RHP Felix Hernandez is the Mariners’ sole representative at the Major League All-Star Game Tuesday night at Royals Stadium in Kansas City. Hernandez is an All-Star for the third time (2009, 2011), and just the sixth player in franchise history with three or more All-Star selections.
The franchise has had 75 All-Star selections, 10 each by Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-99) and Ichiro (2001-12), with a team record of eight in 2001 when the Mariners were en route to 116 victories.
While this year’s All-Star rosters include just one Mariner, six ex-Mariners made the trip to Kansas City, including Adrian Beltre (2005-09) of Texas, David Ortiz (1994-96, minors) of Boston, Asdrubal Cabrera (2004-07, minors) of Cleveland, Adam Jones (2006-07) of Baltimore, Brian LaHair (2008) of the Chicago Cubs and R.A. Dickey (2008) of the New York Mets.
This is a brief primer on the Mariners’ All-Star Game history:
FIRST ALL-STAR: Ruppert Jones, 1977. The most popular player on the inaugural roster, Jones made the All-Star team as a reserve outfielder who hit 17 home runs in the first half. Acquired by the Mariners in the 1976 expansion draft, Jones played in Seattle until Nov. 1, 1979 when the Mariners traded him with Jim Lewis to the New York Yankees for Rick Anderson, Jim Beattie, Juan Beniquez and Jerry Narron. Jones made the National League All-Star team in 1982 playing for San Diego.
MOST ALL-STARS: (8, 2001): Brett Boone, 2B; Mike Cameron, OF; John Olerud, 1B; Edgar Martinez, DH; Ichiro, OF; Freddy Garcia, RHP; Jeff Nelson, RHP, Kazuhiro Sasaki, RHP; (5, 1996), Jay Buhner, OF; Ken Griffey Jr., OF), Martinez, DH. (5, 1996): Buhner, Griffey; Martinez; Alex Rodriguez, SS; Dan Wilson, C. (5, 2003): Boone, Ichiro, Martinez, LHP Jamie Moyer, RHP Shigetoshi Hasagawa.
LEADING VOTE GETTERS: Two Mariners, Griffey (1989-99, ’09-10) and Ichiro have led the voting, Griffey five times: 1994 (6,079,688), 1996 (3,064,814), 1997 (3,514,340), 1998 (4,202,830) and 1999 (2,918,055), and Ichiro three times in 2001 (3,373,035), 2002 (2,516,016), 2003 (2,130,708).
MOST SELECTIONS (PLAYER): Ken Griffey Jr. (10), 1990, 1991, 1992 (MVP), 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999; Ichiro (10), 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (MVP), 2008, 2009, 2010; Edgar Martinez (7), 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003; Alex Rodriguez (4), 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000.
MOST SELECTIONS (PITCHER): Randy Johnson (5), 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997; Felix Hernandez (3), 2009, 2011, 2012 (Hernandez did not make the All-Star team the year he won the Cy Young award).
SELECTED, DID NOT PLAY (7): Craig Reynolds, SS, 1978; Rick Honeycutt, LHP, 1980; Jim Presley, 3B, 1986; Randy Johnson, LHP, 1990; Ken Griffey Jr., 1995 (injured); Alex Rodriguez, SS, 2000 (injured); Felix Hernandez, RHP, 2011.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS (2) Griffey won in 1992 at San Diego when he went 3-for-3, with a home run and two RBIs; Ichiro won in 2007 when he went 3-for-3 at AT&T Park San Francisco and hit the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history.
ALL-STAR HOME RUNS (4): Ken Griffey Jr., 1992 (solo off Greg Maddux); Edgar Martinez, 1997 (solo off Maddux); 1998, Alex Rodriguez (solo off Andy Ashby); Ichiro, 2007 (inside-the-park, off Chris Young).
HOME RUN DERBY WINNERS: Ken Griffey Jr. 1994, 1998, 1999.
MULTI-HIT GAMES (6): Ken Griffey Jr., 1991 (2-for-3); 1992 (3-for-3), 1994 (2-for-3); 1998 (2-for-3); Alex Rodriguez, 1993 (2-for-3); Ichiro, 2007 (3-for-3).
ALL-STAR STARTER (2): Randy Johnson, 1995 (no runs, no hits, three strikeouts, 2.0 IP); Johnson, 1997 (no runs, no hits, 2.0 IP, one walk, two strikeouts).
WINNING PITCHERS (1): Freddy Garcia, 2001 (no runs, no hits, 1.0 IP, strikeout, faced three batters).
ALL-STAR SAVES/BLOWN SAVES (3): Kazuhiro Sasaki (S), 2001; Sasaki (BS), 2002; Shigetoshi Hasegawa (BS), 2003.
LOSING PITCHERS: None.
ALL-STAR GAMES IN SEATTLE (2): 1979 (Kingdome), NL 7, AL 6; W: Bruce Sutter; L: Jim Kern; MVP: Dave Parker, Pittsburgh. 2001 (Safeco Field), AL 4, NL 1; W: Freddy Garcia; L: Chan Ho Park; MVP: Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles.
MARINERS ALL-STARS (1977-12)
| Year | Player | Pos. | All-Star Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Ruppert Jones | OF | 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter |
| 1978 | Craig Reynolds | SS | Selected but did not play |
| 1979 | Bruce Bochte | 1B | 1-for-1 with RBI in Kingdome |
| 1980 | Rick Honeycutt | LHP | Selected but did not pitch |
| 1981 | Tom Paciorek | OF | 1-for-1 as a PH |
| 1982 | Floyd Bannister | LHP | One scoreless inning (no hits) |
| 1983 | Matt Young | LHP | 1.0 IP, no runs or hits, 1 K |
| 1984 | Alvin Davis | 1B | 0-for-1 as a PH |
| 1985 | Phil Bradley | OF | Played CF, went 0-1-for-1 |
| 1986 | Jim Presley | 3B | 18 home runs at break, but did not play |
| 1987 | Mark Langston | LHP | 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K |
| Harold Reynolds | 2B | 0-for-3 | |
| 1988 | Harold Reynolds (2) | 2B | 0-for-1 as reserve |
| 1989 | Jeffrey Leonard | OF | 0-for-1 as a DH and PH |
| 1990 | Ken Griffey Jr. | OF | 0-for-2 as starter |
| Randy Johnson | LHP | 9-4 record at break, didn’t pitch | |
| 1991 | Ken Griffey Jr. (2) | OF | 2-for-3 (2 singles) as starter |
| 1992 | Ken Griffey Jr. (3) | OF | 3-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs, MVP |
| Edgar Martinez | 3B | 0-for-1 as a PH in 13-6 AL win | |
| 1993 | Ken Griffey Jr. (4) | OF | 1-for-3 (single) RBI |
| Randy Johnson (2) | LHP | 2.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 K | |
| 1994 | Ken Griffey Jr. (5) | OF | Went 2-for-3, double and RBI |
| Randy Johnson (3) | LHP | 2 hits, 1 run facing 4 batters | |
| 1995 | Ken Griffey Jr. (6) | OF | Missed game with broken wrist |
| Randy Johnson (4) | LHP | 2.0 IP, no hits, 3 K | |
| Edgar Martinez (2) | DH | 0-for-3 | |
| Tino Martinez | 1B | 1-for-1, PH for Edgar Martinez | |
| 1996 | Jay Buhner | OF | 0-for-2 |
| Ken Griffey Jr. (7) | OF | DNP due to injury | |
| Edgar Martinez (3) | DH | 0-for-1 | |
| Alex Rodriguez | SS | 0-for 1 | |
| Dan Wilson | C | 0-for-1 | |
| 1997 | Joey Cora | 2B | 0-for-1 |
| Ken Griffey Jr. (8) | OF | 30 HRs, 85 RBIs at break; 0-for-4 | |
| Edgar Martinez (4) | DH | 2-for-2 with solo home run | |
| Alex Rodriguez (2) | SS | 1-for-3 as starting SS | |
| 1998 | Ken Griffey Jr. (9) | OF | 35 HRs at break; 2-for-3 |
| Alex Rodriguez (3) | SS | Went 2-for-3 with HR | |
| 1999 | Ken Griffey Jr. (10) | OF | Final ASG as Mariner, 0-for-2 |
| 2000 | Edgar Martinez (5) | DH | 23 HRs at break; 0-for-1 |
| Alex Rodriguez (4) | SS | DNP due to injury | |
| Aaron Sele | RHP | 1.0 IP, 1 hit, credited with hold | |
| Lou Piniella | Coach | Served on AL staff in 6-3 win | |
| 2001 | Bret Boone | 2B | Started at 2B; 0-for-2 |
| Mike Cameron | OF | 1-for-3 (double) with a K | |
| John Olerud | 1B | 0-for-2 | |
| Edgar Martinez (6) | DH | 0-for-2 | |
| Ichiro Suzuki | OF | Infield single off Randy Johnson | |
| Freddy Garcia | RHP | 1.0 IP, first SP to win All-Star game | |
| Jeff Nelson | RHP | 1.0 hitless; credited for hold | |
| Kazuhiro Sasaki | RHP | 1.0 IP; 1st Mariner to get save | |
| Lou Piniella | Coach | Served on manager Joe Torre’s staff | |
| 2002 | Ichiro Suzuki (2) | OF | AL’s leading vote getter; 0-for-2 |
| Freddie Garcia (2) | RHP | 2.0 IP, on mound when Selig called game | |
| Kazuhiro Sasaki (2) | RHP | Allowed 3 runs, blew save | |
| 2003 | Ichiro Suzuki (3) | OF | AL’s leading vote getter; 0-for-1 |
| Edgar Martinez (7) | DH | 0-for-2 | |
| Jamie Moyer | RHP | Worked 1.0 inning, no hits | |
| Shigetoshi Hasegawa | RHP | Shelled for 4 runs; blew save | |
| Bret Boone (2) | 2B | 0-for-2 with a K | |
| 2004 | Ichiro Suzuki (4) | OF | 1-for-3, scored a run |
| 2005 | Ichiro Suzuki (5) | OF | 1-for-2 with 2 RBIs |
| 2006 | Jose Lopez | 2B | PR, no AB, played 3B |
| Ichiro Suzuki (6) | OF | 0-for-3 | |
| 2007 | J.J. Putz | RHP | 0.2 innings, 2 earned runs |
| Ichiro Suzuki (7) | OF | 3-for-3, inside-park HR, MVP | |
| 2008 | Ichiro Suzuki (8) | OF | 1-for-3 in 4-3, 15-inning win |
| 2009 | Felix Hernandez | RHP | 8 pitches, no hits or runs |
| Ichiro Suzuki (9) | OF | 1-for-3 | |
| 2010 | Ichiro Suzuki (10) | OF | 0-for-2 with one strikeout |
| 2011 | Felix Hernandez (2) | RHP | Did not pitch |
| Michael Pineda | RHP | Worked 1.0 innings, 2 strikeouts | |
| Brandon League | RHP | 1.0 inning, 2 hits, 1 run | |
| 2012 | Felix Hernandez (3) | RHP | 6-5, 3.13 ERA, 128 Ks, 1.22 WHIP entering game |