It’s another busy day in Mariner-land, this time with the added dimension of a few dozen guys on the field at their spring training facility in Peoria, Ariz.
That’s where I am at the moment, doing some pre-spring training work and putting in some legwork on a story for tomorrow’s newspaper about the Mariners’ unique mini-camp for most of their top minor league prospects. The mini-camp began this morning and will run until minor league spring training begins in March (or, for a few, until the big-league camp opens in a little more than two weeks).
The story of the moment, however, is another signing by M’s general manager Jack Zduriencik. He has signed free agent first baseman/DH Ryan Garko to a one-year, $550,000 contract that’s heavy on plate-appearance incentives that could drive his pay to nearly double that.
The key, of course, if for Garko to deliver the right-handed pop that the Mariners would love to see, especially against left-handed pitching. He batted .268 with 13 home runs and 51 runs batted in last year for the Indians and Giants. However, he batted .308 against left-handed pitchers and has a .313 career average against lefties.
The Mariners cleared space on their 40-man roster by designating left-handed pitcher Gaby Hernandez for assignment. The team has 10 days to trade, release or outright Hernandez to the minors.
Meanwhile, the Mariners’ side of the Peoria Sports Complex was bustling today with 42 players and more than a dozen coaches, including Mariners pitching coach Rick Adair.
It’s not uncommon for players to be working out this time of year as they prepare for spring training, but the mini-camp is a highly structured program devised by minor league coordinator Pedro Grifol and his aides. There’s very little on-field activity the first few days, when players and coaches spend much of their time in meetings to establish a “plan for improvement.”
This morning’s schedule featured an overview of what the players will experience the next several weeks, plus a video that gave them a sense of the organization’s vision and, just as important, its history. The last thing the Mariners want is for a prospect to ask, “Who’s that?” when a name like Alvin Davis is mentioned.
Among players taking part in the mini-camp are Joe Dunigan, Josh Fields, Nick Frankllin, Nick Hill, Alex Liddi, Matt Mangini, Richard Poythress, Travis Scott, Kyle Seager and Carlos Triunfel.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
