By IAN WILSON
Calgary baseball fans just couldn’t wait to see the rising star outfielder suit up for the home team.
And in the spring of 1989, that wish came true, even if it didn’t quite seem like it at the time.
While season ticket holders of the Cannons were eagerly awaiting the arrival of future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the Seattle Mariners – the parent club of the Triple-A Calgary team – sent up-and-coming Jay Buhner to Foothills Stadium instead.
It was an anti-climactic tradeoff for fans who wanted to see, not just a talented prospect, but a superstar in the making.
The public relations apparatus for the Cannons had been hyping the arrival of Griffey Jr. all off-season. So, it was natural there’d be some disappointment in Cowtown when the 19-year-old was named to the opening roster of the Mariners.
“There was every indication that Ken Jr. would be with us over the winter,” said Mark Stephen, the public relations director for the Cannons, in the March 31st edition of the Calgary Herald.
“But this guy’s a phenom. He’s done something unbelievable in spring training.”
Added Stephen: “Sure, we’ve been hanging our hat on the kid. But we’re an affiliated team and realize that players move. We don’t focus our off-season promotions solely on players.”
Sticking in the majors was bliss for Griffey Jr. – who described the news from Mariner manager Jim Lefebvre as “the best words I’ve ever heard” – and an aggravation for Buhner.
NO BONES ABOUT IT
The bald-headed ball player didn’t hold back about his demotion to Triple-A.
“I should be there. I’m not pleased, to say the least,” Buhner told Herald writer Daryl Slade.
“You tell me why and we’ll both know,” he added of the reasons behind the move.
Buhner led the Mariners in home runs and was third in runs batted in (RBI) during spring training.
“I have no idea what they’re going on. I thought, in crucial situations when we needed a hit, I came through. I thought that might show something,” he said.
“But they said my on-base percentage has to get better. I’ll do whatever it takes to get on base. I’m gonna go out and keep playing the way I’m playing. When I step on the field, I’ll give 110 per cent. I did it before.”
The Kentucky-born right fielder had already done plenty to prove he belonged in The Show.
He played 32 games for the New York Yankees in 1987-88 before the Bronx Bombers packaged him with Rick Balabon and Troy Evers in a trade with Seattle for first baseman Ken Phelps.
It was a deal that was later hilariously mocked by Frank Costanza in a 1996 episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, and deservedly so.
In 60 games with the Mariners in 1988, Buhner bashed out 10 homers, 13 doubles and 25 RBI. A return to the minor leagues for the second round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates seemed unnecessary, yet that’s exactly where he ended up.
Buhner displayed no animosity towards Griffey Jr., a player he’d go on to develop a great friendship with, despite the demotion.
“No. He deserves to be there – he proved himself,” said Buhner, who batted cleanup for the Cannons.
“Sure, I’m PO’d about being down here … maybe this is a blessing in disguise, but I hate to look at it that way.”
MASSIVE TRADE
It was a wild spring for the M’s, who were the subject of countless trade rumours involving lefty starting pitcher Mark Langston. One potential transaction involved the movement of Langston, Buhner and Jim Bowie Jr. from Seattle to the New York Mets in exchange for southpaw pitchers Sid Fernandez and David West, as well as third baseman Howard Johnson. Chuck Armstrong, the president of the Mariners, reportedly had concerns about the health of Johnson and Fernandez, so that deal was nixed. Another variation of that rumour was a three-way deal that would see Langston go to the Mets, and Johnson and Fernandez moved to the Boston Red Sox, while Wade Boggs would end up in Seattle.
Langston was ultimately traded in a franchise-altering blockbuster with Mike Campbell to the Montreal Expos for Randy Johnson, Brian Holman and Gene Harris on May 25th.
While the Mariners were figuring out their pitching staff, Buhner was working on his game with the Cannons. Through his first 17 games representing Calgary, Buhner posted a .456 on-base percentage, a .328 batting average and 15 walks.
“I’m trying to at least equal my walks and strikeouts … then I’m going in the right direction,” noted Buhner.
