TUESDAY
In yet another day-night double-header, the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers played to a 10-10 tie in the afternoon game. Brandon Morrow is scheduled to pitch in thre nightcap against the Dodgers
WEDNESDAY
The Mariners have the day off.
NOTABLE
Ichiro Suzuki and Kenjj Johjima will join the Mariners in camp on Thursday and likely slide into Mariners lineup for the first time this spring. In their absence at the World Baseball Classic, eight players batted leadoff for Seattle and three men started behind the plate. With spring training winding down, Ichiro and Johjima will play regularly – along with the rest of Seattle’s lineup – beginning Thursday. …
Jarrod Washburn went six innings and allowed three runs, throwing 82 pitches and asking Wakamatsu if he could keep pitching. “He said ‘No,’” Washburn said. Afterward, Washburn’s neck, arm and groin were buried in ice bags. “It only hurts when I breathe,” he said. “None of it is serious, it’s all painful. If it gets better quickly, I’ll be happy. If it doesn’t, I’ll just pitch with it.” …
Reegie Corona helped set up Seattle’s two-run fourth with a perfectly executed single on a one-out hit-and-run play. Corona’s hit pushed home one run and put Mike Morse at third base, and Morse then scored on Tyson Gilles’ sacrifice fly. …
Against the Rangers, Seattle took a 7-3 lead into the seventh inning, then watched Randy Messenger give up three runs and Cesar Jimenez allow another. Sean White and Julio Lugo worked the final two innings without allowing a run. …
Left-hander Tyler Johnson’s tug of war with coaches continues: He wants to pitch, they’re preaching patience. Coming off shoulder surgery less than a year ago, Johnson is anxious to pitch again – and a compromise seems to have been reached. Johnson threw a bullpen Tuesday, and could pitch in his first game on Friday. Will he? “We’ll see,” pitching coach Rick Adair said. “If Tyler was in charge, he’d have pitch a week or two ago.” …
Jamie Burke was nervous behind the plate against the Rangers, but not because of baseball. Burke’s wife, Katrina, is expecting their third son, and the couple’s doctor was deciding Tuesday whether to induce labor on Wednesday – an off day for Burke and his team. “If they induce, I’ll fly up (Tueseday night), be there when the baby is born and fly back that night,” Burke said. At game time, however, no decision had been made. …
When Yuniesky Betancourt was caught trying to steal third on Monday, manager Don Wakamatu wasn’t unhappy. “Yuni was trying to do what we’ve been working on, getting the jump off second base,” he said. “Instead of taking a couple steps toward third and taking off, though, he took a couple steps toward the pitcher and then went. We’ll talk to him about that, smooth it out, but he was trying something different. I had no problem with that at all.” …
Russell Branyan’s bruised calf, which caused him to miss a game Monday, was kept off the field again Tuesday – but was the designated hitter against the Dodgers. …
Franklin Guttierrez has batted leadoff much of camp, batting .292 and playing small ball when asked. With Ichiro due back in camp Thursday, Guttierrez will likely drop to eighth or ninth in the lineup. “As with a lot of players in camp, the bunting had a purpose with Franklin,” Wakamatsu said. “It just gives him another weapon , another option at the plate with men on base.” …
Rangers third baseman Michael Young left the game after one at-at, having aggravated a strained thigh muscle. …
QUOTABLE
From Omar Vizquel, on Ken Griffey Jr. “Seattle will love having him back. He can still play, and he loves to have fun. He’ll definitely have people laughing again. You have to have fun to play this game, and Junior has fun.”
MEDICAL UPDATE
Adrian Beltre didn’t play in either game and hasn’t played in five days. Why? Beltre felt a little discomfort in his surgically repaired left shoulder, and has since been getting treatment and doing strengthening exercises. Rather than rush him, the Mariners are giving him time to work through the problem. Beltre likely will start on Thursday.