How the Seattle Mariners’ Lineup Dynasty Was Assembled

The means by which the Mariners offenses that stretched from the early 1990s into the early 2000s were so consistently good are mostly what you’d expect. Ken Griffey Jr. Edgar Martinez. Alex Rodriguez. Ichiro Suzuki. They might not have been there all at once, but at least two of them overlapped in Seattle’s lineup over a span of 15 consecutive seasons (1989-2004). But is that the end of story? No, actually.

There have been plenty of teams with multiple star position players who have found themselves in lineups that weren’t that productive overall. Where Seattle’s run of lineup dominance gets interesting is how the Mariners were able to surround their superstars with enough other talent from year to year to remain one of the top lineups in the game for more than a decade.

Like the Cleveland Indians, whose eight-year run of dominance was highlighted last week, the Mariners were unable to bring home a World Series championship despite a 116-win season in 2001, and advancing to the ALCS three times in seven seasons. Nevertheless, it was a good time to be a Mariners’ fan. Here’s a look at how it began.

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When Ken Griffey Jr. made his major league debut on Opening Day 1989, the Seattle Mariners had yet to put together a winning season in the 12 years since they’d joined the league as an expansion team. And while there was hope that “The Kid” would be the savior, it wasn’t clear if they had the in-house talent to become a perennial contender.

It turns out that there was more help on the way.

During the previous season, the Mariners had once again floundered, and found themselves out of playoff contention in July. In what became one of his final decisions as the team’s general manager before being fired soon after, Dick Balderson traded away veteran Ken Phelps, arguably their best hitter at the time, to the New York Yankees in a deal for three prospects on July 21, 1988. One of those players was 23-year-old outfielder Jay Buhner, who had struggled in just over 300 plate appearances with the Yankees. He would make his Mariners’ debut two days later as the starting left fielder, followed by back-to-back starts in center. On July 26, he made the first of what would eventually be 1,313 starts as the Mariners’ right fielder.

Taking over for Balderson was Woody Woodward, who had recently been fired after a short stint as the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. He was tasked with surrounding the team’s soon-to-be superstar with enough talent for it to finally become a winner. While his first offseason was quiet — outfielder Jeffrey Leonard and reliever Tom Niedenfuer were his most notable free agent signings — it wouldn’t be long before he began to put the right pieces in place.

With so much hype surrounding the arrival of Griffey, it may have gone unnoticed that a shortstop named Omar Vizquel made his major league debut on the same day. If he was noticed at all, it was because he went 0-for-3 with an error in the team’s 3-2 loss to the Oakland A’s. Better day were ahead, though.

Also joining Griffey and Vizquel in that Opening Day lineup was rookie third baseman Edgar Martinez, who had just 18 career starts over the previous two seasons. Despite being demoted to Triple-A multiple times and not taking advantage of his opportunity to stick in the majors, the Mariners were not ready to give up on the 26-year-old. Still, he wouldn’t be a regular for a few more seasons.

In May 1989, Woodward made a franchise-altering trade when he sent staff ace Mark Langston to the Montreal Expos for three players, including a 6-foot-10 left-hander named Randy Johnson, who had 26 walks and 26 strikeouts in 29.2 innings at the time. In his last start with the Expos, he had allowed six earned runs while walking six batters in four innings. Needless to say, he was a work in progress.

1992
HR (5th), Runs (13th), wOBA (7th), wRC+ (8th), Offensive WAR (8th)

Heading into the 1992 season, the Mariners were coming off of their first winning season in franchise history. Griffey, at age 22, had already established himself as one of the best young players in the game, while Martinez and Buhner were emerging as very good major league hitters. Another young prospect named Tino Martinez was ready to take over as the team’s starting first baseman now that Alvin Davis, one of the team’s most consistently productive hitters of the past several years, had departed as a free agent.

Still, there was a need for another veteran hitter who could fill the void in left field. In a deal that sent three pitchers, including Dave Burba and Bill Swift to the San Francisco Giants, the Mariners acquired former NL MVP Kevin Mitchell on December 11, 1991.

While Mitchell was a huge disappointment, and the Mariners went back to their losing ways, the team’s offense was a bright spot behind the strength of future Hall of Famers Griffey and Martinez.

1993
HR (7th-T), Runs (14th), wOBA (9th), wRC+ (11th-T), Offensive WAR (13th)

With the team under new ownership as of July 1992, it moved quickly to make about as big a splash as possible with the selection of its new manager. Former Yankees and Reds skipper Lou Piniella was hired in November 1992 and would serve as the Mariners’ manager for the next 10 seasons.

Piniella began his tenure without one of the team’s best hitters, though, as a pre-season hamstring injury knocked Martinez out of action. That, however, opened the door for Mike Blowers, who had been acquired from the Yankees in a deal for a Player To Be Named Later and cash back in May 1991. At the time, Blowers had a .574 OPS with 66 strikeouts in 238 plate appearances. Less than two years later, he was in a position to play every day for at least the first month of the season while Martinez was out.

Even after returning, Martinez had a tough time staying healthy over the next two seasons. With Blowers doing a more-than-adequate job at the hot corner, the Mariners felt comfortable beginning to transition Martinez into a role as the team’s primary designated hitter.

Bret Boone’s second stint with the Mariners, which will be discussed later, was much more notable than the first. He did, however, set a team record for homers by a second baseman despite spending about half of the season in Triple-A. Fellow third-generation major leaguer David Bell would break that record six years later, only to have Boone shatter it upon his return.

1994
HR (3rd), Runs (13th), wOBA (9th-T), wRC+ (10th-T), Offensive WAR (11th)

A pair of notable trades were the highlights of the offseason leading into 1994: one to send Vizquel to Cleveland for infielder Felix Fermin and first baseman/outfielder Reggie Jefferson, and another to send Boone to the Cincinnati Reds in a deal that included rookie catcher Dan Wilson.

While the Vizquel deal would go down as one of the worst in franchise history, Wilson would be a steady presence behind the plate for more than a decade in Seattle.

Despite another losing season, Mariners’ fans were able to get a glimpse of 18-year-old Alex Rodriguez, who would make his major league debut on July 8. He wasn’t close to being ready for the majors, but chances were improving that the lineup would have three superstars someday.

1995
HR (4th), Runs (3rd), wOBA (5th), wRC+ (4th-T), Offensive WAR (4th)

What ended up being quite a magical season in Seattle was preceded by an uneventful offseason. Aside from the signing of free agent second baseman Joey Cora, who would go on to have three of his best seasons as a major leaguer in Seattle, there wasn’t much turnover with the Mariners’ offense.

With Martinez back to full strength and focused solely on hitting — 138 of his 145 starts came as a designated hitter — and a strong cast of characters, the Mariners’ offense was able to keep the team afloat while Griffey missed nearly three months after fracturing his wrist on May 26 making one of the most amazing catches you’ll ever see.

By the time Griffey returned to action on August 15, the team had fallen 11.5 games out of first place. But it was far from over.

Veteran speedster Vince Coleman, acquired from the Kansas City Royals on the same day of Griffey’s return, added another dimension when he made his Mariners’ debut the following day. The team would go on a 21-12 run to take the lead in the AL West just over a month later. Tied with the California Angels at the end of the regular season, Johnson out-dueled Langston in a one-game playoff as the Mariners captured their first division title in franchise history. Martinez’s game winning, extra innings double to defeat the Yankees and send the Mariners to the ALCS is now the stuff of legend.

1996
HR (2nd), Runs (1st), wOBA (1st-T), wRC+ (1st), Offensive WAR (2nd)

With A-Rod expected to step into the starting lineup, it would’ve been understandable if Woodward didn’t do anything to break up a batting order that helped lead the team to the ALCS. But he decided to cash in on career seasons from Blowers and Tino Martinez. After sending Blowers to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a pair of prospects, including Miguel Cairo, Woodward traded Martinez to the Yankees for third base prospect Russ Davis and left-handed starter Sterling Hitchcock.

Prior to the 1995 season, Davis had been ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in the Yankees’ farm system, behind Ruben Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte, and ahead of Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera. While Davis would go on to have a few good seasons in Seattle, Martinez became an integral part of a Yankees’ dynasty that would win four World Series championships over the next five years.

Replacing Martinez was 30-year-old Paul Sorrento, who would have back-to-back solid seasons after signing with the Mariners in January. Not finding an adequate major league-ready replacement for Blowers, though, would come back to haunt them.

