Saturday, February 12, 2000
Seattle: Cameron, Tomko - Who?
BY JIM COUR
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE — Mike Cameron and Brett Tomko are happy it's over. They're not sure if they're glad it's beginning.
After a winter of hearing their names mentioned in possible trade talks involving the Cincinnati Reds, they're now the newest members of the Seattle Mariners' roster.
“People are walking over us like we're not capable of playing in the big leagues,” Cameron, who will replace Ken Griffey Jr. in center field at Safeco Field, said Friday.
“It's been kind of nerve-wracking because I had no idea of what was going to happen,” added Tomko, a candidate to join Seattle's starting rotation. “All the rumors have been flying around. But once the trade was made, I can kind of relax.”
In addition to Cameron and Tomko, the Reds sent minor league infielder Antonio Perez and pitcher Jake Meyer to Seattle for Griffey.
“It's almost like being traded for Michael Jordan in the NBA,” Tomko said. “It's that big a thing. It's not a bad thing.”
Said Cameron: “We just went down in the history book with Griffey. Nobody can erase that.”
Griffey is a 10-time All-Star and a member of baseball's All-Century team. With 398 home runs, he's expected to make a run at Hank Aaron's career record of 755.
Cameron, 27, and Tomko, 26, are still trying to establish themselves. The Mariners got what they could for their franchise's No. 1 player, negotiating without any leverage because Griffey said he would only accept a trade to the Reds.
Tomko is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander who compiled a 5-7 record with a 4.92 ERA in 33 games, 26 of them starts, with Cincinnati last season. He was the Reds' Opening Day starter and led them in strikeouts (132) for the second consecutive year.
He would rather start than relieve and the Mariners will give him that chance.
When Mariners pitchers and catchers report next Thursday to Peoria, Ariz., he will be among six candidates for five starting jobs. Jamie Moyer, Aaron Sele and Freddy Garcia are considered locks for three of the spots. Tomko will compete with Gil Meche and John Halama for the other jobs.
Unless the Mariners decide they need a better player than Cameron, he will be in center on opening night April 4 against Boston at Safeco, batting somewhere between sixth and eighth.
Cameron found himself traded for the second time in his big league career. The Reds got him in a deal with the Chicago White Sox.
Last year, Cameron hit .256 with 21 homers and 66 RBIs in 146 games. He walked 80 times and stole 38 bases.
The pressure on the new players this season will be enormous. The fans, fairly or unfairly, will compare them with Griffey.
Unless the Mariners start out fast and win the AL West, something they couldn't do with Griffey the past two seasons, Tomko and Cameron will be targets of some fan abuse. They understand that.
“I'm sure we're going to be looked at as the enemies of a lot of fans who are Griffey fans who will say, "We don't want these guys,”' Tomko said.
“This is obviously a tough transition,” Cameron added. “I'll make the best of my situation.”
Join the discussion on our Reds forum
Complete Griffey trade coverage at Cincinnati.com
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