That’s a dazzling array of names in our Mariners’ all-time top 10, isn’t it?
There aren’t many 40-year-old franchises that could claim such star power — two enshrined Hall of Famers (Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson), one should-be Hall of Famer (Edgar Martinez), one surefire future Hall of Famer (Ichiro), one Hall of Fame talent with a scarlet letter (Alex Rodriguez), and one possible Hall of Famer (Felix Hernandez).
In fact, the more you ponder that list, the more puzzling (maddening?) it becomes that it didn’t translate into more-tangible team success. Specifically, when looking back at what qualifies as the golden era of Mariners baseball — the seven-season span from 1995 to 2001 that accounted for the only four playoff appearances in club history — it’s ultimately a story of underachievement.