ATLANTA -- Jim Riggleman didn't know anything was up on Thursday morning when he arrived at Safeco Field.

By the time Riggleman was told that he was replacing John McLaren as the Mariners' manager, he had only a few minutes to address his players before they all boarded buses for the airport.

It was obviously a somber and long cross-country flight to Atlanta, where the struggling Mariners begin a nine-game road trip Friday night.

"Any time there is a managerial change, it's a sad day," Riggleman said after arriving at the Mariners' downtown Atlanta hotel on Thursday evening. "I've been there."

Riggleman, who will serve on an interim bases for the rest of the season, managed the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs in the 1990s. He compiled a 486-598 record, with two winning seasons.

Now Riggleman is being asked to stop a season-long freefall by the most disappointing team in the Major Leagues.

Picked to contend in the American League West, the Mariners have the worst record in the Majors. As a result, general manager Bill Bavasi and McLaren were both dismissed in a whirlwind four-day period.

"I feel for John. He is a very close friend," said Riggleman, who had been the bench coach. "I know what it feels like to be let go.

"These definitely aren't happy days. ... But it is the nature of what we're going through in Seattle right now."

Riggleman, 55, had a lot of time to think about the rest of the season on the almost six-hour flight form the Northwest, but he said that he isn't planning massive changes.

Several moves have already been made in the last few days, with Jeff Clement called up from Triple-A Tacoma to be the regular catcher and Ichiro Suzuki moved from center field back to right.

"We have a lot of good players, but it just hasn't clicked," Riggleman said. "Making a lot of changes would indicate I didn't agree with what John was doing and I did agree with it."

"As I said when I was let go by the Cubs, a new voice needed to be heard. It wasn't that the message was wrong. It was just the way things go."

Asked specifically about the position switch for Ichiro, Riggleman said, "John felt like we needed to do something different and shake things up a little bit. It just so happens that Ichiro prefers [right field] anyway."

With the Mariners languishing, roster juggling is sure to take place before the trade deadline at the end of July.

Richie Sexson and Jose Vidro are still Mariners for now, but their days may be numbered.

Sexson is having another dismal season and he was booed lustily Wednesday night as the Mariners lost to the Florida Marlins.

Asked about his status on Thursday evening after the team's arrival in Atlanta, Sexson didn't appreciate the question.

"This isn't the time or place," he said. "I'll see you at the ballpark."

Of course, Sexson hasn't been talking to the media at the ballpark or anywhere else recently.

The losing and turmoil is taking its toll on everyone.

Players and coaches filed into the hotel solemnly. Just two autograph seekers were there to greet the team when it arrived. No one else seemed to notice.

"These aren't happy times for anybody," Riggleman. "But we have 90 games to get things going in the right direction again."