SEATTLE — Mariners catcher Adam Moore said over the weekend the first thing he would do when he woke up from surgery Tuesday was to look down at his right knee.
If he saw a soft sleeve on the knee, it would mean a minor surgery and a recovery of a few weeks before he’d be able to play again.
But if there was a full brace, it meant a more involved operation and probably the end of Moore’s season after he’d only two games.
Moore woke up with the brace. Season probably over.
Dr. Edward Khalfayan, the Mariners medical director, described the injury as an extensive tear of his medial meniscus, which is a semi-circular band of cartilage in the knee. Khalfayan said the surgery went well but that Moore would need a rehab of 4-6 months.
Moore began the season as the backup to Miguel Olivo and much higher hopes after for a better season offensively. He was only 1-for-6 in the two games he played, but he felt comfortable with his hitting approach.
Instead, he blocked a pitch in the dirt in the eighth inning last Wednesday at Texas and injured the knee when he scrambled to retrieve the ball.
It’s his second significant injury in the past two seasons. Last year, Moore hurt his left leg in mid-May and spent more than a month on the disabled list.
Simulated success for Aardsma
Closer David Aardsma, nearing the end of his comeback from January hip surgery, threw a 28-pitch simulated game Monday against Franklin Gutierrez, Ryan Langerhans and Chris Gimenez. Gutierrez’s fly to medium right field and Gimenez’ soft grounder to shortstop were the only balls put into play.
“He looked good, he felt good,” manager Eric Wedge said. “The ball came out of his hand good, he had a lot of life, the arm looked good, everything was good.”
Wedge said Aardsma would pitch another simulated game Friday in Kansas City, working two 15-pitch innings, and probably go out on a minor-league rehab assignment if he gets through it without problem.
Wedge also said Aardsma would return to the closer role as soon as he’s ready.
“That’s what he is,” Wedge said. “As long as he’s comfortable with it, we are.”
Swinging a bigger bat, literally
Luis Rodriguez, the hero of Monday night’s victory with his two-run game-winning single in the ninth inning, said he made an adjustment nearly two years ago to make himself a better hitter.
Not with his approach to hitting or his stance at the plate.
“I changed my bat,” Rodriguez said. “My dad told me I was hitting a lot of doubles in my career. He said I need to work out a little bit more or change something, so I changed my bat.”
Instead of the 33-ounce, 31-inch bat he had used, Rodriguez now swings a 34-32. It helped him bat .293 with 16 home runs in 94 games last year at Class AAA Charlotte.
He batted only .180 at spring training with the Mariners but made the opening-day roster because of his versatility as switch-hitter and infielder, along with his four-plus years of big-league experience with the Twins and Padres.
“When it comes to stats in spring training, I don’t look at the stats at all,” Wedge said. “I believe in what I see. I like the quality at-bats, I like what you see in fighting through at-bats like we saw last night, and the fact that he’s a switch-hitter and has versatility.”
Of note
Third baseman Chone Figgins didn’t start Tuesday because of a bruise at the base of his left thumb. He was hit there by a line drive in the second inning Monday. Wedge hoped Figgins would be able to start today’s game. … Relief pitcher Josh Lueke was still chilled Tuesday after he recorded his first major league victory in Monday night’s game. He got a celebratory icy beer shower from his teammates. … Wedge on the need for the Mariners to keep an even keel through their seven-game losing streak and even after Monday night’s dramatic comeback victory: “Be strong on the tough days and humble on the good ones. But it’s good to feel good every now and then.”
Read Kirby Arnold’s blog on the Mariners at www.heraldnet.com/marinersblog and follow his Twitter updates on the team at @kirbyarnold.
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