Monday, June 27, 2005
EVERYBODY SCORES, WELL...
This Saturday, the Mariners will have their 1995 10th Anniversary celebration at Safeco Field. Players that will attend the pregame ceremony include Rich Amaral, Mike Blowers, Chris Bosio, Jay Buhner, Norm Charlton, Edgar Martinez, Jeff Nelson, Doug Strange, Bob Wells, Dan Wilson and Bob Wolcott.
That's great, but there's one player who I believe should be able to take part in this ceremony on Saturday afternoon. His name?
Luis Sojo
You know the statues that the Mariners have given away this season? There's the Ken Griffey, Jr. walkoff home run against the Yankees (8/24/95). The Edgar Martinez double that put the M's into the ALCS (10/8/05). And how can we forget the Jay Buhner home run in Game 3 of the ALCS against Cleveland (10/13/05)?
You want to know how significant the Buhner home run was? It wasn't that significant. As a matter of fact, the following moment from 1995 had more meaning to me than the Buhner home run. This is not a knock on Jay, because I like the guy.
This following moment helped the Mariners get to the postseason. You may remember this one. At least I hope you do.
October 2, 1995
The Mariners and California Angels squared off in a one-game playoff to decide who would win the American League West title. Both teams were 78-66. You know the whole story behind the Angels' collapse if you're a Mariner fan.
Randy Johnson was on the mound for the Mariners on October 2, 1995. Who else, right? He was the best pitcher in baseball in 1995. There was no way the M's were going to lose with the Big Unit on the mound.
Fast forward to the 7th inning. The Mariners were up 1-0. Even with Randy on the mound, the Mariners needed to get a few more runs just to feel safe.
With 2 outs and the bases loaded, Luis Sojo came to the plate.
"Here's the pitch, swing, and it's a ground ball up the first base line and it sneaks up by Snow! Down the right field line into the bullpen! Here comes Blowers! Here comes Tino! Here comes Joey! The throw to the plate, cut off! The relay behind Langston, gets on by Allanson! Cora scores! Here comes Sojo, he scores!"
"Everybody scores!"
Believe me, it's the one shining moment in Rick Rizzs' career.
What was so ironic about the play was that Mark Langston was on the mound for the Angels. He was in the Randy Johnson deal in 1989. Who knew that 6 years after the deal, both men would pitch in a one-game playoff with the A.L. West on the line?
But more importantly, Sojo's bases loaded double gave the Mariners a 5-0 lead. A 5-0 lead with the best pitcher in baseball on the mound? Yeah, it was over.
You know the rest. The Mariners beat the Angels 9-1 and won their first A.L. West title. 19 years of frustration was over.
Griffey, Edgar, and Buhner have their statues. Where's Sojo's statue? My Sojo statue would depict Sojo sliding into home plate. No, I wouldn't include a Mark Langston "laying down in the dirt" statue to go along with Sojo's statue. It was cruel enough for Langston to lose to his former team in a one-game playoff.
It doesn't matter that Sojo is a Yankee now (third base coach). What does matter is that Sojo was a vital part of the 1995 Mariners. If you ask me, Sojo's double was the biggest hit in Mariner history. Obviously, I know Edgar's double against the Yankees in the Division Series was a big hit. But Sojo's hit propelled the Mariners into the playoffs. Keep in mind that it was only 1-0 when Sojo came to the plate.
Yes, Randy Johnson deserves his own statue as well. But that case has already been made. As far as I know, nobody has made a case for a Luis Sojo statue.
Until now.
/ Click for main page
