HeraldNet: Nothing sinister in Mariners lineup without Lopez



RECENT POSTS:
• A Mariner's Little League memory that will never fade August 27 • Lining up (and sitting down) the starters August 26 • Mariners option Lowe to Tacoma August 25 • Dickey back in the bullpen ... for now August 24 • Baseball in August: Oh the agony August 23

Archives:



RELATED ARTICLES:
• Giambi comes off bench, saves Yanks against Boston August 28 • Going Green hurts M's August 28 • MLB No. 2 pick refuses to sign contract August 28 • MLB NOTES: Red Sox acquire Kotsay from Braves August 28 • Mariner notes August 28 • Twins snap losing skid, beat Mariners 6-5 August 27 • Red Sox acquire Kotsay from Braves August 27 • Rowland-Smith gets first victory as starter in 3-2 win over Twins August 27 • Mariners Appalachian League entry in playoffs August 27 • Mariners notebook August 27


ADVERTISEMENT <script language=JavaScript src="http://ads.heraldnet.com/servlet/ajrotator/169233/0/vj?z=heraldnet&ct=122081&dim=169231&abr=$scriptiniframe"></script><noscript><a href="http://ads.heraldnet.com/servlet/ajrotator/169233/0/cc?z=heraldnet"><img src="http://ads.heraldnet.com/servlet/ajrotator/169233/0/vc?z=heraldnet&ct=122081&dim=169231&abr=$imginiframe" width="160" height="600" border="0"></a></noscript>

Mariners Blog

July 2, 2008

Nothing sinister in Mariners lineup without Lopez

Posted at 4:38 pm by By Kirby Arnold

One day after Jose Lopez nearly cost the Mariners a game by letting a double-play grounder scoot between his legs in what became a three-run inning for the Blue Jays, he's not in the lineup tonight.

Punishment? Not at all, Mariners manager Jim Riggleman insists.

"We made up our minds before the game yesterday that we were going to give him a day off," Riggleman said. "He didn’t have his best game yesterday and it would appear it had something to do with that, but I can assure you that this was pre-determined. He’s been playing great baseball for us and he’ll be right back in there tomorrow."

This move was more about getting time for Miguel Cairo, who hadn't played since Sunday in San Diego. Cairo will start his second game this season at second base.

"I've got to get Cairo a game," Riggleman said. "You just have to do that sometime."

Look for more of this kind of lineup shuffling as Riggleman tries to keep his bench players -- Cairo, Willie Bloomquist and Jamie Burke (who's the third catcher) -- as sharp as possible.

"You've got to be a good teammate and sacrifice a game to get Cairo or Bloomquist or Burke a game," Riggleman said. "Burke is one who we’ve got to find a game for. If you have to use a guy when someone gets hurt but they haven’t had an at-bat in two weeks, it’s not going to work. We’ve got to get them three or four at-bats on a particular night to keep them sharp."

Return to Mariners Blog

TODAY'S TOP JOBS

View All Top Jobs

>> view all top homes

>> view all homes

<script language=JavaScript src="http://ads.heraldnet.com/servlet/ajrotator/105699/0/vj?z=heraldnet&dim=100749&abr=$scriptiniframe"></script><noscript><a href="http://ads.heraldnet.com/servlet/ajrotator/105699/0/cc?z=heraldnet"><img src="http://ads.heraldnet.com/servlet/ajrotator/105699/0/vc?z=heraldnet&dim=100749&abr=$imginiframe" width="728" height="90" border="0"></a></noscript>
\|Contact Us \|Advertiser Services \|Home Delivery \|Newsstand Locations \|Classifieds \|Feedback \|About the Company \|Work@the Herald \|Site Map	© 2008 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA.