The 1996 Seattle Mariners

TheKenoshaKid · 01-10-2012, 09:24 AM

AUGUST 24, 1995

The Mariners come into the game with a 54-55 record. They're in 3rd place, and 11.5 games back of the division-leading California Angels. Ken Griffey Jr has recently returned from the disabled list, but things are looking bleak. They're in their 19th season as an MLB team, and have never reached the playoffs. In fact, the best they've done was in 1991, when they finished 83-79. The Kingdome needs to be replaced, but there's not much support for a new stadium. There's talk of possible relocation in the future. Pretty bleak indeed...

OCTOBER 2, 1995

Seattle somehow managed to win 24 of their final 35 games, coming all the way back and forcing a 1-game playoff at home vs. California.

Randy Johnson got the start, and pitched beautifully. In the top of the 9th, with 2 outs, Tim Salmon stepped in to face Johnson. The Mariners were leading 9-1, and just 1 out away from their first postseason appearance ever...
1995 Season End Highlights - YouTube

OCTOBER 8, 1995

The Mariners and Yankees had a pretty wild Division Series. It featured 2 extra-inning games, and 22 home runs overall, which set an MLB record.

Game 5 went into extra innings with the score tied 4-4. In the top of the 11th, Randy Velarde put the Yankees ahead 5-4 with an RBI single. The Mariners would have one chance to either take the lead, tie, or go home.

In the bottom of the inning, Joey Cora bunted, then hustled to first for an infield single. Griffey followed that up with a single of his own, sending Cora to 3rd. Next up was Edgar Martinez, facing Jack McDowell...
1995 ALDS Game 5 - YouTube

OCTOBER 17, 1995

In Game 6 of the ALCS, the Cleveland Indians shut out Seattle 4-0 to win the pennant. Even though they go home defeated, things are looking much brighter than they were just a couple months ago.

Which brings us to the beginning of my dynasty. I'll be taking over the 1996 Mariners. I'll be playing every game, but I'll only deal with substitutions/lineups. The AI will handle minor in-game decisions.

GROUND RULES:
-Neutralized stats
-3 year recalc, double weight of current year
-Injuries high
-Fatigue normal
-Trades: Very Low (until the all-star break), normal, favor prospects

TheKenoshaKid · 01-10-2012, 09:57 AM

OPENING DAY ROSTER:

ROTATION:

RANDY JOHNSON, LHP

Age: 32, STU:75, MOV:65, CON:50, VEL:93-95
1995(SEA): 18-2, 294 Ks, 2.48 ERA, Cy Young Award
My pitching is somewhat weak, so I'm very glad to have this guy. Johnson is entering his 8th season in Seattle, and is showing no signs of slowing down. He won the Cy Young in 1995 and should be dominant again this year. Unquestionable my #1 starter.

STERLING HITCHCOCK, LHP

Age: 24, STU:50, MOV:55, CON:50, VEL:87-89
1995(NYY): 11-10, 27 GS, 4.70 ERA
Over the offseason, Seattle acquired Hitchcock and 3B Russ Davis from the Yankees for 1B Tino Martinez, RP Jeff Nelson, and RP Jim Mecir. Martinez and Nelson were incredibly valuable and will be missed, but Hitchcock should help my weak rotation. He's still young and has some kinks to work out, but as of now he's looking good enough to be my #2 starter.

CHRIS BOSIO, RHP

Age: 32, STU:40, MOV:60, CON:50, VEL:87-89
1995(SEA): 10-8, 31 GS, 170.0 IP, 4.92 ERA
Entering his 11th year in the majors, Bosio is probably on the decline. But he had a good spring, and still put up semi-decent numbers in 1995, so I'll give him the #3 slot in the rotation.

BOB WOLCOTT, RHP

Age: 22, STU:40, MOV:45, CON:50, VEL:87-89
1995(SEA): 3-2, 6 GS, 36.2 IP, 4.42 ERA
This is where things start to get shaky. Wolcott isn't looking very impressive right now, but he's still only 22. He did an all right job last year, and with how weak my pitching depth is, I don't really have much choice. He'll be the #4 starter...for now.

BOB MILACKI, RHP

Age: 31, STU:45, MOV:55, CON:50, VEL:87-89
1995: did not play
He's technically my #5 starter, but things could change quickly. Milacki hasn't pitched in the majors since 1994, and he didn't do well. My scouts think he has the potential to be decent, but I'm still a bit skeptical. He didn't have a very good spring, and his career stats aren't anything special either. I might switch to a 4-man rotation, depending on how my bullpen holds up. If I do, Milacki will be the long-reliever.

BULLPEN:

Closer: NORM CHARLTON, LHP

Age: 33, STU:50, MOV:60, CON:45, VEL:91-93
1995(PHI/SEA): 69.2 IP, 14 SV, 3.36 ERA
With Nelson gone, my bullpen is probably the weakest part of the team. But Charlton should be OK as the closer. He's not incredibly impressive or dominant, but he should be fine.

