Manager Mike Hargrove clearly isn’t happy with the scheduling that had the Mariners making their only trip this season to Cleveland and Boston, cities prone to bad weather this early.
Hargrove wouldn’t, however, reveal his true feelings after five of the seven games were wiped out by bad weather.
“I have a personal opinion about it that would blister the hell out of people. For that reason, I’ll keep them to myself,” he said.
Isn’t it unfair to ask a team that already has such a rigorous travel schedule to make up five games on off days, Hargrove was asked.
“I have a personal opinion about it that would blister the hell out of people. For that reason, I’ll keep them to myself,” he said again.
Is Hargrove hopeful that schedule-makers will make changes in the future after what the Mariners have experienced?
“I have a personal opinion about it that would blister the hell out of people. For that reason, I’ll keep them to myself,” he said a final time.
Rhodes status uncertain: The Mariners said injured relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes continued to evaluate his options after an exam early this week revealed a torn ligament in his left elbow.
Doctors recommended surgery to repair the injury, although Rhodes had planned to seek another opinion and decide whether he could rehab it without an operation. The injury likely will keep Rhodes out the rest of the season.
The Mariners called up left-hander Jake Woods from Class AAA Tacoma, but Hargrove said there also are other options.
“We feel we have people who can come in and make up the slack,” Hargrove said, naming Eric O’Flaherty and Brad Thomas, two lefties pitching at Tacoma. “It doesn’t have to be a lefty, but we’d like for it to be.”
O’Flaherty had allowed one earned run in three innings of relief entering Friday, and Thomas had a 13.50 ERA but struck out eight in 31/3 innings.
Thomas, signed March 1 as a minor league free agent, has pitched for the Red Sox and Twins, and spent last year with the Nippon Ham Fighters, who won the Japan League championship.
Of note: Hargrove said the Mariners would keep their five starters in rotation and not skip any of them despite postponements and off days that have thrown all of them off their every-fifth-day schedule. “Until we get through the rotation again and get guys back on fairly regular days, it’s going to be an interesting proposition every night,” he said. … Because of the games lost to the weather, Fox Sports Net has added Thursday’s game against Minnesota to its telecast schedule. … Of the 17 innings Felix Hernandez has pitched in his two starts, he has retired opponents 1-2-3 in 11 of them. He’s faced four hitters in five innings. … Miguel Batista, Adrian Beltre, Jason Ellison and Jose Lopez will wear No. 42 Sunday on the 60th anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the major leagues. Rhodes also had asked to wear Robinson’s retired 42, which Major League Baseball will allow on Sunday only. … … Hargrove has used the same defensive lineup and batting order in the first six games, the first time in the Mariners’ 31-year history that has happened. … Friday night’s game was the season debut for Spanish-language radio broadcasts of Mariners home games on KDOW (1680 AM). Spanish audio also is available by using the SAP function on all Fox Sports Net home telecasts.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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