'''Seattle Mariners''' is een professioneel Washington. Ze komen uit in de West Divisie van De Major League's American League. Sinds 1999 spelen ze hun thuiswedstrijden in het Safeco Field.

De naam is ontstaan vanwege de haven en zeecultuur die zeer prominent is in Seattle. De meest gebruikte bijnaam is "The M's".

Als extra toevoeging aan de American League werden de Seattle Mariners opgericht in 1977. Ze werden ondergebracht in de Kingdome een stadion dat tot dan toe vooral werd gebruikt voor American Football wedstrijden. Ondanks meerdere succesvolle seizoenen werd de American League nooit gewonnen en zo behoren de Seattle Mariners tot één van de vijf team die nog nooit in de World Series hebben gestaan.

right|thumb|350px|Het vieren van de overwinning

==Geschiedenis==

Voordat de Major League naar Seattle kwam was de stad een belangrijke thuisbasis van AAA baseball, éen divisie lager dan de major league. In 1965 probeerde William Daley de Cleveland Indians te verhuizen naar Seattle maar faalde. In 1967 kreeg diezelfde William Daley een aandeel in het toenmalige Major League team de Seattle Pilots. Dit team werd verhuisd naar Milwaukee en werd omgedoopt naar de Milwaukee Brewers.

===Jaren 70 & 80: Oprichting en aanhoudende stagnatie===

De oprichting van de Seattle Mariners volgt direct uit een in 1970 aangespannen rechtszaak door de gezamenlijke overheden (stad, county & staat) tegen de American League wegens contractbreuk. Zelfverzekerd van het feit dat honkbal van het hoogste niveau zou terugkeren naar Seattle werd de Kingdome gebouwd, een stadion met meerdere mogelijkheden, ook om de groei van de Seattle Seahawks op te vangen.

De rechzaak ging door tot 1976 en de American League bood Seattle de kans om een nieuw team op te richten en deel te laten nemen aan de Major League. Om het aantal deelnemende teams op een even getal te houden kreeg ook Toronto dezelfde mogelijkheid en werden Toronto Blue Jays gecreëerd.

De eerste wedstrijd werd gespeeld op 6 april 1977 in een uitverkocht Kingdome (57.576 bezoekers), de Mariners verloren met 7-0 van California Angels. De eerste jaren van het bestaan van het team werden gekenmerkt door slechte prestaties.

Ondanks het hebben van sterspelers als Gaylord Perry (geïntroduceerd in de Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, had vanwege zijn hoge leeftijd de bijnaam "ancient Mariner"), Alvin Davis (Rookie of the Year 1984), Harold Reynolds (All-Star 1987-88, Gold Glove 1988-1990), Mark Langston (meeste strikeouts in 1984 & 1986-1987) en korte stop Spike Owen kreeg de team een reputatie voor het hebben van slechte prestaties en uitslagen.

In 1987 kregen de Mariners eerste keus uit de pool van rookies (nieuwelingen) en kreeg zo middenvelder Ken Griffey jr. in hun team. Deze aanwinst gaf de fans hoop dat wellicht betere tijden in het verschiet lagen.

===1990 - 1994: Een sprankje hoop===

Na wederom een bedroevend resultaat in 1990, slaagden ze er in 1991 in om voor het eerst meer wedstrijden te winnen dan te verliezen met een reeks van 83-79 onder coach Jim Lefebvre. Ondanks het feit dat het het beste seizoen was tot dan toe was het slechts goed voor een 5e plaats in een 7-teams divisie, en Lefebvre werd ontslagen. Het jaar daarop volgend werd Bill Plummer ingehuurd als nieuwe coach maar werd na een teleurstellend seizoen met 98 verliespartijen ontslagen. In 1993 was het de gerenommeerde coach Lou Piniella die het roer overnam bij de Mariners. Hij werd met open armen ontvangen omdat hij eerder de Cincinnati Reds naar twee overwinningen in de World Series heeft geleid. Hij heeft het team negen jaar onder zijn leiding gehad, twee keer bekroond door te worden uitgeroepen tot "Manager of the Year".

