BALTIMORE — In from South Philly, where he does postgame shows for the Phillies and a weekly radio show called "View From Marz," former Mariners catcher John Marzano is working in the Mariners' booth during this series.

One of the funniest and most popular Seattle players ever, he has not changed.

"I was reading up on the team on The Seattle Times' Web site to prep for the games," he said, "and I thought I'd check up to see what [was written] about me. I found about 1,000 stories with my name — every one of them about the day I ran into Edgar [Martinez] and put him on the disabled list."

That was July 20, 1996, the last time Edgar played third base — before his token appearance in his last game last year.

Marzano and Martinez were chasing a pop-up by Pat Borders between third and home.

"I looked up, then looked at Edgar and he was looking straight at me," Marzano recalled. "I thought Edgar had been indicating I should take it. So I looked back up and then went after the ball, and bang."

Marzano had dived for the ball and slammed into Martinez, who had seen the catcher looking at him and also thought the ball was his.

"I was lying there bleeding, I needed 40 stitches, and everyone ran to Edgar," Marzano said, laughing. "Only one guy came to me. Junior [Ken Griffey Jr.]. He leaned over me as I lay on the ground, my eyelid hanging off, and told me, 'Edgar's hurt. You're screwed.' "

Martinez left the game with bruised ribs. But Marzano was around for three years, a solid backup for Dan Wilson.

"And you know what, those injuries, Edgar missing a month in his great years, it was all for nothing," Marzano recalled. "They had called the infield-fly rule."

Hargrove positive about O's tenure

Some television reporters tried to get Mariners manager Mike Hargrove to express some level of negativity, even to be wistful, that the Orioles did not assemble a team with the likes of Miguel Tejada, Javy Lopez and Sammy Sosa in his years as manager of the Orioles, 2000 to 2003.

But Hargrove remained positive.

"I feel good to have had a hand in where this organization is now," he said. "We've played Boston and New York and know they are good teams. I don't know the Orioles' team, but they are two games in front.

"It doesn't do any good to play 'what if.' The reality is that we didn't win as much as anyone wanted, but now the organization is better for it, for going through that. We had to force-feed some kids that are now big contributors here."

Sosa wanted to make Chicago trip

Sosa came off the 15-day disabled list yesterday, still angry that some suspected he feigned a foot injury to miss the Orioles' trip to Chicago earlier this month.

Sosa had been sidelined since May 4 with a staph infection on the bottom of his left foot. He missed 16 games, including four on the road against the White Sox from May 12-15.

The outfielder played with the Cubs for 13 years before coming to Baltimore in a February trade. Sosa wore out his welcome in Chicago before being dealt, but insisted he had every intention of returning — until the injury.

"I wanted to be there so bad," Sosa said. "It made me mad when people said I was faking not to go to Chicago, especially me, a guy who plays every day. But I was hurt. I was in a lot of pain."

Sosa went 0 for 2 last night.

Orioles catcher Lopez breaks hand

Orioles catcher Javy Lopez broke a bone in his right hand last night and probably will be placed on the 15-day disabled list. He is expected to miss at least six weeks.

Lopez was hit on his nonglove hand by a foul tip off the bat of Bret Boone in the third inning. Lopez was immediately replaced by Geronimo Gil.

X-rays revealed a broken bone, and the Orioles said they will make a move to replace the catcher today.

Notes

• Hargrove juggled his lineup with left-hander Bruce Chen starting for Baltimore. Hargrove had Boone back in the fifth spot, with left-handed-hitting Raul Ibanez back in sixth. Hargrove moved Miguel Olivo up to seventh and shifted left-hander Jeremy Reed to eighth.

• With Marzano doing color for broadcasts in Baltimore, former Mariner Darnell Coles is scheduled to work the broadcasts for the weekend series at Tampa Bay.

Seattle Times news services contributed to this article.