SeaTown Sports Top 100 (#60-#51)
Brian and Kevin count down the top 100 professional Seattle sports athletes of all time.
In celebration of surpassing 100 subscribers, SeaTown Sports is counting down the top 100 professional Seattle sports athletes of all-time. This list will not include individual athletes like Apolo Ohno or Michael Chang and it does not include any college stars who did not play in Seattle professionally (think Steve Emtman or Kelsey Plum). Also, you won’t see any Seattle Kraken athletes on the list. We just haven’t seen any individual performers at a high enough level in the past three seasons in the deep. Kevin and Brian hope this list provides an opportunity for fun discussion as our readers keep engaging with us moving forward.
#60 - Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
Key Accomplishments: 2x Pro Bowl, ranks 4th all-time in receiving yards and 3rd all-time in receiving touchdowns in Seahawks history.
While the Seahawks had plenty of receiving options during their Super Bowl run, Doug Baldwin was clearly the best. The combination of Baldwin’s reliability and clutch catches led the Hawks to some of their best seasons in franchise history. And Baldwin was good in the playoffs. Between 2013-2016, Baldwin recorded 10 or more catches in each of Seattle’s playoff runs. The Seahawks went to the Super Bowl twice in that span and Baldwin brought down touchdown catches in both. In regular season action, Baldwin peaked in 2015-16 with back-to-back 1000+ yard seasons and a 14 touchdown campaign that led the league. For his accomplishments over eight seasons in Seattle, Baldwin ranks in the top five in yards and touchdowns putting him in rare air.
#59 - Fredy Montero, Sounders
Key Accomplishments: 2x MLS All-Star, 2009 MLS Newcomer of the Year, ranks third in goals and assists in Sounders history.
Before Obafemi Martins, Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris racked up the score sheet at Lumen Field, Fredy Montero was the Sounders goal scoring machine. Between 2009 and 2010, Montero recorded 22 goals and 17 assists in league play, ranking third best in the MLS. With All-Star recognitions, as well as other honors in his first couple years, Montero cemented himself as one of the league’s best weapons. Montero played during the historic US Open cup runs of the Sounders and in 2011 he led MLS with 18 goals in all competitions. He was named the player of the tournament for the US Open cup with three game winning goals in the last three matches. After a run of success as a young player, Montero went on to play for four different clubs before his triumphant return to Seattle in 2021. Seeing Fredy in the rave green again was a pure delight. Surprisingly, Montero still could score, as he recorded 19 goals across all competitions in his second stint with Seattle.
#58 - Tyler Lockett, Seahawks
Key Accomplishments: 1x 1st team All-Pro as kick returner, 2x 2nd team All-Pro as receiver, ranks second in receiving touchdowns and receiving yards in Seahawks history.
82 catches, 1057 yards, 8 TDs
100 catches, 1054 yards, 10 TDs
73 catches, 1175 yards, 8 TDs
84 catches, 1033 yards, 9 TDs
If I just posted these stats without telling you who it is, you would probably guess Steve Largent. The reality is aside from Largent, there has been no better receiver in Seahawks history than Tyler Lockett. (D.K. is coming though). The only thing Lockett needs to do now is continue embracing being bald. I can attest that it ain’t that bad. Don’t go back to this.
#57 - Nico Lodeiro, Sounders
Key Accomplishments: 1x MLS Best 11, 2x MLS Cup winner, 1x CONCACAF champion, ranks 4th in goals & 1st in assists in Sounders history.
While there are a number of Sounders on our top 100 list, there is no player who plays more beautiful soccer than Nico Lodeiro. As a Sounders ticket holder from day one until last season, I watched a lot of international players come and go. When Lodeiro arrived, he changed the way I saw the game. Lodeiro is magical in his vision, his ability to attack a defender and his movement. But Lodeiro’s true magic came in the biggest moments.
In maybe the biggest moment in Sounders history, Lodeiro provided a no look assist and a goal to defeat Pumas in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final. That was just the second leg. Lodeiro converted two penalty kicks in the first leg as well. In the 2016 run to the MLS Cup, Nico Lodeiro scored four goals in six playoff matches. He is a man of the moment. And a man who might even be too low on this list. Also, try not to get emotional looking at this picture below after Lodeiro’s last match in Seattle.
#56 - Detlef Schrempf, Sonics
Key Accomplishments: 2x All-Star, 94-95 NBA leader in offensive rating, 1x All-NBA 3rd team, ranks 12th in points, 11th in rebounds, and 9th in assists in Sonics history.
First, just watch this commercial from 1996.
Detlef Schrempf really was a triple threat. His versatility was key in being the third cog in the greatest stretch of seasons in Sonics history. Schrempf averaged 15 points or more in each of his six seasons in Seattle with a peak in ‘94-’95 where he was named third team All-NBA. In that same span, Det averaged over 5.5 rebounds per game and three assists each season. He just did everything the Sonics needed when they needed it.
