Guardado shoots for (All-) Stars

WASHINGTON -- Eddie Guardado hasn't made any plans for the second week of next month.
The Mariners' closer realizes that if he keeps saving games the way he has the first 60 games of the regular season, a trip to Detroit could be in his near future.

A two-time All-Star when he was with the Twins, the left-handed Guardado seemingly deserves a bullpen spot on American League manager Terry Francona's pitching staff for the Midsummer Classic on July 12 at Comerica Park.

"It would be a great honor to be selected, but if it doesn't happen, I'll get spend more time with my family," he said. "But it would be good representing Seattle for the first time."

The Mariners are in Anaheim, Guardado's offseason home, the weekend prior to the All-Star break. It would be a perfect time for him to kick back with the family, which recently increased by one with the birth of a baby girl, and enjoy three days off.

But going into Saturday night's game against the Nationals, Guardado had converted 16 consecutive save opportunities, shares the league lead (17) with Joe Nathan of the Twins and climbed to the top of the Rolaids Relief Standings in the American League, looking every bit like an All-Star.

He protected one-run leads in five of his last six save chances, and has seven one-run saves this season. His only blown save occurred on April 9, when the Rangers scored four runs in the ninth inning for a 7-6 victory at Safeco Field.

Guardado has surrendered just three runs since and his 1.57 ERA makes him one of five AL closers with an ERA under 2.00, putting him right in the middle of the list of potential All-Stars.

Just talking about being selected to the All-Star team makes Guardado shake his head.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" the 34-year-old said.

You can say that again.

After blowing two save chances against the Angels during a three-day period at the end of last July, Guardado was diagnosed as having "shoulder fatigue," and went on the 15-day disabled list. But a later exam disclosed a small tear in his left rotator cuff and Mariners medical director Dr. Larry Pedegana recommended surgery.

Guardado requested a second opinion, which is normal, and Dr. Lewis Yocum recommended rehabilitation rather than surgery. The result, so far, has been better than anyone could have imagined.

Guardado did have surgery, but on his left knee, missing the remainder of the 2004 season. He reported to Spring Training with some uncertainty. He knew he felt healthy, but wouldn't be certain until he climbed back into the ring and gave his left shoulder a stern test.

To make matters worse, various ailments in camp prevented him from pitching any innings in Cactus League games.

Apparently, he didn't need many Spring Training innings to get ready.

"The way it's going right now -- knock on wood -- I don't know if I've ever done this well," he said. "I don't know how many times it has been 1-2-3, but that has been pretty good for me."

Though he saved more than 40 games in his 2002 and '03 All-Star seasons with the Twins, he was noted for having more precarious saves than clean saves.

Not this season.

The lefty retired 21 consecutive batters during one seven-appearance stretch, and has allowed only two baserunners since May 4, which was 11 appearances ago. Any doubts that he could pitch on back-to-back days has been removed, he actually went back-to-back-to-back on May 28-30, recording his 12th, 13th and 14th saves, and retiring all nine batters he faced.

"I give a lot of credit to our training staff here, Rick (Griffin) and Newby (Tom Newburg), my physical therapist in Anaheim, and BP (pitching coach Bryan Price)," he said.

If the glove fits: Rookie shortstop Mike Morse takes three gloves onto the field with him before each game. One is the glove he uses in the game, the second is a backup in case something happens to his "gamer" glove and the third is a practice glove so small that it barely covers his hand.

"I started using this 'baby glove' when I was with the White Sox organization," he said. "It helps me keep my butt down when I'm taking grounders in BP (batting practice). I'm pretty tall (6-foot-4) and it can be difficult to get down, and stay down, on a ball hit on the ground.

"If I don't get completely down, the ball will go through my legs."

He hasn't had a grounder go through his legs yet during his two-week stay with the Mariners, but could have used a smaller glove in Friday night's loss to the Nationals. The ball he fielded got stuck in his glove, by the time he could extract the ball and throw it to first base, the tying run had scored in the seventh inning.

Sexson all decked out: The home run Richie Sexson hit Friday night landed in the second row of seats in the left field upper deck -- the first time this season a ball has gone that far to left field.

Brad Wilkerson, the Nationals center fielder and leadoff hitter, reached the upper deck in right field earlier in the season.

Nationals' park holds heat well: Manager Mike Hargrove applauds the move to bring Major League Baseball back to the nation's capital, but RFK Stadium? Well, that's another thing.

The 43-year-old facility, which opened a few days before Dodger Stadium in 1962, is from the old school of ballparks. There isn't much room in the clubhouses and the air conditioning is more or less inadequate.

"I think the fans are excited about baseball being back," he said. "When they open the gates they come in and you can feel the excitement. But the ballpark itself? I'm glad they are building a new one and wish they already had it built.

"It's not much cooler in my office than it is sitting on this bench."

Little setback for Spiezio: Backup infielder Scott Spiezio, who is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma, suffered a mild groin injury and didn't play in Friday night's game.

"He was held out more as a precaution and he should be okay," Hargrove said.

Spiezio is hitting .346 (9-for-26) in the seven games he has played.

Up next: The three-game Interleague series concludes Sunday afternoon with right-hander Ryan Franklin opposing Nationals right-hander Tony Armas. Franklin's last win came on May 8 against the Red Sox in the second game of a double-header. He has made five starts since and is due (overdue, actually) some offensive support.

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