Hardball Retrospective – The “Original” 2001 Seattle Mariners by DerekBain November 28, 2015 In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Therefore, Joe Torre is listed on the Braves roster for the duration of his career while the Brewers declare Darrell Porter and the Cardinals claim Keith Hernandez. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition. Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills. Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com. Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here. Terminology OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams Assessment The 2001 Seattle Mariners OWAR: 59.1 OWS: 326 OPW%: .567 Based on the revised standings the “Original” 2001 Mariners outpaced the Athletics, taking the American League pennant by four games. Seattle topped the circuit in OWS and OWAR. GM Woody Woodward acquired 32 of the 38 ballplayers (84%) on the M’s 2001 roster. Ichiro Suzuki (.350/8/69) earned the 2001 American League MVP and Rookie of the Year Awards following a spectacular season. Suzuki topped the leader boards with 242 base knocks, 56 stolen bases and seized the batting crown. Bret Boone (.331/37/141) supplied career-highs in virtually every offensive category and placed third in the MVP race. Alex Rodriguez (.318/52/135) surpassed the 50-home run mark for the first time in his career and paced the League with 133 tallies. Edgar Martinez rapped 40 doubles and supplied a .306 BA with 23 jacks and 116 RBI. First-sacker Tino Martinez (.280/34/113) and Ken Griffey, Jr. (.286/22/65) provided additional thump while outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. posted a 30-30 campaign. Ken Griffey, Jr. places seventh among center fielders according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Rodriguez (17th-SS), Edgar Martinez (31st-3B) and Omar Vizquel (61st-SS). “A-Rod” only had five full seasons under his belt at the time which accounts for his low rating. LINEUP POS WAR WS Ichiro Suzuki RF 6.43 31.91 Bret Boone 2B 5.72 34.96 Alex Rodriguez SS 8.2 34.67 Edgar Martinez DH 4.83 25.22 Tino Martinez 1B 2.24 20.14 Ken Griffey, Jr. CF 1.94 12.8 Jose Cruz, Jr. LF/CF 1.83 18.14 Jason Varitek C 1.41 6.62 Desi Relaford 3B/2B 1.63 13.24 BENCH POS WAR WS Raul Ibanez DH 0.66 7.05 David Ortiz DH 0.16 6.83 Jermaine Clark DH -0.01 0 Darren Bragg RF -0.07 1.2 Charles Gipson LF -0.23 1.01 Ramon Vazquez SS -0.23 0.32 Wilson Delgado SS -0.25 0.35 Omar Vizquel SS -0.49 12.72 Andy Sheets SS -0.6 1.73 Joe Mays deserved his lone All-Star nod, notching 17 victories with a 3.16 ERA. Mike Hampton accrued 14 wins while Joel Piñiero fashioned a 2.03 ERA in 11 starts. Kazuhiro Sasaki locked down 45 contests and Derek Lowe added 24 saves, forming a stout relief corps. ROTATION POS WAR WS Joe Mays SP 7.13 22.29 Mike Hampton SP 2.86 10.64 Joel Pineiro SP 2.12 7.28 Shawn Estes SP 1.66 7.72 Ron Villone SP -0.27 2.95 BULLPEN POS WAR WS Derek Lowe RP 1.72 11.21 Kazuhiro Sasaki RP 0.96 11.84 Kerry Ligtenberg RP 0.63 5.04 Jim Mecir RP 0.6 5.68 Ryan Franklin RP 0.44 5.33 Matt Mantei RP 0.22 0.86 Brian Fuentes RP -0.06 0.52 Damaso Marte RP -0.12 1.36 Trey Moore RP -0.22 0.28 Leslie Brea RP -0.28 0 Roy Smith RP -0.5 0 Brett Hinchliffe SP -0.51 0 Denny Stark SP -0.56 0 Mac Suzuki SP -0.85 2.98 Dave Burba SP -0.99 2.27 The “Original” 2001 Seattle Mariners roster NAME POS WAR WS General Manager Scouting Director Alex Rodriguez SS 8.2 34.67 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Joe Mays SP 7.13 22.29 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Ichiro Suzuki RF 6.43 31.91 Pat Gillick Frank Mattox Bret Boone 2B 5.72 34.96 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Edgar Martinez DH 4.83 25.22 Dan O’Brien Mike Hampton SP 2.86 10.64 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Tino Martinez 1B 2.24 20.14 Dick Balderson Roger Jongewaard Joel Pineiro SP 2.12 7.28 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Ken Griffey, Jr. CF 1.94 12.8 Dick Balderson