M's Notebook | Dave Niehaus still looking for strike zone on ceremonial first pitches

Dave Niehaus fully admits to having control problems.

The Mariners broadcaster, Cooperstown-bound in July, has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch on four occasions in his 31 years calling M's games.

The latest one, a bouncer to the catcher before Monday's opener, continued a pattern. Niehaus himself would have termed it "Loooooooooowwwwww."

"I've yet to throw a strike," the 73-year-old Niehaus said with a hearty laugh. "That was ball four. I already have a man on. I'm working from the stretch already."

Niehaus' initial first-ball stint came at the Kingdome in the Mariners' first home playoff game, the third game of the 1995 American League Division Series against the Yankees.

He also had the honors for the first game played at Safeco Field on July 15, 1999, and opening day of 2007, when he joined the three other members of the Mariners' Hall of Fame, Alvin Davis, Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez.

This time, the Mariners were honoring Niehaus for his impending entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame as recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence.

A banner in right-center field counts down the days to the July 27 ceremony — 117 days to go, as of Tuesday.

"The banner reminds me it's getting closer," Niehaus said. "I have to begin thinking seriously about my speech. I basically know what I want to say and the people I want to thank.

"It's going to be from the heart. I'm more of an ad-libber than a writer, but I have to get up there and at least have an outline of what I want to say."

Niehaus was given a suggested time limit of five minutes for his speech, but that's flexible.

"They said, 'Hey, this is your day. Go as long as you want.' "

Niehaus has never been to Cooperstown, N.Y., but he'll get a preview of the place on May 24, when he appears there at a "Faces of the Game" symposium on broadcasting.

The appearance coincides with a Mariners series at Yankee Stadium. Niehaus will miss the Saturday game — just the 83rd Mariners game he will not call in 31 years — but return to work Sunday's game.

However, it is his July appearance in Cooperstown that Niehaus has been anticipating with the most excitement since he was announced as the Frick winner Feb. 19.

"To be at the Jerusalem of baseball, the Holy Land of baseball — Cooperstown — is going to be one of the most spectacular things in my life," he said.

Silva ready to make

Mariners debut

Following Erik Bedard's debut on Monday, the Mariners' other new pitcher, Carlos Silva, makes his first start in a Seattle uniform tonight against Texas.

Silva, who signed a four-year, $48 million contract in December to join the Mariners from Minnesota, went 1-2 with a 7.32 earned-run average in five spring starts. But he finished strong, limiting the Cubs to three hits and one run over five innings in his final start in Las Vegas.

"It's going to be fun," Silva said. "Every game is important, but especially [tonight]. It's my first game with this team, my first game here in Safeco. It's going to be an exciting day."

Silva was 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in four career starts at Safeco with the Twins.

Notes

• Mariners manager John McLaren said he was glad to get the pomp and circumstance of opening day behind him, and settle into the rhythm of the season.

"There's lot of hustle and bustle," he said. "You can set times down for when everything is supposed to be, but on opening day you can throw those times out, because everything is a little off.

"I'm not saying it was a problem last night, but it's hard to do things like clockwork on opening day. There's too much going on. I'm glad to get that out of the way."

• McLaren on the possibility of spring instructor Jay Buhner becoming a full-time coach at some point:

"If Jay ever had time, he could be a great coach. He could do whatever he wanted in baseball. He has such presence about himself, such confidence. He's just one of those special guys. A pain in the butt at times, but a special guy."

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists