Former World Series champion Victor Robles of the Seattle Mariners spoke about his strong stretch and his approach to the game before Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.
SEATTLE — With all the craziness going on with the Seattle Mariners right now, it's hard to find many bright spots. The offense was already struggling and took some extra dings this past week with the injuries to Julio Rodriguez and JP Crawford.
One consistent positive in the Mariners' lineup has been the emergence of outfielder and former World Series champion Victor Robles.Robles didn't get many opportunities to start for the Mariners in his first month with the club. In July, he's earned his way into the starting lineup and has made the most of it. Most of Robles' early starts came as a spot-starter against left-handed pitchers. He's played mostly the corner outfield positions this season but has started in center field the last couple days due to the injury to Rodriguez — which was his natural position in D.C. "I'm always ready to play any position," Robles said Wednesday via a translator. "I know I've played most of my career out in center field. But even that — I was still prepared because there was any opportunity to come up where you had to play in the corners. So, I always come out here and get ready as if I'm playing any position.""I think the most important thing for me was coming in with the mentality of just trying to have fun," Robles said. "Trying to bring that positive energy. Maybe the team's not in its best moment but but we are in a good position. So for me it's all mentality." Robles' positive attitude in the dugout and the clubhouse, even when he wasn't getting many chances to play, was something thatRobles' value on the team can also be seen in the boxscores, but he also brought over something else of value from the nation's capital — a championship mentality. He was on the Nationals' 2019 championship team and knows first hand what it takes for a team to get to the dance. Now in the eighth year of his career, he's the exact kind of veteran presence that helped him navigate his time with Washington. "When I came up that one year, I was surrounded by a lot of vets," Robles said. "We all played like one. You could say it was one team — but it was like one player out there. And it was all about that — having that mentality. Just going out there and having fun." In regards to building that kind of synergy and unity with the Mariners lineup, Robles thinks it comes down to everyone buying into being in the moment. "I think it's just living in that beautiful moment I'm living in right now," Robles said. "We have a good team, we have a great staff. We just got to go out there and try to spark this up and give the best that I can." Robles' speed along the basepaths has been a huge plus to the team. Robles has 12 steals this season. He snagged seven of those bases in July. He has something else that distinguishes him from the rest of his peers — his batting stance.Robles holds the bat out from his body almost perpendicular to himself. It's a departure from the typical image of a batter holding the bat above the shoulder."I think two years now I've had that same stance," Robles said. "It's given me results. But I think part of it is just me trying to not give too much movement. Just trying to be more short and more precise with that stance." There's still 58 games left in the season and Seattle is one game behind the Houston Astros in the American League West. There's many things the Mariners need to do to make the playoff push. Whatever they do, Robles has earned the right to be a central piece in it.The Seattle Mariners lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday and suffered their first series sweep of the season in the process. The Seattle Mariners' starting shortstop JP Crawford will be out 4-6 weeks with a pinky fracture and starting center fielder Julio Rodriguez will be reevaluated after his stint on the 10-day injured list.The Seattle Mariners lost 5-1 to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday as the top half of the order went a combined 0-for-13 and three call-ups accounted for the team's only hits.
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