Spring... is not here yet.

Spring Training is upon us, and I'm excited. I really think the M's stand a chance of making the postseason this year. Surprisingly, this isn't a very popular conversation on dates, perhaps since I tend to suffer from a strong case of this:
Guess I need to work on that. Anyway, I saw this article on ESPN.com yesterday, and couldn't help but pass the word along. Now, I realize that most of my readers probably could care less about this, but it's like the author says, you invite a guy into your house so many nights... Anyway, they were nice enough to provide a few audio clips (after all, the man calls the games), and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share a few with you:

Ken Griffey Jr.'s 56th in '98

A classic grand salami call

This last one is classic. Perhaps you've heard me mention it before: The Double. Let me place this in historical perspective. It's 1995 - the season after the baseball strike tolled the death knell for America's Pastime. I was 14. There was a lot of talk about the future of baseball in Seattle with ceiling tiles falling in the Kingdome and years of mediocre play (up until '95, the M's only had 2 +500 seasons). The season started out rough, and with a major injury to team superstar Ken Griffey Jr, everyone was looking for the Bekins truck. Fast forward to mid August, and the Mariners are 13 games behind the division-leading California Angels (notice how much easier that is to say?). Then in September, miraculously, 2 things happen: 1) the Angels begin losing and 2) the Mariners pull out a string of incredible come-from-behind wins. At the end of the season, the two teams are tied, and for the first time in my baseball-watching life, my team has a legitimate chance at the postseason. A 1-game playoff is held in Seattle between the two teams, where the M's trounced the Angels 9-1, including a Luis Sojo in-the-park home run. I still remember where I was when I heard that call. The impossible had happened. We had made the postseason.

The ALDS started, and we were up against future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, Don Mattingly and the rest of the '95 Yankees. The M's won the first two, but lost the third and fourth games, forcing a game 5 matchup in Seattle. The game stays pretty quiet until the bottom of the third, when Joey Cora goes yard. Yanks 0 M's 1. Things are looking up, but not for long. Top of the 4th, Bernie Williams is walked, followed by a Paul O'Neill homer. Yanks 2 M's 1. But not to worry Mariner's fans! For in the bottom of the 4th, Tino (the other) Martinez is driven home on a Jay Buhner single to left. Yanks 2 M's 2.

The status quo is maintained until the 6th, when the M's pitching seems to be coming unglued. First, Bernie Williams is walked, then Paul O'Neill. In a move that surprised no true Mariner fan, Ruben Sierra completed the trifecta, reaching 1st base on balls and loading them up. Don Mattingly steps to the plate. Normally, I have a hard time not liking Donny Baseball and his mustachioed ways, but I sure didn't like him as he drove in Williams and O'Neill on a 2 run double, putting the Yanks up 4-2. Luckily, my M's were competent enough to stop the bleeding there.

The bottom of the 6th passes. The bottom of the 7th passes. You can cut the tension in my parent's house with a knife, as we are all sitting on the edge of whatever we were sitting on, trying hard not to tear the hair out of our heads (yes, even me). Bottom of the 8th. Joey Cora flies out. 1 out. Griffey homers. Cheers ring out in Seattle. Yanks 4 M's 3. Edgar Martinez grounds out. 2 outs. Tino walkes and Jay Buhner steps up to the plate. He singles, Tino gets to 2nd and M's fans everywhere begin praying to whatever gods they believe in. A couple of switches (Diaz bats for Fermin, and Rodriguez runs for Tino) and a couple of walks later, and the Yankees send Rodriguez home uncontested. Yanks 4 - M's 4.

The 9th inning passes. As does the 10th. In the top of the 11th, the Yanks manage to play some good small ball, sending Pat Kelly around the bases. The Yanks are up 5-4, and things are looking really bad for my boys. Luckily, it's a home game, giving them a chance to show that they can play good small ball too. First up is Cora, who manages to get to 1st on a well laid bunt. Next up is Griffey, who sends Cora to third on a single to center.

So, here we are, bottom of the 11th, down by one, no outs with men on 1st and 3rd, when Edgar Martinez steps up to the plate. He takes the first pitch, a strike, putting the count at 0-1. The rest is history:

The Double

AMAZING! Simply one of the most electric moments of my life. Tears streamed down grown men's faces, washing away the years of crappy baseball that they had endured. Baristas everywhere gave free lattes to their customers. The Space Needle got up and did a little dance! But seriously, to this day I get a little shiver anytime I hear that call or see one of these photos:


Here's to hoping that this season will be 3/4ths of the season that one was. Good luck this year to Ichiro, Bedard, Felix and the rest of the crew. And congrats to Dave Niehaus for making it to Cooperstown. You deserve it for making every season great.