HITTING HIS STRIDE

Two new first baseman’s gloves sit in Jay Buhner’s locker. They haven’t been used--and Buhner intends to keep it that way.

“I don’t know who ordered them or who paid for them,” he said. “They just kind of showed up in the mail.”

During the winter, Seattle Mariners manager Lou Piniella said he expected to start Buhner at first base instead of at his usual spot in right field because the former All-Star had a ligament replaced in his right elbow in September.

Buhner is proving Piniella wrong.

“I knew somehow, some way, I was going to get a chance to go back out into the outfield,” Buhner said, smiling through his goatee under his distinctive shaved head.

For the first time since the operation on his throwing arm--so-called Tommy John surgery--Buhner played in right field Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. He played five innings in a 6-3 victory and was ecstatic afterward.

So was Piniella, who thought he’d have to move David Segui from first base to left field to get Buhner’s bat in the lineup. Segui made just one error at first for Seattle last season.

“Jay likes right field and that’s where we want him to play,” Piniella said.

The final decision on where Buhner will play on opening night April 5 against the Chicago White Sox hasn’t been made. But the manager is optimistic that Buhner’s elbow is 100 percent.

Buhner’s return to the lineup should help the Mariners’ offense considerably. From 1995 through 1997, he hit 40, 44 and 40 home runs, with 121, 138 and 109 RBIs, respectively.

Last season, when the Mariners finished a disappointing third in the AL West behind Texas and Anaheim, the 34-year-old Buhner went on the disabled list twice and ended up playing in just 72 games. He hit .242 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs.

Buhner, who also had knee surgery last April, hurt his elbow when he landed on it making a diving catch in Chicago on Aug. 15. He played for three more weeks before the extent of the injury became clear.

In Mariners’ history, Buhner is second in home runs (265) and RBIs (826) to teammate Ken Griffey Jr., and he is third in games played (1,222).

“It feels good to be where I’m at right now,” Buhner said. “It feels good to be able to throw without any pain. I’m certainly not out there cutting it loose yet, but I’m testing it a little bit every once in a while to see how it feels.”

If Buhner is ready to play again on a daily basis, he will bat fifth in the lineup behind new leadoff hitter Carlos Guillen, Alex Rodriguez, Griffey and Edgar Martinez.

He feels lucky to be able to come back so quickly, but he was confident he could do it.

“Ninety-five percent of the guys who have done it are pitchers,” he said. “If I was throwing sliders and stuff, obviously I wouldn’t be ready. But I knew things would work out. I just knew they would.”

Buhner will earn $6.3 million from the Mariners this season, the same amount he got last year. Seattle has the option to pick up his contract for $6.3 million in 2000.

“Last year was frustrating,” he said. “I like to earn my money.”

During the winter, Buhner surprised many in Seattle by criticizing the Mariners for not doing enough in the free-agent market. He said he wasn’t sure how competitive the Mariners could be this season.

But he’s changed his mind during spring training.

“I like what I see,” Buhner said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.”