One National League Team is Working to Join Seattle Mariners in Baseball History

Those 1996 Mariners went 85-76 and finished second in the American League West. On the heels of their dramatic 1995 "Refuse to Lose" season, the M's missed the playoffs. They scored an amazing 993 runs behind some of the best offensive performances in team history.

Alex Rodriguez, who was playing in his first full season in the big leagues, hit .358 to win the American League batting title, and he also led baseball in doubles with 54. He hit 36 homers and drove in 123. Ken Griffey Jr. played in 140 games and led baseball in WAR (9.7), while hitting 44 bombs and driving in 140. Jay Buhner (138) and Edgar Martinez (103) also helped the M's get a quartet of players over the 100-RBI plateau. Beyond the "Big 4," Dan Wilson hit 18 homers and drove in 83 while Paul Sorrento had 23 homers and 93 RBIs.

The M's pitching staff scuffled in 1996, which accounts for the reason they missed the playoffs. Randy Johnson, who won the Cy Young Award in 1995, made just 14 appearances. Sterling Hitchock made 35 starts and owned a 5.35 ERA. In fact, 3/5 of the rotation had an ERA over 5.35.