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Shipwrecked: A Peoples' History of the Seattle Mariners
Jon Wells, a baseball writer who has covered the Seattle Mariners for more than 15 years, asserts that poor management and shortsighted ownership combined to keep a team with three first-ballot Hall of Fame players, each in the prime of his career, from reaching the World Series. Wells details every misstep by the Mariners during the team’s 35-year history. But wait, there’s hope! Can General Manager Jack Zduriencik bring in enough young talent to make this club a contender again, as he did for the Milwaukee Brewers?
- GenresSportsBaseballNonfiction
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 21, 2020
This book covers the first thirty-five years of the Seattle Mariners franchise through 2012. For the first twenty plus years the hapless Ms have the dubious distinction of being the worst expansion team in the history of professional sports with only one winning season.
In the 1990’s Hiroshi Yamauchi, the chairman of Nintendo, was convinced to save the floundering club and keep it in Seattle. So he put a lot of money into purchasing the Mariners and pumped money into the farm system and upgraded the team through free agent acquisitions. The Mariners fortunes had changed within three years by the mid 90’s.
So for this book the chapters that cover the late 1900’s thru 2002, the only real period of Mariners success, were the most interesting to me. This period also coincided with my stay in Seattle. I was a season ticket holder during that magical run in 2001 when the Mariners set a major league record with 116 wins.
In the 1990’s the M’s had three Hall of Famers as part of their regular roster. Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Edgar Martinez. They also had Alex Rodriguez from 1994 to 2000. Now A-Rod certainly had a Hall of Fame worthy career but his steroid use during several years of his career will probably keep him out. Rickey Henderson another Hall of Famer played for the team briefly in 2000 and Ichiro Suzuki, who will likely make the Hall, played for decades beginning in 2001. Of these players only Edgar Martinez stayed with the team for his whole career.
Despite having the most star talent in the Major Leagues (along with the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees) and some regular season success the M’s were never able to achieve any titles. The lack of a World Series trophy had a lot to do with a string of ordinary managers and an ownership team who were unwilling to re-sign their high priced superstars Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey, and Alex Rodriguez from 1999 to 2001. Had the M’s ownership retained any two of these superstars they probably would have secured the World Championship in either 2001 or 2002.
3.5 stars. Pretty good read although it is a little too encyclopedic at times and lacks a sufficient amount of player quotes and anecdotes.
In the 1990’s Hiroshi Yamauchi, the chairman of Nintendo, was convinced to save the floundering club and keep it in Seattle. So he put a lot of money into purchasing the Mariners and pumped money into the farm system and upgraded the team through free agent acquisitions. The Mariners fortunes had changed within three years by the mid 90’s.
So for this book the chapters that cover the late 1900’s thru 2002, the only real period of Mariners success, were the most interesting to me. This period also coincided with my stay in Seattle. I was a season ticket holder during that magical run in 2001 when the Mariners set a major league record with 116 wins.
In the 1990’s the M’s had three Hall of Famers as part of their regular roster. Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Edgar Martinez. They also had Alex Rodriguez from 1994 to 2000. Now A-Rod certainly had a Hall of Fame worthy career but his steroid use during several years of his career will probably keep him out. Rickey Henderson another Hall of Famer played for the team briefly in 2000 and Ichiro Suzuki, who will likely make the Hall, played for decades beginning in 2001. Of these players only Edgar Martinez stayed with the team for his whole career.
Despite having the most star talent in the Major Leagues (along with the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees) and some regular season success the M’s were never able to achieve any titles. The lack of a World Series trophy had a lot to do with a string of ordinary managers and an ownership team who were unwilling to re-sign their high priced superstars Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey, and Alex Rodriguez from 1999 to 2001. Had the M’s ownership retained any two of these superstars they probably would have secured the World Championship in either 2001 or 2002.
3.5 stars. Pretty good read although it is a little too encyclopedic at times and lacks a sufficient amount of player quotes and anecdotes.
March 27, 2012
THIS BOOK IS SO FRUSTRATING. Let me clarify here: Intentionally frustrating. And it's really the Mariners who are frustrating, not this book.
That said, I think this book was too negatively biased. While the Mariners have certainly made their mistakes and I'm not going to defend Bavasi, I've never been sure how much Chuck Armstrong or Howard Lincoln were to blame (though it is rather disturbing their jobs never seem to be in any danger at all). And while it certainly seems the Mariners could spend more money . . . I guess I'd like to hear more of the other side of why they AREN'T. (Plus, too, money isn't a guarantee of winning and lack of money isn't a guarantee of losing. Look at the very different payrolls of the teams that made the last playoffs.)
And the Mariners HAVE had SOME success, which I don't think this book fully discussed. For example, Felix Hernandez's Cy Young award was barely mentioned. And I was hoping for more talk about Bob Engel because WOW. His international scouting has done SO MUCH for the team! (Felix and, also, Michael Pineda, who might not be on the team, but has netted the Mariners an actual offensive talent!)
Also, some of the Mariners problem is just plain bad luck. I think that's what my book about the Mariners failures would be about.
ANYWAY. Worth reading and a pretty fast read. What I really want to do is make non-Mariners fans read this, so they can know just what our problem here has been. :P
That said, I think this book was too negatively biased. While the Mariners have certainly made their mistakes and I'm not going to defend Bavasi, I've never been sure how much Chuck Armstrong or Howard Lincoln were to blame (though it is rather disturbing their jobs never seem to be in any danger at all). And while it certainly seems the Mariners could spend more money . . . I guess I'd like to hear more of the other side of why they AREN'T. (Plus, too, money isn't a guarantee of winning and lack of money isn't a guarantee of losing. Look at the very different payrolls of the teams that made the last playoffs.)
And the Mariners HAVE had SOME success, which I don't think this book fully discussed. For example, Felix Hernandez's Cy Young award was barely mentioned. And I was hoping for more talk about Bob Engel because WOW. His international scouting has done SO MUCH for the team! (Felix and, also, Michael Pineda, who might not be on the team, but has netted the Mariners an actual offensive talent!)
Also, some of the Mariners problem is just plain bad luck. I think that's what my book about the Mariners failures would be about.
ANYWAY. Worth reading and a pretty fast read. What I really want to do is make non-Mariners fans read this, so they can know just what our problem here has been. :P
June 30, 2017
Oh what might've been....
That lede refers to the M's more than the book. But could apply to the latter. I'd give the author 3 stars for his writing ability, but the research and breadth of Mariners knowledge required to put together a tome like this is worthy of a bump up.
My own "fandom" waned right about the spot I thought the book would shine: the post-Pinella years as the team went from being competitive (to outright incredible in that 2001 season) to flat-out stinking. But where the book seems to shine, parsing the very enjoyable Pinella years with many well-reasoned examples of how much better they could or should have been, the post-Pinella years feels like an index of bad trades but with little of the intrigue and insight that the earlier parts had. It may be a function of how bad the team has been; it might be harder to make it interesting explaining $100 payroll and 100 losses than how they acquired Charleton or lost Johnson during a playoff-sprinkled run. I don't know.
All in all, a well-crafted book (that takes my waning interest in supporting the club and nearly ensures I won't return very often) and an interesting trip down memory lane.
That lede refers to the M's more than the book. But could apply to the latter. I'd give the author 3 stars for his writing ability, but the research and breadth of Mariners knowledge required to put together a tome like this is worthy of a bump up.
My own "fandom" waned right about the spot I thought the book would shine: the post-Pinella years as the team went from being competitive (to outright incredible in that 2001 season) to flat-out stinking. But where the book seems to shine, parsing the very enjoyable Pinella years with many well-reasoned examples of how much better they could or should have been, the post-Pinella years feels like an index of bad trades but with little of the intrigue and insight that the earlier parts had. It may be a function of how bad the team has been; it might be harder to make it interesting explaining $100 payroll and 100 losses than how they acquired Charleton or lost Johnson during a playoff-sprinkled run. I don't know.
