Commentary: The Mariners Dipoto and Servais remind me of a similar tag-team in town

Having just returned from a quick three days at Spring Training, and watching Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto and M’s manager Scott Servais look like the best friends anyone could have, it’s hard not to make a simple comparison: These guys kind of remind me of Pete Carroll and John Schneider.

Now, before I get all mushy and make you believe that a happy relationship between manager and GM is the magic elixir to the playoffs, Servais wanted to make one thing clear when I asked him about the collaborative effort of their partnership:

“Jerry’s the general manager,” Servais said. “He puts the ballclub together….That’s his job. My job is, when he brings them in, is to put them in position to succeed, and get them to grow.”

So – no – unlike Carroll, Servais doesn’t have the authority to say “That’s our guy. We’re signing him.” Nor does Servais have the title of Executive Vice President like Carroll.

But don’t think there’s a total separation of power. Said Dipoto: “There’s probably nothing that I do everyday that I’m not collaborating with (Servais) on. And I would say it’s vice versa. But we each respect the need for some space in regard to what we do. And he’ll run ideas by me or thoughts and I’m honestly going to be supportive of the things he wants to try.”

What I’m trying to say is that it seems – it seems – that this is the healthiest the Mariners front office has looked in a long time. Just look at those two. They’re genuinely happy. Whether that translates to wins – and whether it remains that way if they don’t win – is another matter entirely.

But here’s another comparison: The message Servais is stressing to his players – his theme of this camp – is to “Be Yourself. And To Have Fun:” An incredibly simple message that you’d think would work better for a Little League Team, but at its core has the same fundamental principles that Carroll has brought to the Seahawks: Embracing individuality and enjoying playing a sport that first and foremost should be enjoyed.

Is the culture of competition as strong? Probably not. They’re not gonna bench Robbie Cano or Nelson Cruz for Boog Powell if he performs better this spring.

But that’s not to say Dipoto doesn’t have a little Schneider in him – loading up the bullpen with a plethora of options, and letting the cream rise to the top. And loading up first base with a ton of possibilities, and letting that competition work itself out too. And finally – giving a bunch of players who struggled last year a second chance to prove themselves with a brand new team.

So yes, we’ve got two GMs in Seattle – one proven, one not – but both relying on similar principles in very different sports.

Again, I’m not saying it’s gonna work – but I hope it does. And it was one of the most noticeable and striking observations I came away with this week.

Dipoto clearly hired his guy – and right now, they’re as close as they can be. Check back in a couple years, and we’ll see if they feel the same way.