5 Times the Mariners blew their First Round Pick in the MLB Draft

With the 3rd Pick in 1994, the Mariners should've selected- Kerry Wood (4th) or Todd Helton (8th)

In 94, the Mariners took Jason Varitek. Then, they traded him for Heathcliff Slocumb. Stupid. Can we just not do that trade, and stick with Varitek? No? I've had enough of talking about hitting, even though Todd Helton would've been amazing, but I'm tired of thinking about what the lineup would've looked like. How about we add some pitching to the team? Okay, then we are taking Kerry Wood here with the 3rd pick, who went just one pick later in reality.

The Mariners pitching was actually pretty good at the turn of the millennia. I have a feeling that Wood would've pushed them over the top, permitting he stayed healthy, of course. Check out their starting rotation in 2001.

Freddy Garcia: 18-6, 238.2 IP, 3.05 ERA
Aaron Sele: 15-5, 215 IP, 3.60 ERA
Jamie Moyer: 20-6, 209.2 IP, 3.43 ERA
Paul Abbott: 17-4, 163 IP, 4.25 ERA
Kerry Wood: 12-6, 174.1 IP, 3.36 ERA

This gets rid of the weak point that season, which was John Halama. He was replaced by Joel Pineiro, but i think having Pineiro out of the bullpen that season, at such a young age, would've been nasty and a huge win for the Mariners.

Would this have been a difference maker that year? Would they have broke the wins record, and rode that all the way to a World Series? It's quite possible, and something that makes me happy and sad all at the same time.