|
|
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good history, good insider stuff, good book, November 21, 2003
This review is from: Out of Left Field: How the Mariners Made Baseball Fly in Seattle (Hardcover)
In one of my favorite episodes from my favorite TV show, the late and much lamented "Mystery Science Theater 3000," a child in a short-subject film is trying to press through a crowd in order to see a baseball game. But, as the narrator observes, "he finds a five-year-old can't get close enough to see anything." To which Tom Servo cheerfully adds, "Besides, the Mariners are playing, so who cares?" That episode aired in the early '90s. How the Ms got from being the laughingstock of MLB to very near the top in just a few years, and got a new stadium in the bargain, is the focus of Art Thiel's very good book.From its founding in 1977, the result of a legal settlement, until the mid-1990s, the Mariners were, as Thiel reminds us, a really, really bad team. Even with the glory years of the late '90s, the Ms still hold the mark for lowest total fan attendance in both the 1980s and the 1990s. Along the way, however, a change of ownership, a fiery new manager, and several key player acquisitions turned the Ms into a powerhouse. The author does a fine job of taking us through those steps. As a result, this is much more than just a summary of several baseball seasons (though he does take us through the 1995 and 2001 seasons, in particular, in some detail). He also takes us behind the scenes, into the business side of the game where the key decisions are made, and also gets into some serious local politics surrounding the funding and construction of Safeco Field. Central episodes in this book include the arrival of the new ownership team, the hiring (and later release) of Lou Piniella, the drafting (and, again, subsequent loss) of Ken Griffey, Jr., and Alex Rodriguez, the Randy Johnson trade, and the arrival of Ichiro Suzuki. Personally, I found this last to be the most interesting part of the book, but maybe that's because I find Ichiro the most interesting player in baseball. Throughout it all, the author's exclusive interviews with Jay Buhner and Lou himself provide spirited and insightful insider quotes. I should also commend the author's ability to make criticisms where they're required, calling out both poor baseball strategy and bad business decisions. The casual Seattle baseball-watcher looking to relive some great seasons will find a lot here to enjoy. But the more serious fan, who really wants to go behind the scenes and see how the Ms became who and what they are today, will definitely want to add this to his shelf.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
by Kirby Arnold
by Seattle Post-Intelligencer
by Tom M. Tango
by Derek Zumsteg
