Is Dave Hakstol getting enough credit in Seattle? — ‘None of that stuff matters’

By Eric Stephens (The Athletic)

SEATTLE – On the eve of throwing out the first pitch at a Seattle Mariners home game, Kraken coach Dave Hakstol took a moment to think about that task on a cool spring day down in SoDo.

Now in his third decade of running a bench at the college or NHL level, the 54-year-old is used to working under the spotlight in front of thousands. But this assignment took him out of his element.

“I haven’t thrown a ball in about four years,” Hakstol said, thinking back to when his son, Brenden, played the game. “If I can lob a 55-mile-an-hour ball over the plate, I’d be thrilled.

“We don’t want to bounce it in the dirt three times. I’d rather airmail it than bounce it.”

In the background, one of his fellow Kraken coaches cracked, “We got bullpen tomorrow at 9.” With that, Hakstol let a smile emerge. And another crept out after he threw his ceremonial pitch right over the plate to the Mariners’ first-base coach.

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