Team: Seattle Mariners
Sport: Baseball
Background: 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.
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., 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.
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In 2001, despite the loss of superstar shortstop Alex
Rodriguez, the addition of Japanese sensation Ichiro
Suzuki helped the Mariners to have 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 Pinella 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.
