Wednesday, March 16, 2011

1983 Seattle Mariners



We wrap up 1983 with the Seattle Mariners. After 1982, they had a 76-86 record, by far the best in franchise history. But going into their 7th season in existence in 1983, they returned to the womb. They actually ended up with a worse record than they had in their first season. Compared to their expansion brothers, the Toronto Blue Jays, who were starting to build a team that would lead to playoff appearances and eventually World Series titles, the Mariners were just spinning their wheels in these early years.

Best Player: Pat Putnam...well the best player was probably Matt Young, put Putnam led the team in HRs, RBIs, and run scored. Sounds impressive, but those numbers are 19-67-58. Not even impressive for 1983.

Best Pitcher: Matt Young, he went 11-15 for this team, which led the team in wins, and had an ERA of 3.27. Was two short of leading the team in strikeouts.

All-Stars: Matt Young

Hall-of-Famers: Gaylord Perry, although he didn't play the full season with the M's. He was basically signed to put fans in the seats for his 300th win. He got that in 1982 and stuck around until he was released in June 1983. For whatever reason, the Royals picked him up and that is where he finished his career later in the year.

Rookie Card of the Year: Mike Moore, first draft pick in the 1981 amateur draft, not the documentary film maker noted for Fahrenheit 9/11. He won 17 games for a bad Mariners team in 1985, went on to pitch for the great A's teams of the late '80s-early '90s and wrapped up his career for the Tigers from 1993-1995, ending up with 161 career wins.

Other rookies: Manny Castillo, Al Chambers, Dave Henderson, Jim Maler, Orlando Mercado, Bob Stoddard, Matt Young

First Mariner cards: Tony Bernazard, Todd Cruz, Steve Henderson, Pat Putnam, Dave Revering (listed under retired players), Rick Sweet

Most interesting non-Topps card: Earlier Mike Moore was noted as being the first pick in the 1981 draft. The first pick in the 1979 draft, Al Chambers, also taken by the Mariners, has his rookie card in the Donruss set. His career was not as solid, as he only played in 57 games in the majors and was done after 1985. He played in the minors through 1988 and that was it for the 1979 #1 draft pick.

Other notes: Larry Andersen is listed under the Phillies checklist and Bobby Brown is listed under the Padres checklist. Both players are shown as Mariners in the 1983 sets, and neither played for them in 1983. Also, neither one had cards in the traded set showing them with their new teams. Ron Roenicke signed with the Mariners after being cut by the Dodgers midway through the season. He got more playing time with the M's, so he is listed here, even though his card shows him as a Dodger.

Starters
__ TO 437 C Rick Sweet SEA
__ TT 89 1B Pat Putnam SEA
__ TT 9 2B Tony Bernazard SEA
__

SS Spike Owen
__

3B Jamie Allen
__ TT 42 LF Steve Henderson SEA
__ TO 732 CF Dave Henderson SEA
__ TO 763 RF Al Cowens SEA
__ TO 368 DH Richie Zisk SEA
__

OF Ricky Nelson

Starting Pitchers
__ TT 129 SP Matt Young SEA
__ TO 675 SP Jim Beattie SEA
__ TO 195 SP Bob Stoddard SEA
__ TO 209 SP Mike Moore SEA
__ TO 463 SP Gaylord Perry SEA
__

SP Glenn Abbott

Relief Pitchers
__ TO 78 CL Bill Caudill SEA
__ TO 789 RP Bryan Clark SEA
__

RP Roy Thomas
__ TO 159 RP Mike Stanton SEA
__ TO 183 RP Ed Vande Berg SEA

Other Players
__ TO 113 CF Ron Roenicke LAD
__ TO 132 SS Todd Cruz SEA
__ TO 258 3B Manny Castillo SEA
__ TO 414 2B Julio Cruz SEA
__ TT 71 C Orlando Mercado SEA
__

UT Ken Phelps
__

CF John Moses
__

SS Domingo Ramos
__

C Jamie Nelson
__

3B Darnell Coles
__ DO 649 DH Al Chambers SEA
__

CF Phil Bradley
__ TO 54 UT Jim Maler SEA
__ TO 622 UT Dave Edler SEA
__

2B Harold Reynolds
__

UT Rod Allen
__ TO 519 C Bud Bulling SEA
__

RP Ed Nunez
__ TO 106 SP Gene Nelson SEA
__

RP Karl Best

Manager
__ TO 336 MG Rene Lachemann SEA
__

MG Del Crandall

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