The Mariners have subjected themselves to some Brooks and Dunn from pitcher Roy Corcoran, a little “Rocky Top” from Tennessee grad R.A. Dickey and a couple of dirty jokes from a coach during the talent show portion of their morning meetings.
Monday, the stars were a quartet of catchers — Rob Johnson, Jeff Clement, Jamie Burke and Adam Moore — who sang an ode to one of their favorite people, catching instructor Roger Hansen. It went a little something like this:
“Some people like to say were like two peas in a pod”
“Me and Rog”
“I am weak but he is strong”
“Me and Rog”
“He forgives me when I am wrong”
“Me and Rog”
“He’s the one I lean on when life gets hard”
“Me and Rog”
(chorus)”He’s my daddy he’s my friend, the beginning and the end”
“We’re a team”
“Me and Rog”
Want to hear it for yourself? Shannon Drayer, who covers the Mariners for KOMO radio, picked up the performance on her recorder. Here’s a link: http://media.fisherinteractive.com/komo/radio/audio/american%20idol.mp3
If anything, this camp has a more light-hearted feel than the past three years under former manager Mike Hargrove. It’s not that the Mariners didn’t have a little fun then, but Hargrove didn’t project a touchy-feely side. In fact, more than once Hargrove would stop a drill and jump down their throats.
Undoubtedly, there will be times at this spring training when the M’s will get lackadaisical and need such a kick. McLaren says he isn’t afraid to jump on a player, and it’ll be interesting to see if does that.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he does at some point. He learned much of his craft while working under Lou Piniella, who would have a lot of fun with his players but also undress them verbally.
At one spring training a few years ago, the Mariners were about 10 days away from beginning the regular season and not playing particularly well. During a morning workout in which the team was particularly sloppy, Piniella gathered the Mariners around and let them have it, expletives and all.
Whatever happened to that team? They went on to win a record-tying 116 games in 2001.
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