Het geluk van de Mariners begon te verbeteren in 1994. Sinds eind jaren tachtig waren sterke spelers aangetrokken die de kern gingen vormen van het team dit waren onder andere: middenvelder Ken Griffey jr., pitcher Randy Johnson, derde honkman Edgar Martinez en rechtsvelder Jay Buhner. Op 19 juli 1994 vielen 4 tegels van elk bijna 7 kg naar beneden van het dak van het Kingdome stadion. Dit incident deed twijfel oprijzen of de Kingdome wel geschikt was als honkbalstadion. De Kingdome moest worden gerepareerd en kon drie weken niet worden gebruikt. De Mariners wilden uitwijken naar kleinere stadions in de buurt maar dat werd verboden door de organisatie van de Major League. Hierdoor moesten de Mariners twintig uit-wedstrijden achter elkaar spelen, hoewel deze reeks slecht verliep werd de teamband sterker en werden geschillen tussen spelers uitgepraat. Achteraf is door meerderen gezegd dat dit ook een factor is geweest in het sterke seizoen van 1995.

===1995: Weigeren om te verliezen===

De drie pitchers Randy Johnson, Bill Risley en Bobby Ayala zorgden voor sensatie door op de eerste wedstrijddag een shutout te gooien. Ondanks deze goede start was de zware blessure van Griffey een domper voor het hele team. Ondanks zijn afwezigheid bleven de Mariners redelijk goed spelen. In midden-augustus echter stonden de Mariners toch weer dertien wedstrijden achter op de Califonia Angels.

Het tij keerde in september toen een reeks overwinningen, die elk werden behaald in de laatste innings, werd gecombineerd met een reeks verliezen van de Angels. Vanwege het telkens laat terugkomen in een wedstrijd gaf het publiek de Mariners de bijnaam "Refuse to lose"(weigeren om te verliezen). Aan het eind van het reguliere seizoen was de stand met de Angels gelijk en werd er een playoff van één wedstrijd gespeeld. De Mariners wonnen de wedstrijd met 9-1 en wisten zich voor het eerst te kwalificeren voor de playoffs.

In de American League Division Series (ALDS) werden de Yankees geloot. Via een best of five zou doorgang naar de Amercan League Championschip Series kunnen worden verzekerd. De eerste twee wedstrijden in Yankee Stadium werden verloren maar de volgende twee thuiswedstrijden gewonnen en zo werd een beslissende vijfde wedstrijd geforceerd. Tijdens deze wedstrijd schreef Edgar Martinez geschiedenis met een honkslag waar Joey Cora en ook Griffey op binnen wisten te komen. Deze twee punten bezorgden de Mariners de wedstrijd en deze honkslag staat onder fans nog altijd bekend als "The Double" en wordt gezien als een moment dat honkbal in Seattle heeft gered.

De Championschip Series werden gespeeld tegen de Cleveland Indians en verloren met 4-2 en ondanks dit verlies staat seizoen 1995 nog steeds bekend als "Het magische seizoen" en wordt "The Double" gezien als het mooiste moment in de Mariner geschiedenis.

===1996-1999: Wisseling van de wacht===

In 1996 werd een clubrecord van 86 overwinningen gehaald, dit was echter niet genoeg om doorgang naar de playoffs te krijgen. Er werd een record geslagen voor de meeste homeruns voor een team, echter het wegvallen van een belangrijke pitcher halverwege het seizoen was een klap die het team moeilijk te boven kwam.

In 1997 werden de Mariners wederom divisie kampioen maar werden in de ALDS met 3-1 verslagen door de Baltimore Orioles. Opnieuw deed het gebrek aan genoeg goede pitchers hen de das om. Het aanvallende deel van het team zat nog steeds prima in elkaar en dat resulteerde in een MVP (meest waardevolle speler) award voor Griffey.

In 1998 en 1999 bleef opnieuw het ontbreken van een goede verdediging hen achtervolgen. De belangrijkst pitcher Randy Jonhson vond in 1998 een nieuw thuis bij de Houston Astros nadat hij de eerste helft niet goed had staan gooien. De A-klasse pitchers Jeff Fassero en Jamie Moyer gooiden sterk maar niet goed genoeg om het verlies van Johnson op te vangen. Halverwege het seizoen van 1999 verhuisden de Mariners naar het nieuwe Safeco Field. Aan het einde van het seizoen verliet Ken Griffey jr. op eigen verzoek de club en werd Alex Rodriguez het nieuwe gezicht van de club die aan het begin stond van een periode waarvan hoge verwachtingen werden gekoesterd.

