AMERICAN LEAGUE UPDATE: SPIEZIO IS A LONG WAY FROM 2002.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - In Orange County, Scott Spiezio is known for one hit.

In Seattle, Spiezio is known for having one hit.

Spiezio was always a fan favorite during his four seasons with the Angels, but he had no bigger hit - and perhaps there is no bigger hit in Angels history - than his three-run home run in the seventh inning of Game 6 of the 2002 World Series.

The homer cut the Angels' deficit from 5-0 to 5-3 on their way to a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants that forced Game 7, which the Angels won. Spiezio is still warmly greeted by fans when he returns to Angel Stadium.

Now, Spiezio is in his second season with the Mariners, having signed a three-year, $9 million deal when he became a free agent after the 2003 season. It was a natural move for Spiezio because the Angels wouldn't guarantee him a starting spot and the Mariners would, playing him at third base.

The Mariners also offered Spiezio a longer contract and more money.

So Spiezio left for the great Northwest, only to see everything go south. The Mariners went into the tank, finishing in last place last season with 99 losses. And Spiezio had a less than memorable season, starting the season on the disabled list and hitting a career-low .215 with 10 homers and 41 RBI in 112 games.

This year, the Mariners are doing slightly better, but they're not going anywhere. And for Spiezio, things couldn't get much worse on the field. The club signed Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre to play first base and third, respectively, leaving him to return to the bench.

Injuries and no place to play have limited him to 18 at-bats all season going into Saturday's game against the Angels. Even worse, Spiezio had only one hit.

The hit came way back in April, and ironically, it landed in the right-field corner at Angel Stadium, near where his Game 6 homer went. This one was a double and got Spiezio a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.

Since then, Spiezio has probably gotten as much applause for his band Sand Frog as his hitting. And not too many .056 hitters get cheered.

``I never regretted my decision (to leave the Angels and sign with the Mariners),'' Spiezio said Saturday. ``At the time, it was the best decision for me. I had an opportunity (to start) and didn't capitalize on it. Off the field, I had some things that were tough to deal with, but I had an opportunity and didn't capitalize on it. Basically, it's my own fault.''

When the Mariners signed Sexson and Beltre, Spiezio expected to be traded. When he wasn't, he wondered how he'd get at-bats. He hasn't. His three starts have come against Jon Garland, Mark Buerhle and Kenny Rogers, three All-Star pitchers.

``I'm in a Catch-22,'' he said. ``If I don't do well, I'm not going to play. But if I don't play, I'm not going to do well. I don't know what they plan on doing with me, if I'm an insurance policy. If so, I'm a pretty expensive insurance policy.''

Spiezio still has another year on his contract and at 32, hopes to continue playing after next season. He's already sold his home in Seattle and bought one in Orange County. Hmmm.

``As soon as I left, I missed it here,'' he said. ``I love the stadium, I love the fans. The team we had in '02 will probably never happen again as far as chemistry. I still keep track with all the guys, everybody, in the marketing department and the parking lot attendants.''

Spiezio has even stepped down as lead singer in his band Sand Frog, contributing as a writer and giving his input when asked. So for now, Spiezio's focus is totally on baseball, and trying to figure out a way to rekindle the spark he ignited one October night in Anaheim.

--Turmoil in Beantown: The Red Sox finally win a World Series, and they still can't be happy. They're in first place again, yet it seems the only way of life they know is chaos.

The latest on the dysfunctional Red Sox Nation:

Center fielder Johnny Damon and others have complained about the team's plans to move starting pitcher Curt Schilling to the bullpen once he returns.

Some players reportedly have grumbled neither Matt Clement nor Mike Timlin was named to the All-Star team, and fault their manager Terry Francona, also the American League manager for the game, for the slight. Clement was added Saturday to the All-Star roster as a result of an injury suffered by Toronto's Roy Halladay.

Outfielder Jay Payton yelled at Francona in the dugout earlier this week and was removed from the team after the game. Soon after, the Red Sox put together a deal that will send him to the A's for reliever Chad Bradford.

Even the ever-popular Kevin Millar reportedly has asked to be traded. The Curse of the Bambino has been lifted, but they can't enjoy it. Dudes ... relax.

--Not interested: The Red Sox went 86 seasons without a World Series title, and everybody knew about it. How about the White Sox? It's been 88 seasons since they last won one, winning in 1917, the year before the Red Sox's previous title.

And while the All-Star Game has some bearing - albeit very little - on the World Series, determining home-field advantage, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen won't be glued to his TV set. He'll be in Miami, finishing up paperwork on getting U.S. citizenship and watching his son play Little League.

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 boxes

Box:

(1) AROUND THE HORN

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE WEEK IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 

- Rich Hammond

(2) Daily News/CBS 2/KCAL 9 SPORTS CENTRAL POWER RANKINGS

- Matt McHale