McLaren says Mariners hurt by "tension, friction"

ATLANTA — John McLaren expressed no bitterness over his firing as Mariners manager, only bitter disappointment that such a promising season went so rapidly, and stunningly, off course.

"It doesn't make a lot of sense," he said in a half-hour conference call from his Arizona home.

McLaren, however, said that the team had internal issues that need to be addressed for them to move forward successfully.

"I think we have a good group of guys," he said. "But I think there's a little tension and friction in there, a little jealousy. That's for the guys to work out. We [the coaching staff] tried to, and we weren't very successful. I think they have to do it on their own."

McLaren didn't elaborate, but there was immediate speculation his comments alluded, at least in part, to what one national Web site referred to as "resentment" of the team's two Japanese players, Ichiro and Kenji Johjima.

One team source said that he felt McLaren was referring in part to players' perception of preferential treatment received by Ichiro. Another mentioned some hard feelings over the three-year contract extension given Johjima.

But there were also indications the issues were more widespread than just those two.

"I want to make this crystal clear: The only reason I mentioned this is not to defer any criticism for myself, but to make this team better," McLaren said. "If they can get in that room and work some issues out, I think they'll be better off.

"I care about those guys. I think they're good people ... they play as a team extremely well, and pull for each other. But I think there are some issues in there, and if they take care of them, they'll be a lot closer to where they need to go than they are now."

Asked before Friday's game about McLaren's comments about jealousy and friction, most players either expressed puzzlement or denied any major problems.

"Every clubhouse has issues," agreed Raul Ibanez. "The issues are more magnified when you stink. And let's face it — we have stunk.

"I don't see a whole lot of dissent. I don't see any more dissension in this clubhouse than any other I've been a part of. What I see is a club that needs to do better. That's the bottom line."

"There are 25 different personalities in here, if not more," said Willie Bloomquist. "You're always going to have a few frictions, and a few guys that are maybe at each other a little bit. I certainly haven't seen it openly. What is meant by that I'm not sure.

"Over the course of the year, we spend more time with these guys than we do our family. There's certainly going to be some frictions and bumps along the way. If there are, they need to be handled like a man, and talk about it, and get it out in the open."

Asked after the game about McLaren's comments, Ichiro said, through an interpreter, "If Mac said so, I believe it to be true. Up to now, his job was to protect the players. Maybe he didn't say what he really felt, but now, given the opportunity to speak his mind, he said his honest opinion."

Asked if he felt players were jealous of him, Ichiro said, "I don't know, but I would like to be the kind of player other players would be jealous of. What I can also tell you is jealous men are the worst things out there. I think jealous guys are worse than jealous women." But, he added, "I don't even know if it exists."

Jose Vidro, in fact, said he feels the Mariners are a cohesive team.

"To me, these guys are a class act, everyone here," he said. "We've been struggling. I've been in clubhouses where teams are struggling, and people look for something to start. I haven't seen that here. Everyone shakes hands, everyone hangs out."

New manager Jim Riggleman said he didn't feel he needed to address team morale.

"I'm not really sure what he [McLaren] means," Riggleman said. "I've been around teams where there were some jealousies and envy, but that's just human nature. That can happen.

"Really, I don't see that as an issue or a problem. It might be an issue, but that's not why we've been losing ballgames."

Johjima was asked if he felt the Mariners were a tight-knit team.

"We have to be. That's all I can say," he replied.

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