The Mariners took their workout to the big house this morning — actually, Peoria Stadium, where the exhibition season begins Wednesday — with some defensive work and batting practice.
It’s the ballpark’s annual FanFest, when the Mariners and Padres take turns working out and signing autographs. There also are a few memorabilia stands and some baseball-related activities for kids.
There’s not a big crowd compared with previous years, but the weather may be the reason for that. It’s 60 degrees and breezy, with the heavy stuff expected to arrive later today, bringing rain and wind gusts that could reach 50 mph.
Among those along the rail snagging autographs are four avid Mariners fans known as the Old Bats — Annie Hayes of Snohomish, Joan Carlson of Enumclaw, Judy Shannon of Ballard and Phyllis Kanda of Sumner. Hayes is pastor of the Snohomish United Methodist Church.
The Mariners gave them a nice show on the field.
During a fly ball drill, it wasn’t just the catches that were impressive. The outfielders would lob each ball back toward a plastic bucket about 30 yards away and, of course, they did their best to hit the bucket on the fly. To no surprise, Ichiro Suzuki did it and, while we can’t confirm this, the ball probably landed with the label facing upward.
Ichiro also dazzled the fans with a behind-the-back catch in right field and, during batting practice, smoked pitch after pitch after pitch from manager Don Wakamatsu onto the right-field berm. Ken Griffey Jr. also launched a few, and everything Milton Bradley hit had a “sizzle” to it, many of them also carrying deep over the fence.
And yes, Jose Lopez was back at third base when the team took infield. One grounder did get past him but Lopez snagged all the others, often hearing shouts of “Lopey!” from his teammates when he’d make a play.
Back on the practice fields, Cliff Lee was among pitchers to throw in the bullpen this morning. It’s his second bullpen session since a Feb. 5 procedure to remove a bone spur from his left foot. Lee is on a day-on, two-days-off throwing schedule, and, barring a problem, he’ll throw another bullpen Tuesday and a simulated game Friday.
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