Positive outlook drives Dobbs

03/03/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- In the winter of 2004, Greg Dobbs could have sat at home in Southern California feeling pretty good about his chances of making the following season's Mariners as a backup corner infielder.
He didn't, and it turned out to be a good thing.
The team unloaded $114 million on multiyear contracts for slugging first baseman Richie Sexson and third baseman Adrian Beltre, leaving Dobbs with an outside shot at the club that he took advantage of in Spring Training.
This year, Dobbs is even more of a longshot.
He's 27 years old, he's not on the 40-man roster anymore, and young hitting prospect Mike Morse has readied himself for more of a utility role, meaning Dobbs might very well start the season in Triple-A Tacoma.
But could that be a good thing, too?
"It might be," Dobbs says. "The way I look at the whole situation is that it has to be taken in a positive way. If I make the club, great. I want to be a part of the team here, because I think we're moving in the right direction.
"If I don't make it, I'll work hard, hopefully in Tacoma, to be ready if they need me."
That type of attitude has enabled Dobbs to help the Mariners when he's gotten the chance.
His stats with Seattle -- he hit .246 with one home run and 20 RBIs in 59 games -- weren't great last year, but he had a career-high 10-game hitting streak in September when given the chance to play a lot and had three doubles and five RBIs as a pinch-hitter.
"I feel like I bring something to the team that they can use," Dobbs says. "I'm a left-handed bat off the bench and I can play good defense."
Dobbs certainly has so far this spring.
While playing third base in last Saturday's intrasquad game, Dobbs drew applause across the diamond by bare-handing an excellent bunt by Willie Bloomquist and throwing out the speedy runner at first.
And in Thursday's charity game against the Padres, Dobbs started at third and made several tough plays look routine.
With Beltre having departed camp to join the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic, Dobbs has yet another chance to show the Mariners what he can do.
As he says, that's nothing new.
"This is the situation I'm in every year," Dobbs says. "It's always a challenge, and I'm always motivated. You just never know what happens in this game, the way rosters change, the way offseason acquisitions push guys out and move guys around.
"That's the nature of this business and I understand it. It gives me something to shoot for."
This year is a bit different, though.
Dobbs was designated for assignment over the winter, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Tacoma, meaning he had to secure a non-roster invitation to be with the club in Spring Training.
If he does start the season on the Triple-A team, he figures to feel pretty comfortable.
Dobbs hit .271 with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 67 games for Tacoma in 2004, then hit .321 with three homers and 22 RBIs in 50 games there last year.
"If I'm in Tacoma, I'll be able to play every day," Dobbs says. "I'll put up numbers down there and I'll be fresh and prepared to come help this team."
Hitting coach Jeff Pentland says that's the outlook Dobbs needs to have.
"Greg's a solid human being," Pentland says. "Obviously nobody wants to lose the opportunity to play in the big leagues, but all you can control is what you do on the field and how you handle yourself.
"And he's battling his butt off for whatever he can come up with."
With most of the Spring Training schedule ahead of him, Dobbs enters that battle with what he calls a positive frame of mind.
"My situation doesn't change my focus," Dobbs says.
"I still think I can play at the big-league level."

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

Notes: Foppert impressive in start

03/04/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Right-hander Jesse Foppert, most likely competing for a bullpen/sixth-starter spot, cruised in his first spring stint, a two-inning outing to start the Saturday afternoon game against the Padres.
Foppert didn't give up a hit, struck out two batters and walked one. For a guy coming off a season in which he recovered from Tommy John surgery, it was an encouraging showing.
"I feel great," Foppert said. "Compared to last spring, it's night and day."
Foppert, 25, came over to the Mariners last July in the Randy Winn trade and put up decent numbers for Triple-A Tacoma after he was cleared to throw following 11 1/2 months of rehab. He had a 2.57 ERA and struck out 13 batters in 14 innings.
This spring, he's been working on a new changeup to go along with his low-90s fastball, slider and split-fingered fastball, and he said he's been working with pitching coach Rafael Chaves on staying back longer and "standing a little taller" on the mound.
On Saturday, he breezed through the heart of the Padres' order, striking out Dave Roberts and retiring Brian Giles, Ryan Klesko and Khalil Greene in order.
"I was real pleased with how he threw the ball," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "He was down in the strike zone and threw well."
Also in the game: Despite the second straight lopsided result on the scoreboard, this one a 17-4 loss, there were some highlights for the Mariners on Saturday afternoon, mostly on the defensive end.
Center fielder Jeremy Reed made a nice catch against the wall in the second inning to rob Greene of extra bases. Mike Morse looked solid at third, running up the line to make an over-the-shoulder grab of a Doug Mirabelli foul popup in the second and snagging a hot liner off the bat of former Mariner Justin Leone in the fifth. Catcher Kenji Johjima got his first hit of the spring and threw out Leone, who was trying to steal in the third.
Hargrove also lauded the fact that the Mariners got 14 hits, although he said he felt the team could have scored two or three more runs. The Mariners left the bases loaded in the second inning, stranded runners on second and third in the third and left a man on third in the fifth inning.
"B" sides: The Mariners played their second "B" game in as many days, squaring off against the Padres on Field No. 1 at 9:30 a.m. MT for five innings. The Padres won, 4-0, with the Mariners only getting one hit, a first-inning single by Adam Jones against San Diego starter Woody Williams.
Otherwise, the most notable event of the game -- at least to Hargrove -- occurred with one out in the fifth inning, when right fielder T.J. Bohn caught a fly ball with the bases loaded and tossed the ball back in as if it was the third out.
The Padres scored two runs after the gaffe and Hargrove dressed down the team in the dugout, saying there's no excuse for not knowing how many outs there are and that Bohn wasn't the only one who was accountable.
Hargrove said it wouldn't be wise to read too much into the fact that shortstop prospect Matt Tuiasosopo played the B game at third base.
"It doesn't mean there are plans for him to move to third base," Hargrove said. "There was no motive other than I needed a third baseman."
Ichiro update: Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, currently leading off for the Japanese team in the World Baseball Classic, went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run in Japan's 14-3 win over Chinese Taipei on Friday night. He's now 2-for-10 with three runs in two games, both healthy Japanese victories.
Meanwhile, Ichiro is officially coming to town. Japan and Korea are 2-0 and have clinched spots in the second round, and both teams will train in Peoria beginning next week, with Ichiro and Japan playing the Mariners in an exhibition game Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. MT in Peoria Stadium.
Mariners log: Reliever J.J. Putz (lower back spasms) is on target for a 40-pitch bullpen session Sunday. ... Catcher Rob Johnson (lower back spasms) worked out Saturday and could be in a game soon. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina is still being held out of workouts with a strained right hip flexor. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez has a mild strain of the left hamstring but played long toss Saturday. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien has a strained right hamstring but will continue to participate in workouts, although he's currently not available for games. ... Mariners Minor League camp will have physicals for pitchers and catchers Monday and will open workouts Tuesday. The first full-squad workout is next Saturday. ... Mariners announcer Ron Fairly collected his third career hole-in-one over the winter, acing the par-3, 185-yard third hole at Desert Horizons Country Club in Indian Wells, Calif. Oddly enough, it's the second straight winter that Fairly has aced the same hole, both times using a 5-iron.
Coming up: The Mariners will flip around Sunday and be the "visitors" in Peoria Stadium in another game against the Padres, who will be the "home" team. The game, set for 12:05 p.m. PT, will feature the spring debut of new Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who will be followed by righty Francisco Cruceta, Renee Cortez and Jeff Heaverlo.

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

Foppert starts well in Mariners loss

03/04/2006
Padres at the plate: The Padres erupted for six runs in the sixth inning, putting away what was a relatively close game, and the big blow came off the bat of catcher Doug Mirabelli, who blasted a three-run home run off Mariners righty Scott Atchison. Mike Cameron was 2-for-2 with an RBI, Ryan Klesko had a single, a double, a run scored and an RBI. Josh Barfield hit a two-run triple in the seventh. Freddy Guzman had a double, a triple and three RBIs.
Mariners at the plate: Mike Morse, starting at third base, went 3-for-3 with an RBI double. Roberto Petagine, the first baseman, had three hits, including the hardest-struck ball of the game, a scorcher of a line drive that bounced off the Whataburger sign on the right-field wall and limited the not-so-fleet-of-foot Petagine to a single. Jose Lopez hit Seattle's only homer of the game, a solo shot to left off Doug Brocail in the sixth. Oswaldo Navarro added a triple.
Padres on the mound: Padres starter Brian Sweeney bent a little but didn't break, pitching 1 2/3 innings and giving up three hits and two walks but no runs. Sweeney was bailed out by Mike Thompson, who came in with the bases loaded and two out in the second and got Jeremy Reed to ground out.
Mariners on the mound: Starter Jesse Foppert looked good, pitching two shutout innings and not allowing a hit while striking out two batters and walking one. Atchison's first outing of the spring wasn't pretty. He gave up eight runs on nine hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Cactus League records: Padres 1-1; Mariners 0-2.
Up next: The Mariners will flip around Sunday and be the "visitors" in Peoria Stadium in another game against the "home" Padres. The game, set for 12:05 p.m. PT, will feature the spring debut of new Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who will be followed by righties Francisco Cruceta, Renee Cortez and Jeff Heaverlo. The Padres will start Dewon Brazelton, and he'll be followed by right-handers Seth Etherton, Cesar Carrillo, Trevor Hoffman, Scott Linebrink and Clay Hensley.

