#4: Bret Boone: 2001 w/7.7 oWAR. Also, 2003 w/6.3
Yeah, it was this guy instead. I mentioned how Nelson Cruz came to the Mariners on one of the best deals ever signed by the team, but the one-year deal that the Mariners gave Bret Boone is arguably one of the best deals that a team has ever signed… period.
2003 was a great season by any standards you wanna put out there. 2001 though, that was special. Boone carried the heart of the Mariners order, alongside incredible seasons by John Olerud (4.5 oWAR), Mike Cameron (4.8 oWAR), Edgar (4.8 oWAR), and Ichiro (6.2 oWAR) as well. They all had great seasons, but don’t really compare to what Boone did.
- .331/.372/.578, 37 2B, 37 HR, 141 RBI, 118 R, 153 OPS+
A normal season by a second baseman that year would’ve seen the Mariners still put together a great season. The fact that Boone put together one of the greatest offensive seasons we have ever seen in Mariners history got the team to another level and tied them with the Cubs for most wins ever in a season.
Now we get to the three guys that everyone has been waiting on. When it comes to Edgar Martinez, Ken Griffey Jr, and Alex Rodriguez, who had the greatest offensive season in team history? For those that have been waiting for the chance to yell at me… here goes.