Sweep Dreams

This is not a common experience for Mariner pitcher Aaron Sele. How he got where he is today is not something you can plan.

Sele, 30, is a home-grown talent, raised just across Elliott Bay in Poulsbo. He's a lifelong Mariner fan who returned to play for Seattle this season. The club then earned a playoff spot on the final day of the season, and now the right-hander starts today in a game that could propel the Mariners into the American League Championship Series.

Who scripted this?

"Once the season starts, you're so busy, you're focused on other teams that you're playing against," Sele said. "I have not looked back at any of the offseason situations and how that developed.

"Obviously, we're sitting here in the playoffs, and that makes it a lot of fun coming back."

Initially, the Baltimore Orioles agreed to terms with Sele on a free-agent contract during the offseason, but they backed out, claiming medical concerns. The Mariners had no such concerns and signed him to a two-year deal. With a 17-10 record, the former Washington State star was the team's winningest pitcher.

"The people in the Northwest, the people I played college ball with, even Senior Babe Ruth and American Legion and those leagues, it's fun seeing those people along the way," he said. "And for my wife (Jennifer) and I, to have the grandparents around to help us with our child (Katherine), that makes it real special to play here.

"There are big baseball fans over there (Poulsbo). Obviously, their youth programs are big. Growing up there, we always followed the Mariners and so I'm sure the whole Kitsap County, along with the whole state, is very excited to see the games here."

However he was raised and influenced by those folks in Kitsap, one thing they instilled in him was an even temper. He kept insisting yesterday that even though a victory today would give the Mariners a 3-0 sweep in the best-of-five series and advance them to the ALCS, he's not going to get hyper about it.

"Really, there's no change," he said. "I've talked to you guys all year about trying to stay the same: Don't get too high; don't get too low; stay within your game plan.

"For the most part, that's been successful for me."

It was successful Sunday when Sele took the mound for what was then the team's most important game this season. The Mariners had to beat the Angels in Anaheim to win the wild card.

Sele gave up two first-inning runs, but those would be all he would allow as he took a 2-2 tie into the sixth inning, handing the game over to the bullpen. The Mariners won, 5-2, and now Sele finds himself in another biggest game of the season.

He has responded well, not just this season, but throughout his career. He and second baseman Mark McLemore are the only ones to be part of the AL West titles for the past three seasons. Both played with Texas the past two years when the Rangers won the West.

He is just one of five major-league pitchers to win at least 17 games over the past three years. The others you may have heard of, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux and David Wells.

He is 14-6 with a 3.16 earned-run average in September and October.

But he hasn't won a postseason game. He has had two chances, losing to the Yankees both times, 4-0 in 1998 and 8-0 last season.

"You get into the postseason and you've got an event like this, and the crowds are out there and really pumping it up," Sele said. "That has taught me just to be able to calm down, slow things down, and get back into focusing just on pitching, not get too excited and try not to overthrow.

"You've got to stay within yourself and throw your type of game and your pitches."