Cincinnati ? First time? It’ll feel more like old times when the Seattle Mariners make their first trip to Cinergy Field.

One of the more intriguing interleague series of the season reunites the Mariners with Ken Griffey Jr., the superstar outfielder who arranged the trade that brought him home two years ago.

That’s only one of the many subplots for what will be an open-arms reunion. The Mariners’ roster is stocked with some of the Cincinnati Reds’ most beloved figures of the 1990s.

The Boone family Bob manages Cincinnati, which features Aaron as its third baseman, while Bret plays second base for Seattle gets to have another reunion. Lou Piniella gets to manage again in the city where he celebrated a World Series title in 1990.

Outfielder Mike Cameron can get reacquainted with a team that still misses him, after he was traded for Griffey in 1999. He’s expected to receive a warm welcome from the Reds fans.

“It will be good to see a lot of those guys,” first baseman Sean Casey said, a smile creasing his face as he thought about the three-game series that starts Tuesday.

The list starts with the man still known around these parts simply as Lou. Piniella flung a base, fought Rob Dibble and restored the Reds to prominence during his stay from 1990-92, pulling the franchise out of the muck from Pete Rose’s scandal.

Taking over the season after Rose was banned for gambling, Piniella guided the Reds to their first World Series title since the days of the Big Red Machine. Fans took to yelling “Lou! Lou! Lou!” instead of “Pete! Pete! Pete!”

Rose couldn’t get them a championship during his roughly five years as manager. Piniella did it on the first try.

“There’s just something special about him,” said pitcher Jose Rijo, who was MVP of the 1990 World Series sweep of Oakland. “Lou has been a great motivator in my career, a great example. The way he goes about his business is what I admire most.

“Anybody can be a good manager, but Lou proved to me he’s a great motivator. It’s the way he approaches everybody.”

Piniella left after the 1992 season, when his contract expired and former owner Marge Schott ignored his requests for an extension. He has settled in with the Mariners, where there’s no meddlesome owner calling the shots.

“I think this is the first time he’s ever gotten to be a manager,” said Rijo, who’s on the disabled list with a tired shoulder. “In New York with George Steinbrenner, he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. In Cincinnati with Marge, he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. He’s finally doing what he wants in Seattle, and he’s winning.”

Shortstop Barry Larkin, another member of the ’90 team, remembers all of the times that Piniella lost his temper on the field when things didn’t go his way. Larkin has heard from other players that Piniella is more mellow these days.

He’s eager to see firsthand.

“I hear it from guys all the time, so I’ve got to believe it though it’s hard to believe,” Larkin said.