Since my weeks are no longer filled with Mariners baseball, it only seems fitting to get nostalgic on the main reason why my writings have been so sporadic.
At the beginning of the season, I set a goal to attend 40 games. I made 42. This was solely due to Ken Griffey Jr.'s triumphant return to Seattle. And while I still saw way too many games featuring Mike Sweeney at DH instead of Junior, I definitely got my fix of Junior moments - plus a few others along the way.
So without further adieu, here are my top 9 moments from the 2009 Mariners. A new day. A new way.
9. July 9th - Franklin Gutierrez's 3-run bomb with 2 outs in the bottom of the 8th was all the M's needed in this one as Felix Hernandez battled through 8 innings of 3-hit ball to get the much deserved win.
Guess who took a 2-out walk to put Guti in position to launch his funk blast?
8. Men At Work - It only seemed fitting that on the hottest day in Seattle history, the Mariners threw their Australian import, Ryan Rowland-Smith, for the Wednesday day game at the Safe. Clearly accustomed to the extreme heat, R.R Smith was perfect through 6 innings. Aaron Hill promptly lead off the 7th with a screaming single. Then Aaron Lind belted a 2-run bomb. Just like that, the Jays were up 2-1, and they had Roy Halladay pitching. Not good.
In the bottom of the 7th, the M's got three singles to load the bases for Junior. The entire at-bat I'm thinking, "Please don't embarrass yourself here, Junior." All Junior does is crush a double (his second of the game) to right against one of the best pitchers in baseball to put the M's up 3-2. Ball game.
7. Opening Night - The marketing geniuses love to pump up how there's a difference between the home opener (day game) and opening night (night game). Following their exciting win in the home opener, the M's left nothing to chance as they absolutely annihalated LAAOC.Rocking Jackie Robinson's number 42 jersey that he helped make a league standard on Jackie Robinson Day, Junior went back-to-back with Endy Chavez. The homer gave Griffey 400 as a Mariner. And to put an exclamation point on things, in his first game of the season, Ichiballz belted a grand slam in the 7th to blow the game open. An awesome night.
6. Langerhans, Turn Out The Lights - This one was memorable for a few reasons. The first being that it was Junior Bobblehead Night. I made every attempt to make sure I was at the Safe early enough to get a bobblehead. Turns out an hour and a half early doesn't cut it. The M's opened the gates at 4:30 (gates typically open at 5) because too many fans showed up early. I was SOL, until a guy heard me remark to my buddy that I would pay $50 for a Junior bobblehead. The guy turned around and said he just sold one of his for $20, so he'd gladly sell the other for $50. A bargaining session ensued and I walked away saying I wouldn't go over $30 for it. A minute later, the guy comes barreling after me saying he'll take the $30 so he can have beer money. It turned out to be a bargain.
Back to the game, Junior being Junior goes yard to spark a 4-run 7th inning, tying the game at 5 apiece.
The M's took it into extras, and Sean Kelley being Sean Kelley gave up a home run to Jason Bartlett in the 11th to make it 6-5, Rays.
Guti lead off the bottom of the 11th with a walk. Two quick outs left Ryan Langerhans and his .232 career batting average as the M's final hope. I determined it would be better to beat traffic than to see Langerhans strike out, so I directed my posse to leave. As soon as we stepped out the gates onto Edgar Martinez Way, we heard the crowd erupt. Everyone looked at each other. I quickly pulled up the score on my phone. Langerhans hit a 2-run walk-off bomb. M's win 7-6. Game over.
5. Langerhans, Turn Off The Lights....AGAIN! - Ryan Langerhans hit 3 home runs all season as a seldom used reserve. What are the chances that 2 of those 3 are walk off jobs. At the game with my two young cousins and my uncle, we were about to peace out for a late night Red Robin run. But with Langerhans coming up, I figured it might be worth staying this time. Sure enough, Langerhans delivered once again. Luckily, I got to see this one.
4. In a Pinch - The M's chances looked pretty weak down 3-0 going into the bottom of the 8th against Arizona on June 19. But a Russell Branyan home run narrowed the Dbags lead to 3-1. An Adrian Beltre single was followed by two quick outs. That's when Junior stepped to the plate, replacing Bad Wlad Balentien.
Junior's 2-run bomb tied the game at 3 apiece, and Rob Johnson's go-ahead triple secured the 4-3 win for the M's.
3. Randy's Return - While Junior is unquestionably the greatest Mariner ever, Randy Johnson is the franchise's greatest pitcher. M's fans got a chance to watch vintage Randy for 5 1/3 innings as he struck out 7, before running out of gas in the 6th. The standing ovation Randy got in what looks like his final outing in Seattle was a touching moment for the man whose arm the M's rode to two AL West titles in 3 years. Jose Lopez's walk-off single got Mercer Island's Sean White his first win of the season.
2. The home opener - Everyone was there to see Junior, and of course he singled in his first at-bat (would you expect anything less?). But it was a team effort, complete with a rare quality start for Carlos Silva (a Double Stuff Oreo overdose would put him on the DL for almost the entire season) , and a 10th inning win over LAAOC. Classic 2009 M's baseball.
1. The End? - Very few great professional athletes get to end their careers properly. Michael Jordan spent two miserable non-playoff seasons as a Washington Wizard. Convinced he still had something left, Rickey Henderson played two years of independent league baseball. The list goes on.
So for Ken Griffey Jr., the chance to not only return to Seattle, but to do it as the most revered (steroid free) player from his generation and a local hero seemed too good to be true.
As for the game, the M's staked a 3-run lead in the 5th that Texas could not make up.
In his final at-bat of the season, Junior laced a vintage single up the gut. The standing ovation that followed after he was removed for a pinch runner was incredibly moving.
But after the win, the love fest that took place on the field between the players and in the stands with the fans was remarkable. Very rarely do teams take clubhouse celebrations onto the field. And it's even more rare for a third place team to do it.
Junior being hoisted on his teammates shoulders was well deserving for the man who saved baseball in Seattle. It was on par with the final scene from "Rudy". Let's hope this fitting end to the season was not marking the end to a brilliant career.
Needless to say, it was a helluva season. One filled with many life long memories.
On a final note, I'd like to thank everyone who took me to a game, or went to a game with me this season. Being able to share these moments with some of my favorite people was truly a gift.
Until next year.
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