Cliff Lee threw a 51-pitch simulated game this afternoon at Safeco Field, and both he and the Mariners were so enthused that there’s a specific plan for having him pitch in real games.
Well, except for the little issue of that five-game suspension, which the Mariners may not get a final word on until Monday.
“I was hoping to hear today,” general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “My best guess, probably Monday.”
Depending on Major League Baseball’s final ruling on the suspension — whether Lee will serve all five games or have it shortened — the Mariners are looking at starting him May 1 or May 2.
Barring setback, Lee is on an every-fifth-day pitching schedule that will have him throw another simulated game Tuesday, then a minor league game on Sunday, April 25. If the suspension is reduced, he could pitch Friday, May 1, against the Rangers; if he serves all five games, his Mariner debut could be the next day, May 2.
Today, Lee limited Adam Moore, Matt Tuiasosopo and Eric Byrnes to little more than lazy fly balls and grounders in three innings. Tuiasosopo blistered a one-hopper at shortstop that Lee counted as a hit (nobody was playing the field).
“The more I threw, the better I felt command-wise,” Lee said. “I threw all my pitches, I felt fine and we’ll continue to move forward. No pain. I felt perfectly normal.”
How impressed was the Mariners’ braintrust?
“If you can fast-forward to the future, on a Friday night you might have Felix, followed by Cliff and shortly Erik (Bedard) will be back,” Zduriencik said. “It’s exciting to think about that.”
Bedard threw a 50-pitich bullpen this afternoon and the Mariners say he’ll throw another one Wednesday, bumping his pitch count up to 60-65 in that one.
Manager Don Wakamatsu said Wednesday that Bedard would throw 60 pitches today. Holding him to 50 is not a sign of any setback or concern, Wakamatsu said.
Other notes today:
Tonight’s lineups:
TIGERS
Austin Jackson, center field
Johnny Damon, left field
Magglio Ordonez, right field
Miguel Cabrera, first base
Carlos Guillen, DH
Brandon Inge, third base
Gerald Laird, catcher
Scott Sizemore, second base
Adam Everett, shortstop
Right-hander Jeremy Bonderman (of Pasco), starting pitcher
MARINERS
Ichiro Suzuki, right field
Chone Figgins, second base
Franklin Gutierrez, center field
Jose Lopez, third base
Ken Griffey Jr., DH
Milton Bradley, left field
Casey Kotchman, first base
Rob Johnson, catcher
Jack Wilson, shortstop
Right-hander Felix Hernandez, starting pitcher
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