Mariners counting on Sierra to shore up offense

Outfielder eager to prove that Texas shouldn't have let him go

JIM COUR, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Saturday, March 16, 2002

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ruben Sierra wants to prove to the Texas Rangers that they made a big mistake.

He won't say it, but Seattle Mariners hitting coach Gerald Perry will.

"He knows he still can play and he did it last year," Perry said. "I would imagine that he's going to prove to Texas that they should have kept him, which will be good for us."

Trying to add more offense to a team that had an American League record 116 victories last season, general manager Pat Gillick signed Sierra, 36, in December as a free agent.

A switch-hitter who had 23 homers and 67 RBIs in 344 at bats with the Rangers last season, Sierra will share the Mariners' left-field job with Mark McLemore in 2002. He also will fill in for old friend Edgar Martinez at designated hitter.

Sierra was surprised the Rangers didn't want him back after he hit .291 in 94 games for them last season.

"But things happen for the best," Sierra said. "Maybe for me (it) was best to sign with the Mariners. Maybe I can help the team go to the World Series."

Martinez, 39, thinks Sierra, whom he has known since they played against each other in Class A in 1984, will make the Mariners better. Martinez never has had a chance to play with Sierra before.

"I've known him for many years," Martinez said. "He's always been a very consistent player, a great hitter from both sides of the plate. He brings a lot of experience and he's a guy you can count on. It's fun to have him around."

Although the Mariners led the AL with a .288 batting average last season, their left fielders had the fourth-lowest batting average at .256, tied for last in home runs with 10 and were ninth in RBIs with 73. They used McLemore, Al Martin and Stan Javier in left last season.

During the postseason, when they lost in five games in the AL championship series to the New York Yankees, the Mariners hit .228 with 38 runs in 10 games.

Sierra has demonstrated in spring games what Gillick knew: His bat speed is as good as ever.

"He's doing fine," manager Lou Piniella said. "His legs have been bothering him a little bit, but he's been swinging the bat decent. He can help us. Sure he can help us. He can swing the bat."

Sierra has been a right fielder all his life. The Mariners know they didn't get a Gold Glove left fielder, but they have Gold Gloves Mike Cameron in center and Ichiro Suzuki in right.

Piniella plans to bring in a defensive replacement for Sierra in the sixth or seventh innings in games that Sierra starts in left.

"I have to adjust," Sierra said. "The ball doesn't come the same way. But it's OK. It's not going to be that bad."

In his first stint with the Rangers from 1986-92, Sierra was compared with Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente.

He never achieved Clemente's success, but has 263 homers and 1,121 RBIs in 1,176 major league games, with a career .270 batting average.

After playing 27 games in 1998 with the Chicago White Sox, Sierra found himself out of the majors. He was in the minors in 1999 and played 16 games with Cancun in Mexico in 2000.

Then Rangers general manager Doug Melvin signed Sierra as a free agent May 1, 2000.

Although Texas fired Melvin and brought in John Hart as its general manager, the Mariners can't understand why the Rangers didn't re-sign Sierra.

"If he can have that type of year for us this year, he's going to mean a lot for our offense," Perry said. "You can't just go with matchups against him and he drives the ball. He hits the ball in the gaps and he hits the ball out of the ballpark."

Sierra thinks the Mariners are legitimate contenders to go to the World Series.

"I can help them a lot," he said. "I know what they need."

Despite the addition of All-Star shortstop Alex Rodriguez, who played with Seattle from 1994-2000, the Rangers had a miserable season last year, finishing in last place in the AL West, 43 games behind the Mariners.

"It was a little bit individually, you know," Sierra said. "They tried their best, but they had a lot of young guys on the team. I guess they thought with the young guys they were going to make it. But it doesn't work that way."

The Mariners feel Sierra will add a lot of chemistry, too.

"He's a force inside the clubhouse," Perry said. "You know a lot of guys respect him. He has a great resume. He fits in perfect."

Mariners glance

- Friday: Giants thump M's 9-1. B6

- Today: San Diego vs. Seattle at Peoria, noon (710-AM).

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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