The Front Row with MARK NELKE May 13, 2010

So what’s the big deal about whether Ken Griffey Jr. did or did not fall asleep in the clubhouse the other night during a Mariners game? The way they played last week, many of their fans probably wanted to do the same thing, but opted to chug the caffeine in order to last to the end of the game.

So what’s the big deal about whether Ken Griffey Jr. did or did not fall asleep in the clubhouse the other night during a Mariners game?

The way they played last week, many of their fans probably wanted to do the same thing, but opted to chug the caffeine in order to last to the end of the game.

In their recent eight-game losing streak, the Mariners scored a grand total of 12 runs — and it wasn’t all great pitching either.

With each mounting loss, even the TV guys seemed to look sadder and sadder, struggling to put a happy spin on another desultory offensive performance by the Mariners. Much like soccer announcers, they have started getting excited over plays that ALMOST happened — like a fly ball that nearly landed for a hit, or a grounder which almost became a seeing-eye single.

Somebody hit a standup double the other day, and it almost sounded like Edgar Martinez driving home Griffey from first base to beat the Yankees in the 1995 AL Divisional Series.

The Mariners’ hitting was so bad they had to resort to bunting to make something happen. And even then, they couldn’t do that. On a squeeze attempt recently, Eric Byrnes squared around to bunt, then pulled the bat back for no apparent reason — leaving the runner at third base hanging out to dry. Eric Byrnes is now a former Mariner.

(Is it possible to completely enclose Safeco Field, much like the old Kingdome was, so the warning-track flies the M’s currently hit at Safeco could have a better chance to fly over the fence, like they so often did in the Kingdome?)

RECENT WINS over the pitching-poor Angels, as well as the Baltimore junior varsity, should not be construed as reason for optimism. Granted, with their pitching, the Mariners don’t need a lot of runs, and nobody’s going to run away with the AL West, but they need to score at least once sometime during the game.

And four times during the season through Tuesday, they failed to do even that. They scored just one run in a game three times, and two runs in a game six times — meaning in 13 of their first 32 games, they scored two runs or less.

Griffey was moved down to the No. 7 spot on Tuesday night, apparently to give him more time for, uh, preparation.

Some claim that a nap in the middle of a work shift makes you more refreshed. The rest of us just wake up plain cranky.

And if the latter was the case with Junior, do you really want a grumpy 40-year-old, hitting around .200, coming up to the plate late at night when you really need a base hit? Even if he is a future Hall of Famer?

Cutting Griffey loose early in the second year of his feel-good return to Seattle, as has been suggested, would be a public relations nightmare for the Mariners — who were coming off a horrendous 101-loss season, their worst since 1983, when they brought him back in ’09. However, one look at all the empty seats at Safeco in recent games would suggest that attendance couldn’t take that much more of a hit.

AND BESIDES, why dump all over just Griffey, just because he might have needed a power nap to get through another snoozer of a Mariners game? His .200 batting average through Tuesday is still pretty good for a guy competing in the 40-44 age group. What about the young-uns?

Jose Lopez — .214. Chone Figgins, the key free-agent find — .188. Milton Bradley, who has his own set of issues — .214. Casey Kotchman, the new first baseman — .194. Mike Sweeney, the other DH — .176. Catchers Rob Johnson and Adam Moore — a combined .168.

Even Ichiro’s .331 average seems disappointing considering his past numbers. Franklin Gutierrez (.311) is the only other Mariner hitting at a professional level. Seattle has THREE regulars hitting below the Mendoza Line.

It would be better for all if Griffey made it to the end of the season before retiring, being carried off the field on the shoulders of his teammates in front of his adoring fans, like he was at the end of last year — when many felt he was saying goodbye for good.

It would not be good for anyone for the Mariners to retire Griffey’s jersey while he was still wearing it.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via e-mail at mnelke@cdapress.com.