Buhner Plays Mantle to Kid’s Maris

The Seattle Mariners presently feature the best home-run combination in baseball with Ken Griffey Jr., and that guy, you know with the shaved head, who bats behind him in the starting lineup.

OK, so maybe Jay Buhner falls a few dozen homers short of playing Mickey Mantle to Griffey’s bid to surpass Roger Maris, but Buhner’s 13th home run of the season Monday night took the focus off Griffey and started Randy Johnson on his way to a 5-0 victory over the Angels.

“Junior wasn’t out there for us tonight and we were able to pick up for him,” said Buhner, who hit a two-run homer over the 370-foot mark in the third inning for the game’s first runs. “I’m sure he gets a little tired and his shoulders get a little heavy from carrying us all the time.”

Griffey went hitless in three at-bats with two walks, including an intentional pass in the ninth inning to load the bases.

“You hear the reaction of the fans--they were booing--they wanted him to hit, but I’d walk him, too,” Buhner said. “Look at what he’s done; he’s the guy who’s done all the damage. At this rate I’m curious myself to see just how far he goes.”

Griffey has 30 home runs to date and needs one more in the team’s nine remaining games in June to break Babe Ruth’s major league record for most homers by June 30. Throw in Buhner’s 13 homers and the two Mariners pack an impressive wallop.

“The better Buhner hits, the better pitches our Junior is going to get,” Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said. “There’s no question about that.”

Buhner, who has reached base successfully in 38 of his last 39 games, has hit .307 in his last six games.

“The home run was important because when Randy Johnson gets a lead early, the game’s over,” Buhner said. “He’s an intimidator, and he’s always coming after you.”

Buhner sports an intimidating look with his shaved head and hard stare, but it’s difficult to play the role of Hulk Hogan in the on-deck circle when Superman is whacking baseball after baseball over the wall.

“Sometimes I get caught up in the excitement of what is happening with The Kid,” Buhner said. “It’s just great for the game that Junior is off to this start. I just stand there and watch like everyone else.”

Buhner shook his head as if he had just seen Ruth in a vision and then pointed to Griffey. “The Kid is just awesome. Players like him don’t come around that often. Let’s be serious, it’s obvious he’s the best player in the game.”

Buhner knows home runs, too. He has averaged 25 a season the past three years, and while he currently has 13, he laughs at talk about what they have both accomplished.

“I was talking to Chili (Davis) before the game, and I was saying, ‘Man, look at this kid, he’s already got 30 and I’ve never hit 30 in a whole season in my career,’ ” Buhner said. “Chili said, ‘No kidding, I haven’t gotten there either.’

“I mean, you hit 25-plus home runs and that’s a great year.”