2001 Mariners re-live their most special season
Saturday, July 16, 2011 | 6:11 pm
We're dry on the pregame notes concerning the Mariners before tonight's game because we've spent the past few hours with nearly two dozen former players and coaches from the 2001 team, which will be honored tonight.
From former general manager Pat Gillick to a role player like Charles Gipson, one thing seems as absolutely clear to me now as it was 10 years ago. The 2001 Mariners may have fallen short of their ultimate goal -- reaching and winning the World Series – but they achieved a camaraderie that is rare even on teams that do win it all.
“Until that year, I'd always thought that team chemistry was a bunch of B.S.,” former second baseman Bret Boone said. “That year made me truly believe that chemistry does make a difference. I'd never played on a team when I'd want to go to dinner with all 24 of my teammates. I'd been on other teams with guys who were good teammates, but I wouldn't want to go to dinner with every one them. But that team, we were buddies.”
Ryan Franklin, recently released by the St. Louis Cardinals, said the 2001 Mariners taught him how to be a big-leaguer.
“My five years in St. Louis, we were a close-knit team, but it was not as close as this,” pitcher Ryan Franklin said. “I had been up and down in 1999, but (2001) was my true rookie season. Guys took me under their wing and taught me the right way to play the game.”
The guys and their families gathered for a private dinner Friday night and, as Piniella said, the bar stayed open from 6-11 p.m. and the stories flowed. The best? Nobody would say for publication.
Besides listening to them rehash that season, it was fun to learn what they're doing now. Many remain in baseball but some are a long way from the game now. Here's a rundown:
• Manager Lou Piniella: consultant with the San Francisco Giants.
• Bench coach John McLaren: scouting for the Washington Nationals after starting the season as bench coach under ex-Nats manager (and former M's skipper) Jim Riggleman.
• First-base coach John Moses: coaching in the Houston Astros organization.
• Bullpen coach Matt Sinatro: living in the Seattle area.
• Backup outfielder Charles Gipson: high school behavioral specialist in Spring, Texas.
• Catcher Tom Lampkin: high school baseball coach in Vancouver, Wash., and construction contractor.
• Designated hitter Edgar Martinez: businessman living in the Seattle area whose newest venture is a brand of tequila known as El Zacatecano.
• Pitcher John Halama: retired in New York state.
• Pitcher Norm Charlton: living in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he operates a saltwater fishing boat.
• Pitcher Ryan Franklin: home in Spiro, Okla., after being released by the Cardinals. Ryan says he hopes to pitch again.
• Outfielder Al Martin: living in Arizona and runs the BSMART Foundation, a non-profit outreach program for youth after his son, Brandon, died of an accidental drug overdose.
• Pitcher Jeff Nelson: spends much of his time on the East Coast as a broadcaster.
• Pitcher Aaron Sele: special GM assistant with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Pitcher Paul Abbott: pitching coach with the Red Sox' Class AA Lowell (Mass.) Spinners of the New York-Penn League.
• Infielder/outfielder Mark McLemore: analyst on Texas Rangers home-game telecasts.
• Outfielder Jay Buhner: active father and analyst on Mariners telecasts.
• First baseman John Olerud: living in the Seattle area and operating the Jordan Foundation in the name of his daughter, who was born with a genetic defect.
• Catcher Dan Wilson: analyst on Mariners telecasts.
• Pitcher Jamie Moyer: recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery and, now 48, plans to pitch again.
• Second baseman Bret Boone: self-described soccer dad of the year in the San Diego area.
• Pitcher Arthur Rhodes: relief pitcher with the Texas Rangers
• Ichiro Suzuki: right fielder for the Mariners.
From former general manager Pat Gillick to a role player like Charles Gipson, one thing seems as absolutely clear to me now as it was 10 years ago. The 2001 Mariners may have fallen short of their ultimate goal -- reaching and winning the World Series – but they achieved a camaraderie that is rare even on teams that do win it all.
“Until that year, I'd always thought that team chemistry was a bunch of B.S.,” former second baseman Bret Boone said. “That year made me truly believe that chemistry does make a difference. I'd never played on a team when I'd want to go to dinner with all 24 of my teammates. I'd been on other teams with guys who were good teammates, but I wouldn't want to go to dinner with every one them. But that team, we were buddies.”
Ryan Franklin, recently released by the St. Louis Cardinals, said the 2001 Mariners taught him how to be a big-leaguer.
“My five years in St. Louis, we were a close-knit team, but it was not as close as this,” pitcher Ryan Franklin said. “I had been up and down in 1999, but (2001) was my true rookie season. Guys took me under their wing and taught me the right way to play the game.”
The guys and their families gathered for a private dinner Friday night and, as Piniella said, the bar stayed open from 6-11 p.m. and the stories flowed. The best? Nobody would say for publication.
Besides listening to them rehash that season, it was fun to learn what they're doing now. Many remain in baseball but some are a long way from the game now. Here's a rundown:
• Manager Lou Piniella: consultant with the San Francisco Giants.
• Bench coach John McLaren: scouting for the Washington Nationals after starting the season as bench coach under ex-Nats manager (and former M's skipper) Jim Riggleman.
• First-base coach John Moses: coaching in the Houston Astros organization.
• Bullpen coach Matt Sinatro: living in the Seattle area.
• Backup outfielder Charles Gipson: high school behavioral specialist in Spring, Texas.
• Catcher Tom Lampkin: high school baseball coach in Vancouver, Wash., and construction contractor.
• Designated hitter Edgar Martinez: businessman living in the Seattle area whose newest venture is a brand of tequila known as El Zacatecano.
• Pitcher John Halama: retired in New York state.
• Pitcher Norm Charlton: living in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he operates a saltwater fishing boat.
• Pitcher Ryan Franklin: home in Spiro, Okla., after being released by the Cardinals. Ryan says he hopes to pitch again.
• Outfielder Al Martin: living in Arizona and runs the BSMART Foundation, a non-profit outreach program for youth after his son, Brandon, died of an accidental drug overdose.
• Pitcher Jeff Nelson: spends much of his time on the East Coast as a broadcaster.
• Pitcher Aaron Sele: special GM assistant with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Pitcher Paul Abbott: pitching coach with the Red Sox' Class AA Lowell (Mass.) Spinners of the New York-Penn League.
• Infielder/outfielder Mark McLemore: analyst on Texas Rangers home-game telecasts.
• Outfielder Jay Buhner: active father and analyst on Mariners telecasts.
• First baseman John Olerud: living in the Seattle area and operating the Jordan Foundation in the name of his daughter, who was born with a genetic defect.
• Catcher Dan Wilson: analyst on Mariners telecasts.
• Pitcher Jamie Moyer: recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery and, now 48, plans to pitch again.
• Second baseman Bret Boone: self-described soccer dad of the year in the San Diego area.
• Pitcher Arthur Rhodes: relief pitcher with the Texas Rangers
• Ichiro Suzuki: right fielder for the Mariners.
Most recent Mariners blog posts
Comments
(