Setup: MIKE JACKSON, RHP

Age: 31, STU:50, MOV:55, CON:55, VEL:87-89
1995(CIN): 49.0 IP, 41 Ks, 2.39 ERA
This will be Jackson's second stint with Seattle. He was previously a Mariner from 1988-91. He'll be trying to replace Jeff Nelson, but those are gonna be some big shoes to fill. But I'm not really expecting to be as dominant as Nelson; I just need him to do a decent enough job in the 8th inning.

Setup: BOBBY AYALA, RHP

Age: 26, STU:55, MOV:50, CON:50, VEL:90-92
1995(SEA): 71.0 IP, 19 SV, 77 Ks, 4.44 ERA
Personally, I have nothing but bad memories of Ayala. As a Mariners fan, he's up there with Scott Spiezio and Chone Figgins in "oh my god why?!" territory. But as of now he looks like he should do a decent job. He'll be my second setup guy, and will fill in at middle relief too.

Middle: TIM DAVIS, LHP

Age: 25, STU:55, MOV:60, CON:45, VEL:87-89
1995(SEA): 5 G, 5 GS, 24.0 IP, 6.38 ERA, 2-1
Davis did poorly in limited time as a starter in 1995, but as a reliever he should be a bit better. He won the second-lefty job over Lee Guetterman in spring. Hopefully he can continue his good performance.

Middle: RAFAEL CARMONA, RHP

Age: 23, STU:50, MOV:55, CON:45, VEL:87-89
1995(SEA): 15 G, 47.2 IP, 5.66 ERA
Carmona wasn't exactly "good" in spring training...he was more like "less bad than others". I'll mostly use him in non-crucial situations for now. I'll see how he does, but I'm not really expecting a whole lot.

Long: RUSTY MEACHEM, RHP

Age: 28, STU:40, MOV:50, CON:65, VEL:89-90
1995(KC): 49 G, 59.2 IP, 4.98 ERA
He's got good control, and good stamina for a reliever. With my lack of quality pitchers, Meachem will be my choice for long/mopup relief.

STARTING LINEUP:

1. JOEY CORA, 2B, SHB

Age: 30, CON:55, POW:35, EYE:45
1995(SEA): 120 G, 427 AB, 3 HR, .297/.359/.372
He's only 5'8" and 150 lbs, but Cora should be able to handle the leadoff job just fine. He's great at avoiding strikeouts, and he's got pretty good power to the gaps (even though he has little to no HR power)

2. ALEX RODRIGUEZ, SS, RHB

Age: 20, CON:60, POW:55, EYE:45
1995(SEA): 48 G, 142 AB, 5 HR, 19 RBI, .232/.264/.408
Even though A-Rod is only 20, I'm expecting big things from him. He's got pretty good ratings now and is projected to get better. If he struggles too much I'll probably move him down in the order, but for now he's looking like a solid #2 hitter.

3. KEN GRIFFEY JR, CF, LHB

Age: 26, CON:55, POW:75, EYE:55
1995(SEA): 72 G, 260 AB, 17 HR, .258/.379/.481
Griffey missed a lot of 1995 with an injury, but I'm looking for him to rebound in 1996. He's only 26 and is clearly an elite offensive player. I don't really need to worry about him. He should do great.

4. EDGAR MARTINEZ, DH, RHB

Age: 33, CON:65, POW:60, EYE:65
1995(SEA): 145 G, 511 AB, 29 HR, 113 RBI, .356/.479/.628
Martinez had a breakout year in 1995, but lost the MVP to Boston's Mo Vaughn. It's just an award though...if he does anything similar to 1995, I'll be very pleased.

5. JAY BUHNER, RF, RHB

Age: 31, CON:45, POW:70, EYE:55
1995(SEA): 126 G, 470 AB, 40 HR, 121 RBI, .262/.343/.566
My pitching might be a little weak, but my 2-3-4-5 hitters should more than make up for that. Buhner will be the 4th amazing hitter in a row in my order. He doesn't hit for average very well, but his power plus the hitter-friendly Kingdome should equal lots of homers for Buhner.

6. BRIAN HUNTER, 1B, RHB

Age: 28, CON:45, POW:50, EYE:45
1995(CIN): 40 G, 79 AB, 17 H, .215/.312/.329
Paul Sorrento was supposed to be my opening day 1B, but he's on the DL until late April with torn angle ligaments. So that means the two guys who were supposed to be competing for the backup job will now be platooning at first. Brian Hunter will get most of the starts for now, with Ricky Jordan on the bench. Neither one of them are gonna blow anyone away, so hopefully Sorrento makes a speedy recovery.

7. LUIS SOJO, 3B, RHB

Age: 31, CON:45, POW:30, EYE:35
1995(SEA): 102 G, 339 AB, 98 H, .289/.335/.416
Another example of how injuries changed my opening day plans. Russ Davis was supposed to start at third, but he too got injured during spring (strained medial collateral ligament). He'll be out until late April, so for now Sojo will be the starting 3B.

8. DAN WILSON, C, RHB

Age: 27, CON:50, POW:45, EYE:40
1995(SEA): 119 G, 399 AB, 51 RBI, .278/.336/.416
Wilson's 1995 was a huge improvement over 1994. He probably won't improve so much this time, but he should be good enough to hold down the catcher's job all year.