“I’m working on my self-discipline. My approach lately is to take a couple of pitches. Walks are part of the game and, to me, they show my discipline. I know my strike zone and I’m not jumping after the first pitch. Some guys are pitching around me, so a walk is as good as a hit in that situation.”
Buhner was also showing off his rocket of an arm in the Pacific Coast League (PCL).
“Jay had a game in Albuquerque where he had three assists. You don’t see that happen too often,” manager Rich Morales told Slade.
“No doubt, he has an abundance of ability. His problem in the past has been not making contact, but he’s swinging the bat as good as anybody right now. He’s having quality at-bats every night and he’s playing good all-around baseball.”
As Buhner honed his craft in the hopes of a return to the big leagues, he also mused about something that now seems inconceivable – suiting up for a team other than the Mariners.
“If not Seattle, I could go somewhere else, too. Other clubs are out there watching and know what’s going on. That’s why I have to stay positive. I can’t sulk. When it’s time, I have to be ready,” he said.
When he wasn’t cranking out long balls and drawing walks for the Cannons, he was crashing into outfield walls to take away hits and prove that he was as dangerous defensively as he was with a bat in his hands.
In mid-May, the Mariners came to Buhner in the form of an exhibition game between the parent club and the Cannons at Foothills Stadium.
CROWDED OUTFIELD
During that visit, it became apparent that Buhner wasn’t the only grumpy outfielder in the organization contemplating a move to another team.
“You’re in the game to play and have fun. I don’t know anybody who likes to sit on the bench,” said Mickey Brantley, a former team MVP of the Cannons who was in a backup role with the Mariners.
“I’m not making excuses. I’m not playing well and not swinging the bat well. I want to be traded because I need to go somewhere to get a chance to play.”
Added Brantley: “His (Griffey) making the club definitely affected my status. But there’s still Jeff Leonard, Darnell Coles, Henry Cotto … it’s just backed up. If the kids don’t pan out like they’re supposed to, they’ve got me to fall back on. That’s not for me. A lot of times the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, but you never know.”
An obvious replacement for Brantley was Buhner, who Lefebvre praised during his trip to Calgary, which resulted in a 6-1 victory for the Mariners over the Cannons in front of 6,496 fans on a Monday night.
“Jay is a very polished defensive player – not only here but at the major-league level. But we still want to see him make more contact,” said Lefebvre, who appeared as a pinch hitter in the game.
“I know his on-base percentage is up and he’s hitting with good authority.”
Lefebvre said the desire for better on-base percentages was something he expected out of all batters, not just Buhner.
“The team won only 68 games last year and the reason, in my opinion, was because there were a lot of strikeouts in their lineup,” said the manager.
“We had to eliminate that and we put a lot of focus on that. We looked at whether the players could drive in the run from third with consistency, could they move the runners over, could they hit with two out? Can they make contact when the manager wants them to make contact?”
BACK TO THE BIGS
Ahead of the exhibition game against the Mariners, Buhner experienced a 3-for-27 slump with the Cannons, but his overall body of work in Calgary was strong.
In early June, his 10 home runs were good for first on the Cannons and second in the PCL. Buhner had a .303 batting average and 41 RBI over 53 games. It was a solid enough effort to earn him a return trip to the Pacific Northwest.
“He was as happy as anybody I’ve seen when told he was going back to Seattle,” Morales told the Herald newspaper.
“He learned a lot about himself. When he came down he was pouting … it took him a long time to realize it wasn’t personal. He had to take care of Jay Buhner – and he did.”
Returning to the Cannons were Brantley and Edgar Martinez, a player who was accustomed to undeserved demotions. Martinez had suited up for the Cannons since 1985 and his 32 games for Calgary in 1989 marked his final tour through the PCL. The infielder-turned-designated hitter would later be inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame and the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“Edgar’s a ballplayer. He’s not one to pout when he’s sent down,” said Morales.
“We feel good when we get a player of that calibre. It’s unfortunate for Edgar, but he’ll do the job.”
