Day Three: Brian Holman


Back in 1989 the Mariners traded their best player. They dealt then iconic lefty Mark Langston to the Expos for Gene Harris and two raw prospects: a mulleted giant with no control and a sinkerball righty from Kansas. The mulleted one eventually found some control (and Cooperstown) but out of the gate it was the sinkerballer who made the trade. And it still is the greatest trade in Mariners history. Let’s talk about that crafty Kansan: Brian Holman.

Holman arrived on the scene in Seattle looking polished and ready to compete. He finished 89 strong and was named Opening Day starter for 90. He was poised to be the marquee guy in a young and improving rotation as Jim Lefebvre worked on making the Mariners a viable club. 1990 was a huge season for the Mariners. It was Griff’s sophomore season and he improved in every way possible, Buhner was a regular every day starter for the first time in 90, the aforementioned giant lefty threw the Mariners first no-hitter (while walking 6), and in late April in Oakland, Brian Holman was one out away from a perfect game. I listened to that game with my dad in his blue Isuzu pickup and to this day I don’t think I’ve seen him more excited about a possible perfect game/no hitter. It captivated us both in that moment. And then Ken Phelps (yes, that Ken Phelps) hit a smug homer and the perfect game was erased. And he quietly finished the game a one-hitter (not even a shutout). But for a lot of us who are a certain age that was a huge turning point in the history of the Mariners. Never before had anything like that even seemed remotely possible. And then Randy’s no-hitter in the Dome in July kind of cemented it for us. The Mariners were gonna be good! And unfortunately Brian Holman never got to enjoy that goodness. He was a part of the 91 squad that finished over .500 for the first time ever but his career was ended by arm injuries after that. He is the one out away guy who started the best times in Mariners history. And for that he will always be a legendary hero.

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