The 2009 season didn’t end with a playoff berth – or even a serious pursuit of a playoff berth.

    You would hardly have known that after the Seattle Mariners’ end-of-season celebration that followed Sunday’s 4-3 win over Texas at Safeco Field.

    Most of the crowd (32,260) stuck around after David Aardsma struck out Ian Kinsler to preserve Felix Hernandez’s career-high 19th win as the team celebrated on the field. Players started to duck into the dugout one at a time, but as a group the team stayed on the field, and the stragglers returned.

    Ultimately, manager Don Wakamatsu told the players that a victory lap around the edges of the field to shake hands with the fans was in order. Hernandez, who had started undressing after his 6 2/3 innings were finished, threw his clothes back on and joined in as the players walked the periphery, throwing batting gloves, armbands and caps into the stands.

  ... (more)