As Mariners ponder changes, how about this: Ichiro batting third

Word out of Texas is that manager Don Wakamatsu has just about had his fill of:

A: Infielders who aren’t mentally focused.

B: Relief pitchers who aren’t getting the job done.

C: An offense that continues to score runs by the slice.

D: The sun coming up in the East.

I made up that last part, although having seen enough of the stern side of the usually jovial Wakamatsu since early February, I wouldn’t want to be the sun if he finally loses patience with it, too.

Wakamatsu said after Tuesday night’s loss at Texas that there may be changes, and I can envision any number of moves, from benching Yuniesky Betancourt to jugglng bullpen roles to rearranging the batting order.

Here’s one I would love to see: Ichiro Suzuki marching into Wakamatsu’s office and volunteering to bat third.

We’re six weeks into the season and the middle of the order continues to produce little. In the past 11 games, when the Mariners have gone 3-8 and been outscored 72-39, the three-four-five hitters have put up a combined .218 average with 12 RBI.

Too many opportinuties have died when the middle of the order didn’t prodluce. Too many times, the small-ball top of the lineup has been stranded when the big hitters flailed and failed. So why not move Ichiro out of the leadoff spot and let him produce where production is needed most? Foremost, he needs to be on board with such an idea, and I’m not convinced he is.

He’s been there before.

Lou Piniella moved Ichiro to the third spot in three games during early June in 2002, and he went 8-for-14 while the Mariners won two of the three. In 2004, when the Mariners’ middle of Bret Boone, Edgar Martinez and John Olerud started showing its age and the team had stumbled to a 20-39 record, Bob Melvin made an early June juggle and pushed Ichiro to the third spot for 10 games. He went 10-for-37 and the Mariners went 6-4 in that stretch.

Of course, you can’t move Ichiro out of the leadoff spot without someone capable of replacing him there. For those three games in 2002 it was Mark McLemore. In 2004, it was Randy Winn.

This year, Endy Chavez seems more than capable of it. Don’t forget that the Mariners went 6-2 in their first eight games with Chavez leading off while Ichiro was on the disabled list with a bleeding ulcer. Yes, it did take pitching, defense, smoke and mirrors to start like that, but Chavez proved capable of handling the leadoff role.

I agree that the middle of the order is far from the Mariners’ only concern now. The pitching that was so good early has struggled lately, and I have an idea why. You can’t send pitchers out there day after day after day knowing one or two runs may beat them. They start nibbling and fall behind in the count and, when they don’t walk a hitter, they’re forced to throw one over the plate. That’s when you see those two-run doubles and three-run homers, like opposing teams have done on this road trip.

Ichiro is capable of doing that kind of damage from the middle of the order. His quest for another 200-hit season would suffer, but right now the offense is suffering worse. It’s worth a try.