Boone rests for homestand

WASHINGTON -- For the first time this season, the Mariners started a game without Bret Boone playing second base.
"He's struggling, mentally as much as anything," manager Mike Hargrove said, "and with Monday being an off-day, it gives him two days to get back to even."

Until Sunday's series finale against the Nationals, Boone and right fielder Ichiro Suzuki were the only Seattle players that started all 60 games. Now Ichiro stands alone in that department.

Hargrove started super-sub Willie Bloomquist at second base in the road trip finale. And with Monday being a scheduled day off, Boone gets two days to clear his mind and get ready for Tuesday night's series opener against the Phillies at Safeco Field.

"I know from the past that it can be a good thing," Boone said. "I'm not going to sit here and argue. It gives you a chance to clear your mind and relax, but you can't completely relax because there might be a double-switch or you might pinch-hit."

Boone, the most consistent run producer for the Mariners since rejoining the team prior to the 2001 season, has struggled most of this season, batting .234 with five home runs and 29 RBIs.

The lineup mainstay averaged 30 home runs and 112 RBIs between 2001 and '04.

But this season, there have been days when he feels good at the plate, and other days when he has no clue, describing the feeling as being "in and out."

"I felt fine in Florida, I felt good two nights ago, and just the opposite [Saturday night]," he said. "It comes and goes and I just have to keep grinding."

Boone, who had a season-high eight-game hitting streak (May 10-20) currently is on an 0-for-11 skid and was 3-for-17 on the road trip going into Sunday's game.

Home sweet home: There might not be anyone happier than Jeremy Reed to see an American League ballpark.

It means the Mariners' rookie center fielder gets to play regularly again.

Reed was in the Mariners starting lineup for the first time in a week on Sunday as outfielder Randy Winn took a well-earned day off.

While Winn played center field and extended his hitting streak to seven games on the road trip, going 10-for-23 in the first five games, Reed mostly sat around, watching games from the dugout.

"That was the longest stretch of games I hadn't [started] since I don't know when," Reed said. "It has been a learning experience, which I guess I need to go through."

Reed has been the victim of a rule that prohibits the use of the designated hitter in games played in National League ballparks. The pitcher must be in the lineup and it creates a dilemma for AL teams.

"I spent all day [Saturday] trying to figure out a way to get Reed in the lineup but couldn't do it," Hargrove said. "Winn and [Raul] Ibanez are two of our hottest hitters and we need to get Ichiro at-bats to get him going."

That left Reed as the odd-man out.

"I tried to stay ready and stay positive," Reed said. "It's tough to play every day and then sit for a few days, but you are not guaranteed being in the lineup every day and you have to be prepared, regardless."

Reed said that going through something like this makes him appreciate being a regular even more and understands what it's like to primarily be a pinch-hitter.

"I have to give guys like [Dave] Hansen, Bloomie [Bloomquist] and [Greg] Dobbs a tremendous amount of credit for what they do. It's not easy. I am getting a little taste of it, and it's tough."

Reed was used as a pinch-hitter twice in the three-game series against the Marlins, going 1-for-2. He didn't play Friday or Saturday night against the Nationals.

"It has been a good road trip -- I'm batting .500," he said, smiling.

The road has been where most of Reed's best hitting has occurred this season. He's batting .303 (27-for-89) with both of his home runs on the road and just .220 (22-for-100) at Safeco Field this season.

"I can't put my finger on a reason," he said. "It's just like the team struggling against left-handed starters earlier in the year and now we've won something like four-in-a-row against them. I will get going again."

Reed would have preferred using the six-game road trip to Miami and Washington, D.C., as a slump-buster.

He ended the Mariners' last homestand in a 0-for-15 funk, dropping his batting average from .279 to .257.

The skid came unexpectedly because he had been on his hottest streak of the season -- 15-for-32 during a nine-game stretch.

"Anytime you are struggling, you want to have a chance to get out of it," he said. "After going 0-for-4, you really want to get some hits the next game."

For Reed, the next game came Sunday, seven days after that 0-for-4.

Thanks, but no thanks: Catcher Pat Borders volunteered to catch Sunday's game, but Hargrove went with backup Rene Rivera.

"I wanted Pat to catch Frankie, but a day game after a night game in this heat would not be fair to ask of a catcher, especially a 42-year-old catcher," Hargrove said. "[Borders] has been doing such a good job for us, I don't want to jeopardize that by being greedy.

"And Rene also has done a good job for us."

Up next: The Mariners are off on Monday and begin a three-game Interleague series against the Phillies on Tuesday night at Safeco Field. The Phils are one six teams that never have played a game in Seattle. Right-hander Gil Meche opposes Philly right-hander Jon Lieber in the series opener.

Source: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/