Mariners
Notebook: Madritsch ready for homecoming

By Bob Finnigan
Seattle Times staff reporter

Bobby Madritsch will face the White Sox tonight.

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TORONTO — Question: Which Mariner would overflow with heartfelt enthusiasm speaking of his next outing, calling it "awesome, a dream come true ... I can't wait until (today)."

It could only be Bobby Madritsch, whose candor has been as refreshing as his pitching in Seattle's sorry second half.

With the change in the pitching rotation to insert Cha Seung Baek yesterday, taking Madritsch's spot against the Toronto Blue Jays, Madritsch will start tonight in his first game at home in Chicago in nearly a decade.

"Wow, I am so excited," he said. "I found out I might start back home while we were still in Seattle, and I told Pops when I called that night. Since then, my family's been calling every day asking if I'm still starting."

Madritsch grew up in a gritty section of Chicago's South Side, by his estimate, about a 15-minute car ride from U.S. Cellular Field.

It is a tribute to Madritsch and the distance he has come personally that among those in U.S. Cellular Field to see him pitch will be not only family and pals from the old neighborhood, but a number of his former teachers, along with his high-school coach, Don Erickson, and his high-school dean.

Bobby's dad, Ken, raised four sons — Ken Jr., 30; Bobby, 28; Pete 22; T.J., 18 — and a daughter, Catherine, 12.

"Catherine's on a traveling softball team, one of their best players," Bobby said. "She should be, after what all us boys put her through. We'd play football with her, make her catch the ball and we'd all tackle her. She learned how to catch and hold on. Now her team uses her wherever they need the most help."

Everyone in the family will be at the game tonight.

"I won't see anyone until afterward," Madritsch said. "If it was usual, I'd probably go meet them as soon as I got off the team bus. But they know how important it is for me to stay focused on the game. That comes before everything else."
 
Madritsch said he thinks he can do that despite the focus on him, because some of the family went to Tampa to see his start against the Devil Rays last month.

"That got the jitters out of the way," he said. "I think I can handle (today) as just another game, once I get on the mound."

Madritsch will be scrounging for tickets before the game. "I can't get them for everyone, only those dearest to me," he said. "But everyone knows that, and they're still coming. It'll be great."

The only thing better might be pitching at Wrigley Field. Although he lived on the White Sox side of Chicago, he calls himself "a lifelong, diehard Cubs fan. The only way that would change is if we faced them in the World Series."

Martinez cheered

by SkyDome crowd

Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez was honored by the Blue Jays when an announcement was made after the top of the fourth inning that it would be his last visit to Toronto. He was cheered by the SkyDome crowd and stepped out of the dugout to tip his cap.

Martinez was not in the starting lineup last night, but entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and drove a double to left-center field that bounced over the fence on one hop. He left for a pinch-runner to a standing ovation, and again tipped his batting helmet to the crowd.

Notes

• Masao Kida reported to the Mariners yesterday, the 42nd player in a Seattle uniform this year and the 21st pitcher. Both are highs since 1999, when the club used 50 players, including 28 pitchers.

• Travis Blackley underwent an MRI yesterday on his sore left shoulder and was diagnosed with tendinitis. Dr. Larry Pedegana recommended Blackley take three weeks off.

• The Mariners are expected to promote several players from Tacoma soon — OF Greg Dobbs, P Aaron Taylor and OF Jeremy Reed, a nonroster player who would be added to the 40-man roster for promotion. In order to make room, a disabled player would be moved to the 60-day disabled list, which does not count against the 40-man roster.

Bob Finnigan: 206-464-8276 or bfinnigan@seattletimes.com