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EVENTS AD PARTNERS
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1999 Recap: Once again, the Mariners were unable to live up to their potential, finishing four games below .500 and out of the playoffs. Despite the disappointing season, there were plenty of individual accomplishments. Ken Griffey Jr. led the AL with 48 home runs, becoming the first player to win three straight home run titles since Mike Schmidt did it in 1976. Shortstop Alex Rodriguez put up MVP-type numbers again, hitting 42 homers, driving in 111 runs and stealing 21 bases in just 129 games. Edgar Martinez hit .337 and had a league-leading .447 on-base percentage. The Mariners also saw the emergence of two of the league's top young pitchers in John Halama (11-10, 4.22 ERA) and Freddy Garcia (17-8, 4.07). 1999 Highlight: The Mariners opened Safeco Field immediately following the All-Star break on July 15. Seattle finished the second half with a 23-19 record, selling out its new stadium 30 times. 1999 Lowlight: One year after posting a modest 13-12 record, Jeff Fassero had one of the worst pitching seasons in major league history for the Mariners in '99. The veteran went 4-14 with a 7.38 ERA, the highest ERA among pitchers with at east 150 innings thrown since 1937. The Mariners traded Fassero to the Texas Rangers in August. Manager: Lou Piniella (540-525 with Seattle; 1,019-949 in 13 seasons) Coaches: Gerald Perry (hitting), Bryan Price (pitching), John McLaren (bench), John Moses (first), Matt Sinatro (bullpen), Larry Bowa (third) Camp Site: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz. Reporting Dates: Pitchers and catchers Feb. 17; full squad Feb. 22 Additions RHP Brett Tomko, 1B John Olerud, OF Mike Cameron, RHP Kazuhiro Sasaki, RHP Aaron Sele, LHP Arthur Rhodes, OF/IF Mark McLemore, IF Stan Javier Subtractions: OF Ken Griffey Jr., 3B Russ Davis, IF Rafael Bournigal Spring Cleaning: The Mariners will head into their first spring training in over a decade without 10-time Glove Glove winner and perennial MVP candidate Ken Griffey Jr. With a new outdoor park, Seattle will now turn its attention toward defense, speed and pitching. The entire staff benefited from Safeco, lowering its ERA more that two points after vacating the Kingdome last season. RHP Aaron Sele (18-9, 4.79 ERA) and LHP Jamie Moyer (14-8, 3.87) will be joined by promising youngsters Garcia and Halama to form a solid top four. Brett Tomko (5-7, 4.92) and Gil Meche (8-4, 4.73) will fight it out for the fifth spot in the rotation. In addition, free-agent acquisitions LHP Arthur Rhodes and RHP Kazuhiro Sasaki will help shore up a bullpen that has struggled for years. On offense, the Mariners' first order of business will be finding a suitable leadoff hitter. Brian Hunter, who led the AL with 44 stolen bases last season, is the most likely choice. Hunter, however, is not a favorite of Piniella and his .280 on-base percentage was lowest on the team. Veteran Mark McLemore should challenge Hunter for playing time. The Mariners will also look for bounce-back years from outfielder Jay Buhner (.222 avg., 14 HR, 38 RBIs in 84 games) and catcher Dan Wilson (.266, 7 HR, 38 RBIs). Key Acquisition: First baseman John Olerud signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Mariners in the offseason. The Seattle native is coming off his third strong season with the Mets, hitting 96 RBIs and helping the club reach the postseason for the first time in a decade. With the departure of Griffey, Olerud will be under pressure put up some strong offensive numbers. Pivotal Player: In Alex Rodriguez, the Mariners have arguably the top player in baseball. If the 24-year-old can stay healthy, he should break Ernie Banks' homer mark of 47 by a shortstop, set in 1958. Beside his power, Rodriguez also possesses tremendous speed -- he stole 46 bases two years ago -- and a remarkable glove. Now that Griffey is gone, a healthy A-Rod should become the AL's top hitter. But how long will he remain in Seattle? The Future is Now: Carlos Guillen, whom the Mariners acquired from the Astros in the Randy Johnson deal, will be moving from second to third base to replace the departed Russ Davis. The switch-hitting Guillen suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game of the '99 season, his second major injury in two years. Since he has played only 306 games in his pro career, questions still remain about Guillen's durability. Opportunity Knocks: If Kazuhiro Sasaki, Japan's all-time saves leader, can live up to his hype, the Mariners' bullpen will be significantly upgraded. In fact, he should challenge incumbent closer Jose Mesa in camp. Last season, Mesa tied a team record with 38 saves, but walked 44 batters while posting a 4.98 ERA. Sasaki, 32, has great control but is coming off elbow surgery. Prospects to Watch: LHP Ryan Anderson, C Ryan Christianson, LHP Brian Fuentes, RHP Jeff Heaverlo, RHP Cha Sueng Baek
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