Retro Mariner Sunday 3/25/12

It was after the non-waiver trade deadline of 1993. The Minnesota Twins had a player coming back from injury that they didn't want. The Mariners made a deal sending Greg Shockey to the Twins. In return, they got a veteran reliever in Steve Ontiveros. After growing up in New Mexico, Steve would attend the University of Michigan and receive a degree in Physical Education and pitching for the Wolverines. Steve had spent time with Oakland from 1985-1988. Next next two years in 1989 and 1990 would see him as part of the Phillies teams.

The next year it was down to the minors, and Steve would miss all of 1992 with an injury. He would come to the Mariners for a month and a half. He would see time in 14 games finishing 8 of them. Steve would have a nice 1.00 ERA but would finish 0-2 for the M's. The next two years of 1994 and 1995 would see Steve return to the Athletics. From there it would be five years of toiling in the minors and independent ball. Steve would spend time in independent leagues, to low A ball, all the way up to AAA. Steve would return to the majors for a brief 3 games with the Red Sox in 2000.

Steve would spend all of 2001 in the minors a again before calling it quits. In his time from getting drafted in 1982, it would be nearly 20 years of pro ball. Steve spent part of 10 different seasons on major league rosters. He would spend 15 of those years on minor league rosters at one time or another. Steve played on 4 different teams, being the A's, Phillies, Mariners and Red Sox. He spend time 13 different organizations going from Oakland to Philly, Detroit, Minnesota, Seattle, back to Oakland, on to the Angels, Cardinals, Orioles, Devil Rays, Brewers, Rockies, Red Sox, and finally the Mets. Of all those teams, Steve would see time on 17 different minor league teams.

Since retiring from baseball, Steve has been a pitching coach in Scottsdale, AZ. He works with kids and adults at Player's Choice Academy AZ. He also would have the honor of being the pitching coach of the Chinese national team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Retro Mariner Sunday 2/26/12

The year was 1989, and Mariners would leave Arizona to start their season. They would have some new rookies to kick off the year. One was much hyped to be the greatest outfielder of all-time. The other was a little infielder no one knew too much about. That outfielder has retired, but the shortstop named "Little O" is still around. Omar will turn 45 this April!

Omar was a part of the building of the Mariners run of teams that would have success in the 90's. Omar would spend all of the 1989 season as a Mariner. For some reason, management didn't think that he should start the season in Seattle, and he would play in AAA Calgary until the start of July. By not being with the Mariners, he missed being a part of Randy Johnson's no-hitter in June of that year. Omar would be redeemed by making the final out of Chris Bosio's no-no on April 22, 1993. That would be the year he would win his first Gold Glove. On December 20th of that year, he was traded to Cleveland for Felix Fermin, Reggie Jefferson, and cash. In the 1993 draft, the M's drafted Alex Rodriguez and Felix was the stop gap until Alex was ready.

Omar would really come into his own in his 12 years as an Indian. He would help them to the World Series, win many of his 11 Gold Gloves, and become an icon for defensive shortstops. Omar has moved onto other teams, but they just don't look right to me. I never really could get used to him as a member of the San Francisco Giants.

He didn't really look right as a Texas Ranger either.

I continue to forget that he spent the last two years in Chicago as a White Sox.

This year, Omar has signed on with the Toronto Blue Jays. I hope that he can stay healthy and have some consistency with them. It would be cool to see him actually be able to get some hits this year. Omar currently sits 159 hits away form the magical number of 3000. I hope for the sake of history, for old time Mariner fans, and Tribe fans that Omar can get to 3000, and cement his place for a future date with Cooperstown.

Who's it going to be?

We are getting down to the end of the baseball season. We are down to a 3-2 series now.

Will it be these four former Mariners with a ring this year?

Adrian Beltre

Endy Chavez

Mark Lowe

Yorvit Torrealba

Or will it be the lone Mariner with the Cardinals?

Arthur Rhodes

While I would like to see an old guy like Rhodes get a ring, I think the Rangers are too much for the Cards, but we will see.

We made the playoffs, kinda...

That's right boys and girls. The Mariners made the the 2011 Post Season.

OK, Maybe they aren't in Mariners uniforms anymore, but all these players once played in the Emerald City.

Cliff Lee

Doug Fister

Freddy Garcia

Rafael Soriano

Arthur Rhodes

JJ Putz

Yorvit Torrealba

Casey Kotchman

Alex Rodriguez

Ramon Santiago

Adrian Beltre

Yuniesky Betancourt

Josh Wilson

Endy Chavez

Raul Ibanez

Willie Bloomquist

Almost enough guys to make a 25 man roster. I'm looking forward to see how the playoffs go when I don't have any team that really grabs my interest to root for.

