Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in 1977, the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July 1999. From their 1977 inception until June 1999, the club's home park was the Kingdome.

The "Mariners" name originates from the prominence of marine culture in the city of Seattle. They are nicknamed "the M's", a title featured in their primary logo from 1987–1992. The current team colors are Navy Blue, Northwest Green (also known as dark cyan), and Metallic Silver, after having been Royal Blue and Gold from 1977–1992. Their mascot is the Mariner Moose.

The organization did not field a winning team until 1991, and any real success eluded them until 1995 when they won their first division championship and defeated the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. The game-winning hit in Game 5, in which Edgar Martínez drove home Ken Griffey, Jr. to win the game in the 11th inning, clinched a series win for the Mariners, and has since become an iconic moment in team history.

The Mariners won 116 games in 2001, which set the American League record for most wins in a single season and tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the Major League record for most wins in a single season.

The Mariners are one of eight Major League Baseball teams without a World Series title, and one of two (along with the Washington Nationals) to never have appeared in a World Series.

Owned by Nintendo of America, the Mariners are one of three Major League Baseball teams under corporate ownership; the other two are the Atlanta Braves and the Toronto Blue Jays.

History
The Mariners were created as a result of a lawsuit. In, in the aftermath of the Seattle Pilots' purchase and relocation to Milwaukee (as the Milwaukee Brewers) by future Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig, the City of Seattle, King County, and the state of Washington (represented by then-State Attorney General and later U.S. Senator Slade Gorton) sued the American League for breach of contract. Confident that Major League Baseball would return to Seattle within a few years, King County built the multi-purpose Kingdome, which would become home to the NFL's expansion Seattle Seahawks in 1976.

The Mariners played their first game on April 6, 1977, to a sold-out crowd of 57,762 at the Kingdome, losing 7–0 to the California Angels. The first home run in team history was hit on April 10, 1977, by designated hitter Juan Bernhardt. That year, star pitcher Diego Seguí, in his last major league season, became the only player to play for both the Pilots and the Mariners. The Mariners finished with a 64–98 record, echoing the record the 1969 Pilots once held. In 1979, Seattle hosted the 50th Major League Baseball All-Star Game. After the 1981 season, the Mariners were sold to California businessman and future U.S. Ambassador to Spain George Argyros.

In, the Mariners donned their current uniforms. During the 1992–93 offseason, the Mariners hired manager Lou Piniella, who had led the Cincinnati Reds to victory in the 1990 World Series. Mariner fans embraced Piniella, and he would helm the team from 1993 through 2002, winning two American League Manager of the Year Awards along the way.

The Mariners club finished with a record of 116-46, leading all of Major League Baseball in winning percentage for the duration of the season and easily winning the American League West division championship. In so doing, the team broke the 1998 Yankees American League single-season record of 114 wins and matched the all-time MLB single-season record for wins set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs. At the end of the season, Ichiro Suzuki won the AL MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, and one of three outfield Gold Glove Awards, becoming the first player since the 1975 Boston Red Sox's Fred Lynn to win all three in the same season.

On October 22, the Mariners announced the hiring of Jack Zduriencik, formerly scouting director of the Milwaukee Brewers, as their general manager. Weeks later, on November 18, the team named Oakland Athletics bench coach Don Wakamatsu as its new field manager. Wakamatsu and Zduriencik hired an entirely new coaching staff for 2009, which included former World Series MVP John Wetteland as bullpen coach. The off-season also saw a litany of roster moves, headlined by a 12-player, 3-team trade that included sending All-Star closer J. J. Putz to the New York Mets and brought 5 players—including prospect Mike Carp and outfielder Endy Chávez from New York and outfielder Franklin Gutierrez from the Cleveland Indians—to Seattle. Many of the moves, like the free agent signing of Mike Sweeney, were made in part with the hope of squelching the clubhouse infighting that plagued the Mariners in 2008. It also saw the return of Seattle favorite Ken Griffey, Jr. The 2009–10 offseason was highlighted by the trade for 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee from the Philadelphia Phillies, the signing of third baseman Chone Figgins and the contract extension of star pitcher "King" Félix Hernández.

On June 2, 2010 Ken Griffey, Jr. announced his retirement after 22 MLB seasons.

On August 9, 2010 the Mariners fired field manager Don Wakamatsu along with bench coach Ty Van Burkleo, pitching coach Rick Adair and performance coach Steve Hecht. Daren Brown, the manager of the AAA affiliate Tacoma Rainiers, took over as interim field manager. Roger Hansen, the former Minor League catching coordinator, was promoted to bench coach. Carl Willis, the former Minor League pitching coordinator, was promoted to pitching coach.

The Mariners hired former Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge as their new manager on October 19, 2010.

On November 10, 2010, Dave Niehaus, the Mariners' play-by-play announcer since the team's founding, died of a heart attack at the age of 75. In memory of Niehaus, Seattle rapper Macklemore wrote a tribute song called "My Oh My" in December 2010. He performed the song at the 2011 Mariner's Opening Day on April 8.

On July 27, 2011, the Mariners ended a franchise high 17-game losing streak with a win against the New York Yankees.

On April 21, 2012, Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox threw the third perfect game in the Chicago White Sox history against the Mariners at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. It was the 21st perfect game in MLB history.

On June 8, 2012, the Mariners starting pitcher Kevin Millwood and five other pitchers combined to throw the tenth combined no-hitter in MLB history and the first in team history. The last combined one occurred in 2003, when six Houston Astros no-hit the New York Yankees in New York. The six pitchers used in a no-hitter is a major league record.

On July 23, 2012, Ichiro Suzuki was traded to the New York Yankees for two minor leaguers and cash. Ironically the trade was announced before the start of a three-game home series against the Yankees, and throughout the series, Ichiro was given a standing ovation during starting lineup introductions, during his at-bats, and after each game.

On August 15, 2012, Félix Hernández pitched the first perfect game in team history, shutting down the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 at Safeco Field. It was the 23rd perfect game in MLB history and the first in Seattle Mariners history.

Spring training
The team mainly plays spring training games in Peoria, Arizona at the Peoria Sports Complex. They share the complex and stadium with the San Diego Padres.

Season records
''This is a partial list listing the past 15 completed regular seasons. For the full season records, see here.''

Baseball Hall of Famers
The following elected members of the Baseball Hall of Fame spent part of their careers with the Mariners. None is depicted on his plaque wearing a Mariners cap insignia.

Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame
Seattle Mariners former chairman and CEO John Ellis announced on June 14, 1997 the creation of a Mariners Hall of Fame. It is operated by the Seattle Mariners organization. It honors the players, staff and other individuals that greatly contributed to the history and success of the Mariners franchise. It is located at the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest in Safeco Field.

The current members of the Mariners Hall of Fame are:


 * Dave Niehaus, Broadcaster (1977–2010)
 * 21 Alvin Davis, 1B (1984–91)
 * 19 Jay Buhner, OF (1988–2001)
 * 11 Edgar Martínez, DH (1987–2004)
 * 6 Dan Wilson, C (1994- 2005)
 * 51 Randy Johnson, P (1989- 1998)

Retired numbers
The Seattle Mariners have not retired any uniform numbers. Official team policy states that number retirement is reserved for players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame who played for at least five years with the Mariners, or career Mariners players whose name has appeared on at least one Hall of Fame ballot.

Despite not officially retiring any numbers, the team has not reissued the numbers 11 (Edgar Martínez), 14 (Lou Piniella), 19 (Jay Buhner) or 24 (Ken Griffey, Jr.) to any uniformed staff since the last player to have worn the number left the team. Number 56 (Greg Halman) has not been issued since his death following the 2011 season. Under current team policy, Martinez, who played his entire major-league career in Seattle and first appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in, is the only player unquestionably eligible to have his number retired. If "career player" is interpreted less strictly, Buhner would also be eligible for number retirement. Although he began his MLB career with the New York Yankees, he played less than two full seasons there; he spent the remainder of his 15-year career with the Mariners. He appeared on one Hall of Fame ballot, in.

Uniform number 00 is presumed off-limits, as it has been worn by the Mariner Moose since 1997 (outfielder Jeffrey Leonard was the last player to don 00 for the M's, in 1990). From 1990 to 1996, the Moose wore the last 2 digits of the year of the current season.

Jackie Robinson's number, 42, was retired throughout Major League Baseball on April 15, 1997.

Number 51, worn by Randy Johnson, was withheld from players from 1998 until 2001, when it was awarded to Ichiro Suzuki upon his request after wearing it for his entire career in Japan. It has presumably been taken out of circulation again, following Ichiro's 2012 trade to the Yankees.

24 was not issued from the time Ken Griffey, Jr. left the team after the season until it was re-issued to him when he returned in  and has not been reissued since his retirement in.

Rally Fries
Rally Fries are a baseball tradition started by Mariners broadcaster Mike Blowers in 2007. During a game against the Cincinnati Reds, a fan tried to catch a foul ball along the right-field line but in turn spilled his tray of french fries along the track. While chatting on the air and seeing the mishap, Blowers' partner, Dave Sims, suggested that he should send a new tray of fries to the fan. Blowers agreed, and sent his intern to deliver a plate of fries to the man.

