From 1996 to 2006 I wrote regularly for the Grand Salami, a fan owned and published magazine that covers the Seattle Mariners. Here are a few of my favorite stories from that time.
“Wilson Done? Don’t Bet on It.”
A profile of Dan Wilson near the end of his career. Turns out he was, in fact, almost done.
“Cubs and Cards Spark Memories”
The 2002 interleave schedule gave a me a chance to wax nostalgic about a youth spent following baseball on an AM radio which was the satellite TV of its’ day.
“Mariners Hitting Machine Keeps on Swinging”
As it turns out, one of the reasons Edgar Martinez was such a good hitter was his work ethic. Who knew? He also told me that his confidence in his ability to hit a baseball developed early.
“The Ultimate Utility Player”
Mark McLemore’s willingness to trust Lou Piniella and accept a new role as a utility guy was a gigantic key to the M’s 116 win season. His attitude and talent reminded me of another Seattle sports legend with an “Mc” in his name.
“Chasing The Dream”
Some guys have superstar talent that propels them to MLB where they carve out great careers with one team. Many other guys travel circuitous routes to the Big Leagues. Paul Abbott was in the later group and I wrote about the numerous stops he made on his way to winning 17 games for the 2001 Mariners.
“The Best Job In The World”
I talked to Norm Charlton numerous times during his career with the Mariners. I opened this piece with the final line from the book “Ball Four” and I believe that if it were physically possible Norm would still be pitching in a baseball league somewhere.
“Boone Hopes to Help Offset Seattle’s Power Shortage”
Fans have debated for years whether Boone had help in fueling his 2001 numbers. In this story from the spring of 2001 he discussed his desire to help the team replace the offensive firepower lost when Alex Rodriguez left for Texas.
“Bone’s Comeback Season a Highlight for M’s”
The day after Buhner hit his 300th home run, I walked into the Mariners clubhouse to talk to someone else. When I arrived, Jay was the only guy in the room. I walked over, congratulated him, and fortunately turned my recorder on.
“Growing Up in a Minor League Town”
My father died in 1998. I wrote about him a little bit in this story and now, two decades later, I again realize what an influence he had on my life.
“An Appreciation of One of Baseball’s All-Time Greats”
I had a running joke with Lou Piniella over the years. When he would appear on my show, I would ask him everything about the state of the M’s and at the end, I’d always ask, “is centerfield still a strength?” Fans (and observers) tend to take the superstars for granted.
“Classy Molitor a True Baseball Ambassador”
Molitor talked to me about his 39-game hitting streak in 1987, what it was like to go back to the minor leagues for a few games, and his skipper Tom Kelly compares him to an NFL quarterback.
“Up the Pace”
This piece could be re-run today. It’s still relevant.
“Third Baseman Cal Ripken”
Baseball’s iron man talked to me about his late career switch to third base and declared himself a better basketball player than Alex Rodriguez.