thumb|right|300px|De Kingdome, thuisbasis van 1976-1999

{{MLB infobox |
 | name               = Seattle Mariners 
|  established      = 1977 
|  misc                =
|  owner              = Nintendo of America, represented by Howard Lincoln
|  logo                = Seattle Mariners logo.svg
|  uniformlogo    = ALW-SEA-Insignia.png
|  WS                   = (0) 
|  WORLD CHAMPIONS  = None 
|  LEAGUE            = AL 
|  P                      = (0) 
|  PENNANTS       = None 
|  misc1              =  
|  OTHER PENNANTS   =  
|  DIV                  = West 
|  manager          = Jim Riggleman
|  gm                  = Lee Pelekoudas 
|  DV                   = (3)
|  Division Champs  = 2001&nbsp;•&nbsp;1997&nbsp;•&nbsp;1995 
|  misc5              =  
|  OTHER DIV CHAMPS =  
|  WC                  = (1) 
|  Wild Card        = 2000 
|  misc6              = 
  '''Best Finish:''' 
*Beat New York Yankees in Division Series in 1995 Season. 
*Beat Chicago White Sox in Division Series in 2000 season.
*Beat Cleveland Indians in Division Series in 2001 season |
| current league   = American League 
|  y1                      = 1977 
|  division              = West Division 
|  y2                      = 1977 
|  misc2                 =  
|  nicknames           = The M's<br />
|  y3                       = 1977 
|  pastnames          =  
|  ballpark              = Safeco Field 
|  y4                       = 1999
|  pastparks           = King County Domed Stadium ("Kingdome") (-) 
|  Uniform              = ALW-Uniform-SEA.PNG 
|  retirednumbers   = 42 
|  Team             = Mariners 
|  Team1            = Mariners
|  Uniform logo     = Al 2005 seattle 01.gif 
}}
The '''Seattle Mariners''' are an American professional baseball team based in Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League.  Since July , their home stadium has been Safeco Field; from their 1977 inception until June 1999, the club's home park was the Kingdome.

The "Mariners" name originates from the prominence of marine culture in the city of Seattle.  They are nicknamed "the '''M's'''", a title featured in their primary logo from 1987 to 1992.  The current team colors are teal), and metallic silver, after having been gold from 1977-1992.  Their mascot is the Mariner Moose.

An expansion franchise, the Seattle Mariners made their debut in .  The organization did not field a winning team until 1991, however, and any real success eluded them until  when they won their first division championship and defeated the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.  The game-winning hit in Game 5 clinched a series win for the Mariners, and has since become an iconic moment in team history.  The Mariners share the record for most wins in a single season with 116, which they achieved in .  Despite their successes since winning their first division title, they have never won a league championship and remain one of four teams never to have played in a World Series.

==Franchise history==
Before being awarded a team in Major League Baseball, Seattle had been a staple of the Seattle Pilots.<ref name="daley"/>  The Pilots, amidst a bevy of financial problems, were sold and relocated to Milwaukee for the 1970 season and became the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Mariners were created as a direct result of a lawsuit. In 1970, in the aftermath of the Pilots' purchase and relocation to Milwaukee by future Commissioner of Baseball King County, and the state of Washington (led by attorney general and future U.S. Senator 1976.

The Pilots lawsuit continued until 1976. At trial, the American League offered to give Seattle an expansion baseball franchise in return for dropping the suit,<ref name="suit"/> and details were ironed out over the next year.  To keep the league with an even number of teams, a formal expansion proceeding was held, with a second team, the Blue Jays, being awarded to the city of Toronto.  The new Seattle team, to begin play in , would be owned by entertainer Danny Kaye, along with Stanley Golub, Walter Schoenfeld, Lester Smith, James Stillwell Jr. and James A Walsh.  

===1977–1989: Debut and perennial struggles===

The Mariners played their first game on California Angels.<ref name="game1box">[http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1977/B04060SEA1977.htm RetroSheet.org box score: Game Played on Wednesday, April 6, 1977 (N) at Kingdome]</ref> That year, pitcher 50th Major League Baseball All-Star Game; Mariner Bruce Bochte had the game-winning hit for the American League in front of a sold-out Kingdome crowd. After the 1981 season, the Mariners were sold to California businessman and future U.S. Ambassador to Spain George Argyros.

