By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Two former Major League Baseball players offered advice and stressed hard work and good attitude to Sitka Little League players Monday.
Willie Bloomquist, who played for the Seattle Mariners for over a decade, told the two dozen or so 10- to 12-year-olds to focus on working hard to become better players.
He was followed by Scott Van Slyke, former Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder and first baseman.
“You work hard at what you’re good at and work hard on your weaknesses and you’ll become a good baseball player,” Bloomquist told the crowd sitting in the bleachers at Moller Park.
He added the need for positivity, as well.
“The number one thing I can say is have a good, positive attitude when you come onto the field. Be a good teammate,” he said.
As part of this emphasis on hard work, Bloomquist told the young players not to worry if things don’t always go right.
“Don’t be afraid to fail,” he said. “You’re going to fail. Everybody fails. I have failed a million times, it’s going to happen. Don’t dwell on the failures. You learn from it and say, ‘OK what can I do better next time?’”
In a later interview, Bloomquist said baseball has proven to be a humbling experience.
“The game is going to humble you. This is a game of failure and those who learn from their failure are the ones that get better. It’s not the ones that let failures dictate who they are and define who they are,” he told the Sentinel.
Bloomquist played for Seattle from 1999 to 2009, then again from 2013 to 2016. He has also played for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s a utility player, but most of the time on the field he’s an outfielder or shortstop.
Raised in a small town in Washington state, Bloomquist noted that he’s been a lifelong Mariners fan.
“I got an opportunity to play for my hometown team, the Seattle Mariners. I grew up a Mariners fan,” he told the crowd.
Van Slyke also stressed the work ethic in his remarks to the Little Leaguers.
“Usually what separates equal talents is who puts in more time,” he said. “There’s no feeling sorry for yourself in baseball.”
He stressed the need for younger baseball players to have fun with the sport without stressing over statistics.
“I do a few hitting lessons, and 12-year-olds should not be worried about going 2 for 12 in a tournament. Start worrying about that when you’re 17... When you’re 11 or 12 just try to have a little fun,” Van Slyke said in an interview with the Sentinel.
In retirement he’s enjoying coaching young players, he said.
“I love it,’ he said. “Even back home the year after I retired (2018) I had a couple of nephews that were 15 or 16 where I ended up coaching their team. I love coaching and just how kids can have fun and you see they’re having fun.”
Van Slyke also played for the Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and the Doosan Bears in South Korea.
While Bloomquist and Van Slyke followed very different career paths within MLB, the two share some common ground: their disdain for the Oakland Raiders Stadium.
“I had batteries thrown at me. The fans there suck, they are obnoxious,” Bloomquist said. Van Slyke echoed the sentiment.
After hearing advice from the major league veterans, some of the Little Leaguers spoke to the Sentinel.
“Maybe I can be someone like them someday,” said Josh McAlpin. “They’re teaching us good things, too,”
He said he took to heart Bloomquist’s lesson on dealing with failure.
“Stay in it with your head. Just don’t get down on yourself,” McAlpin said.
Jade Gluth said “I didn’t think that would happen. It’s pretty cool that they were teaching us something we can use in the future.”
Colton McGraw agreed it was “pretty cool.”
Bloomquist noted that he and VanSlyke also were in Sitka for a weekend of fishing for king salmon. Both reported success on the water.