9. DARREN BRAGG, LF, LHB

Age: 26, CON:45, POW:45, EYE:60
1995(SEA): 52 G, 145 GS, .234/.331/.345
Bragg doesn't have much experience, but I'm kind of weak at LF (plus he's a lefty, so that helps). He could be back in AAA soon, but if he performs well enough he could add some stability to the LF position.

BENCH:

C: JOHN MARZANO, RHB

Age: 33, CON:45, POW:30, EYE:35
1995(TEX): 2 G, 6 AB, 2 H, .333 AVG
Nothing special, but good enough for a backup catcher.

1B: RICKY JORDAN, RHB

Age: 30, CON:55, POW:50, EYE:30
1995: did not play
Will be competing with Brian Hunter for the backup 1B job when Sorrento gets back. Neither of them are very good, and they're both righties, so at least one of them is really going to have to impress me.

INF: JEFF MANTO, RHB

Age: 31, CON:45, POW:55, EYE:55
1995(BAL): 89 G, 254 AB, 17 HR, 38 RBI, .256 AVG
I picked up Manto off waivers to help my injured infield. He's not amazing, but he should be a decent enough bat off the bench.

OF: RICH AMARAL, RHB

Age: 33, CON:50, POW:25, EYE:55
1995(SEA): 90 G, 238 AB, .282 AVG
Amaral will get some starts in LF vs. lefties. He's also versatile, and can fill in anywhere in the outfield and at 2B. Plus he's pretty fast. Should be a valuable guy off the bench.

OF: ALEX DIAZ, SHB

Age: 27, CON:45, POW:30, EYE:30
1995(SEA): 103 G, 270 AB, .248 AVG
Poor hitter, but good fielder. Diaz will probably be used mostly as a defensive replacement. He might get a start here or there, too.

DISABLED LIST:
3B Doug Strange (ruptured medial collateral ligament), 6-7 months
MR Bob Wells (elbow inflammation), 6 weeks
1B Paul Sorrento (torn ankle ligaments), 3 weeks
3B Russ Davis (strained medial collateral ligament), 3 weeks

TheKenoshaKid · 01-10-2012, 03:18 PM

MARCH 31, 1996

The Mariners open up the season at home. They'll play 3 games vs. the White Sox and 3 vs. the Brewers. Here's the probable starters for the Chicago series:

3/31: LHP Randy Johnson vs. RHP Alex Fernandez
4/2: LHP Sterling Hitchcock vs. LHP Wilson Alvarez
4/3: RHP Chris Bosio vs. RHP Kevin Tapani

Code:


3/31 vs. Chicago White Sox (W, 4-2)
1-0, 1.000, 1st, +0.5

                  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9   R  H  E
CHW (0-1)         0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  1   2  8  0
SEA (1-0)         0  1  0  2  0  0  1  0  x   4  9  0
W: Randy Johnson (1-0)
L: Alex Fernandez (0-1)
S: Norm Charlton (1)       

                      AB  R  H BI BB SO    AVG
Cora, 2B               4  0  1  0  0  0   .250
Rodriguez, SS          4  0  1  0  0  1   .250
Griffey, CF            3  0  1  1  1  2   .333
Martinez, DH           4  0  0  0  0  2   .000
Buhner, RF             4  2  2  1  0  1   .500
  Diaz, RF             0  0  0  0  0  0    ---
Hunter, 1B             4  0  0  0  0  0   .000
Sojo, 3B               4  0  1  0  0  0   .250
Wilson, C              3  1  2  2  0  0   .667
Bragg, LF              3  1  1  0  0  0   .333

2B: Rodriguez (1), Cora (1)
HR: Wilson (1), Buhner (1)

SB: Bragg (1)

                          IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO   HR     ERA
Johnson (W, 1-0)         7.0   5   1   1   2   7    0    1.29
Jackson (H, 1)           1.0   1   0   0   0   0    0    0.00
Charlton (S, 1/1)        1.0   2   1   1   0   1    1    9.00

Opening day went pretty smoothly overall. Charlton gave up a solo home run to Robin Ventura in the 9th, but that was all Chicago was able to score off him. Wilson and Buhner added a home run each (Wilson's just barely made it over the fence, but I'm not complaining...)

Good way to start the season. It was a sellout crowd, and they got to see a heck of a performance by the Mariners.