Despite having stars such as Hall of Fame pitcher American League Rookie of the Year All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner Harold Reynolds, three-time American League strikeout leader Mark Langston, and shortstop and team captain Spike Owen on their rosters, the Mariners teams of the 1970s and 1980s were characterized by perennial non-achievement, gaining a reputation for poor performances and losing records, and the team's ownership again changed hands after the 1988 season.  However, the  rookie season of center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr., acquired with the first pick in the first round of the  amateur draft, gave fans hope that a change of fortunes might be on the horizon.<ref></ref>

===1990–1994: A glimmer of hope===
After yet another dismal performance in , the Mariners managed their first winning season in , finishing 83-79 under manager Jim Lefebvre. Though it was the team's best season up to that point, it was only good enough for a fifth-place finish in the seven-team American League West in which no team finished under .500, and Lefebvre was fired. The team hired Bill Plummer as Lefebvre's replacement for the  season, but he too was let go after a 98-loss campaign.

After several years of relocation threats by owner Jeff Smulyan, in the middle of the 1992 season the Mariners were purchased by a group of Seattle-area businessmen, led by Nintendo chairman Hiroshi Yamauchi.  The purchase was initially opposed by baseball officials, who objected to a team being owned by a non-North American entity.  Eventually, they allowed the sale, provided that the team's presidency and chairmanship remained in the hands of American partners.

During the following offseason, the Mariners hired manager Lou Piniella, who had led the Cincinnati Reds to victory in the 1990 World Series.  Mariner fans embraced Piniella,<ref></ref> and he would helm the team from  through , winning two American League Manager of the Year Awards along the way.

The Mariners' fortunes began to improve in 1994. Beginning in the late 1980s, the team had added a core of strong players built around center fielder Randy Johnson, third baseman 1994, four 15-pound ceiling tiles fell from the Kingdome roof onto the field and into the stadium's seating bowl.  The incident led to uncertainty over whether the Kingdome was fit for use as a major league stadium, and may well have ultimately been a factor leading to the construction of Safeco Field.  Unable to play at the venue while repairs were being executed, the Tacoma or Vancouver, feeling that games should not be played in non-MLB venues.  This forced the Mariners to play their next 20 games on the road over the span of 21 days.  The long trip began miserably as the Mariners started off 2-8, but rebounded to win nine of their next ten games, leaving them just 2 games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers when a players' strike was called on August 12 that resulted in the cancellation the rest of the season. Many players felt the time together on the road and the overcoming of the adversity faced that season fed directly into the success the team would achieve in the 1995 season.<ref></ref> The extended roadtrip resulted in a peculiarity, in which the first game in a series with the Boston Red Sox - which was supposed to be in Seattle - was rained out; if one still counts this as a home game, it would mark the first - and so far only - home rainout in Mariners history.

===1995 season: "Refuse to lose"===
Although pitchers Randy Johnson, California Angels. 

The tide turned with a September winning streak marked by late-inning comeback wins, which led to the slogan "Refuse to Lose." Combined with an absolute collapse by the Angels, this opened the way for the Mariners to end up tied with the Angels for first place at the end of the regular season, forcing a one-game playoff. The playoff pitted Johnson against Angels ace Mark Langston, whom, incidentally, the Mariners had traded for Johnson in . Langston ended up on the seat of his pants at homeplate failing to tag out Luis Sojo who came all the way around after clearing the bases with a ball that got by the Angels first baseman, J. T. Snow, rattled around underneath California's bullpen bench, and resulted in a hurried and errant cut-off throw from Langston. The Mariners won the tiebreaker game 9-1 and clinched their first-ever trip to the playoffs. The Mariners had won 25 of their last 36 games. 
{| class="infobox" style="width: 40em; text-align: left; font-size: 85%;"
|+ style="font-size: larger;" | '''Sojo's playoff hit'''
|-
|  
|}
frame||right|The Seattle Mariners celebrate their very first trip to the [[1995 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series in .]]
The Mariners lost the first two games of the 1995 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, but managed to win the next two at home and force a decisive Game 5. Down 5-4 in the bottom of the 11th inning, the most memorable moment in Mariners history took place. Edgar Martínez hit a game-winning double off Yankee ace American League Championship Series. "The Double", as Martinez's clutch hit has since been called by Mariners fans, is credited as being the moment that "saved baseball in Seattle" by generating interest in the team and making a new, baseball-only stadium possible. 

Mariner commentator Dave Niehaus' call on the play is still remembered by many Mariner fans:<ref></ref>  Although the Mariners' championship run was halted in the ALCS by another up-and-coming club, Mike Hargrove's Cleveland Indians, who won the series 4 games to 2, 1995 is remembered as "The Magical Season" with "The Double" still considered by many the greatest moment in Mariners history.<ref></ref>

===1996–1999: The changing of the guard===
In , the Mariners, led by Griffey, rookie shortstop Alex Rodriguez, and sluggers Jay Buhner and Edgar Martínez, won a then-team record 85 games, but missed the playoffs. The offense set the all-time record for most home runs by a team in a season, but ultimately the Mariners' inconsistent pitching, exacerbated by a midseason injury to Randy Johnson, doomed the team.<ref></ref>
thumb|right|300px|The [[Kingdome (1976-July 1999)]]
The Mariners won a division title again in 1997, but were defeated in the 1997 American League Division Series 3 games to 1 by the MVP award, a first for both him and the Mariners.

