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Archives: March 2009

March
29th

It’s the Sunday not-for-heathens Mariners Update

SUNDAY

Seattle came back from a 7-0 deficit to take the lead, then watched its bullpen implode in what became a 17-12 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

MONDAY

Seattle plays Milwuakee in Maryvale in a 1:05 p.m. game that will be broadcast on KIRO. Probable starting pitchers: Ryan Rowland-Smith vs. Manny Parra.

NOTABLE

Starter Jarrod Washburn followed a terrible game by Carlos Silva, but threw 80 pitches over his six innings, and after allowing seven runs in the first two, shut Kansas City out over the next four. Not pretty, but gritty.

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March
29th

Mariners trade for Chris Burke


On a day when plenty of things are going on around Peoria, general manager Jack Zduriencik added another move to the fray, acquiring utility infielder/outfielder Chris Burke from the San Diego Padres for future cash considerations.


“As we continue to build depth in our organization, we thought Chris was a nice fit as insurance at a number of positions on our big league club,” Zduriencik said.


Burke was a non-roster invitee with the Padres and will join the Mariners major League spring training camp also as a non-roster

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March
29th

The Mariners have let Tyler Walker go

For those wondering why Tyler Walker’s name rarely came up here in the spring-long bullpen battle, consider this:

Walker was released by the Mariners today.

At 32, with a little closing experience and six big-league seasons behind him, Walker signed as a free agent in January.


In February and March, however, minor injuries – to his thigh and then upper back – kept him off the mound.

Now he’s off the roster.


“We determined that there are other pitchers ahead of Tyler in our bullpen,” general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “That drove this decision.”

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March
29th

Morrow wants to close – and he almost certainly will


Brandon Morrow will start the season in the Mariners bullpen – and both he and the team want him to be the closer.

Manager Don Wakamatsu said Morrow has no chance to start in the rotation in April, and that the young right-hander will throw at least three more times out of the bullpen this last week of spring.

Why did the Marinrs change their mind? They didn’t – Morrow did.


“I really wrestled with starting or closing, and the bottom line is that after J.J.(Putz) was traded I

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March
29th

Clement’s bid to back up Johjima ends


It’s official: Jeff Clement will be the opening day catcher – for Tacoma.

The left-handed hitting catcher saw his bid to backup Kenji Johjima end this morning when the team optioned him to Class AAA.


That means Rob Johnson is the most likely backup to Johjima, with non-roster invitee Jamie Burke a longer shot.

For Clement, the job was lost as much by his bat as his glove this spring. The power and consistency – the ability to drive the ball the other way – simply wasn’t there.

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March
29th

Mr. Batista, closer? Not on this team.


As the Seattle Mariners huddle today to discuss the roster they want to open the season with, veteran Miguel Batista is on the team.

Not, however, because he’s won a job in camp.


Though he’s put together a 4.38 earned run average, Batista hasn’t shown much passion in his outings – and, as always, he works slowly on the mound and walks too many batters he should dominate.

There have been suggestions Batista could start the season as closer.


They’re wrong. Batista will be the long man in

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March
28th

Another Ichiro controversy that isn’t


Ichiro Suzuki isn’t a morning person.

The Seattle Mariners, wisely, have decided they can live with that.

Throughout spring training, the team has conducted early work for all players, which means by 8 a.m. most mornings there are players stretching, running, doing conditioning drills.

Ichiro wasn’t here until two days ago.

When strength and conditioning coach Allen Wirtala invited Ichiro to join the early workers for the few early workouts the team has left on its spring schedule, Ichiro declined. He much preferred working on his own

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March
27th

It’s the nearly edible Mariners Update

TODAY

Colorado scored six runs in three innings against Erik Bedard and coasted home for an 8-3 victory over Seattle, using eight walks to ignite the Rockies offense.

SATURDAY

Seattle visits the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe for a 1:05 p.m. that will be broadcast on KIRO and televised on FSN. Probable starting pitchers: Carlos Silva vs Mike Palmer.

NOTABLE

Bedard and Brandon Morrow said they felt wonderful – and between them, walked seven men in four-plus innings. "Eight walks doesn’t work," manager Don Wakamatsu said. Seattle out-hit Colorado, 11-7, but the Rockies were

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