M's counting on Greg Norton to add punch to slumping offense

Greg Norton kept waiting, but the phone never rang. Just two seasons removed from a career year, Norton faced the possibility that he would not find work. His 12-year career could have been over.

So Norton, tired of waiting for a call, picked up the phone himself.

"Actually, I called Mac," Norton said.

Manager John McLaren and the Mariners didn't offer Norton much: a minor-league deal on Feb. 13 with few promises. But after torching through 22 at-bats at Class AAA Tacoma, Norton moved up to the Mariners and has become the primary candidate to spark an underperforming offense.

"We're looking for ways to slide him into different positions," McLaren said. "We catch him on a hot streak, we're going to try to utilize him."

McLaren moved Norton into the starting lineup on Saturday against Oakland, replacing struggling Jose Vidro at designated hitter. Norton responded with three hits, including an eighth-inning double that brought in the winning runs. He was back in the lineup Sunday and singled in the first inning.

"Just because I'm playing two days in a row, that doesn't mean anything," Norton said. "Usually in my role, you go out, you play once a week, you have a good game, you might get rewarded."

McLaren insists that's not the case. Norton, who is hitting .438 (7 for 16), is not simply a two-day fill-in. Labeled by the manager as the Mariners' top pinch-hitter, Norton is about to become a more consistent presence in the lineup as the Mariners head out on a six-game trip.

"Greg's a professional hitter," McLaren said. "He knows how to come off the bench. It's hard for a young kid to do. I think we'll use him more and more."

Norton, who jokingly put down his defense on Sunday, can play at first base and in right field. That makes him a logical replacement for first baseman Richie Sexson (.207) or right fielder Brad Wilkerson (.189), two of the Mariners who have started slowly on offense.

McLaren added that at this point — with the 12-14 Mariners hitting just .253 as a team — Norton could become more active as a pinch-hitter.

"I told those guys that," McLaren said. "I said, 'No one likes getting pinch-hit for, and I don't expect you to be happy about it, but until some of you guys get going, I might have to do it.' "

Norton's hot start, including a .409 average at Tacoma, comes on the heels of a strong second half of 2007 with Tampa Bay. He hit .277 after the All-Star break and .313 in his final 29 games. But even though he hit 17 home runs in 2006, the Rays declined his $1 million option for this season.

"Sometimes guys are forgotten about, and all of the sudden they surface, and they're off and running again," McLaren said. "I've thought a lot of Greg over the years, and we thought he was a good fit for us."

Tom Wyrwich: 206-515-5653 or twyrwich@seattletimes.com