Mariners Baseball’s Top Draw For First Time In 20-Year History, Seattle Leads Attendance Race
Six games into the 20th season in franchise history, the Seattle Mariners stand where they have never been before - on top of the major-league baseball attendance scorecard.
Granted, that doesn’t equate to first place in the American League West, but the two biggest crowds in baseball this season have both filled the Kingdome: 57,467 opening night and 56,892 on Saturday.
Through the first six home dates, Seattle has drawn 224,484 fans, shattering the previous club high for season-opening homestands, which was 177,604 in five 1993 games.
Heading out on their first trip, the Mariners have averaged 37,414 fans per game at home - a pace that projects out to more than 3 million.
“You notice it when you take the field,” Rich Amaral said. “There’s 40,000-50,000 people out there cheering for you. It’s not as intense as it was last September, but how could it be? The fans are enjoying themselves.”
Sick call
No sooner does the team get Randy Johnson over his fight with the flu than it loses Ken Griffey Jr. to the same virus. Though Griffey, with two home runs in his last two games, was in manager Lou Piniella’s original lineup Sunday, one look at the Griffey who showed up was enough to change that.
Griffey, sent home for the day, was to fly to Detroit with the team Monday and may be able to play in the opener of the three-game series against the Tigers this afternoon.
Who’ll go for No. 5
As the Mariners close in on April 13, the date they’ll need a No. 5 starter in the rotation for the first time, expect some clubhouse nervousness - at least one position player is going to have to leave to make room for a pitcher or two.
The pitching staff will grow from nine to 10 and could move to 11 by the end of this week, and since the team can’t cut a catcher - they only have two - an infielder or outfielder will have to go. Or both.
The Mariners still have options on both Darren Bragg and Alex Diaz. And they’re still carrying Felix Fermin as, depending upon your point of view, an extra utility infielder or excess baggage.
“We can’t carry nine infielders,” Piniella said.
Coming up
Seattle open its first trip of the season today with Bob Wolcott (0-1, 8.31) facing Detroit’s Scott Aldred (0-1, 23.14) in Tigers Stadium.
Notes
With four appearances the first week of the season, Mike Jackson has pitched in 266 games as a Mariner - second only to Jeff Nelson’s team record 272. … Bragg hasn’t run often in the major leagues, but he’s been perfect when he has: He’s 10 for 10 in big-league stolen-base attempts. … In his first six games, Jay Buhner had four hits, four walks and was hit by a pitch three times. … Catcher Dan Wilson is hot behind the plate: he’s thrown out four of six would-be base stealers this season. … Paul Sorrento has played in four of the first six games, batted .267 and has two home runs and a club-leading seven RBIs.