The Seattle Mariners joined the American League in 1977 as part of the expansion that also brought the Toronto Blue Jays to Major League Baseball. The team, often known as the M’s, gave Seattle its second professional sports franchise in two years. In 1976, the Seattle Seahawks joined the NFL as part of the league’s expansion.
Ballpark / Stadium – Safeco Field
After calling the Kingdome home from 1977 to partway through the 1999 season, the Mariners made the short jump to Safeco Field in July of 1999. The ballpark, which is known for its retractable roof, can accommodate 47,476 fans for baseball. The park’s notable features include the numerous art displays in and outside Safeco, the team’s hall of fame, the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest its numerous food options.
No World Series Championships
The Mariners have frequently made news headlines for being one of just a handful of MLB franchises that haven’t won the World Series. In fact, the Mariners have yet to suit up for the Fall Classic. The team hasn’t won an American League Pennant but has made the playoffs four times, including win division titles in 1995, 1997 and 2001.
Seattle Mariners Roster
The Mariners roster has included some of the most memorable hitters of the last couple decades. Ken Griffey, Jr., joined the team as a teenager and mesmerized baseball with his home run power. Years later, Ichiro Suzuki came to Seattle from Japan and immediately reeled off 200-plus hit seasons in his first 10 years with the M’s. The Mariners don’t have any players enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame wearing the M’s cap, although hall of famers Gaylord Perry, Pat Gillick, Goose Gossage, Rickey Henderson and Dick Williams have connections to the franchise. In recent years, the team’s notable players beyond Griffey, Jr. and Ichiro have included Felix Hernandez, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Dan Wilson.
Spring Training
The Mariners Spring Training facility is the Peoria Sports Complex, in Peoria, AZ, which opened in 1994. The Mariners and San Diego Padres have shared the Cactus League site since its inaugural season. The park has an official capacity of 12,882 and is one of five host parks of the Arizona Fall League. The Mariners Minor League Baseball affiliates are the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, Double-A Jackson Generals, Advanced-A High Desert Mavericks, Class-A Clinton LumberKings, Short-Season A Everett AquaSox and rookie league Pulaski Mariners, Arizona League Mariners, Venezuelan Summer League Mariners and Dominican Summer League Mariners.
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