Let me first admit, I was inspired by an interaction on "X" between longtime Mariners' social media personality Ty Dane Gonzalez Mariners" and @MarinerMuse that took place on Sunday.
Furthermore, he plays Gold Glove caliber defense in centerfield, and that's undeniably valuable. But in other ways, Rodriguez's season has been completely underwhelming. He has just two home runs, has just 14 RBI and has been, by all metrics, a wholly subpar baserunner. There's a real bond between Julio and the city, and when you have that bond, it feels wrong to criticize.
For me, this is where I lie with Julio. His talent is undeniable. He is the most talented player the Mariners have had on the position player side since Griffey. Because of that, he deserves a long rope and he deserves our support as a fanbase. You can't afford to alienate a star player with that kind of talent, because if you do, you'll end up suffering the same fate you did with all those other names above.