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The Seattle Mariners certainly don’t have the longest history for teams in Major League Baseball, but they have had a fascinating one. Over the years, the Mariners have had some memorable players that include Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez, and, of course, Ken Griffey Jr. They’ve also had a lot of great players on the mound.

Seattle is known for seemingly always having one pitcher that dominates the rest of the league, even if the team isn’t successful at the time. Let’s take a walk down memory lane for the Mariners franchise and look at their five best pitchers in team history. Before we get to the lists, some of the pitchers that just missed the cut include Gil Meche, Joel Pineiro, Paul Abbott, and Mike Moore.

5. Mark Langston

The first pitcher on the list is Mark Langston, who got his start with the Seattle Mariners back in 1984 when he was 23 years old. Langston was actually a draft selection for the Chicago Cubs in 1978, but three years later was selected by the Mariners in the second round. Langston had a strong rookie season, posting a record of 17-10 with a 3.40 earned run average.

In total, Langston spent more than five seasons with Seattle as he was traded to Montreal during the 1989 campaign. Overall, Langston had a record of 74-67 with the Mariners and an ERA of 4.01 with one All Star Game appearance prior to his trade. Langston then went on to have a long career with the California Angels before retiring as a member of the Cleveland Indians in 1999.

4. Freddy Garcia

One of the best players to ever come from the country of Venezuela, Freddy Garcia signed with the Mariners when he came to the United States, and was just 22 years old when he made his debut with the team in 1999. Garcia shone in his rookie season, posting a record of 17-8 with 170 strikeouts, and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting.

Like Langston, Garcia was traded during his sixth season with Seattle, put it was a fine career that he had with the Mariners. He finished with a record of 76-50 in Seattle and an ERA of 3.89, striking out 819 batters. Garcia played for a total of seven franchises before retiring after the 2013 season.

3. Jamie Moyer

Not many people can say that they’ve played 25 or more seasons in Major League Baseball, but Jamie Moyer is one of those few people. After spending time with the Cubs, Rangers, Cardinals, Orioles, and Red Sox, Jamie Moyer came to the Mariners via trade in 1996 at the age of 33 and spent 11 different seasons in Seattle.

During that time, Moyer had more than half of his 269 career wins (145), posting an impressive win percentage of .625. Moyer also had an ERA under 4.0 and helped the Mariners have one of the finest seasons in MLB history in 2001 with a record of 20-6. Moyer played for eight teams in his MLB career, but many of his years were with the Mariners.

2. Felix Hernandez

Selecting the top two was the hardest part of the list, and the silver medal goes to “King” Felix Hernandez, the second player on the list from Venezuela. At just 19 years old, Hernandez joined the Mariners and got off to a strong start in his limited rookie campaign. Things only got better as Hernandez became the long-time ace for Seattle, spending all 15 of his MLB seasons with the franchise.

Hernandez put together some incredible seasons in Seattle, including his 2009 Cy Young-winning season where he posted a 19-5 record and 2.49 earned run average. In total, Hernandez finished with 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts to go along with his six All-Star appearances and two ERA titles.

1. Randy Johnson

“The Big Unit” may have come into the MLB with the Montreal Expos, but he’ll always be remembered for truly getting his start with the Mariners. Acquired in a 1989 trade, Randy Johnson spent 10 different seasons with Seattle, more than any other team during his illustrious career.

Johnson dominated while with the Mariners and finished with a record of 130-74 and a 3.42 earned run average. He was able to strike out 2,162 batters, as well, which is insane for less than 10 full seasons. Johnson may have won his World Series title with Arizona, but he’ll always be remembered as a Mariner.

It seems that during the 1990s, the Seattle Mariners were one of the best teams in baseball and that bled into the early 2000s. However, the franchise hasn’t had a ton of success outside of that time frame and has one of the worst win-loss records for any franchise in Major League Baseball. In fact, only the Orioles, Phillies, Rockies, Padres, and Marlins have worse winning percentages.

Because of the ups and downs that the Mariners have had, there have been quite a few managers that have been hired and fired. Out of the nearly two dozen managers that the Mariners have had, there are a few that stick out as actually helping the franchise move forward. Here are the five best managers in Seattle Mariners history.