However, on the next game, fans made signs and boards, asking Blowers for free fries as well. Coincidentally, every time the fries were delivered, the Mariners seem to score or rally from a deficit, and thus the "Rally Fries" were created. This became so popular with the fans that signs were even seen when the Mariners were on the road, though on August 1, 2009, Blowers mentioned he doesn't award winners on the road.

Generally, Blowers will select a person or a group of people that appeals to him, whether it is through fans wearing elaborate costumes or waving funny signs and boards. The fries are usually delivered from Ivar's, a Seattle-based seafood restaurant with a location at Safeco Field. The amount of fries given out varies with the size of the winning group of fans. The winners are generally selected around the 5th or 6th inning, although potential candidates are shown in almost every inning beforehand.

King's Court
As the 2011 season progressed, the Mariners marketing staff came up with an idea to encourage the growing fanbase of Cy Young-winning pitcher "King" Félix Hernández. Every Hernandez start at Safeco Field is now accompanied by a King's Court section—a place for his fans to sing, dance and cheer while donning custom-made shirts.

The King's Court is both a personal rooting section for Hernandez and trend-setter for Safeco Field. The team encouraged fans to dress like Larry Bernandez, Hernandez's alter ego from a Mariners TV Commercial, or show up in wacky costumes, rewarding the best with a ceremonial turkey leg.

Radio and television
The Mariners' flagship radio station is KIRO-AM 710 (ESPN Radio), which previously broadcast Mariners contests from 1985–2002. Former flagship stations include KOMO 1000 AM (2003–2008), and KVI 570 AM (1977–1984). Television rights are held by Root Sports Northwest. In years past, Mariners games have also appeared in Seattle on over-the-air stations KING-TV, KIRO-TV, KTZZ-TV, and KSTW-TV. Selected Mariners games are also available on Canadian television, due to an agreement between Root Sports Northwest and Rogers Sportsnet.

The Mariners' broadcast team for 2010 featured Dave Niehaus and Rick Rizzs—back for their 32nd and 23rd seasons with the club, respectively—as well as veteran broadcaster Dave Sims and former infielder Mike Blowers. For the first three innings of each game, Niehaus worked the television broadcast with Blowers, and Rizzs and Sims handled radio duties; after the third inning, Niehaus and Sims traded places. Niehaus, who had broadcast for the Mariners since their inaugural season of 1977, died on November 10, 2010. For the 2011 season, Dave Niehaus' duties in the broadcast booth are being filled by a collection of former Mariners broadcasters such as Ron Fairly, Ken Levine, and Ken Wilson; and former Mariners' players such as Dave Valle, Dan Wilson, Jay Buhner, and Dave Henderson. Seattle radio personality Matt Pitman hosts the post-game show on the Mariners' radio network, along with clubhouse reporter Shannon Drayer. Spanish-language radio broadcast duties are handled by Alex Rivera on play-by-play and former second baseman Julio Cruz providing color commentary.

Tom Hutyler has been the Mariners' public address announcer since 1987, first at the Kingdome, and presently at Safeco Field. While KOMO 1000 AM was the Mariners' flagship radio station, Hutyler occasionally hosted the post-game radio show.

Season records

 * Highest Batting Average: .372, Ichiro Suzuki (2004)
 * Most Runs: 141, Alex Rodriguez (1996)
 * Most Hits: 262, Ichiro Suzuki (2004) (Major League Record)
 * Highest Slugging %: .674, Ken Griffey, Jr. (1994)
 * Highest On-Base %: .479, Edgar Martínez (1995)
 * Highest On-Base Plus Slugging: 1.107, Edgar Martínez (1995)
 * Most Doubles: 54, Alex Rodriguez (1996)
 * Most Triples: 12, Ichiro Suzuki (2005)
 * Most Home Runs: 56, Ken Griffey, Jr. (1997,98)
 * Most Grand Slams: 4, Edgar Martínez (2000)
 * Most RBIs: 147, Ken Griffey, Jr. (1997)
 * Most Stolen Bases: 60, Harold Reynolds (1987)
 * Most Wins: 21, Jamie Moyer (2003)
 * Lowest ERA: 2.27, Félix Hernández (2010)
 * Strikeouts: 308, Randy Johnson (1993)
 * Complete Games: 14, Mike Moore (1985) and Mark Langston (1987)
 * Saves: 45, Kazuhiro Sasaki (2001)