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

Tuiasosopo making his own name

03/05/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Matt Tuiasosopo comes from a Seattle-area football family. His father, Manu, was a Seahawks star, and his brother, Marques, was a legendary University of Washington quarterback who made it to the NFL.
Matt, 19, decided to play baseball and it served him well when the Mariners selected him as a shortstop in the third round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. With Yuniesky Betancourt penciled in as the Mariners' starting shortstop for years to come, other prospects have been moved from short, but Tuiasosopo will stay there for now.
That seemed questionable Saturday when Tuiasosopo played the Mariners' "B" game against the Padres at third base, but manager Mike Hargrove insisted it didn't signal anything close to a permanent change.
Still, Tuiasosopo will continue to work out at third here and there and might play some games there this upcoming Minor League season.
On the move: Adam Jones has been playing a lot and doing a lot on the field. The Mariners' first-round pick from 2003, who has been converted from shortstop to center field, played in both "B" games Friday and Saturday and both regular afternoon games. Jones had the only hit against the Padres in the six-inning "B" matchup Saturday afternoon, a single against Woody Williams. He is likely to start the season in Double-A.
On the pine: Catcher Rob Johnson (lower back spasms) worked out Saturday and could be in a game soon. Left-hander Cesar Jimenez has a mild strain of the left hamstring but played long toss Saturday. Outfielder Wladimir Balentien has a strained right hamstring but will continue to participate in workouts, although he's currently not available for games.
Names in the game: Minor League pitching coordinator Pat Rice, in his seventh year in his position with the Mariners, pitched in the Mariners organization from 1986 to 1992. Rice made his Major League debut May 18, 1991, in Yankee Stadium and was a 4-1 winner. He did not allow a run over his first 13 innings, establishing a club record for scoreless innings to start a career.
They're No. 1: Five of the Mariners' No. 1 draft picks are in camp. Last year's No. 1 selection, catcher Jeff Clement, will likely start the season at Class A or Double-A. Tuiasosopo finished last season at low Class A Wisconsin and has a shot at Double-A this year. Jones, the team's 2003 pick out of high school, will start in center at either Double-A or Triple-A. Reliever Matt Thornton (1998) is a likely addition to the Major League bullpen and Gil Meche (1996) is in the Mariners' starting rotation.
Class of '05: Last year's first-round pick, Clement, is the only 2005 draft alumnus in Mariners' big-league camp. Their second selection (fourth round), left-hander Justin Thomas, will join Minor League camp when it opens.
What they're saying: "It doesn't mean there are plans for him to move to third base. There was no motive other than I needed a third baseman." -- Hargrove on Tuiasosopo

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

Washburn allows one run in first start

03/05/2006
Mariners at the plate: Richie Sexson had a pair of singles. In a three-run fifth inning, center fielder T.J. Bohn singled home a run and Roberto Petagine had a two-run pinch-single. Catcher Rene Rivera had two doubles and two RBIs.
Padres at the plate: Rookie Josh Barfield drove in four runs with a pair of doubles, breaking open a 3-3 game with a two-out, three-run double in the sixth against Renee Cortez, who surrendered a two-run homer to Mark Bellhorn in the fifth. Free-agent outfielder Eric Valent had two RBI singles and Paul McAnulty crushed a two-run double.
Mariners on the mound: Starter Jarrod Washburn walked two, gave up two hits and a run, striking out two in two innings. Right-hander Francisco Cruceta pitched two scoreless innings, striking out one while giving up a hit and a walk.
Padres on the mound: In his first test with his new club, starter Dewon Brazelton breezed through six hitters in two innings, striking out Sexson with a changeup. Rule 5 acquisition Seth Etherton followed with two perfect innings.
Cactus League records: Mariners 0-3; Padres 2-1.
Up next: The Mariners host the Brewers on Monday at Peoria Stadium. Bobby Livingston is scheduled to start, but Kevin Appier could move up and start. The Padres play the Royals in Surprise with Shawn Estes making the start, his first of the spring after going two scoreless innings in a charity game against the Mariners.

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

Notes: Meche to miss start, maybe more

03/05/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Gil Meche cruised through his one inning of last Tuesday's intrasquad game, but one of his last pitches ended up costing him at least one spring start.
On that pitch, which was hit for a single by Matt Lawton, the right-handed starter said he felt a twinge of pain in his left side as he strode off the mound.
It was diagnosed as an oblique strain, and Meche tried to work through it, throwing a bullpen session and playing catch as recently as Friday, but the strain persisted.
The team's training staff decided to back off, and the plan right now is for Meche to not touch a ball for three days. He will be re-evaluated after that and could begin throwing again if everything checks out. The best-case scenario would most likely have him out of games until Saturday.
"It doesn't hurt, but it's soreness," Meche said. "It's something they want me to take my time with."
Head trainer Rick Griffin said oblique strains can often be tricky and sometimes end up being injuries that keep players out for months. He said Meche's situation isn't nearly that serious right now, which is why the team is taking the conservative approach.
"We're not going to take any chances," Griffin said. "He can do a lot of things right now. Gil was able to throw a bullpen at about 70 percent and felt OK. That's a good sign."
Meche said Sunday that he's already starting to feel better. He said his pool work was a lot easier than it was even two days ago.
"I want to get on the mound," Meche said.
"But if I try to get out there and push it and end up tearing or ripping something, it'll end up being bad."
Washburn wings it: Jarrod Washburn, the Mariners' $37.5 million man, made his first appearance of the spring, starting Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres and tossing two innings of two-hit, one-run ball. Washburn walked two batters and struck out two.
"I don't put much stock in how I do in Spring Training," Washburn said. "I don't want to get crushed, but the important thing is to build arm strength and stamina. ... I really didn't want to walk two guys, but it happens."
Washburn worked with Kenji Johjima for the first time and walked away impressed with the catcher's skills behind the plate.
"We worked well together," Washburn said. "I didn't shake too much. He seems to have his head in the game and he knew what I wanted to do out there."
Carvajal to start? Right-hander Marcos Carvajal, who came over from the Colorado Rockies in the Yorvit Torrealba trade in December, is slated for a three-inning outing in Tuesday's game.
Manager Mike Hargrove said the team is considering using Carvajal as a starter, although the 21-year-old has started only five games in his pro career and none since 2002 in the Gulf Coast League. Carvajal made 39 relief appearances for Colorado last year.
"Three innings is a natural progression for any pitcher in the spring," Hargrove said. "But we're looking at him as a possible starter."
Ichiro update: Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, currently leading off for the Japanese team in the World Baseball Classic, went 1-for-3 with a walk in Japan's 3-2 loss to Korea on Saturday night. He finished the first round 3-for-13 (.231) with three runs and hit safely in all three games.
Japan and Korea, the teams that advanced from the Asian pool, were 2-1 in the first round. Both teams will train in Peoria beginning next week, with Ichiro and Japan playing the Mariners in an exhibition game Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. in Peoria Stadium. Clint Nageotte will start for the Mariners and will be followed by Luis Gonzalez, Dave Burba and Emiliano Fruto.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Ichiro when they get here," Hargrove said. "It'll be nice to see him."
Mariners log: Reliever J.J. Putz (lower back spasms) threw a 41-pitch bullpen session and reported no pain after using his entire repertoire. Putz is set for a one-inning stint in Wednesday afternoon's game against the San Francisco Giants. ... Catcher Rob Johnson (lower back spasms) has been "turned loose," according to Hargrove. Johnson was set to catch bullpen sessions Sunday and could appear in Monday's game against the Brewers. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) is still "a few days away," Hargrove said. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez has a mild strain of the left hamstring but is scheduled to throw a bullpen Monday. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston was out Sunday because of a stiff neck. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien has a strained right hamstring but will continue to participate in workouts, although he's currently not available for games. ... Washburn has been taking heat from teammates over Willie Bloomquist's career numbers against him (11-for-23, two doubles, a triple, two walks and two RBIs), so Washburn used Bloomquist's bat in pitchers' batting practice. "I know this thing's got a lot of hits in it," Washburn said. "They're all off me."
Coming up: The Mariners stay home Monday to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in Peoria Stadium at 1:05 p.m. Arizona time, or 12:05 p.m. PT. Livingston is scheduled to start, but his neck condition could change things. Livingston was scheduled to be followed by Kevin Appier, Matt Thornton, Jake Woods and George Sherrill. Regulars slated to be in the lineup include Jeremy Reed, Yuniesky Betancourt, Raul Ibanez, Richie Sexson, Carl Everett, Jose Lopez and Johjima.

