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SEATTLE -- Frustrated by a lack of playing time, veteran outfielder Matt Lawton said Sunday he asked the Mariners to release him.

	Lawton

Lawton approached Seattle's front office late last month after having started just one game all season, and after Lawton noticed a glut of outfielders on the team. Lawton characterized his meeting as his way of "trying to make everything easier," and voluntarily offered to be released.

Instead, the Mariners designated outfielder Joe Borchard for assignment. Borchard, who was obtained from the Chicago White Sox in a trade for reliever Matt Thornton during spring training, did not clear waivers and was claimed by the Florida Marlins.

"I went to them in a friendly manner and just said, 'Hey, I'll be the guy you can send out if they felt the need,"' Lawton said. "Obviously we know how it turned out ... but at the time, I wasn't even sniffing the field."

Lawton is playing more lately, seeing action in four of the last seven games. With center fielder Jeremy Reed struggling at the plate, manager Mike Hargrove has recently used right-handed Willie Bloomquist when facing left-handed pitching and a combo of Lawton and Reed against righties.

Lawton believes he could prove his value if he played regularly. Hargrove said Sunday he has no intention of altering his rotation.

Lawton was suspended for the first 10 days of this season after testing positive for steroids at the end of last year. Because he tested positive under baseball's former program, Lawton had to miss the first 10 days of this season.

Under the new, tougher rules, a positive test would have meant a 50-game suspension.

This spring, he batted .367 with eight doubles and eight RBI in 49 at-bats. Entering Sunday's game, Lawton had just 22 at-bats in the regular season.

Lawton said when he signed with Seattle he was made no promises about playing time. He said he has heard that other teams are interested in him, and would give him a more regular role.

"I came here to try and re-establish my career and if that doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I can't really push the issue," he said.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press