Roger Jongewaard Jose Cruz, Jr. CF 1.83 18.14 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Derek Lowe RP 1.72 11.21 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Shawn Estes SP 1.66 7.72 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Desi Relaford 2B 1.63 13.24 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Jason Varitek C 1.41 6.62 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Kazuhiro Sasaki RP 0.96 11.84 Woody Woodward Frank Mattox Raul Ibanez DH 0.66 7.05 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Kerry Ligtenberg RP 0.63 5.04 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Jim Mecir RP 0.6 5.68 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Ryan Franklin RP 0.44 5.33 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Matt Mantei RP 0.22 0.86 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard David Ortiz DH 0.16 6.83 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Jermaine Clark DH -0.01 0 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Brian Fuentes RP -0.06 0.52 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Darren Bragg RF -0.07 1.2 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Damaso Marte RP -0.12 1.36 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Trey Moore RP -0.22 0.28 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Charles Gipson LF -0.23 1.01 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Ramon Vazquez SS -0.23 0.32 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Wilson Delgado SS -0.25 0.35 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Ron Villone SP -0.27 2.95 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Leslie Brea RP -0.28 0 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Omar Vizquel SS -0.49 12.72 Hal Keller Roy Smith RP -0.5 0 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Brett Hinchliffe SP -0.51 0 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Denny Stark SP -0.56 0 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Andy Sheets SS -0.6 1.73 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Mac Suzuki SP -0.85 2.98 Woody Woodward Roger Jongewaard Dave Burba SP -0.99 2.27 Dick Balderson Roger Jongewaard Honorable Mention The “Original” 2007 Mariners OWAR: 55.1 OWS: 317 OPW%: .591 Seattle obliterated the competition in the American League Western division by a 16-game margin, securing the pennant while tallying the highest OWS and OWAR scores in the Majors. Alex Rodriguez (.314/54/156) claimed his third A.L. MVP Award and paced the circuit in home runs, RBI, runs scored (143) and SLG (.645). Ichiro Suzuki delivered a .351 BA and topped the American League with 238 base hits. David Ortiz blasted 35 round-trippers and knocked in 117 baserunners. “Big Papi” registered 116 tallies and topped the charts with 111 bases on balls along with a .445 OBP. Kenji Johjima whacked 29 doubles and batted .287 in his sophomore season. Raul Ibanez contributed a .291 BA with 35 two-base hits, 21 dingers and 105 ribbies. Ken Griffey Jr. dialed long distance 30 times and merited his thirteenth and final visit to the Midsummer Classic. J.J. Putz fashioned a 1.38 ERA, saved 40 contests and earned his lone All-Star appearance. On Deck The “Original” 1997 Red Sox References and Resources Baseball America – Executive Database Baseball-Reference James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print. James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print. Retrosheet – Transactions Database Seamheads – Baseball Gauge Sean Lahman Baseball Archive We hoped you liked reading Hardball Retrospective – The “Original” 2001 Seattle Mariners by DerekBain! Please support FanGraphs by becoming a member. We publish thousands of articles a year, host multiple podcasts, and have an ever growing database of baseball stats. FanGraphs does not have a paywall. With your membership, we can continue to offer the content you've come to rely on and add to our unique baseball coverage. Support FanGraphs