1996 Seattle Mariners season
The Seattle Mariners 1996 season was their 20th season, and the team was the runner-up in American League West, with a record of 85–76 (.528), 4½ games behind the champion Texas Rangers. The Mariners led the majors in runs (993), doubles (335), runs batted in (954), and slugging percentage (.484), but the pitching staff had the highest earned run average (5.21) in team history. Four Mariners scored at least 100 runs and four drove in at least 100 runs.[1] In their game against the Kansas City Royals on May 11, the Mariners set a franchise record of 12 extra-base hits.[2]
1996 Seattle Mariners | |
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Major League affiliations | |
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Location | |
Results | |
Record | 85–76 (.528) |
Divisional place | 2nd |
Other information | |
Owner(s) | Hiroshi Yamauchi (represented by John Ellis) |
General manager(s) | Woody Woodward |
Manager(s) | Lou Piniella |
Local television | KIRO-TV 7 Prime Sports NW |
Local radio | KIRO 710 AM (Dave Niehaus, Rick Rizzs, Ron Fairly) |
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Offseason
- November 29, 1995: Mike Blowers was traded by the Mariners to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Willis Otañez and Miguel Cairo.[3]
- January 23, 1996: Aaron Small was selected off waivers by the Mariners from the Florida Marlins.[4]
- January 29, 1996: Aaron Small was selected off waivers from the Mariners by the Oakland Athletics.[4]
- March 25, 1996: Ricky Jordan was purchased by the Mariners from the California Angels.[5]
Regular season
Season standings
AL West | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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Texas Rangers | 90 | 72 | 0.556 | — | 50–31 | 40–41 |
Seattle Mariners | 85 | 76 | 0.528 | 4½ | 43–38 | 42–38 |
Oakland Athletics | 78 | 84 | 0.481 | 12 | 40–41 | 38–43 |
California Angels | 70 | 91 | 0.435 | 19½ | 43–38 | 27–53 |
Record vs. opponents
1996 American League Records Sources: | ||||||||||||||
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Team | BAL | BOS | CAL | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIL | MIN | NYY | OAK | SEA | TEX | TOR |
Baltimore | — | 7–6 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 5–7 | 11–2 | 9–3 | 9–3 | 7–5 | 3–10 | 9–4 | 7–5 | 3–10–1 | 8–5 |
Boston | 6–7 | — | 8–4 | 6–6 | 1–11 | 12–1 | 3–9 | 7–5 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 8–5 | 7–6 | 6–6 | 8–5 |
California | 6–6 | 4–8 | — | 6–6 | 4–9 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 7–6 | 6–7 | 5–8 | 4–9 | 7–5 |
Chicago | 8–4 | 6–6 | 6–6 | — | 5–8 | 10–3 | 7–6 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 8–4 | 7–5 |
Cleveland | 7–5 | 11–1 | 9–4 | 8–5 | — | 12–0 | 7–6 | 7–6 | 10–3 | 3–9 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 4–8 | 7–5 |
Detroit | 2–11 | 1–12 | 6–6 | 3–10 | 0–12 | — | 6–6 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 5–8 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 4–9 | 6–7 |
Kansas City | 3–9 | 9–3 | 8–4 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 6–6 | — | 4–9 | 6–7 | 4–8 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 6–6 | 5–8 |
Milwaukee | 3–9 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 7–6 | 6–7 | 8–4 | 9–4 | — | 9–4 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 4–9 | 6–7 | 5–7 |
Minnesota | 5–7 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 7–6 | 3–10 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 4–9 | — | 5–7 | 6–7 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 8–5 |
New York | 10–3 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 7–6 | 9–3 | 8–5 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 7–5 | — | 9–3 | 3–9 | 5–7 | 8–5 |
Oakland | 4–9 | 5–8 | 7–6 | 7–5 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 7–5 | 5–7 | 7–6 | 3–9 | — | 8–5 | 7–6 | 4–8 |
Seattle | 5–7 | 6–7 | 8–5 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 9–4 | 6–6 | 9–3 | 5–8 | — | 10–3 | 5–7 |
Texas | 10–3–1 | 6–6 | 9–4 | 4–8 | 8–4 | 9–4 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 6–7 | 3–10 | — | 10–2 |
Toronto | 5–8 | 5–8 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 7–6 | 8–5 | 7–5 | 5–8 | 5–8 | 8–4 | 7–5 | 2–10 | — |
Game log
1996 Game Log: 85–76 (Home: 43–38; Away: 42–38) | ||||||||
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March: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Away: 0–0)
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April: 15–10 (Home: 8–5; Away: 7–5)
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May: 12–14 (Home: 8–9; Away: 4–5)
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June: 14–12 (Home: 5–5; Away: 9–7)
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July: 16–12 (Home: 8–6; Away: 8–6)
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August: 12–17 (Home: 5–10; Away: 7–7)
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September: 15–11 (Home: 8–3; Away: 7–8)
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Legend: = Win = Loss Bold = Mariners team member |
Detailed records
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Notable transactions
- April 13, 1996: Félix Fermín was released by the Mariners.[6]
- June 4, 1996: 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
- Gil Meche was drafted by the Mariners in the 1st round (22nd pick). Player signed June 9, 1996.[7]
- Juan Pierre was drafted by the Mariners in the 48th round, but did not sign.[8]
- Sean Spencer was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 40th round of the 1996 amateur draft. Player signed August 26, 1996.[9]
- August 1, 1996: Greg Pirkl was selected off waivers from the Mariners by the Boston Red Sox.[10]
- August 14, 1996: Roger Blanco (minors) was traded by the Mariners to the Atlanta Braves for Mark Whiten.[11]
- August 22, 1996: Luis Sojo was selected off waivers from the Mariners by the New York Yankees.[12]
- August 29, 1996: The Mariners traded a player to be named later to the Minnesota Twins for Dave Hollins. The Mariners completed the deal by sending David Ortiz to the Twins on September 13.[13]
Roster
1996 Seattle Mariners | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
Other batters
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Manager
Coaches
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Player stats
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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CF | Ken Griffey Jr. | 140 | 545 | 165 | .303 | 49 | 140 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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Alex Diaz | 38 | 79 | 19 | .241 | 1 | 5 |
Starting pitchers
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Other pitchers
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Relief pitchers
Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
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Awards and honors
Alex Rodriguez became the first shortstop in 56 years to win the American League Batting Crown.[14]
- Alex Rodriguez, American League Batting Champion
Farm system
References
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/1996.shtml
- "Team Batting Game Finder: In years 1901 to 2020, Playing for SEA, (requiring XBH>=10), sorted by greatest XBH". Stathead. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- Mike Blowers page at Baseball Reference
- Aaron Small page at Baseball Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jordari02.shtml
- Félix Fermín page at Baseball Reference
- Gil Meche page at Baseball Reference
- Juan Pierre page at Baseball Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/spencse01.shtml
- Greg Pirkl page at Baseball Reference
- Mark Whiten page at Baseball Reference
- Luis Sojo page at Baseball Reference
- David Ortiz page at Baseball Reference
- Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.371, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007