Mackanin on Griffey

Pete Mackanin thought Ken Griffey Jr. should have gotten to second base on his blooper in ninth Thursday night. Griffey got a single on the play. Alex Gonzalez, not the fastest runner, scored from first on the play.

“I didn't see him get out of the box,” Mackanin said. “I didn't see if stumbled or whatever. . . But I think he should have gotten to second. Or I would have like to see him at second. Let's put it that way.”

Mackanin did not say anything to Griffey about the play. There was similar play in Florida, where Griffey got thrown out going to second after breaking slowly out of the box. Mackanin handled that the same.

“I knew that he knew he made a mistake,” Mackanin said. “He knows. There's no need to belabor the point. The team’s doing well. There’s no need to stir up anything.”

This is ultimate tightrope for an interim manager. If Mackanin makes too big of deal out, he risks losing the clubhouse. If he ignores it completely, it's seen as him tolerating lack of effort. By saying what he said to the media, Mackanin knows it will probably get back to Griffey.

Griffey was not in the clubhouse before the game -- he must have been in the training room -- so he wasn't asked about the play.