TheKenoshaKid · 01-10-2012, 03:26 PM

APRIL 2, 1996

Code:


4/2 vs. Chicago White Sox (W, 5-4)
2-0, 1.000, 1st, +0.5

                  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9   R  H  E
CHW (0-2)         0  0  0  0  1  1  0  0  2   4  9  0
SEA (2-0)         1  0  0  0  0  4  0  0  x   5  7  1
W: Sterling Hitchcock (1-0)
L: Wilson Alvarez (0-1)
S: Norm Charlton

                      AB  R  H BI BB SO    AVG
Cora, 2B               3  0  0  0  1  1   .143
Rodriguez, SS          4  1  2  0  0  1   .375
Griffey, CF            3  1  2  2  0  0   .500
Martinez, DH           4  0  0  0  0  1   .000
Buhner, RF             3  1  1  0  1  1   .429
Sojo, 3B               3  1  0  0  1  0   .143
Jordan, 1B             2  1  1  1  1  0   .500
Wilson, C              2  0  1  2  1  0   .600
  Marzano, PR-C        0  0  0  0  0  0    ---
Amaral, LF             3  0  0  0  0  2   .000

2B: Wilson (1), Rodriguez (2)
HR: Griffey (1)

CS: Rodriguez (1), Cora (1)
E: Griffey (1)

                          IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO   HR     ERA
Hitchcock (W, 1-0)       7.0   6   2   2   1   5    1    2.57
Jackson (H, 2)           1.0   0   0   0   0   1    0    0.00
Charlton (S, 2/2)        1.0   3   2   2   0   0    0   13.50

-Another good performance by my offense. Griffey's solo homer in the 6th capped off a 4-run inning that put Seattle ahead 5-2.

-In that same inning, Dan Wilson doubled, but had to be removed from the game for a pinch runner. Diagnosis: torn meniscus in his knee. He'll miss about 6 weeks. Definitely a dark spot on an otherwise good day.

-Charlton got his second save, but he hasn't been looking good out there. Luckily our leads have been big enough to hold, but if he wants to keep the closer's job, he's going to have to settle down.

-I'm going to be calling up Chris Widger from AAA to take Wilson's roster spot. I'm going to be searching through the free agents and waiver wire for another catcher though, since he and Marzano are now my only two healthy catchers.

TheKenoshaKid · 01-10-2012, 03:36 PM

APRIL 3, 1996

Code:


4/3 vs. Chicago White Sox (W, 10-5)
3-0, 1.000, 1st, +1.5

                  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9   R  H  E
CHW (0-3)         0  0  3  0  0  0  0  0  2   5 12  0
SEA (3-0)         3  5  0  0  2  0  0  0  x  10 14  1
W: Chris Bosio (1-0)
L: Kevin Tapani (0-1)


                      AB  R  H BI BB SO    AVG
Cora, 2B               5  2  2  2  0  0   .250
Rodriguez, SS          5  1  2  1  0  0   .385
Griffey, CF            3  1  1  1  1  0   .444
Martinez, DH           4  1  2  1  0  0   .167
Buhner, RF             4  2  3  3  0  1   .545
Hunter, 1B             4  0  0  0  0  1   .000
Sojo, 3B               2  0  0  0  1  1   .111
  Manto, PH-3B         1  0  0  0  0  0   .000
Marzano, C             4  2  2  1  0  1   .500
  Widger, C            0  0  0  0  0  0    ---
Bragg, LF              3  1  2  1  0  0   .500

2B: Martinez (1), Buhner (1), Cora (2), Bragg 2 (2), Marzano (1)
3B: Rodriguez (1)
HR: Buhner (2)

SB: Griffey (1)
CS: Martinez (1), Rodriguez (2)
E: Bragg (1)

                          IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO   HR     ERA
Bosio (W, 1-0)           5.2   6   3   3   2   4    1    4.77
Carmona                  1.1   0   0   0   0   1    0    0.00
Davis                    1.0   3   0   0   0   2    0    0.00
Ayala                    1.0   3   2   2   1   0    0   18.00

-Seattle caught fire early, and by the 2nd inning, Tapani was out of the game and the score was 8-0. Great day for the offense. Also, nice to see Edgar break out of his mini-slump with a couple hits.

next up: Milwaukee. We play 3 games vs them, then it's off to Detroit and Toronto for 6 games on the road. Probable starters:

Fri 4/5: RHP Bob Wolcott vs. RHP Cal Eldred
Sat 4/6: LHP Randy Johnson (1-0, 1.29) vs. RHP Jeff D'Amico
Sun 4/7: LHP Sterling Hitchcock (1-0, 2.57) vs. RHP Ben McDonald (0-1, 9.00)

NOTE: I decided to skip over Bob Milacki this time. Johnson should be rested and I'm still unsure about my bullpen, so I'm playing it safe by having Milacki be the 7th man in the bullpen.

JRockne · 01-18-2012, 12:38 AM

I'm playing with the 1969 Pilots. I'm making front office decisions and managing every game. I'm only getting a few games in each week but I am 39-39.

Looking at your lineup makes me marvel at how far the Mariners have fallen. That team had some real exciting players with personality.

Perhaps its Ichiro's utter lack of personality that gives the Mariners its current lifeless presence.

Have fun with 1996.

turdfurgeson · 01-18-2012, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRockne

I'm playing with the 1969 Pilots. I'm making front office decisions and managing every game. I'm only getting a few games in each week but I am 39-39.

Looking at your lineup makes me marvel at how far the Mariners have fallen. That team had some real exciting players with personality.

Perhaps its Ichiro's utter lack of personality that gives the Mariners its current lifeless presence.

