The news out of Baltimore reminds me... An article I considered writing this offseason but didn't: Atlanta's weird, ships passing in the night relationship with some of Seattle's biggest stars. So I'll just do it in a tweet thread.

1982: Atlanta uses a 4th round pick on high schooler Randy Johnson, offering him $50,000. He went to college instead and would be drafted by Montreal 3 years later.

Wins 130 games, K's over 2000 batters, and wins a CYA for Seattle en route to the HOF.

1983: Atlanta uses a 9th round pick on community college outfielder Jay Buhner. They can't convince him, he returns to school, and becomes a 2nd round pick a year later. Drafted by PIT, makes his way to SEA via two trades, and hits over 300 HR and wins Gold Glove for the M's.

1987: Due to having an unseasonably strong 72 win season, and dumb old draft rules giving the pick to the AL, Atlanta misses out on drafting Ken Griffey Jr, who had spent considerable time in the Braves lockerroom while dad played here.

Griffey nearly signs in Atlanta in 2009, but a leaked report of his deal coincides with (or inspires) a change in heart, and he returns to Seattle to finish his career and hit HRs 612-630.

In December 2000, Atlanta winds up as one of the top 3 contenders for A-Rod (alongside Texas and Seattle). ATL won't give a no-trade clause, which winds up the deal breaker. Had he come to ATL, easy to wonder if he still gets into steroids, as he always blamed the TEX clubhouse

2020: Felix Hernandez signs with ATL and appears to be on track for a spot in the rotation. COVID-19 hits, the King opts out, and he never throws an official pitch for the organization. Today, he signed with the Orioles the same contract he had in Atlanta.

I've always found it easy to root for the Mariners from afar. Jon Bois's documentary last year made it even easier, but perhaps that association was always there due to these weird connections. Watching the M's feels like watching near-Braves of past and future.

Both franchises were awful when I was a child. Both got good as I got a tad older. Both were the darlings of the 1995 postseason. Milwaukee lost a franchise to Atlanta. Seattle lost their first franchise to Milwaukee.

Ok, the thoughts kind of tail off there, but there you go