A year ago, the final game couldn’t be over fast enough. Sure there were postgame handshakes and well-wishes, but when the 2008 season came and went, the Seattle Mariners were glad to get away from each other. They were 100-game losers and a splintered group at that.

This year, the Mariners acted as if they never wanted the season to end.

On Sunday at Safeco Field, the Mariners wrapped up an improbable turnaround season with a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers. They may not be going to the postseason, but they weren’t losers.

Handshakes couldn’t convey the feeling. Instead, there were 30-some hugs for 30-some people, and a few more for good measure.

Two years, two different seasons, two very different teams.

“It’s an absolute different environment,” said left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith, who experienced both days.

A year ago, interim manager Jim Riggleman weakly lobbied to keep his job, though no one figured he would be back.

This year, Don Wakamatsu culminated his final postgame press conference by taking an ice-cream pie to the face.

“It’s an emotional day for me. The group of guys we have this year and we had this season, it’s going to be hard to replicate,” Rowland-Smith said.

Whether it was heartfelt hugs, the tears of Ken Griffey Jr., the lap around the field thanking the 32,260 fans in attendance, or the postgame beer shower for Wakamatsu, his coaching staff and Felix Hernandez, so much changed the team’s most valuable player said he can’t remember last season.

“Thinking about it, this season makes me not even remember last season,” Ichiro Suzuki said through translator Ken Barron. “We have great teammates, the manager is great, just everyone has been great. Although we are not going to the playoffs, we can still say we are a good team.”

What stuck out this season was how different the environment was in the clubhouse.

“You don’t ever expect something like that, but you always want it to happen and you desire it to happen,” catcher Rob Johnson said. “The way that this management team turned it around is absolutely unbelievable.”

Short hops

Franklin Gutierrez finished the season with 70 RBI – tying ex-Mariners Mike Cameron and Adam Jones for the fourth highest total among major league center fielders. … David Aardsma’s 38th save gave him the third highest single-season total in franchise history. It was also fourth in the league behind leader Jonathan Papelbon of Boston. … Who would Texas manager Ron Washington vote for if he had an American League Cy Young Award ballot? “I’ve seen more of Felix Hernandez, and I don’t know if there’s anything better out there,” Washington said.

News Tribune staff writer Larry LaRue contributed to this report.

Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483

ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com