In pursuit of a playoff spot late in the season — they ended up falling just short — the Mariners traded 20-year-old first baseman David Ortiz to the Minnesota Twins for Dave Hollins in an attempt to upgrade the black hole at third. While Hollins gave them a solid month of production, and Ortiz didn’t become a star until he signed with the Red Sox more than six years later, it’s at least fun to wonder what would have happened had the Mariners held on to him.

1997
HR (1st), Runs (1st), wOBA (1st-T), wRC+ (1st), Offensive WAR (1st)

If you thought the 1996 lineup was good, wait until you see 1997. It was pretty much the same 1-thru-7, all in the prime of their careers, with Davis ready to take a big step forward at third base — Blowers also returned on a one-year contract as a utilityman and insurance for Davis — and top prospect Jose Cruz Jr. close to taking over as the starting left fielder.

The 23-year-old Cruz made his debut on May 31 — the Mariners had rolled with a left field by committee approach until then — making an immediate impact, collecting 15 hits, including four homers and four doubles, in his first 57 plate appearances. By late July, however, the Mariners were having a tough time pulling away in the AL West. They determined that making a significant bullpen upgrade was necessary and Cruz was the trade chip that would allow them to do so. He was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31 for relievers Mike Timlin and Paul Spoljaric.

Three weeks later, Seattle filled its left field void by acquiring veteran Roberto Kelly from the Twins for two players to be named later. The 32-year-old finished strong, as did the Mariners; the team began to separate from the pack in early September and cruised to its second division title in three seasons.

1998
HR (1st), Runs (6th), wOBA (3rd), wRC+ (3rd-T), Offensive WAR (3rd)

Despite a disappointing ALDS defeat to the Baltimore Orioles to end the previous season, Woodward mostly stood pat, aside from signing David Segui and Glenallen Hill to help fill the voids left by the departures of free agents Sorrento and Kelly. The offense barely slowed down, although a 33-year-old Buhner was limited to just 72 games due to injury and would never be healthy enough for a full season again.

Hill was productive during his time with the Mariners, but the team placed him on waivers in late July after they fell out of playoff contention. It didn’t stop there. With The Big Unit eligible for free agency after the season, Woodward traded Johnson to the Astros on July 31 for infielder Carlos Guillen and starting pitcher Freddy Garcia. A month later, Cora was traded to the Indians for David Bell.

Regular at-bats in left field went to former second round pick Shane Monahan, who would end his major league career with a .593 OPS in 238 plate appearances. The guy who only got a handful of outfield starts down the stretch was a former 36th round pick named Raul Ibañez.

1999
HR (1st), Runs (10th), wOBA (12th), wRC+ (6th-T), Offensive WAR (6th)

With Buhner slowing down, Martinez entering his age-36 season, and Griffey and Rodriguez eligible for free agency after the 2000 season — not to mention the scheduled opening of Safeco Field in mid-July — it’s surprising Woodward did not approach the 1999 season with a greater sense of urgency after an 85-loss campaign. While they had already acquired Cora’s replacement at second base, the Mariners went with a left field platoon of John Mabry and Butch Huskey, both offseason trade acquisitions who had been part-time players on very good Cardinals and Mets teams, respectively.

A few weeks into the season, though, Woodward reversed course and acquired Brian L. Hunter from the Tigers to become the starting left fielder and leadoff man, a role Cora had filled for most of the previous four seasons. The 28-year-old struggled throughout the season, yet managed to have almost twice as many plate appearances as that Ibañez guy.

The offense wasn’t nearly as good after moving into pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Mariners hitters had a .901 OPS and 75 homers in 39 games at the Kingdome and a .728 OPS and 47 homers in 42 games at Safeco. The times, they were a-changin’.

2000
HR (12th-T), Runs (7th), wOBA (9th), wRC+ (4th), Offensive WAR (4th)

Woodward retired after the 1999 season, leaving some tough decisions to new general manager Pat Gillick. Would he trade Griffey or Rodriguez, who were each a year away from free agency? What kind of team would be successful playing at Safeco Field? How could he reignite an organization that appeared to be in decline.

It was apparent early on that Gillick would have to trade Griffey. Knowing this, he could’ve opted to go into full rebuild mode, which would’ve also likely included a trade of Rodriguez. Instead, he sought big league talent in return for Griffey, eventually settling on a deal with the Reds for Mike Cameron, pitcher Brett Tomko and two prospects. He filled out his roster with a host of veteran free agents, including first baseman John Olerud, utilityman Mark McLemore, catcher Joe Oliver, starting pitcher Aaron Sele and reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki.

A month into the season, Gillick signed 41-year-old Rickey Henderson, who he had first acquired almost seven years earlier in a deadline trade with the A’s. A few months later, they were both World Champions with the Toronto Blue Jays. This time around, they had to settle for a Wild Card spot and an appearance in the ALCS.

2001
HR (18th), Runs (1st), wOBA (3rd-T), wRC+ (1st), Offensive WAR (1st)

Holding on to Rodriguez in 2000 paid off as the team went deep into the playoffs before the Yankees knocked them out of the ALCS in six games. But his departure stung just a bit more than expected when he signed with the division rival Texas Rangers. However, by the time Rodriguez signed his contract, the Mariners had already replaced him with the player they thought could be their next “Face of the Franchise.”

After securing negotiating rights via the posting system, the Mariners signed the best baseball player in Japan, Ichiro Suzuki, to a three-year contract in November of 2000. If it didn’t feel like an equal trade-off at the time — A-Rod for Ichiro — it’s only because there was no way to know how Suzuki’s skills would translate to the major leagues. Even today, we know it’s not an exact science; several players who succeeded in Japan ended up flopping in the States. But this was obviously not the case with Ichiro.

The return of Boone, who had played in the National League for seven seasons after the Mariners traded him, gave the team five lineup regulars in their age-32 season or older. But it turned out that the old guys could still hit. It turned out that Griffey to Cameron wasn’t a significant downgrade. It turned out that Suzuki would quickly become one of the best players in the game. It turned out that a team that doesn’t hit a lot of homers could still be the best offense in baseball. (It also turned out that the best offense in baseball isn’t always enough to win a World Series.)

2002
HR (21st-T), Runs (7th), wOBA (8th-T), wRC+ (2nd), Offensive WAR (2nd)

Only a few roster changes were made following the team’s 116-win season of 2001. With Buhner hanging ’em up after a 15-year big league career, Ruben Sierra was signed to give the team some help in the outfield. Third baseman Jeff Cirillo was acquired from the Colorado Rockies in December for three pitchers, including lefty reliever Brian Fuentes, prompting a trade of David Bell to the Giants for utilityman Desi Relaford.

The shuffling of the third basemen did not work out. Not only did Cirillo struggle badly, Bell had a solid season with the Giants while Fuentes quickly became one of the Rockies’ best relief pitchers. Regardless, the Mariners continued their winning ways behind Ichiro and the 39-year-old Martinez, who was closing in on 2000 hits, 300 homers, and 500 doubles.

2003
HR (26th), Runs (11th), wOBA (13th-T), wRC+ (6th), Offensive WAR (6th)

In one of the rare instances in MLB history of it happening, manager Lou Piniella was traded in the offseason to the Devil Rays, along with a prospect, for outfielder Randy Winn. He was replaced by Bob Melvin, who led the team to 93 wins in his first season as a big league manager.

Aside from the acquisition of reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who would take over closing duties from Sasaki by mid-June, it was the only significant move by Gillick during the offseason. And despite a 93-win season, he was ready to move on.

2004
HR (28th), Runs (25th), wOBA (23rd), wRC+ (20th-T), Offensive WAR (21st)

Just like John Hart knowing when to call it quits at the end of his run with in Cleveland, Gillick could also see the writing on the wall. He did the job he was hired to do, quickly reviving a team with a “win-now” approach so Mariners’ fan could experience winning baseball in their new ballpark. The shelf life would undoubtedly be short, however, as was Gillick’s tenure.

He was replaced by Bill Bavasi, who inherited a team with Ichiro and a group of aging veterans. One of his first orders of business was to bring back Ibañez, and to sign Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson the following offseason. But the Mariners’ best days were behind them. They have had just five winnings seasons since 2003 and have not reached the post-season since 2001. Their current lineup, filled with young and unproven talent, doesn’t present much hope, although top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez could be difference-makers when they finally arrive in the next year or two.