I am a diehard Seattle Mariners fan. Go ahead and laugh.
Done?
I realize that Seattle isn’t one of the most prestigious clubs in the majors — no championship trophies, only four playoff appearances and no league championships — but then again, the franchise has been around for less than 30 years.
I also realize that up until 1995 (and even during most of 1995) the Mariners were laughable at best.
They played in an arcade-style stadium and ran out a not-so-arcade-style brand of baseball, finishing over .500 only twice before the 1995 season.
But that’s okay because I was there with them. I remember Harold Reynolds and Alvin Davis (though barely, I was six), and even though I might not remember Jim Presley or Ken Phelps, I was there.
I have never pledged allegiance to any other team, I was never a fair-weather fan of the Red Sox or whoever was hot at the time. The Kingdome was my Mecca, and I still make the pilgrimage up I-5 every summer.
So the last 10 years have been pretty good for me, with some exceptions.
I was there (skipping class) for Luis Sojo’s bases-loaded double that hid under the bench in the dugout in 1995 during the one-game playoff against the California Angels.
I was there for the sweep of the Chicago White Sox in the 2000 American League Division Series.
I was there in 2001, when the Mariners came back from a 2-0 deficit against the Cleveland Indians to win the American League Division Series.
And lastly, I was there in 1995 (yelling “Refuse to Lose!”) when Ken Griffey Jr. hit five home runs — three at Yankee Stadium — in the Mariners’ 3-2 series win against the Yankees (the only time they have beat New York in
the playoffs.)
And yes, I was there last year when the Mariners went 63-99, put anyone and everyone on the mound and couldn’t figure out how to hit the ball out of Safeco Field. Even their defense, normally the best in the league, fell to the middle of the pack last season.
Ever seen those cartoons where the car falls apart into hundreds of pieces at once? That’s what happened.
So now in 2005, I am back for my Mariners, and after an offseason of being a pessimistic naysayer, I can’t wait for April 4 when the Minnesota Twins come to Safeco Field for the season opener.
The Mariners addressed their biggest problem of being the lowest scoring team in the American League. Seattle was the only team not to score 700 runs last year, 249 behind the league-leading Red Sox.
I thought the offseason signings of Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson were sketchy at first, but now that I have thought about it, bringing in a 25-year-old player who led the majors in home runs last year and a guy who has the potential to hit 40 homers a year is a good thing.
And I have to say this: There is no curse that hampers Seattle’s ability to hit home runs at Safeco Field. Supposedly Safeco Field gave up the most home runs to visiting teams last year. If everyone else is hitting home runs, why can’t the Mariners?
The additions of Beltre and Sexson should also be a big help for Bret Boone. Last year, Boone was expected to be the big bat of the lineup, and he struggled because of it. This year, with Beltre, Sexson and Bucky Jacobsen all hitting around him, Boone should be able to return to his 37-homer, 141-RBI form of 2001.
The only thing that is still in question for the Mariners is their pitching. Last year, the starters struggled, the middle relief struggled and the bullpen struggled. Not a good thing when you rely on pitching to keep you in a game.
With Eddie Guardado, Joel Pineiro and Rafael Soriano all returning from injury, the Mariners should be able to put together a consistent starting and bullpen staff. If Gil Meche and Bobby Madritsch can perform, the Mariners should be able to get back to their winning ways.
Or they could not.
One of the best (and worst) things is that no one has any idea what is going to happen in April.
I don’t see a 63-99 season next season. That was an anomaly.
This season, 99-63 is a bit more like it.

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