Griffey Latest Mariner To Get Injured

Thursday, June 20, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The latest casualty is center fielder Ken Griffey Jr., who broke a bone in his right hand during Wednesday's 9-2 loss against Toronto. An awkward swing while fouling off a pitch in the third inning resulted in the break.

"That's a shame," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. "He's the kind of guy that you enjoy watching play, even if he beats your brains out."

Griffey was to undergo surgery Thursday to remove the chipped-off piece of hamate bone. His hand will be placed in a splint, and he will be begin rehabilitation in two weeks.

The six-time all-star joins pitching ace Randy Johnson, last year's AL Cy Young Award winner, who is out indefinitely with a bulging disk in his back; third baseman Russ Davis, who has a broken bone in his left leg that will keep him out at least another month, and right-hander Chris Bosio, suffering knee problems.

"We're asking ourselves, 'What did we do to deserve this?' " Bosio said Wednesday. "There's a lot of good guys in this clubhouse out hurt."

"It won't be the same without Junior or Randy, but we'll be all right," shortstop Alex Rodriguez said.

The team said Griffey would miss about a month, but similar injuries to other players this season have forced them to miss as much as 10 weeks.

"It is not a serious injury, it's common in baseball," team physician Dr. Mitch Storey said. "We don't expect any long-term problems with the hand."

The Mariners were seven games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West going into Thursday's game at Chicago.

Last year, Griffey broke a wrist while making a spectacular catch against the Kingdome's right-center field wall. He fractured two bones in the left wrist and finished the season with a metal plate and screws attached to the wrist.

The Gold Glove center fielder missed 73 games, but came back to help the Mariners win the AL West championship.

On the brighter side, right fielder Jay Buhner returned to the lineup Wednesday after being sidelined since June 11 with a sprained right thumb.

Also, reliever Bobby Ayala was scheduled to rejoin the team in Chicago Thursday after being out since April 23, when he cut his hand in a hotel room.

Bosio, whose sore knees are mending, will be reassigned to middle reliever when he comes off the disabled list in about three weeks.

Bosio said the team's enthusiasm over Buhner's return was squelched when Griffey was injured.

"It was a big motivational thing getting Jay back ... and then we lose the Kid," he said. "...Hopefully we'll get him back soon."