Good day for Blackley

  • By Kirby Arnold / Herald Writer
  • Friday, March 3, 2006 9:00pm
  • Sports

PEORIA, Ariz. – In the seclusion of a morning B game, Travis Blackley felt more pressure Friday than his major league debut.

Since the last time he’d pitched in a game, late in the 2004 season, Blackley had undergone surgery on his left shoulder and put himself through more than a year of recovery. When he took the mound Friday, the anxiety hit him.

“There were more nerves than the first time I pitched in Safeco Field,” Blackley said. “I wasn’t sure how the arm would be. I’d heard so many stories about people coming back and their arms blowing out their first time out.”

His worries lasted as long as it took him to warm up. Blackley shook off the rustiness and pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning.

“It was nerve-wracking a little bit, but once I went through the warmup and was able to pitch, it all went away,” he said. “I didn’t worry so much about the outcome, I just worried about making each pitch.”

Blackley, 23, became one of the Mariners’ brightest pitching prospects the moment the club signed him out of high school in Australia in 2000. He went 6-1 with a 3.32 ERA with the Everett AquaSox in 2001, then 17-3, 2.61 at Class AA San Antonio in 2003, when he won more games than any Texas League pitcher in 25 years.

He had pitched well in 2004 at Class AAA Tacoma, going 7-2, 2.63 in 14 games before the Mariners called him up. He beat the Texas Rangers in his major league debut on July 1, 2004, but never found success again.

Blackley lost three of his next five decisions and, in one, walked nine in four innings against Oakland on July 26. The Mariners optioned him back to Tacoma on Aug. 1, and his season ended a short time later because of tendinitis in his left shoulder.

The shoulder kept barking the next year at spring training, and Blackley had surgery on Feb. 8, 2005, to repair two tears in the labrum. He has been rehabbing ever since.

“I definitely wouldn’t want to go through it again,” Blackley said. “I never had any real setbacks and it wasn’t grueling by any means. It just got boring. I couldn’t watch a whole baseball game on TV. I’d have to turn it off after a couple of innings. But I’m itching to play now.”

Blackley hasn’t been told where he’ll start this season – either at San Antonio or Tacoma, he guesses – and he doesn’t really care.

“It doesn’t worry me too much,” he said. “I just want to get back out there and pitch.”

Pineiro solid: Right-hander Joel Pineiro held the Padres to one hit in three innings in the Mariners’ 3-1 B-game victory, his final outing before he pitches for Puerto Rico next week in the World Baseball Classic.

Pineiro allowed one baserunner – Walter Young on a leadoff single in the second inning – and finished his 33-pitch effort with one strikeout. He threw another 10 pitches in the bullpen in order to increase his pitch count for the WBC.

“We wanted to get him up to 45 or 50, so they finished it off in the bullpen,” manager Mike Hargrove said. “He’s fine. His velocity was good, he had a good breaking ball and he was aggressive.”

Pineiro will start Wednesday against The Netherlands in Puerto Rico’s second game of the tournament.

“It’s going to be a good thing for baseball,” he said. “It’s going to be a group of guys getting together for the first time having some fun, but doing the right things to show their country what they can do.”

Eddie unsteady: Closer Eddie Guardado is no fan of pitching in spring training games, and his first one was a struggle Friday. Guardado gave up two hits, including a home run by Ryan Klesko, in one inning of the B game.

“I’m figuring out where I am, what it is I need to work on,” Guardado said. “I wasn’t finishing my pitches, so I was bouncing the slider. I threw a batting practice fastball to Klesko to see if I could fool him and he hit it out.”

It was a performance that sent Guardado gladly back to the bullpen for work. He prefers it that way.

“I don’t watch batters when I face them anyway,” he said. “I strictly look at how I’m feeling, what my pitch is doing, how my mechanics are. I can do that in the bullpen.”

Of note: Hargrove on the sloppy 15-8 loss to the Cubs, when the Mariners pitched and hit poorly with runners on base: “I hate sitting there watching this thing. I tried to get the umpire to throw me out a couple of times and he wouldn’t do it. It was an ugly game, but you’re getting people’s feet wet after being off since October.” … The Mariners will put single-game tickets on sale at 10 a.m. today at the Safeco Field box office and the Mariners team stores, including the outlet at the Alderwood Mall. Tickets also will be available online at www.seattlemariners.com or at Ticketmaster centers. … Catcher Kenji Johjima got the day off Friday but will catch today against the Padres. Jeff Clement caught the morning B game Friday and Rene Rivera started the afternoon A game against the Cubs.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

AquaSox outfielder Carson Jones gets settled in the batter's box during Everett's 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 6, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox show progress, but drop fifth straight to Canadians

Jones’ go-ahead, 3-run homer is spoiled in 4-3 loss to wrap up homestand.

Bryan Woo of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Toronto. (Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Three Mariners added to MLB All-Star Game

Major League Baseball announced today that Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez,… Continue reading

George Kirby (68) of the Seattle Mariners pitches in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenne / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Pirates finish historically bad offensive series in Seattle

Similar to the first two games of the series, the… Continue reading

Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark (32) and Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) guard each other during a free throw in a WNBA basketball game between the Aces and the Seattle Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena Friday, June 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter / Las Vegas Review-Journal / Tribune News Services)
Storm uses third-quarter thunderbolt to down Liberty

Rookie Dominique Malonga scored 11 and took over in the third quarter for Seattle.

AquaSox pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje follows through on a pitch during Everett's 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 5, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox blanked by Vancouver as losing skid continues

Everett generates just three hits in 3-0 loss to the Canadians on Saturday.

AquaSox infielder Charlie Pagliarini starts to swing at a pitch that he would launch for a two-run home run in Everett's 9-2 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 4, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox lack spark in Independence Day loss to Vancouver

Everett draws eight walks, but has just two hits in 9-2 loss to the Canadians.

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King's, stands next to the results board after winning the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)
Beard, Tupua shine at Nike Outdoor Nationals

The rising seniors make their mark on a national stage amidst a busy summer schedule.

Everett AquaSox shortstop Colt Emerson catches the ball at second base for the first out in a double play during the Opening Day game against the Hillsboro Hops on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Emerson’s preparation finally paying off in Everett

The AquaSox shortstop is coming off his best month in High-A. Here’s how it came together:

The Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, right, claps after stealing second base during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Witt Jr. and Mariners’ bullpen both slide, KC wins series

The Kansas City Royals found a way against the Seattle Mariners on… Continue reading

Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins (4) tries to drive past Dallas Wings guard JJ Quinerly (11) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game at College Park Center on Monday, May 19, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
Storm survive Dream on Diggins game-winner

Nneka Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler combined for 45 points in the 80-79 win.

Julius Miettinen listens to a coach during Kraken Development Camp on-ice session for forwards on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pair of Silvertips check status at Kraken Development Camp

Julius Miettinen hopes to take strides back in Everett, while Kaden Hammell turns pro.

Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with the team trident after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Mariners overcome Perez to beat Royals

The Kansas City Royals found themselves in another close encounter against the… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.