All in all, a well-crafted book (that takes my waning interest in supporting the club and nearly ensures I won't return very often) and an interesting trip down memory lane.
August 22, 2017
Exceptional read, both as a primer on the history of the Mariners, but also just brutally honest. Wells doesn't need to kowtow to anyone, and when he places blame for why the M's have flamed out during so many promising seasons and postseasons, he backs it up with facts, stats, and reasoned analysis.
Between Jon Wells' "Shipwrecked" and Art Thiel's "Out of Left Field," the history of the Mariners is well chronicled.
Between Jon Wells' "Shipwrecked" and Art Thiel's "Out of Left Field," the history of the Mariners is well chronicled.
February 17, 2019
The Seattle Mariners have had their fair share of ups and downs over the years. This book explains the history behind the sport, city, players, and events over many years. The author remains honest in his explanations and findings to give readers a true insight into the beloved Seattle team.
April 14, 2013
While this book isn't super a super compelling page turner, it does a good job of compiling an accurate description of the frustrations faced by fans of the franchise. I'm sure that the managment of the Seattle Mariners isn't all that thrilled about the book as it brings up everything that has been swept under the carpet.
It is depressing to read a book that not only describes the foibles of the players on the field of play but the missteps of the owners groups as well. As a kid growing up with stars like Griffey and Buhner in my hometown all I really cared about was cheering my butt off when they came up to bat and drooling over the stats on the back of their baseball cards. Looking back at those individual stats in comparison to the stats I see now, it is appalling how a team that had so much offense could not make it to the World Series. Where does the blame lie? Jon Wells would probably narrow that scope to Chuck Armstrong. Im not sure it all belongs there bit it leaves me wondering how things could have been with just a few more risks.
It is depressing to read a book that not only describes the foibles of the players on the field of play but the missteps of the owners groups as well. As a kid growing up with stars like Griffey and Buhner in my hometown all I really cared about was cheering my butt off when they came up to bat and drooling over the stats on the back of their baseball cards. Looking back at those individual stats in comparison to the stats I see now, it is appalling how a team that had so much offense could not make it to the World Series. Where does the blame lie? Jon Wells would probably narrow that scope to Chuck Armstrong. Im not sure it all belongs there bit it leaves me wondering how things could have been with just a few more risks.
December 17, 2016
I've been a Mariners fan for more than 20 years, though I'll admit I was largely "lapsed" for a decade or so. Reading this book, I relived the adrenaline-charged seasons in the mid- to late-nineties with Griffey, the Big Unit, Edgar, Buhner, and A-Rod. And as I read how most of those players slipped away (or were run out of town), I came to see why I'd already become somewhat disillusioned by the time the Mariners won a record-tying 116 games in 2001 with a whole new slate of players. Since then, the franchise has been "shipwrecked" several times over, as this book painstakingly reveals. I'd been a Mariners fan in name only during a chunk of that time, so much of this book served to fill in the gaps of my memory – managerial hirings and firings, free agent busts, perplexing priorities on the part of ownership, and a whole lot more.
December 3, 2012
While informative, I found this book a bit hard to read. The author had a clear bias and I don't think the conclusions reached were always well thought out or researched.
I found the writing a bit clumsy and erratic (jumping ahead to end of season results before introducing the early season decisions that led to those results) and the logic was often based on false conclusions and erroneous assumptions (statements such as "we can only conclude" when no statements of fact were offered on which to base those conclusions). I will not deny the Mariner franchise has been run poorly for some time. However, this book covers Mariner history through a very biased view point and offers no positive steps towards a better future.