5. Jim Lefebvre

The first manager on the list had a decently long MLB career as a player, spending eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers before closing out his playing days in Japan. In 1989, Jim Lefebvre became a manger for the first time as he was introduced as the ninth manager in Seattle Mariners history, and the franchise needed a spark.

Lefebvre was able to provide that spark, as the team finished with a winning record for the first time in franchise history during Lefebvre’s third season. However, the team ultimately decided to let him go after the 1991 season, and he went on to manage the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. Lefebvre finished his Mariners career with a record of 233 wins and 253 losses.

4. Bob Melvin

There are some managers that truly get around the game of baseball and end up leading multiple franchises, and Bob Melvin is one of them. Melvin has managed the Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics, and San Diego Padres during his career, but his first managerial job came as a member of the Seattle Mariners.

Melvin found a lot of success in his first season, putting up a record of 93-69. Things looked like they were heading in a good direction, but the Mariners lost 99 games the following season and Melvin was let go. It goes to show just how rough the Mariners have had it if one winning season as a manager gets you into the top four.

3. Lloyd McClendon

Another one of those people that seems to get around as a coach or manager in Major League Baseball, Lloyd McClendon was the leader of the Mariners franchise for two seasons in 2014 and 2015. This came after he had spent several seasons as the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and prior to his stint with the Detroit Tigers.

After leaving the Pirates, McClendon was a long-time assistant in Detroit when he was hired to be the Mariners’ manager for those two seasons. Seattle finished with an 87-75 record in McClendon’s first season, but it was followed up with a 76-86 campaign, leading to the franchise and McClendon parting ways despite an overall winning record.

2. Scott Servais

Scott Servais was a long-time catcher in Major League Baseball, spending the bulk of his career behind the dish with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs throughout the 1990s. He last played in 2001 with the Astros and went into front office work following his playing days, and said it was his dream to become a manager one day. Servais got his wish in 2016 when he was named the 20th manager in Seattle Mariners history.

Servais posted a winning record in his first season, though things would be up and down over his first few years. Despite a last-place finish in 2019, Servais is one of just two managers to have a winning record with at least three years at the helm in Seattle. In 2022, Servais led the Mariners to their first postseason appearance since 2001, putting together back-to-back 90-win seasons. 

1. Lou Piniella

Of course, you can’t talk about Mariners managers without mentioning “Sweet Lou” Piniella, the short-fused skipper that has had success at just about every stop. He spent the late 1980s and early 1990s with the Yankees and Reds, and ended his career with the Rays and Cubs, but much of his managerial career was with the Mariners, spending 10 seasons with the franchise.

Nobody in Mariners history has had a better record than Piniella, finishing at 840-711. Piniella was also the two-time recipient of the Manager of the Year Award in 1995 and 2001, remaining the only Mariners manager to win the award. Piniella is also just one of two managers to lead the Mariners to the postseason, finishing with 15 playoff games won.

In the early days of baseball, the closer position simply didn’t exist. Instead, pitchers that started the game would end up finishing it, and probably come back and pitch another nine innings a day or two later. These days, though, managers are changing pitchers throughout the entire game to get the best matchups, and the closer position has become an important one.

Since the advent of the closer spot, there has been a lot of great talent on the mound. Let’s take a look at the five best closers in MLB history. Before we get into the list, some of the honorable mentions include Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith, Aroldis Chapman, Rollie Fingers, and John Smoltz.

5. Billy Wagner

Those that started watching baseball during the mid-to-late 2000s might remember Billy Wagner better for his time with the Philadelphia Phillies or New York Mets, but fans from the late 1990s of National League Central teams certainly remember Wagner when he was with the Houston Astros. Wagner spent nine seasons with Houston and then played for four other teams during his 16-year career.

Over that time, Wagner didn’t make a single MLB start as he went straight into a closing role during his first full season. Wagner would finish with 422 career saves, including a whopping 44 during the 2003 season. Wagner also had an impressive earned run average of 2.31 in his career and was a seven-time All-Star.

