Dustin Ackley thought his drawn-out saga of finally signing a contract was harrowing.
Ackley, who was Seattle's second overall pick in June's draft out of North Carolina, was formally introduced yesterday at Safeco Field, two weeks after he agreed to a five-year major-league contract worth $7.5 million. He was then given an oversized practice jersey with his college number 13 on the back. It made Ackley, 21, look smaller and younger than his listed 6-1 and 184 pounds.
Ken Griffey Jr. loved that. As the nervous Ackley made the clubhouse rounds during his first hours on a major-league roster, Griffey marveled that he had found a player skinnier than superstar Ichiro Suzuki.
Ackley had to borrow bats to hit -- when asked if Griffey would let him use his, the slugger looked up, scoffed and said, "You're kidding, right?"
Good thing his mother, Joy, and sister, Malia, had flown in with the family from Walnut Cove. They were holding his spikes, turf shoes and glove in a black duffel bag.
"I hope I don't screw up or anything out there," Ackley said.
Finally, after shagging flies in left field with pitchers, Ackley jogged to the batting cage. He then showed his hitting fit much better than his uniform.
The only three-time All-American in UNC history sprayed line drives all over. Jack Zduriencik, Seattle's general manager, stood with his hands in his suit pockets nodding his head approvingly in the box seats next to Ackley's parents.
On the field, scouting director Tom McNamara looked like he'd just test driven his favorite, brand-new car.
"He's a unique player," McNamara said of Ackley, the top hitter in UNC history (.412 over three seasons). "The game comes pretty easy to him."
More easily than his new look.
"Yeah, I think they got me one a little big," Ackley said of his jersey in the dugout after his first practice with the Mariners, about two months after his final college game in the College World Series. "They didn't know my size."
They will by February. In 51/2 months, Ackley will report to spring training in Peoria, Ariz., already on the Mariners' major-league roster.
"It's something I've always dreamed of," Ackley said of this first, temporary day in the major leagues. "I'm excited to get going."
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