THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Mariners 'hugfest' can be traced back to Cal speaking up

The ritual of celebration is wild and exciting, and more or less the same.

You know.

You’ve seen enough of these “events” on TV.

Hugging. Yelling. T-shirts proclaiming some title or other. Champagne. Cigars.

I mentioned that there’s “more or less” a similarity.

For instance, the Mariners got to enjoy the madness of winning more than once this week.

There was clinching a spot in the playoffs, which you have to admit is still a big, big deal in Seattle.

But wait!

One night later, we got to see the thrill and hoo-hah of a second celebration, as the M’s walloped Colorado 9-2 and thus were crowned champions of the AL West.

That one is an even bigger deal, since the last time it happened was 2001.

As a bonus, Cal Raleigh cranked home runs Nos. 59 and 60, giving hundreds of national talking heads yet another chance to express awe at a switch-hitting catcher in Babe Ruth territory — while managing to win a platinum glove as part of his day job.

So, yeah, the Mariners’ celebrations were a bit unique on the champagne and cigar circuit.

ON THE other hand, it has always struck me that ALL of these hugfests are different in another way.

Each has a story that you can find within the bigger tale. 

In truth, there are probably dozens of fascinating sub-plots and interesting characters in every one of these celebrating teams.

It’s simply the nature of putting that many human puzzle pieces together and realizing that you’ve built a winner.

In the case of the 2025 Mariners, we have to focus on Raleigh — and not just because he hit 60 big flies or ran the show from behind the plate.

No, I was thinking of a different postseason event, when the Mariners missed the playoffs by a single game.

Raleigh was hot, believing that club ownership didn’t make the moves (see: spending some money) necessary to help push this obviously talented team over the hump.

Since that night two years ago, the Mariners have signed Raleigh to a long-term contract — basically inviting him to help construct a championship team — and become as aggressive as spendthrift owners would allow.

The situation has changed pretty dramatically, as Cal and his followers throughout the entire Northwest have become believers to the point that they fill T-Mobile Park — and consider any losses as upsets.

That brought us to an amazing moment in the midst of champagne and cigars this week. 

Raleigh walked straight up to the equally soaked club president Jerry Dipoto.

Cal wasn’t angry, but very determined.

He poked Jerry lightly in the chest, and said: “We might as well go win the whole (expletive) thing.”

Why not?

IT’S HARD to imagine snagging two players at midseason who might change the character of an entire team.

A good team, at that.

But for various reasons (several you can see in the box score), Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez were almost perfect July additions to a club that had the habit of lurching up, then down.

Suarez, you know.

He was already loved, and the entire fan base wanted him back.

Geno was having a fantastic year in Arizona, but a power-hitting third baseman was right there on the M’s list of needs.

Yes.

Do it.

Meanwhile, most of the Mariners didn’t really know Naylor.

He had a reputation in Cleveland for being in poor shape (evidence: 5-11, 235 pounds) and getting wearier late in the season.

But he also hit 31 homers and drove in 108 last season, and the offseason trade to Arizona caused an uproar in the Guardians’ fan base.

His move to the Mariners made more sense, since the D-Backs hoped to be a pennant contender — but once they fell out of the race, Naylor’s expiring contract ($10.9 million) made no sense.

It certainly does in Seattle.

Naylor has a reputation for being a truly savvy baseball player, and my one instance to prove it is just too cool to ignore.

This doesn’t even count that he can’t run, that his speed was once described as “glacial,” and yet he’s stolen 29 bases this season and been caught just twice.

No, I’ve got a sexier play than that.

Josh was on second base with one out, ground ball was hit to shortstop, and it appeared he was thinking about trying for third.

The shortstop ultimately fumbled the ball, and you could see on the TV replays and Josh wasn’t lurching toward third — nor back to second.

He was getting himself in line with the ground ball to block the shortstop’s sight line.

Error.

There are a lot of reasons why Josh could become my favorite player, but that one play was proof.

He KNOWS the game.

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens. 

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”