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Seattle Mariners Top Ten Starting Pitchers in Franchise History

By Ben Garza

Sep 10, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) points at a pop-up for the final out of the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Seattle defeated Texas, 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) points at a pop-up for the final out of the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Seattle defeated Texas, 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 18, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a Seattle Mariners ball cap and glove during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Mariners defeat the Rangers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 18, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a Seattle Mariners ball cap and glove during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Mariners defeat the Rangers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

8.  Floyd Bannister

Floyd Bannister came out of Arizona State University via Kennedy High School in Burien, Washington, which is just south of Seattle.  The home town kid was a first overall draft pick of the Houston Astros in 1976.  After pitching just seven games in the minors the lefty was rushed to the big leagues to start the season with the Astros in 1977.  But after two bad seasons he was traded to the Seattle Mariners.  He spent four years with the Mariners before becoming a free agent and had a 15 year Major League career.

Flo’B pitched 768.1 innings for the Seattle Mariners in four seasons easily qualifying for this list.  From 1979 to 1982 he won 40 games and lost 50 as a starter.  If you’ve followed this team for any amount of time during this period, you know that wins and losses isn’t a good way to judge a pitcher’s contribution.  During his tenure with the Mariners he achieved a 3.75 ERA and a 1.286 WHIP with a 2.26 strikeout to walk ratio.  That is, he allowed 250 walks and had 564 strikeouts in his Mariners career.   His FIP was 3.94.  He also recorded 24 complete games and had seven shutouts.

In pitchers WAR the 6-foot-1 190 pound hurler ranked 10th all-time for his career in Seattle with 13.4.  His ERA is sixth all-time for the Mariners.  He is seventh all-time in complete games for the Mariners and fifth in shutouts.  He comes in at 8th in both WHIP and strikeout to walk ratio.

During his last year with the Mariners he was an All-Star and finished the season with the most strikeouts in the American League with 209.  Flo’B didn’t make this list because he is a home town kid.  His four years of quality pitching landed him as number eight on the Seattle Mariners top ten pitchers of all-time.

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