M’S Fans Will Need To Break Out Programs

The retooling of the Seattle Mariners continued Saturday, with the team taking on a familiar look to anyone who’d been to a Tacoma Rainiers game this spring.

A day after Chris Widger arrived, he departed, and outfielder-first baseman Brian Hunter was in a Seattle uniform, along with outfielder Darren Bragg - who was batting leadoff for the Mariners on Saturday.

And today it’s likely the Mariners will reach into Tacoma once again, extracting reliever Joe Klink and depositing him in the Seattle bullpen.

“We’re still searching a bit,” manager Lou Piniella said.

No kidding. Already, the Mariners roster is dotted with players who spent time in Tacoma this year: Andy Sheets, Rafael Carmona, Brian Hunter, Tim Davis and Bragg. And Klink is on his way.

“We’ve struggled at the leadoff spot all season and I think we’re at the bottom of the league there,” Piniella said. “We’ll use Bragg against right-handed pitching, Richie Amaral against left-handers. At first base, Paul Sorrento will play against right-handers, Hunter will play against lefties.”

Hunter took the roster spot of catcher Widger - brought up when Dan Wilson was given a day off to meet his wife and newly adopted daughter in Washington, D.C.

And Bragg returned from a road trip, flying in from Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday, to find he was a Mariner - and outfielder Alex Diaz was a Rainier.

“I didn’t even have time to go down to Tacoma and get my equipment,” Bragg said of his call-up. “I’m here, but my bats aren’t.”

Klink could be added to the roster today, with Paul Menhart likely assigned to the Rainiers, in part because the team won’t need a No. 5 starting pitcher for nearly three weeks. That decision could change, however, if the team learns Randy Johnson will miss more than one start.

Around the bases

Johnson continues to receive treatment for a pinched nerve in his back, and the team has been told he won’t pitch before next weekend - at the earliest. He will be given a reexamination Monday. … In Johnson’s spot Monday night, the Mariners will start Edwin Hurtado (1-3, 7.66 ERA) against Minnesota. … Wilson and wife Anne flew from Washington, D.C., to Seattle late Friday, bringing newly adopted daughter, Sofia. Anne Wilson and her parents had brought the 18-month-old girl to D.C. from Bulgaria. “Everybody’s tired, but we’re awfully happy,” Wilson said. …

Ken Griffey Jr. bought tickets for 70 inner-city kids Saturday and plunked them down in center field, the first of series of Saturday night groups he will host. … Add Junior: Though he has played in 29 of the Mariners’ first 30 games, he began Saturday night fifth on the team in RBIs. Griffey’s 18 RBIs, in fact, give him just three more than shortstop Alex Rodriguez - who has played in only 17 games. Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, Wilson and Sorrento all have more RBIs than Griffey.

Coming up

The Indians and Mariners complete their four-game series with a 1:35 p.m. start today that matches pitchers Dennis Martinez (4-2, 4.78 ERA) for Cleveland and Chris Bosio (3-1, 3.09) for Seattle.

Ticket update

Anyone with tickets to the suspended game on Thursday can trade them in for mid-week game tickets any time between May 6 and July 25 - a 16-game selection. The exchange can be made at the Kingdome box office or any Ticketmaster outlet.