BASEBALL / ROSS NEWHAN : It Didn’t Take Long to Break Up the Mariners

Cinderella has lost more than a slipper since the end of the 1995 season. In short order, the Seattle Mariners traded third baseman Mike Blowers to the Dodgers, traded first baseman Tino Martinez and reliable reliever Jeff Nelson to the New York Yankees and lost negotiating rights to three free agents--left fielder Vince Coleman and starting pitchers Andy Benes and Tim Belcher--by not offering arbitration.

Nevertheless, Manager Lou Piniella says his current team is superior to the team that began last season. The Mariners eventually rallied from a 13-game deficit to win the American League West and defeated the Yankees in the division series, generating a baseball renaissance in the Pacific Northwest.

“I look back to our club leaving spring training, especially the pitching, and I think this group is better,” Piniella said. “Our rotation is much stronger, and it all starts with the pitching.”

Seattle management figures it saved more than $10 million through the departures of Blowers, Martinez, Coleman, Benes and Belcher and is now in financial position to augment a rotation of Randy Johnson, Chris Bosio, Bob Wolcott and Sterling Hitchcock, as well as find a left-handed hitting first baseman to assist Greg Pirkl, the immediate replacement for Martinez.

“While all of us here wish we could keep the entire club intact, it is just not possible under the current economic system,” General Manager Woody Woodward said after dealing Martinez and Nelson to the Yankees on Thursday for Hitchcock and Russ Davis, the touted but unproven third baseman who will be asked to replace Blowers.

“However,” Woodward said, “with this trade we were able to accomplish three of our goals this winter. We were able to move some dollars to approach our budget figure. We were able to get two fine young players to fill two of our immediate needs: a quality left-handed starting pitcher and a power-hitting third baseman. And most importantly, we will still field a team that has an excellent chance of repeating.”

Perhaps, but the Mariners lost 54 home runs and 207 runs batted in with the departures of Blowers and Martinez and will ask four position players who have yet to do it over a full major league season to step up a notch--first baseman Pirkl, third baseman Davis, shortstop Alex Rodriguez and left fielder Darren Bragg.

Long considered a Yankee untouchable, Davis finally became a bargaining chip at 26 with the re-signing of Wade Boggs for two years.

Davis hit 73 home runs in three triple-A seasons, and Piniella said he was impressed with periodic views of Davis during part-time employment with the Yankees.

“I like to watch opposing hitters during batting practice, and this kid has darn good potential,” Piniella said. “This is a perfect situation for him. We’re not asking him to be Blowers. We just want him to relax and be himself.”

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Disney’s purchase of 25% and controlling interest in the Angels is still on target and expected to be approved at a Jan. 16-18 owners’ meeting in Los Angeles--if not sooner by telephone vote--but several factors have slowed the process.

Among the factors at which baseball’s ownership committee has taken a hard look:

--Disney’s merger with ABC prompted significant concern among some owners of a possible conflict in light of baseball’s new TV contract with NBC, Fox, Liberty and ESPN. A delicate situation.

--Disney’s plan to build its own cruise ships and its current ties to the Carnival cruise line raised concerns regarding the on-board casinos and a link to gambling.

In addition, Disney’s involvement in a variety of enterprises slowed the paperwork, a process the entertainment giant is thought to have intentionally contributed to while waiting for resolution of the 12-year dispute involving the Angels, Rams and city of Anaheim regarding revitalization of Anaheim Stadium and development of the surrounding acres into an entertainment and sports center. A settlement has been reached and is close to being approved.

Both Scott Boras, the agent for Jim Abbott, and Alan Hendricks, the agent for Chuck Finley, told The Times last week that they didn’t think the Angels could finalize a contract until Disney took over. Unless Abbott and Finley accept arbitration, the Angels will lose negotiating rights Jan. 8, or a week before the owners’ meeting at which approval is expected.

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The 1996 Hall of Fame ballots are in the hands of the electorate, and this could be the seventh time no player receives the required 75% of all votes. No players were selected in 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958, 1960 and 1971. It won’t be a surprise if it happens again, but it will be a shame.

The opposition that has confronted Phil Niekro, in his fourth year on the ballot, and Don Sutton, in his third, is perplexing. Sutton won 20 games only once, but his 324 victories are more than 43 of the 53 pitchers in the Hall, his .559 winning percentage is better than 13 of those pitchers and his earned-run average of 3.26 is the 11th lowest among the 35 pitchers with a recorded ERA.

Similarly, Niekro’s 318 victories are also more than 43 of the 53 pitchers, a list that includes Jack Chesbro, who won 198 games; Dizzy Dean, who won 150; Lefty Gomez, who won 189; Addie Joss, who won 160, and a fellow named Sandy Koufax, who won 165.

A case can also be made--and should be made--for the still-eligible Tony Perez, Jim Rice, Ron Santo and Bruce Sutter, but it is unlikely any of the 12 players on the ballot for the first time, including Bob Boone, Bill Buckner, Fred Lynn and Keith Hernandez, will come close to the required 75%, although Boone’s defense and durability make him worthy of consideration.