First hit of Opening Day: Seattle Mariners 2000’s edition

The MLB contains an underrated statistic; the team’s first hit of the season. Although it will hardly go down as a season’s most memorable moment, it must feel great for the player. You jumpstarted your club’s season. Today we’ll look at which Mariners achieved the season’s first hit in the 2000s.

But we’re not just interested in which Mariners player it was; was it fortuitous and lead these players to a productive rest of the year? Let’s take a look…

2000: Carlos Guillen single to center off Pedro Martinez, Safeco Field

Successful season? Yes

Normally Carlos would get the “ding” for an uneventful 2000 regular season. He broke only 90 games and finished under a .260 average. In fairness to him, that guy named Alex Rodriguez was still head honcho this year.

The fact that Carlos had 2000’s first Seattle hit is symbolic. He gets a pass because not only did he jumpstart things, he prolonged them. How does a walk-off squeeze against the other Sox sound in the ALDS? Or an upper deck bomb to keep the Mariners’ hopes alive in the ALCS? Carlos ended up a bit of a postseason savior.

2001: Edgar Martinez single to left off Tim Hudson, Safeco Field

Successful season? Definitely!

Ha, you could say Edgar had a productive 2001 season. Mr. Mariner was one of eight teams All-Stars that year. Though his home run total wasn’t eye-popping, he finished with a more-than-clutch 116 runs batted in.

For a player who was nearing the end of his career, Edgar still made his presence felt at 38 years young. And just when the Indians had us in an ALDS hole, he tore a dagger into the Cleveland faithful. He took the momentum back for the Mariners with his Game Two home run and prevented a wild upset with a mammoth home run in Game Four.

2002: Ichiro single to left off Mark Buerhle, Safeco Field

Successful season? Yes

Ichiro wouldn’t get upstaged by his fellow leadoff man. After Kenny Lofton led off the top of the first with a base hit, Ichiro made sure to answer. Ichiro’s sophomore season was just as impressive as his rookie. He must have loved the number 157 because that was his exact game played his first two campaigns. He was Mr. Reliable.

Though his batting average, hit total, and stolen bases were less than 2001, they were still better than most players. Ichiro’s MVP rookie year was no fluke as he again finished at over 200 hits, over 30 stolen bases, and a .321 average.

2003: Randy Winn double to left off Tim Hudson, Oakland Coliseum

Successful season? Yes

In his first-ever Mariners at-bat, Randy showed the incumbents how it is with 2003’s first hit. It was also the first extra-base hit to start the team of this decade. Unfortunately, the rest of the game wasn’t too positive, starting the season off with a shutout loss. But the team won over 90 games and Randy was part of it.

He always seemed to quietly get things done during his short stint. The team found a consistent outfielder who could hit for contact. Randy’s home run and RBI totals weren’t anything to gawk at but the man got on base with a .295 average. He also finished with double-digit home runs (11) for the second time in his then-sixth season.

2004: Ichiro single to short off Bartolo Colon, Safeco Field

Successful season? Yes

For the second time this decade, Ichiro didn’t mess around with a hit in the team’s first at-bat of the season. Although the team had a dismal 2004, Area 51 didn’t at all. As opposed to 2001 and 2003, Ichiro was lonely as the Mariners’ All-Star Game rep. Ichiro was, as a vast understatement, a hit machine this year.

The nation was reminded of how great he was when he led off a run barrage against Roger Clemens in the All-Star Game. But that is a microcosm to his 2004. He went on to only get 261 more hits and break George Sisler‘s single-season total. And his .372 average ended up a career-high.