4. Rich Gossage

Though his birth name is Richard, everyone will forever know Mr. Gossage simply as “Goose.” Gossage played for nine different franchises during his long MLB career, with much of that time being spent with the Yankees, White Sox, and Padres. Originally beginning his career as a starting pitcher, Gossage moved into the closer’s role in his fourth season, collecting 26 saves with Chicago.

Gossage would finish his career with a total of 310 saves and an earned run average of 3.01 over 22 seasons. Gossage had to wait a while to hear his name called for the Baseball Hall of Fame, but it finally happened for the nine-time All-Star when he was inducted in 2008. At the time, he had been on the ballot for nine seasons.

3. Dennis Eckersley

Winning the Most Valuable Player Award is difficult to do as a pitcher, especially since the position has its own award. Dennis Eckersley did just that, though, and also won a Cy Young Award in the process. Eckersley played in 24 different Major League seasons, making appearances for five different teams.

Much of Eck’s career was spent with the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics, combining for 17 seasons between the two franchises. Overall, Eckersley had an earned run average of 3.50 and notched 390 career saves. Prior to becoming a closer, Eckersley was a phenomenal starting pitcher and finished with a career record of 197 wins and 171 losses.

2. Trevor Hoffman

It’s easy to forget that Trevor Hoffman actually entered Major League Baseball as a member of the expansion Florida Marlins, but in his rookie season was traded to the San Diego Padres. A bit of a late bloomer, Hoffman made his MLB debut at 25 years old and instantly became the go-to for the Padres during the rest of the 1990s and almost the entirety of the 2000s.

Hoffman was a seven-time All-Star during his MLB career and was the two-time Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year. He finished with a career record of 61-75, notching just over 600 career saves, and held a low earned run average of 2.87 with three different franchises, ending with Milwaukee in the 2010 season.

1. Mariano Rivera

Pretty much a unanimous pick for the top closer in baseball history, Mariano Rivera was able to make a career out of having just one pitch: his cutter. Rivera was a member of the New York Yankees for all 19 of his Major League seasons, winning a whopping five World Series titles and five more Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year titles.

“Mo” was named to the All Star Game 13 times during his illustrious career and was an easy choice for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He would finish with the all-time record of 652 saves, carrying an ERA of just 2.21 while striking ou 1,173 batters with his devastating cutter. It’s unlikely we’ll see that type of career-long dominance from a closer again.

If there’s one sport in which you want to be a free agent, it’s baseball. Typically, teams will grant massive contracts, all of the money is guaranteed, and you tend to find a spot to call home for several years. However, not all players live up to these massive contracts, especially when they get to be eight years in length or longer. Then, there are those free agents that play well above their expectations.

Today, we look at some of the players that ended up being huge bargains for franchises, with some even leading them to championships. Here are our picks for the five best free agent signings in MLB history. Before we start the list, some of the honorable mentions include Manny Ramirez (Boston Red Sox), Roger Clemens (Toronto Blue Jays), Vladimir Guerrero (Anaheim Angels), and Adrian Beltre (Texas Rangers).

5. Reggie Jackson (New York Yankees)

The man that would eventually become known as “Mr. October” was an MVP with the Athletics organization, sticking with the team during their move from Kansas City to Oakland in the late 1960s. After a falling out with the team, though, Jackson departed prior to the 1976 season as he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles where he played for one season.

Heading into the 1977 season, Jackson found a new home in the form of the New York Yankees, with owner George Steinbrenner handing him $2.9 million over five years. That sounds like nothing now, but at the time it was a huge deal, and Jackson delivered. During his five seasons with the Yankees, Jackson had a batting average of .281 with 144 home runs, including many clutch postseason dingers that helped the Yankees win two World Series titles.

4. Larry Walker (Colorado Rockies)

Larry Walker was one of the many eventual greats that started with the Montreal Expos but was allowed to leave after the 1994 strike season. Walker was a one-time All-Star in Montreal, with a lot of teams vying for his services.

The Colorado Rockies took, what was at the time, a huge chance by giving Walker $22.5 million over four seasons. He certainly didn’t disappoint as he hit 126 home runs during his original contract despite missing half of one season. Walker stuck around for a total of 10 years in Colorado, hitting 258 home runs and winning an MVP Award.