Have fun with 1996.

I think it is Seattle's lack of talented players after 1 or two guys. I do not think the guy who said this quote can be accused of an utter lack of personality.

"Chicks who dig home runs aren't the ones who appeal to me. I think there's sexiness in infield hits because they require technique. I'd rather impress the chicks with my technique than with my brute strength. Then, every now and then, just to show I can do that, too, I might flirt a little by hitting one out."

jayhawk1106 · 02-03-2012, 10:40 PM

They're loaded for the future. Jack Z seems to look more and more like he knows what he's doing every day. Which I haven't seen in an M's GM in a while. Even after the Pineda trade. Is the future here yet?

God, I remember the 1995 season. That season made me fall in love with the M's for life. They can do no wrong ever now.

01-10-2012, 09:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
TheKenoshaKid Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 163 Thanks: 17 Thanked 14x in 14 posts	The 1996 Seattle Mariners AUGUST 24, 1995 The Mariners come into the game with a 54-55 record. They're in 3rd place, and 11.5 games back of the division-leading California Angels. Ken Griffey Jr has recently returned from the disabled list, but things are looking bleak. They're in their 19th season as an MLB team, and have never reached the playoffs. In fact, the best they've done was in 1991, when they finished 83-79. The Kingdome needs to be replaced, but there's not much support for a new stadium. There's talk of possible relocation in the future. Pretty bleak indeed... OCTOBER 2, 1995 Seattle somehow managed to win 24 of their final 35 games, coming all the way back and forcing a 1-game playoff at home vs. California. Randy Johnson got the start, and pitched beautifully. In the top of the 9th, with 2 outs, Tim Salmon stepped in to face Johnson. The Mariners were leading 9-1, and just 1 out away from their first postseason appearance ever... 1995 Season End Highlights - YouTube OCTOBER 8, 1995 The Mariners and Yankees had a pretty wild Division Series. It featured 2 extra-inning games, and 22 home runs overall, which set an MLB record. Game 5 went into extra innings with the score tied 4-4. In the top of the 11th, Randy Velarde put the Yankees ahead 5-4 with an RBI single. The Mariners would have one chance to either take the lead, tie, or go home. In the bottom of the inning, Joey Cora bunted, then hustled to first for an infield single. Griffey followed that up with a single of his own, sending Cora to 3rd. Next up was Edgar Martinez, facing Jack McDowell... 1995 ALDS Game 5 - YouTube OCTOBER 17, 1995 In Game 6 of the ALCS, the Cleveland Indians shut out Seattle 4-0 to win the pennant. Even though they go home defeated, things are looking much brighter than they were just a couple months ago. Which brings us to the beginning of my dynasty. I'll be taking over the 1996 Mariners. I'll be playing every game, but I'll only deal with substitutions/lineups. The AI will handle minor in-game decisions. GROUND RULES: -Neutralized stats -3 year recalc, double weight of current year -Injuries high -Fatigue normal -Trades: Very Low (until the all-star break), normal, favor prospects __________________

