We're live from a sun-drenched Peoria Stadium where it's only 73 degrees. But I'm really glad I'm not back in the Puget Sound area.

As a hint of the lightness of mood in spring training, when Ken Griffey Jr. along with the capacity crowd giving generous, White Sox bench coach and Jr.'s former teammate Joey Cora offered some applause. Griffey looked right at him and said a few things and then Cora said a few things back and Cora started to do the bowing "We're not worthy" motion. Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, a person who himself can't help himself from saying things, was continually yapping at the player he managed for half the season last year.

Then catcher AJ Pierzynski stood up and made the signal for pitcher Jose Contreras to intentionally walk Jr. Fans didn't think it was funny at first but Griffey did, he had to step out of the box to compose himself.

It didn't help the at-bat, though as Griffey eventually struck out looking.

UPDATE 1:37 -- While the mood was light to start early, manager Don Wakamatsu's mood might be souring. Mariners starter Garrett Olson walked a hitter in the first inning, then walked the first two hitters to start the second inning. Josh Field followed with an RBI single.

Olson managed to get an out, but then walked lead-off hitter Jerry Olson to load the bases. Pierzynski unloaded them with a sharp single score two runs. Carlos Quentin followed with a deep triple to right center that scored two runs. Then the relay throw from Yuniesky Betancourt to try and get Quentin at third was wild and got past Adrian Beltre allowing Quentin to score.

Olson managed to get a second out, getting Jermaine Dye to pop up, but he promptly served up a two out walk to Josh Kroeger and Wakamatsu had seen enough pulling Olson for Marwin Vega.

I wrote yesterday about how bothersome the walks are to Wak, and Olson had fivein two innings.

And the carnage still isn't over. Vega gave up a bloop hit to right that Mike Morse couldn't come up with and then Alexei Ramirez crushed a pitch deep to left-center for a three-run homer. Vega finally ended the inning. It's now 9-0 and the Mariner have only had three players come to the plate. Thankfully it's a nice day out.

Olson's line 1 2/3 innings, three hits, 7 runs and five walks and a strikeout.

UPDATE 2:28 --- Well, it's now 10-0 as Marwin Vega gave up three runs himself but didn't walk anybody.

Miguel Batista game in in the fourth and got an out and then - walked two guys in a row - but he was bailed out on nice double play by Adrian Beltre.

Jr. just popped out to left and is 0-for-2

UPDATE 2:42 -- The Mariners are on the board as Russell Branyan ripped a two-run homer to right-center. It was no doubter to be certain.

Randy Messenger came in for one inning and struck out the first two hitters he faced, gave up a hit and then got Carlos Quentin to ground out to third. Messenger pitched a second inning and gave up a home run to Josh Kroeger.

UPDATE 3:23 --- The Mariners are showing some offense, Russell Branyan and Mike Morse just hit back-to-back solo homers. So now it's 15-4. A real nailbiter.

Having never seen Cordero pitch up close or in person or from that angle, I was kind of surprised about his throwing motion. He seems to short arm it a little. Some of the writers were wondering whether that was a result of the surgery, but GM Jack Zduriencik said Cordero has always thrown that way.

Here's some audio of the interview ...

"It looked similar to what it has been," Zduriencik said. "I mean, it has never been the perfect, classic delivery, but that works for him. There is a lot of deception in what he does."

Cordero was very upbeat following the session, meeting with reporters a few minutes afterward.

"Everything felt better today," he said. "It was outside. When I was rehabbing, everything was inside. We had nice little breeze, feel fresh air. My arm felt great. No pain. No nothing. Now it’s just a matter of building my arm strength up and I’ll be all right."

Cordero threw about 35 pitches which is less than he was throwing on his own, but what the Mariners want him at. CEO Howard Lincoln and Zduriencik were on hand watching closely along with the much of the Mariners coaching staff.

“That I am progressing, that everything is on schedule," Cordero said when asked about what he hoped to show his audience. "They liked what they saw. Hopefully I can keep moving up and not have any setbacks. I haven’t had any so far. As long as I keep doing all the work they want me to do and all my exercise, who knows, I could be up here quicker than anyone thinks.”

But that won't be opening day.

"Opening day really isn't a reality," he said. "I still have to get my velocity up and that might take another month or so. So realistically, early to mid-May. I’m till a little bit away, but hopefully I’ll be able to pitch 4-5 months out of this year."

Zduriencik is being cautious about putting any date on a return.

"We’ll see," he said. "Those are hard to predict. One player can be ready two or three weeks sooner than another player. You never really know, but if he’s feeling really good right now, which he does, that’s great."

Manager Jack Zduriencik continues to makes moves and be active, today claiming right-handed pitcher Jesus Delgado off of waivers from the Florida Marlins.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Delgado, LHP Ryan Feierabend, who recently underwent Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 60-day disabled list.

"As we have said repeatedly, our goal is to try and accumulate talent at every opportunity," Zduriencik said. "Jesus is a young player who has already reached the big leagues. We think he adds depth to the releif pitching group in our organization."

Delgado made his major league debut with the Marlins last season, appearing in two games.

Here's his complete stats

Delgado was signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent in 2001. However, he missed 2002 and 2003 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was later traded to the Marlins as part of the Josh Beckett trade that sent Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota to the Sox for Hanley Ramirez, Delgado, Anibal Sanchez and Harvey Garcia.

As always, here's a few notes from our morning meeting with Don Wakamatsu

* Erik Bedard will start Monday's split squad game here in Peoria against the Dodgers and will only pitch one inning.

* Ken Griffey Jr. will play today and tomorrow in his first back-to-back games. If he feels good, he'll probably see some time in the outfield later this week.

* Brandon Morrow will throw a side session on Monday

* Cesar Jimenez is going to pitch in the split squad road game on Monday.

* Tyler Johnson will throw a bullpen on Monday and a simulated game on Tuesday.

* Roy Corcoran has some biceps tendonitis that flared up in his last outing. "We kind of slowed him down and he's going to throw a bullpen (Monday) and see if he's not back to normal. Nothing serious with that."

* Chad Cordero is throwing a bullpen today.

* There will be a handful of roster cuts tomorrow, mostly pitchers.

* Wakamatsu said the team is "behind" in finding a situational lefty out of the bullpen, noting that Johnson and Jimenez's injuries have slowed the process.

Here's today's line-ups
Chicago White Sox (9-8)
7 Jerry Owens CF
12 A.J. Pierzynski C
20 Carlos Quentin LF
23 Jermaine Dye RF
74 Josh Kroeger 1B
10 Alexei Ramirez SS
15 Wilson Betemit DH
22 Josh Fields 3B
80 Grodon Beckham 2B
-----------------------------
52 Jose Contreras RHP

Seattle Mariners (7-7-1)
6 Chris Woodward LF
7 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
24 Ken Griffey Jr. DH
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
30 Russell Branyan 1B
12 Mike Morse RF
50 Prentice Redman CF
32 Rob Johnson C
1 Reegie Corona 2B
-----------------------------
49 Garrett Olson LHP