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The Seattle Mariners are a Major League Baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. They are in the Western Division of the American League.
- Founded: 1977 (American League expansion)
- Home ballpark: Safeco Field (1999-present), Kingdome (1977-1999).
- Uniform colors: Navy Blue, Emerald Green, Silver
- Logo design: A baseball on an 8-pointed compass.
- Mascot: Mariner Moose
- Current ownership: Nintendo
- Wild Card titles won (1): 2000
- Division titles won (3): 2001, 1997, 1995
- League pennants won (0): none
- World Series championships won (0): none
Franchise history
The Mariners were added to the American League in 1977, and were for many years perennial non-achievers. Despite having stars such as Alvin Davis and Gaylord Perry, the Mariners did not have a winning record until 1991.
By the mid 1990s, under manager Lou Piniella, the Mariners added a core of strong players built around center-fielder Ken Griffey, Jr., shortstop Alex Rodriguez, pitcher Randy Johnson and designated hitter Edgar Martinez. They won their first division title in 1995, having trailed the California Angels by 13 games in mid-August. Their dramatic championship run that year was halted in the ALCS by the Cleveland Indians. The Mariners won the division title again in 1997.
In 2001, despite the loss of superstar shortstop Alex Rodriguez, the addition of Japanese sensation Ichiro Suzuki and a career season by second basemen Bret Boone helped the Mariners to one of the most successful regular seasons on record, leading the major leagues in winning percentage from start to finish, easily winning the American League West championship, setting a new American League record for most wins in a single season (116), and matching the major league record for single season wins set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906. They pulled off a come-from-behind 3-2 series win over the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS to advance to the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, but succumbed to the Yankees for the second year in a row in the ALCS, 4 games to 1.
At the end of the 2002 season, manager Lou Piniella left the Mariners to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the management policy of non-aggressive hiring. The Mariners signed Bob Melvin to be their new manager. Despite an excellent start to the 2003 season, the Mariners failed to make the playoffs.
The Mariners stayed competitive in 7 of the 9 seasons from 1995 to 2003. The 2004 season, however, saw the demise of the Mariners' dominance of their division. Although many of their players were aging, the Mariners continued an apparent practice of "content to contend," starting the 2004 season having not made a major deal in three years. The team lost their first five games and went into the All-Star Break with a 9-game losing streak, a 32-54 season record (.372), and a 17-game deficit behind the first-place Texas Rangers.
After the All-Star break, unable to ignore the dreadful state of their team, the Mariners gave the team a complete overhaul, moving aging and unproven players away from center stage and inserting over a dozen call-ups into the 25-man roster. The season's end was enlivened by Ichiro breaking George Sisler's single season record of 257 hits, and events to honor the retirement of Mariner stalwart, Edgar Martinez. Just days after the end of the season, the Mariners fired Bob Melvin.
On October 20, 2004, the Mariners announced the signing of their new manager, Mike Hargrove. Hargrove was the manager who led the Cleveland Indians past the Mariners in the 1995 ALCS.
In 2004, Japanese video game manufacturer Nintendo acquired a majority ownership in the team by acquiring the shares from its former president, Hiroshi Yamauchi. The deal was done in August, but just recently announced. This shift in ownership is relatively inconsequential, as it was little more than a transfer from the former president of Nintendo to the company itself.
Players of note
Current stars
Not to be forgotten
- Chris Bosio (retired)
- Jay Buhner (retired)
- Mike Cameron (signed with New York Mets)
- Julio Cruz (retired)
- Alvin Davis (retired)
- Freddy Garcia (traded to Chicago White Sox)
- Rich Gossage (retired)
- Ken Griffey, Jr. (AL Most Valuable Player Award 1997) (traded to Cincinnati Reds)
- Ken Griffey, Sr. (retired)
- Carlos Guillén (traded to Detroit Tigers)
- Dave Henderson (retired, current Mariner broadcaster)
- Rickey Henderson (not yet officially retired)
- Randy Johnson (AL Cy Young Award 1995) (traded to Houston Astros, now with New York Yankees)
- Ruppert Jones (retired)
- Mark Langston (retired)
- Edgar Martinez (retired)
- Tino Martinez (traded to New York Yankees, now returned to Yankees after stints with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals)
- Mario Mendoza (retired)
- Jeff Nelson (traded to New York Yankees, rejoined the Mariners on a Minor League contract on January 31, 2005)
- John Olerud (designated for assignment on July 15, released on July 23, signed with New York Yankees on August 3, 2004)
- Ken Phelps (retired)
- Harold Reynolds (retired, now with ESPN)
- Alex Rodriguez (signed with the Texas Rangers, now with New York Yankees)
- Kazuhiro Sasaki (returned to Japan)
- Dave Valle (signed with Boston Red Sox, now retired and a Mariner broadcaster)
- Omar Vizquel (traded to Cleveland Indians, now with San Francisco Giants)
Retired numbers
Managers
- Darrell Johnson (1977-1980, 229-362)
- Maury Wills (1980-1981, 26-56)
- Rene Lachemann (1981-1983, 140-180)
- Del Crandell (1983-1984 93-131)
- Chuck Cottier (1984-1986, 98-119)
- Marty Martinez (1986, 0-1 - Interim manager)
- Dick Williams (1986-1988, 159-192)
- Jim Snyder (1988, 45-60)
- Jim Lefebvre (1989-1991, 233-253)
- Bill Plummer (1992, 64-98)
- Lou Piniella (1993-2002, 840-711)
- Bob Melvin (2003-2004, 156-168)
- Mike Hargrove (since 2005)
Broadcasters
- Dave Niehaus (1977-present)
- Ron Fairly
- Rick Rizzs
- Jay Buhner
- Dave Henderson
- Dave Valle
Minor league affiliates
External links
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