I found the writing a bit clumsy and erratic (jumping ahead to end of season results before introducing the early season decisions that led to those results) and the logic was often based on false conclusions and erroneous assumptions (statements such as "we can only conclude" when no statements of fact were offered on which to base those conclusions). I will not deny the Mariner franchise has been run poorly for some time. However, this book covers Mariner history through a very biased view point and offers no positive steps towards a better future.
February 7, 2013
This is a depressing must-read for Mariners fans, as it goes over the history of the team year-by-year, especially starting from the early 1990s, and we realize just how much the ownership and management have blown their opportunities to build a champion due to being overly concerned about the bottom line. As the book points out, owners of sports teams shouldn't expect yearly profits, the profit comes when you sell the team after 15 or 20 years. In the meantime, the goal should be to win games. One can only hope that the Mariners will eventually get owners who understand this. Anyway, this book is an honest look at the team and it was fun to remember some of the names and games from their sordid history.
March 4, 2014
From original owners who were too poor to spend money, to current owners who have a license to print money but are to cheap to spend it, Mariners fans has been screwed about every which way over it's 35+ year history. With the exception of the "glory" years of 1995-2002, Shipwrecked takes us back to the horror show that was the pre-Griffey Jr. era (1977-88) up to the hiring of Eric Wedge as yet another M's skipper. One thing is constant throughout, ownership without the will or the way to keep the team competitive. Home grown stars are released for being too expensive Griffey, A-Rod, Randy Johnson, Tino Martinez), yet second-tier free agents are overpaid and under produce (Sexon, Crawford, Speizeo, Pena, etc).
This is great but trauma producing history.
This is great but trauma producing history.
July 5, 2012
This book can make or break you as a Mariner fan. It displays more insight into the way a baseball organization is run than any book I've read. I honestly had to question my selection as a Mariner fan since I was 10 years old due to complete managerial stupidity and owners that want to only make money and not provide wins. In the end, at last I've decided Mariner marrow is in my bones and I hope in the future I will be rewarded with a championship. Very insightful, yet frustrating read.
January 31, 2013
This overview of the Seattle Mariners glosses over the first 15 years, then gets down to it. Chapters alternate between an overview of a season and a rant about the front office. Occasional "best/worst" lists are thrown into the mix. All-in-all, a very dry read, and a conclusion that is obvious from the first quarter of the book.
June 21, 2012
Fantastic oral history of my hometown team. I knew that Mariners management was bad, I had no idea how terrible Chuck Armstrong, Woody Woodward and Howard Lincoln really were.
Must read if you're a Mariners fan, and an entertaining read for anyone interested in sports off the field.
Must read if you're a Mariners fan, and an entertaining read for anyone interested in sports off the field.
March 26, 2016
Fascinating look at the reasons why things have gone wrong for the Mariners since their last playoff appearance. Though many things are well-known, the book includes some things not commonly known or easily forgotten about. Overall a strong analysis of how things often go wrong for the Mariners.
September 22, 2012
Great look into my favorite baseball team!
February 20, 2014
So, so bitter. With some cause, but the second-guessing is tiresome. Could also use a better editor.
August 5, 2015
this book was like reading a newspaper, nothing very exciting yet very detailed. somewhat boring to anyone that grew up reading the seattle times.
May 3, 2016
This book should be renamed "How not to run a Baseball Team".
April 23, 2017
In the sporting world, money is power. The more money a team has, the more talent they can buy. The Seattle Mariners are in this exact dilemma. After the popular film and book, "MoneyBall", everyone and there mother in baseball has been looking for ways to save a buck. With the Mariners being a relatively new and unestablished, they had to go about making a good team differently. They had to recruit, draft, and develop talent, rather than buy it. Jon Wells does a great job telling the story of how the Mariners came to be and compete with the best of the best.
With being a huge Mariners fan myself, i really enjoyed this book mainly because of its content. It was a decently written book, but the story and plot of the book is what made me continue the read.
With being a huge Mariners fan myself, i really enjoyed this book mainly because of its content. It was a decently written book, but the story and plot of the book is what made me continue the read.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews