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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Griffey Puts On Power Exhibition In M’S First Game

Larry Larue Tacoma News Tribune

The first official grunt of spring came a few minutes after 1 p.m. Thursday - a heartbeat after Randy Johnson released its first meaningful fastball.

A half-inning later, the first significant crack of wood upon ball was produced by Ken Griffey Jr., who hit a long home run on the first pitch thrown to him.

“Junior and Randy,” manager Lou Piniella said. “I wish it were all that easy.”

In what has become an endless spring - Piniella and his coaches reported to camp Feb. 14 and haven’t left yet - the Seattle Mariners played and won their first Cactus League exhibition game, beating San Diego, 7-4.

Along the way there was a game full of nice moments, from finely turned double plays to an eighth-inning, come-from-behind rally. And Alex Rodriguez, the 19-year-old shortstop headed straight for Tacoma later this month, just might not be headed for the minor leagues after all.

Since camp began, Piniella has said Rodriguez’s chances to make the major-league team in a shortened spring were slim. Thursday, he made a minor managerial confession.

“I didn’t want to put pressure on him and I still don’t. If I say ‘It’s his job to win’ or ‘He’s got to prove he can do the job,’ he may try too hard to do too much,” Piniella said. “We’re going to take a look, and we’re going to make a decision. I hope he makes it easy for us.”

He’s trying. Rodriguez turned a couple of solid defensive plays and crushed a long home run.

“All winter I wanted to play baseball, I wanted to come down here for six weeks and make an impression,” Rodriguez said. “Now I’ve got three weeks, not six. Maybe it’s not my time. All I can do is play aggressively, make every play and try to make Lou’s decision easy.”

Mariners notes

A preseason trade with the majority of big-market teams capable of absorbing higher salaries appears unlikely. Two N.L. clubs have expressed interest in Johnson, but there has been virtually none in Edgar Martinez or Chris Bosio. … The victory left Seattle with a 9-0 record against San Diego in the Peoria complex the two teams have shared since last spring. … Tino Martinez, who ended the season on a tear offensively, began the spring by going 2 for 2. So did Greg Pirkl. … Rookie Derek Lowe gave up one run in two innings, but it was a long one - a homer by Ken Caminiti. “A slider away. I don’t think it fooled him,” Lowe said. … The team buses to Mesa for a game with the Cubs today, but two players - Griffey and Jay Buhner - will stay behind. Two others, Luis Sojo and Felix Fermin, probably won’t play much, if at all, as they work their way into shape after arriving in camp late.