Felix and the fans fell in love all over again. Absolutely a top 10 in team history.

Easily. I would go so far as to say it was top 2 if not top 3. The top moment is when Griffey smiled at the bottom of the pile after "The Double." Saving baseball in Seattle. Without that, there would be no perfecto

This game was a party, a celebration. It started before the gates were open and didn't end, at least that I noticed, until people got in their cars and went home and maybe not even then. Sure, we've gotten big crowds in recent years when there's been a particularly intriguing giveaway or when a team with a strong national following comes to town, but this was different. It felt different. It sounded different. People weren't grabbing their giveaways and going home and the crowd wasn't so divided that you couldn't tell what was going on based on the crowd reactions. This was a 99.9999% pro-Mariners/Felix crowd and it was outstanding. When Trayvon Robinson made his diving catch (and with every replay of the catch that followed), the crowd roared with appreciation and approval. When Thames went deep to tie the game early on, it inspired "Let's go Eric!" chants in his next at-bat. When Montero went kaboom nearly into the upper tank in left-center, everyone went nuts. Every strike out Felix had was met with thunderous applause. It might have started as a celebration of Felix and his perfect game, but as the game got underway it became evident that this is a team that M's fans can and want to get behind and if they keep playing like this, this kind of party can become a regular occurrence. I couldn't have asked for a better 30th birthday present than the party that Tuesday night's Mariners game was.

I meant to say that Thames' homerun gave the M's the lead in the middle of the game, not tied the game early on. I got so excited with what I was typing that I completely screwed that up. I'm also tired. lol

Best 40th bday present I coulda had too! Was there with the family.

To preface this I worked at Safeco Field in high school in 2001, and this is by far the best crowd I have ever seen at a mariner's game. I honestly think that the Mariner's organization needed the perfect game and this game to energize the fan base. It was amazing to see at every 2 strike pitch the fans get up and chant and wave their strikeout signs...so from the bottom of my heart thank you Felix.

Lol, you're forgiven :) I'm just jealous i couldn't be at the game last night, but i watched on tv. What a game! The sea of yellow was awesome! and King Felix, I can say with all confidense, has reached Edgar Martinez heroism. An all time great Mariner.

Learned the atmostphere what could be. Now if only ownership and the front office learned of what could be. I highly doubt it since the USE to draw over 3 million fans a year and they watched them fade away. Lets hope they learned something

The atmosphere was electric, incredible last night. I haven't seen a crowd that big at Safeco for 10 years, but the feeling from the crowd was something I think was maybe only matched by a playoff game I went to in 2001. I hope the Mariners organization takes note. There are hardcore fans that will always go, but there are other fans that need something to cheer for. They need to get a couple quality bats this offseason, and they might really have something. But they threw an amazing party last night. Great job--I'll never forget it!

We know all the things that some of these players and coaches need to do, or do better. We know what the front office needs to do, to get the most out of their guys and put the best guys on the field. We know what the organization should be trading for, investing in, and spending to get and keep quality ballplayers. We know what these guys have done, and what the numbers and projections are.

But for one night, my god, it was good to believe again.

From actual lines to get into the stadium, and everyone being cheerful about it... to seeing the right field 300s above the Hit It Here Cafe being fuller than I've seen in years, even for season openers or Yankee/Red Sox/name-your-team games... to the sea of yellow, and the roar in greeting at the bullpen and around the stadium... to the roar of approval for Seager, Saunders, Ryan, Ackley, and especially Jaso, pre-game... to being allowed, nay ENCOURAGED to stand and cheer, no ushers ushing, no prompts on the big screen getting half-hearted claps... to living and dying on every 2-strike count... it was all what M's baseball could be, and I think even better than it used to be.

Even in the turn of the century glory days for the franchise, I don't think we had this kind of love for one guy, let alone the team. I wasn't here for '95, so you tell me if it was like this for Griffey or Edgar. But I get the sense that we were entertained by Griffey... proud of Edgar... supportive of the 2000-2003 teams... respectful and admiring of Ichiro... but dang, we love Felix. And could fall in love with the rest of this team too, given half a chance.

Here's what it looked like from my seats, and the crowd was still settling in, an inning later so it got fuller than this: http://i.imgur.com/dqMss.jpg

Most excellent. And Bartender signed my shirt, so I think I have a one-of-a-kind collector's item now. Oh, and finally, great to meet and thank you for your good work in person before the game, Shannon. :)

Great Post! You say you were not here for the Griffey years. There is a percentage of fans the dont like Griffey because he left the first time and then they didnt like his departure the second time.

I for one am not one of those fans. If it was not for Griffey this region would not have a baseball team. There would not have been Felix or anybody. Because this team was GONE, GONE, GONE! Griffey will be a first ballot hall of famer and maybe an unanomous vote. Something rarely done. Griffey was the best player of the 90's Period. Felix is one of a handfull of great pitchers.

Now that being said Felix is special and this ownership group are total MORONS if they do not sign him to another long term deal THIS OFFSEASON. He has publicly stated he loves it here and does not want to leave. SIGN HIM AGAIN NOW! Who knows what type of cluster that this Front office might through out there and piss him off. History has a tendicy to repeat itself and this FO group are not the sharpest tools in the shed that is well documented.

This fan base showed last night this clueless front office what COULD BE if they just knew what to do. The problem is they dont have a mustard seed of knowledge of what to do. When they do spend money they spend it foolishly on worthless washed up veterans and set a record for $100 million spent and 100 losses.

Alas one can wish and hope that they get it right and reward this loyal fanbase with 3-4 REAL MAJOR LEAGUE HITTERS this offseason. But you all know the saying you can wish and hope in one hand and ..... in the other and which one will fill up the fastest.

Sorry for the negativity but I am a show me guy. And this FO/Ownership has only showed me how to lose and lose big time. I WISH they showed me how to run a WINNING franchise but they have not. So here i am wishing and hoping again but I am afraid history will rise up and rear its ugly head and show me which hand will fill up faster.

So I raise my hands to the King and bow down before him. He is a very special player and person. Along with the beaten down fan base which is pretty special too. THANK YOU KING FELIX! Lets just hope the Front Office got the Memo last night. I am pretty sure 39,000+ fans sent it loud and clear.

...for putting on the Best Game Experience Nobody Ever Heard Of Outside of Seattle. National attention? Who needs it?! It's great to be homies!!

Felix pitched very well last night and showed once again why he's one of the 5 best pitches in baseball. I know we were all rooting for him to pitch a no hitter but it wasn't to be. It does, however, show just how great a feat Johnny Van de Meer's back to back no-hitters in 1938 was and is. While he gave up several walks and was in a little trouble at times, he still pitched 2 consecutive no-hitters. A feat which I don't believe will be equaled along with Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak and Ted Williams .406 BA. Both of these last two in the same year. Image hitting .406 and not being the MVP of the league.