Millennium Mariners

After what they witnessed last week, when one of those frequent debates arises over the creation of the universe, Seattle fans can be expected to espouse the big-bang theory.

Six days ago, they witnessed what one massive explosion could do when the Mariner world was changed forever.

Ken Griffey Jr. has disappeared, like the long ball he drove into the distance and out of sight in Anaheim two years ago.

Now to measure the fallout. Will Seattle have what baseball men say when they are unsure, "a nice ballclub?" Or will there be nuclear winter?

Now, on the cusp of training camp, to find out what the changes will mean, where it counts, in the clubhouse and between the lines.

For starters, there will be no more cows in the manager's office (a Griffey prank). It will be quieter in training camp - far different than last year when, on the first day position players worked out, Griffey worried Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki by insisting the two would sneak out after practice, "to drink sake."

Newcomers may not be as immediately a part of things as last year when Griffey looked at invitee Earl Johnson's No. 82 and started calling him, "John Stallworth," after the Pittsburgh Steeler who wore that number.

Edgar Martinez may never again be called, "Hector." Manager Lou Piniella, known to mangle names, once mixed his star designated hitter up with someone Piniella had played with; from then on, Griffey needled Martinez as "Hector."

Griffey may have gone east, but baseball is back. The sports world has not ended despite the Mariner life changes, and now pitchers and catchers report to Peoria, Ariz., tomorrow and have their first official workout Friday.

For four and more months, L'Affair Junior seemed the lone question mark in the sky over Safeco Field.

But it wasn't. There were always baseball questions about the making and ultimate makeup of the Millennium Mariners.

As of now, Griffey's departure in a trade to the Cincinnati Reds only adds the question of who will play center field to Seattle's list. But there is a bigger ramification, which Mariner officials will try to rectify as spring training wears on.

Griffey took with him a huge left-handed bat. He actually hit lefties as well as he hit righties, one of the essential elements of his greatness.

But the Mariners now have a regular lineup of seven right-handed hitters: DH Martinez, shortstop Alex Rodriguez, right fielder Jay Buhner, second baseman David Bell, catcher Dan Wilson, left fielder Brian Hunter and center fielder Mike Cameron, the last coming with pitcher Brett Tomko in the big deal with Cincinnati.

First baseman John Olerud is the lone lefty. Of three switch-hitters, third baseman Carlos Guillen is the only every-day performer, with Mark McLemore expected to see much playing time, and Stan Javier possibly getting a lot if Seattle stays this right-sided.

As the roster stands now, Piniella could play a lineup of six left-handed hitters, with righties Rodriguez at shortstop, Cameron or Hunter in center field, and Martinez the DH.

Tom Lampkin would catch, with Olerud at first base, McLemore at second, John Mabry at third, Javier in left field, and Raul Ibanez in right.

But that won't play every day, and with 75 percent of all pitching right-handed, the Mariners can be expected to look hard for one more left-handed hitter for the regular lineup, which is why Pittsburgh's Al Martin may be more of a target in upcoming weeks than Montreal's Rondell White.

Beyond that, after an excellent acquisition season, seven free agents and the epic Griffey Swap, there will be one big question a week in the 1 1/2 months of camp.

-- Who will lead off?

-- Can Guillen play third base?

-- Who will survive the numbers game on the bench?

-- How much will Buhner play?

-- Who will win the battle for the bullpen?

-- Who will emerge as the closer? (And when?)

The Mariners indeed were big-banged. Only 15 of 26 players (Mark Leiter was on the disabled list) who were on the Opening Day roster last April 5 are back.

While most of the lead pitchers and position players have returned, the Mariners will feature a changed style of play, dictated largely by a full season at Safeco Field, a stadium so big that hitters think it's maintained by the National Park Service.

And speaking of changes, none was made in the distances to the outfield fences at Safeco. The only change will be in the batter's background, which will be widened and positioned at more of a right angle to the plate.

The Seattle offense will be diminished with the subtraction of Griffey's annual 50-plus homers.

Fading into yesteryear is the only team to top 200 home runs four straight seasons, including a record 151 by last year's All-Star Game, which was followed by a shift to the prairie at Safeco.

The Mariner attack promises now to be run and shoot, slap and scoot, the West Coast Offense come to baseball. Piniella might want to borrow Mike Holmgren's playbook.

"We'll still hit home runs," said Piniella, whose '99 club went from 75 homers in 39 Kingdome games to 47 in 42 Safeco games. "But we have to create runs in different ways now."

Prepared for and playing the entire season at Safeco should make a big difference to a run production that was flustered by the midseason switch in parks, dropping from a .297 team batting average and 6.8 runs per game at the Kingdome to .249 and 4.43 at Safeco.

"It was tough to go from one park to another, from a place where you felt you could hit the ball out easily to a place where you felt you had to mash the ball," Piniella said. "Our guys felt they had to make adjustments in midseason, that they had to pull the ball to hit it out. It took most of them out of their rhythms."

One who did not falter was Martinez, who jumped from .324 to .394 at the new ballpark.

