The Kid takes lead in Mariners Franchise Four voting

SEATTLE -- Choosing the four most impactful players in Mariners history is no easy task, as evidenced by the initial fan voting results for Major League Baseball's Franchise Four campaign.

The early results for the Mariners voting has Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Felix Hernandez, in order, leading for the top four spots. It's hard to argue with any of those selections, but a noticeable absence in the competitive field is 10-time All-Star Ichiro Suzuki, who didn't crack Seattle's initial top four.

Also on the outside in the first round of voting were Jay Buhner, Alvin Davis and Jamie Moyer. Each Major League team has eight finalists in the fan voting and the top four for every club will be announced during pregame ceremonies before the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 14, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Fans have cast 11.8 million votes have been cast in the Franchise Four voting, and you can cast your ballot here. Voting ends on May 8.