Seattle Mariners: Ranking the 1995 ALDS and Their Greatest Moments in History
Dating back to their first season in 1977, the Seattle Mariners have had their share of disappointments.
It may be hard to stay loyal at times, but these wily M's have a knack of sprinkling in some magic moments that help fans keep the faith.
Whether you are just a Seattle-ite who likes to eventually keep tabs on the Mariners or a die-hard fan to the very end, it's hard to forget those moments that can instantly send chills down your spine. They are the moments that you will never forget where you were when they happened. They are the moments that you will be telling your grandkids about. But most importantly, they are the moments that you can go to when you are trying to forget arguably the worst offensive season in MLB history or have just been swept by the Texas Rangers.
So, let's get to it.
10) Inning of Silence for Dave Niehaus, 2011
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Since 1977, Dave Niehaus had been the voice of the Seattle Mariners, and his passing in November of 2010 sent Mariner Nation reeling.
During the bottom of the third inning in the 2011 season opener against the Oakland Athletics, the booth went to silence for the entire half in honor of Niehaus.
Instantly, chills.
If the realization that one of the faces of the franchise wouldn't be around anymore hadn't quite hit yet, it hit right then. The inning of silence was the perfect way to honor Niehaus. Only hearing the crack of the bat or the snap of ball hitting the glove has never had such meaning. You could almost hear Niehaus calling the plays with his unforgettable voice.
It was certainly the only bottom half of the third inning that I will never forget.
9) Felix Hernandez Wins AL Cy Young, 2010
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The 2010 season was certainly one to forget for the Seattle Mariners.
Felix Hernandez, however, didn't disappoint. King Felix was able to win 13 games even with an anemic offense. He had a 2.27 ERA and struck out 232 batters in one of the best seasons a Mariner pitcher has ever had.
He became just the second Mariner to win the award since Randy Johnson did it in 1995, a season that just might show up somewhere on this list.
8) Randy Johnson No-Hits the Detroit Tigers, 1990
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On June 2, 1990 Randy Johnson no-hit the Detroit Tigers. It might not even have been his best performance, as he walked six and "only" struck out eight. He struck out 19 on two different occasions, and has looked far more dominant than he did on this day.
But everything fell his way against the Tigers as the Big Unit threw the first no-hitter in Mariner history.
One of the most iconic images in Mariner history is that of Johnson, with his arms raised high, being hugged by Mariner catcher Scott Bradley.
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7) Offensive Explosion Against the Chicago White Sox, 2002
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On May 2, 2002 the Mariners exploded for a 15-4 win over the White Sox, but that is not why the game will go down in Mariner history.
Ichiro lead off the game by getting on base in the first, then Bret Boone blasted a home run off of right-hander Jon Rauch. Big deal, right? Well Mike Cameron, not to be outdone, sent one over the center field wall for back-to-back homers.
The Mariners roughed up Rauch a little more and Boone was able to get another at-bat in the inning, hitting another homer, his second in the inning. Cameron then did it again, and made it the first time in MLB history that teammates have hit back-to-back homers twice in the same inning. The Mariners exploded for 10 in the first.
Cameron wasn't done there, however. He hit another homer in the third, and blasted his fourth home run in the fifth inning. He was the first American Leaguer to hit four homers in a game since 1959.
The White Sox then plunked Cameron in the seventh, and had gone 3-0 to him in the ninth when the White Sox faithful started booing. He finally got a pitch to hit and almost made history when he sent it to the warning track.
Talk about a nice fantasy day.
6) The Griffeys Go Back-to-Back, 1990
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It was September 14, 1990 and the Mariners were taking on the Angels in California. Ken Griffey Sr. stepped up to the plate and smacked a two-run home run into left-center field.
"The only thing I remember him saying is, 'That's how you do it, son'" Griffey Jr. said.
Then Junior stepped up to the plate, and you can almost still hear Niehaus calling it:
"Wouldn't it be something if Junior could—swung on and belted!"
They had done it. Griffey hit it to almost the exact same spot. Junior and Senior had gone back-to-back in one of the most amazing and peculiar moments in MLB history. They were, and still are to this day, the only father-son pair to accomplish the feat.
5) Ichiro Breaks Single-Season Hit Record, 2004
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I told you these Mariners have a way of having at least one player step up during a down year to keep our interest. Just like Felix did last year, Ichiro did in 2004.
The Mariners lost 99 games, but Ichiro just kept on hitting. He broke George Sisler's 84-year-old hit record of 257 in the 160th game, and then added a few more to up the new record to 262.
Ichiro finished the year with a .372 average, the highest mark in Mariner history.
4) Ken Griffey Jr's MVP Season, 1997
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The Mariners finished 90-72 in wrapping up their first AL West Title (if you don't count 1995's tiebreaker against the Angels).
The catalyst behind that season was without a doubt, Ken Griffey Jr.
There was just something about that season, about watching Griffey and McGwire compete for the home run title and chase the record, about the Mariners winning games 11-10 with no bullpen in sight that sends me into complete nostalgia mode.
He finished the year hitting .304 with 56 home runs and 147 RBI in one of the most unforgettable seasons in team history.
3) 116 Wins, 2001
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Bret Boone hit 37 HR and had 141 RBI.
Mike Cameron had 25 and 110.
Ichiro won Rookie of the Year and MVP.
Freddy Garcia went 18-6.
Paul Abbott went 17-4.
Aaron Sele went 15-5.
The Mariners had eight All-Stars.
It's safe to say that things went the Mariners' way in 2001, but the team was just flat-out amazing. John Olerud, Edgar Martinez, Boone, Cameron and Ichiro all had terrific years. The pitching staff was deep and consistent. They got contributions from the bench, and Kazuhiro Sasaki was lights-out.
The Mariners tied the major league record for regular-season wins with 116, and the only thing keeping this moment from first place is the fact that they disappointed in the playoffs, losing to the Yankees in the ALCS.
I believe this is the year the bobblehead became prominent, as well. So that's cool.
2) AL West Tiebreaker, 1995
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The Mariners trailed the Angels by as many as 13 games during the regular season, but a frantic September comeback forced a one-game playoff at the Kingdome to decide who would move on to the playoffs.
The Mariners sent out eventual Cy Young winner Randy Johnson, and the Angels countered with ace Mark Langston.
It was 1-0, Mariners in the bottom of the seventh inning, and up stepped Luis Sojo for one of my favorite plays in Mariner history.
The bases were loaded and Sojo sent a shot down the right-field line under the Angels' bullpen. After the Angels threw it around like a bunch of third graders, everyone, including Sojo, scored for the inside-the-park grand slam. Okay, there were a few errors and it was only recorded as a double, but I like to remember it otherwise.
The Mariners won 9-1 and went to the playoffs behind Johnson's complete game.
Niehaus calling the final play:
"Right over the heart of the plate!! Randy looks to the sky that is covered by the dome and bedlam!! As the Mariners now erupt!! Nineteen long years of frustration is over!! This is just...indescribable!!"
Chills.
1) ALDS, 1995
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The Mariners trailed the Yankees two games to zero in the ALDS, but the slogan of that season was, of course, "Refuse to Lose."
And the Mariners did just that.
They won Game 3 behind Randy and Game 4 behind an eighth-inning grand slam from Edgar Martinez.
Then Game 5 came, the game that everyone remembers where they were when it happened.
The Yankees took a lead in the top of the 11th off of Randy Johnson, and starter Jack McDowell was coming in to close it out.
I remember my parents tried to send me to bed, but I ran back down when I heard yelling.
We all know what happened next. Edgar doubled to score Joey and Griffey in the most iconic play in team history. The M's had done it. There are no words to explain what that moment meant to the Seattle Mariners and their history.
I remember thinking to myself: "Should Griffey really be at the bottom of that pile? Isn't he the one with the broken wrist?"
It didn't matter.
No moment, minus a World Series, may ever top this one.
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