Published: Saturday, February 11, 2012
M's set for early start to spring training
Due to Japan trip Seattle pitchers, catchers report today; first workout is Sunday
SEATTLE -- Eric Wedge will be the first major-league manager to get a look at his team when Seattle opens spring training this weekend.
Pitchers and catchers report today, with their first workout scheduled for Sunday. The M's get a jump on the rest of the teams because they open the 2012 season early, playing two games in Japan on March 28-29 against the Oakland A's. Oakland opens training camp Feb. 19.
The Japan trip will create some logistical headaches for the Mariners -- mainly the fact they'll play two exhibition games in Japan, two regular-season games and then return to Arizona to complete Cactus League play. The Mariners' first regular-season game on U.S. soil is April 6 at Oakland.
The pitching staff that reports to the Peoria complex today features several new arms. Depth was added to the bullpen with the additions of George Sherrill, Shawn Camp and Hong-Chih Kuo. Kuo was an All-Star in 2010 with the Los Angeles Dodgers before injuries and anxiety problems derailed his 2011 season.
The starting rotation was bolstered with the signing of Japanese import Hisashi Iwakuma, the acquisition of Hector Noesi as part of the trade that sent pitcher Michael Pineda to the Yankees and brought catcher Jesus Montero to Seattle, and the signing of veteran Kevin Millwood to a minor-league deal with a camp invite.
Seattle also is going to take a look at its trio of promising young pitching prospects -- Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker -- although the expectation is that all three will begin the season in the minors.
Among the position players, Seattle signed Japanese middle infielder Munenori Kawasaki and veteran Carlos Guillen to minor-league deals in the hope they can add depth to the roster.
"I don't think we made the huge splash unless you consider the (Montero) trade a big splash, and it was a big splash, but I think people were looking in another direction and thinking we would sign a free agent," Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "But I do think we addressed all of our needs. ... All of the real specific things we wanted to do we actually accomplished."
Two of Wedge's tasks early in the spring will be figuring out how to shuffle a logjam in left field and determining where Ichiro Suzuki will hit in the lineup. Wedge acknowledged in late January that he was leaning toward moving Suzuki out of the leadoff spot, which Suzuki has occupied since arriving in Seattle in 2001, but questions remain about who would take over and where Suzuki would land.
In left field, Mike Carp proved to be a viable major-league hitter last season and is the likely starter, but Seattle also wants to take a good look at Casper Wells, who came to Seattle from Detroit in a midseason trade. Wells was troubled by balance issues late last season.
Guillen, Chone Figgins, Trayvon Robinson, Carlos Peguero and Michael Saunders also are options at that position.
"To earn that spot, it takes performance and production ... and the best of the best survive," Wedge said. "For us to be one of the best, we need to have the best players. We feel we have a lot of them here right now, (but) all of them aren't here yet."
Pitchers and catchers report today, with their first workout scheduled for Sunday. The M's get a jump on the rest of the teams because they open the 2012 season early, playing two games in Japan on March 28-29 against the Oakland A's. Oakland opens training camp Feb. 19.
The Japan trip will create some logistical headaches for the Mariners -- mainly the fact they'll play two exhibition games in Japan, two regular-season games and then return to Arizona to complete Cactus League play. The Mariners' first regular-season game on U.S. soil is April 6 at Oakland.
The pitching staff that reports to the Peoria complex today features several new arms. Depth was added to the bullpen with the additions of George Sherrill, Shawn Camp and Hong-Chih Kuo. Kuo was an All-Star in 2010 with the Los Angeles Dodgers before injuries and anxiety problems derailed his 2011 season.
The starting rotation was bolstered with the signing of Japanese import Hisashi Iwakuma, the acquisition of Hector Noesi as part of the trade that sent pitcher Michael Pineda to the Yankees and brought catcher Jesus Montero to Seattle, and the signing of veteran Kevin Millwood to a minor-league deal with a camp invite.
Seattle also is going to take a look at its trio of promising young pitching prospects -- Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker -- although the expectation is that all three will begin the season in the minors.
Among the position players, Seattle signed Japanese middle infielder Munenori Kawasaki and veteran Carlos Guillen to minor-league deals in the hope they can add depth to the roster.
"I don't think we made the huge splash unless you consider the (Montero) trade a big splash, and it was a big splash, but I think people were looking in another direction and thinking we would sign a free agent," Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "But I do think we addressed all of our needs. ... All of the real specific things we wanted to do we actually accomplished."
Two of Wedge's tasks early in the spring will be figuring out how to shuffle a logjam in left field and determining where Ichiro Suzuki will hit in the lineup. Wedge acknowledged in late January that he was leaning toward moving Suzuki out of the leadoff spot, which Suzuki has occupied since arriving in Seattle in 2001, but questions remain about who would take over and where Suzuki would land.
In left field, Mike Carp proved to be a viable major-league hitter last season and is the likely starter, but Seattle also wants to take a good look at Casper Wells, who came to Seattle from Detroit in a midseason trade. Wells was troubled by balance issues late last season.
Guillen, Chone Figgins, Trayvon Robinson, Carlos Peguero and Michael Saunders also are options at that position.
"To earn that spot, it takes performance and production ... and the best of the best survive," Wedge said. "For us to be one of the best, we need to have the best players. We feel we have a lot of them here right now, (but) all of them aren't here yet."
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