Seattle Mariners: Norm Charlton
Like Blowers, Norm Charlton had three different stints with the Seattle Mariners. Two years after helping Lou Piniella and the Cincinnati Reds win the 1990 World Series as part of their famous “Nasty Boys” bullpen, he was traded to the Mariners for outfielder Kevin Mitchell. He was outstanding in the first three months of the 1993 season, putting up a 2.34 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 34.7 innings, but an elbow injury ended his season in August. He had surgery and missed all of 1994, then signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Charlton was terrible with the Phillies in 1995. He walked 15 batters in 22 innings and was released in July with a 7.36 ERA. The Mariners took a chance on him. Perhaps Lou Piniella knew something the Phillies didn’t. Charlton “, The Sheriff,” was incredible with the Mariners down the stretch. He struck out 58 batters in 47.7 innings while picking up 14 saves with a 1.51 ERA.
This was the team that saved baseball in Seattle, the “Refuse to Lose” Mariners. They were 13 games behind the division-leading California Angels in early August. On August 23, they were 54-55 and still 11.5 games behind the Angels. Then they got hot and went 25-11 down the stretch to tie the Angels by the end of the season. They won the tie-breaker game Behind Randy Johnson and Luis Sojo, then beat the Yankees in an epic 1995 ALDS (hat tip, Edgar Martinez).
Charlton spent the next two seasons with the Mariners but was not nearly as good. They released him in November of 1997, and he pitched for the Orioles, Braves, Rays, and Reds over the next three seasons. The Mariners brought him back for a third time prior to the 2001 season, and he pitched well, with a 3.02 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 47.7 innings, but would need rotator cuff surgery after the season. He tried to make it back from the injury, but his arm was done.