NEW YORK -- Mariners manager Dan Wilson was understandably emotional and had a tough time putting words together when talking about long-time coach/manager Lee Elia, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 87.
Wilson and Elia worked together in Seattle when Wilson was the starting catcher and Elia was the hitting coach and bench coach in the 1990s and early 2000s. Elia was working under then-manager Lou Piniella during that time.
To Wilson, Elia was a father figure who taught him how to hit in the big leagues. Wilson’s best year under Elia's tutelage was in 1996, when he had a slash line of .285/.330/.444 with 18 home runs and 83 RBIs -- all career highs.
“He really taught me how to play in the big leagues, how to hit in the big leagues. He was like a father to me in the game. He will be dearly missed,” Wilson said. “He treated everybody with so much love. When you are called Uncle Lee, you make a lot of impressions with people. That’s what he was known to us. We are going to miss him dearly.”
Wilson and Elia spent a lot of time together in the batting cage -- but most of the talk was not about hitting. They would talk about defense and other off-the-field matters.
“We shared a lot. We shared our hearts with each other,” Wilson said. “You don’t get that with all of your coaches. Lee and I had a special bond, special relationship. I’m forever grateful for him pouring into me as a player, and mostly, as a person.”
Elia gave Wilson plenty of advice over the years, but what sticks out to Wilson are the stories Elia used to tell. Man, he could make Wilson laugh.
“His ability to tell a story was exceptional. He could make you laugh even in the moment when you think you couldn’t laugh,” Wilson said. “That speaks volumes. This is a game [where] sometimes you have to step back for a minute, and Lee could do that. His famous line was, 'This game is not easy.'
"He impressed that [on] all of us. He was a special guy to have, and we were lucky to have him as long as we did in Seattle.”