He shares a first name with another shortstop of note — Calvin, as in Ripken — but don't expect the Mariners' latest infield acquisition to answer to that.

He's Pokey Reese all the way — always has been, always will be.

"No one knows me by Calvin," Reese said in a telephone interview yesterday from his Miami home. "It (Pokey) has been with me ever since I was born."

One story has it that Reese was such a pudgy baby that his family dubbed him "Porky," and his grandmother's South Carolina accent turned it into "Pokey."

Reese had a different version, saying that the name dates to a hernia he suffered as an infant that caused him to have a prominent navel.

"Everyone would come up and poke it," he said. "I was kind of ticklish. The name stuck."

By whatever name, Reese is being counted on to solidify the Mariners' shortstop position in a manner glaringly unattained by last year's free-agent hope, Rich Aurilia.

Reese said he bypassed several offers, including a utility role with the Chicago Cubs and a chance to start at short in Tampa Bay, to sign with the Mariners for a $1.2 million guarantee.

A sell job by close friend Mike Cameron was influential ("Cammy said, 'Forget what they're going to give you, just go to Seattle; it's a great place' "), as was the chance to play next to another former Cincinnati teammate, second baseman Bret Boone.

"When I had the opportunity to go play with Bret Boone, I don't think I could turn that down," Reese said.

Even if it meant leaving the Boston Red Sox, for whom he fielded, at second base, the grounder that produced the last out against the Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, in which Boston overcame a three-games-to-none deficit.

The Red Sox, of course, went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals for their first World Series title since 1918, guaranteeing Reese, along with his 2004 teammates, a perpetually fond spot in New England sports lore.

But the Red Sox wanted to retain Reese as an infield backup, the role he filled last year after an early stint as the starting shortstop during Nomar Garciaparra's rehabilitation.

"It was great in Boston, but they wanted me as a utility man," he said. "I felt I could play shortstop every day if a job was open. It's hard being a utility player — I'm not going to kid you. It's hard coming off the bench to hit. I felt I needed to play every day."

Reminiscing about Boston's spectacular playoff run to the elusive title, Reese said, "Wow! It was amazing. I'm still on that high. I won't come down until I receive that ring."

Reese, a two-time Gold Glove winner as a second baseman, has unassailable defensive credentials.

Reese's questions are his offense and his ability to stay healthy. Coming off a season in which he hit .221 in 244 at-bats for Boston and missed 45 games with a rib-cage strain, he hopes to bulk up from his normal playing weight of 182 to about 190.

"I feel if I can stay healthy, I'll perform the way I can and put a good year together," he said. "I just have to stay healthy."

That has been a difficult challenge for Reese since 1999, when he played in 149 games for the Reds and had his best offensive year — a .285 average, 85 runs, 37 doubles and 38 stolen bases.

In 2001, for instance, Reese missed 43 starts because of a stomach virus (five games), sore left hamstring (four games), sore left shoulder (two games), sore right shoulder (20 games), cut right index finger (two games), bruised nerve in his right thumb (six games), and sore knees (three games). He also missed a start after taking a bad hop off his face in batting practice.

"It's been crazy freak injuries," said Reese, who has also had major injuries to both thumbs. "I'm still working hard on the offense to get stronger and better myself. That's all I can do."

Reese, deemed untouchable by Reds GM Jim Bowden in 2000 when the Mariners were trying desperately to include him in the Ken Griffey Jr. trade, found himself on four teams in the span of 43 days after the 2001 season.

The Reds traded Reese to Colorado, which traded him the next day to Boston, which the next day didn't tender him a contract, making him a free agent.

Reese then signed a two-year deal with Pittsburgh, eventually returning to Boston last year as a free agent. He laughed when asked about finally reaching the Mariners.

"Unbelievable," he said. "It's come full circle."

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com