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

Sexson continues to shine in win

03/06/2006
Brewers at the plate: Brent Abernathy came through in the clutch, stroking a two-out, two-RBI single in the second inning to give the Brewers their first two runs. Geoff Jenkins got on base twice, once via a single and the other when he was hit by a pitch. Jeff Cirillo and Brady Clark had singles. Wisconsin native Vinny Rottino tripled in two runs in the eighth. Anthony Gwynn hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 8-7.
Mariners at the plate: Richie Sexson continued his torrid spring by going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. Sexson is now 6-for-7 in Cactus League play. Raul Ibanez had two hits, including a two-RBI single in the third inning. Jeremy Reed had a single, a double and two RBIs. Jose Lopez hit an RBI double in the fourth.
Brewers on the mound: Starter Chris Capuano had a rough outing, not getting an out in the third inning and giving up four runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and a wild pitch. Lefty Dana Eveland allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in the fourth.
Mariners on the mound: Matt Thornton started in place of Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) and gave up two runs on four hits in two innings. Kevin Appier turned in his best outing of the spring, tossing three scoreless innings and not giving up a hit while striking out two.
Cactus League records: Brewers 4-2; Mariners 1-3.
Up next: The Mariners take their first spring road trip Tuesday to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix at 12:05 p.m. PT. Felix Hernandez makes his second spring start and will be followed by right-handers Rafael Soriano, Julio Mateo and Marcos Carvajal. Regulars in the lineup should include Jeremy Reed, Raul Ibanez, Richie Sexson and Jose Lopez. The Brewers will start right-hander Tomo Ohka and will also pitch Justin Thompson, Ben Hendrickson, Zach Jackson, Justin Lehr, Chris Demaria and Derrick Turnbow.

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

Notes: Outing has Appier encouraged

03/06/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- After Kevin Appier's first spring outing, an intrasquad game in which he gave up four runs on five hits in one-third of an inning, the veteran starter cracked that if his arm speed didn't return soon, he could be found on his yacht.
In Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the 38-year-old proved there might still be some nautical miles left on that right arm.
Appier entered the game in the third and hit the first batter he faced, Geoff Jenkins, but cruised through the Brewers for three innings, facing the minimum nine batters after the hit batsman.
He struck out two batters, fielded a bunt and threw out Gabe Gross to lead off the fourth, and recovered from an error by third baseman Mike Morse by inducing a double play off the bat of Jenkins in the fifth.
Appier, signed in the offseason after enduring almost two years of elbow problems and "retiring" last spring after he didn't land a spot with the Kansas City Royals, said he felt a lot better about things Monday.
"I had good movement today and really good command on some of my pitches," Appier said. "I had good results and I'm definitely encouraged by that."
Appier wasn't the only one.
"He threw the ball well," manager Mike Hargrove said. "I thought for the most part he did a good job."
Appier said he wasn't 100 percent satisfied with the outing because he had four straight full counts and felt somewhat out of sorts with his mechanics at times, but he said he still felt like he was progressing.
"I got a way with some really bad timing, but almost all the pitches I screwed up on were not in the damage zone," Appier said.
"I feel like I can pitch in the big leagues."
Johjima impressing skipper: Kenji Johjima, who signed a three-year, $16.5 million deal to solidify the Mariners' catching position and become the first Japanese-born backstop in Major League history, has left a very good impression on Hargrove so far.
"I've been very, very pleased with how he receives the ball and how he calls a game, the pitches he's called," Hargrove said. "It's difficult to learn the pitchers, but he's worked hard at it."
Hargrove loves Johjima's work ethic, which was exemplified Sunday afternoon, when the catcher was scheduled for a day off but requested to be behind the plate for the spring debut of new Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn.
"I couldn't be more happy with Kenji than I am right now," Hargrove said. "He's doing everything the right way."
Johjima has started off slowly at the plate, with one single in seven at-bats, but Hargrove said it's not a concern.
"That'll come around," Hargrove said. "Right now, the pitchers are way ahead of the hitters. I'm not worried about him. He's got a good swing."
Southpaws showcased: Hargrove said there was a strategy involved when he decided to have three of the top left-handed relievers on the Mariners depth chart -- Matt Thornton, Jake Woods and George Sherrill -- pitch in the same game.
Thornton started Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers and pitched two innings, with Woods pitching three and Sherrill pitching one.
"It's good to have them throw together," Hargrove said. "I think they can learn from each other a little bit."
Ichiro update: The Japanese team for the World Baseball Classic, which includes Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, arrived in the Phoenix area Monday and will have work out from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Japan will play the Mariners in an exhibition game Wednesday at Peoria Stadium. Clint Nageotte will start for the Mariners and will be followed by Luis Gonzalez, Dave Burba and Emiliano Fruto.
Team Japan will play Texas on Thursday in Surprise and the Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix on Friday.
Mariners log: Former Mariners catcher Dan Wilson will join the Mariners on Tuesday and work with the catchers for three days. ... Reliever J.J. Putz (lower back spasms) is set for a one-inning stint in Wednesday afternoon's game against the San Francisco Giants. ... Catcher Rob Johnson (lower back spasms) returned to action Monday, catching the ninth inning. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) is still a few days away from playing. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez (mild strain of left hamstring) threw a bullpen Monday. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston missed his scheduled Monday start because of a stiff neck and is day-to-day. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien has a strained right hamstring but will continue to participate in workouts, although he's still not available for games. ... Former Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki will be in Peoria this week as a TV broadcaster for Team Japan in the Classic.
Coming up: The Mariners take their first spring road trip Tuesday to take on the Brewers in Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix at 1:05 p.m. Arizona time, or 12:05 p.m. PT. Felix Hernandez makes his second spring start and will be followed by right-handers Rafael Soriano, Julio Mateo and Marcos Carvajal. Regulars in the lineup include Jeremy Reed, Raul Ibanez, Richie Sexson and Jose Lopez.

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

Mailbag: Future of few well worth wait

03/06/2006
Who are a couple of players I should look out for in Spring Training that are not going to make the roster this year but have a great chance in the future?-- Eric S., Bellingham, Wash.
There are a few to keep an eye on. Left-hander Travis Blackley might start the season at Double-A San Antonio because he's still rebounding from labrum surgery and might need to be in warmer weather for the first part of the year, but look for him to make it to Triple-A by June if he's progressing well. The Mariners still like him as a starting pitching prospect. Right-hander Marcos Carvajal has a live arm and the potential to start games, and he's got some valuable Major League experience under his belt, having pitched in 39 games for the Colorado Rockies last year, striking out 47 batters in 53 innings. If he doesn't make the big club out of Spring Training, he'll probably be in Tacoma. And reliever Emiliano Fruto can hit the mid-90s with his fastball and has a very good changeup and curveball. He needs to iron out his command and figures to be a candidate for closer duties in Tacoma.
Since Matt Lawton is suspended for the first 10 days of the season because of a drug suspension, who do you think has the opportunity to make the club for those days and technically make the Opening Day roster?-- Ben M., Las Vegas, Nev.
That all depends on how manager Mike Hargrove wants to set up the roster. If Hargrove decides to use the Lawton suspension to give him an extra arm and make it a 12-man pitching staff, Carvajal, Jeff Harris, lefty Jake Woods or righty Clint Nageotte could sneak onto the roster as relievers, depending on how they pitch in Spring Training. If Hargrove decides to go with a position player, candidates include Greg Dobbs, Roberto Petagine or outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. Of course, a lot can happen in the remaining three-plus weeks of camp. Injuries can rearrange the entire roster, and some of the names I've mentioned as possible candidates could become shoo-ins for the roster as camp progresses.
The Mariners traded Bret Boone to the Twins last year. I heard that they will get a player to be named later or cash. I am wondering what they got.-- Alex T., Seattle
According to a team spokesman, the Mariners received cash in the deal, which was done last July 11. Boone, incidentally, retired from baseball last week while in New York Mets camp.
What Mariners numbers have been retired? And who are they?-- Eric R., Portland, Ore.
The Mariners have not retired any numbers yet. The only retired number hanging in Safeco Field is the No. 42 of Jackie Robinson, which is retired throughout baseball.
What happened to pitcher Jorge Campillo? Is he still in the organization, or did we let him go as a free agent?-- Michael C., Shoreline, Wash.
Campillo is in Arizona rehabilitating his right elbow from the Tommy John ligament replacement surgery he underwent last year. Campillo remains a part of the Mariners organization on a Minor League contract. Once the season starts, the team will have to figure out which disabled list to place him on.
What is OPS and how does it work?-- Derek G., Riverside, Calif.
OPS is on-base percentage plus slugging percentage and it is believed by a growing number of baseball fans and statisticians to be the premier method of determining a player's true offensive value, although that interpretation is often questioned, usually by older, more traditional baseball people.
Is Jay Buhner still with the Mariners organization? I know that he is no longer announcing, but is he still working with the Mariners or is he enjoying retirement?-- Kara M., Richland, Wash.
The Mariners tell me that "Bone" is content right now as a Seattle-area dad, coaching his children.

