After four games, the Mariners are 3-0-1 in the Cactus League - and have scored 41 runs.

Thirteen of those came in today's 13-6 victory over Texas.

"We're swinging aggressively and working the counts," Don Wakamatsu said.

He could have said they're connecting a lot, too. Four games 53 hits, including seven home run.

We could point out that the hitters are seeing lots of fastballs, that pitchers aren't sharp with sliders and curves and changeups yet, but it's that way for all teams.

Given the great regional nightmare that was last year, wathing the Mariners win - and win with offense - must please Seattle fans who have taken a beating along with their team.

Brandon Morrow continues his transition from reliever to starting pitcher, while teammates Chris Woodward and Chris Shelton continue to make early good impressions.

Morrow pitched one-inning-plus, during which he walked three men and threw, as he said, 'about 15 balls in a row.'

What happened out there?

“I’d throw one pitch lacksadaisically, get amped on the next one and you can’t pitch that way,” Morrow said. “You’ve got to be the same on every pitch. I’m trying to find an effort level I can sustain for seven innings.”

Morrow's search will likely take most of the spring.

Woodward and Shelton don't have that long to make their case unless they do well early, and both hit their second Cactus League homers in Game 4.

Shelton hit his on an 0-2 pitch.

Still in the top of the fifth inning, it's Mariners 10, Rangers 3.

Vincente Padilla apparently thinks he's paid by the hour.

The Texas Rangers right-hander took a little more than 30 seconds between pitches in the first inning and the Seattle Mariners emerged with a 4-0 lead.

Padilla walked two, tried various pickoff moves, delayed and hesitated and seemed to doze on the mound.

The Mariners scored on a bases-loaded walk, an RBI single, a passed ball and a ground out.

That 'rally' took up 26 minutes.
The Mariners gave a run back when Josh Hamilton's long fly ball to left field eluded Bryan LaHair for an RBI triple. It should have been caught, but the Mariners are letting LaHair - a first baseman - play in left to get him at-bats.

Even fans enjoying the sun today had trouble applauding this inning.

After one inning and 36 minutes: Seattle 4, Texas 1.

Wladimir Balentien was packed and ready to get to camp early with the Seattle Mariners when a young cousin dropped his passport into water.

And that wasn't the worst part.

The worst part was, Balentien then tore out the wet pages and went about the business of traveling from his home in Curaco to Venezuela and on to the United States.

Venezuelan custom officials took one look at his passport - and the missing pages - and stopped his trip.

So Balentien missed more than 10 days of spring training, arrived in camp on Sunday and will begin trying to win a job.

How much has the absence hurt his chances?

"We won't know that until the end of camp," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "But he's behind, obviously."

Balentien is out of minor league options, so if he doesn't make the team he becomes a free agent. To make the team, he's going to have to prove he's capable of more than the .202 he batted in 71 games last year.

The good news is, he's here.

The early arrival of one Jeremy Abraham Hernandez three days ago has paid a dividend to the Seattle Mariners.

They get an extra two days with his father, Felix Hernandez.

"I was going to leave for the World Baseball Classic today, but I'm not going now until Tuesday," Hernandez said. "I want to stay a bit longer with my family."

The Mariners didn't waste a moment of their newfound time. Felix will likely pitch at least one inning Monday against the Chicago White Sox, making his second spring appearance.

The young Hernandez and mother Sandra, are doing well. Their father seems overjoyed, if a bit awed.

"I was there for the delivery," he said. "Wow."
Wow, indeed.

When it comes to second base, the question and the answer are the same – Jose Lopez.

Can he play defense well enough to make the Seattle infield an asset, or will he continue to be a make fans and occasionally pitchers seethe about? No, his range isn’t good and yes, catchable ground balls do get by into right field.
And yes, there is depth now in the organization, with Ronnie Cedeno, Reegie Corona, Calix Crabbe, Oswaldo Navarro and Chris Woodward.

But Lopez remains the starting second baseman, a man whose offensive skills – and lack of defensive versatility – give the Mariners few options.

He cannot play shortstop. He could play third if a) there wasn’t a Gold Glover over there already and b) you didn’t really need a good third baseman. Lopez could play first base but a) doesn’t want to and b) the Mariners have better options there.

So, second base it is, and that’s not all bad.

Lopez has worked hard at improving his double play turn, which two years ago was more a thought than an action. And offensively, he’s a 25-year-old whose game is on the rise. When he batted .297 last season, it was while hitting all over the lineup – anywhere from second to eighth to third – he put up career highs with 17 home runs and 89 RBI.

Those are good numbers in any batting order. For a runs-starved Seattle offense, they’re nuclear.

Cedeno is going to make this team and his defense will be a plus when he spells Lopez or shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. And should Lopez go down with an injury, there are now viable options on defense, if not offense.

Seattle is a deeper club at second base but one without a real option. To improve the Mariners defense at second, they’d have to give up one of their steadiest bats, and that’s a trade they’re not likely to make.