Retro Mariner Sunday 7/31/11

In honor of today being the non-waiver Trade Deadline, I thought we should look at a guy who knows about being traded. Spending part of 1985, and all of 1986 and 1987 with the Mariners was "The Nomad" Mike Morgan. Mike was traded six times in his career and was signed as a free agent six times also.

His first stop would be with the Oakland A's in 1978 and 1979.

For 1980 and '81 the minor leagues would be the place to be. In 1982, it was time to be a Yankee.

For 1983, it was on to Toronto, and 1984 was spent in the minors with the Blue Jays.

Mike would spend the next three years in Seattle as a Mariner.

1988 would mean a trip back east to the Baltimore Orioles.

From 1989 to 1991, it was back out west to the LA Dodgers this time.

Travel again would come in 1992 until mid 1995, going to the Midwest to pitch for the Cubs.

In 1995 and '96 Cardinals fans probably didn't like Mike as a Cub, but were glad to have him as a Cardinal.

courtesy of millercards.com

Late in '96 and all of 1997 would see a stop with the Cincinnati Reds.

Why not play for two teams in 1998? The Twins used Mike, and so would Cubs for a second time.

Why not move again in 1999? I know, let's go to the Rangers this time.

From 2000 through 2002, Mike would play for his 12th and final team in the Arizona Diamondbacks. All that moving around was rewarded with a World Series ring in 2001.

Mike would retire to Ogden, UT and would start a company called World Champion Outfitters. Mike does private guides for hunters in Utah. Mike also does private pitching instruction at Ultimate Sports in Lindon, UT. He also spends time as a volunteer coach at Pleasant Grove High School in Pleasant Grove, UT.

Huh, what man?

I don't have anything for today. Here is a random Mariner card I picked to show you today. I present former Mariner 2nd baseman and Spanish radio broadcaster Julio Cruz.

The Cruzer has the mini fro and the chain working, but his eyes kind make him look like he might be stoned. Julio left in a trade to the White Sox, but found his way back to broadcast for the Mariners for awhile. Julio was one of the first stars on some bad teams back in the day.

At home on the road

Or is it on the road at home? Either way, Seattle is the home of a two time World Series winning team. See, we have to rings to prove it.

It will be nice to come home, after three disappointing losses, all by 1 run to the Nationals in our nation's capital. If you have any way to watch the games from here in Seattle this weekend, I suggest you do so. The Marlins were booted out of their home stadium this weekend for a U2 concert. That means for the first time in the 15 years of Interleague play, the the home stadium will have it's regular tenant be the visiting team or something like that.  New Marlins manager Jack McKeon, Hanley Ramirez, and the Marlins will be the home team in Seattle this weekend.

The game will played under National League rules with the pitchers hitting, and the Marlins will bat last. They decided not to bring their home whites, so they will be in grays, and the M's in white but being the visitors. I'm going to try and get to the game this weekend to see some history. This should be a fun sight to see.

Also, it was weird to see another former Mariner manager just up and quit. Mike Hargrove did here a few years ago. Now, after beating the M's again in a 1 run game, Jim Riggleman walked away from his team.

"Well guys, that's it I quit!"

Hit or Miss??

I really can't tell which one is the real player. This guy has had a breakout in the last month. But it is definitely not the player we saw in AAA Tacoma or Seattle.

Michael Morse came to the Mariners in 2004 with Miguel Olivo from the White Sox for Freddy Garcia. While continually bouncing up and down, Morse had a hard time finding a consistent position and playing time. While originally drafted and playing as a shortstop in the minors, Mike was growing as a player. The Mariners had a possible shortstop of the future( ha ha) in Yuniesky Betancourt. Michael would start learning new positions to broaden his chances.

Michael was toiling in Tacoma when manager Daren Brown called him into his office in 2009. Mike thought he was going back up to Seattle. Nope, he had been dealt to the Nationals for Ryan Langerhans. While continuing to bounce between Washington and AAA Syracuse, Michael was starting to wonder if he was going to stick or not. The Nationals were young and still trying to make it. In May, the Nationals nearly released Mike. With the injury to Adam LaRoche, Michael has seen ample playing time and is hitting the ball well. Let's hope at 29, the prospect that has waited has arrived.