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 |
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| SS | Spike Owen |
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| 3B | Jamie Allen |
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| __ | TT | 42 | LF | Steve Henderson | SEA |
| __ | TO | 732 | CF | Dave Henderson | SEA |
| __ | TO | 763 | RF | Al Cowens | SEA |
| __ | TO | 368 | DH | Richie Zisk | SEA |
| __ |
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| OF | Ricky Nelson |
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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 |
| __ |
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| SP | Glenn Abbott |
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Relief Pitchers
| __ | TO | 78 | CL | Bill Caudill | SEA |
| __ | TO | 789 | RP | Bryan Clark | SEA |
| __ |
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| RP | Roy Thomas |
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| __ | 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 |
| __ |
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| UT | Ken Phelps |
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| __ |
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| CF | John Moses |
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| __ |
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| SS | Domingo Ramos |
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| __ |
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| C | Jamie Nelson |
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| __ |
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| 3B | Darnell Coles |
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| __ | DO | 649 | DH | Al Chambers | SEA |
| __ |
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| CF | Phil Bradley |
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| __ | TO | 54 | UT | Jim Maler | SEA |
| __ | TO | 622 | UT | Dave Edler | SEA |
| __ |
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| 2B | Harold Reynolds |
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| __ |
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| UT | Rod Allen |
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| __ | TO | 519 | C | Bud Bulling | SEA |
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| RP | Ed Nunez |
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| __ | TO | 106 | SP | Gene Nelson | SEA |
| __ |
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| RP | Karl Best |
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Manager
| __ | TO | 336 | MG | Rene Lachemann | SEA |
| __ |
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| MG | Del Crandall |
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