M’S Nab Whiten For Stretch Run

The Seattle Mariners, chasing Texas in the American League West, acquired switch-hitting veteran outfielder Mark Whiten in a trade with Atlanta Wednesday.

Whiten, 29, will join the Mariners Friday night in New York and be in the lineup against the Yankees Saturday when Seattle is scheduled to face Dwight Gooden, Seattle manager Lou Piniella said.

The Mariners were expected to make a roster move after Wednesday night’s game with Kansas City in order to make room for Whiten, who will be the 45th player to play for Seattle this season.

To get Whiten, a player they tried to sign when he was released by Philadelphia this season, the Mariners gave up minor-league pitcher Roger Blanco.

Whiten, whose three-run homer gave Atlanta a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia in the nightcap of a doubleheader Tuesday night, is joining his seventh major-league club in his seven-year career. In addition to Atlanta and Philadelphia, he has been in Toronto, Cleveland, St. Louis and Boston.

Piniella said Whiten will be used in left field as a platoon player against right-handers. Rich Amaral will play left against left-handers, he said.

“We’ll see how he does,” Piniella said of Whiten. “He’s got some power, he’s got some speed and he’s got a good throwing arm. He’ll help us.”

Whiten started the season with the Phillies and signed with the Braves as a free agent on June 24. In Atlanta, he hit .256 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 36 games.

On Sept, 17, 1993, he matched two major-league records, hitting four home runs for 12 RBIs in a game in Cincinnati.

Piniella said Whiten chose to sign with Atlanta over Seattle in June because he wanted to stay in the National League and thought he’d get more playing time with the Braves.

“In retrospect, with all the problems we’d had here staying healthy, he probably would have gotten more playing time here than he did in Atlanta,” Piniella said.

Martinez still injured

After batting practice, before the game, Edgar Martinez moved slowly through the Seattle clubhouse Wednesday, wrapped in ice bags to ease the swelling and discomfort of four cracked ribs.

They are better. He can and has played with them.

The ribs are not totally healed - and no amount of ice can protect Martinez once the game begins.

What hurts most?

“Everything hurts the same,” Martinez said, and smiled. “If I swing and miss, if I’m running the bases …”

Martinez remembered something.

“Sliding,” he said. “I can’t slide head-first anymore.”

Not and protect ribs injured on July 20.

Coming up

A day off for travel. Seattle opens a 10-game trip in New York on Friday.