Countdown To 62 Seattle’s Ken Griffey Has His Supporters In Bid To Better Roger Maris’ 61-Homer Mark

Joe Carter knows a thing or two about home runs, having hit 377 of them. And the Toronto outfielder likes Ken Griffey Jr.’s chances of catching Roger Maris even though his season is down to 11 games.

“When you get him going, there’s nothing he can’t do,” Carter said. “And he’s been dealing with pressure his whole life. It’s part of his upbringing because he’s been around major league players his whole life.”

With two homers against the Blue Jays on Monday night, Griffey grabbed the home-run lead at 52 to pull within nine of Maris. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals matched that number Tuesday night.

“I just stopped swinging at bad pitches,” Griffey said of his sudden power resurgence.

Griffey’s seventh multi-homer game of the season led the Seattle Mariners to a 7-3 victory to reduce their magic number to seven in their bid for their second A.L. West title in three seasons.

After going eight games without a homer, Griffey hit two off right-hander Woody Williams into the Kingdome’s right-field second deck - a two-run shot of 404 feet in the first inning and a solo homer of 397 feet in the fifth.

The Mariners, who had Tuesday off, open their final road trip of the season tonight at Texas. Seven of their final 11, including the last three at home, are against Oakland, which has the worst pitching staff in baseball. They play two at Texas and two at home against Anaheim.

Griffey has batted .556 against Oakland, although he has not homered. He has two homers apiece against Texas and Anaheim.

Griffey’s not a one-man team, leaving opponents with the prospect of facing Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner and Paul Sorrento if they choose to pitch around him.

“They’ve got such a good-hitting ballclub that people can’t just think about shutting down Griffey, and that’s what makes him so dangerous,” Carter said. “He’s the No. 1 part of that offense, but they can survive without him.”

After hitting a dozen homers in August, Griffey hit eight homers in the first 15 days of September.

Since 1961, when Maris hit 61 homers and Mickey Mantle 54 for the New York Yankees, four players have hit 52. Griffey joined Willie Mays (1965), George Foster (1977) and Mark McGwire (1996 and 1997).

Griffey became the sixth major leaguer to hit 100 or more home runs over two consecutive seasons, matching a feat accomplished by McGwire. Griffey hit 49 homers last season.

Griffey, who leads the majors with 139 RBIs, is not a baseball historian. Or if he is, he’s keeping it to himself.

“I don’t look at the record book,” he said. “I don’t look at who did what. All I care about is who’s pitching and what we have to do to win.”

Only seven players have hit more home runs than Griffey has in 1997: Maris (61 in 1961), Babe Ruth (60 in 1927, 59 in 1921, 54 in 1928 and 1920), Jimmie Foxx (58 in 1932), Hank Greenberg (58 in 1938), Hack Wilson (56 in 1930), Ralph Kiner (54 in 1949) and Mantle (54 in 1961).

So Griffey makes his move on an elite group, all the while heeding the advice of Ken Griffey Sr., his father and a former star in his own right.

“My dad always told me not to talk about myself,” Griffey said. “He said, ‘Let others talk about you.”’

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CHASE IS ON Sizing up the home-run derby between Ken Griffey Jr. and Mark McGwire:

Griffey 1997 HRs - 52. HRs needed to break Roger Maris’ record - 10. Games remaining - 11. Seattle’s next game - Tonight at Texas. Opposing starting pitcher - John Burkett. Griffey career vs. Burkett - 0 HRs, 11 at-bats.

McGwire 1997 HRs - 52. HRs needed to break Roger Maris’ record - 10. Games remaining - 12. St. Louis’ next game - today at Chicago Cubs. Opposing starting pitcher - Miguel Batista. McGwire career vs. Batista - 0 HRs, 0 at-bats.