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

Clement homers in Mariners' loss

03/07/2006
Mariners at the plate: The Mariners erased a 3-0 deficit before the Brewers pulled away in the seventh. Willie Bloomquist and Raul Ibanez led the way by going 2-for-3 apiece, and Jeff Clement hit a two-run home run in the ninth.
Brewers at the plate: Tied through six and a half innings, the Brewers erupted for 11 runs in the bottom of the seventh to open up a rout. J.J. Hardy snapped a 3-3 tie when he crushed a two-run home run and Tony Gwynn, Jr. also homered in the frame, Gwynn's second in as many days. Corey Hart put the Brewers on the board with a two-run home run in the second inning on a windy day at Maryvale Baseball Park.
Mariners on the mound: Right-handed phenom Felix Hernandez worked a scoreless first inning but was touched for three in the second as Mariners pitchers continued to struggle this spring. In the seventh, Marcos Carvajal (0-1) and Mike Bumstead combined to surrender 11 earned runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter.
Brewers on the mound: Tomo Ohka started and allowed a hit in two scoreless innings of work. Closer Derrick Turnbow pitched the ninth and surrendered Clement's high home run after a one-out walk, but struck out the game's final two batters. Carlos Villanueva (1-0) got the win.
Cactus League records: Mariners 1-4; Brewers 5-2.
Up next: The Mariners split up Wednesday to take on the Giants at 12:05 p.m. PT and Ichiro Suzuki's World Baseball Classic Japanese squad at 6:05 p.m. PT. The Brewers, meanwhile, stay home to host the Kansas City Royals at Maryvale Baseball Park. Dave Bush is scheduled to start for Milwaukee against Joe Mays.

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

Guardado, Lawton reflect on Puckett

03/07/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Eddie Guardado and Matt Lawton are with the Mariners now, but they began their careers as Minnesota Twins and were both befriended and influenced by Kirby Puckett.
Puckett, the Hall of Fame Twins outfielder, passed away Monday at the age of 45 after suffering a stroke in nearby Scottsdale, and he was still on the minds of Guardado and Lawton on Tuesday morning.
Guardado, who came up in the Twins organization and played with Puckett from 1993-1995, said he went to the hospital Sunday as soon as he heard about the stroke and passed a message along to Puckett through Clayton Wilson, the Twins' longtime clubhouse man and one of Puckett's best friends.
"I told Clayton to tell Kirby that I loved him and that he taught me a lot about life, and Clayton told him, so that was special," Guardado said.
"It's really sad. It's a great person we lost. They always take the good ones quick."
Guardado has enjoyed a long career and has blossomed into one of the game's most reliable closers and a positive clubhouse presence. He said Tuesday he owes it all to Puckett's constant optimism and perspective.
"He always used to say, 'In this game, thing things you can't control, don't worry about them,'" Guardado said.
"I try to pass it on now. That's what I do and that's what I stress to these guys in here. ... This guy was my idol in the game."
Guardado said he will attend Puckett's funeral and will honor his late teammate and friend by writing "K.P. 34" underneath his cap this season.
"He's always going to be remembered in my heart," Guardado said. "He's going to be with me forever."
"Clayton said he's probably smiling at us right now. I said, 'You ain't lyin', brother.'"
Meanwhile, Lawton had his own memories of Puckett, who took a young Lawton under his wing when Lawton was still in Minor League camp in the early 1990s.
Lawton said Puckett would drive him around to do errands and take him shopping and that, "I felt like I was in the car with Dad or something."
Lawton added that Puckett was a superstar without an elitist superstar attitude.
"I would carry his bags because I wanted to," Lawton said. "He would never ask me to, so I carried his bags just because."
The two were connected by more than their friendship, too. On Sept. 28, 1995, Puckett was hit in the face with a pitch by Dennis Martinez. Lawton hit his first career home run off Martinez in the same game. On Opening Day of that season, Lawton, then the starting right fielder, got two hits.
"When he got glaucoma, on Opening Day, he was yelling, 'Man, this guy's gonna take my position,'" Lawton recalled. "'He's gonna Wally Pipp me.'"
"He always had a smile on his face and he played the game the right way," Lawton added.
"It was just great to get a chance to play with him. I have nothing but good memories."

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

Notes: Wilson enjoying his visit

03/07/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- It seemed like any other Tuesday morning at the Mariners' Spring Training complex: sunny skies, the loud smack of baseballs hitting catchers' gloves, and Dan Wilson soaking up every bit of it.
The only difference is that Wilson isn't a player anymore. Wilson, who retired to much local fanfare at the end of last season, came to camp as a guest instructor.
Wilson spent the first of three days with the team as a part-time catching instructor and general team confidant.
He will work with new catcher Kenji Johjima, possibly pitch batting practice, and serve as a sounding board for any players looking to talk baseball.
"It's just nice that they invited me down," Wilson said. "It's a chance to see some of the new catchers and young guys and talk to Kenji a little bit. It's been nice."
Retirement also has been nice for Wilson, who said he's been happy to see his four children adjust to life with Dad around the house.
Wilson said he hadn't missed the whole Spring Training regimen until he was sitting on the couch with his wife, Annie, on the first day of pitchers and catchers reporting to Arizona.
"You miss the guys you know and the relationships you had," Wilson said. "That's the thing you really take away from this game."
Wilson said he hasn't yet considered returning to the Mariners in a coaching position or some organizational capacity other than continuing his longtime charity work, but he did say he's going to work on finishing up a business degree from the University of Minnesota via online study.
For these three days, however, he's expected to be working on the field and in the dugout.
"I'll be working and hopefully sitting with them on the bench during games, just talking," Wilson said.
"It's all about being open and willing to talk."
Felix, Part 2: Felix Hernandez made his second start of the spring Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park, and it didn't go nearly as well as his first start, in which he struck out the side on 13 pitches.
On Tuesday, Hernandez got through a scoreless first inning, giving up nothing but a J.J. Hardy infield single and notching one strikeout, but he was touched up for three runs in the second.
Bill Hall led off with a single, former Mariner Jeff Cirillo doubled in a run down the left-field line and Corey Hart made it a 3-0 game with a two-run home run to left-center. Hernandez left the stadium without speaking to reporters.
Manager Mike Hargrove said it wasn't difficult to figure out what was going on.
"He was so-so," Hargrove said. "He struggled with command, didn't throw a lot of strikes and was behind a lot of hitters."
Johjima chooses Jamie: On Monday, Hargrove said he wasn't sure if he'd have Johjima play against his countrymen Wednesday night when the Mariners play a split-squad game against the Japanese World Baseball Classic team.
On Tuesday, the decision was made, and Johjima will play in the Wednesday afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants instead. This gives Johjima another opportunity to catch Jamie Moyer, who is scheduled to pitch three innings and might square off against Giants slugger Barry Bonds.
When asked if he'd stick around to watch the Japan game Wednesday night, Johjima shook his head and said, "No."
Classic cuts: Adrian Beltre impressed his Mariners teammates from afar when he dominated the Dominican Republic's 11-5 first-round World Baseball Classic win over Venezuela. Beltre paced the Dominicans' attack by going 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs.
Beltre, starting at third base and batting sixth, struck for a three-run homer in the fifth inning off Carlos Zambrano, then added a two-run shot in the ninth off Jorge Julio.
"That's good to hear," Hargrove said. "I'm glad he's doing well. He got a lot of good work in with [hitting coach] Jeff Pentland before he left."
Joel Pineiro of the Mariners and the Puerto Rican team is set for his Wednesday start against the Netherlands in Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan.
Mariners log: Right-hander Clint Nageotte has a pulled left hamstring and has been scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday. ... Right-hander Gil Meche (oblique strain, left side) will play catch Wednesday. ... Reliever J.J. Putz (lower back spasms) is set for a one-inning stint in Wednesday afternoon's game against the San Francisco Giants. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) took batting practice Tuesday. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez (mild strain of left hamstring) threw a bullpen Monday with no problems. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) played catch Tuesday. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien has a strained right hamstring but will continue to participate in workouts, although he's still not available for games.
Coming up: The Mariners stay home Wednesday for a full day of baseball. First, they'll play a split-squad game against the Giants in Peoria Stadium 1:05 p.m. Arizona time, or 12:05 p.m. PT, with Moyer scheduled for three innings. Moyer is set to be followed by Putz, Jeff Harris and Travis Blackley, and regulars in the lineup include Jose Lopez and Raul Ibanez.
In the night game against Ichiro Suzuki and the Japanese World Baseball Classic team, Luis Gonzalez will get the start and will be followed by Dave Burba, Emiliano Fruto and Sean Green. Regulars in the lineup include Jeremy Reed, Yuniesky Betancourt, Richie Sexson and Carl Everett.