Unfortunately for Buhner, he suffered a hand injury in Kansas City on June 23rd that landed him on the 21-day disabled list.
A conditioning stint saw him rejoin the Cannons in August and hit his 11th and final PCL homer that season.
Griffey Jr. was recovering from his own hand injury at the time, fueling speculation that Calgary fans might get to see the star rookie play for the Cannons before their season came to a close. Alas, Brian Granger, the farm director for the Mariners, indicated Griffey Jr. would not play for Calgary.
Both Buhner and The Kid finished the campaign with the Mariners.
NO KID GLOVES
However, Lefebvre conceded in a 1990 interview with Slade that it was a mistake to rush both outfielders back to the big-league roster and added that Griffey Jr. should have played in Calgary.
“Last year, we rushed Buhner too much. He only played a couple of games with Calgary (in August),” said Lefebvre.
“So this year, we’re going to make sure he’s healthy and we won’t bring him back until he gets lots of playing time. We also made a mistake last year when we didn’t send Ken Griffey down to Calgary after he was hurt. He should have gone there for at least a week because he wasn’t ready to play when he came right back to us. We’re not going to make those kinds of mistakes again.”
While Griffey never did play for the Cannons, Buhner did return to Calgary for one last stop in 1990 on his way to becoming a fixture on the Seattle sports scene.
During spring training, Buhner tore ligaments in his right ankle. A 20-day rehab assignment with Calgary followed.
Unlike his previous season at Foothills Stadium, Buhner had no confusion about the reasons he was playing in Alberta this time.
“I can’t wait to get back,” said Buhner, who finished his 1989 stint with the Cannons with a .311 batting average and a .432 on-base percentage.
“So, right now, I have to take it one day at a time and not try to rush myself. They (Mariners) are playing good ball and I want to be comfortable and be able to contribute when I get back.”
Despite his quest to head back to Seattle, Buhner was able to enjoy his time in Calgary a lot more in his second season with the Cannons, a 13-game venture that saw him collect a pair of long balls and seven hits.
“I’m seeing the ball well and having a good time. When you’re away from the game for six weeks, you want to have fun,” he told the Herald.
“I’m trying to be selective and take the right pitch and, as a power hitter, it’s hard for you to take it one bat at a time. But that’s what is best.”
Buhner also drew praise from Calgary manager Tommy Jones about his throwing arm while he was at Triple-A.
“Jay can throw with anybody in the game. When you talk about the guys known as having the best right-field arms – Dave Winfield, Dwight Evans, Jesse Barfield – he has all of them beaten at this stage of his career,” said Jones, who knew Buhner from his time in the Yankees organization.
The appendage was a weapon that Buhner was proud to own.
“That is my pride and joy. I’ve always been able to throw well. I’m a power hitter and in the times I’m not getting the hits at the plate, if I can throw a runner out on base, it can salvage my day,” said Buhner.
“I don’t ever want to leave the game known as a one-dimensional player.”
STORIED CAREER
He wasn’t leaving the game anytime soon and Buhner succeeded in being more than just a power hitter.
The outfielder, who spent his high school and college years in Texas, ended up playing a total of 1,472 MLB games, all but 32 of them with the Mariners. He collected 310 homers and 965 RBI along the way.
During his 15-year career in the big leagues, Buhner had 95 assists and a .988 fielding percentage.
In 1996, he was an American League (AL) All-Star and a Gold Glove winner.
Buhner also became a respected leader in the clubhouse and in the community.
In addition, he was an outstanding postseason performer for the Mariners. While Edgar Martinez will forever be remembered for smacking “The Double” that scored Griffey Jr. and delivered the franchise its first playoff series triumph over the Yankees in 1995, Buhner was unstoppable in those five games. He batted .458, had a trio of three-hit games, and went yard in Game 4.
Over 26 postseason contests and 98 plate appearances between 1995 and 2001, Buhner registered a .306 batting average, .398 on-base percentage, eight homers, 12 runs and 12 RBI.
Buhner was inducted in the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2004. He and his family remain in the Seattle area.
One thought on “Bone Rattling”