Seattle Mariners: Top 50 players of all time
By Nick Lee
15. Mike Cameron (2000-2003)
Cameron had the daunting task of replacing Ken Griffey Jr. as the Mariners’ everyday center fielder. In fact, he was sent to Seattle from the Reds in exchange for Junior.
He did his darnedest to fill the void. Cameron played for eight teams and had his best numbers of his career in Seattle.
In his first year in 2000, he hit .267 with 19 home runs and 24 stolen bases and played in 155 games. In the seasons following, he would earn an All-Star selection and two Gold Gloves.
As with many of the players on this list, Cameron was a big part of the Mariners’ 2001 run. He hit 25 home runs with a career-high 110 RBI. He was a 25/25 man as he also stole 34 bases.
He posted a career high OPS+ (Google the formula, it’s a great stat) of 123. He repeated his 25 home run performance in 2002.
Cameron achieved another feat in 2002. He became the 13th person ever to hit four home runs in a game. He did so on May 2.
He even had a fifth at-bat and gave it a good ride but it fell short. Four home runs in a game is one of the rarest feats in baseball.
He finished his M’s career with 87 home runs and 106 stolen bases, while also making some fantastic catches in centerfield. He was among the tops in the American League consistently in range factor in the outfield. He remains one of the more recognizable Mariners.