01-10-2012, 09:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
TheKenoshaKid Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 163 Thanks: 17 Thanked 14x in 14 posts	OPENING DAY ROSTER: ROTATION: RANDY JOHNSON, LHP Age: 32, STU:75, MOV:65, CON:50, VEL:93-95 1995(SEA): 18-2, 294 Ks, 2.48 ERA, Cy Young Award My pitching is somewhat weak, so I'm very glad to have this guy. Johnson is entering his 8th season in Seattle, and is showing no signs of slowing down. He won the Cy Young in 1995 and should be dominant again this year. Unquestionable my #1 starter. STERLING HITCHCOCK, LHP Age: 24, STU:50, MOV:55, CON:50, VEL:87-89 1995(NYY): 11-10, 27 GS, 4.70 ERA Over the offseason, Seattle acquired Hitchcock and 3B Russ Davis from the Yankees for 1B Tino Martinez, RP Jeff Nelson, and RP Jim Mecir. Martinez and Nelson were incredibly valuable and will be missed, but Hitchcock should help my weak rotation. He's still young and has some kinks to work out, but as of now he's looking good enough to be my #2 starter. CHRIS BOSIO, RHP Age: 32, STU:40, MOV:60, CON:50, VEL:87-89 1995(SEA): 10-8, 31 GS, 170.0 IP, 4.92 ERA Entering his 11th year in the majors, Bosio is probably on the decline. But he had a good spring, and still put up semi-decent numbers in 1995, so I'll give him the #3 slot in the rotation. BOB WOLCOTT, RHP Age: 22, STU:40, MOV:45, CON:50, VEL:87-89 1995(SEA): 3-2, 6 GS, 36.2 IP, 4.42 ERA This is where things start to get shaky. Wolcott isn't looking very impressive right now, but he's still only 22. He did an all right job last year, and with how weak my pitching depth is, I don't really have much choice. He'll be the #4 starter...for now. BOB MILACKI, RHP Age: 31, STU:45, MOV:55, CON:50, VEL:87-89 1995: did not play He's technically my #5 starter, but things could change quickly. Milacki hasn't pitched in the majors since 1994, and he didn't do well. My scouts think he has the potential to be decent, but I'm still a bit skeptical. He didn't have a very good spring, and his career stats aren't anything special either. I might switch to a 4-man rotation, depending on how my bullpen holds up. If I do, Milacki will be the long-reliever. BULLPEN: Closer: NORM CHARLTON, LHP Age: 33, STU:50, MOV:60, CON:45, VEL:91-93 1995(PHI/SEA): 69.2 IP, 14 SV, 3.36 ERA With Nelson gone, my bullpen is probably the weakest part of the team. But Charlton should be OK as the closer. He's not incredibly impressive or dominant, but he should be fine. Setup: MIKE JACKSON, RHP Age: 31, STU:50, MOV:55, CON:55, VEL:87-89 1995(CIN): 49.0 IP, 41 Ks, 2.39 ERA This will be Jackson's second stint with Seattle. He was previously a Mariner from 1988-91. He'll be trying to replace Jeff Nelson, but those are gonna be some big shoes to fill. But I'm not really expecting to be as dominant as Nelson; I just need him to do a decent enough job in the 8th inning. Setup: BOBBY AYALA, RHP Age: 26, STU:55, MOV:50, CON:50, VEL:90-92 1995(SEA): 71.0 IP, 19 SV, 77 Ks, 4.44 ERA Personally, I have nothing but bad memories of Ayala. As a Mariners fan, he's up there with Scott Spiezio and Chone Figgins in "oh my god why?!" territory. But as of now he looks like he should do a decent job. He'll be my second setup guy, and will fill in at middle relief too. Middle: TIM DAVIS, LHP Age: 25, STU:55, MOV:60, CON:45, VEL:87-89 1995(SEA): 5 G, 5 GS, 24.0 IP, 6.38 ERA, 2-1 Davis did poorly in limited time as a starter in 1995, but as a reliever he should be a bit better. He won the second-lefty job over Lee Guetterman in spring. Hopefully he can continue his good performance. Middle: RAFAEL CARMONA, RHP Age: 23, STU:50, MOV:55, CON:45, VEL:87-89 1995(SEA): 15 G, 47.2 IP, 5.66 ERA Carmona wasn't exactly "good" in spring training...he was more like "less bad than others". I'll mostly use him in non-crucial situations for now. I'll see how he does, but I'm not really expecting a whole lot. Long: RUSTY MEACHEM, RHP Age: 28, STU:40, MOV:50, CON:65, VEL:89-90 1995(KC): 49 G, 59.2 IP, 4.98 ERA He's got good control, and good stamina for a reliever. With my lack of quality pitchers, Meachem will be my choice for long/mopup relief. STARTING LINEUP: 1. JOEY CORA, 2B, SHB Age: 30, CON:55, POW:35, EYE:45 1995(SEA): 120 G, 427 AB, 3 HR, .297/.359/.372 He's only 5'8" and 150 lbs, but Cora should be able to handle the leadoff job just fine. He's great at avoiding strikeouts, and he's got pretty good power to the gaps (even though he has little to no HR power) 2. ALEX RODRIGUEZ, SS, RHB Age: 20, CON:60, POW:55, EYE:45 1995(SEA): 48 G, 142 AB, 5 HR, 19 RBI, .232/.264/.408 Even though A-Rod is only 20, I'm expecting big things from him. He's got pretty good ratings now and is projected to get better. If he struggles too much I'll probably move him down in the order, but for now he's looking like a solid #2 hitter. 3. KEN GRIFFEY JR, CF, LHB Age: 26, CON:55, POW:75, EYE:55 1995(SEA): 72 G, 260 AB, 17 HR, .258/.379/.481 Griffey missed a lot of 1995 with an injury, but I'm looking for him to rebound in 1996. He's only 26 and is clearly an elite offensive player. I don't really need to worry about him. He should do great. 4. EDGAR MARTINEZ, DH, RHB Age: 33, CON:65, POW:60, EYE:65 1995(SEA): 145 G, 511 AB, 29 HR, 113 RBI, .356/.479/.628 Martinez had a breakout year in 1995, but lost the MVP to Boston's Mo Vaughn. It's just an award though...if he does anything similar to 1995, I'll be very pleased. 5. JAY BUHNER, RF, RHB Age: 31, CON:45, POW:70, EYE:55 1995(SEA): 126 G, 470 AB, 40 HR, 121 RBI, .262/.343/.566 My pitching might be a little weak, but my 2-3-4-5 hitters should more than make up for that. Buhner will be the 4th amazing hitter in a row in my order. He doesn't hit for average very well, but his power plus the hitter-friendly Kingdome should equal lots of homers for Buhner. 6. BRIAN HUNTER, 1B, RHB Age: 28, CON:45, POW:50, EYE:45 1995(CIN): 40 G, 79 AB, 17 H, .215/.312/.329 Paul Sorrento was supposed to be my opening day 1B, but he's on the DL until late April with torn angle ligaments. So that means the two guys who were supposed to be competing for the backup job will now be platooning at first. Brian Hunter will get most of the starts for now, with Ricky Jordan on the bench. Neither one of them are gonna blow anyone away, so hopefully Sorrento makes a speedy recovery. 7. LUIS SOJO, 3B, RHB Age: 31, CON:45, POW:30, EYE:35 1995(SEA): 102 G, 339 AB, 98 H, .289/.335/.416 Another example of how injuries changed my opening day plans. Russ Davis was supposed to start at third, but he too got injured during spring (strained medial collateral ligament). He'll be out until late April, so for now Sojo will be the starting 3B. 8. DAN WILSON, C, RHB Age: 27, CON:50, POW:45, EYE:40 1995(SEA): 119 G, 399 AB, 51 RBI, .278/.336/.416 Wilson's 1995 was a huge improvement over 1994. He probably won't improve so much this time, but he should be good enough to hold down the catcher's job all year. 9. DARREN BRAGG, LF, LHB Age: 26, CON:45, POW:45, EYE:60 1995(SEA): 52 G, 145 GS, .234/.331/.345 Bragg doesn't have much experience, but I'm kind of weak at LF (plus he's a lefty, so that helps). He could be back in AAA soon, but if he performs well enough he could add some stability to the LF position. BENCH: C: JOHN MARZANO, RHB Age: 33, CON:45, POW:30, EYE:35 1995(TEX): 2 G, 6 AB, 2 H, .333 AVG Nothing special, but good enough for a backup catcher. 1B: RICKY JORDAN, RHB Age: 30, CON:55, POW:50, EYE:30 1995: did not play Will be competing with Brian Hunter for the backup 1B job when Sorrento gets back. Neither of them are very good, and they're both righties, so at least one of them is really going to have to impress me. INF: JEFF MANTO, RHB Age: 31, CON:45, POW:55, EYE:55 1995(BAL): 89 G, 254 AB, 17 HR, 38 RBI, .256 AVG I picked up Manto off waivers to help my injured infield. He's not amazing, but he should be a decent enough bat off the bench. OF: RICH AMARAL, RHB Age: 33, CON:50, POW:25, EYE:55 1995(SEA): 90 G, 238 AB, .282 AVG Amaral will get some starts in LF vs. lefties. He's also versatile, and can fill in anywhere in the outfield and at 2B. Plus he's pretty fast. Should be a valuable guy off the bench. OF: ALEX DIAZ, SHB Age: 27, CON:45, POW:30, EYE:30 1995(SEA): 103 G, 270 AB, .248 AVG Poor hitter, but good fielder. Diaz will probably be used mostly as a defensive replacement. He might get a start here or there, too. DISABLED LIST: 3B Doug Strange (ruptured medial collateral ligament), 6-7 months MR Bob Wells (elbow inflammation), 6 weeks 1B Paul Sorrento (torn ankle ligaments), 3 weeks 3B Russ Davis (strained medial collateral ligament), 3 weeks __________________ Last edited by TheKenoshaKid; 01-10-2012 at 10:00 AM.