#55 - Nelson Cruz, Mariners
Key Accomplishments: 3x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, ranks 5th in OPS, 6th in HRs and 2nd in AB per HR in Mariners history.
Before Nelson Cruz came to the Mariners, he earned the nickname “Boomstick” while in Texas. In 2012, the Texas Rangers honored the great Nelson Cruz with a “Boomstick” hot dog that caused 75 fatalities in the first year. (Not really but look at this thing!)
How many Peloton rides would you have to do to burn off this monstrosity? Anyway, Nelson Cruz signed with the Mariners in 2015 at the age of 34. It sure seemed like Nelson’s best days were behind him, but we were all wrong. All Cruz did is put up years of 44, 43, 39 and 37 homers in his four years as a Mariner. Are you kidding me? Massive power from the Boomstick. Just pause and look at these four years:
.302, 44 HR, 93 RBI
.287, 43 HR, 105 RBI
.288, 39 HR, 119 RBI
.256, 37 HR, 97 RBI
If a Mariner put up these numbers today, we would crown them.
#54 - Robinson Cano, Mariners
Key Accomplishments: 3x All-Star, ranks 6th in WAR, 10th in OPS and 5th in batting average in Mariners history.
In just five years playing for the Mariners, Robinson Cano made a major impact in Seattle. His signing in late 2013 brought hopes of a World Series but unfortunately the Mariners weren’t very good in his time here. However, Cano was good. He hit .280 or better every single year, including two years over .300. Cano’s 2014 season and 2016 season are both top 20 all-time hitting years in Mariners history. He finished in the top 10 in American League MVP voting twice while in Seattle. He was simply awesome. Just look at his spray chart of hits while a Mariner (courtesy of a great Lookout Landing article and Fangraphs).
That spray chart is like looking at a Van Gogh for baseball fans.
And then he got traded for Jarred Kelenic. And then he got suspended for steroids. As my son says, “womp womp”.
#53 - Osvaldo Alonso, Sounders
Key Accomplishments: 1x MLS Best 11, 4x MLS All-Star, 4x Open Cup winner, 1x Supporter Shield winner, 1x MLS Cup winner, ranks 12th in goals and 9th in assists in Sounders history.
Osvaldo Alonso played 10 seasons in Seattle, finishing as the club leader in appearances, starts and minutes. To many Sounders fans, Alonso is the greatest Sounder of all-time. To many Timbers fans, he is the most annoying player they have ever seen. Nicknamed “The Honey Badger” before it was cool to have that nickname (sorry Tyraan Mathieu but you were late to the party), Alonso pestered and tackled opponents like no other player in the league from 2010-2016. In fact, he led MLS in recoveries in the 2016 season. His impact was properly captured in the video below. Absolutely hilarious stuff.
#52 - Lauren Barnes, Reign
Key Accomplishments: 2016 NWSL defender of year, 2x NWSL Best XI, 2x NWSL 2nd XI, most appearances in NWSL history.
Lauren Barnes has played 217 soccer matches for the Reign over the course of the last 11 years. Her longevity alone puts her in rarefied air in Seattle sports history. But it isn’t just that Lu played forever (and continues to do so). The list of best NWSL defenders in history comes down to Becky Sauerbrunn, Naomi Girma and Lauren Barnes. That’s it. That’s the entire list. Barnes’ credentials for being on that list include two Best XI credits, as well as two second team recognitions. Oh and that 2016 Defender of the Year award. Wait, you want more? She was on the back line for three NWSL Shield teams, three NWSL runner-up teams and a 2022 Women’s Cup championship.
#51 - Dan Wilson, Mariners
Key Accomplishments: Mariners Hall of Fame, 1x All Star, franchise record for games, hits, doubles, triples, RBIs and walks by a catcher in Mariners history.
“Dan the Man” Wilson is one of the most beloved Mariners in franchise history. If you need evidence of this, check out the video below of Wilson’s last game in Seattle. Not only is the crowd on their feet, but Jamie Moyer looks like he never wants to let go of that hug. While Wilson had some key moments at the plate and an All-Star season with 18 home runs, it was Wilson’s work behind the plate that made him exceptional. When Wilson retired, he had a .995 fielding percentage which was the best in American League history for a catcher. Between 1995-1997, Wilson was either first or second in the American League in throwing out baserunners. The only reason Wilson does not have Gold Gloves to his name is because Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez exists.
SeaTown Sports Top 100 (#50-#41)
In celebration of surpassing 100 subscribers, SeaTown Sports is counting down the top 100 professional Seattle sports athletes of all-time. This list will not include individual athletes like Apolo Ohno or Michael Chang and it does not include any college stars who did not play in Seattle professionally (think Steve Emtman or Kelsey Plum). Also, you won…
Nice. Thank you for the article. Latsgooooo!