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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.
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Larry LaRue has covered the Seattle Mariners and Major League Baseball for The News Tribune since 1988. E-mail Larry.
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Base-running got them a run and took away several as the Seattle Mariners opened the Cactus League season with a 4-4 tie against San Diego.
"We're going to make mistakes, we're going to struggle a bit and we're going to adjust," manager Don Wakamatsu said.
Two Mariners were thrown out at the plate by wide margins, another was thrown out at third base, one man was caught stealing and one - Reegie Corona - was picked off first base twice.The Mariners are pushing aggressiveness this spring. Now, they have to fine tune it so they're not running pell-mell into outs.
Eric Hull should have gotten out of the ninth ahead, 4-3, but a ground ball hit the bag at first for a hit, and an RBI double tied the game.
Felix Hernandez made his first start of spring training look like ... well ... most any first start of any spring.
Two innings, one a 1-2-3 breeze and the other a labored effort in which he allowed a two-run home run to Padres catcher Henry Blanco.
Still, Hernandez left the game with a 3-2 lead because of the Mariners again played small ball well.
In a three-run second inning, Chris Shelton homered, Mike Wilson and Chris Woodward doubled back-to-back and, after Woodward stole third, he scored on an error.
Had Woodward been at second base, not third, he wouldn't have scored.
Of course, Reegie Corona was then caught stealing - but clearly the Mariners aren't a wait-around team.
As for Felix, this was a build-a-little-arm-strength outing, and near the end he looked tired. First time out, most everyone does.
Bottom line: 23 pitches thrown - only four in the first inning - almost all fastballs. Hernandez has matured to the point where he's getting in shape, not trying to impress anyone.
The Cactus League begins today for the Mariners, and manager Don Wakamatsu is going to do everything in his power to win it.
Well, not really.
Wakamatsu is taking precautions with veterans, easing them into games. So today, no Griffey, no Sweeny, no Branyan, no Gutierrez.
Instead, a lot of other players in camp are going to get the chance to play - and try to prove they can play.
Today's lineup:
Endy Chavez CF
Jeff Clement DH
Mike Morse 3B
Chris Shelton 1B
Greg Halman LF
Mike Wilson RF
Jamie Burke C
Chris Woodward SS
Reegie Corona 2B
Felix Hernandez P
Ken Griffey Jr. is healhy and happy, back in a Seattle uniform and trying to talk his way into the Mariners lineup.
Keep talking, Junior.
Manager Don Wakamatsu and his staff had discussed this before Griffey's signature was on a contract - their goal is to have him ready to play on opening day, not Feb. 26.
So Griffey won't play this week.
"We're going to give him work and make sure his legs are strong and his body is ready," Wakamatsu said. "He won't play until after the off-day next week."
On that schedule, Griffey's first game would be next Wednesday. Will that schedule hold?
