Big Business Backs Seattle Ballpark

Weyerhaeuser, Boeing and other major businesses in the Seattle area have agreed to contribute to a campaign for a new Mariners ballpark.

Mariners players may even join the effort to persuade King County voters to raise sales taxes by one-tenth of 1 percent.

“There will be a campaign by all means, and the business community is rallying behind it,” said Irwin Treiger, chairman of the Baseball Park Commission.

The campaign, likely to kick off early next week, is expected to cost at least $300,000, Treiger said.

The Mariners have said they will help pay for a new stadium, but won’t contribute money to the campaign to raise the sales tax. However, team president Chuck Armstrong said Ken Griffey Jr. and other players might be willing to stump for the stadium.

“I don’t think you’ll see the players out there like they’re running for office, but they will be able to be utilized where it’s appropriate,” Armstrong said.

The Mariners have said they will leave Seattle after their Kingdome lease expires in 1996 if they don’t get a new ballpark.

The referendum, asking voters if they want to increase taxes from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent, is likely to take place in November.

Bosio, Shulock have a history

The problems involving Mariners pitcher Chris Bosio and umpire John Shulock didn’t begin with Bosio’s second-inning ejection on Monday.

There’s a history between the two. Their long memories and short fuses surfaced in Monday night’s 10-9 Seattle loss to Kansas City before 11,628 at the Kingdome.

On April 26 last season, Bosio went nose-to-nose with umpire Field Culbreath, who had just arrived from the minors. Bosio was frustrated with Culbreath’s strike zone.

After the game, crew chief Shulock called Bosio “a bellyacher” and added that “when ballplayers make mistakes, they try to find someone else to blame.”

Monday night, Shulock was the plate umpire and Bosio had trouble finding the plate.

Midway through the inning, manager Lou Piniella visited Bosio, as did Shulock. Bosio and Piniella jawed with Shulock.

“It’s pretty upsetting to pitch for nine years and have a guy come out there and do that. …,” Bosio said. “A lot of players around the league have seen that out of him.

“It’s unfortunate when the focus is not on the field, but somewhere else. People come to see the game, not to watch that. …”

Shulock had no comment on the game.

M’s make moves

Seattle placed left-hander Steve Frey on the 15-day disabled list and replaced him in the bullpen by activating right-hander Bill Risley.

Risley was on the 15-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his right rib cage. Frey has a sore shoulder.

Risley, who has allowed only two earned runs in 18 innings and 11 relief appearances this season, pitched for Class AAA Tacoma on a rehabilitation assignment Monday night. He is 0-0 with one save as closer Bobby Ayala’s setup man.