SEATTLE — The Mariners are on the verge of doing something they haven’t done since 2001 - make the playoffs. That’s one of the more repeated lines in Seattle sports over the last two decades.
But they also did something in that 2001 season that they repeated here in 2022. They had a massive collapse 21 years ago that mirrored Sunday’s debacle in Kansas City. In that recent game against the Royals, the Mariners blew a 9-run lead and lost.
Flashback to August 5th, 2001.
On that fateful night in Cleveland, the Mariners blew a 12-run lead, earning them a share of the largest collapse in MLB history. They had a 14-2 lead In the 7th inning and ultimately lost 15-14. For Mariners fans back then, it stung a little, but they also knew it was sure to be an aberration in what would turn out to be a record-setting season that saw their team win 116 games, which still stands as the league's all-time mark for regular season wins.
That’s why Sunday’s "Royal Bumble" was nothing but a blip on the radar. Managers and coaches alike will tell you a loss is a loss, no matter what the score. It’s one game.
The way the Wild Card standings look right now, there's a good chance the Mariners will open the postseason in Cleveland, in the same stadium where they lost a playoff game 20 years ago by the score of 17-2.
The same stadium where they also tied the record for largest MLB collapse.
What does that mean for the present-day Mariners?
Nothing.
After losing to Cleveland by 15 runs in Game 3, they went on to win the series in five games.
There's no curse on this club just because they hold the longest playoff drought in professional sports.
Or just because they're the only active MLB franchise to never play in a World Series.
Or just because they still hold the record for largest collapse in baseball history.
Keep in mind, that 2001 team had a franchise record eight All-Stars.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention one All-Star phony in Al Martin. You remember Al. He played 11 seasons in the majors.
In his "mind," he also played two seasons of college football at USC, which included the stories to go with that tale. That is until it was later proven USC had no record Al Martin ever enrolled at the school.
He was one of the more intriguing sideshows on that 2001 team.
In 2022, there are no sideshows. Just a well-built team, coming off an unlucky game that proved anything can happen in pro sports.
Like the last of 30 major league teams finally reaching the World Series.