2001 SEATTLE MARINERS

Backstory
Seattle lost Alex Rodriguez to Texas in free agency after the 2000 season, the final superstar to depart following trades of Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson before they left as free agents. However, the Mariners aroused a great amount of curiosity by becoming the first team to sign a big-time Japanese position player — Ichiro Suzuki.

The regular season
The 2001 Mariners are the prime example of looking great when decent players all happen to get hot at the same time.

OK-but-not-great position players like Bret Boone, David Bell and Mike Cameron had the best years of their careers, as did pitchers such as Freddy Garcia, Paul Abbott and Arthur Rhodes. Older players such as designated hitter Edgar Martinez, utility player Mark McLemore and pitchers Kaz Sasaki, Jeff Nelson, John Halama and Aaron Sele had the last good years of their careers. The Mariners had one 20-game winner, Jamie Moyer, who accomplished the feat for the first time — at the age of 38. Under the leadership of manager Lou Piniella, it all added up to a 116-46 record, tying the 1906 Chicago Cubs’ record for victories.

Then again, the Mariners did have one superstar — Suzuki. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound outfielder, initially thought too frail for everyday major-league play, astounded the baseball world in North American and Japan by setting a rookie record with 242 hits — the most since 1930.

Suzuki was MVP and rookie of the year as he led the American League in hitting (.350), stolen bases (56), and number of Japanese reporters following his every step (about 3 million).

Postseason
In the Division Series, Seattle barely squeaked by Cleveland, 3-2, with the Indians outscoring the Mariners 26-16. The Mariners’ bats would fall even more silent in the AL Championship series against the Yankees, who only three years before had set the previous AL record for wins, 114. The four-time defending World Series champs quickly knocked aside Seattle, 4-1. The Mariners scored only eight runs in their four losses, batting .211 against the Yankees, with Suzuki hitting only .222.

Postscript
Perhaps the 2001 Mariners’ biggest impact was to turn Alex Rodriguez into a punch line for any superstar whose team gets better after he leaves, and whose team gets worse upon his arrival. Texas finished last in the AL West. Appropriately enough for an A-Rod punch line, the Mariners tied the AL record for victories with a 16-1 defeat of Texas, whose only run was a Rodriguez solo shot.

The greatest regular seasons ever Introduction 1934 Chicago Bears 1971-'72 Los Angeles Lakers 1972 Miami Dolphins 1976-'77 Montreal Canadiens 1979-'80 Philadelphia Flyers 1990-'91 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers 1995-'96 Chicago Bulls 1997-'98 Tennessee Lady Vols 2001 Seattle Mariners 2003-04 Arsenal FC VOTE: Which was most impressive?

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