Mariners Insider
You will find news, observations, anecdotes, analysis and photographs on this blog. The purpose is to keep readers informed, but also give them a feel for the team and its players, and a place to go to read about baseball.

Contributors:

Ryan Divish has been with Tacoma News Tribune since 2006, covering the Tacoma Rainiers and high school sports. Divish played baseball at Dickinson State University and also earned a journalism degree from the University of Montana.
E-mail Ryan.

Larry LaRue has covered the Seattle Mariners and Major League Baseball for The News Tribune since 1988. E-mail Larry.

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    Mariners Insider
    Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
    Mariners lose two players before their first game
    Posted by Larry LaRue @ 09:02:42 am

    Before the first official pitch of spring, the Seattle Mariners lost two players to injury - left-hander Ryan Feierabend and outfielder Freddy Guzman.

    Feirabend, 23, will meet with Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles on March 3 and will likely undergo 'Tommy John' surgery the following day to rebuild his left elbow. He will miss the 2009 season.

    "I tried to pitch through it but I felt a small pop in the bullpen," Feieraend said. "It's a surgery with a high success rate, and guys who have it and work hard come back with a little more velocity. Maybe next year I'll be throwing 92-93 mph."

    Guzman, 28, came to camp with a shot at being a reserve outfielder, but in a Tuesday intrasquad game broke the hammate bone in his right hand.

    "It was in my last at-bat, my next to the last swing," he said.

    Guzman will need surgery to have the hamate bone removed and Dr. Don Sheridan will handle the duties. Guzman will likely miss 4-6 weeks, the team said.

    With the World Baseball Classic taking players on March 1, the Mariners are going to be short infielders and pitchers, so the injuries will force them to make adjustments.

    For their first exhibition game today, for instance, the team called up three infielders.

    Categories: General
    Let the games begin! The first lineup is in
    Posted by Larry LaRue @ 07:35:58 am

    The annual charity gamed in Peoria – Mariners vs. Padres – doesn’t count in the Cactus League standings, but any game matters to new manager Don Wakamatsu.

    And not just winning and losing. For the foreseeable future, he won’t have anything resembling a regular lineup.

    Today, for instance, neither Yuniesky Betancourt (hamstring) nor Jose Lopez (back) are available. Adrian Beltre is still being held back as he rebounds from surgery.

    Ichiro and Kenji are in Japan. Ken Griffey Jr. isn’t ready to test his legs yet.

    So here’s the first lineup of the spring:

    Endy Chavez, LF

    Ronnie Cedeno, SS

    Jeff Clement, C

    Mike Morse, RF

    Russell Branyan, DH

    Franklin Gutierrez, CF

    Bryan LaHair, 1B

    Matt Tuiasosoopo, 3B

    Reegie Corona, 2B

    Ryan Rowland-Smith, P

    The Mariners may not win many games early, but Wakamatsu is trying to establish the new-look offense with anyone and everyone – and that means bunting, running and hit-and-running.

    “We’re going to run into some outs and people are going to wonder what in the world we’re doing,” Wakamatsu said. “But I want these guys used to what we may do in situations all year. If we’re down a run or two, we’re not going to sit on our hands. We’re going to manufacture runs.

    “We’ll do it here. We’ll do it during the season.”

    For the baseball starved among you in the Northwest, the game will be broadcast on KIRO beginning at 12:05 p.m. (PST).

    Categories: General
    Beltre's decision is ... to play before deciding
    Posted by Larry LaRue @ 06:31:22 am

    Adrian Beltre wants more evidence before he decides whether to go to the World Baseball Classic.

    That means the Mariners third baseman wants to play in a few games with Seattle before determining whether to join the Dominican Republic team or not.

    The Mariners don't want him to play in the WBC, Beltre badly wants to, but he knows coming off surgery to his left shoulder and thumb he may not yet be ready.

    So, he's asked the team to help him decide by letting him play.

    He's not in the lineup today. He might play tomorrow.

    "We're going to work him out today and he's going to have to tell me he's ready before we put him on the field," manager Don Wakamasu said.

    Here's the earlier story on Beltre than ran in the paper today.

    Categories: General