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Home , Aaron Sele, Alfonso Soriano, Arthur Rhodes, Brett Tomko, Gil Meche, Ichiro Suzuki

FOUR DECADES OF MARINERS Each month during the 2017 season, Mariners Magazine will highlight a different era to celebrate the club’s 40th Anniversary. In this issue, we’ll take a look at the 1998 through 2003 seasons. (Part 4 of 6) By Mike Gastineau

Fresh off their second postseason appearance in three years, the Mariners looked to keep the good times rolling in 1998. However, they got off to a bad start and never recovered. After blowing a 9-3 lead to Cleveland on Opening Night and losing 10-9, Seattle dropped nine of their next 12 games. They briefly nudged over the .500 mark in May but spent most of the year below .500. Mariners ace posted a 9-10 record in the first half before being traded to Houston for three unknown minor leaguers at the end of July, though fans would soon come to appreciate Freddy Garcia, and Carlos Guillen. One highlight of note: became only the third player For the second consecutive season throws the first pitch in the Inaugural game in MLB history to 40 runs and the Mariners found themselves having at Field. steal 40 bases in a season. to make a difficult decision about a 1999 brought the proverbial best superstar player. As the season ended, The Mariners eventually sent Junior of times and worst of times to the or- Junior informed the team that he was to Cincinnati for Mike ganization. On the field Seattle started planning on leaving Seattle after his Cameron, and a slow, spent much of the year hover- contract expired in 2000. He wanted pair of minor leaguers. Disheartened ing around .500 and never challenged to play and train to his Florida Mariners fans couldn’t believe it. How- before finishing in third place. home. The Mariners could let him ever, it helped somewhat that just four On the positive side they moved play one year and then leave as a free days into the 2000 season Cameron into their new home, Safeco Field, in agent, or trade him and attempt to get robbed of a home with July. On June 27 they defeated Texas talent back. a sensational leaping catch over the in the final game ever at the , They chose the latter, but the wall. Announcer excit- highlighted by one more Edgar Marti- man making that trade would not be edly exclaimed, “I hate to say it, but nez and one more Ken Griffey , as he was also that catch was Griffeyesque. Make it Jr. . Then, on July 15, Seattle leaving Seattle after a decade as the Cameronesque now!” played San Diego in the inaugural team’s GM. New GM What really helped fans move on game at Safeco. A sellout crowd of was tasked with trying to get value was that the Mariners started win- 44,607 filled the new park on a beauti- for Griffey who, at the 1999 All-Star ning again, thanks in part to Halama ful evening as Seattle fans enjoyed Big Game, had been one of four active and Garcia, who combined to win 23 League baseball outdoors for the first players named to League Base- games; Guillen, who became a depend- time since the summer of 1969. ball’s All-Century Team. able utility ; and Cameron,

34 MARINERS MAGAZINE TIMELINE who slugged 19 homers and played outstanding defense. Meanwhile, Rodriguez and Edgar March 31, 1998 – 57,816 fans pack The Kingdome Martinez belted 41 and 37 homers, on against Cleveland, setting respectively, and hit 26, the club’s single-game attendance record. including his 300th career shot. The Griffey team hit a club-record 11 grand slams, including an individual-record four from Martinez. The 2000 team was strengthened by pitcher (from Poulsbo, WA), who won 17 games and made the All-Star team, and Seattle native , who anchored first base and had a strong season. Another free agent acquisition made headlines around the globe as Seattle signed Japanese born reliever , who had spent 10 years in the ’s Nippon Baseball League. He saved 37 games and was named the AL robs Derek Jeter of a home run at Rookie of the Year. Safeco Field. 1998 – Ken Griffey Jr. leads the AL with 56 home The team got off to a fast start, runs for the second consecutive season. spent much of the year in first place, . But after 16 scoreless innings 1998 – Jamie Moyer leads the team with a 15-9 then finished a half game of first the Bronx Bombers exploded for seven record, 3.53 ERA and 234.1 . but claimed the Wild Card thanks to a runs in the eighth capped by a two-run April 29, 1999 – Seattle crushes Detroit, 22-6, team-record 91 wins. homer from Jeter to win 7-1. The setting a club-record for runs in one game, Facing the White Sox, Seattle Yankees won the next two games in including 11 in the 5th . won the first two games in Chicago, Seattle to go up 3-games-to-1. Seattle’s June 27, 1999 – Mariners play final game at the and then hosted Chicago for the first bats came alive in Game 5 with a 6-2 Kingdome, beating Texas, 5-2, as Freddy postseason game in Safeco Field history. win behind homers from Olerud and Garcia earns the win. The Mariners completed the sweep in Martinez, while Garcia won his second dramatic fashion with a 2-1 win when game of the series. Guillen bunted home Back in New York, the Mariners from third in the bottom of the ninth. grabbed an early 4-0 lead with back-to- Seattle faced the back doubles from Rodriguez and Mar- in the ALCS and won Game 1, 2-0, tinez, and Guillen’s two-run homer, but behind strong pitching from Garcia, New York erupted for six runs in the Henderson’s RBI single and a home seventh and went on to win the game, run from Rodriguez. In Game 2, 9-7, and the series 4-games-to-2. Halama and reliever Jose Paniagua After the season ended, Rodriguez July 15, 1999 – Mariners play Inaugural Game in held New York scoreless through seven signed a free-agent contact with Texas. front of 44,607 fans at Safeco Field, but Losing three superstars in three seasons lose 3-2 to the Padres. With Guillen’s bunt in the bottom of the ninth, The Mariners should be the kind of blow from which July 17, 1999 – hits first home run and swept the White Sox in the 2000 ALDS. a team can’t recover, but the 2001 Raul Ibañez hits first in Safeco Mariners memorably Field history. proved otherwise. July 31, 1999 – Randy Johnson is traded to Before the 2001 Houston for then-minor leaguers Freddy season Seattle signed Garcia, Carlos Guillen and John Halama. Japanese superstar 1999 – Brian L. Hunter leads the league with 44 and free- steals. agent 1999 –Mariners draw crowds of 40,000 or more in . For the 36 of the 42 games played at Safeco. most part, the rest of April 7, 2000 – Mike Cameron robs Derek Jeter of the team stayed the a home run with a leaping catch over the same and but no one center field wall. was ready for what June 13, 2000 – Pitcher fires a one- happened next. hitter at Kansas City to beat Royals, 7-0. The Mariners won Oct. 1, 2000 – Mariners clinch Wild Card berth a record 20 games on last day of regular season, with 5-2 win against Angels. (continued on page 36)

MARINERS MAGAZINE 35 (continued from page 35) Oct. 6, 2000 – Seattle sweeps White Sox with 2-1 win in first postseason game in Safeco in April, and then 20 more in May. Field history, behind pitching of Aaron Sele; Summer came and they kept winning. Mariners advance to ALCS to face Yankees. They didn’t lose three in a row until 2000 – The Mariners hit a club-record 11 grand September and became the first AL slams, including an individual record four team in 53 years to lead the league in from Edgar Martinez. hitting, pitching and fielding. They showed a preternatural ability to start rallies with two outs, leading to a slogan among players and fans alike: “Two outs, so what?” Ichiro was brilliant. He led the AL Pat Gillick, , Kazuhiro Sasaki in hitting (.350), stole 56 bases and set and a rookie record with 242 hits. Mean- while, Boone became the first second 2000 – Japanese pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki joins baseman ever to hit over .300 with 30 Mariners, records 37 saves, earns AL Rookie or more home runs. of the Year Award. Seattle’s pitching was impressive. Ichiro led the league in hitting (.350) and set a rookie 2000 – Future Hall of Famer and MLB steals king Jamie Moyer became the second Mari- record with 242 hits in 2001. Rickey Henderson joins the Mariners in May ner to win 20 games, Garcia won 18 and swipes 31 bases in 92 games. and enjoyed a career year they beat the Angels to improve to 104- May 23-June 8, 2001 – Mariners reel off 15 with 17 wins, while Sasaki posted a 40. MLB then cancelled games for eight consecutive wins to set a team record. team-record 45 saves. days in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist May 28-August 6, 2001 – Paul Abbott records a Seattle fans weren’t just rewarded attacks. When games resumed, Seattle single-season, team-record 10 consecutive with a great team and a record-setting clinched the AL West on September wins. season. The All-Star Game returned to 19. After the game, the team met at the May 30, 2001 – Mark McLemore steals four bases Seattle for the second time and eight pitcher’s mound for a brief prayer. An against to tie a club record. Mariners were named to the AL team. American flag was brought out and the July 10, 2001 – Seattle hosts the All-Star Garcia earned the win and Sasaki players then walked around the field, Game. and eight the in a 4-1 victory. saluting and thanking their fans, waving Mariners appear on the AL squad. Future worked an inning and got credit for the flag and celebrating their champion- Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony a , Ichiro and Cameron both had ship in an appropriate dignified manner. Gwynn honored during the game with the base hits, and Martinez, Olerud and For all the 2001 team accomplished Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Boone appeared in the game. on the field, this simple gesture meant Award. The Mariners roared out of the a great deal to baseball fans across Sept. 24, 2001 – Jamie Moyer ties Abbott’s break and won their team record 92nd the country. team record of 10 consecutive wins in one game on August 23. On September 10 Two weeks later Seattle defeated season. Texas to win their 116th game, tying Oct. 6, 2001 – Mariners tie Major League record, The All-Star Game returned to Seattle in 2001 and the Mari- the 1906 for the Majors also held by the 1906 Chicago Cubs, with ners were represented by (l to r); Ichiro, Kazuhiro Sasaki, all-time single season wins record. their 116th win. Bret Boone, Mike Cameron, Lou Piniella, John Olerud, Jeff Oct. 15, 2001 – Seattle defeats Cleveland, 3-1, in Nelson, Freddy Garcia and Edgar Martinez (continued on page 38) Game 5 of ALDS to advance to ALCS for the second consecutive season.