3. Randy Johnson (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Though most associate Randy Johnson with the Seattle Mariners early in his career, The Big Unit actually came up with the Montreal Expos before being traded to Seattle during the 1989 Major League season. Johnson was a dominant force with the Mariners, winning 130 games in his 10 seasons and racking up over 2,100 strikeouts.

After the Mariners traded him to Houston to end the 1998 season, Johnson became a free agent and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks who shelled out a massive $52.4 million contract for four years (and a fifth-year option). Arizona broke the bank with their deal, but it ended up paying off as Johnson won 81 games during that four-year stretch and the 2001 World Series MVP.

2. Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants)

A star from the get-go with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Barry Bonds spent seven seasons with the team and won the 1990 MVP Award. After a second MVP title in 1992, the Pirates were simply too cheap to sign him to a long-term contract and he became a free agent.

Prior to the 1993 season, the San Francisco Giants signed Bonds to a six-year contract worth $43.7 million. At the time, that was an insane amount, but somehow, Bonds still exceeded the expectations on the contract. Bonds stuck around the Giants beyond his original contract and finished with a .312 batting average and 586 home runs as a member of the Giants in 15 seasons.

1. Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves)

Greg Maddux originally came up as part of the Chicago Cubs organization after being a second-round draft selection and made his Major League debut in 1986 at just 20 years old. Maddux went on to become a two-time All-Star in Chicago and even won the Cy Young Award, but the team inexplicably let him walk.

Maddux then signed with the Atlanta Braves for five years and $28 million, which was not even close to the highest offer that he received as the Yankees offered $34 million. Maddux was a perfect fit in Atlanta where he went 194-88 with a 2.63 earned run average during his 11 seasons with the Braves en route to a Hall of Fame career. While $28 million was a lot at the time, it was certainly worth it, especially by today’s standards.

Every major sport in North America has a Hall of Fame, but none is more exclusive than baseball’s. Located in Cooperstown, New York, the Baseball Hall of Fame only truly selects the best of the best to make it to enshrinement, with writers selecting from a long list of former players each year, but often only getting one or two people selected.

As a result, there have been plenty of great players that have been left out. Unlike the Basketball Hall of Fame where someone that won a single Sixth Man of the Year Award can get in, you need to do a lot to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here are the five best players that still haven’t been let in. Before we get into the list, some of the other greatest players that aren’t in the Hall of Fame include Curt Schilling, Joe Jackson, Manny Ramirez, and Mark McGwire

5. Alex Rodriguez

Why he should be in: It doesn’t matter what team Alex Rodriguez was playing with during his career, he was one of the best shortstops in the game, and was one of the best players at that position in MLB history. Rodriguez crossed just about every major milestone to get into the Hall of Fame, including knocking out just shy of 700 home runs over his 22-year career while having a .295 batting average.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Simply put, Alex Rodriguez is one of the few people that actually got caught using performance-enhancing drugs. That alone will likely keep him out of the Hall of Fame for good. 

4. Pete Rose

Why he should be in: No player in Major League Baseball history has more base hits than Pete Rose, which alone should get him into the Hall of Fame. Even with that out of play, Rose was still able to lead the Major Leagues in batting average on three different occasions while also winning two Gold Gloves, Rookie of the Year, an MVP Award, and three World Series titles while being named an All-Star 17 times.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life due to gambling on games while he was still a player/manager. The Baseball Hall of Fame followed suit and deemed him ‘permanently ineligible’ to be enshrined.

3. Sammy Sosa

Why he should be in: Sammy Sosa was one of the biggest reasons that people tuned back into baseball following the player’s strike, going toe-to-toe with Mark McGwire in 1998 for the new home run title. Sosa was an MVP with the Chicago Cubs and finished his career with 609 home runs and 1,667 runs batted in while being named an All-Star seven times and winning six Silver Slugger Awards.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Sosa was one of the many players that were brought in front of Congress during the steroid scandal of the 2000s. Sosa denied taking performance-enhancing drugs, but writers haven’t been convinced and have kept him out of the Hall of Fame.

2. Roger Clemens

Why he should be in: Roger Clemens played with four Major League teams during his 24-season career, including extended stops with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. During that time, Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Major Leagues, finishing with 354 career wins and 4,672 strikeouts. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards and an MVP while also adding a pair of World Series titles.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: The story with Clemens is the same that it is for Sosa. There was always the suspicion that Clemens was on PEDs, and he testified that he hadn’t taken any. Even though he was found not guilty of perjury, Clemens has still been left out.

1. Barry Bonds

Why he should be in: Barry Bonds is perhaps the best hitter in Major League Baseball history. He was a 14-time All-Star that won a dozen Silver Slugger Awards across his career with the Pirates and Giants. During that time, Bonds hit a record 762 career home runs with a .298 batting average, but perhaps his most staggering stat is his on-base percentage of .444, which will never be topped in modern baseball.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Baseball writers simply didn’t like Bonds as the relationship between the two was often contentious. Bonds was also one of the main players in the BALCO scandal and was originally charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in the case, though the charges were dropped.

When it comes to the world of hip-hop, a lot of rappers end up having the same career length as that of a professional football player. Not all of them get to stick around into their 50s and 60s as they can lose that edge once the money and success come, or just do not really gel with what younger audiences are listening to.

There are plenty of great rappers who have retired before turning 40, with some even doing so before turning 30 years old. Out of the many rappers that have called it a career in their younger years, which ones stand out as the best? Here are our picks for the five best rappers who retired early, leaving their fans wishful for a big return somewhere down the road.

Jay-Z

Shawn Carter, widely known by his stage name Jay-Z, has had an extremely successful career. He became the co-founder of the record label Roc-A-Fella Records and released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. 

Some of his greatest hits throughout his illustrious career include Big Pimpin’, Can I Get A…, Hard Knock Life(Ghetto Anthem), and 99 Problems. He announced his retirement following his 2003 album “The Black Album“, after the constant flow of album releases. Though he says making music may still be in his future. 

Logic

Robert Hall, who goes by his stage name Logic, has had a huge impact through his socially conscious and wildly talented rap career. Logic got his start in 2010 after he released his debut mixtape Young, Broke, & Infamous. 

Three years and another music venture later, he signed on with Def Jam Recordings. His following albums Under Pressure, The Incredible True Story, and Everybody gained him worldwide notoriety and topped the charts. After his 2020 album No Pressure, he decided to retire to focus on his personal life and start a family. Logic has since released two albums with Def Jam, before his departure. 

Ma$e

Mason Betha, also known by his stage name Ma$e, began his rap career in 1996 when he befriended Notorious B.I.G’s road manager Cudda Love. After attending a convention and performing in front of Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs he acquired a deal with Bad Boy Records. 

He was featured on songs by Notorious B.I.G and Puff Daddy, like Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems, Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down, and Been Around the World. Ma$e later released his debut album Harlem World, reaching the top of the charts and hitting platinum status. In 1999 Ma$e called it quits and retired from rap to become a minister and pursue his faith. 

Kid Cudi

Scott Mescudi, widely known by his stage name Kid Cudi, started rapping while he was growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, and decided to move to New York City to further his career. Kid Cudi made it big when his songs started to take off on the social media site MySpace, and in 2009 he released his debut album titled “Man on the Moon: The End of Day”.

Some of Cudi’s hit songs included “Day ‘n’ Nite”, “Pursuit of Happiness” and “Erase Me”, though he faded from the mainstream spotlight during the early 2010s. He returned in a big way in 2020 by releasing songs with Travis Scott and Eminem but shortly thereafter announced his retirement at just 38 years old. “I want to be done with it,” he said. “I think, closing the chapter on Kid Cudi…I’ve made a lot of music, man.”

Run DMC

Run DMC is arguably one of the most popular and highly successful rap groups of our time. They got their start when members Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell founded the group and signed with Profile Records in 1983. 

That same year they released their single “It’s Like That” which did well commercially. The group’s fame grew after releasing a few albums in the following years. Things really took off when they released their best-selling and most renowned album “Raising Hell”. Tragically, in 2002 Mizell was murdered at a recording studio and the group announced they would be retiring.