From his perch high above downtown Seattle, Brandon Funston writes The Gamer column for ESPN The Magazine. We didn't realize that Seattle's Best coffee ran in his veins -- until now.

As ESPN's Fantasy Games managing editor, it's my job to look at the statistical bottom line of the A-Rod deal. Bottom line: He's going to be even better in Texas. He's in a more potent offense, in a far more offensively rewarding ballpark. I will be surprised if his numbers in 2001 don't rival any of his previous seasons at the plate.

But, as someone who was born in Seattle and anchored to the Pacific Northwest for my 30 years of life, I have more to say about this subject. Personally, I'm not sad to see Alex go. The losses of Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey Jr. were certainly harder to take.

A-Rod was never a Seattle guy. From the day the M's drafted him out of Miami, he held Seattle at arms length. The M's struggled to sign him, as A-Rod threatened to enroll in college until the last minute. After inking his last contract, he joked that he went easy on the Mariners this time and that next time would be a different story. In retrospect, he wasn't joking at all. Alex was, in fact, giving us a glimpse of the future through Boras-colored glasses.

Yes, Alex was too perfect for Seattle, a place defined by rain and grunge music. He was the Florida orange juice in a land of coffee and micro brews. From his GQ looks to the cliches that spilled out every time he opened his mouth, Alex always seemed more like he belonged in Pleasantville than Seattle.

When I think back on Alex's career as a Mariner, I'm most reminded of the image of Joey Cora sobbing after the M's lost to the Indians in the '95 ALCS, with a composed Alex by his side trying to console him. While that moment cemented Cora in the hearts of all M's fans, I think it symbolized A-Rod's emotionless tenure as a Mariner. While he would continue to develop as a mega-star on the field, there was always this pervasive feeling of emotional distance. It showed off the field, as A-Rod kept silent on almost all issues concerning the team, including the departures of Johnson and Griffey.

Before Alex signed with Texas, M's GM Pat Gillick said, "To Alex, I would say, 'Weigh your options.' And when you've weighed your options, 'There's no place like home.'" Gillick may have thought he was referring to Seattle, but Seattle has never been Alex's home.

So, what does the new millennium hold for the Seattle Mariners? I don't know, but I will say that they signed their second Japanese superstar, Ichiro Suzuki. Word is he cried tears of joy when he found out Seattle had put in the highest bid for him. I like him already.