The 2001

36 MARINERS MAGAZINE 2001 – sets a team record for a with a .999 , committing just one error in 744 chances during the season. 2001 – Ichiro named AL Rookie of the Year and MVP. He and Mike Cameron earn Glove Awards. Ichiro, Bret Boone and Edgar Martinez earn Silver Slugger Awards. Lou Piniella named AL Manager of the Year and (continued from page 36) The 2001 Mariners tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the GM Pat Gillick named the MLB Executive of Majors all-time single season wins record with 116. the Year. In the AL Division Series, Cleveland May 2, 2002 – Facing the White Sox in Chicago, went up 2-games-to-1. Facing elimina- The 2002 Mariners kept winning, Mike Cameron becomes just the 13th player tion, the Mariners got a great start stayed in first place until late August in ML history to hit four home runs in a from Garcia and help from and won 93 games, but finished in game (in four consecutive at-bats). Nelson, and Sasaki, third place in the tough AL West. 2002 – Seattle sets its all-time single-season plus a two-run homer from Martinez When the season ended Seattle said attendance mark, welcoming 3,540,482 fans to clinch a 6-2 win and force a Game 5 farewell to Piniella, who informed the into Safeco Field. in Seattle. team that he wished to move back to May 2003 – Edgar Martinez named AL Player of the The Mariners won that game his native Florida. He still had one year Month, the fifth time he’s won the award in with almost the exact same pitching left on his contract so the club worked his career. recipe. Moyer worked six innings, out a unique deal in which Piniella, Hasegawa and Nelson, Rhodes and Sasaki were as a manager, was traded to Tampa untouchable as Seattle won 3-1, Bay for and getting all the offense they would infielder Antonio Perez. need on a bases loaded double from Piniella’s impact on the team was Mark McLemore. dramatic. Under “Sweet Lou” the For the second consecutive year Mariners had seven winning seasons in Seattle faced New York in the ALCS. 10 years, won three AL West titles and The Yankees won the first two games earned a Wild Card appearance. in Seattle, but the Mariners recovered The following year, was with a 14-3 romp behind Moyer’s hired as manager, and for the fourth pitching and homers from Boone, consecutive year Seattle won more Buhner and Olerud. than 90 games. But, like 2002, 93 wins June 1-Aug. 22, 2003 – Game 4 was a nail biter. Abbott weren’t enough and the Mariners end- compiles a 28.2 innings pitched scoreless was unhittable but also walked eight ed up three games behind the division streak, fourth longest in team history and batters in five innings. The game champion A’s and two games behind tops among relievers. remained scoreless until Boone’s solo the Red Sox for the Wild Card spot. Sept. 22, 2003 – Randy Winn hits an inside-the- shot gave Seattle a 1-0 lead in the In a rare occurrence, Seattle’s five- park home run off Angels pitcher Gary eighth, but New York countered with man rotation of Moyer, , Glover at Anaheim. a solo homer, and then Joel Pinero, Garcia and Gil Meche 2003 – Seattle’s five-man rotation of Jamie Moyer, won the game in the ninth on a two- started every game of the season. Ryan Franklin, Joel Piniero, Freddy Garcia run homer from . Between 2000-2003, the Mariners and Gil Meche start all 162 games. The Yankees clinched the series completed one of the most successful 2003 – Jamie Moyer leads the team with 21 wins, the following evening in less dramatic four-year runs in baseball history, win- the second time in his career he topped 20 fashion with a 12-3 win to put an ning 393 games. They also drew over wins in a season. abrupt end to an otherwise incredible 13 million fans in the process. At the record-setting season. end of the season, Gillick, the architect On Opening Day of 2002 the of that run, announced he was step- Be sure to pick up the August issue Mariners hung their third AL West ping down as GM. of Mariners Magazine for the next championship banner at Safeco Field. But this one, to honor the 2001 team, Mike Gastineau is a freelance writer based in Seattle. He spent installment highlighting the 40th carried a special border on the bottom over 20 years hosting a local radio show, and is the author of Anniversary of the Mariners. that simply read “116 Wins.” two books.

38 MARINERS MAGAZINE