Essential Games of the Seattle Mariners

[TellItToTheDA]

Relive the heyday.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/44280/essential-games-of-the-seattle-mariners/


The team's heyday during the Piniella is celebrated in this box set of four games that mix regular season and playoff success. The list of games includes:

10/2/1995 - The Mariners won 16 of their last 21 games to close out the regular season and play the California Angels in a one-game playoff, where they blew open a 1-1 game with eight runs in the final two innings while Randy Johnson struck out 12 Angel batters en route to a 9-1 win.

10/8/1995 - Less than a week later, facing the New York Yankees in a decisive Game 5 AL Divisional Series, the Mariners scrambled to send the game into extra innings before coming from behind in the 11th inning on Martinez' double that sent Griffey Jr. home and the Mariners into their first ALCS.

10/6/2000 - If you told me that Mariners starters would be limited to five hits and one run batted in while beating the Chicago White Sox to sweep the ALDS I'd have called you a liar. But using pinch-hitting heroics, the Mariners won in the bottom of the ninth inning 2-1 to advance to the ALCS.

9/19/2001 - Jamie Moyer limits the Anaheim Angels to three hits over six innings, leading the Mariners to a 5-0 shutout, clinching the Division pennant for the club.

[clarknova]

Duuuuuuuude. I want that.

[JosephC]

Crap, List Price: $39.95. Is that the only place that offers the DVD?
edit: Looks like Amazon has it for $10 off... http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Games-Seattle-Mariners-Griffey/dp/B003M3A886

[clarknova]

So, last night I'm about to go to bed and I flip on ESPN Classic and they're showing game 5 of the 1995 AL Division playoffs between the Mariners and the Yankees (the most memorable game in team history). I realized I hadn't seen that game in full since I watched it on TV in October of 1995, when I was 15. It literally gave me chills to see some of the things I haven't seen in 15 years.
Little things like they way all the players basically wore stretch pants, the multiple team mullets, Chris Widger and Doug Strange, Vince Coleman's "Shaft" walk up music, how TINY and frightened Joey Cora looked, how scary Randy Johnson and Jay Buhner looked, the fact the Buck Showalter was the Yankees manager, how much joy it gave me to see Jim Leyritz upset (and his weird "dainty toe" batting stance), watching a game played inside the "concrete coffin" (The Kingdome), the teal, Lou Piniella in his Mariners windbreaker leaning back on the bench by himself- occasionally standing to put his hands up and scream something, then sitting back on the bench and chewing that gum like it was cud, Edgar Martinez's swing... Wow, what a swing. So much more.

It was a crazy time, and the only thing that I think could recapture that would be a World Series title. Watching the crowd react and interact, it was totally different. I don't think that the apathy in our stadium has to do with the people so much as it's the culture of losing. The 1995 Mariners were not supposed to be good. They were not supposed to do what they did, and had never really even come close before. That brought people together. You could see the community in the stands. Strangers hugging and high-fiving each other. I remember walking home one night and some dude just ran out of his house screaming "YEAHHH!!! OH YEAAHHHH!" I asked him what happened, but I knew it was Mariners related. I was hurrying home to watch the game, he said, "Buhner just hit a home run". My mom was watching the games. She had never watched before, and hasn't since. She must have watched 20 games between August and October. It really was "magical", and that's one of the main reasons I don't want Joey Cora to manage. I don't mind the tributes- Seeing Johnson, Griffey, Martinez, and Wilson on the field together on opening day this year was awesome. I just think that it's time for the team to build a new legacy. Not to forget, but to not stay trapped in 1995.

They had Randy Johnson come in out of the bullpen. He struck out the side in the 10th, in the 11th he gave up a run scoring single with one out, then intentionally walked Bernie Williams to get to Paul Oneil (a former batting champion) and load the bases. He struck out the next two. Bottom of the 11th- Cora with a dribbler up the 1st base line- he BARELY eludes the tag that was at him before he reached the base. Showalter protests and is denied. Griffey hits a single on the ground past a diving 2nd baseman. Cora to 3rd. First and 3rd, no outs, Martinez to the plate...

Best moment as a Mariners fan for me.
Sorry about the rambling, it just really had an effect on me last night after watching all these terrible, horrible games this year. It reminded me why I'm a fan, and why even thought "Believe Big" seems like sick irony right now, I will continue to do so. Pretty much because of 1995.

And... Now I REALLY want that DVD set.

[Igoe4Mariners]

I want it as well. Debating whether to shell out the money for it or not.