In  and 1999, the Mariners had losing records due primarily to their lack of pitching depth.  Randy Johnson was traded at the 1998 July non-waiver trading deadline to the Houston Astros after GM Woody Woodard publicly stated he did not intend on offering Johnson (who was a free agent following the 1998 season) a long-term contract. Johnson subsequently requested to be traded.  He had been inconsistent during the first half of the season; some fans and press thought he had been trying to force a trade through malaise.<ref></ref> Strong pitching from aces Jeff Fassero and Jamie Moyer was not enough to fully offset the loss, and the bullpen's struggles continued. Midway through the 1999 season, the Mariners moved to SAFECO Field. After the 1999 season, Ken Griffey, Jr. requested and attained a trade to the Cincinnati Reds, leaving Alex Rodriguez as the face of the franchise at the beginning of the high-expectation Safeco Field era.

===2000: Winning the wild card===
right|thumb|300px|[[Safeco Field]] was a return to respectability for the Mariners. They finished half a game behind wild card winners. While Japanese Rookie of the Year award.  Stolen base king and former MVP Rickey Henderson was acquired midseason and filled longtime needs in left field and in the leadoff slot. The Mariners swept the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS, but lost to the New York Yankees in six games in the ALCS. 

The following offseason was one of the most significant in Mariners history, as Rodríguez was up for Texas Rangers for what was then the richest contract ever in professional sports. However, the Mariners were able to weather the loss by adding Japanese superstar Ichiro Suzuki and slick fielding, power hitting second base veteran Bret Boone.

===2001: The 116-win season===
thumb|left|230px|[[Ichiro Suzuki joined the Mariners in 2001]]
In , despite the loss of Rodríguez, who would be greeted on his return to Safeco with Monopoly money dropped by unusually irate Seattle fans, and on subsequent returns by incessant booing,<ref name="arodreturn">[http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/caple_jim/1174285.html ESPN.com: "A-Rod responds by saying it's a fun part of baseball"]</ref> the addition of Ichiro and a career season by Boone helped the Mariners to the most successful regular season on record in the modern era. The 2001 Mariners led the major leagues in winning percentage all season long, easily winning the American League West division championship and matching the previous Major League Baseball record for single season wins of 116 set by the MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, and one of three outfield Division Series to advance to the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, but succumbed to the Yankees for the second year in a row in the ALCS, 4 games to 1, in a series which had been postponed due to the terrorist attacks on September 11. The Mariners also hosted the All-Star Game that year, and had a league-leading and team record eight All-Stars: RF Ichiro Suzuki, DH Edgar Martínez, CF Mike Cameron, 2B Bret Boone, 1B Jeff Nelson.

===2002–2003: Continuing the momentum===
The Mariners started the  season hot (they were on pace to win 100+ games again well into the summer), but they missed out on the playoffs.  This was widely attributed to their failure to find a substantial contributor at the trade deadline<ref></ref> and hot streaks by the Anaheim Angels and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, reportedly due to his anger with management; Piniella believed that management was more concerned with the bottom line than acquiring quality players.<ref></ref> The Mariners signed Bob Melvin to be their new manager. The local press speculated that a first year manager (especially someone more even-tempered than the fiery Piniella) would be easier for the front office and ownership to control.<ref></ref>

The Mariners again got off to an excellent start in the  season. They contended all season long and reached the same record as in 2002, but were again beaten to the playoffs by their division rival Jeff Nelson, who was himself traded after criticizing the front office's deadline inactivity.<ref></ref> General manager Pat Gillick became a consultant midway through the offseason to make room for new GM Bill Bavasi.

===2004–2006: Suddenly rebuilding===
thumb|right|Jose Lopez throwing to Richie Sexson
With the exception of the 1998 and 1999 seasons, the Mariners had been annual challengers for the AL West title from 1995 through 2003. The 2004 season, however, saw the fall of the Mariners from contention. With an aging roster, the Mariners went into the All-Star Break with a 9-game losing streak, and a 32-54 season record (.372) 17 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers. After the All-Star break, unable to ignore the dreadful state of their team, the Mariners gave the team a complete overhaul, trading Freddy Garcia to the minor league call-ups into the 25-man roster. The season's end was enlivened by Ichiro breaking 2004, the Mariners announced the signing of 1995 ALCS, as their new manager. In the offseason, the Mariners and Bavasi surprised fans and the local press by signing two premier free agents, third baseman Adrian Beltre and first baseman Richie Sexson, ending some accusations from fans that the organization was only willing to make piecemeal signings and trades.<ref></ref>

Despite several personnel changes and free-agent signings after the 2004 season, the team stayed at the bottom of the divisional standings throughout the 2005 season and finished in last place, though they improved their record by six games compared to the previous year. The brightest spot of the season was the emergence of 19-year-old José López became the next season's starters. However, the Mariners' rotation beyond Hernandez and the aging Jamie Moyer was poor, and the Mariners suffered the embarrassment of having the most suspendees under MLB's new drug testing policy,<ref>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/steroids_baseball.shtml Baseball Almanac: Baseball Steroid Suspensions]</ref> notably pitcher Ryan Franklin and IF/OF Mike Morse. During the 2005–2006 off-season, Ichiro spoke out and criticized the team's attitude, pointing out its lack of leadership and manager Hargrove's failure to harness players.<ref></ref>

The Mariners began the 2005–2006 off-season by signing star Japanese catcher Los Angeles) to a 4-year deal. Designated hitter Carl Everett and outfielder Matt Lawton also joined the team, although both would finish the season out of baseball. The Mariners entered the All-Star Break 2.5 games out of first place in the AL West with a 43-46 record. Despite remaining in contention within the AL West through July, a disastrous 0-11 road trip in mid-August signaled the end of the Mariners' playoff hopes, leaving them in last place, where they would finish the season. Pitcher Jamie Moyer was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for a pair of minor league prospects, and weeks later bench coach Ron Hassey and administrative coach Dan Rohn—whom many viewed as a prime candidate to replace Hargrove as manager<ref></ref>—were removed from their positions with the team. At season's end, the Mariners had only narrowly avoided losing 90 games for the third consecutive year.  While the team entered the 2006–2007 off-season with some young talent in key positions, many questions remained as to the consistency of their offense and, more importantly, the strength of their starting pitching staff.

===2007–Present: The Hot Seat===
thumb|The [[Mariner Moose, team mascot since 1990.]]
The 2007 season began with a sense of muted optimism.<ref></ref><ref name="hotseat"></ref> While the team had a busy off-season in terms of changes to the roster, fans questioned player transactions that moved young, potential-filled players (Rafael Soriano, Chris Snelling) in favor of veterans who have suffered injuries in recent seasons (José Guillén, José Vidro, Horacio Ramírez) or who have achieved mediocre success in the past with other clubs (Miguel Batista, Jeff Weaver).<ref></ref>  These transactions followed CEO Howard Lincoln's remarks at the completion of the 2006 campaign that GM Bill Bavasi and manager Mike Hargrove were on his "hot seat" and needed to produce more wins in 2007.<ref name="hotseat"/> Further magnifying the need to win was outfielder Ichiro Suzuki's suggestion at the beginning of spring training that he may have an interest in testing free-agency waters when his contract is completed at the end of the season if the Mariners continue to struggle on the field.<ref></ref>

After two and a half seasons with the Mariners and while guiding the team to a 44-33 record in the 2007 season, John McLaren was announced as Hargrove's replacement.<ref></ref> On Adam Jones playing well and a fairly consistent offense and pitching staff, the 2007 Mariners were back in contention in the AL West and AL Wild Card races.  However, a 3-15 stretch late in the season effectively ended the Mariners' 2007 playoff hopes.  The Mariners were mathematically eliminated from contention on September 24.<ref></ref>  One highlight during this stretch, however, was the home run that gave Ichiro Suzuki 200 hits for his seventh consecutive 200-hit season; Ichiro is only the third player in MLB history with seven consecutive 200-hit seasons, and the first to do it in his first seven seasons.<ref></ref>

Heading into the 2008 season, the Mariners hoped to capitalize on their 2007 success by bolstering their roster to position themselves to once again challenge the Angels for the AL West championship. They dramatically transformed their pitching staff, adding free agent Adam Jones to the minor league affiliate. Hitting coach Jeff Pentland remained as the only coach hired under Hargrove. 