#23 Stan Thomas, Pitcher / Luis "Puchy" Delgado, Outfield

Stan was a pitcher that would go the Washington Senators in the 27th round of the draft in 1971. As we all know that team would move to Arlington and become the Texas Rangers in 1972. During Billy Martin's first season as manager in 1974, Stan would get his first call to the big leagues. He would spend all of the 1975 season in the hot Texas summer heat. After the 1975 season, the Rangers shipped Stan to the Cleveland Indians. Stan would stay in the bullpen for all of the 1976 season in Cleveland. After a rather good season with the Tribe, the Mariners decided to use their 9th pick in the expansion draft and choose Stan for the team. Sadly, the pitcher the Mariners got in 1977 was a disaster. Stan would go 2-6 in 13 games of which 9 were starts. Stan would not pitch for the Mariners after July of that season, and in August he was shipped off to the Yankees in a trade. After a brief stop in AAA Syracuse, Stan would make the Yankees roster in September. The Yankees would send Stan to the White Sox in that off season only to be released before spring training. He would play in the Rangers system with the AAA Tucson Toros in 1978. The next year would see Stan go south of the border literally. The Maracaibo Petroleros de Zulio would be home in 1979 and Stan would head to the Mexico City Tigres for 1980. Stan would call it quits at age 30 after two seasons in Mexico.

Sometimes in an expansion draft as you get into the later picks, some guys are just chances taken to fill out the roster. The Mariners decided with the 28th pick to take Luis Delgado out of the Red Sox organization. Luis had spent the last four years in the minors, never getting past A ball except for two games late in 1976. The Mariners would leave Puchy with the Red Sox AAA team in Pawtucket for most of the 1977 season. The Mariners did not have a farm system yet so guys were spread all of the minor leagues. When the time came to expand the rosters in September, the M's gave Luis a shot with the club. Sadly, he was not too lucky in the big leagues only getting four hits in his 23 plate appearances. The Mariners would keep Luis in the organization as a member of the AAA San Jose Missions in 1978. Near the end of the 1979 spring, the Mariners sent Puchy to the Chicago Cubs for Larry Cox. Luis would split that season between the Wichita Aeros and the Omaha Royals. Luis would be done after that season and would leave baseball at age 25.

from ootp developments

from 1977 Topps update blog

#9 Rupert Jones, Outfield

Prior to the end of the 1976 season, the Kansas City Royals had a 21 year old prospect named Ruppert Jones. He showed that he had some potential with the playing time he was given in the end of that 1976 season. The Royals decided to leave him unprotected in the expansion draft that off season, and he was taken by the Mariners with their first pick in the draft. Ruppert would be the starting center fielder for the Mariners in that first season, being elected as the Mariners only All Star representative in the Bronx that season.

Mr. Jones would become the first Mariners fan that the fans could cling to in those early days. In the Kingdome you would commonly hear what you thought were boos, but the fans were calling "RUUUPE." Ruppert would gibe the Mariners great numbers on a fairly poor team for three years through the 1979 season. After that third year, the Mariners dealt Ruppert to the Yankees with Jim Lewis for Rick Anderson, Jim Beattie, Juan Beniquez, and Jerry Narron. Mr. Jones would make it a year in NY before getting dealt to the Padres. Three years in San Diego would see Rupe move to Detroit in 1984 for a season, only to defeat his old team in the World Series. Mr. Jones would finally become a California Angel in 1985, and play his final three years in Southern California before riding off into the sunset on his baseball career.

#8 Carlos Lopez, Outfield

Carlos would start professionally in 1969 playing in his native Mexico. He would play at the AAA equivalent in Mexico City with the Tigres until the California Angels purchased his contact to bring him to the minors in the States. Finally during September call ups Carlos would make it into 9 games and get 12 plate appearances never getting a hit with the Halos. With the 27th pick in the expansion draft, the Mariners chose Carlos to play some outfield. At age 26, he and Dick Pole were considered the "old men" on the team. Mr. Lopez would play most of his time in 1977 with the large right field wall behind him in the Kingdome. After having a fairly average year in 1977, the Mariners would send Carlos along with Tommy Moore to the Baltimore Orioles for pitching. They would bring Mike Parrott to Seattle with a whole three games of experience to town for the next four years.

 

 

#5 Dave Collins, Outfield

With the 14th pick in the 1976 Expansion Draft, the Seattle Mariners would select Dave Collins as an outfielder from the California Angels. Dave would spend most of his time during that season playing 66 games in left field. He would also play four games in right, and three in center. Dave would also have put in time as the Designated Hitter in 41 games that season. After the end of the 1977 season, Dave would be traded in December to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Shane Rawley. Dave would stay in the majors through the 1990 season, seeing time with the Reds, Yankees, Blue Jays, Athletics, Tigers, the Reds again, and finally the Cardinals. Dave has coached in the majors, at the high school level, and in the minors since retiring after the 1990 season.

#4 Steve Braun, Outfield

Steve Braun was an outfielder for the Minnesota Twins from the 1971 season through the end of the 1976 season. Steve went to Twins management and asked them to make him available for the upcoming expansion draft. He would be selected with the 38th pick in that draft by the Mariners. Steve would find time as a designated hitter and in most outfield positions. On June 1st during the 1978 season, the Mariners would trade Steve to the Kansas City Royals for Jim Colborn. Steve would stay in Missouri with the Royal and Cardinals for the rest of his playing days ending after the 1985 season.

#51 Billy Williams, Outfield

How would you like to be a 36 year old player that has been in the minors since 1952 only to finally make your debut in 1969? Billy had spent 17 seasons in the minors only to see four games in the majors during August of 1969 and nothing more. He never got a hit in 12 plate appearances either. You would wish for a little better for a guy that waited that long.

courtesy of actionsports.yuku.com

Since you were able to get the back story on Seattle's Billy, hopefully you didn't confuse him with a more famous Billy Williams of the 60's seen here.

#36 Steve Hovley, Outfield

courtesy of seattlepilots.com

#25 Jose Vidal, Outfield/ John Gelnar, Pitcher

Another in the many numbers that saw multiple players due to roster changes. #25 was first donned by Jose Vidal at the beginning of the season. Jose would be traded in early June to the Yankees for Dick Simpson. Jose lost a battle with cancer on January 7 of 2011. 

courtesy of ootpdevelopments.com

The second Pilot to wear #25 was John Gelnar. John would pitch in the second half of the season. His biggest claim to fame in Seattle is that he was traded with Steve Whitaker from the Royals for a prospect named Lou Piniella. I think we all know how that trade worked out.

You have to love the apartments that overlooked the outfield

courtesy of halloffamememorabilia.com