Quote of the day
July 15, 2021
Personally, I don’t like the term ‘success.’ It’s too arbitrary and too relative a thing. It’s usually someone else’s definition, not yours.
~Ichiro Suzuki
Tag: Seattle Mariners
This day in baseball: The Big Unit’s perfect game
May 18, 2021
On May 18, 2004, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson threw a perfect game, beating the Atlanta Braves 2-0 at Turner Field in Atlanta before a crowd of 23,381. Johnson, at 40 years old, was the oldest pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game, surpassing Cy Young who was 37 when he threw his perfect game in 1904. The game was also Johnson’s second career no-hitter, the first taking place on June 2, 1990 against the Detroit Tigers when Johnson was pitching for the Seattle Mariners.
Edgar Martinez’s Hall of Fame induction speech
September 23, 2019
I enjoyed watching Edgar Martinez play while growing up. I would say that watching and hearing about Edgar was how I truly came to understand what a designated hitter was.
This day in baseball: Perry signs with Seattle
March 5, 2018
With just three more wins needed to reach 300 total for his career, 43-year-old Gaylord Perry signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners on March 5, 1982. Perry then earned his 300th win that May when he went the distance to beat New York at the Kingdome, 7-3.
Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Hall of Fame induction speech
August 5, 2016
Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame a couple weeks ago. Griffey was elected into the Hall earning a record-setting 99.32% of the votes. His speech is long and emotional, but certainly worth a watch.
“My Oh My,” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
October 18, 2014
You don’t see a lot of hip hop songs about baseball, but this one by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis is pretty good. This elegy for legendary Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus was performed at Safeco Field after Niehaus’ death in 2010.
This day in baseball: Early start
March 31, 2014
Major League Baseball hasn’t always started seasons in March. In fact, the first time a Major League season did so was on March 31, 1996 in Seattle. The Mariners beat the White Sox 3-2 in twelve innings at the Kingdome.
Quote of the day
March 16, 2014
I can do that (foul off pitches) intentionally. They were borderline. And I was trying to get the pitcher to make a mistake.
~Ichiro Suzuki
Quote of the day
October 2, 2013
It was a totally different feeling. I was excited. I was nervous all in one. The closest thing that compares is when I was a little kid and my mom would take me to Toys ‘R’ Us when you can pick out anything you want. I was like a little kid in a candy store. It was awesome.
~Cleveland Indians’ pitcher, C.C. Sabathia, after he won a playoff game against the Seattle Mariners
On obtaining my first baseball
September 6, 2013
We interrupt our regular programming for this brief post of pure self-indulgence.
A friend and I attended the Mariners-Royals game in Kansas City two nights ago. For the last run of Wednesday home games for the Royals, Kauffman Stadium has set aside a section of seats dubbed “GordoNation,” a fan section devoted to KC’s All-Star left fielder Alex Gordon. In addition to a seat right by Gordon’s defensive stomping grounds, fans in the section receive a GordoNation T-shirt, which, as you can see, is a pretty nifty piece of apparel. Last night, however, I received a bonus souvenir when, after his warm-up tosses prior to the top of one of the earlier innings, Gordon tossed his baseball into the crowd off to my right. The ball bounced from fan to fan, juggled amongst futile attempts to grab it. Before I even had a chance to fully grasp what was going on, I realized that the ball had started rolling slowly away from the crowd and right towards me.
Without hesitating, I scooped it up, and the flurry of excitement of the crowd to my right ended in a groan. My first Major League baseball. I was so pleased that I could feel myself grinning like a goofus as I ran my fingers over the laces of my latest souvenir. Unfortunately, the Royals lost 6-4 that night, as Aaron Crow gave up a two-run home run in the top of the ninth, breaking the 4-4 tie. But at least I didn’t walk away empty-handed!
