Garcia won’t say never
Published 9:00 pm Friday, June 18, 2004
Major league scouts continue to shadow Freddy Garcia, whose next start is scheduled Sunday, and the interest in acquiring the big right-hander is high.
Should Seattle trade the 27-year-old, would it automatically close his history with the Mariners?
Not necessarily, Garcia said.
Asked if he would consider re-signing with Seattle as a free agent if the Mariners traded him this summer, Garcia didn’t hesitate.
“Yes,” he said. “My door would always be open.”
Garcia has tried hard to stay away from speculation about a trade – or at least avoid commenting on the specifics. The Dodgers, Giants, Phillies, Yankees and White Sox have all followed him recently, and one report Thursday said the Red Sox and Cardinals are also interested.
“I can’t control anything that happens now, all I can do is my job every five days,” Garcia said. “I try not to think about it. I don’t need the distraction.”
And once the season is over?
“Then I’ll have more control,” Garcia said. “Then I’ll sit down and see what’s what.”
Boone signs off on double-switch: Manager Bob Melvin and second baseman Bret Boone had a brief chat Friday, a day after Boone was lifted from the game in a double-switch.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, because I’m taking out a Gold Glover and the guy who won the Silver Slugger award at second base last year,” Melvin said. “But it was the right call, and I wanted to talk to him about it.
“He wasn’t happy, but he’s fine with it.”
Revisionist speedy: Pat Borders was in good spirits Friday, taking much abuse from teammates about the fact that he’d stolen his first base in 10 years last week.
“It was 10 years between green lights,” Borders insisted. “I just do my job. If managers want to hold me back, who am I to argue?”
Borders tried to say he was 1-for-1 in stolen bases over the last 10 years, but a bit of research showed he’d been caught stealing eight times in that span.
“Damn, you looked it up, didn’t you,” Borders said. “I hate that when guys check.”
Reunion: Pittsburgh became the 28th major league franchise the Mariners have played a regular-season game against, but meeting the Pirates was a bit like old-home week. Former Mariners coaches Gerald Perry and Rusty Kuntz are both on staff in Pittsburgh, and Jose Mesa is the closer.
Nageotte’s next turn: The Mariners expect to stay in rotation despite the off-day scheduled Monday, which would mean rookie Clint Nageotte’s next start will be Tuesday in Texas.
Aurilia benched again: For the second game in a row, Ramon Santiago started at shortstop. Manager Bob Melvin said Rich Aurilia would return to the starting lineup today. Aurilia has hit in 12 of his last 17 games, but only at a .241 clip.
Olerud’s bum knee: John Olerud continues to get pre-game treatment for a puffy right knee, but no one – especially Olerud – seems to know why the knee is bothering him. “I didn’t do anything that I know of,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me at the plate, it bothers me in the field if I bend down and then try to straighten up again.” Olerud was in the lineup batting cleanup.
Wells to miss today’s start: Pirates right-hander Kip Wells will miss his scheduled start against the Mariners today because of an irritation in the middle finger of his pitching hand. Wells complained of numbness in the finger during his past two starts. He didn’t last five innings in either start, and is 1-4 in his past 10 starts. Overall, Wells is 3-5 with a 5.25 ERA.
Torres, McClendon suspended: Pirates pitcher Salomon Torres, a former Seattle Mariner, was suspended for four games Friday for throwing at Oakland’s Damien Miller on June 12. Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon received a one-game suspension.
McClendon was suspended because Torres’ actions came after a warning had been issued to both teams. As a manager, McClendon is not allowed to appeal. He will serve his suspension during today’s game against the Mariners.
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