Griffey Plate Removed

A hand specialist has removed a 4-inch metal plate and seven screws from the left wrist of Ken Griffey Jr.

Dr. Ed Almquist said he expects Griffey to be fully recovered when the Seattle Mariners report to spring training.

The Mariners’ All-Star center fielder fractured his wrist when he crashed into the Kingdome wall May 26 and didn’t return to action until Aug. 15. In 45 games after his injury, Griffey hit 10 home runs and had 27 RBIs to help Seattle win the A.L. West title.

The Mariners will play a 29-game spring-training schedule, opening Feb. 29 against San Diego in Peoria, Ariz.

They will wrap up their exhibition schedule in Arizona against the Padres on March 28 before playing Toronto on March 29 in Las Vegas in their exhibition finale.

Following the Las Vegas game, the Mariners will return to Seattle for their 1996 American League regular-season opener March 31 against the Chicago White Sox in the Kingdome.

Former major-league pitchers Rick Sutcliffe and Ted Power have joined the San Diego Padres as minor-league pitching coaches. Sutcliffe, 39, the 1984 N.L. Cy Young Award winner, will coach at Class A Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League. Power, 40, was assigned to Peoria of the Arizona Rookie League.