Notes: Meche's tale of the tape

03/10/2006
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Starter Gil Meche could find himself in a sticky situation this year, but it might be a good thing.
Meche, who hasn't pitched in a game since a one-inning stint in an intrasquad affair on Feb. 28 because of an oblique strain on his left side, took the final steps toward his next appearance, throwing about 40 pitches in a bullpen session Friday morning in Peoria.
The right-hander, who was taped up on the left side, reported no problems. Trainer Rick Griffin was pleased with Meche's progress, and the tentative plan is for Meche to start Monday morning's "B" game against the Rangers in Surprise and go two innings.
Meche said he hasn't been feeling any pain on his left side, which originally hurt so much that he would feel it while doing simple things around the house. But he said he might just keep the tape on.
"It's kind of funny. When they did it the other day, I found it helps," Meche said. "I kind of like the way the tape makes me feel."
Meche said the tape helps keep his body in the properly closed position when he's delivering the ball.
"When I open up too quick, I can feel the tape pulling," Meche said. "But if I'm in the right motion, I feel nothing."
Meche said there's one main foreseeable drawback to the tape, however.
"It does hurt coming off."
Washburn goes three: Jarrod Washburn's second spring start was mostly good, but it ended with one bad pitch in the third inning: a two-out changeup up over the middle of the plate that Rockies outfielder Jeff Baker hit over the wall in left field for a grand slam.
"I still think it was the right pitch," Washburn said. "I just didn't throw it in the right spot."
Washburn had done a masterful job of escaping trouble prior to that pitch. He breezed through the first two innings, giving up just a single, and he got Todd Helton out twice -- once on a fly out in the first inning after an 11-pitch battle in which Helton fouled off five pitches with two strikes, and once on a called third strike in the third with the bases jammed.
The problem was that Washburn loaded the bases by walking Choo Freeman and messing up a sacrifice bunt by throwing wide of first base for an error.
When Jamey Carroll snuck a grounder through the right side to load the bases, and Baker homered two batters later, Washburn had given up four runs -- all unearned.
The good news, the left-hander said, is that his arm is where it should be as the spring progresses.
"Physically, I feel great," Washburn said.
Bloomquist hurts finger: Utility man Willie Bloomquist will miss "at least two or three days," according to manager Mike Hargrove, after injuring the pinky finger on his right hand while re-racking weights during a workout.
The finger was not fractured, but it was lacerated, and Bloomquist received three stitches. He was slated to lead off Friday's game against the Rockies, but Yuniesky Betancourt took his place atop the lineup.
In the game: Roberto Petagine continued his torrid spring on Friday, going 2-for-4 with a single, a double, a walk and an RBI. He's batting .538 in Cactus League play. ... Matt Lawton had his best game of the spring, hitting three doubles, scoring twice and driving in two runs. ... Asdrubal Cabrera went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI, and T.J. Bohn was 2-for-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk. ... Betancourt went 2-for-3 with a double and a run, and he is batting .333 this spring.
Mariners log: Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was a late scratch from Friday's game because of soreness in his arm. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) continues to hit and take ground balls, but Hargrove said he didn't think Vina would be ready for a game on Monday. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) continues to improve. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien (strained right hamstring) is still not available for games. ... Right-hander Clint Nageotte is out indefinitely with a pulled left hamstring. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez (mild left hamstring strain) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday.
Coming up: The Mariners will play split-squad games on Saturday. One team will stay in Tucson for a game against the Diamondbacks at 12:05 p.m. PT at Tucson Electric Park. Another group will play a home game against the Royals at 6:05 p.m. PT at Peoria Stadium. Lefties Matt Thornton, Jake Woods and Luis Gonzalez and right-handers Emiliano Fruto and Jeff Heaverlo are scheduled to pitch in Tucson. Righties Kevin Appier, Rafael Soriano, Julio Mateo, J.J. Putz and Sean Green are slated to pitch in Peoria.

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