -- since as far back as a decade ago, if not earlier, when he was coming to Progressive Field as a young fan.
So far through his first six weeks in The Show, he hasn’t budged on the emotional ups and downs of success in the big leagues. And at this rate, who knows if it’ll ever come?