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

Moyer strong, but Mariners fall to Giants

03/08/2006
Giants at the plate: Non-roster invitee Derin McMains hit a pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning, giving him three homers in his first four at-bats with five RBIs. Outfielder Nate Schierholtz smashed a top-of-the-berm homer to right field in the eighth, highlighting a three-run rally that also featured an RBI double by Fred Lewis.
Mariners at the plate: Shortstop Matt Tuiasosopo had a two-run double in the first inning.
Giants on the mound: Starter Jason Schmidt gave up the two-bagger to Tuiasosopo but settled down and struck out the side in the second frame. Matt Kinney (1-0) picked up the win in relief.
Mariners on the mound: Starter Jamie Moyer had a good outing, giving up only one hit over three innings while striking out four. The losing pitcher was Jeff Harris.
Cactus League records: Giants 5-2; Mariners, 1-5.
Up next: Giants' No. 2 starter Matt Morris will oppose the Angels in Tempe at 12:05 p.m. PT on Thursday. It marks his first spring game following an earlier exhibition outing against Team USA. The Mariners travel to Tucson to face the White Sox, as RHP Jesse Foppert (0-0) takes the hill.

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

Clement catching attention this spring

03/08/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Walking into the Mariners' big-league clubhouse, look to the right and there's Seattle's "Catcher's Row."
Against the wall are Japanese import Kenji Johjima, the starter, Rene Rivera, Johjima's likely backup, and Rob Johnson, the M's fourth-round pick in 2004 who should be ready for Double-A. But other than Johjima, no one in the row has generated as much buzz and gotten as much attention as 2005 first-round pick Jeff Clement.
Not that this should be surprising to anyone. Clement, after all, was the No. 3 overall pick in last June's First-Year Player Draft and signed at the end of July for $3.4 million, a club record for a drafted player. Considering the Mariners hadn't drafted and signed a pure first-round pick since 1999 -- when they nabbed catcher Ryan Christianson with their first selection -- it's understandable why everyone is curious to see Clement in action.
"How he's handled his first Spring Training is amazing," said Johnson, a grizzled veteran who is now in his second spring with the organization. "He's a first-class guy, this is his first Spring Training, and he's in the big-league locker room. He's a great guy to be around. I'm glad he's got the locker next to me. We talk a lot about the game and getting better."
Unlike Christianson, who was more of a project as a high school catcher back in '99, Clement was taken out of a big program -- USC -- with the expectation that he'd move through the system quickly. After hitting .348 as a junior with the Trojans, he did nothing to lower those expectations by hitting .319 and slugging .522 in a jump to Class A Wisconsin after four tune-up games with short-season Class A Everett in the Northwest League. He then held his own by hitting .269 and homering three times in the Arizona Fall League.
Some high draftees, after a debut like that, would be feeling pretty good about themselves entering their first Spring Training. But the perfectionist in Clement saw a lot in his debut that he'd like to change.
"I was pretty streaky last year," admitted Clement, who was hitting .224 after his first 14 games with Wisconsin, but then reeled off a nine-game hitting streak that brought his average up to .344, only to see him go 4-for-21 down the stretch to finish at .319. "I'm going to try to maintain the same mindset going into every week, every at-bat, every game, every day. As long as I can do that, take everything day to day, without letting the lows get me down or the highs get me too high -- just keep a level head the whole year. I think then I can stop some of those long streaks, try to make the bad streaks shorter."
Truth be told, no one with the Mariners is too worried about Clement's bat. Already with a homer to his credit this spring, his offensive ability is what made him a No. 3 pick and is what could have him in Double-A by the end of his first full season. He's got as much power from the left side as any recent draftee, and there isn't a catcher in recent memory who can even compare with his upside potential with the stick.
His work behind the plate is a different matter. He's not a bad receiver, but it's undeniable that his bat is way ahead of his glove. He did throw out a less-than-awful 29 percent of basestealers in his debut season. No one is talking about a need to move him, but he does have considerable work to do behind the plate.
"He's a great hitter, he's got power. Catching, he's young, just out of college," said Rivera, who is known more for his defense and is actually less than a month older than Clement. "He's working hard to get better every day. I haven't seen him play a game yet, but whatever happens, he's a great guy and it looks like he'll be a good catcher."
It certainly doesn't hurt to be surrounded by all the catching talent in the Mariners system. Both Rivera and Johnson have established themselves as very strong behind the plate and Johjima has a reputation as a good all-around backstop. Clement has been trying to soak up as much from them, as well as the other big leaguers, for as long as he's in camp.
"I didn't really know what to expect coming into it, but it's been good up to this point," Clement said. "Being able to get some work with guys at the Major League level, you can't help but get better by working out with them.
"It's good to be working with guys of this caliber to try to make myself better, seeing what they do and trying to pick apart little things they do that may work for me."
"I think he's going to be a very good baseball player overall," Johnson said. "He's got some things to work on defensively -- we all do. He's going to get it in, because he's a hard worker."
Assuming the hard work pays off, Clement could be knocking on the door to a big-league catching job by the end of the 2007 season. That's when things could get interesting -- considering the depth the organization has at his position. Catcher's Row already has established some friendly competition, and that could be fun to watch as the newer guys get closer to being big-league ready. Clement, for his part, is staying above that fray and trying to concentrate on his game.
"There's no reason to concern myself with it, because I'm not making those decisions," Clement said about the future logjam behind the plate in Seattle. "The only thing I can focus on is taking it a day at a time and trying to get better.
"If I focus on that stuff, then I'm not going to compete at a high level, or compete as well. I don't worry about any of that stuff. I just worry about playing and getting better."
"We already have that. All the catchers here get along. We all talk. We all work real hard," Rivera said. "There's already that competition. There's a lot of catchers here and yeah, it makes it harder to win a job, but there's also 29 other teams out there. When you're a catcher and you do your job, teams take notice of that."