"Edgar prospered because he sprays the ball around and does not focus on homers," Piniella said. "We will have to do more of that."

To that end, the Mariners concentrated on adding line-drive hitters in Olerud, whom Piniella calls, "a left-handed Edgar," along with McLemore and Javier.

In real terms, Piniella may not be able to squeeze all of those players into the 14 slots open to position players on Opening Day. Givens are catchers Wilson and Lampkin, DH Martinez, infielders Olerud, Bell, Rodriguez and Guillen, outfielders Buhner, Cameron, Hunter and Javier and also swingman McLemore, whom the Mariners hope to use like handy Tony Phillips.

That is 12. Others on the roster are first baseman-right fielders Mabry and Ibanez. Mabry can also play third, but Ibanez has more long-ball and long-term potential.

Rodriguez is high on Ibanez, with whom he worked out this winter in Miami. "He is awesome, in great shape," Rodriguez said. "He's going to have a big year."

Shane Monahan has needed outfield experience, but Charles Gipson has more speed than anyone and could be used at third base or even shortstop, if needed.

Backup shortstop is a sticky thing for now. If the Mariners have a serious problem area, it is infield depth.

Having lost Rafael Bournigal to the Yankees, Seattle seeks a veteran glove man. But as Piniella said, "they can be tough to come by."

Right now, Guillen, whose natural position is shortstop, will get playing time there in training camp. If he looks comfortable, coming off two knee injuries, Seattle may be tempted to list him as the primary backup for Rodriguez.

If Rodriguez needed a rare day off, Guillen could move over from third to short, with McLemore or Mabry taking third.

Guillen also is down as the everyday third baseman in place of Russ Davis, who signed with the San Francisco Giants.

When the Mariners obtained Guillen in the Randy Johnson trade in 1998, Piniella asked him where he'd like to play other than shortstop, and he said, "Third base. Stay on the left side of the infield."

"As it turned out," Piniella said, "we had to use him at second and he looked good there, but you have to think he'll be able to handle third."

Guillen also is one answer to the who-will-bat-leadoff quiz. Most forget that he handled the job well for 10 games before getting hurt in September 1998, and Seattle went 9-1. He also hit better than .400 to win the slot last spring. But when Guillen went out with a blown-out right knee in the fifth game of 1999, Seattle was without a leadoff hitter until Hunter was acquired in late April.

In settling on the man to hit first in the lineup, the Mariners may have no one certainty but are not without a group of ostensibly qualified candidates, including Cameron.

Hunter is the most obvious player for the spot on the current roster, having done it here and in Detroit. But his suitability depends entirely upon his ability to raise his on-base percentage from a lowly .277.

The fleet outfielder, who plays left field but was a more-than-capable backup to Griffey in center, has been working with new hitting coach Gerald Perry, who may emerge as one the the club's best additions of the offseason.

Buhner and trainer Rick Griffin, who has worked with the big-hitting outfielder five times a week this winter, predict he will be back strong. "I expect to play 135 games, and I expect to produce," Buhner said. "I am out to show that the last two years, it was my injuries that caused my problems."

This spring may be the first time in Mariner history, at least in 15 years, that there are more questions about the offense, including what type of offense, than the pitching.

With the late addition of Aaron Sele, the Mariners can field one of the better-regarded rotations in the American League. Jamie Moyer figures to match up with Boston's Pedro Martinez on Opening Day, followed by Sele, Freddy Garcia, John Halama and Gil Meche.

Tomko should be out to prove he is more the 24-19 pitcher of 1997-98 than the 5-7 guy of last season when he clashed with Cincinnati's manager, Jack McKeon, and pitching coach, Don Gullett.

If Tomko comes around, Piniella will have the leeway of moving Halama to be a second lefty in the bullpen, or to send Meche down for more minor-league time if the talented kid does not follow a superb September with a good spring.

The bullpen situation is open, as is that of closer, where Jose Mesa starts out as incumbent but could be replaced at the first sign of ineffectiveness. In fact, if Kaz Sasaki shows he can do the job in camp, Seattle may try to trade Mesa quickly.

Or if not Sasaki, then possibly newcomer Arthur Rhodes, who is the lead left-handed specialist going into camp, or even Paul Abbott. Abbott, who held opponents to a .193 average last year, is expected to be a big part of the bullpen, from long to short, or even closing, if needed.

Tom Davey and lefty Steve Sinclair, the pitchers acquired for David Segui last year, will be in the spring mix, along with returnees Ken Cloude and Jose Paniagua. With Piniella seeking a second left-hander, Sean Spencer or Jordan Zimmerman could win a spot with a big spring.

Change will be the hallmark of 2000 for this camp, this entire organization.

And alteration in the middle of the outfield, in style of offense, in the emergence of pitching, are only part of the balance that makes up a team.

It remains to be seen who will fill the void at the top of the pecking order, who will set the tone, who will lead.

If Griffey's cleats are big to fill in center and in the lineup, they could be nothing compared to his role off the field. The Mariners now are a team is search of a top dog.