Ranking the Best Designated Hitters in Seattle Mariners History

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 24: Edgar Martinez #11 of the Seattle Mariners prepares to bat during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on June 24, 1992 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 24: Edgar Martinez #11 of the Seattle Mariners prepares to bat during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on June 24, 1992 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
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Mariners Richie Zisk
BALTIMORE, MD – CIRCA 1983: Richie Zisk of the Seattle Mariners bats against the Baltimore Orioles at Memorial Stadium circa 1983 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)

Mariners #4 DH: Richie Zisk – 4.0 fWAR

I have no idea if anyone called him that, but it sounds like a good nickname, so I went with it. Richie Zisk came to the Mariners in December of 1980 in a massive trade with the Rangers. The Mariners received Richie Zisk, Steve Finch, Brian Allard, Rick Auerbach, Ken Clay, and Jerry Don Gleaton in exchange for Larry Cox, Rick Honeycutt, Willie Horton, Mario Mendoza, and Leon Roberts.

Zisk has been a solid hitter throughout his career, and would finish out his career with the Mariners in the same fashion. For the first two years, at least. In 1981, he would hit .311/.366/.485 with a 144 WRC+ and 16 HR. If he could’ve played the entire season, he would’ve ended up with a great year, but was limited to just 94 games.

It’s why his fWAR from 1981 and 1982 are so close. He would play 131 games the next year, hitting .292/.354/.477 with a 124 WRC+, better isolated power, and 21 HR. He had a 2.1 in 1981 and a 2.0 in 1982. 1983 would be his final season in the bigs, and he just didn’t have it anymore. Those first two seasons were quite good though, and were enough to get him to 4th on the list.

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