McLaren wants a win more than support

SEATTLE – With the Mariners mired in a freefall, team executives spent a good part of the past week giving votes of confidence.

Team president Chuck Armstrong told reporters during the weekend that general manager Bob Bavasi’s job is secure.

Bavasi said field manager John McLaren would not be fired anytime soon.

Asked Monday about Bavasi’s vote of confidence, McLaren gave a shrug.

“It’s something I appreciated but didn’t really need,” McLaren said before Monday’s game against Boston. “At this stage, the fans could care less about any of that, my security or anything like that. They just want a win. That’s all they care about.”

After Monday’s 5-3 loss to Boston, the Mariners have lost seven in a row, going winless on a recent road trip. Seattle has the worst record in baseball (18-34) and can’t seem to catch a break.

“We’re very disappointed at where we are,” McLaren said, “but you can’t feel sorry for yourselves because no one else will. We’ve got to tighten our belts and play every game like it’s our last. We’ve dug ourselves a little hole, and now we have to dig out.”

Whether McLaren will be around long enough to finish the excavation is still to be determined.

“If they pull the plug, they pull the plug,” he said. “As I’ve said, I’m a fighter. I come to the ballpark every day and try to get a win. But we’re in a rough stretch here.”