01-10-2012, 03:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
TheKenoshaKid Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 163 Thanks: 17 Thanked 14x in 14 posts	MARCH 31, 1996 The Mariners open up the season at home. They'll play 3 games vs. the White Sox and 3 vs. the Brewers. Here's the probable starters for the Chicago series: 3/31: LHP Randy Johnson vs. RHP Alex Fernandez 4/2: LHP Sterling Hitchcock vs. LHP Wilson Alvarez 4/3: RHP Chris Bosio vs. RHP Kevin Tapani Code: 3/31 vs. Chicago White Sox (W, 4-2) 1-0, 1.000, 1st, +0.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E CHW (0-1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 8 0 SEA (1-0) 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 x 4 9 0 W: Randy Johnson (1-0) L: Alex Fernandez (0-1) S: Norm Charlton (1) AB R H BI BB SO AVG Cora, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 0 .250 Rodriguez, SS 4 0 1 0 0 1 .250 Griffey, CF 3 0 1 1 1 2 .333 Martinez, DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 .000 Buhner, RF 4 2 2 1 0 1 .500 Diaz, RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 --- Hunter, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Sojo, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0 .250 Wilson, C 3 1 2 2 0 0 .667 Bragg, LF 3 1 1 0 0 0 .333 2B: Rodriguez (1), Cora (1) HR: Wilson (1), Buhner (1) SB: Bragg (1) IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Johnson (W, 1-0) 7.0 5 1 1 2 7 0 1.29 Jackson (H, 1) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Charlton (S, 1/1) 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 1 9.00 Opening day went pretty smoothly overall. Charlton gave up a solo home run to Robin Ventura in the 9th, but that was all Chicago was able to score off him. Wilson and Buhner added a home run each (Wilson's just barely made it over the fence, but I'm not complaining...) Good way to start the season. It was a sellout crowd, and they got to see a heck of a performance by the Mariners. __________________