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

Notes: Classic play igniting Ichiro

03/08/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- With Ichiro Suzuki in town as part of the Japanese team for the World Baseball Classic, it's only natural that Mariners manager Mike Hargrove would get a lot of questions about his relationship with his All-Star right fielder and leadoff man.
The answers have all been the same: Everything's fine.
At the end of last year, Ichiro and Hargrove met and Ichiro aired concerns about the direction of the team, which lost 93 games in 2005 and 99 in 2004. Hargrove said on Wednesday that the meeting was productive.
"I think it was a fair discussion," Hargrove said. "Both of us got to say some things we probably wanted to say for a long time, and none of it with any animosity."
Reports from the first round of Classic play in Japan said Ichiro was an animated team leader. Ichiro has been more of a reserved, lead-by-example player in his first five years in Seattle.
"Here, he jokes with his teammates on the field," The Associated Press wrote. "He yells encouragement, willingly accepts the spotlight. At times in interviews, his voice is hoarse from all the chatter."
On Wednesday, Hargrove said he would appreciate it if Ichiro brought that same type of fire to the field with the Mariners this year, but he also said he wouldn't try to force anything on him.
"I would hope he would do that, but that's up to him," Hargrove said. "I want him to be the player that he wants to be. I don't want to paint him in any negative sort of light at all. We've missed him when he's not been here.
"I think every club has a different sort of leadership, and I want Ichiro to be Ichiro. Just being Ichiro [means] being good for a long time. He's one of the stars of the game."
Meche on Monday? Starter Gil Meche, who last appeared on the mound in a Feb. 28 intrasquad game -- straining an oblique muscle on his left side in the process -- is getting closer to pitching in a game.
Meche played catch, did some long toss and simulated pitching on flat ground on Wednesday morning and reported no pain.
"It was smooth," Meche said. "I was able to use my normal throwing motion and let some pitches go. And I felt good doing drills after that, so I'm happy with it."
Hargrove said the plan now is for Meche is to throw a bullpen session on Saturday and get into Monday's game at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. Hargrove said it's possible that Meche will pitch two innings in that game and be on his way to getting ready to begin the regular season in the starting rotation as planned.
"If he stays healthy, we'll be able to get him back on track," Hargrove said.
Putz debuts: Reliever J.J. Putz, out since straining his lower back at the beginning of camp, threw a perfect inning in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Putz, slated to be one of the Mariners' setup men, said he was especially encouraged by the fact that he felt fine, even after being forced to spring off the mound to cover first base on a grounder to second.
"Everything felt good," he said, "and it didn't stiffen up afterwards."
Putz said he's been working with new pitching coach Rafael Chaves to go with more two-seam fastballs that sink instead of relying on the straighter -- and faster -- four-seam fastballs. It worked on Wednesday, with all three outs being grounders.
Moyer masterful: Jamie Moyer breezed through his second spring outing, tossing three innings of one-hit, scoreless ball and striking out four Giants in the process. It was his first time pitching in a game to new catcher Kenji Johjima. Moyer said the two worked well together.
"He did a nice job behind me today," Moyer said of Johjima. "He was thinking. I was quite impressed. He's made the effort from Day 1 to fit in and to learn."
The highlight of the 43-year-old southpaw's outing came in the third when he froze his last batter, Jose Vizcaino, with a breaking pitch on the outside corner.
"I felt like my location was a lot better today," said Moyer, who gave up one run in two innings in his spring debut last week. "That's a plus."
Mariners log: The Mariners made their first cuts of the spring but also added a player to big-league camp. The team re-assigned right-handers Rich Dorman and Chris Jaile to Minor League camp and tendered a non-roster invitation to Major League camp to right-hander Sean Green. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) took batting practice and fielded grounders on Wednesday. Hargrove said the team would look to get him into a game after the club gets back from Tucson on Saturday. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez (mild strain of left hamstring) threw a bullpen on Wednesday. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) played catch again and could appear in a game as soon as Sunday. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien has a strained right hamstring but will continue to participate in workouts, although he's still not available for games.
Coming up: The Mariners hit the road to the "Old Pueblo" on Thursday when they begin a three-day stay in Tucson. On Thursday, they'll play the World Series champion Chicago White Sox in Tucson Electric Park at 12:05 p.m. PT, with right-hander Jesse Foppert making the start and being followed by righties Scott Atchison, Yorman Bazardo and Renee Cortez.
Regulars in the lineup are slated to include Jeremy Reed, Yuniesky Betancourt, Raul Ibanez, Richie Sexson, Carl Everett, Johjima and Jose Lopez.

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

Ichiro, Uehara lead Japan past Mariners

03/08/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Japanese team for the World Baseball Classic might have been disappointed when it lost a game to Korea last week, but the club's first try against Major League competition had to provide some warmth on a chilly Wednesday night in the desert.
Starter Koji Uehara dominated the Seattle Mariners for five innings, Ichiro Suzuki burned his regular-season team with an RBI single, and a mixture of timely hitting and heady baserunning got Team Japan back in the win column with a 6-5 tally before 2,086 in Peoria Stadium.
"I'm really pleased with the way the team played," Japan manager Sadaharu Oh said through an interpreter. "I feel the skill is improving with the team. ... I was really impressed with the energy level my boys put out tonight."
Team Japan, already qualified for next week's second round of the Classic in Anaheim, will play Cactus League exhibitions on Thursday (against Texas) and Friday (against Milwaukee) before heading to Southern California.
"The Japanese have a good ballclub," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "It's obvious that they've been working at this a little bit longer than we have this spring."
That statement could have been reserved for Uehara alone.
The right-hander baffled a Mariners lineup with four projected Opening Day starters, giving up one hit in five innings and facing the minimum 15 hitters. He struck out six, including Seattle shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and designated hitter Carl Everett twice each.
Uehara retired seven straight hitters until Greg Dobbs lined a single to right field with one out in the third inning. But Uehara erased that threat by getting Oswaldo Navarro to hit into a routine 6-4-3 double play. Uehara then put down the next six hitters in order -- three via strikeout.
"I have no complaints about Uehara's pitching," Oh said. "I would say it's up there as one of his best performances that I've seen."
The Japanese hitters didn't need to do much, but they did enough in the second inning.
Mariners starter Travis Blackley, who had only pitched one inning -- in a "B" game last week -- of competitive baseball since late 2004 because of shoulder injuries, walked the first batter, then gave up two straight singles, including an RBI knock by Michihiro Ogasawara that gave Team Japan a 1-0 lead.
The Japanese team added a run two batters later when Munenori Kawasaki hit an RBI fielder's choice, and Ichiro struck next, lining an RBI single to left field to give Japan a 3-0 advantage.
Japan added a run in the fifth off Mariners righty Dave Burba when Kawasaki bunted for a single, stole second and scored on a Tsuyoshi Nishioka single.
The Mariners scored their first runs in the seventh inning. Betancourt stroked a leadoff triple off Naoyuki Shimizu and scored on Richie Sexson's fielder's choice. Everett followed with a double and scored on a Rob Johnson single, bringing the contest to 4-2.
Japan scored twice in the eighth, with Nishioka driving in a run with a fielder's choice and Nobuhiko Matsunaka doubling in another.
Seattle made a late charge in the ninth when Roberto Petagine hit a three-run blast, but the Mariners were unable to complete the comeback.
Ichiro went 2-for-4, notching his first two-hit game since joining Team Japan. He went 3-for-13 (.231) in Pool A play, hitting a single in each of the team's first three games.
He and Hargrove agreed that having Ichiro on the opposing team was a strange experience.
"It was a little weird," Ichiro said through an interpreter, "but I was happy to see everybody. I haven't seen them for many months, and there's new members [of the team]. I'm looking forward to the season."
And Hargrove is looking forward to a season with Ichiro back in right field and in the leadoff spot.
"It was odd seeing him on the other team," Hargrove said.
"I'd rather see him with us."

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

Ibanez homers, but Mariners fall

03/09/2006
Mariners at the plate: Raul Ibanez hit his second home run in Cactus League action, launching a two-run shot on a 3-1 pitch from Brandon McCarthy in the first inning.
White Sox at the plate: Ryan Sweeney knocked out his team-leading third home run of the spring, and Ross Gload launched his first home run to right. Gload added a run-scoring double, while Jim Thome chipped in with a rare triple off the huge green fence in center field. Josh Fields launched a three-run homer in the eighth, also his third of the spring. Darren Blakely followed with a two-run blast of his own to complete the scoring.
Mariners on the mound: Jesse Foppert did not allow a hit over two innings. But by virtue of walking four White Sox hitters, the right-hander gave up one run.
White Sox on the mound: McCarthy allowed the long home run to Ibanez in the first, but settled down to give up just two earned runs over the four innings. The lanky right-hander struck out three, without issuing a walk. Paulino Reynoso, one of the left-handers still in competition for the final bullpen spot, threw two scoreless innings of relief and struck out two.
Cactus League records: White Sox 3-7; Mariners 1-6.
Up next: The White Sox meet up with San Francisco for the first time this spring, hosting the Giants at Tucson Electric Park on Friday. Jose Contreras pitches for the South Siders against the Giants' Brad Hennessey. Seattle stays in Tucson and moves on to Hi Corbett and the Rockies, with Jarrod Washburn starting against Aaron Cook.

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

Notes: Prospects struggle to get ahead

03/09/2006
TUCSON, Ariz. -- After giving up another 10 runs in another Spring Training loss, manager Mike Hargrove said it might be time to get his young pitchers together for a little talk when the team returns to Peoria.
The Mariners are excited about the futures of hard-throwing prospects such as Marcos Carvajal, Emiliano Fruto, Renee Cortez and Yorman Bazardo, but all four have been struggling this spring, unable to stick with the organization's philosophy of getting ahead in the count.
Carvajal gave up seven earned runs on three hits and three walks in one-third of an inning in his only Cactus League appearance.
Fruto pitched in one Spring Training game and gave up four earned runs on three hits and three walks.
In Thursday's 10-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Cortez gave up four runs on two homers in 1 1/3 innings, walking one batter.
And also on Thursday, Bazardo gave up two hits in two-thirds of an inning. His spring ERA is 13.50 and he's walked one batter.
"One thing we've been stressing is the value of strike one," Hargrove said. "We've still got time to hammer that home."
Hargrove said he was happy with the job his starting pitchers have been doing, particularly Jamie Moyer and Jarrod Washburn, who are throwing strikes and getting their work in.
But the later innings, when the team takes a look at up-and-coming pitchers, have been troublesome.
"A lot of that has to do with young guys coming in, being excited, overthrowing and trying to be nasty," Hargrove said.
"It's disappointing. It's frustrating. But as long as you see these arms -- guys with lightning in their arms -- as they settle down, they'll throw more strikes."
Foppert loses control: It was a strange second spring start for right-hander Jesse Foppert, who pitched two innings against the White Sox on Thursday, allowing a run, but not giving up a hit.
And how, exactly, is that possible?
Here's how: Foppert began the game by walking a batter, allowing a stolen base, throwing a wild pitch and inducing an RBI fielder's choice groundout. In the second inning, he walked the bases loaded before getting his third flyout of the frame and escaping unscathed.
And oh yeah, his scheduled three-inning stint was shortened to two because of a blister on his middle finger that he didn't tell anyone about.
"I felt fine," said Foppert, who spent last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. "My arm felt great. But everything was just moving out of the zone."
Foppert has a chance to make the team as a long man in the bullpen or a "sixth starter" of sorts. Before blowing out his elbow in 2003 as a San Francisco Giants farmhand, he was considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball.
He said Thursday that he's confident he'll improve in his next outing.
"It was just one of those days," he said. "Balls were just cutting off to the other side of the plate and running to my arm's side. I couldn't find the zone."
He said it wasn't a case of nerves because he's fighting for a job, and it wasn't a case of trying to show the Mariners that he's finally all the way back physically.
"I'm healthy," Foppert said. "I'm not trying to prove that to anybody. Next time, it'll be better."
Bucky not bitter: As recently as September 2004, Bucky Jacobsen was a burgeoning cult hero in Seattle, a huge, hulking and lovable Mariners first baseman and designated hitter with a bald head, a bright orange beard and a vicious right-handed power swing.
The 30-year-old native of Hermiston, Ore., latched on to a team in the midst of a 99-loss season and gave the Safeco Field faithful something to cheer about, hitting nine home runs and driving in 22 runs in 42 games and cultivating a following of Bucky backers that still clamor for information about the whereabouts of their departed hero.
Jacobsen's stay with the Mariners became a fleeting one when he injured his knee in the 2004 offseason, had two surgeries and rehabbed slowly in 2005. The Mariners designated him for assignment after the season and didn't re-sign him.
Jacobsen, now in White Sox Minor League camp and cleanly shaven per team regulations, said Thursday he's not bitter about how things turned out.
"It's part of the game," Jacobsen said. "Injuries happen and teams move on. You can't necessarily rely on a guy with half a season of experience and a knee injury.
"It was sad to go because I loved Seattle. At the same time, it fuels my fire. I know a lot of fans saw what I did. It's just disappointing that I couldn't show them what I can do now that I'm healthy again."
Classic cuts: Joel Pineiro pitched four innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits while striking out two in Puerto Rico's 8-3 win over the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic late Wednesday. He threw 56 pitches, 40 of them strikes, and seemed very confident about how he's throwing the ball.
"It starts from here, taking it back to Spring Training and go toward April," Pineiro said. "I like to have a strong start and go out there and continue it. Hopefully we can get these two games out of the way and go on to the next round for us and for the people of Puerto Rico."
Meanwhile, Adrian Beltre continues to mash. The third baseman hit two homers and drove in five runs in the Dominican Republic's first Classic game, and he hit another homer, this one a three-run shot, in the Dominican's 8-3 win over Italy on Thursday. He's batting .500 in the tournament, with three homers and eight RBIs.
Mariners log: Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) continues to hit and field before games, and he could be ready for a game Sunday or Monday. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) continues to improve. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien (strained right hamstring) is still not available for games.
Coming up: The Mariners stay in Tucson on Friday, where they'll take on the Colorado Rockies at Hi Corbett Field at 12:05 p.m. PT. Washburn gets the start, and he'll be followed by Francisco Cruceta, Carvajal and George Sherrill. The lineup will include Willie Bloomquist, Yuniesky Betancourt, Matt Lawton and Mike Morse.

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

Lawton shines in Mariners' win

03/10/2006
Mariners at the plate: Matt Lawton went 3-for-5 with three doubles, knocking in two runs on the day. The trio of two-baggers marked Lawton's first three extra-base hits of the spring season. T.J. Bohn had a pair of singles, a walk, two runs and a game-winning sacrifice fly in four trips to the plate.
Rockies at the plate: Jeff Baker hit his team-best third home run of the spring, a towering third-inning grand slam that cut through the wind and landed by the left-field scoreboard, giving the Rockies a 4-1 lead. Baker also leads the Rockies with 10 RBIs.
Mariners on the mound: Starter Jarrod Washburn pitched three innings and gave up four runs, all on the Baker slam, but because of his own throwing error on a play earlier in the inning, none of his runs was earned. Marcus Carvajal gave up one run in two innings, lowering his ERA from 189.00 to 30.86.
Rockies on the mound: Aaron Cook pitched through traffic in three of four innings, but he escaped with just one run allowed on four hits. Jose Mesa gave up his first hits and runs of the spring, letting in three runs on five hits.
Cactus League records: Mariners 2-6; Rockies 3-7.
Up next: The Mariners will play a pair of split-squad games on Saturday, closing their Tucson trip with a match against the D-Backs at 12:05 p.m. PT and hosting the Royals in Peoria at 6:05 p.m.
On Saturday, the Rockies hit the road to take on the Texas Rangers at 1:05 p.m. MT in Surprise. Jose Acevedo starts for Colorado.

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

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/

Notes: Mateo's brother dies in crash

03/11/2006
Mariners at the plate: Kenji Johjima and Todd Sears were the offensive stars of the day for the Mariners, both needing only a triple for the cycle. Johjima notched his first RBIs of the spring and on American soil, when he singled in a run in the fourth and hit his first homer of the spring, a solo shot off Brandon Lyon, in the eighth. He added a double in the ninth to finish 3-for-5. Sears doubled in the second inning, singled in the fourth and hit a two-run homer in the sixth. T.J. Bohn was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. Adam Jones tripled in two runs in the eighth and Asdrubal Cabrera hit a wind-aided homer later in the inning.
Diamondbacks at the plate: Andy Green led the Diamondbacks with four RBIs, including a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Conor Jackson, Damion Easley and Green hit RBI singles in succession in the first inning. Alex Frazier drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Mariners on the mound: Matt Thornton struggled with control in the first inning, walking a batter, hitting a batter and giving up three straight RBI singles. He settled down in the second and third, however, putting up zeroes in both frames while striking out two. Jake Woods was touched up for three runs in the fifth, including Green's homer. Luis Gonzalez pitched one scoreless inning and Emiliano Fruto did the same, striking out the side.
Diamondbacks on the mound: Starter Russ Ortiz had a useful tuneup for the regular season, going four innings and giving up three runs on five hits while striking out one. Reliever Terry Mulholland gave up two runs in two innings, including Sears' homer. Mulholland departed with the bases loaded in the sixth and was replaced by Jeff Bajenaru, who made his first appearance as a Diamondback. Bajenaru struck out Rene Rivera on three pitches to escape the jam and gave up an unearned run in the seventh. He struck out three batters in 1 1/3 innings.
Cactus League records: Mariners 3-6; Diamondbacks 8-3.
Up next: The Mariners are slated for a 12:05 p.m. PT home game Sunday against the Texas Rangers, with right-hander Felix Hernandez taking the hill against Texas righty Thomas Diamond.
The Diamondbacks travel up to Surprise, Ariz., for a matchup with the Kansas City Royals at 12:05 p.m. Brandon Webb will start, and he is scheduled to be followed by Randy Choate, Doug Slaten, Tony Pena and Casey Daigle.

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

Green's spring impressive so far

03/12/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Right-hander Sean Green has bounced around the Minor Leagues since he was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the 12th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, but he might be closer to the Major Leagues than he's ever been.
Green, a 6-foot-6 26-year-old the Mariners obtained in a December 2004 trade with the Rockies, has been impressing the coaching staff with a fastball that touches 94-95 mph and a heavy sinker.
Green appeared in 21 games for Double-A San Antonio last year and did well, posting a 2.96 ERA and saving 14 games. The Mariners promoted him to Triple-A Tacoma, where he appeared in 33 games and struck out 44 batters in 49 1/3 innings.
He got the attention of pitching coach Rafael Chaves in winter ball in Puerto Rico and got a late invitation to big-league camp, where he's been lights-out. Expect to hear his name more as the spring -- and possibly summer -- progresses.
On the move: Veteran hitter Roberto Petagine might start the season in Triple-A, but he figures to be an enticing option for the Mariners if an injury or trade opens a spot for a potent left-handed bat. Petagine has been crushing Cactus League pitching, with a .538 batting average and three RBIs. He also hit the team's longest home run of the spring in an exhibition game against Japan's World Baseball Classic team.
On the pine: Right-hander Clint Nageotte (pulled left hamstring) threw a bullpen session Saturday and will throw another one Monday. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) continues to improve. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien (strained right hamstring) is still not available for games. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez (mild strain of left hamstring) threw a bullpen Wednesday.
Names in the game: Triple-A pitching coach Dwight Bernard, who is in his first year in that position, was pitching coach for San Antonio last year and Class A Inland Empire in 2004. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round in 1974 and would go on to pitch in the Major Leagues with the Mets (1978) and the Milwaukee Brewers (1981-1982). Bernard pitched in the postseason in both years with the Brewers.
They're No. 1: Five of the Mariners' No. 1 draft picks are still in camp. Last year's No. 1 selection, catcher Jeff Clement, will likely start the season at Class A or Double-A. Shortstop Matt Tuiasosopo finished last season at low Class A Wisconsin and has a shot at Double-A this year. Adam Jones, the team's 2003 pick out of high school, will start in center field at either Double-A or Triple-A. Reliever Matt Thornton (1998) will likely return to the Major League bullpen and Gil Meche (1996) is in the Mariners' starting rotation.
Class of '05: Clement is the only 2005 draft alumnus in Mariners' big-league camp.
What they're saying: "Everything he's done has been impressive. He's gone out and competed, he throws strikes and has a nasty sinker." -- Mariners manager Mike Hargrove on Green

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

Ibanez helps lift Mariners over Rangers

03/12/2006
Rangers at the plate: Kevin Mench went 2-for-3 with a double and a single. Phil Nevin drove in the Rangers' runs with a double in the fifth inning off Seattle reliever Sean Green. Mark DeRosa doubled in the sixth, and Hank Blalock and D'Angelo Jimenez singled in the third.
Mariners at the plate: Raul Ibanez continued his sizzling spring, singling in the first, doubling in the third and hitting his third homer of the spring, a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Roberto Petagine homered on the next pitch and had two hits overall. Jeremy Reed led off the game with his first homer of the spring. Carl Everett and Jose Lopez had doubles.
Rangers on the mound: Two fifth-starter candidates went head to head, with Josh Rupe and Juan Dominguez both appearing in the game. Rupe started and gave up two runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. Dominguez relieved Rupe and took care of business until the sixth, when he gave up the back-to-back homers to Ibanez and Petagine, before pitching into and out of a jam, stranding runners on second and third.
Mariners on the mound: Starter Felix Hernandez looked good, throwing three shutout innings, striking out two, walking one and giving up three hits. Green gave up two runs on three hits in two innings of relief. Kevin Appier extended his spring scoreless-innings streak to five by pitching shutout sixth and seventh frames. J.J. Putz made his second appearance of the spring and pitched another scoreless inning.
Cactus League records: Rangers 5-4; Mariners 4-6.
Up next: The Rangers play a home game Monday in Surprise Stadium against the Kansas City Royals, with Edison Volquez getting the start for Texas against Royals righty Mike Wood in the 12:05 p.m. PT start. They'll also play a "B" game at home against the Mariners at 8:30 a.m., with Kevin Millwood facing off against Seattle lefty Jamie Moyer.
The Mariners will play the "B" game in the morning, with pitchers Moyer, Cesar Jimenez, Yorman Bazardo, Lindsay Gulin and Marcos Carvajal slated for action. In the afternoon, they'll host the Angels in Peoria at 12:05 p.m., with Gil Meche, Travis Blackley, Dave Burba, Jeff Harris, Scott Atchison and Renee Cortez scheduled to pitch.

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

Notes: Hernandez happy with outing

03/12/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Starter Felix Hernandez continued to progress in his third spring start.
The 19-year-old Mariners right-hander pitched three shutout innings in Sunday's game against the Texas Rangers, striking out two batters, giving up one walk and surrendering two hits.
He also was helped by a spectacular defensive play by center fielder Jeremy Reed, who ran far to his right and dove to barely snag a Brad Wilkerson gapper that would have been an RBI extra-base hit in the third inning.
When asked what he thought about the catch, Hernandez said, "Great. He saved my life."
Manager Mike Hargrove said that play and another good grab by Reed in the same inning, in which the center fielder ran down a sinking liner, were examples of Hernandez getting a tad careless with his curveball instead of focusing on executing the pitch.
"Hopefully Felix understands that if you throw that pitch, you can't just spin it up there," Hargrove said.
Hernandez described the outing as a big step up from his last appearance, when he gave up three runs in two innings against the Brewers on Tuesday. Hernandez said he concentrated in bullpen sessions between starts on hitting the corners more and that the work paid off.
"I threw more strikes and my pitches were good," he said. "My two-seamer was great. ... I focused more on what I needed to do -- get in the strike zone."
Hernandez once again was asked whether the pressure and expectations of being a teenage phenom are getting to him at all. Before he went out to talk to reporters after his Sunday outing, infielder Willie Bloomquist chided him good-naturedly about the magazine covers on which he's appeared this spring.
"There's no pressure," he said. "I'll just go out there and do the best I can and help this team as much as I can."
Appier still dealing: Kevin Appier was and might still be a long shot to make the Mariners out of Spring Training after taking almost all of last year off because of injuries and "retiring" a few times, but very quietly he's crafting a solid Cactus League season.
The 38-year-old, who has 169 big-league victories, ran his spring scoreless-innings streak to five with two shutout innings Sunday and still wasn't completely satisfied with his outing afterward.
"The results were good," Appier said. "The breaking ball, when I threw it, was good. I was still unhappy with some pitches. I'm still rushing."
Hargrove said Appier hasn't done anything to indicate he's been eliminated from consideration for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
"He keeps keeping himself in the mix," Hargrove said.
Guardado, Lawton excused: Closer Eddie Guardado and outfielder Matt Lawton were excused from camp to attend Minneapolis memorials for their late Twins teammate and friend, Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett. They will be back in Peoria on Monday night.
Guardado and Lawton were scheduled to attend Sunday night's public ceremony honoring Puckett at the Metrodome and Puckett's funeral. Speakers slated to honor Puckett at the Metrodome included former teammates Kent Hrbek, Torii Hunter and Dave Winfield, former manager Tom Kelly and general manager Andy MacPhail, former Twins coach Al Newman plus Hall of Famers Harmon Killebrew and Cal Ripken Jr.
Training room report: First baseman Richie Sexson sat out Sunday's game with a tight right quadriceps that he tweaked while stretching, Hargrove said. "It really was precautionary keeping him out," the manager said. ... Bloomquist (laceration of right pinkie) is still a few days away from game action. ... Second baseman Fernando Vina (strained hip flexor) will take batting practice Monday and could be ready for a game as soon as Wednesday, Hargrove said. ... Right-hander Clint Nageotte (pulled left hamstring) threw a bullpen session Saturday and will throw another Monday. He hopes to get in a game soon after. ... Outfielder Chris Snelling (left knee surgery) is hitting in the cages but says his knee is still tender when he runs. ... Left-hander Bobby Livingston (stiff neck) is scheduled to pitch Tuesday. ... Outfielder Wladimir Balentien (strained right hamstring) is available for games. ... Left-hander Cesar Jimenez (mild strain of left hamstring) is scheduled to pitch Monday.
Mariners log: Hargrove said pitching coach Rafael Chaves spoke with reliever Julio Mateo before Mateo left camp for the Dominican Republic, where he is mourning the death of his older brother, Luis Manuel Mateo, who died in a car accident in the Dominican on Friday night. Hargrove added that Mateo can take as much time as he wants to deal with the tragedy. ... Ichiro Suzuki, who is moonlighting as the right fielder and leadoff man for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, hit the second pitch of Sunday's second-round game against the United States for a home run off Jake Peavy. ... Texas manager Buck Showalter on Mariners relievers Rafael Soriano and J.J. Putz, who made quick work of the Rangers on Sunday with a scoreless inning apiece: "It's not good news to see Soriano and Putz healthy and throwing the ball well."

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