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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   ADDITIONAL ITEMS • Seattle Mariners (External Link) • Schedule (External Link) • Player Stats (External Link)   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 Mariner update Next series Opponent: Boston Red Sox When: 7:10 p.m. today and Tuesday, 1:40 p.m. Wednesday. Where: Safeco Field TV: Fox Sports Net, all three games Radio: KOMO (1000 AM), all three games Pitchers: Today _ Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn (4-8, 4.83 earned run average) vs. left-hander Jon Lester (7-3, 3.38). Tuesday _ Right-hander R.A. Dickey (2-4, 3.73) vs. right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka (10-1, 2.65). Wednesday _ Right-hander Felix Hernandez (7-6, 2.95) vs. right-hander Clay Bucholz (2-5, 5.88). Rowland-Smith to start … in Tacoma As expected, the Mariners brought J.J. Putz back from the disabled list on Sunday. To make room for him on the roster, the M's pulled a surprise. They sent left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith, one of their more valuable pitchers because of his effectiveness as both a reliever and starter, to Class AAA Tacoma. Why Rowland-Smith and not Roy Corcoran, who has bounced back and forth between Seattle and Tacoma? The Mariners have decided it's time to stretch out Rowland-Smith as a starter, and it's no coincidence that it happened 11 days before the trade deadline. Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn's name has been prominent in trade speculation, linked particularly with the St. Louis Cardinals. "I doubt very much that it will be all the way to September before we see him again," manager Jim Riggleman said of Rowland-Smith. Rowland-Smith is 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA and two saves in 37 games, two of them starts. "Ryan has done a good job, but it was a combination of, No. 1, we've got to find a (roster) spot for J.J. and, No. 2, we need to get some starters down there who can potentially come up here and help us." No closer controversy: Riggleman says he'll use both Putz and Brandon Morrow to close games for a while. That doesn't mean he'll stick with a two-headed closer system the rest of the season, but that's how it will be until one of them is ready. "We need to know they're ready to go three days in a row," Riggleman said. "We haven't used J.J. two days in a row and Brandon hasn't thrown three in a row yet. I don't care who gets it as long as it's a Mariner. As long as we get games to save, that's a good thing." Morrow has saved nine games since he took the closer duties after Putz was hurt. Washburn and rumors: Washburn can't ignore the trade talk which has mentioned him as much as any Mariner. "My name has been mentioned more than it ever has, but I don't deal with it when I'm out there," he said. "It's kind of cool, I guess, that there might be a good team out there that wants you. The reason you play this game is to get into the playoffs and have a chance to play in the World Series. There is no question that I want to get back there. That's what it is all about." Washburn, scratched from his scheduled start Saturday because of the flu, said he's feeling better and will start tonight against the Red Sox. Of note: Riggleman said Miguel Batista, who was knocked out after two innings Saturday, would get another start. "We haven't had him on any normal routine because of his aches and pains and because of the All-Star break," Riggleman said. "We'd like to get him a bullpen session and then normal rest, and then go pitch again." … Mark Lowe has allowed three earned runs in his past 16 innings since June 18. … DH Jose Vidro, who went 3-for-4, had his third three-hit game this season. Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer

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