Drayer: Servais reflects on time with Mariners, looks to future

Friday morning was unlike any morning Scott Servais had experienced in a long, long time. It was the first late August morning he would not be focused on the days task of winning a baseball game, as less than 24 hours earlier he had learned via a text alert on his phone that he would no longer be managing the Seattle Mariners.

“That was probably one of the toughest things,” Servais said. “When you are part of an organization for nine years, it feels like a family. It’s alarming I found out that way.”

A meeting at T-Mobile Park later that day confirmed the report, and just like that, his tenure with the Mariners was abruptly over.

Mariners vet on Scott Servais being let go: ‘It was a shock’

Thursday, as he had told his team the night before in Los Angeles following the final loss of a nine-game road trip in Los Angeles, was to be a day to get away from the game and flush the memories of a 1-8 stretch. Recharge, get ready for the battle ahead starting Friday. That would be the last time he addressed his team as a group.

Since receiving the news, Servais has spoken with a number of Mariners players by phone. The message he wanted to leave with them was one they have heard often from him.

“First of all, I think they all know how much I care, how much I loved the game, loved getting a chance to work with them, seeing them grow,” he told the group of three beat reporters he spoke with Friday. “But it’s be yourself, be you. Be who you are. Let your personality come out.”

Servais pointed to J.P. Crawford, who he had spoke to that day, as the epitome of how important it is for a player to be able to be himself. Crawford spoke about that shortly after signing a contract extension with the Mariners in 2022. More recently, Victor Robles did the same, saying that hearing those words from Servais made it feel like his manager had known him his whole life. For years, it has been the first step in Servais introducing a new player into his clubhouse and into how the Mariners wanted to play baseball.

“It was about trying to get players as comfortable as I could,” he said. “And hopefully along the way, we can get you to align with what we believe in, or how I think we should play the game. That’s probably one of the driving messages there. And always be prepared. I think you guys know me as much as anybody that I take a lot of pride in our teams being prepared.”

There has been a lot of reflecting by Servais in the last 24 hours. The immediate – the two-month plunge from 10 games up in the division to five back – was of course fresh in his mind. It was a turn of events that was unexpected. There had been struggles through the first half, but he saw a spark following the trade deadline with acquisitions of Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner. The Mariners had pulled it out in the past, perhaps they could do it again.

“I think that’s been kind of our history,” Servais said. “We’ve done that. We’ve had a number of times throughout the years where people said, ‘Oh, they’re toast, they’re done.’ And then we would bounce back.”

Not all the reflecting was painful. Morning meetings in spring training that played a big role in culture development stood out as a highlight. Winning seasons in a town that not seen such thing very often were another. Putting together a coaching staff that was collaborative, stable with very little turnaround, and most importantly together is something he takes particular pride in.

“I just love those guys,” he said. “Absolutely love them. The relationship built with coaches, clubhouse people, the team within the team, building that really strong inner group. Because I think players know when that inner group is really tight and strong, it’s just a direct reflection on how we want to run things. And the group we have is was really awesome to work with.”

Coming from a player development background before he managed, that remained a passion. He took pride in those who found success and felt bad about the guys they couldn’t get over the hump.

There were moments of learning for him as well, with Servais pointing to the day the Mariners forced the 2020 postponement of a game in San Diego with a unanimous team vote in protest of racial injustice as one that helped him grow the most.

“Understanding how important it was to get a grasp of what those players went through was life changing, leadership changing,” he said.

A lot has happened in the last nine years. Servais came in with no managerial experience and leaves having managed winning teams and losing teams, veteran teams and developing teams, teams with or without expectations. He’s seen it all.

“A lot changes over time,” he said. “The organization goes through different phases. Higher payrolls, break it down, younger guys, build it back up. I think for the most part, there were times I felt very supported. And there were times I was concerned about where we were headed. But a lot of things change over nine years. The team changes, the vibe of the team, the age of the team, the payroll of the team. So you have to be adaptable.”

As unexpected and unpleasant the ending of his Mariners career has been, Servais has no question he wants to continue in the game. With such diverse experience both on and off the field, he should have many options – including managing, something he would like to do again.

As unexpected and unpleasant the ending of his Mariners career has been, there is no question he wants to continue in the game. With such diverse experience both on and off the field he should have many options, but it is clear, his heart is in managing.

“The things that I love about it, it’s about players and relationships and helping them develop and see them grow in their career,” he said. “I think back on the relationships I’ve built here with guys, the J.P. Crawfords, and see how they’ve grown, Cal Raleigh and Logan Gilbert and that group of young players. And then former players, how you’ve helped them at certain points.

“That’s really the most gratifying thing for me, is helping players,” he continued. “And then hoping you can bring a winning situation to a fan base that hadn’t had it in a while.”

That he did.

More on Seattle Mariners’ manager change

• Dan Wilson steps in at manager as Seattle Mariners try to save season
• What Mariners’ decision to let Servais go says about this season
• Salk: Making sense of Seattle Mariners’ Scott Servais era ending
• Drayer: Looking at Scott Servais’ legacy, why Mariners let him go
• Servais releases statement through Seattle Mariners after dismissal

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