2014 Seattle Mariners: Top 5 Hitters on the Season

Sep 19, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman

(22) singles during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

1st: Robinson Cano:

It’s hard to deny Robinson Cano‘s presence and impact for the Seattle Mariners in 2014. After signing a 10-year/$240 million contract, Cano produced in his first season with Seattle.

Batting third in 157 games for the Mariners this season, Cano was the staple of consistency on a team where no one exceed 600 at-bats, and only three exceeded 500. He batted over .300 for the 6th straight season, tied with Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers for the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.

His Numbers:

.314/.382/.454 with 14 home runs, 82 RBI, 37 doubles, 61 walks and 68 strikeouts, and 77 runs scored in 157 games.

Cano, like Seager, slumped a bit in September as well, though to a lesser extent. He batted .265 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI.

Ignoring the slow finish to the season, Robinson Cano was everything the Mariners needed this season and more. He made defense at second base look easy. And he provided that anchor in the lineup. While names and numbers and positions were being moved around throughout the season, you knew Robinson Cano was playing 2nd base and batting 3rd.

His 187 hits were most on the team, ahead of Kyle Seager’s 158. He had clutch RBIs, he put the ball in play, and he helped the young players around him, educating and motivating throughout the long and arduous season.

Will Robinson Cano be this productive offensively during the last season of his contract? Likely he won’t. But in 2014 he gave the Mariners a major boost, getting them within 1 game of the playoffs.

In 2015? Who knows, maybe they’ll get that one game and then some, sending the Mariners to the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.