Griffey Sr. Stirs Things Up

Will Ken Griffey Sr. replace Lou Piniella as manager of the Seattle Mariners?

Griffey Sr., the father of Mariner slugger Ken Griffey Jr. and a bench coach with the Cincinnati Reds, told the Dayton Daily News that the Mariners were in a mood to do just that.

“That might be the only way to keep Junior,” Griffey Sr. said. “He said he’s gone.”

Asked about the story after the Mariners’ win over Baltimore at Seattle on Sunday, Griffey Jr. said, “Do I look like I’m in Dayton? I don’t read what you all write.”

Mariner President Chuck Armstrong said he had no reaction to the Dayton story. “Lou is signed through 2000,” Armstrong said before walking away.

Griffey, 29, leads the American League with 34 home runs and has 384 career homers. He is signed through the 2000 season and the Mariners have said they want to sign him to a contract extension.

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Cal Ripken, one homer away from 400 in his career, was scratched from the Baltimore Orioles’ lineup against Seattle because of stiffness in his back. . . . The Texas Rangers recalled left-hander Doug Davis from triple-A Oklahoma and optioned right-hander Jonathan Johnson back to the minors. . . . Baltimore purchased the contract of pitcher Jim Corsi from triple-A Rochester to fill Juan Guzman’s spot. Guzman was traded to Cincinnati.