01-10-2012, 03:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheKenoshaKid Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 163 Thanks: 17 Thanked 14x in 14 posts	APRIL 2, 1996 Code: 4/2 vs. Chicago White Sox (W, 5-4) 2-0, 1.000, 1st, +0.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E CHW (0-2) 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 4 9 0 SEA (2-0) 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 x 5 7 1 W: Sterling Hitchcock (1-0) L: Wilson Alvarez (0-1) S: Norm Charlton AB R H BI BB SO AVG Cora, 2B 3 0 0 0 1 1 .143 Rodriguez, SS 4 1 2 0 0 1 .375 Griffey, CF 3 1 2 2 0 0 .500 Martinez, DH 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Buhner, RF 3 1 1 0 1 1 .429 Sojo, 3B 3 1 0 0 1 0 .143 Jordan, 1B 2 1 1 1 1 0 .500 Wilson, C 2 0 1 2 1 0 .600 Marzano, PR-C 0 0 0 0 0 0 --- Amaral, LF 3 0 0 0 0 2 .000 2B: Wilson (1), Rodriguez (2) HR: Griffey (1) CS: Rodriguez (1), Cora (1) E: Griffey (1) IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Hitchcock (W, 1-0) 7.0 6 2 2 1 5 1 2.57 Jackson (H, 2) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Charlton (S, 2/2) 1.0 3 2 2 0 0 0 13.50 -Another good performance by my offense. Griffey's solo homer in the 6th capped off a 4-run inning that put Seattle ahead 5-2. -In that same inning, Dan Wilson doubled, but had to be removed from the game for a pinch runner. Diagnosis: torn meniscus in his knee. He'll miss about 6 weeks. Definitely a dark spot on an otherwise good day. -Charlton got his second save, but he hasn't been looking good out there. Luckily our leads have been big enough to hold, but if he wants to keep the closer's job, he's going to have to settle down. -I'm going to be calling up Chris Widger from AAA to take Wilson's roster spot. I'm going to be searching through the free agents and waiver wire for another catcher though, since he and Marzano are now my only two healthy catchers. __________________

01-10-2012, 03:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
TheKenoshaKid Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 163 Thanks: 17 Thanked 14x in 14 posts	APRIL 3, 1996 Code: 4/3 vs. Chicago White Sox (W, 10-5) 3-0, 1.000, 1st, +1.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E CHW (0-3) 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 12 0 SEA (3-0) 3 5 0 0 2 0 0 0 x 10 14 1 W: Chris Bosio (1-0) L: Kevin Tapani (0-1) AB R H BI BB SO AVG Cora, 2B 5 2 2 2 0 0 .250 Rodriguez, SS 5 1 2 1 0 0 .385 Griffey, CF 3 1 1 1 1 0 .444 Martinez, DH 4 1 2 1 0 0 .167 Buhner, RF 4 2 3 3 0 1 .545 Hunter, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Sojo, 3B 2 0 0 0 1 1 .111 Manto, PH-3B 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Marzano, C 4 2 2 1 0 1 .500 Widger, C 0 0 0 0 0 0 --- Bragg, LF 3 1 2 1 0 0 .500 2B: Martinez (1), Buhner (1), Cora (2), Bragg 2 (2), Marzano (1) 3B: Rodriguez (1) HR: Buhner (2) SB: Griffey (1) CS: Martinez (1), Rodriguez (2) E: Bragg (1) IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Bosio (W, 1-0) 5.2 6 3 3 2 4 1 4.77 Carmona 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Davis 1.0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 Ayala 1.0 3 2 2 1 0 0 18.00 -Seattle caught fire early, and by the 2nd inning, Tapani was out of the game and the score was 8-0. Great day for the offense. Also, nice to see Edgar break out of his mini-slump with a couple hits. next up: Milwaukee. We play 3 games vs them, then it's off to Detroit and Toronto for 6 games on the road. Probable starters: Fri 4/5: RHP Bob Wolcott vs. RHP Cal Eldred Sat 4/6: LHP Randy Johnson (1-0, 1.29) vs. RHP Jeff D'Amico Sun 4/7: LHP Sterling Hitchcock (1-0, 2.57) vs. RHP Ben McDonald (0-1, 9.00) NOTE: I decided to skip over Bob Milacki this time. Johnson should be rested and I'm still unsure about my bullpen, so I'm playing it safe by having Milacki be the 7th man in the bullpen. __________________

01-18-2012, 12:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
JRockne Bat Boy Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Seattle Posts: 12 Thanks: 11 Thanked 0x in 0 posts	I'm playing with the 1969 Pilots. I'm making front office decisions and managing every game. I'm only getting a few games in each week but I am 39-39. Looking at your lineup makes me marvel at how far the Mariners have fallen. That team had some real exciting players with personality. Perhaps its Ichiro's utter lack of personality that gives the Mariners its current lifeless presence. Have fun with 1996.

02-03-2012, 10:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
jayhawk1106 Bat Boy Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1x in 1 post	They're loaded for the future. Jack Z seems to look more and more like he knows what he's doing every day. Which I haven't seen in an M's GM in a while. Even after the Pineda trade. Is the future here yet? God, I remember the 1995 season. That season made me fall in love with the M's for life. They can do no wrong ever now.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode